Way of Life Part 4

Author(s): Bhadraguptasuri
Publisher: Vishvakalyan Prakashan Trust Mehsana

Page 43

DISCOURSE 75
But one day, a calamity descended upon Ayyu. Every year the people of the village celebrated the festival of Mariyamma. They killed buffaloes as a sacrifice to Mariyamma, at the time of worshipping the goddess. The day of the annual worship approached. Ayyu thought, "We should not sacrifice animals at the time of worshipping the goddess. I cannot bear to see that atrocity. I must put an end to the killing of innocent animals". An ocean of compassion rolled in Ayyu's heart. He announced in the village, "Animals should not be sacrificed to goddess, Mariyamma, at the time of the annual worship. Sacrificing of animals has been stopped. Now, no one should sacrifice animals to goddess, Mariyamma". The people of the village were enraged by this announcement of Ayyu. They became worried. They thought, "If an animal is not sacrificed to the goddess, she would be angry with us and she may cause harm to us. Some calamity may occur to the villagers; and they will have to suffer it. Just because Ayyu says so, how can we give up our tradition of sacrificing animals to the goddess ?"
The people wanted to sacrifice animals to the goddess.
Ayyu wanted the tradition to be discarded. He did not follow the wishes of the people because they were against dharma. He was determined to put an end to the evil practice of sacrificing animals to the goddess.
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All the villagers united. They became greatly inflamed in the name of religion. All carried sticks in their hands. Gulla welcomed them and all together rushed towards the house of Ayyu. It was night. Ayyu was sleeping in his house. Gulla knocked violently on the door. Ayyu woke up. Taking a lantern in one hand and a revolver in the other, he opened the door.
In the light of the lantern, Ayyu saw the villagers crowding before his house. He noticed Gulla standing in front of the crowd. "We will sacrifice animals to the goddess" people shouted. Gulla instigated the people shouting thus, "Rush into his house and loot all his wealth and belongings".