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 You
are all familiar with Narada Rishi. He is the Triloka Sanchari-the one who
moves about in the three worlds When he once visited the earth plane, there
was great misery. He was unable to find a way to relieve human suffering. He
at once approached Lord Narayana and related to Him the sad state of affairs
on earth.
Lord Narayana said to Narada, "O venerable Rishi, let people observe the
Satya Narayana Vrata in the evening of Shankranti or Purnima. Let them all
hear the story (Katha) of Satya Narayana. All miseries will come to an end.
There is no doubt of this."
Rishi Narada thereupon returned to earth and preached the glory of the Satya
Narayana Vrata. Many observed the vow without taking any food during the
course of the day and attained what they desired. All were happy and
prosperous.
The observance of the Satya Narayana Vrata does not cost much. You need only
give a small gift to the pundit who comes to read the story and then
distribute some prasad which also need not be very costly. Some wheat flour
and sugar will make up the prasad. A little curd and some fruit are required.
Even the poorest man can observe this Vrata.
In North India the vow is observed by the vast majority of people. It takes
about three hours to complete the whole observance. It is generally observed
on the full moon day, particularly the Kartik, Vaisakh, Sravan and Chaitra
Purnimas and the Shankranti day. It an also be done on new moon days.
Five stories are connected with this Vrata. They speak about the glory of Lord
Narayana and His Grace, His prasad, and of the incalculable benefit derived by
observing the Vrata. He who hears these stories with faith, devotion and one-pointedness
of mind derives considerable benefit. The first of these is the story of
Narada, narrated above. The other stories have great moral lessons in them
concerning truthfulness, fulfillment of promises, etc.
2. The Story of a Poor Brahmin
There was a very poor Brahmin. He was living on alms. Lord Narayana appeared
before him in the form of an old Brahmin, asked him to observe the Satya
Narayana Vrata and gave him His word of assurance that he would be free from
poverty, by observing this Vrata. The Brahmin acted accordingly. All his
desires were fulfilled.
3. The Story of a Wood-cutter
The game Brahmin then did the Vrata on a grand scale. A poor wood-cutter
entered the compound of the Brahmin to drink some water. The Katha of Satya
Narayana was going on. The wood-cutter, attracted only by the skill of the
story-teller, sat down and heard it with rapt attention. He also was inspired
to observe the Vrata in his house. He took some prasad and ate it.
Then he went to the market-place and sold his bundle of fuel. He received
double the usual amount for his fuel. He immediately purchased the things that
were necessary for the Vrata and observed it along with his family member with
intense faith and devotion. All his desires were fulfilled. He enjoyed
everything that was possible on this earth plane. After death he attained the
supreme abode of Satya Loka where Truth alone prevails.
4. The Story of a Merchant
Once upon a time King Ulkamukha reigned over the earth. He was a devotee of Lord
Satya Narayana. The queen, too, was very pious. One day they observed a fast and
performed the Satya Narayana Vrata on the banks of the holy Bhadrasheela.
A merchant named Sadhu came to the king and asked him what he was doing. The
king explained to the merchant an about the Satya Narayana Vrata. When Sadhu
returned home he narrated to his wife, Lalavathi, the glory of the Satya
Narayana Vrata as he heard it from the king. Thereupon, both resolved to observe
it, provided they were blessed with a child. Lilavathi soon brought forth a girl
whom they named Kalavathi.
Sadhu now thought that he would postpone the Vrata till after his daughter was
married. The wedding of Kalavathi took place in course of time, but Sadhu had
entirely forgotten his resolve. After some time he went to foreign countries for
trade along with his son-in-law.
Lord Narayana felt it was high time He reminded Sadhu of his resolve. One night,
while Sadhu was at a place called Ratnasarpur, he was suddenly arrested and
imprisoned along with his party by the royal police. The police suspected them
to be thieves. At the same time, thieves had robbed the property of Sadhu in his
native place.
Meanwhile, poor Lilavathi and Kalavathi were
leading a miserable life in the streets. One day Kalawathi went to get alms and
it so happened that she received some prasad of Lord Satya Narayana from a
temple. She came back to her mother and pleaded that they, too, should observe
the Vrata. They thus observed the Vrata and worshipped Lord Satya Narayana.
That very day, the king of Ratnasarpur dreamt that Sadhu and his party were not
really guilty of any theft and that they should be released else he would be
destroyed along with his relatives. The king at once released Sadhu and his
party from prison, giving them double the value for their merchandise.
Sadhu was on his way back to his native village when Lord Satya Narayana
appeared before him in the guise of a mendicant and asked him what he had in the
boat. Sadhu suspected that the mendicant might ask him for some money. He
therefore replied that there were bundles of leaves only in the boat.
The mendicant replied, "Your words will come true, O merchant!"
That night while Sadhu was on his usual round of checking the contents of the
boat, he found that the jewels had indeed all turned into leaves! He realised
that this was due to uttering falsehood to the mendicant. He quickly went out in
search of the mendicant found him in a secluded spot and begged his pardon.
The mendicant sternly said, "You have not kept up your promise of observing
the Satya Narayana Vrata." Then he revealed his true identity to the
merchant gave him words of solace and disappeared.
Sadhu came back to his boat and found that all the bags contained jewels again.
He worshipped Lord Satya Narayana with intense faith and devotion.
After five days, Sadhu reached his native place. He sent a message to inform his
wife and daughter of his arrival. At the time when the messenger arrived to give
the news, Lilavathi and Kalavathi were hearing the Satya Narayana Katha. When
they had finished the worship they went to meet Sadhu, but alas! they had
forgotten to take the prasad of the Lord.
Lord Satya Narayana wanted to point out their carelessness in not taking the
prasad. The boat, with its wealth and their son-in-law sank. The son-in-law
struggled in desperation for his life. Sadhu, who was on the shore prayed and
worshipped the Lord. A divine voice was heard in the sky: "Kalavathi has
not taken My prasad. So this has happened." Kalavathi hurried back to her
house and ate the prasad. She returned, and with sheer joy on her face, beheld
both her father and her husband who was miraculously saved through the Grace of
Lord Satya Narayana. Even the boat and the jewels were recovered miraculously.
All rejoiced. Sadhu narrated all that had happened during his travel and how he
was saved by the Lord when in distress.
Thenceforth, the couple, Sadhu and Lilavathi, regularly observed the Satya
Narayana Vrata during Purnima and Shankranti, and lived happily ever after. They
attained the blissful abode of Lord Narayana.
5. The Story of King Tungadhwaja
One day King Tungadhwaja went out hunting. After walking a long distance he was
overcome by fatigue. He sat under a banyan tree. Some boys of the cowherd class
were performing the Vrata of Satya Narayana in the vicinity of the banyan tree.
The boys came to know that a king was resting under the tree. One of them
respectfully took some prasad and placed it before the king.
The king did not want to attend the function, nor prostrate before the Lord. He
did not take the prasad either. In fact, he cast a look of disgust at the
offering, and proudly returned to his capital.
The Lord wanted to teach the king a lesson. The king was given the news that his
sons and daughters died and his whole property was destroyed. He inwardly
understood that this was due to the disrespect he had shown to the Lord and His
prasad. He repented very much for his wrong doing.
With a sore but repentant heart, he made his way to the banyan tree when the
boys had worshipped the Lord. He himself now performed the worship with intense
faith and devotion. Lord Satya Narayana showered His Grace upon the king. He got
back his lost property and his children. The king thereafter regularly
worshipped the Lord and lived happily.
He who observes this Vrata, which is even being observed by the gods themselves,
with faith, devotion and self-surrender; he who hears the sacred story of Lord
Satya Narayana with faith and devotion; he who attends the worship and eats the
prasad- he certainly attains health, wealth and joy. He is uplifted from the
mire of worldliness and the clutches of death. He finally abides in the Truth.
In the Kali Yuga, worship of Lord Hari through the Satya Narayana Vrata makes
one happy, peaceful and prosperous. This is the truth described in the ancient
epics.
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