Shukrawar Vrat Katha

One day, the youngest son's wife told him that his mother treated him unfairly. He did not believe her, so he pretended to have a headache and lay covered with a blanket in the kitchen. As usual, after feeding the six elder brothers, his mother collected their leftovers and served them to her youngest son. Witnessing this with his own eyes, he was deeply hurt and decided to leave home in search of work.

Before leaving, he remembered his wife, who was making cow-dung cakes near the cattle shed. He informed her that he was going abroad to earn a living and said:

"I am leaving for a distant land and will return after some time. Live with contentment and continue to follow the path of righteousness."

His wife replied:

"Go happily, my beloved, and do not worry about me. I shall live by placing my faith in Lord Rama, and may God always protect you."

When he asked her for a keepsake, she replied that she had nothing to give except the imprint of her hands stained with cow dung. She pressed her hands against his back, leaving their mark as a token of love. In return, he gave her his ring before setting off on his journey.

After reaching a distant city, he approached a wealthy merchant and requested a job. The merchant hired him, saying, "Your wages will depend on your work." Time and experience transformed the young man into a skilled and intelligent worker. Gradually, he earned everyone's admiration through his honesty and dedication. The merchant eventually entrusted him with maintaining his accounts and later made him a partner in the business because of his integrity.

Meanwhile, life at home became miserable for his wife. Her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law made her do all the household chores and barely gave her enough food to survive.

One day, while collecting firewood in the forest, she noticed a group of women listening to the Santoshi Mata Vrat Katha. Curious, she asked about the fast and its significance. The women explained the rituals of the Friday (Shukrawar) Vrat dedicated to Goddess Santoshi.

On her way home, she found a temple of Goddess Santoshi. Falling at the Goddess's feet, she prayed sincerely, asking for relief from her suffering and for the well-being of her family. Moved by her devotion, the Goddess blessed her.

The woman sold the firewood she had collected, bought jaggery and roasted gram as an offering, observed the Friday fast, and listened to the Vrat Katha. Soon afterward, she received a letter from her husband along with money. Encouraged by this blessing, she continued observing the Friday fast every week and prayed for her husband's safe return.

Hearing her heartfelt prayers, Goddess Santoshi appeared before her husband in the disguise of an old woman. She asked him whether he had a family. When he replied that he did but could not leave his work, the old woman advised him to light a lamp in the name of Goddess Santoshi and open his shop the next morning. She assured him that by evening all his business would be settled and his goods would be sold.

He followed her advice, and by the Goddess's grace, everything happened exactly as she had promised. Delighted, he bought clothes and jewelry and set off for his village.

Meanwhile, the Goddess instructed his wife to divide her bundle of firewood into three parts—leave one bundle near the river, one at the temple, and throw the third into the courtyard of her house while saying, "Here is the firewood. Now give me the dry bread made of husk."

As her husband crossed the river on his journey home, he noticed the bundle of dry firewood, rested there for a while, cooked a meal, and then continued toward home. When he arrived, he heard his wife saying the very words instructed by the Goddess. Recognizing her voice, he came outside and was heartbroken to see her poor condition.

He questioned his mother about her treatment of his wife. She falsely claimed that the daughter-in-law was lazy and wandered around the village instead of working. However, the son remembered the injustice he had witnessed before leaving. He asked for the keys to another house and decided to live separately with his wife.

With the blessings of Goddess Santoshi, the couple's life gradually became prosperous and peaceful.

Later came the day to perform the Udyapan (the concluding ritual of the Friday fast). The daughter-in-law prepared a grand meal and invited the children of her elder sisters-in-law. However, their mothers secretly instructed them to ask for sour food after eating, knowing that sour items are strictly forbidden during the Santoshi Mata Vrat.

After the meal, the children insisted on having something sour. She refused, but instead gave them money and the Goddess's prasad. The children used the money to buy tamarind and other sour food, unintentionally causing the Udyapan to become incomplete. As a result, Goddess Santoshi became displeased.

Soon afterward, the king's soldiers arrested her husband. Her in-laws mocked the family, claiming that all his wealth had been earned through dishonest means.

Unable to bear the sorrow, the devoted woman once again prayed before Goddess Santoshi and asked why they were being punished. The Goddess lovingly replied that the Udyapan had not been completed according to the prescribed rules. She instructed the woman to perform it again without making any mistakes.

Soon, her husband was released and returned home safely. On the following Friday, the couple performed the Udyapan once more with complete devotion and in accordance with all the rituals. This time, instead of giving money, they offered fruits to a Brahmin boy, ensuring that every rule was properly followed.

Pleased with their sincere devotion, Goddess Santoshi blessed the couple with lasting happiness and prosperity. Before long, they were blessed with a beautiful son. Witnessing these divine blessings, the entire family began worshipping Goddess Santoshi with faith and devotion, and they lived together in peace, prosperity, and contentment ever after.