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Traditional story (retold)
Part 1: The Moneylender's Daughter and the Syahu
In ancient times, in a city lived a moneylender. He had seven sons and one daughter. A few days before Deepavali the daughter was visiting her parents' home. Her sisters-in-law went to the forest to dig earth to plaster the house, and she went along with them. While digging the earth, her spade unknowingly killed the young one of a syahu (porcupine). The syahu said in anger, "I will bind your womb."
Part 2: The Sister-in-law's Courage
The girl was very frightened. She asked her sisters-in-law whether someone would have her own womb bound in her place. The elder sisters-in-law were afraid, but the youngest took on this responsibility to protect her husband's sister. After that, whatever children she bore died within seven days. In this way she lost seven sons.
Part 3: Serving the Surahi Cow
In sorrow she asked a pandit. The pandit said, "Serve the cow Surahi. She is a friend of the syahu and can help you." The daughter-in-law got up every morning, cleaned beneath the cow and served her. One day the cow was pleased and asked what she wanted, and the daughter-in-law told her whole story. The cow Surahi took her to the syahu.
Part 4: Saving the Garuda's Young One
On the way, tired, they sat down under a tree. The daughter-in-law saw a snake about to bite a young Garuda bird. She killed the snake and saved the young one. Just then the Garuda bird returned and, seeing blood, thought that the daughter-in-law had killed her young one. When the daughter-in-law told the truth, the Garuda bird was very pleased and took her all the way to the syahu.
Part 5: The Syahu's Blessing
Seeing the daughter-in-law's spirit of service and her honesty, the syahu blessed her. She opened the womb and said, "You will have seven sons and seven daughters-in-law." In a short time it happened just so. Her house was filled with seven sons and seven daughters-in-law. From then the vrat of Ahoi Mata is kept for the protection of children.
Thus ends the complete Ahoi Ashtami Vrat Katha