Satyanarayana Katha - Dwitiya Adhyay

The great saint Suta ji said, "O sages! I tell you all the history of those who observed this fast in ancient times, listen carefully." A very poor Brahmin lived in the very beautiful city of Kashipur. He remained sad all the time, distraught with hunger and thirst. Seeing him sad, Lord Vishnu , who loved Brahmins, one day disguised himself as an old Brahmin and went to the poor Brahmin and asked with great respect, "O Brahmin! Why do you roam around the earth feeling sad every moment? O great Brahmin! Tell me your pain, I want to listen." That Brahmin, surrounded by troubles, said, "I am a poor Brahmin, roaming around the earth in search of alms. O Lord! If you know any way to get rid of this, please tell me."

Lord Vishnu, taking the form of an old Brahmin, then said, "O Brahmin! Lord Satyanarayan is the one who gives the desired results, that is why you should worship him properly, by doing which man becomes free from all sorrows." After telling the complete rules of fasting to the poor Brahmin, Lord Satyanarayana took the form of an old Brahmin and disappeared.

Deciding that I will definitely observe the fast as told by the old Brahmin, following all the rules and regulations, the poor Brahmin went home. But that night the Brahmin could not sleep.

The next day he woke up early and decided to observe a fast for Lord Satyanarayana and went to beg for alms. That day he got more money in alms, with which he bought all the puja items and after coming home, he observed the fast of Lord Shri Satyanarayana with his relatives. By doing this, that poor Brahmin got freed from all the troubles and became very rich. From that time Brahmin started fasting every month. Whoever observes the fast of Lord Satyanarayana with devotion as per the scriptures, will be freed from all troubles and will attain salvation. Whoever observes the fast of Lord Shri Satyanarayana will be freed from all troubles. In this way, I told you this fast which was said by Lord Satyanarayana to Naradaji. Oh great Brahmins! Now what else do you want to hear, tell me?"

Then the sages said, "O Munishwara! We all want to hear who in the world has observed this fast after hearing from this Vipra."

Hearing this from the sages, Shri Suta ji said, "O sages! Listen to the story of every living being who has observed this fast. Once, he along with his rich Brahmin brothers and relatives, was worshiping Lord Satyanarayana at his home as per the scriptures. At that time an old man selling wood came there and went to the Brahmin's house. The woodcutter, distraught with thirst, saw Vipra fasting. He forgot his thirst. He greeted Vipra and asked, "O Brahmin! Who are you worshipping? What is the result of observing this fast? Please let me know."

Then the Brahmin said, "This is the fast of Lord Satyanarayan, who fulfills all the desires. It is by his grace that wealth and prosperity have come to me. The woodcutter became very happy after knowing about this fast from the Brahmin. After taking the nectar of Lord's feet and having food, he went to his home.

And the next day the woodcutter resolved in his mind that, "Today, I will observe the best fast of Lord Satyanarayana with the money I get from selling wood in the village." With this thought in his mind, the woodcutter took the bundle of wood on his head and went to a beautiful city where rich people lived. That day he got four times the price of that wood as compared to the previous days. Then the old woodcutter became very happy and came to his home with ripe bananas, sugar, honey, ghee, milk, curd and wheat flour etc., all the ingredients for the fast of Lord Satyanarayan. Then he called his friends and relatives and worshiped God and observed a fast with all the rituals. Because of that fast, the old woodcutter became rich and after enjoying all the pleasures of the world, he went to Vaikuntha.

॥ Iti Shri Satyanarayana Vrat Katha Dwitiya Adhyay Sampurna ॥