Ganesha Wednesday Vrat Katha

In Hinduism, Lord Ganesha is considered the first to be worshiped. In various regions, married women observe a fast and perform puja for Lord Ganesha on Wednesday for the longevity of their husbands. According to beliefs, worshiping Shri Ganesha grants longevity to the husband, perpetual happiness and prosperity in the in-laws' house, and resolves all kinds of troubles. The following story of Ganesha Budhavara Vrat is a very popular folk tale, which is read to obtain the full benefits of the fast.

Long ago, in a village, there lived a brother and sister. It was the sister's daily rule that she would take food only after seeing her brother's face. Every day, she would wake up early, quickly complete all her chores, and go to her brother's house to see his face.

One day, while she was going to her brother's house, she saw an idol of Ganesha seated under a Peepal tree on the way. She folded her hands before Lord Ganesha and prayed, "O Ganesha! Give me an immortal husband and an immortal parental home." Saying this, she moved on. From that day onwards, while going to her brother's house every day, she would offer the same prayer to Ganesha. The thorns of the prickly bushes in the forest would prick her feet on the way.

One day, she went to her brother's house and sat down after seeing his face. At that time, her sister-in-law asked, "What has happened to your feet?" she told her sister-in-law, "Thorns from the prickly bushes in the forest pricked my feet on the way, and because of them, my feet have become so miserable." After the sister returned to her home, her sister-in-law said to her husband, "Many thorns prick your sister's feet on the way to our house, so please get the path cleaned." Hearing this, the brother himself went with an axe and cleared the path by cutting all the thorny bushes. While cutting those bushes, the place of Ganesha was also moved from there by the brother, which made Lord Ganesha angry and he took her brother's life.

When everyone was going for the brother's last rites, at that time, his wife (sister-in-law) wailed and requested the people, "Wait for a while, his sister is about to come. It is her rule that she does not even take food without seeing her brother's face." Hearing her, people said, "Today she will see his face, but what will she do from tomorrow? How will she see him from tomorrow?"

As usual, the sister was going through the forest path to meet her brother. At that time, she noticed that the entire forest path was completely clean. After walking a little further, she saw that Lord Ganesha was also not under that tree. Looking around, she saw the idol of Ganesha in the bushes nearby. The sister first seated Ganesha in a clean and excellent place and prayed to him with folded hands, "O Lord! Give everyone an unshakable husband like mine and an immortal parental home like mine." After that, bowing to Ganesha, she started going towards her brother's house.

At that time, Lord Ganesha thought, "If I don't listen to her, who will believe in me? Who will worship me?" Thinking this, Ganesha called out to the sister and said, "Daughter! Take seven leaves of this Khejri (Shami) tree, dissolve them in raw milk, and sprinkle it on your brother, he will wake up and sit." Hearing this, the sister looked back but no one was there. She did not understand who said this and why? But she started thinking, "Alright, I will do as I heard."

Thereafter, the sister reached her brother's house with 7 leaves of Khejri. Upon reaching there, she saw many people sitting outside the house. Her sister-in-law was wailing and her brother's body was lying nearby. Seeing this horrific scene, her heart was disturbed, but at the same time, she remembered Ganesha's words. She dissolved those leaves in raw milk as instructed by Ganesha and sprinkled that milk on her brother.

As soon as the sister sprinkled that milk on her brother, the brother immediately sat up and said, "I had fallen into a very deep sleep." Hearing this, the sister said, "May such sleep not come even to an enemy." Saying this, she told the whole incident to her brother and said, "Brother, why did you clean the path? Why did you remove the Lord from that place? Now I have come back after seating Him in a high place. Then the Lord, pleased with my faith and devotion, has granted the blessing of an unshakable husband and an immortal parental home. O Lord Ganapati! Just as You saved my honor, save everyone's honor and grant immortal husband and immortal parental home." Saying this, the sister thanked Ganesha and the brother and sister began to live happily.

॥ Thus ends the Shri Ganesha Budhavara Vrat Katha ॥