Aniruddha Chaturthi Vrat Katha

King Dasaratha said to Rishi Vasishtha, "O Best among Sages! My heart is delighted to hear the story of the siddhi-bestowing Chaturthi fast from your holy mouth. However, O Lord! My mind is still unsatisfied, so please be kind enough to describe the greatness of the Ashadha Shukla Chaturthi fast."

Hearing the king's request, Vasishtha Muni said, "O King! In the Maithil region, there was a great city named Gandaki. In that city, a king named Bhadrasena used to rule. He was proficient in all types of weapons and skilled in the science of warfare. He would conquer other states with his bravery and valor, thus he ruled over the entire world. King Bhadrasena was always devoted to religious activities like chanting (Japa), penance (Tapa), charity (Dana), and sacrifices (Yajna), and was dear to the deities and Brahmins.

Since King Bhadrasena's rule was over the entire earth, all other kings were subordinate to him and paid taxes on time. King Bhadrasena was the master of an infinite army. But O King! One problem made King Bhadrasena very anxious.

O Dasaratha! Once, large numbers of parrots, rats, and various types of insects and locusts attacked King Bhadrasena's kingdom. In immense numbers, all those creatures forcibly began to destroy food grains, clothes, and other items in the kingdom. The king made many efforts to get rid of them and had many insects, locusts, and rats burnt with fire-weapons (Agni-shastra). But the creatures were so numerous that new ones would appear very quickly. Seeing this, the king was stunned. Everywhere in the state, locusts, lizards, and other poisonous insects were roaming around. When even after various attempts he could not get rid of the insect infestation, he decided to go to the forest in distress. The king gave up food in the forest with a sorrowful heart. Fasting, the king began to perform penance in the forest and, absorbed in the meditation of Lord Shiva, worshipped Him in the Rudra form.

After one year passed, by divine coincidence, Maharishi Bakadalbhya appeared in that forest. While wandering in the forest, Maharishi Bakadalbhya saw King Bhadrasena absorbed in penance.

The king worshipped the sage and, after providing food, asked in distress, 'O Sage! Rats, insects, locusts, and parrots are causing great suffering in my kingdom. They are devouring my state's grain, clothes, and even humans. Therefore, O Lord! I tried many methods, but all failed and no solution was found for this problem. Due to this sorrow, I have left my kingdom and am living in the forest. I was worshipping Lord Shiva in the forest, and by His grace, I have obtained your vision. Therefore, O Lord! Please be kind enough to tell me the solution to this crisis.'

Hearing King Bhadrasena's words, Maharishi Bakadalbhya said, 'O Best among Kings! Lord Shiva himself has sent me here for you. Therefore, O King! Listen to my great and sorrow-destroying words. O Bhadrasena! Currently, the fast named Chaturthi has ceased in your kingdom. You have been afflicted by this obstacle because of the disappearance of the Chaturthi fast. This is why fear has spread among your subjects, because when a wicked king rules, the subjects surely become anxious with fear. Therefore, O degraded king! Due to the loss of the Chaturthi fast, you will go to hell. For this reason, O King! You, along with all your subjects, must always observe the Chaturthi fast, because this fast provides all four Purusharthas and destroys all obstacles.

O King! If you do not observe the Chaturthi fast, then all the deeds performed by you will become meaningless, and you will be devoid of the four Purusharthas—Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha. Therefore, O Wise One! Observe this fast with devotion.' Saying this, Rishi Bakadalbhya narated the entire significance of the fast to the king.

Hearing the greatness of the Chaturthi fast, the king said, 'O Sage! How is this fast? Please describe the form of this fast. Looking at those Lords of all deities, I will worship them with devotion.'

Bakadalbhya Muni said, 'O King! There is a very ancient account related to me, by which you will know Lord Ganesha very well. In former times, I was performing penance, and during the period of penance, I was consuming only air, meaning I was completely fasting. Subsequently, the entire mobile and immobile world became terrified by the great radiance of my penance.

However, O King! As a result of that penance, I obtained the meritorious vision of the Vishwarupa, who exists in all sentient and insentient beings, is omniscient, and omnipresent. Through that vision, with the feeling of knowledge, I engaged in the Aughada path and ecstatic yoga. Thereafter, becoming restrained through Shama (calmness) and Dama (self-control) and controlling the mind, I practiced perfect yoga.

O King! In this way, I gradually became established in the easy Brahman with the Brahmabhuta nature. Then I became extremely happy. Subsequently, free from great delusion, I saw my independent form, then I was confused as to why the Brahman is like this. Then, seeking refuge in Lord Shiva, I pleased Him by praising Him with various hymns (Stotras) and, while praying, said, 'O Lord! Provide me the knowledge of the path of yoga.'

Lord Shiva said, 'O Best of Sages! Both truth and untruth are the same and are endowed with the natural. Understand Swananda as originating from the knowledge of your own soul. In union (Samyoga), the form of the self should be known, as described in the Vedas, and in dissociation (Ayoga), all union is destroyed—there is no doubt about this. O Wise One! Yogis have called the combination of union and dissociation as the peace-bestowing yoga. Therefore, you meditate on the yoga-peaceful Ganesha, who is the direct Brahmanayaka. Thus, you worship Him according to the rules. By doing so, you will surely be absorbed in Brahman and become Brahman yourself. O Best among Sages! In the word 'Gana', the letter Gakara is indicative of union and Nakara is indicative of dissociation. Ganesha is the master of both. See them specifically in the Vedas.'

O King! Saying this, Lord Shiva provided me with the one-letter mantra of Lord Ganesha, which bestows yoga, along with the rules. Thereafter, saluting Shiva ji, I went to the forest and, absorbed in the chanting of the mantra provided by Him, worshipped Lord Ganesha. By the grace of Ganesha ji, I attained peace. However, I remained absorbed in His worship and meditated on Him with my mind.

Subsequently, Lord Ganesha gave me vision of His trunk-bearing form. Obtaining His vision, I saluted Him and began to praise Him with devotion. Thereafter, bestowing His firm devotion, Lord Gajanana disappeared from there. O Blessed One! I became a Ganapatya out of love, meaning a devotee of Lord Ganesha.'

Saying this, Bakadalbhya Muni provided the five-letter mantra of Ganesha ji to King Bhadrasena and disappeared from there. Saluting the sage, the king returned to his city and became absorbed in the worship of the mantra. Subsequently, the king, along with all his subjects, performed that excellent fast of the Ashadha Shukla Paksha Chaturthi with devotion. Thereafter, that Chaturthi fast became famous throughout the world. O King! All humans began to observe the fast on the Chaturthi date of both Shukla Paksha and Krishna Paksha.

When all humans in King Bhadrasena's kingdom, including the king, began to perform the Chaturthi fast, then in his kingdom, all parrots, rats, lizards, insects, and locusts began to perish. As soon as the insects were destroyed, all the subjects became wealthy with food and grains, and everyone became healthy. Freed from all troubles, everyone happily became inhabitants of Swananda and Brahmabhuta.

Subsequently, King Bhadrasena handed over the responsibilities of his kingdom to his son and went to the forest with his wife, and began to worship Lord Ganesha exclusively. O King! In the end, the king along with his wife became inhabitants of Swananda and merged into Brahman."

Vasishtha Muni says, "O Dasharatha, son of Aja! Now listen to the description of other greatness which increases merit and bestows enjoyment and liberation, arising from the fast of the boon-bestowing Chaturthi of the month of Ashadha. In the Vanga region, a very wicked and sinful son was born in the house of a Vaishya. That Vaishya's son gave up his religion and began to perform wicked deeds. He was daily involved in gambling, drinking, killing, and rape. That sinful Vaishya-son would forcibly subordinate and commit crimes against other women. Because of his sinful deeds, his father insulted him and turned him out of the house many times. Finally, agitated by being repeatedly insulted and turned out of his house, that sinner killed his father by giving him poison.

After his father died from the poison, he burnt his father's body in fire. Thereafter, he forcibly looted all the money from his mother. When the people learned about his contemptible act, they were deeply grieved.

Subsequently, the prominent people of that city appeared before the king and informed him about the Vaishya-son's sins. The king was also deeply hurt to learn about his wicked deeds and immediately summoned him to the court. On the king's order, that wicked person was presented in court. Then, O King! The king ordered that the wicked person be given the death penalty, and all people hung that sinner on a stake. By divine coincidence, that day was the Ashadha xmas month Shukla Paksha Chaturthi date. On that day, that wicked Vaishya-son had not received food and water, meaning he was completely fasting. O King! Due to the merit of the fast being completed even in ignorance, and by the influence of that fast, that sinner also became a traveler to Swananda. Reaching Swananda, that wicked person had the vision of Lord Ganesha and became Brahmabhuta. In this way, by the influence of the fast, many humans were merged into Brahman and became Brahman themselves. The counting of humans who attain Brahman through this fast is impossible even for a yogi in ten thousand years.

By performing the ritual of the Chaturthi fast with knowledge and devotion, a person undoubtedly becomes full of Brahman, meaning he attains Brahman. By reading and hearing the greatness of this Varada Chaturthi of the month of Ashadha with devotion, one's desired fruits are obtained."

|| Thus ends the Ashadha Shukla Chaturthi Mahatmya described in Shri Mudgala Purana ||