"Duhaai ho prabhu ! Duhaai ho !" Kuber cried as he fell on the feet of Mahadev and Mata Parvati.
"Kya huya Kuber ?" Mahadev, although knowing everything, asked with a soft smile on his face.
"Meri Raksha kare prabhu !" He said in a panic striken voice, beads of sweat rolled down his forehead even in the cold climate of Kailash.
"Pehle batayiye toh, aap itne bhayebhit huye kyu hai ?" Mata Parvati asked, a small smile playing on her lips.
"Devi, aapse kya chhupa hai ? Aapke putra ki bhook shaant hi nahi ho rahi. Unhone pehle hi mera annkosh aur dhankosh khaali kar diya hai. Ab woh mujhe khane ki dhamki de rahe hai !" Kuber said.
"Kuber, tum toh dhan aur aishwarya ke Swami ho. Ek chhote se balak ko pet bhar bhojan nahi kara paaye ?" Mahadev asked.
At that Kuber lowered his gaze, for he realised how deluded he had become by his own greatness, believing that he possessed an untouchable status. Tears streamed unabated down his weathered face, staining the ground beneath him. The consequences of his arrogance weighed heavily on his conscience.
"Mujhe kshama kare prabhu. Meri mati-bhrasht ho gayi thi." Kuber said as he joined his hands and bowed his head, "Aapke karan mujhe mera vaibhav praapt huya tha aur maine aapko hi abhimaan vash nimantran diya. Kintu Shri Gajanan ne mera abhimaan ko aise toda hai, jaise nadi ki teevra dhara baandh ko todti hai." He said.
"Lokpaal, dhan-dhaanya se sampann vyakti ko ped ki tarah hona chahiye. Jo apne patto par abhimaan nahi karta, uske dwara dusro ko chhaya pradaan karta hai. Jo apne falo par ahankaar nahi karta, apetu sabhi ko uske bhog ka anand deta hai." Mahadev said.
"Mai apni bhul samajh gaya hu prabhu. Kintu ab Gajanan ko kaise shaant karu ?" Kuber asked.
Mata Parvati smiled as she stood up, "Kuch kshan yahi rukiye, mai abhi aati hu." She said and went away.
Kuber waited patiently, but worry was gnawing at him each passing moment, fearing what Ganesh would be doing at Alkapuri.
Soon Mata Parvati came back, with a small bowl of rice in her hand. Kuber looked at it bewildered, it was hardly a fistful. How can it satisfy the seemingly endless hunger of Ganesh ?
"Mata, keval itne se chawal se kya hoga ?" He asked.
"Prem, vinamrata aur sacche hridaye se Ganesh ko denge, toh sab kuch hoga." She said with a smile, handing the bowl of rice to him.
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The once bustling city of Alkapuri was now a chaotic mess. Panic-stricken inhabitants scramble through the streets, their faces etched with fear and desperation. Shrieks and cries echo throughout the air as people sprint in every direction, desperately seeking shelter or a means of escape.
The colossal form of Ganesh loomed over the devastated city, his wrathful gaze causing tremors with each step he took. His hunger was unsatisfied, on top of that the absence of Kuber, his fury was being tempted by each passing moment
"Prabhu ! Prabhu !" Kuber came running in.
Ganesh turned around, with angry arched eyebrows he looked at the king of Yakshas who got down on his knees and raised his hands which were carrying a small bowl of rice.
"Hey Gajanan, isse adhik dene ke liye mere paas kuch nahi hai. Kripiya ise swikar kare." He said and then lowered his head.
Ganesh took the bowl from his hands, although it only had a fistful of rice, it satitieted his hunger and tamed his anger at once. Not just because it was made by his mother, but also because of the humility by which it was offered.
Coming back to his calm and serene form, Ganesh walked towards Kuber and held him gently his the shoulder to make him stand up.
"Mujhse badi bhul ho gayi prabhu. Mujhe kshama kare. Ahankar ke andhakaar ne mere drishti se vinaye ka prakaash har liya tha. Dhan ke ahankaar mei maine sabhi Devi devtao se abhimaan-purn vyavhaar kiya. Mere saath jo huya, accha hi huya." Kuber said.
"Dhan ka mad vyakti ka vivek har leta hai. Woh bhul jata hai ki jo bhi usne praapt kiya hai woh ishwar ki kripa hai. Aapko Mahadev ne iss sansaar ke dhan ka rakshak banaya tha, kintu aap toh swayam ko uss dhan ka swami maan baithe. Yeh bhool kabhi kisi ko nahi karni chahiye." Ganesh said.
"Mai maanta hu prabhu ki yeh bhool mujhse huyi hai. Mujhe kshama karde." Kuber pleaded.
"Kshama Kiya. Jayiye, aapka ann-kosh aur dhan kosh bhara huya hai." Ganesh said with a benevolent smile.
"Dhanyawad prabhu, dhanyawad !" Kuber said offering a deep bow to Vighnaharta.
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A/N
And so was the story of Ganesh ji at Kuber's feast. A classic tale from our childhoods ✨✨✨
Btw, next segment ke liye mei do special entry hai.... I mean you all have already seen them in the trailer so 🌝