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THE WAY OF LIFE
“Of course, my desire was to invite Tulsidasji to my house to deliver a discourse on the Ramayana but the Sethji is so enamoured of me that he bought me this nose-ring worth seven hundred rupees. How many excellent discourses could have been arranged with this amount of seven hundred rupees !" After exhibiting her nose-ring to the women of the neighbourhood, she started showing it to the other women in the village. She felt delighted when the women of the village praised her nose-ring. Generally, human beings enjoy hearing their own praise.
Again, Tulsidasji visited that village one day. The merchant's wife went one hour early to the house, where the discourse had been arranged. The time for the commencement of the discourse approached and all the women of the village came there. The merchant's wife observed all those women carefully to see which women had not seen her nose-ring. If she found a woman, who had not seen her nose-ring, she held her hand; made her sit beside her and showed her the nose-ring. She was interested not in listening to the discourse but in exhibiting her nose-ring.
The discourse began and ended. People started leaving the house after receiving the prasad (a gift of food or fruits as a mark of God's benediction). All had gone away but the merchant's wife remained sitting there. Tulsidas thought that the woman wanted to ask him some question; so he said to her, "Sister ! why are you still here? Do you have any question to ask me ?”
The merchant's wife said, “Maharaj ! Those who have arranged this discourse are really blessed. Only those who are fortunate get such a golden opportunity. I too desired to arrange your discourse in my house. I requested my husband to arrange your discourse in my house but he said that he would arrange your discourse after putting together some money out the Seth is so enamoured of me that after saving seven hundred rupees, he has bought this nose-ring with that amount". Having said this, she showed her nose-ring to Tulsidasji. He laughed.
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