Solah Somvar Vrat Katha : सोलह सोमवार व्रत कथा (in Hindi)
Solah Somvar Vrat Katha : सोलह सोमवार व्रत कथा (In English)
Once Lord Shiva with Goddess Parvati visited the famous city Amravati. On their way, they find a beautiful Lord Shiva temple, made by the king of the city Amravati. To see the beauty of the temple they decide to stay some time there. One day, Goddess Parvati notice that Lord Shiva was in playful mood so she offer to play dice game. They started playing dice game suddenly the priest of the temple come there. In the excitement of the game Goddess Parvati asked to the priest “who will win the game of the dice”, the priest was not prepare for any question because of by mistaken he said that Lord shiva will win the game but Parvati won the game. After won the game, she felt angry on the priest. Lord Shiva tried to calm her but she gave him a curse of being leper. Due to the curse of Goddess Parvati he became leper and lived a miserable life. After some years of that incident several fairies came to the temple and asked the reason to the priest of his misery then he narrate all the episode. To hear his story one fairy asked him to perform Solah Somvar Vrat continuously and tell her the rule of the fast. She asked him , on the seventeenth Monday, prepare the Prashad or holy food with ghee, gur with mixed flour and distribute this prasand among devotees, family members and take some yourself. Through the blessing of this fast you will be free from the leprosy. Later all the fairies was disappeared and priest perform all the rituals of the Solah Somvar vrat. Soon he recovered his normal health by the positive energy of the fast.
Once Lord Shiva and Parvati again visit to that temple when Pravati saw that priest healthy she was surprised and asked him the secret of his health then the priest narrate her all the story. To hear the glory of the Solah Somvar Vrat she felt very happy and also perform the fast. After completing 16th vrat her son Kartikeya, who was displeased with her, was presented in front of her. He asked to the Parvati that which power attracts him and please him then Parvati narrate her all the story.
To listen the power and glory of the Solah Somvar vrat he also perform that fast to reunion with his Brahmin friend, he also gets the result and soon he meets with his Brahmin friend. Kartikaye, a friend asked him the reason of that miracle then kartikaye tell him that he wants to meet him so he perform Solah Somvar vrat. As a result, they meet unexpectedly, Brahmin friend also impressed by that vrat and he decided to take fast. Brahmin also follows all the rules and regulation of the fast and on the day when he completed his fast he was passed by the city. The king of the city performs the swayamver of his daughter but he asked that the elephant decides the groom for his daughter and gave a garland to the elephant. That Bramin was curious about that Sayamvar so he decided to see that when he reached on the Swayamver that elephant garlanded him so the king of the city married her daughter to him. After some time the king was expired and that Brahmin became the king of that city. On the first night, Princess asked him why elephant garlanded him and leave all the Prince who are invited in the Swayamvar. To hear the request of his wife he reveals that the miracle of Solah Somvar vrat.
The wife of Brahmin also impressed to hear the glory of Solah Somvar vrat and started performing fast. By the blessing of the Lord Shiva she gave birth to a beautiful and intellectual son. When that boy became young she asked his mother to narrate the story of his birth. The mother reveals that she took the fast of Solah Somvar to get him then the boy also perform these fast to get the other kingdom for their parents. Incidentally, an old king of near state also searching a groom for her daughter and send his messenger for a perfect groom for her daughter. To see that boy he asked the king about him and king married her daughter to him. After some time the king was died and that boy was became the king but that boy regularly performs Solah Somvar vrat. On the day of the 17th Monday that boy arranged a large pooja on the temple and ordered his wife to accompany him on the pooja rituals but she denied. The king performed all the rituals single suddenly he heard a sound or an akashwani to leave his wife. To heard that sound he took a conference of the minister and tell them his problem because he made king due to the queen but their ministers suggested him to leave the queen. So king ordered the queen to leave the palace, she left out bare foot and in worn-out clothes. She was thirsty and hungry but due his misfortune she was not able to eat and drink something. If she touched water or food all thing become rotten she started to cursed his fate.
A potter man felt pity on her and asked her to help him and he will provide food in the exchange of food but when she carry the pots a fast wind blew came and all pots was fall down. The queen felt sorry and potter asked him to go away. Then she reached in a oilman’s house but her misfortune follow her the all the pots that are full of oil break and oilman’s asked him to go away. Now she went in a dark forest, she saw a river but when she reach to the bank river to quench her thirst all the river was dried up. Then she saw a water tank but when she touch the water all water turned muddy then she drink that muddy water. For rest she searched shady tree but all shady tress became leafless when she sit down to take rest.
The cowherds saw all the incident and told all the incident to the temple priest. Then the priest called him and surprised to see their royal etiquettes. After that she started lived with that priest but soon she fed up with her life because all things turn impure by her touch. Then the priest asked the reason of her misfortune she narrate all the story. To heard all the story the priest suggested her to take Solah somvar Vrat to please Lord Shiva. When she completed the rituals of the Solah Somvar vrat, her husband remember her and send his messengers to search her. When they find the queen they requested to the priest to send her with them but the priest refused their request. At last king came and asked the priest that he was his husband, he leaves her on the order of Lord Shiva but know Lord Shiva anger was turned into peace so he came here to receive her. The priest believed in the word of the king and return the queen. The queen gets a large welcome party. The king distributes money, food, clothes to the needy people and perform Pooja rituals.
After all these incidents both performs Solah Somvar Vrat Katha and live happily in their kingdom. When they died both enters Shivpuri, the home of the Lord Shiva. It is said that those devotees who takes the fast of Lord Shiva will enter Shivpuri after the death.
|| Bolo ShivShankar BholeNath ki Jai ||
