Karwa Chauth Vrat Katha

Veeravati · 1

Bahut purane samay ki baat hai. Ek nagar mein ek sahukar rehta tha. Uske saat bete the aur ek beti, jiska naam Veeravati tha. Saaton bhai apni iklauti behan ko bahut pyaar karte the aur use khilaye bina khud khana nahin khate the.

Long ago, a merchant lived in a town with his seven sons and one daughter, Veeravati. The seven brothers adored their only sister. They would not eat a meal until she had eaten first.

Veeravati · 2

Veeravati ka vivah hua. Vivah ke baad jab pehla Karwa Chauth aaya, tab vah apne maayke mein thi. Usne apni bhabhiyon ke saath subah se nirjal vrat rakha. Din bhar na kuchh khaya, na paani piya.

Veeravati was married. When her first Karwa Chauth came, she was staying at her parents' home. Along with her brothers' wives she kept the fast from dawn, with no food and not even a sip of water all day.

Veeravati · 3

Shaam hote-hote bhookh aur pyaas se Veeravati behaal ho gayi. Bhai ghar laute to behan ko murjhaya hua dekhkar unse raha nahin gaya. Unhone kaha, “Behan, kuchh kha lo.” Veeravati boli, “Aaj Karwa Chauth hai. Chaand ko arghya dekar hi khaungi.”

By evening Veeravati was weak with hunger and thirst. When her brothers came home and saw her drooping, they could not bear it. “Sister, eat something,” they said. “It is Karwa Chauth today,” she replied. “I will eat only after I offer water to the moon.”

Veeravati · 4

Chaand nikalne mein abhi bahut der thi. Bhaiyon ne ek upaay socha. Sabse chhota bhai door ek peepal ke ped par chadh gaya aur usne diya jalakar chhalni ki ot mein rakh diya. Door se vah roshni aisi lagti thi, jaise chaand nikal aaya ho.

The moon was still a long way from rising, so the brothers made a plan. The youngest climbed a peepal tree some distance away, lit a lamp and held it behind a sieve. From far off, the glow looked just like the rising moon.

Veeravati · 5

Bhai behan ke paas aaye aur bole, “Dekho, chaand nikal aaya hai. Arghya de do.” Bhabhiyon ne use samjhana chaha ki yah chaand nahin hai, par bholi Veeravati ne bhaiyon ki baat maan li. Usne us roshni ko arghya diya aur khana khane baith gayi.

“Look, the moon is up,” the brothers told her. “Make your offering.” Her sisters-in-law tried to tell her it was not the moon, but trusting Veeravati believed her brothers. She offered water to the light and sat down to eat.

Veeravati · 6

Pehle kaur mein baal nikla. Doosre kaur par use chheenk aa gayi. Teesra kaur uthaya hi tha ki sasural se khabar aayi ki uske pati ab is sansar mein nahin rahe.

In the first mouthful she found a hair. At the second she sneezed. She had just lifted the third when word came from her husband's home that he had died.

Veeravati · 7

Veeravati roti-bilakhti sasural pahunchi. Usi raat Indra ki patni, Devi Indrani, dharti par aayin. Veeravati ne unke charan pakad liye aur poochha, “Mere saath aisa kyon hua?” Indrani ne kaha, “Tumne asli chaand dekhe bina vrat khol diya. Tumhare bhaiyon ne prem mein aakar tumse chhal kiya tha.”

Weeping, Veeravati hurried to her husband's home. That night Indrani, queen of the gods, came down to earth. Veeravati fell at her feet and asked why this had happened to her. Indrani said, “You broke your fast without seeing the real moon. Out of love, your brothers tricked you.”

Veeravati · 8

Indrani ne aage kaha, “Ab poore varsh har mahine ki chauth ka vrat shraddha se rakho. Agle Karwa Chauth par poore niyam se vrat karo aur asli chaand ko arghya do. Tab tumhara suhaag laut aayega.”

Indrani went on, “For a whole year, keep the fast of every month's Chauth with faith. Next Karwa Chauth, keep the fast fully and offer water to the real moon. Then your husband will be returned to you.”

Veeravati · 9

Veeravati ne kisi ko apne pati ka daah-sanskar nahin karne diya. Vah poore varsh unke paas baithi rahi, unki seva karti rahi aur har mahine ki chauth ka vrat rakhti rahi. Man hi man vah Karwa Mata ka smaran karti rehti thi.

Veeravati would not let anyone cremate her husband. For a whole year she sat beside him and cared for him, and she kept the Chauth fast every month. In her heart she prayed to Karva Mata all the while.

Veeravati · 10

Phir Karwa Chauth aaya. Is baar Veeravati ne subah se nirjal vrat rakha, shaam ko karva bharkar Gauri Maa ki pooja ki aur katha suni. Jab asli chaand nikla, tab usne chhalni se chaand ko dekha aur arghya diya.

Karwa Chauth came round again. This time Veeravati fasted without water from dawn. In the evening she filled the karva, worshipped Gauri and listened to the katha. When the real moon rose, she looked at it through a sieve and offered it water.

Veeravati · 11

Uski sachchi shraddha se Karwa Mata prasann huin. Unke aashirvaad se Veeravati ka pati aise uth baitha, jaise gehri neend se jaaga ho. Kehte hain, tabhi se suhaagin yah vrat poore niyam se rakhti hain aur chaand ko dekhkar, arghya dekar hi vrat kholti hain.

Karva Mata was pleased by her true devotion. With her blessing, Veeravati's husband sat up as if waking from a deep sleep. It is said that ever since, married women keep this fast with care and break it only after seeing the moon and offering it water.

Karva · 1

Ab Karwa Mata ki doosri katha suniye. Bahut pehle ek nadi ke kinare base gaon mein Karva naam ki ek pativrata stri apne pati ke saath rehti thi. Ek din uska pati nadi mein nahane gaya.

Now hear the second story of Karva Mata. Long ago, in a village by a river, there lived a devoted wife named Karva with her husband. One day her husband went to bathe in the river.

Karva · 2

Nahate samay ek magarmachh ne uska pair pakad liya aur use paani mein kheenchne laga. Pati ne zor se Karva ko pukara. Karva daudkar aayi aur usne kachche soot ke dhaage se magar ko baandh diya. Uske satitva ke bal se magar aisa bandha ki hil bhi na saka.

As he bathed, a crocodile seized his leg and began to drag him under. He shouted for Karva. She came running and tied up the crocodile with a thread of raw cotton. By the strength of her devotion, the thread held it so fast that it could not move.

Karva · 3

Phir Karva Yamraj ke paas pahunchi aur boli, “He Yamraj, is magar ne mere pati ko pakda hai. Ise apne lok le jaiye aur mere pati ko lambi aayu dijiye.” Yamraj ne kaha, “Abhi is magar ki aayu baaki hai. Main ise nahin le ja sakta.”

Then Karva went to Yama, the lord of death. “This crocodile has seized my husband,” she said. “Take it to your realm and grant my husband a long life.” Yama answered, “The crocodile's time has not yet come. I cannot take it.”

Karva · 4

Karva ne kaha, “Yadi aap aisa nahin karenge, to main aapko shaap de doongi.” Pativrata ke shaap se Yamraj bhi dar gaye. Unhone magar ko Yamlok bhej diya aur Karva ke pati ko lambi aayu ka vardaan diya.

“If you will not do it,” said Karva, “I will curse you.” Even Yama feared the curse of so devoted a wife. He sent the crocodile to his realm and blessed Karva's husband with a long life.

Karva · 5

Tabhi se Karva ko Karwa Mata ke roop mein yaad kiya jata hai. Karwa Chauth par suhaagin unse apne pati ki raksha aur lambi aayu ki prarthana karti hain.

Since then Karva has been remembered as Karva Mata. On Karwa Chauth, married women pray to her to protect their husbands and give them long life.

Closing prayer

He Karwa Mata, jaise aapne Veeravati ka suhaag lautaya aur Karva ke pati ki raksha ki, vaise hi sabke suhaag ki raksha karna. Bolo Karwa Mata ki jai!

O Karva Mata, as you gave Veeravati back her husband and protected Karva's husband, so protect every married woman's husband. Say: glory to Karva Mata!