Jyeshtha Gauri Vrat Katha

Once upon a time, there was a prosperous city named Atpat. A poor Brahmin family lived in that city. It was the month of Bhadrapada, and Mother Gauri was being welcomed in every house in the city. On the way, women could be seen preparing for the arrival of Mother Gauri and the sound of bells was echoing all around.

The children of that poor Brahmin saw everyone preparing for the Jyeshtha Gauri Pujan and came home and said to their mother - "Mother, Mother! Bring Gauri Mata to our house too." The mother replied - "Children, what will I do by bringing Devi Gauri? She has to be worshipped, Ghavan (rice bread) and Ghatle (a type of traditional Marathi sweet) have to be offered in Naivedya and nothing is available in our house. Do one thing, tell your father to bring items from the market. If he brings the worship material, I will invoke Gauri Mata."

The children reached the father and said - "Father, Father! Go to the market and bring the items for Ghavan-Ghatle so that Mother can bring Gauri Mata home." The Brahmin looked in the house, but he had nothing. Hearing the children's words, he became extremely sad and began to think in his mind - "My children are like gold, but there is no way to fulfill their desire. Neither anything is obtained in begging, nor is there capacity to earn wealth. From this, it seems appropriate for me to give up my life."

Deciding in his inner heart to give up his life, the Brahmin set out towards the pond with the purpose of suicide. It became evening on the way. There near the pond, a married old woman (Suhagin) was sitting. She sensed the Brahmin's problem and asked - "Who are you?" The Brahmin described his entire distress before that old woman. The old woman, while providing him solace, said some instructional words by which the Brahmin's mind became calm. Thereafter, the Brahmin brought that old woman to his house. The Brahmin's wife, while lighting the lamp, asked - "Who is this guest lady?" The Brahmin replied - "She is like my Aajibai, i.e., grandmother."

The wife went to the kitchen and began to search for grain in the pot to make Ambil, a popular dish of Maharashtra. His wife was surprised to see that the pot was full of grain. She told this to her husband, at which the Brahmin became extremely happy. They made various dishes like Khichdi etc. in sufficient quantity and the entire family partook of the food with satisfaction.

The next morning, the old woman called the Brahmin and said - "Son, make me bathe and offer Naivedya to God by making Ghavan-Ghatle. Don't make any excuse and don't do any crying-wailing talk."

The Brahmin said to his wife - "Hey, are you listening? Make Aajibai bathe." Saying this, he himself went for begging. That day he received more and plenty of alms than normal days, in which he also got a large amount of jaggery (Gur). The Brahmin was extremely happy and he came home with all the material. His wife made delicious food and everyone ate to their heart's content after offering the Naivedya of Ghavan-Ghatle to God.

Thereafter the old woman again said - "Son, make Kheer in food tomorrow." The Brahmin said with a heavy heart - "Aajibai! From where will I bring milk for Kheer?" The old woman said - "Don't worry. Get up now, prepare as many pegs (Khunte) as cows are needed, tie the ropes. Call the cows by taking their names in the auspicious Muhurta of evening, they will come themselves and your cowshed will be full."

The Brahmin did exactly the same. As soon as he called the cows by taking their names in the evening after hammering the pegs in the cowshed, many cows along with calves came running and his cowshed became full of cattle-wealth. The Brahmin milked the cows and made Kheer the next day. The old woman and the Brahmin's entire family enjoyed it after offering Kheer as Bhog.

As soon as it became evening, the old woman said - "Son, now bid me farewell (Vida)." The Brahmin said - "Aajibai! I have obtained all this by your grace. How can I bid you farewell, now if you go then all this will also go away."

The old woman smiled slightly and said - "Son! Don't be afraid, you remain worry-free, by my blessings you will not have lack of anything. I am the one whom everyone worships as Jyeshtha Gauri. Now you bid me farewell with respect."

The Brahmin, bowing at the feet of the Goddess mother, said - "Mother, please be kind to tell such a way so that this prosperity continues in this way continuously."

Mother Gauri said - "At the time of my departure, I will give you sand (Valu). You sprinkle it in the entire house including the kitchen, in pots, in chests, and cowshed etc. If you do this, this glory will never diminish." The Brahmin said - "As your command, Mother." Thereafter he performed formal worship of Devi Gauri.

Being pleased with the Brahmin's faith and devotion, the Mother, while describing the procedure of her vow to him, said - "Go to the embankment (Pali) of the pond in the month of Bhadrapada and bring two stones (Pashan), thereafter make them bathe with the sun's rays and water and establish them as Jyeshtha Gauri and Kanishtha Gauri. Worship them with full devotion. On the first day offer Ghavan-Ghatle, i.e., rice bread and sweet, and on the second day offer the Naivedya of Kheer-Puri. Provide adornment materials (Shringar) to a married woman (Suhagin), feed them. In the evening, bid them farewell with respect by giving Haldi-Kumkum. By doing this, you will obtain inexhaustible happiness-prosperity and children." In this way, after telling the procedure of the Jyeshtha Gauri Vrat to the Brahmin, the Mother disappeared from there and the Brahmin began to spend life happily in the Mother's devotion along with the family. Here this legendary story of the Jyeshtha Gauri Vrat is completed. According to beliefs, by reciting and listening to this story at the door of God, in the middle of the cowshed, and under the Peepal tree, the full result of this story is obtained.

॥ Thus ends the Shri Jyeshtha Gauri Vrat Katha ॥