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There was once a sage who was very hairy because for every year that he lived, he had a hair on his body, and he was very old. This sage complained of terrible itchiness, so he went to see his friend. "This is ridiculous. I'm trying to concentrate on meditation, but I have this intolerable itching. What should I do." The sage's friend replied, "You should go to the house of the most sinful person, and you should take his remnants." So the sage immediately went to house of the most sinful person, who at that time happened to be Ajamila. Ajamila was not home, but his wife was. "Oh, who is this person," she thought. "I have come for some food," the sage asked. So immediately the woman began to prepare prasad. "No," said the sage, "You don't understand. I want to take your husband's remnants." The woman was very surprised, but she gave the sage Ajamila's remnants. The sage ate the remnants, thanked the woman and departed. As he walked from the house, he felt the itching go away. Then he began to think, "I should give this woman something in return." Thinking like this, returned to Ajamila's house, where he saw the woman feeding her child. "What is the child's name?" asked the sage. The woman replied with some karmi name. "No no," said the sage. "Call the child Narayana." MORAL: The holy name is the greatest gift. Sometimes blessings come in a hidden form.
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