🧚 Magadha and Rupvati.

Once upon a time there was a town called Avanti on the banks of the river Kshipra.1 It was a famous town and in it lived very many rich men.2 But all the inhabitants were not rich, some were very poor.3 Among the latter was a pious old Brahman called Vishnupriya or dear to the Lord Vishnu.4 He had two sons named Deval and Madhav.5 The former he married to a proud and lovely girl called Rupvati.6 For Madhav he got a pure and saintly girl called Magadha.7 In course of time the good old Brahman died and after his death the family became so poor that the two brothers resolved to leave Avanti and seek their fortune elsewhere.8 Before they left, they handed over the whole management of the house to Rupvati.9 Even Madhav said to Magadha in Rupvati’s presence “You must obey Rupvati in everything.10 She is my elder brother’s wife.11 You are but a foolish, ignorant girl.12 She is clever and wise in the ways of the world.”13 Magadha was not vexed at what her husband said.14 She felt sure that what he ordered was for the best and she promised to do everything that Rupvati told her.15

Now Rupvati for all her beauty was really a bad hearted woman and directly her husband had gone, she began to take as her lovers all the handsome young men of the neighbourhood.16 But she feared that Magadha would tell tales about her, so she resolved to turn her out of the house.17 She told Magadha that she had been born under an unlucky star and was the cause of her husband’s and her brother’s poverty.18 After rating her well, she beat her and pushing her into the street slammed the door in her face.19

Poor Magadha was at first broken hearted at the way Rupvati had treated her.20 But after shedding some tears, she took courage and began to earn her living as a day labourer.21 From time to time, too, she used to go to Rupvati’s house and work for her; for so gentle was her nature that she never bore Rupvati any ill-will.22 One day in Purshotam Mas she saw Rupvati worshipping the God Krishna.23 As she had never seen this done before, she asked Rupvati to tell her all about it.24 Rupvati flew into a temper and screamed at her “You wretched girl, fancy not knowing how to worship Shri Krishna!25 Why your very presence is a sin!”26 With these words she drove her sister-in-law into the street.27 As poor Magadha was going home in tears, she met one Bhamini, a friend of Rupvati and just as unkind and cruel as she was.28 Bhamini asked her why she cried.29 Magadha told her.30 But Bhamini instead of taking Magadha’s part, thought it a good chance to play a cruel practical joke on her.31 She told her that it was Purshotam Mas and that therefore she should worship the God Krishna.32 “Most people,” added Bhamini, “bathe in a river and burn a ghee lamp in a corner of their house in front of images of Krishna and Radha.33 Thereafter they feed Brahmans.34 But I know a much better way to worship Krishna than that.35 Choose the dirtiest, nastiest pool that you can find.36 Bathe in it and after bathing eat nothing but cold, stale food.37 Next worship the pipal tree, thinking all the while of Krishna and Radha.38 Then give to Brahmans alms wrapped in pipal leaves.”39 Now this was all wrong; for Shri Krishna does not live in the pipal tree, which is only the abode of devils.40 But the cruel Bhamini hoped that in this way Magadha would incur both God’s displeasure and the curses of the Brahmans.41

Poor Magadha was far too trusting to guess Bhamini’s wickedness and went home very pleased with her new knowledge.42 She looked about until she found a pool full of dirty rain water and swarming with water insects.43 She bathed in it, then worshipped a pipal tree, thinking all the while of Shri Krishna.44 Lastly she went home and ate some cold, stale food, which she had put by on purpose.45 Having done this for several days she invited 108 Brahmans to dine at her house.46 After she had invited them, she suddenly remembered that she had no money with which to buy them food, still less to give them alms afterwards.47 She did not know what to do, so she prayed all that night and all next morning to the God Krishna to help her honour the Brahmans when they came.48 A little before noon the 108 Brahmans began to collect outside Magadha’s house.49 But poor Magadha, who had no dinner to give them, had not the heart to go to the door and welcome them; so she just stayed inside and prayed to the God Krishna.50 At last the Brahmans got very angry and said “What is the use of waiting outside this wretched little hut?51 Even if the door was opened, there would be nothing inside to eat.”52 They were about to go away when three other Brahmans came up and one of them asked which was Magadha’s house.53 Hopes of a good meal once more sprang up in the breasts of the 108 hungry guests and they pointed it out to the newcomers.54 “We are guests,” they said, “but she has shut her door in our faces.55 Are you her relative?”56 The Brahman who had spoken, said “Yes, I am Magadha’s brother and these two are our kinsmen.57 Please wait outside and I shall go in and see.58 My sister must be getting ready your dinner.”59 With these words he went inside the house, but he found nothing ready.60 In the middle room was poor Magadha, praying with all her might to the God Krishna to help her.61 “Why do you not serve the dinner for the 108 Brahmans?” asked the newcomer.62 “There is no worse sin than to send away Brahmans hungry from your door.”63 “I know that,” replied poor Magadha, “but what can I do?64 I have no food and no money to buy any.”65 “Look in your kitchen,” said the newcomer, “and you will find plenty of food.”66 Magadha looked and sure enough the kitchen was as full as it could be.67 She was so pleased that she began cooking at once; and two maid-servants, whom she had never seen before helped her and swept the floor of the dining room and got baths ready for the Brahmans; when dinner was ready the newcomer called in the 108 other Brahmans and he and his two kinsmen served the dinner on leaves, which turned into gold plates when the guests touched them.68 The Brahmans had never eaten so rich or so big a dinner before.69 They got back their good spirits and instead of cursing poor Magadha, they blessed her from the bottom of their hearts.70 As they rose to go, the newcomer gave each guest a packet of pipal leaves as a parting present.71 The guests thought this a very odd “dakshina” but when they opened the leaves they found them full of diamonds and pearls and rubies.72

When all the guests had left, Magadha begged the three Brahmans who had so wonderfully helped her, to have their meal also.73 They excused themselves, pleading that they had already eaten.74 But they pressed Magadha to eat and she did so.75 Directly she had finished, her eyes were opened and she saw the three Brahmans and the two maid-servants as they really were.76 For the Brahman, who had said he was her brother was none other than Shri Krishna himself and his two so called kinsmen were his two friends Uddhav and Akrur; while the two maid-servants were Shri Krishna’s queens Rukmani and Satyabhama.77 Magadha threw herself at Shri Krishna’s feet; but the great God raised her and said “The ceremonies you performed in my honour were all wrong.78 But ceremonies are of little value.79 The true worth of worship is in faith; and your faith was such that I granted you your prayers.”80 With these words he took Magadha by the hand and led her back with him to his heaven Vaikunth.81 But what happened to the wicked Rupvati and Bhamini?82 They were very properly punished.83 Rupvati in order to humble poor Magadha still more, had on the same day asked another 108 Brahmans to dinner, intending to give them a splendid feast and get their blessing, while poor Magadha fell under the curses of her 108 guests.84 But the very opposite happened.85 Rupvati cooked her dinner and had her house swept and garnished and went out to welcome her guests.86 But when she took them into her house there was nothing to eat at all.87 All the fine dinner which she had cooked for them had gone.88 She looked everywhere but she could not find it.89 At last she had to send the Brahmans away as hungry and cross as could be.90 As they went they called down the most frightful curses on her, so that she died soon afterwards and went straight to Hell.91 Nor did Bhamini fare any better.92 The God Krishna was very angry with her for telling Magadha to worship him in the way she did.93 She lost all her money and became very poor; and when she died she went to Hell too, and she and Rupvati are still there, keeping each other company.94