Sankarshana Chaturthi Vrat Katha

King Dasaratha said to Maharishi Vasishtha, "O Best among Sages! Please be kind enough to now describe the greatness of the Vaishakha Shukla Paksha Chaturthi. The Chaturthi fast is the bestower of completely auspicious fruits. My mind is not satisfied by hearing its nectar-like story."

Vasishtha Muni said, "O King! In the city named Bhadraka in the Gujarat region, which was endowed with all types of splendors, a great philanthropic king named Brahmapriya ruled. That king was proficient in the knowledge of all scriptures and in weapon science and used to remain ready in performing sacrifices and donations. He daily performed the worship and service of deities, Brahmins, and guests. Subjugating all kings, he became the king of the entire world and, being extremely powerful, became respected and salutable by all kings.

Once his religious wife died as soon as her early menstruation (Rajodarshana) started. After her death, the king married again. The king's second wife was also of a character and nature similar to the king's. But after some time, his second wife also died. O King! Similarly, five wives of King Brahmapriya died, due to which the king became extremely distressed. Being hurt by this incident, the king, handing over the responsibility of his kingdom to the ministers and secretaries, went to the forest. Going to the forest, the king saluted his guru Shwetaketu and stood before him with folded hands. Rishi Shwetaketu provided a seat to his honorable disciple and gave him respect by asking about his well-being.

The king's guru Shwetaketu, providing food, etc., to the king, asked, 'O Lion among Kings! What is the purpose of your arrival suddenly at my ashram? Tell me the main reason for your arrival. I will lovingly solve your problem since you have left your kingdom and come to my ashram.'

Upon Rajarshi Shwetaketu questioning thus, King Brahmapriya, while requesting with folded hands, described the entire agony related to the death of his wives before him. Hearing the king's agony, the great yogi Shwetaketu, an exclusive devotee of Lord Ganesha, became absorbed in meditation and, knowing the cause of the king's problem in meditation, spoke with anger to the king, 'O Great Sinner! O Vile King! Listen to my words carefully; the Chaturthi fast has specifically ceased in your kingdom. All the auspicious deeds of a human who does not perform the Chaturthi fast become fruit-less and at the end time, that human undoubtedly becomes a traveler to hell. Therefore, O King! Due to not having the Chaturthi fast in your kingdom, you have become devoid of the four Purusharthas—Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha, because the scholars have called it Chaturthi due to its being the provider of the four Purusharthas.'

Hearing his guru Shwetaketu's words, the king said with regret, 'O Sage! Out of ignorance, I did not observe the Chaturthi fast which bestows everything. O Repository of Mercy! Forgive me for this offense. O High-souled One! Please be kind enough to tell me how this fast which bestows everything is performed and which deity is worshipped formally in it?' Upon the king questioning thus, Shwetaketu Muni described the greatness of that excellent fast.

Hearing the greatness of that fast, the king also spoke to him, 'Who is this lord of groups (Ganadhisha)? What is He like? Whose great fruit-bestowing fast is this? O Great Sage! Please describe His form; I will meditate on Him with devotion.'

Shwetaketu said, 'O King! I describe an ancient history of the Chaturthi fast, which is related to me. By hearing it, you will know the Brahman Shri Ganesha very well. O King! In former times, I had become extremely devoted to penance. Bowing to my father Uddalaka, I became engaged in my father's sadhana, service, and attendance. Seeing me completely absorbed in penance, my father, the peace-bestower and great-illustrious Uddalaka, said to me, "O Son! O Great-minded One! Giving up penance to obtain peace, specifically practice hard by holding in mind 'Aham Brahmaasmi', i.e., 'I alone am Brahman.' Who are you and from where have you come? Know this by repeatedly practicing yoga."'

Hearing the father's words, I said, 'O Father! Provide your son with the excellent knowledge which bestows peace. Also be kind enough to tell what the mind (Chitta) is like? What is it? How have high-souled persons known it? Who is the Chintamani in that Chitta and how have high-souled persons known the Chintamani?"'

Now Rishi Vasishtha said to King Dasaratha, "O King! In this way, when Shwetaketu asked his father Uddalaka, then the great yogi Uddalaka, who follows the Ganapatya religion, spoke to him, 'O Son, Blessed One! Shwetaketu, you listen to the fast which provides yogic peace, through which, becoming a knower of all yogas, you will become Brahmabhuta or merged into Brahman. O Son! The Chitta (mind) has been said to be of five types: Kshipta (wandering), Mudha (ignorant/dull), Vikshipta (distracted), Ekagra (one-pointed), and Nirodha (ceased); these five states (Bhumis) of the Chitta have been described. Chintamani, who illumines these five states of the Chitta, is situated in the heart. Yogis obtain Chintamani after destroying the five states of the Chitta. This intellect (Buddhi) itself is of the form of Chitta, i.e., contemplation occurs in the intellect alone. Therefore, Buddhi and Siddhi, these two are Ganesha's Maya. Ganesha has been called the one who plays with Maya. Therefore, O Son! You perform His sadhana through Ganesha's mantra. Through that yoga, you will receive peace and through peace, you will obtain the state of being Brahman.' Saying this, Maharishi Uddalaka provided the one-letter mantra of Lord Ganesha, endowed with meditation, etc., to his son.

Through that mantra, I continuously meditated on Ganesha ji and I obtained peace. Subsequently, I became salutable even by the yogis. Therefore, O King! You also worship Lord Ganesha; through this, you will obtain supreme happiness in the other world. Subsequently, merging into Brahman, you will undoubtedly become Brahman itself.' Saying this, Rishi Shwetaketu provided the thirty-two letter Manu mantra to King Brahmapriya. After receiving the initiation of the Manu mantra, the king, saluting the sage happily, came to his palace.

Thereafter, first the Vaishakha Shukla Paksha Chaturthi date arrived there. The king performed the Chaturthi fast with faith and devotion along with the entire subjects. O King Dasaratha! King Brahmapriya proclaimed in the entire kingdom that the fast of the Shukla Paksha and Krishna Paksha Chaturthi is to be observed by everyone. Finally, the king also along with his wife became absorbed in the devotion of Ganesha ji. The king ruled religiously and finally, handing over the rule to his son, he retired.

While worshipping Lord Ganesha, the king chanted the Vighneshvara mantra and continued to follow the Chaturthi fast continuously. At the end time, by the influence of the fast, he merged into Brahman. At that time, the king became famous by the name Brahmapriya and made his name Brahmapriya meaningful. All humans residing in that kingdom, on the arrival of their time, became Brahmabhuta in Swanandakapur. Subsequently, both Maharishi Uddalaka and Shwetaketu became Avadhutas.'

Vasishtha Muni said, 'O King Dasaratha! Now you listen to another greatness related to the Vaishakha Shukla Chaturthi. In Maharashtra, a woman-lusty Brahmin resided. He was also endowed with vices like drinking, theft, etc. Killing and looting wealth, he would commit adultery with that wealth. Once, becoming lustful, he went to a Shudra's house and had intercourse with the Shudra's wife after giving money. He repeatedly had intercourse with that Shudra's woman. Once that Brahmin was having intercourse with that Shudra's wife, at that very time the Shudra returned home. Seeing him having intercourse with his wife, the Shudra struck that sinful Brahmin with a weapon and brought him down (knocked him down), but he had not died. By divine coincidence, that day was the Chaturthi date and due to the pain of the weapon-strike, that Brahmin did not eat, etc., on that day and stayed without food the whole day. Due to the lack of food and water and the weapon-strike, he died on the Panchami date. Subsequently, he became established and worshipped in Swanandaloka.

Therefore, because he did not get food on the Vaishakha Shukla Chaturthi day in ignorance, his fast was completed. By the meritorious fruit of the Chaturthi fast, that great sinful Brahmin also became Brahmabhuta, i.e. he merged into Brahman. Therefore, when being ignorant even, that sinful soul became Brahman-like by the influence of the fast, then it is impossible to describe the fruit of performing the fast formally. Therefore, O King! Many humans in known and unknown forms merged into Brahman by observing the Chaturthi fast. The human who hears or reads the greatness of the Vaishakha Shukla Chaturthi will have all his desires fulfilled.'

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