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SATYA NARAYAN (PART 3)

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SATYANARAYAN KATHA 3

Maharshi Sut Continued to say, "Listen to one more story on this subject (of Satyanarayan pooja). Once upon a time, an emperor Ulkamukh was ruling on this earth. He had mastered all the senses and always spoke the truth. He was faithful and intelligent. Every day he used to go to the temple and give money to Brahmins and make them happy. His lotus faced beautiful wife was honest and pure in her heart. One day this royal couple was performing Satyanarayan pooja on the banks of river Bhadrasheela. At that time a merchant whose name was Sadhu Vani was sailing in his boat in that river. Being a merchant he had lot of money. He anchored his boat on the bank of the river and went where the emperor (Ulkamukh) was performing pooja. He requested the emperor, "Oh, King! I would like to hear what you are doing with such a devotion. Please explain to me completely."

The king said, "Dear Merchant, Lord Satyanarayan is exquisitely bright and fulfils all the desires. I am doing this pooja with my relatives for Satyanarayan because I desire fortune, sons etc." After listening to the king, Sadhu Vani said with respect to the king, "Oh, King! Explain this pooja in detail to me. And, I will follow your instructions exactly. I do not have any children. I shall certainly have children by doing this pooja."

Then Sadhu Vani returned home with joy. Then he told his wife about this pooja which will bless them with kids. He resolved that he will do Satyanayan's pooja when he will be blessed with a son. He told about his resolution to his wife Lilavati. She was very religious and devoted to her husband. With grace of Satyanarayan she was pregnant and a daughter was born on the tenth month. Every day she was growing like the phases of moon. So she was named Kalavati (kala means phases of the moon). Then Lilavati asked her husband with very sweet voice, "Why do you not do the pooja which you have already resolved?" Sadhu Vani replied that he will do the pooja at the time of Kalavati's wedding. After this promise to his wife he left for the other city (for business).

Later, when Sadhu Vani saw his daughter grew up, he consulted his friends and ordered one of his servants to look for a suitable match in the city of Kanchan. Then the servant brought a merchant's son as a suitable match. Sadhu Vani saw that this son of a merchant has all the qualities (to be his son-in-law). Then with all his friends and relatives he gave very happily his daughter in marriage to the merchant's son. That time he unfortunately forgot his resolution of the pooja. Therefore the Lord was very upset.

The time passed. It was Sadhu Vani's fate that he went for his business in the city of Ratnapur near the banks of Sindhu river with his son-in-law. They did business very happily in this city which belonged to the King Chandraketu. That time Lord Satyanarayan cursed Sadhu Vani that he should suffer with the misery as he broke the resolution of doing the pooja.

One day, a thief stole some valuables from the king's palace. The thief came where Sadhu Vani and his son-in-law were residing. When the thief saw that the king's men were after him he was scared and left the valuables and ran away. The king's men came near Sadhu Vani and his son-in-law. They saw the king's valuables lying there. So they tied Sadhu Vani and his son-in-law and rushed them to the king and said very happily, " Oh, King! These are two thieves. Please tell what to do(next)." By the king's order the two were handcuffed and sent to the prison of the castle. Due to the influence of Satyanarayan their pleas were not heard. Instead, their wealth was confiscated by the order of the king Chandraketu. Due to the curse of Satyanarayan, Sadhu Vani's wife, Lilavati was very sad and thieves stole all their wealth from his home. Sadhu Vani's wife, Lilavati started to beg from house to house with mental agony and physical discomfort.

Sadhu Vani's daughter also started to beg from house to house. One day when Kalavati was hungry, she went to one Brahmin's house. There she saw Satyanarayan's pooja being performed. She sat there, listened to Satyanarayan's story and prayed to Satyanarayan to ease her sufferings. She ate the prasad and went home that night. So her mother asked her in loving tone, "My dear child! Where had you been so late night? What do you think?" Then Kalavati said, " Dear Mother, I have seen Satyanarayan's pooja being performed to get rid of all the sufferings."

After listening to her daughter, Sadhu Vani's wife, Lilavati was very happy. She was ready to do Satyanarayan's pooja. She prayed for the early return of Sadhu Vani and her son-in-law. She did pooja with her relatives and prayed to the Lord, " Oh God! Please forgive my husband and my son-in-law."

Lord Satyanarayan was very pleased with this pooja. Then Satyanarayan appeared in king Chandraketu's dream and said, "King, release those two merchants from the prison in the morning and return their wealth which was confiscated or I will destroy your kingdom along with your wealth and sons." Satyanarayan disappeared soon after saying this.

Then in the morning, the king sat with his men in the assembly hall and talked about his dream. He ordered his servants to free those two merchants immediately. The servants freed those two merchants and brought them in front of the king and said with full respect, " Oh King! These two merchants are freed now as per your order." Then Sadhu Vani and his son-in-law bowed in front of the king. They remembered the last incident and therefore did not say any thing out of fear. The king saw the two merchants and said to them with respect, "You suffered due to your bad luck. Now you need not fear."

Their handcuffs were removed and they shaved and took bath etc. The king gave them clothes and ornaments to wear, rewarded them compensation and gave the wealth twice as much as it was confiscated before. Then the king said to please them, "You are free to go home." Then the two bowed to the king as a matter of respect and went home.

This is the end of the third chapter of Satyanarayana story from the part called REVA of the epic book of SKANDHAPURANA. Praise be to Shree Vishnu.

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