- Forty-Nine Days of Devotion
- 1 When Ee Hwahn-gu, the husband of Hyung-yul’s younger sister, was living in Ha-oon Village, Sahng-jeh-nim performed some of the work of renewing heaven and earth at Hwahn-gu’s house.
- 2 One day, Sahng-jeh-nim said to Hwahn-gu, “Ask your wife if she can devote herself for forty-nine days.”
- 3 Hwahn-gu discussed it with his wife. Having often heard of Sahng-jeh-nim’s divinity, she agreed wholeheartedly.
- 4 Sahng-jeh-nim asked Hwahn-gu to have her reaffirm her pledge and told him that every day she should bathe, comb her hair, and then make a steamerful of rice cake.
- 5 After doing this for many days, Hwahn-gu’s wife became tired of the task and complained in her mind. On that day, the rice cake did not cook, even after she had burned a pile of wood. She was greatly distressed and did not know what to do.
- 6 Sahng-jeh-nim told Hwahn-gu, “It seems your wife is worried because she became lax in her devotion and the rice cake is not cooking. Let her come to Me and apologize.
- 7 Though I wish to overlook the matter, the spirits will not allow it.”
- 8 Hwahn-gu told his wife about this. Surprised that Sahng-jeh-nim knew of her worry, she went to His room and asked forgiveness. She then went back to the kitchen, opened the steamer, and saw that the rice cake had cooked.
- 9 For the rest of the forty-nine days, she dedicated herself with unyielding devotion. When she finished, Sahng-jeh-nim came into the kitchen and thanked her for her wholehearted dedication.
- 10 She was still ashamed of her lapse in devotion, so He soothed her, saying,
- 11 “Your devotion has moved heaven and won the admiration of spirits. They praise your virtue and accomplishment. If you doubt this, look up at the sky.”
- 12 Sahng-jeh-nim pointed at clouds of five colors around the moon.
- (JSD Dojeon 5,12)