This is a story of a woman from Mumbai which I heard in the lecture of His Holiness Radhanath Swami Maharaj. A woman who suffered in her life too much but one who still continued to live & give help to others; And of course achieved many good results.
It is a story which gave me HOPE * ENTHUSIASM * DETERMINATION TO MOVE FORWARD!
She was 9 when she was forced to marry to a 30 years old man. When she was 19 she already had 2 sons and again pregnant with her daughter.
Once husband beat her womb to make the child die. Later he dragged her into a cow shed where there were many bulls and cows and left her there beaten up and weakened. His hope was that while she is lying there bulls and cows will walk on her and child will die. In this way neighbors will know the reason of kid's death.
An hour later the young mother found herself under the protection of a mother cow. She was lying on the ground and one cow was standing on her to protect her from other bulls and cows. She was fighting with other cows and bulls so that she remain safe under her.
In this way she gave birth to her daughter and made a promise to a cow: "As You protected me - helpless I will also give protection to helpless through out my life!"
...
For shelter she went to her childhood home - to her parents but was rejected due to cultural understandings. That married woman never comes back to parental home.
In this way she left in the streets of Mumbai alone with her tiny baby. She made a residence in the place where dead bodies used to be burned and acted like a mad so that others consider her a ghost and do not trouble her. Her food was a roti made of some floor mixed with river water...
At times she felt so tired that went to the railway station and sat on the railway road to end her and her kid's life.
Suddenly from somewhere she heard a calling voice. She stood up and run towards the voice. It was an old man who was thirsty and hungry. So she somehow managed for water and food for him...
One day she was sitting under a tree. She was thinking "how will i help others?" "I am helpless, poor lady, how will i help helpless?" And then she saw a man cutting a huge tree. He was cutting but that tree still was continuing to give its shade.
No matter to its own pain and discomfort it was helping to needy ones.
She got inspired by that tree and started to give help to needy kids; In this way people around started to help her in helping orphan kids; Later she opened an orphanage home for thousands of shelter-less kids;
Some years later one old man came to the orphanage home asking for food and shelter. It was her now 80 years old husband. She told that many years before i was helpless and hungry but now you are. Many years back i was asking for shelter you were safe at home...but now you are not my husband but my elder son.
So she told other kids to give their love to him because he needs it more than anyone else here. He was accepted to orphanage home.
...
Maharaj afterwards tells that this lady's life was full of sufferings or even only out of those. But no matter what she faced obstacles and moved forward.
She lived for others!
Obstacles made her stronger so she was able to help others!
Hare Krishna :)
Comments
I have watched a series made on this same story. Incredible journey of a dependent woman who not only achieved independence in an utmost true sense but also helping innumerable orphan kids to achieve independence.
HAri Bol!!
That is really very very inspiring, and Hope giving story.. Thank you very much mataji for taking trouble to write this long story and Thank you very for sharing with us..
Hare Krishna.
an insignificant sevant.