Why Did Lakshmi Chase Lord Jagannath with a Golden Rope?

Why Did Lakshmi Chase Lord Jagannath with a Golden Rope?

Hey, what is this? Our Lakshmi ji is running after Jagannath ji throughout the temple with a shining golden rope in her hand. And Jagannath ji, while adjusting his dhoti, is sometimes hiding behind this pillar, sometimes behind that pillar. Balabhadra ji rolled on the floor laughing. Subhadra ji is sitting holding her stomach. The priest is looking with his mouth open. There is chaos in the entire temple and Lakshmi ji is screaming. Today I will definitely catch you. I will not leave today. Hey Mother, what happened that the golden rope had to be taken out and what did Jagannath ji do? Let’s take a look at this very interesting and heart-touching untold story. The story begins with the vegetable market. Yes, from the vegetable market outside the temple. There was a small vegetable market behind the Puri temple. A poor girl used to come there every morning to sell vegetables. Her name was Aarti. Age around 22-23 years, thin and lean. Lines of poverty on the face. But these eyes are such that whoever sees them stops. Innocent, simple and full of love for Lord Jagannath. Aarti was alone. Her mother passed away when she was a child. The father was a drunkard. He left his daughter and went away somewhere. Now Aarti would keep vegetables in her small basket, sell them and feed herself with whatever little she earned. But there was one thing special about Aarti. She used to go to the temple first thing every morning. She would take out a small vegetable from the basket. Sometimes she would take a tomato, sometimes a small cucumber, sometimes a handful of peas and place it at the lion gate of the temple. She said, Jaggu ji, this is today’s Prasad, I am poor and cannot give anything else. These are the only people who laugh and say, hey crazy girl, who offers raw vegetables to God? You just look at the fifty-six offerings, what is your vegetable in front of that? Aarti laughs and says, my Jaggu ji will think that this is the first vegetable earned from my earnings. The first fruit always belonged to him and one day Aarti was placing tomatoes near the Singh gate. Then a miracle happened. Inside the temple, Lakshmi ji asked Jagannath ji, Swami, what do you want as offering today? Today I feel like making something special. Jagannath Ji said calmly, Devi, today I feel like eating fresh vegetable curry. Fresh straight from the farm. Lakshmi ji said, okay I will tell in the kitchen. Jagannath ji smiled and said, but Devi, let me tell you one thing. Vegetables from the market are better than the vegetables from the kitchen. Lakshmi ji frowned. Vegetables from the outside market which are kept in the dust. Jagannath ji said whether the goddess is kept in dust or in a golden plate. The real taste of the vegetables comes from the love of the seller and there is a girl named Aarti who leaves her freshest vegetables for me every morning at Singh Dwar. Lakshmi ji heard it and said, okay some girl, every day Jagannath ji suddenly realized that he had said something wrong but what should he do now? He said, yes Devi is just a devotee. Ordinary girl keeps vegetables for me. Lakshmi ji’s eyebrows shrank further. She said, every day, yes every day and you eat her vegetables? Jagannath ji wiped his sweat, Devi, I don’t eat it, I just take its price. Lakshmi ji narrowed her eyes. Balabhadra ji was standing in the corner listening to everything, he held his forehead and whispered to Subhadra ji, your brother is in trouble again today. Subhadra ji said while controlling her laughter, Dau Bhaiya, there will be a spectacle today. Jagannath ji tried to handle the situation and said, Devi, why are you getting worried unnecessarily, she is an ordinary girl, she is just poor, she has nothing else to give. Lakshmi ji immediately said, then today I will personally see to this Aarti, today I will go out. Jagannath ji’s eyes widened, Devi, you are outside, outside the temple, yes why, can’t I go? Jagannath ji immediately said, no, no, it is not like that, but why are you worried, I will myself tell him, he should not keep those vegetables now. Lakshmi ji placed her hand on her waist. Why? It was fine if I kept it earlier. Why are you refusing now? Are you hiding something? Balabhadra ji said to Subhadra ji, see now the real drama has started. Jagannath ji folded his hands. Devi, I am telling the truth, I am not hiding anything. He is an ordinary devotee. Then what’s the problem with me going? Jagannath ji is silent. Lakshmi ji turned. She said to her sister, Subhadra, bring my shawl and also my most precious bangles. I want to see for myself who this Aarti is. Subhadra ji ran while controlling her laughter. Jagannath looked towards Balabhadra. Dau Dada, do something. Balabhadra ji laughed loudly. Why should I? This is your responsibility. You yourself told me that you have a transaction of prices with the vegetable vendor outside. Now bear it. Jagannath ji held his head. The next morning, Aarti Singh was placing a small basket of vegetables at the door as usual. Today there was a small brinjal. She folded her hands and said, Jaggu ji, the brinjal is very fresh today. You must get it. Just then a voice came from behind. Are you Aarti? Aarti looked back. A beautiful woman was standing in front. She was wearing very expensive clothes. Loaded with gold jewellery. There was brightness on her face. But there was something in his eyes. It was somewhat harsh. Aarti folded her hands. She said, yes mother, I am Aarti. Lakshmi ji asked, why do you keep vegetables here every day? Aarti was straightforward. She said, Mother, I am poor. I don’t have money, I can only give this much. My Jaggu ji’s first earnings always belong to him. There was some softening in Lakshmi ji’s eyes. But there was also doubt. She said, your Jaggu ji, do you call him with so much affection? Yes mother, he is my Jaggu ji. I don’t have a mother or a father. That’s it. I talk to them. I laugh. I cry. For me, he is not God but family. Lakshmi ji remained silent for a few moments. Then she said and he talks to you. Aarti rolled her eyes. She said, Mother, I feel that he does it, sometimes with the help of a gust of wind, sometimes with the help of Prasad, sometimes with the help of a stranger, I feel that he listens to me. Lakshmi ji thought that the girl is simple but my husband had taken her name again and again, there must be something there. She said, okay tell me one thing, have you ever been inside the temple? Aarti shook her head, no, Mother, I had thought that I would go, but the priest had once said that a poor person like me is not allowed to go inside. Since then I have been asking from Singh Dwar only. Lakshmi ji’s heart melted a little but she still had doubts. She said okay. From today onwards, don’t come inside. Understood? Aarti nodded. Yes mother. Lakshmi ji turned and started going inside. But when I turned back, I saw Aarti still standing at the door with folded hands. The brinjal is lying on the ground and the lips are moving. As if you are saying something. Lakshmi ji stopped. Kept watching for a while. Aarti was saying, Jaggu ji, a mother came today. She was very beautiful but I think she is someone of yours. Maybe your wife never told you, but it doesn’t matter. I understood that from today onwards I will not come inside. But I will come from the lion gate, right? Just don’t say that. Lakshmi ji’s heart trembled. She said in her mind, Oh God, this girl is really simple. But there was still a doubt. He was determined. I will ask Swami directly this evening. When everyone gathered inside the temple in the evening. Lakshmi ji asked Jagannath ji directly. Swami, today I met Aarti. Jagannath ji pretended to be shocked. Well, how did you like it? The girl is simple. But tell me one thing, how do you know his name? How many devotees keep vegetables for you every day? You don’t know anyone’s name. Then why do I remember its name? Jagannath ji wiped his sweat. He said Devi, what, what, does she keep it daily, I remembered it and how many devotees keep it daily, there are many Devi, so tell me their names. Jagannath ji remained silent, Lakshmi ji narrowed her eyes, Swami, tell me the truth, who is this Aarti? Jagannath ji folded his hands, Devi, just a devotee, nothing else, then why do you talk to her at night? Jagannath ji’s eyes widened, who says, I talk to her at night. Lakshmi ji said smilingly. She spoke herself, saying that you help her in some way or the other. Sometimes from the wind, sometimes from a stranger. Meaning you go to him. Balabhadra ji and Subhadra ji were standing in the corner, laughing with their mouths covered. Jagannath ji immediately said, Devi, it is not like that. He is poor and an orphan. I help every orphan. Lakshmi ji asked, then tell me the names of the remaining orphans. Jagannath ji remained silent again. Lakshmi ji’s eyes lit up with fire. She said, Swami, I have been with you for 400 years. I know when you tell the truth and when you lie. Today you are lying. Jagannath ji finally accepted defeat. He said, Devi, I am telling the truth. Nothing is there. Aarti is really a very lovely devotee. I like his simplicity. I help him. That’s it and nothing else. Lakshmi ji remained silent for some time. Then she said, okay but I have to do one thing. Shall I give him a gift? You won’t refuse. Jagannath ji breathed a sigh of relief. Give absolutely goddess gifts. Very good. Lakshmi ji took out a rope from her cupboard. But this was not an ordinary rope, it was a shining rope made of gold. In which small diamonds were embedded. Very precious. Jagannath ji’s eyes widened. Goddess, what is this? Lakshmi smiled and said, This is the same golden rope I use for special purposes. It holds my power. I will gift it to Aarti so that her poverty ends. Jagannath felt relieved. Wow, Goddess, this is a very wise decision. Let’s give it to her. Lakshmi laughed, No, Swami, I won’t give this rope to her myself. You will. Will I? Yes. Tonight, you will go to her hut and give it to her. Jagannath’s face turned white in front of me. Goddess, I mean, you will come with me. Yes, I will see how you give it to her. Balabhadra said from behind, You’re trapped, brother. Jagannath held his head. That night, both Lakshmi and Jagannath reached Aarti’s hut. Aarti was sitting on her broken mat. She hadn’t had dinner yet. She was just about to go to sleep after drinking a bowl of water. Jagannath knocked on the door. Aarti opened the door. The same mothers stood there, along with a bright-faced man. Aarti folded her hands. Mother, are you here? Lakshmi said, Yes, daughter, I have something for you. I have brought it. Lakshmi ji signaled to Jagannath ji. Jagannath ji took out a golden rope from behind him. He placed it in front of Aarti. Aarti’s eyes widened. She said, What is this? Jagannath ji said softly, daughter this is for you. Aarti saw the golden rope. Then he looked towards Jagannath ji. Then towards Goddess Lakshmi. Then towards the rope. And then Aarti laughed. Lakshmi ji is surprised. Are you laughing? Aarti said, Mother, I am poor but not mad. This gold rope must be worth lakhs. You are giving it to me just like that. Why? Jagannath ji said, daughter, just take it. You want it, right? Aarti nodded. She said, I don’t want it. Both Lakshmi ji and Jagannath ji were shocked. Don’t want it. Aarti touched the golden rope. Then removed it. She said, look, if I take this then the whole village will ask. Where did you come from? I wouldn’t know what to answer. Then my respect will be lost. Then people will think that I must have stolen. Then the police will come. Then whatever little respect I have left will also be lost. Lakshmi ji kept listening. Aarti further said one more thing mother I like poverty, yes I get less to eat but if there is no money then there is no greed either, if money comes then greed will come then I want more and I don’t want this, I just want my Jaggu ji and I get him for free, tears came in Laxmi ji’s eyes. Aarti took out a small brinjal from her hut and said mother you take this golden rope and this brinjal, this is my today’s earning. Lakshmi ji took brinjal as Prasad from you. But he left the golden rope in front of Aarti. She said, daughter, this rope is for you. It is yours whether you take it or not. Sell it. Give it to someone in need. Take it. Aarti thought. Then she said, okay mother. I’ll take it, but not for myself. I will give it to the beggars who sit outside the temple. I will sell it and distribute it among everyone. Okay, Lakshmi ji nodded. Jagannath ji’s eyes filled with tears. He said softly, daughter you are a great soul. Aarti laughed. I am just Aarti. Ordinary girl. When Lakshmi ji and Jagannath ji came out, Lakshmi ji remained silent for some time. Then suddenly it stopped. She said, Swami, yes Devi, I understood it today. Why did you go to Aarti? That girl is truly your dearest devotee because she never asked for anything. It gives the opposite. Today I gave a gold rope. She refused and gave me an eggplant. Today my eyes opened. Jagannath Ji said in a low voice, Devi, I told you that he is an ordinary devotee. I never steered you wrong. Lakshmi ji folded her hands. She said, Swami, I looked at you with suspicion. Please forgive me. Jagannath ji smiled and said, Goddess, it is not wrong for a wife to doubt her husband. It’s just that sometimes husbands are innocent too. Lakshmi ji narrowed her eyes. Sometimes Jagannath ji made immediate corrections. Always always flawless. Found Balbhadra ji in the temple. He asked what happened? How was it? Jagannath ji told the whole story. Balabhadra ji started laughing. He said, did you save your life? Lakshmi ji said, no Dau Bhaiya, my eyes opened but the next day a big problem occurred. Aarti really sold that gold rope. Went to a goldsmith in Puri. She said sell this. The goldsmith saw the four. He said, daughter, this is a rope worth lakhs. Where did you get it from? Aarti said it straight. A mother had given it to me. The goldsmith became suspicious. Which mother? What name? Aarti thought. She said, I did not ask your name. The goldsmith immediately called the police. He said, This girl is selling stolen ropes. The police came. They caught Aarti and handcuffed her. Aarti was crying. She said, I didn’t steal it. Mother gave it to me. But no one believed her. The news spread quickly. It reached the priest of Puri. The priest thought, Wait! This is the same Aarti who keeps vegetables at Singh Dwar every day. He ran to the temple. Upon reaching the temple, the priest folded his hands before Jagannath Ji and said, Lord, a devotee is in trouble. Please do something. Jagannath Ji understood everything in his mind. He told Balabhadra Ji, Dau Dada, Aarti is stuck. Balabhadra Ji asked, What happened? Jagannath Ji told him. Balabhadra Ji held his head. Your wife’s rope created a mess. Lakshmi Ji heard this and stood up, My rope, it’s my fault. I’ll go myself. Jagannath Ji said, Wait, Goddess. Jagannath Ji thought, then smiled. He said, Lady, let’s play a fun game. What? You’re going to put that golden rope around my waist and catch me. Try it. I’ll run all over the temple. You’ll run to catch me. When everyone sees that even God is escaping with the golden rope, they’ll understand how dangerous the lure of gold is, and Aarti will be saved. Lakshmi opened her eyes wide. I’ll run after you with the rope. Yes, in the temple? Yes. In front of everyone. Yes. Lakshmi laughed. Okay, get started. And that’s where the scene that began our story began. Lakshmi pulled out the golden rope. Jagannath held his dhoti and ran. Lakshmi followed. Wait, Swami, I’ll catch you today. Jagannath hid behind a pillar. Then another. Then a third. A race throughout the temple. Balabhadra was laughing, clutching his stomach. Subhadra had sat down. The priest watched with his mouth wide open. The priest asked, What’s going on in the temple? Jagannath ran and said, Priest, please go quickly and free Aarti. Tell me, my wife gave me the rope. I’m sitting here myself. I’m the proof. They understood. They ran to the police. They said, Wait! This girl is telling the truth. This golden rope was indeed given by a mother. And that mother is none other than Goddess Lakshmi herself. And the proof is that right now, in the temple, Goddess Lakshmi herself is running after Lord Jagannath with that rope. The policeman laughed and said, Priest, do you think we’re fools? The priest said, Come with me and see for yourself. The policeman and the goldsmith went to the temple with the priest, and when they saw the scene inside, an invisible gust of wind blew around the idol of Lord Jagannath, and the golden rope fluttered in the air, everyone was astonished. Goddess Lakshmi finally caught hold of Lord Jagannath. She put the rope around his waist and, laughing, said, I’ve caught you. Jagannath also laughed. Devi, you’ve really caught me today. The policeman saw all this and immediately released Aarti’s handcuffs. They said, Daughter, forgive me. We suspected you. Aarti was crying. It’s okay, Uncle. The goldsmith came running and held her feet. Daughter, forgive me. I handed you over to the police. Aarti laughed and said, Uncle, you were just doing your job. Just forgive me, and do it quickly. Everyone laughed. Then Aarti said to the priest, Maharaj, I don’t want this golden rope. Sell it. And distribute the money among all the beggars outside the temple. Build a school for some children. With that, the priest folded his hands and said, Daughter, you truly deserve Lakshmi’s blessings. Aarti replied, No, Maharaj, I want Jagguji’s blessings. Just as much as I’ve received. Inside the temple, Lakshmi untied the rope from Jagannathji. Swami, today I learned a lesson. It’s easy to doubt, but doubt doesn’t foster love. And if I doubt a devotee who truly comes to you, I’m no less a devotee. Please forgive me. Jagannathji held Lakshmiji’s hand and said, Goddess, don’t apologize. Doubt is a part of love, but today you yourself have seen that Aarti is innocent. And most importantly, you helped her. She took the rope. I ran after her and told everyone that the greed for gold is dangerous, and Aarti is now free. All three things were accomplished with your one rope. Lakshmiji laughed and said, So my God! The rope was also useful. Jagannath smiled. It was very useful, Goddess. Your rope accomplished three things: Aarti was freed from the test, the poor were helped, and our love deepened. Balabhadra taunted. Wow, now our love has deepened. Jagannath glared at Balabhadra. Dau Dada, you should be quiet. Subhadra laughed. Brother, today was very entertaining. Jagannath said, Sister, this wasn’t entertainment. This was a play. Every play has a message. Lakshmi asked, What message? Jagannath said, Very sweet. He said, Goddess, the greatest message is that gold cannot capture God. And the second message, A true devotee doesn’t covet gold. The third message, When we test a devotee, even God extends a helping hand. And the fourth message, If a husband and wife have doubts, don’t play games and fight by bringing God into the picture. Lakshmi laughed. The last message is the best. Balabhadra also laughed, Yes, Bhabhi, every husband and wife should learn this. After that day, Aarti changed. She was gone. No, her simplicity hadn’t changed. Only her place in the temple had changed. Lakshmi told the priest that from today on, Aarti should be allowed inside the temple, not through the lion’s gate, but directly into the sanctum sanctorum. Aarti wept, Mother, I am poor. Lakshmi embraced Aarti, Daughter, poverty isn’t in money; it’s in the heart. You are a millionaire in your heart. Jagannath one day said to Lakshmi, Devi, can I tell you something that your rope did that even my wheel has never done? Lakshmi laughed. That’s why the game that started with your jealousy ultimately turned into love and charity. Only women can do this magic. Lakshmi looked lovingly at Jagannath. Swami, she said, that’s why you’ve been with me for 400 years. Balabhadra laughed, And that’s why I’m here between you two. To prevent a fight. Subhadra said, No, Dau Bhaiya, you’re just there for fun. Everyone laughed. So, you see, dear devotees, our Jagannath and Lakshmi’s home is just like ours. The wife doubts. The husband tries to escape. But in the end, both unite for the sake of a devotee. And yes, Aarti’s simplicity is rare even today. Where are those who reject the golden rope? But this is true devotion. Not a devotee who asks, but a devotee who gives. If you have something today, whether it’s too much or too little, first set aside a little for God, like Aarti, and then see Jagannath himself bring you the golden rope. But be careful not to part with the rope, because whenever the rope of devotion remains tied, devotion dies, and whenever it is loosely parted, devotion increases. If you liked this story, please write Jai Jagannath and Jai Lakshmi Mata in the comments. Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to the channel for more such lovely and entertaining stories. We’ll meet again in the next story with another miraculous play. Jai Jagannath. Jai Jagannath. Jai Mahaprabhu.