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DISCOURSE 55 favour of such and such a god or goddess. I can perform miracles with their help". They make such claims. They manage to get some followers and accomplices, and make a show. Then their drama goes on successfully. A REAL INCIDENT RELATING TO A HYPOCRITICAL ACT
A Rajasthani family lived in an extension in Bombay. The son of the family was married; and the daughter-in-law came to live with the family. She was very arrogant; she quarrelled with her mother-in-law and went away to her native place in Rajasthan. She lived there for about a year. She fasted for 15 days during the Paryushan festival. Her parents asked her, "How can you fast for 15 days ?” She said, “The Gurudev appeared to me in my dreams, and he advised me to fast for 15 days. "I will send you Vasakshep (holy grains of rice) from heaven. The Vasakshep will fall from my picture". Then she showed a packet containing Vasakshep saying that it had been given to her by the Gurudev. The news of this event spread throughout the village. People came to obtain from her the Vasakshep. The news reached her mother-in-law's house in Bombay. They too came to the girl's village in Rajasthan; and saw the great honour that was being given to the girl. They too were dumb-struck. After the completion ceremony had been performed, they went back to Bombay taking the girl with them. The girl also took with her the photograph from which the divine Vasakshep were falling. In Bombay millions of Rajasthani Jains are living. As the people came to know of the miracle, they came to her house to see the miracle. It was said that holy ash had begun to fall from her head. Her mother-inlaw, her father-in-law, her husband and all the others in the house began to treat her with great devotion and fear; and acted according to her wishes and commands.
The matter came to the notice of the newspaper editor and reporters. Some representatives of newspapers came to her house to see what the matter was. One of the journalists asked her, "Can you show us the Vasakshep that the Gurudev sends you from heaven ?" The young lady took out a packet from behind the picture of the Gurudev; and showed it to them.
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