Anant Chaturdashi Story, Ananth chaturdashi Vrat katha, Legend of Anant Chaturdashi
Once there lived a Brahmin by the name of Sumanth. He had a wife named Deeksha. They had a beautiful girl child by the name of Sushila. Diksha suddenly died when Sushila was still a little child. Sumant married another woman Karkash, hoping that she would take good care of Sushila.
Karkash was very harsh towards Sushila and was making her do all the household works. She did not even feed Sushila properly and always used to scold and hit her. In due course Sushila attained the age of marriage and her father with much difficulty was able to convince Karkash and got Sushila married to a Brahmin by the name of Kaundinya.
Kaundinya was also living with the in laws along with his wife. Karkash treated Kaundinya very badly like a slave. Kaundinya bared this for few months and then one fine day he told Sushila that it is time that we leave the house and go in search of a job and live happily rather than being here and getting treated as a slave. Sushila agreed and both of them went towards the city in search of job taking the permission of Sushilas father.
On their way towards the city, they reached the banks of a river. Kaundinya went for a bath and Sushila was sitting on the banks. There on the banks of the river she saw a group of ladies performing some Vrat and was attracted towards it. She approached them and asked what was the Vrat that they were performing and the benefits of it. One of the ladies replied that they were performing the Ananth Chaturdashi Vrat. She further explained that by observing Ananth Chaturdashi Vrat one would be able to please Lord Anantha and would be blessed with wealth and prosperity.
Sushila was excited and asked the elderly women the procedure to observe the Vrat and expressed her interest to observe the Ananth Chaturdashi Vrat. The elderly women told her that the procedure to observe the Ananth Chaturdashi Vrat is as follows:
“One should prepare the Ghagra(made of flour) and some Anarase(special kind of dish). Half of the prepared items are to be given as donation to Brahmin. A snake with a hood has to prepared using the Dharbhas( Sacred Grass). This Dharba snake has to be kept in a Bamboo basket. A silk thread with 14 knots is kept for the puja. The knots are decoreated with flowers and kum kum.The Dharba snake in the basket along with the thread is worshipped with flowers along with lighting diya and incense sticks. Perform the Shodasopachara Puja. After offering the Naivedyam to the snake the silk thread now is called “Anant”. This thread is tied to the left wrist of a woman and to the right wrist of a man. Ananth Chaturdashi Vrat has to be performed for 14 years.”
Sushila immediately joined the group of women and performed the Anath Chaturdashi Vrat. She took the Vow of Ananth Chaturdashi Vrat and had to observe it for 14 years.
After this, Sushila and Kaundinya reached city and by the grace of Lord Ananth became wealthy in no time. Few years passed and Sushila was observing the Ananth Chaturdashi Vrat with lot of devotion. Once Kaundinya saw the silk thread on Sushilas hand and asked her what was that. Sushila narrated the whole story and said that it was with the blessings of Lord Ananth that they were able to prosper. Kaundinya got angry at Sushila and said that there was no Lord like Ananth and it was his own skill and knowledge that had brought them to this stage. Scolding her he pulled the silk thread from the hand of Sushila and threw it away.
Slowly their wealth diminished and unhappiness started to creep into their house. Even the health of Sushila and Kaundinya was detoriating. Kaundinya was searching for the reason for their sudden change in life and understood that it was from the day that he threw the silk thread the troubles have started. He realized his mistake and prayed to Lord Ananth that his eyes were not able to recognize the greatness of Lord Ananth , as he was over come by wealth. He paryed to Lord Ananth to forgive him for his sins and Vowed that he would perform the Ananth Chaturdashi Vrat with devotion.
Soon the health of Sushila and Kaundinya recovered. Kaundinya started to earn wealth. Kaundinya performed the Ananth Chaturdashi Vrat for 14 years and lived happily ever after with the grace of Lord Ananth. The Ananth Chaturdashi Vrat is observed on the Chaturdashi of the Sukla Paksha of the Bhadrapada Month of the lunar calendar. It is also on this day that the Visarjan or Nimmajjan of Lord Ganesha is done.
