Aahoyi Ashtami (IInd and Concluding Part)

The story goes thus:

There was a trader in a city. He had 7 sons. All his sons were married. One day, the 7 daughters-in-law went with his daughter to bring mud for making a stove. While digging the mud, the daughter unwittingly killed the young ones of an animal (Syau). When she saw blood on the tip of the digging tool and the young ones dead, she was sorrowful. But, she was helpless and this sin had been committed unknowingly. The female animal cursed the girl. You will be barren. Then, the girl requested her sisters-in-law to take the curse.

The youngest sister-in-law thought, “She is our youngest sister-in-law. But, I have 6 co-sisters. When they give birth to children, I can take care of those children. But, our sister-in-law will be tortured by her in-laws.” And she took the curse on herself.

Days passed and so did years. The youngest sister-in-law’s children would die after birth and that too on Aahoyi Ashtami day. She would keep crying on that day. She and her husband went and settled elsewhere due to the taunts by the other people in the family. They would meet the other family members on Aahoyi Ashtami for the pooja. She invited big pundits and asked them how to break this curse. One of them told her to serve a cow named Surari because Syau is the sister of this cow. When Surari is happy, she will tell her sister to break the curse.

She began to serve Surari cow from the next day itself. After several days, Surari asked what she wanted in return for the service that she was doing.

The sister-in-law requested the cow to tell her sister to remove her curse. Surari told her to return the next night. When she returned the next night, Surari took her to Syau. Syau welcomed her sister, happily and asked, “Who is this with you?”

Surari replied, “She serves me sincerely.”

Syau said, “I need someone to protect my children.”

Surari suggested that the lady with her can do the job.

The lady was continuously sad due to the unfortunate incident that led to the curse by Syau. Syau asked her, “Why are you always sad?”

The lady replied in the negative. Syau promised that she would resolve her problem and insisted her to speak out. The lady told her about the incident. Syau was now helpless and said, “You cheated me. But, you took care of my children. So, I will break the curse.”

Syau also blessed her that all the other family members would accept her and her husband to live with them. That day was Aahoyi Ashtami and she and her husband went to live with the other family members on that day.

After the pooja, everybody sat to listen to the story. The other sisters-in-law began to taunt her, “Let us complete the story fast because our youngest co-sister will begin to cry.”

Post the story is said, the other sisters-in-law sent their children to see what the youngest one was doing. At that time, she was sitting in front of Aahoyi Mata, praising her and asking for blessings. The others came to her asking how it happened. Then, she told them what had happened.

Ladies performing this pooja should pray to Syau to bless them and not to test them as she had done the trader’s youngest daughter-in-law. Let good happen to all those who perform this pooja.