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NARRATIVES
Shyam Thakur, Amal's uncle, was another recipient of Krishna's miraculous grace. He was a householder. At the bidding of his guru, Ananda Giri, he gave up. all his means of earning in his village, Anantpur and took to akashvritti, that is: "...to depend for everything on God and God alone."15 With Kamala, his wife, and Annapurna his daughter, he went to Varanasi and began to deliver discourses on the Gita and the Bhagavat there. People who invited him would collect a small amount for him on the spot from the listeners.
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It was extremely difficult for Shyam Thakur to run his household from such a meagre amount he was getting. Kamala was getting restless by the fact that they were not able to arrange for their grown up daughter's marriage. Shyam Thakur wrote to his guru frequently of his troubles. But his guru, in his replies. exhorted him to wait patiently for the intervention of the Divine Grace. Sad. Annapurna, once, went to their rich neighbour, Atul Babu's house at night, to commit suicide by throwing herself in their big water tank. She was noticed and. stopped by Jamuna, Atul Babu's daughter, who also happened to be her friend. It was revealed, then, that Anil, Atul Babu's son had liking for Annapurna and wanted to marry her. Asit also narrated other incidents of Shyam Thakur's life. during which his guru had exhorted him to rely on God and wait patiently even. during the most critical moments. And true to his Guru's words, Shyam Thakur's problems were solved miraculously.
On the following day, Asit tells Barbara about Mandira, the daughter of Shyam Thakur's first cousin, Moni Babu. Mandira was born and brought up in the religious atmosphere caused by the aspiration of her grand father, Phani Roy and mother, Bimla Devi. She had to suffer a lot when Bimla Devi died and Moni Babu got married again to Manju Devi. Manju Devi stopped all religious, and charitable activities which were taking place in their temple house. She forced. Moni Babu to transfer all his property on her own name. Mandira was extremely unhappy. Moni Babu was unhappy, too. Moni Babu died of heart attack, leaving the amount of Rs. 15000/- at the disposal of Shyam Thakur for the dowry of Mandira. Shyam Thakur was insulted badly by Manju Devi. Mandira was not allowed to dance in their temple house. One day, while she could not resist and. began to dance in worship of Krishna, Manju Devi came and began to scold her in the presence of many people, including Shyam Thakur and Asit. Mandira, out of fear, told her a lie that it was not she who was dancing, but it might be Radha Rani. Manju Devi argued that Radha Rani, being in marble, was white, while Mandira was dark-brown. Mandira answered that the goddess did change her colour to be like a dark goddess. Furious Manju Devi dragged her to the room. where the Images were kept. All people present there followed her and to their surprise, they found that Radha's life-size marble Image was changed in colour from white into dark-brown, matching Mandira's own. Mandira was full of
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