Bhima

Many years ago, in dvapara yuga, there was a shudra named Bhima. He committed so many sins that it is pointless to try and enumerate them.

This fellow once went to a brahmana’s house. He resolved that he would steel the brahmana’s property. But to scout out the place, he pretended to be a beggar. “I am very hungry, please give me some food to eat,” Bhima said.

“There is no one else in the house,” replied the brahmana. “I do not have parents, a wife, or children. There is no one here who can cook some food for you. Why don’t you help yourself to some rice and cook your own food?”

“I too, have no one,” said Bhima. “I will stay here and serve you.”

All this was really an act. Bhima was looking for an opportunity to enter the house so that he might steal the brahmana’s property. But once he began to live in the house, Bhima saw no reason to hurry. Life with the brahmana was very comfortable. There was no hurry in stealing the property. That could easily be stolen whenever Bhima wanted. But, living with the brahmana, Bhima began to serve the brahmana in little brahmana’s feet. All this led to a lot of punya.

One night, a thief entered the house. Bhima tried to prevent the thief from stealing, but while he was fighting with the thief, the thief sliced off Bhima’s head with a sword.

As soon as Bhima died, Vishnu’s messengers arrived to take Bhima to Vishnuloka. All his sins had been forgiven.

Such are the wonderful effects of serving brahmanas.

Hemaprabha

Ekadashi is the eleventh day of the lunar fortnight. If one fasts on ekadashi tithi and performs religious rites, that is known as ekadashi vrata. This is very sacred.

Many years ago, a man named Vallabha lived in the city of Kanchana. Vallabha’s wife was Hemaprabha. Vallabha was rich and prosperous. But he was not happy. The reason for his unhappiness was his wife. Hemaprabha did not obey her husband and quarrelled with him all the time. On one particular day, Vallabha could stand it no more. He gave his wife a sound thrashing.

This angered Hemaprabha so much that she retired to her bedroom and refused to touch food or water. She fasted throughout the day. As luck would have it, she died during the night.

The day had happened to be ekadashi and Hemaprabha had therefore fasted on ekadashi tithi. This brought her a lot of punya.

When Hemaprabha died, Yama’s messengers arrived and tried to take the woman to Yama’s abode. But Vishnu’s companions also arrived and they would not permit this to be done. Such was Hemaprabha’s punya that she was destined to life with Vishnu in Vishnuloka.