Rangan and Savithri’s Faith

In a village, there lived a couple named Rangan and Savithri. Rangan’s job was to sell religious items at the temple entrance, while Savithri worked inside the temple, sweeping, decorating with rangoli, and cleaning the utensils used for the puja. Savithri did these temple chores without taking any salary, considering it as her penance.

Savithri’s Concern

The couple had been childless for a long time, and this worried Savithri deeply. She often lamented, wondering what sin from a past life was preventing them from having a child. She believed that her service to the temple would earn her enough merit to be blessed with a child. True to her faith, five years later, she gave birth to a son. However, their son was different from other children, causing Savithri to worry again. She believed that some ancestral sin had caused her child to be born this way. She continued her temple service, praying for her child to become like other children. Her son would often stare blankly, seemed lost in thought, and would sometimes hit others, which disturbed those around him.

Raising the Child

Because of her son’s unusual behavior, he was not accepted into school, as other parents did not want him there. Therefore, Savithri took care of him at home. After finishing her temple work, she would rush home. Rangan would keep his shop open until the temple gates closed and then return home. Time passed, and Savithri struggled to leave her son at home alone. If she took him to the shop, his strange behavior drove customers away. Eventually, she started tying him to a pillar at home before going to the temple. This continued for some time.

Sita’s Arrival

A woman named Sita moved into the neighboring house. Sita’s husband worked at the temple, ringing the bell during puja times, and their income came from this job. They, too, were childless. Sita offered to look after Savithri’s son, which brought great relief to Savithri. Sita cared for the child with as much love and dedication as she would for her own. After four or five years, Sita had a son and moved back to her hometown with her husband. Savithri was once again left to take care of her son full-time. As her son grew into adolescence, Savithri hoped marriage would help him, and through connections, she found a suitable match. The girl was an orphan living with her brother. Savithri was overjoyed and arranged the marriage.

Daughter-in-Law Valli’s Arrival

After the marriage, her daughter-in-law, Valli, moved in. However, Savithri’s son, Ravi, disliked his wife and often ignored or mistreated her. Valli confided in Savithri, who reassured her, believing that the deity would bless them. As Rangan and Savithri went to work, Valli and Ravi spent more time together, and slowly Ravi started to get along with her. Eventually, Valli became pregnant and gave birth to two healthy sons, which delighted Savithri, who thanked the deity.

Valli’s Temple Service

Valli began taking over the temple chores, allowing her mother-in-law to look after her children. One day, while passing a nearby vegetable garden, she saw some people collecting greens. She bought some bundles and asked her father-in-law to sell them along with the puja items. The greens sold out quickly, and from then on, Valli started selling more greens, which boosted their business. Her sons, uninterested in studies, enjoyed helping with the business during school vacations. Eventually, they focused solely on the business, and Valli accepted their choice. They left school after fifth grade and started working full-time.

Valli’s Business

Before Valli could return from completing her temple work, all the bundles of greens she had left with her father-in-law were sold out. From the next day onwards, the demand for greens increased, and business flourished. Her two children showed no interest in their studies because they enjoyed helping with the business during school vacations. Seeing their inclination towards business, Valli accepted it. The children stopped studying after the fifth grade and were supposed to move to the neighboring village for the sixth grade, but they refused to continue their education. So, Valli decided to keep them at the shop without forcing them to go to school.

The Sons’ Business

The sons excelled in business, and soon the elder son told Rangan to rest, taking over the selling of puja items. They expanded to selling vegetables along with greens. Valli handed over the full responsibility of the business to her sons and focused on temple chores. As they grew up, she arranged marriages for them, and they, too, had children.

Ravi’s Transformation

One day, during a family wedding, Ravi felt unwell. His father-in-law instructed Vellan, who made and sold pots in the neighboring village, to take Ravi to a nearby hospital. Ravi, who had once shown strange behavior, now worked eagerly in the hospital’s kitchen for some extra money. Over time, his demeanor changed completely. He became cheerful, polite, and hardworking. His transformation astonished everyone. When the family returned from the wedding, they noticed the positive change in Ravi. He continued working diligently and earned respect from his family and community.

Ravi Engaged in Work

Without a frown, Ravi ran inside with a smile. He diligently filled water in all the vessels without any complaint and returned outside. The elderly man there told the owner that Ravi, despite his grumpy appearance and age, had the actions of a child and suggested hiring him would benefit the restaurant. The owner agreed. When Ravi came to eat dinner, the owner assigned him the job of welcoming guests at the entrance. Ravi did this eagerly and ate dinner there. The next morning, he returned to work. Seeing his dirty clothes, the owner provided him with a uniform, which made Ravi very happy, and he performed his job with great joy.

Valli Returned Home

After two days, when Valli recovered, Ravi planned to take her back home. Until then, he continued working at the restaurant. When the family came to visit Savithri in the hospital, they noticed a significant change in Ravi. He smiled appropriately, spoke moderately, and showed no signs of his former mischief, which amazed them. The next morning, Vellan arrived with a cart and the two sons. Ravi informed them that he would continue working at the restaurant and instructed them to return home. He stayed on, working diligently. As it got late, his son came with a bicycle to pick him up. The owner handed him a package of food and his salary, and Ravi happily took another package for his wife. Savithri, seeing this, was delighted and thanked the deity.

Rangan and Savithri’s Faith Fulfilled

Savithri was overjoyed, seeing the drastic improvement in her son within just a few days. Valli shed tears of joy. Ravi placed his salary into his wife’s purse and continued to work daily. The two sons, taking turns, would drop and pick up their father from work. Their lives became filled with happiness, peace, and contentment.

The Sage’s Explanation

The sage narrated this story in the mandapam, explaining that Savithri and Rangan were affected by the negative vibrations of Guru karma. Their sale of puja items and temple service acted as remedies for their karma, resulting in the birth of their child. Sita, too, was affected by the negative vibrations of Guru karma, and by taking care of Ravi, she performed her own remedial actions and was blessed with a child.

Ravi was affected by the negative vibrations of Chandra karma. The act of selling vegetables and greens by his two sons served as a remedy for this karma, gradually transforming Ravi’s behavior. Additionally, Ravi working in the restaurant became a remedial action for Chandra karma, leading to his complete recovery. The sage concluded the story by highlighting the positive vibrations brought about by these remedial actions, wishing everyone a prosperous life.

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