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PHILOSOPHY OF SOUL
275
some god and earned merits and in that case she might not have left us. Alright, then let me see how she dares leave us."
Then he told his family-members to bring and make a heap of all the ornaments and cash-money."
He further explained, "It is better if we abandon our wealth willingly. This would prove our bravery."
When the heap of wealth was ready he declared to the people, "Come, come all and everyone, take away what you desire."
After such declaration all his wealth was exhausted in a day. Only a worn out coat and food provisions sufficient for a day were left with him. He slept with no worries as the goddess could deprive him of nothing then.
On the fourth night the goddess arrived and aroused him from slumbers with great difficulty. He said, "Goddess, you have arrived to ask for my leave. You can depart at will."
She replied, "I now intend to stay on."
The merchant said, "Goddess, I have nothing left for me. would you continue to stay here."
How
She replied, "I am once more bound by you. You have earned immense merit in these three days and hence I shall have to stay on,"
Earnestly earned merits or sins bring forth immediate results.
If the merchant simply cried and got worried, the wealth would not have continued to stay. With his hurricane efforts he earned merits to stop the goddess of wealth leaving him.
He asked, "How would you stay here ?"
She replied, "You visit my temple to-morrow morning where you will find a monk. Bring him home and feed him well. When he would begin to leave your place then fell him down with a stick blow. He shall be turned into a person of gold, cut his limbs of concrete gold and use the gold when you need. The limbs cutoff shall again grow up." With these words the goddess disappeared.
In the next morning he did accordingly and carried away the golden man inside his house.
