After the war with the Kaurava was over Yudishtra conducted the Aswametha Yaga for which all the kings of India were invited. Many poor Brahmans and others came and attended the function and received sumptuous food and gifts. The function went as per plans and Yudhishtra was proud and happy that everything went well and as planned.
When the function was over a mongoose suddenly appeared from somewhere and laughed at Yudhishtra. The members who gathered there asked the mongoose why it was laughing.
The Mongoose whose one part of the body was shining as gold started to talk. "Oh Kings, Brahmans and other respected guests, Once a Poor Brahman living at Kurushetra donated a measure of rice flour. And this has made him and his family to go to the heaven. Your Aswametha yaga and other paraphernalia would not equal to it and that is why I laughed. Why you feel proud and happy ? "
The gathered Brahmans asked the mongoose " how it would equal to a measure of flour when everything was conducted as per 'Sastra' and all rules were followed very strictly." So explain the reason for the laughing and why our Yaga was inferior to the Flour?" they asked the mongoose.
The Mongoose said "Learned Men I never meant any discourtesy or disrespect to you. But want you to listen the the incident I have seen and experienced "
Then It started to explain the incident.
Once long ago one very poor Brahman lived in Kurushetra and lived by doing "Unchavirthy" (In those days Brahmans have to beg for their food from others and when they get rice, wheat, flour. fruits etc they would bring them home, cook and eat and this is called "Unchavirthy" ). He had one wife, one son and his wife and all the four used to cook and eat what this Brahman used to bring. They will share all the food that they used to get in equal parts and never keep the food for the next day. If they did not get any food they would remain without food for that day. The country had severe drought and no rain meant no food grains and people had suffered the worst. As things were difficult for all, the Brahman had difficulty to collect food. After going through much hardship One day the Brahman with some difficulty collected a measure of rice flour and brought it home. After cooking the rice flour they did the Pooja and then divided the flour into four parts and sat to eat that. At that instant one old Brahman came to their home and asked them to give some food as he was very hungry.
The Brahman told him that they are very poor and have nothing to offer him other than what they have now and offered his part of the flour to the guest. The guest took the flour and was not satisfied with that and wanted more. Then the Brahman's wife offered her part of the flour. Even this was not sufficient and the son and daughter-in-law offered their food. The Brahman Guest was very happy and praised the Brahman and his family members for their utmost sacrifice in going without that frugal food and offering the same to a Guest. He said "see the Donation of food has made the Gods in heaven happy and you and your family members would go to the Heaven and the Pushpaka Vimanam is waiting for you to go to heaven" and saying this he disappeared .
The smell of the flour has changed my head into gold and I fell on the flour which was lying there and the part of the body which fell on the flour became golden. This is the reason why I said that the "Aswamatha yaga" was not equivalent to the flour the Brahmin offered to his guest." Thus said the Mongoose. And then it vanished.
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