LordShiva and The STORY OF SOMVAR VRAT KATHA'S
SOMVAR VRAT KATHA
According to Hindu Religion, Shiva is worshipped on every Monday in the form of keeping fast(vrat) as well as performing Rudra Abhishekam. There are three types of Monday fasting (somvar vrat):1. Simple every Monday fast (somvar vrat)
2. Som Pradosh fast (somya pradosh vrat)
3. 16 weeks Monday fast (solah somvar vrat)
The rituals are the same for all the three fastings. There are different stories for each type of fasting. It is believed that on the day of fasting one must listen to the stories of vrat.
Story of Somvar Vrat
Once upon a time, there was a merchant who lived in a city. He was wealthy and prosperous. He had all the worldly possessions, but because of the lack of progeny, he was dissatisfied with his life. He started observing fast on every Monday wishing for a son.
He would pray to both Shiva and Parvati with complete faith. Seeing his devotion and faith, Parvati was pleased. She solicited Lord Shiva to listen to such an ardent devotee and fulfil his wishes. Lord Shiva granted him a boon that he will bear a son who will live only for 12 years.
Unfortunately, the merchant could hear their conversation was again upset about it. In due course of time, the merchant’s wife gave birth to a beautiful boy.
He celebrated his son’s birth in a grand festive way, distributed food, clothes and money to the needy. But knowing that his son will not live more than 12 years, he was feeling he was unhappy. He started the Monday fasting again with more zest hoping for the longevity of his son’s life. During those days, marriage was conducted at the age of 11 years.
But the merchant instead sent his son for Kashi yatra for attaining spiritual knowledge, along with his uncle. On way wherever they halted, they would arrange devotional gatherings, distributing food and clothes to the needy and would offer food to the Brahmins.
While travelling to Kashi, they reached a city, where they found that the king’s daughter is getting married to a bridegroom who was blind of one eye. In order to save the marriage, the bridegroom’s father started looking for a beautiful boy who can replace his blind son only till the marriage rituals are done. The bridegoom’s father found this merchant’s son who was beautiful handsome, he decided to bring him for the temporary marriage with the king’s daughter. And promised them that the boy will be freed immediately after the marriage is over.
The merchant’s son got married to the king’s daughter around the holy fire. After the marriage, the merchant’s son writes a note for the king’s daughter revealing that he was not the actual bridegroom, he was replaced by the bridegroom’s father with his own son because his son was blind of one eye. He then leaves for continuing his journey to Kashi. The king’s daughter got the note before departure to her in-law's place.
Then after knowing the truth about his real bridegroom, she refused to accompany the blind bridegroom. The merchant’s son reached Kashi and devoted himself to the spiritual studies. His maternal uncle continued with the religious rituals until the last day of the twelfth year.
On this day the boy felt pain in the chest and died. Without telling anybody about his death, his uncle continued with the rituals and offered food to the brahmans. When the routine was over, he started crying, many people gathered seeing his grief. Fortunately, Lord Shiva and Parvati were passing by that house. When Parvati heard the cries and grief, she couldn’t bear the pain and begged Shiva to ask Yama to return his life. Since Yama is always at Shiva’s command.
Shiva then sprinkled Ganga water on the boy’s body and gave back his life from Yama. It looked as if the boy was pretending to sleep and just got up. As his spiritual studies got completed, they started their journey homeward.
On the way, they passed by the city where this boy got married. The king recognised him and took him to the palace with all honour. The king then sent off his daughter with the boy on an auspicious day. Back in the house, his parents were sitting on the roof of the mansion and waiting for his son, thinking that if their son doesn't come back then they would commit suicide. Surprisingly, they saw their son coming back home with his newly wedded wife. They came down from the roof and blessed the couple with joy and tremendous happiness..
Story of Somya Pradosh Vrat
Long ago, there lived a poor brahmin lady who would roam around the city of Vidarbha the whole day with her child begging for food and money. One day, the enemies of the city’s king attacked the king’s son and sent her out of the city. This poor brahmin lady then took the injured boy back to her house and started taking care of him.
King’s son and her son would go out to play every day, and she continued with her practice of Somya Pradosh Vrat as per a saint’s instruction. One day while playing outside, the king’s son saw the girls of Vidarbha city. He went up to speak to a girl named Anshumati.
Next day, Anshumati brought down her parents to meet the king’s son and offered him their daughter for marriage. Then after their marriage, the king’s son took help of Vidarbha’s army and then returned to the kingdom to take charge. He assigned the brahmin lady’s son as his minister. It is believed that all these things fell in place as a result of the Somya Pradosh Vrat, conducted by the brahmin lady.
Story of Solah Somvar Vrat
Once Lord Shiva visited the famous city of Amravati. Parvati also accompanied him. On their way, they saw a beautiful Shiva temple and decided to spend some time there. One day, Parvati found Lord Shiva in a playful mood. She said to him, Oh my Lord, let us have a dice game. Lord Shiva obliged her and the game started.
Meanwhile, the priest of the temple had come there. Parvati looked at him and asked to predict the winner of the game. The priest without thinking much predicted that Lord Shiva will win the game. Incidentally, Parvati won the game. She was angry because the priest had made a false prediction. Lord Shiva tried to pacify her, but she cursed the priest to suffer from leprosy.
In due course, the priest started suffering from leprosy which made his life miserable. After some time a few fairies descended on the earth and pitied the fate of the priest. On asking him, the priest narrated the whole incident.
One of the fairies told him that he can be free from this curse if he observes Monday fasts for sixteen weeks without break. On the seventeenth Monday, prepare some holy food or Prasad with flour mixed with ghee and jaggery.
Then distribute this prasad among the members of your family and take for himself. The priest followed the instructions. Soon, he regained his normal health. Once Lord Shiva and Parvati again visited that temple. Parvati was surprised to see the priest. He was completely cured.
She enquired about this feat and the priest narrated the whole story. Parvati was happy, she also decided to observe Monday fasts for sixteen weeks. Incidentally, on the seventeenth Monday, when she broke her fast, her beloved son Kartikeya, who was displeased with her, appeared. Likewise many good things started happening to all those who observed solah Somvar Vrat sincerely without any break.
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