Hindu week days 7a.

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7a. Saturday.

 

This story is related to Saturday fast. The devotees worship Saturn idol

made of iron. Black flowers, black sesame seeds, horse bean and black

clothes are used for worship. Black articles and oil are given in

donation. Black sesame and horse bean are taken as food. Wives do not

perform journey to their paternal home town. The Saturday fast keeps

away all the hurdles and misfortunes. Saturn sits in a mirror chariot,

yoked with eight black horses.

 

Once there was a Brahman. He used to guard against evil spirits at the

king's main gate palace. One day he heard a strange voice and was

frightened. He heard this voice for a number of days. He never talked

about that mysterious voice to his wife. One day his wife said, " I

try to provide you best nutritious meals, still you are losing your

health. What is wrong with you? " For some time, he kept mum. His

wife insisted that he should reveal his internal feelings to get rid of

any * unnecessary strain. The Brahman said, " I hear a strange voice

every Saturday. It says that it wants to afflict the king. The duration

of affliction will be either seven-and-a-half years or two-and-a-half

years or two-and-a-half months or two-and-a-half days or at least for

two-and-a-half prahar i.e. seven-and-a-half hours. The king can opt for

any period but the affliction is a must. "

 

The Brahman's wife smiled and said, " Why didn't you tell it

earlier? The king must be saved even at our cost. You accept

two-and-a-half `prahars' affliction for you. The spirit again

visited the palace and repeated the same message. The Brahman said,

" I offer to take King's affliction upon myself. You can be upon

me for two-and-a-half prahars. " The spirit was pleased at

Brahman's offer. The Brahman went to a riverbank. He wanted to spend

that time in meditation. He noticed two water-melons floating on the

surface of water. He caught them by their tops and placed them under his

thigh.

 

The king's princes had been out for hunting for the last two days.

They had not returned. The king was in great agony. He sent his

messengers in various directions for searching out the princes.

Incidentally, a messenger came to the Brahman. To his great surprise, he

saw that the Brahman was hiding the heads of the princes under his

thigh. He reported the matter to the king. The king was enraged. He

ordered that the Brahman be impaled or hanged. The king asked the

Brahman what his last desire was. The Brahman said, " Please do not

kill me for two-and-a-half prahars. "

 

The king agreed. As the stipulated time was over arrangements for

Brahman's end were made ready. The Brahman was to be beheaded with a

red hot iron spear. As the slaughter man attacked the Brahman, the hot

spear got broken into pieces. The slaughter man now took a red hot

silver spear. That spear too was broken into pieces before it touched

the Brahman's neck. The slaughter man took out a red hot golden

spear and tried to behead the Brahman. The third spear also did have a

different fate.

 

The onlookers were surprised at the sight of such a miracle. Suddenly,

the princes too, appeared at the scene. The king embraced the princes

and felt sorry for the Brahman. The king said, " O, Brahman! What is

this puzzle? " Reveal this mystery to one and all. " The Brahman

said, " The Saturn wanted to afflict you. I took your affliction upon

me to save you and the kingdom. The Saturn made the water melons appear

as human heads. How could I have killed the princes? I have always been

a saviour of this kingdom. " The king said, " I don't believe

your uttering. I want to see the Saturn myself. If you do not show me,

all the members of your family will be crushed in the grinder. " The

Brahman began to tremble. He begged for a week's time. He went to

his house. His wife said, " You look pale and horrified. What is the

matter? " The Brahman said, " The Saturn wrought the affliction on

me. I was saved because I acted according to your advice. Now, if I do

not show Saturn to the king, all of us will be crushed under the grinder

wheels. "

 

The Brahman's wife said, " Have patience. You staked your life

for a better cause. God will help us. " The Brahman had a sigh of

relief. His wife said, " Ask the king to get up early in the morning

on the coming Saturday. Saturn will be riding a black horse under the

black mountain. He will be covered with a black blanket, all soaked in

oil. The king can have his glimpse. " The Brahman took the king to

the black mountain the next Saturday. A black shadow was riding a black

horse. The king said, " Who are you? " The Saturn said, " I am

Saturn. I afflict the poor as well as the kings alike. "

 

The king said, " How can we avoid your affliction? " The Saturn

said, " The rich should donate a black horse or one-and-a-quarter

maunds of gold on Saturday. The middle-income group can donate iron and

black blankets. The poor can give oil-touched loaf to a black dog. The

still poorer can water a peepul tree, place some flowers there and wrap

the tree with a piece of black thread. " The Brahman said, " Do

not afflict our king. Your affliction on the king will affect our town.

I can stand your afflictions on myself in the future also. "

 

The Saturn suddenly disappeared, along with his black horse and the king

returned to his palace. He was pleased with the Brahman. The

Brahman's wife felt happy when the husband reported the whole

happening to her.