પૂર્ણિમા

Chapter one. Once in the Naimisharanya forest, the sages led by Shaunaka asked Suta how people in the Kali age could easily be freed from suffering. Suta told them that the sage Narada, seeing people suffering on earth, had asked Lord Vishnu the same question. The Lord said, “Narada, by keeping the vow and worship of Satyanarayan, all sorrows end and wishes are fulfilled. Do it on any day, especially on Purnima, in the evening, with devotion — prepare prasad of banana, ghee, milk, wheat flour or semolina and sugar, hear the story, and share the prasad with everyone.”

Chapter two. In Kashi lived a very poor Brahmin who lived by begging. The Lord, disguised as an old Brahmin, taught him the Satyanarayan vow. He kept it with faith and his fortunes changed; his home filled with plenty. One day, as he was doing the katha, a thirsty woodcutter came by. He watched the puja, heard the story, took prasad, and vowed to keep it himself when his wood was sold. That day his wood sold for twice the price; he kept the vow and was happy ever after.

Chapter three. A righteous king named Ulkamukh was keeping the Satyanarayan vow with his queen on a river bank, when a merchant named Sadhu arrived by boat and asked about the worship. The king said they were praying for a child. Sadhu said, “I too have no child; if I am blessed with one, I will keep this vow.” Soon his wife Lilavati gave birth to a lovely daughter, Kalavati. But Sadhu put off the vow: “I will do it at her wedding.”

Kalavati grew up and was married to a worthy young man, but still Sadhu did not keep the vow. The Lord was displeased. Once father-in-law and son-in-law went to trade in the city of King Chandraketu. The king’s treasure was stolen, and the fleeing thieves dropped it near the two merchants. The king’s soldiers took them for thieves, threw them in prison and seized all their wealth. At home, too, thieves struck, and Lilavati and Kalavati were reduced to begging.

One day the hungry Kalavati came to a Brahmin’s house where the Satyanarayan katha was being held. She heard it, took prasad, and told her mother. Lilavati remembered her husband’s forgotten promise. With her family she kept the Satyanarayan vow with faith and asked forgiveness. The Lord was pleased and commanded King Chandraketu in a dream; the king freed the two merchants and sent them home with twice their wealth.

Chapter four. On the way home, the Lord came as a sannyasi and asked Sadhu, “What is in your boat?” Proudly Sadhu lied, “Nothing — just creepers and leaves.” The sannyasi said, “May your words come true,” and the treasure turned into creepers and leaves. Sadhu fell at his feet and begged forgiveness, and the wealth returned. Near home, Sadhu sent word ahead. Kalavati was doing the Satyanarayan katha; in her joy she ran out without taking the prasad — and at once the boat sank with her husband. As she wept, a voice from the sky said the prasad had been disregarded. Kalavati went back, took the prasad with reverence, and the boat rose from the water with her husband safe.

Chapter five. A king named Tungadhvaj, returning from a hunt, saw cowherds worshipping Satyanarayan under a banyan tree. In his pride he neither stopped nor bowed, and left behind the prasad they offered. When he reached home, his wealth and sons were gone. Realising his mistake, he went back, sat with the cowherds, heard the story with faith and took the prasad — and everything was restored.

Suta said: whoever keeps this vow and hears the story with faith gains plenty, children and happiness. The story teaches that truth itself is Narayana — keep your promises, never disregard prasad or devotion, and never lie. Glory to Shri Satyanarayan!