Saraswati Vrat Katha

Story of Saraswati Vrat, Legend of Saraswati Vratham, Sarasvati Vrat Katha

Once upon a time during the Kruta Yuga, there lived a king by the name of Suketha. He was a pious, a follower of Dharma and ruled the kingdom according to the rules of Dharma. He took very good care of the citizens of his kingdom. He had a very beautiful wife by the name of Suvedi.

Once the kingdom of Suketha was attacked and Suketha was forced to battle with his enemies. The enemies were strong and Suketha was not able to defend himself and fled the battle field to protect his life. His wife knowing that her husband has left the battlefield and was running away followed him. They both were running for their lives and in time reached a forest. By the time they reached the forest they were tired and were hungry. They were eating whatever they could find but still were living with hunger.

The hunger started to show its affect and the king at one stage could not even walk. The king fell down and the queen was trying to soothe him by making her thigh as a pillow to the king. She was very worried and prayed to God for some help that would get rid of their worries and pains.

Coincidentally Sage Angirasa was going through that way and saw the king and the queen. He asked the queen who she was and how come they are in the forest. The sage knew at once that they were the king and queen. He asked them the reason for coming to the forest leaving all the fortune and relatives. The queen was not able to answer and the only thing that she was able to do was to cry thinking of all the miseries that they had to go through. The sage was moved and told Suvedi that there is always a way out for miseries and difficulties. If she could tell him what their problems are, he assured that he would be able to come up with an advice that would help them to over come their misfortune.

The queen narrated the whole story of his husband being driven to battle and how they fled for their lives. The sage listened to the story carefully and then thought for a while. He then told the queen that there is a place called “ DURGA KSHETRAM” near the Panchavati Pond that was nearby. He advised the queen to worship the goddess with full devotion.

The queen took her husband and followed the Sage who showed them the way to the Durga Kshetram.  The sage asked the king and the queen to perform bath in the sacred pond. The king and the queen returned after performing the bath. The sage made them worship Goddess Durga and Saraswathi. He made them perform the Shodasopachara Puja, which is pleasing the Goddess by performing 16 different kinds of Puja or Sevas. This puja was done for 9 days.

On the tenth day, a sacrifice or Homam was done and 10 kinds of donation were performed by the king and the queen as directed by the Sage Angirasa. Thus completing the Vratha. The couple lived happily for some time in the hermitage of the Sage Angirasa. They were blessed with a boy by the blessings of the Goddess. The boy was named as Surya Pratapa. The boy grew up in the hermitage and learned all kind of education including war fare. He grew up to be a great swordsman. He had no fear.

The boy turned to a young warrior and with the blessings of Angirasa Sage attacked the enemies who were now ruling his fathers kingdom. He defeated all the enemies in the battle field and he took book the control of his fathers kingdom. He returned to the hermitage and with the blessings of the Sage took his parents back to their kingdom. From that day onward Suvedi used to perform this Vrat every year and lived happily ever after.