Stories Related to Navaratras
THE KING WHO WANTED A CHILD
In days gone by, there lived a very great and powerful king, who had a noble and beautiful wife. They were very happy to together, and the people of their kingdom were also very happy along with them. The royal couple paid special attention to all the needs of their subjects, and heard their woes and alleviated them to the best of their abilities.. However the king and queen had one sorrow that saddened them immensely - they had not children and as such their palace was bereft of any sound or chatter of little ones. Even one little child would have made the palace echo with the patter of little feet running here and there.
Soon the queen, who could think of nothing else, suggested to the king that he marry her own sister, as them perhaps her sister could beget a child. The king was stunned, but all his ministers and courtiers thought it was a good idea, and advised him to marry his wife's sister. They all felt strongly that there should be an heir to the throne, and although it was against the wishes of the monarch himself, they were able to persuade him in the larger interest of the kingdom.
Soon, another splendid and grand marriage took place and everyone rejoiced because the older queen did not feel jealous at all. She made a great occasion of the day. The younger queen was also very beautiful and always listened to her elder sister. In fact, now they both consulted each other in the affairs of the palace, and lived happily together.
Alas, there was still no news of a baby's arrival, and the king became very worried and sai again. So, the two queens thought up a scheme in which they made the younger queen tie a small cushion around her wait beneath her garments, and told the king that she as expecting a baby. They also told him that the astrologers of the court had forbidden the king from going anywhere near the 'pregnant' queen until the baby was born. The king was very happy and agreed to do as he was told.
Every month a bigger cushion was tied round the younger queen's waist, and she was shown to the king from afar. This state of affairs went on for nine months, were now in a state of panic, and were frightened as they did not know what to do. They decided to pray to Deviji, and told the king that since Deviji had been so very kind to them, they would like to visit the great temple, situated far away, to offer their gratitude. The king also decided to a go along with them and no one could persuade him not do so. He declared : 'Deviji has been kind to me and my, queens and so I must accompany them to them great temple.' The queens were flabbergasted and said: 'Sire, you have so much work in the capital, that your going with us many not be the right thing to do'. The king replied, 'What will Deviji think of me! She has so blessed us, O queens, that I must also thank her'. Then he made arrangements for this prime Minister to look after the kingdom, while he went to the temple to worship,. Fruits , flowers jewels and gold coins were taken along to be offered at the altar of Durga, Ma. Amidst all this grandeur, the caravan of the king and both the queens started, the younger one with big cushion tied to her waist. As they neared the temple, the elder queen said to the king.: 'O Lord, we have forgotten to bring the silver chhattra (canopy) that we were to offer to Durga Ma, and without that all our offerings would be at naught.' The king was very anxious to please the goddess. So he quickly made up his mind to go himself, will go quickly and return with the chhattra'. He went very fast, but as he was travelling on foot (and that too barefooted!) he took quite some time to reach his capital and return.
Well, now the queens made the entourage travel very fast and reached the temple a day earlier than scheduled. They went straight to the altar of the goddess without taking any food or water, and lay prostrate before her, with tears of bewilderments streaking down their faces. Deviji asked her langoora to find out what ailed these two ladies, who came in their finery and riches. The langoora asked them: 'why have you come, O women, with such sad looks. You do not look as if you have come to thank the goddess, but instead you look as if you have come to ask her for something'. The elder queen replied: 'O langooraji, we are in great trouble. We lied to the king - a great mistake! Now we have come to the Mother Goddess for help. We told the king, that the younger queen was expecting a child when she really is not, as the king wants an heir to the throne. O langooraji, do help us'.
The langoora went and told the Mother Goddess the exact situation. Deviji, in all her kindness, asked the langoora to fetch a coconut. then she asked they younger queen to sit cross-legged before the altar. The langoora then put the coconut in her lap, and lo behold! A beautiful little baby started to cry in her lap! Everyone was so thrilled that they danced with joy and sang in praise of the great goddess.
In the meantime, the king arrived, and seeing the commotion, asked everyone what the matter was. People said: 'The queen was not actually expecting a baby, but the goddess made it happen, and now there is a real baby in the younger queen's lap.' 'The king was overjoyed and in the younger queen's lap face down before the goddess.
Now, the elder queen felt jealous, and demanded to know why the Mother Goddess had not given the baby to her, since shed had also prayed so much to Deviji. 'Why O Mother, did you choose the younger queen and mot myself? I also cam barefoot to your temple and prayed with a pure heart. It should be my baby and not my sister's ! she pleaded. 'Women, O women. I will just solve this problem. Both of you wear blouses made out of jute, and whoever gets milk in her breast to feed the baby, can claim him', said the Mother Goddess. Both women did likewise, and held the baby to their breasts, but only the younger one produced the milk. 'Why this partiality? Cried the elder queen. Deviji replied: 'Because the younger one had to put up with the inconvenience of a cushion tied to her waist, and did not come out of her palace for nine months, so that none could find out the real situation. Therefore, she deserves the right to feed, but both of you are mothers and as such, both of you should look after the baby sincerely'.
The queen realised that being the elder one, she should be more understanding and give the credit of bearing the child to the younger one. So they returned to the capital in a joyous mood. All the people of the kingdom rejoiced, and the king declared that henceforth Devi puja must be celebrated twice a year in his kingdom - once before the coming of winter and once before the coming of summer - for nine days each time. And so continues the tradition to our day.
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