Note - Satya Naaraayan story is very popular in Bhaarat Varsh. Normally every auspicious event is started with the worship of Ganesh Jee and completed with Satya Naaraayan Kathaa. In present times this Kathaa is known as from Skand Puraan, Revaa Khand and it is available in five or seven chapters. This Bhavishya Puraan Kathaa is very similar to Skand Puraan Kathaa and is very interesting. Along with the Kathaa several doubts are also got cleared in it. While listening to this Kathaa, people ask that which story Saadhu Vaishya, wood seller, Shataanand, Ulkaamukh, Tungdhwaj heard and where those stories are now? Since when this story came into use in public? But people should understand that only Paramaatmaa has been explained through these stories. Thus they they should do His worship with Shraddhaa.

In North India this Vrat is very common and popular. It is done normally on Poornimaa (full moon day), or Sankraanti (when Sun changes his sign), or sometime on new moon day also. Who listens to its story with great attentiveness and Bhakti and Shraddhaa gets considerable benefits.

(Chap 27) Soot Jee said - "Hey Rishi, Now you listen to the story of Bheel who were benefited from this Kathaa. Once some Nishaad (Bheel - a tribe of India) were used to sell wood bringing them from forest. Some of them came to Kaashee also to sell their wood. One of them got thirsty and came to Shataanand's Aashram. There he drank water and saw that the Braahman was worshipping Bhagavaan. He was surprised to see his prosperity in that Aashram and started thinking that "from where did he get so much prosperity? Till some time ago I saw him very poor, how did he get so much prosperous today?" He asked him - "Mahaaraaj, How did you get so much prosperity and how did you get rid of poverty? Tell me this, I wish to know."

Shataanand said - "This is all because of the grace of Satya Naaraayan. What is not possible by His Poojaa?" Nishaad asked him - "What is the importance of Satya Naaraayan Vrat Poojaa? Please tell me the method of His worship, because saints are kind to everybody." Shataanand said - "Once the king of Manipoorak of Kedaar Kshetra Chandrachood came to my Aashram and he asked the method of Satya Naaraayan Vrat Kathaa. Whatever I told him, listen to the same now.

With desire, or with no desire, one should do Sankalp of Bhagavaan's Poojaa. Take one and one quarter Seer (about 900 gms) wheat flour, fry it in Ghee, and mix milk and sugar. Offer this to Bhagavaan as His Naivedya, this is Bhagavaan's favorite. Give bath to Shaaligraam with Panchaamrit and worship Him with all Poojaa materials. Then listen to my Kathaa, king Tungdhwaj story, Bheel and Vaishya stories with full devotion. At the end of the Kathaa, one should distribute my Prasaad and then have food. I am pleased not with materials but with Shraddhaa and Bhakti. If somebody is rich then he should do this Poojaa accordingly. Bhagavaan is the Lord of all things that is why He doesn't need anything, what He needs, He needs only Bhakti and things offered by His Bhakt with Shraddhaa. That is why Bhagavaan accepted Vidur Jee's felicitation instead of Duryodhan's royal felicitation. He accepted Sudaamaa's "Chivadaa" and gave him rare wealth. Besides Gop, Geedh (Jataayu), Vaishya, Vyaadh (hunter who killed Krishn), Hanumaan, Vibheeshan, even Daitya such as Vritraasur etc are living near Him.

Hey Nishaad, Hearing me that king Chandrachood collected Poojaa materials and worshipped Him and got back his lost kingdom. Therefore you also worship Satya Naaraayan, and by this you will also get all kinds of pleasures in this world and will be close to Vishnu Bhagavaan in the end." Hearing this Nishaad got very happy. He greeted Shataanand and went home. He told this to his mates. They all took vow that whatever they would get after selling the wood on that day, they would worship Shree Satya Naarayan Bhagavaan's Poojaa from that money. They got four times more money on that day after selling their wood. They told everything to their wives and then all did Satya Naaraayan Poojaa on that day. They distributed Prasaad to all and took themselves also. They enjoyed all kinds of pleasures in this life and attained Vaishnav Dhaam in the end.

[Satya Naaraayan Kathaa Chaturth Adhyaaya Samaapt]

Saadhu Vaishya Kathaa

(Chap 28) Soot Jee said - "Now I tell you about Saadhu Vaishya. Once the king of Manipoorak city Chandrachood was worshipping Bhagavaan Satya Naaraayan along with his people that Saadhu named Vaishya came there with his boat full of money. There he saw the Poojan Mandap studded with various gems and adorned with flags etc; and heard the sound of music and musical instruments. Seeing that Saadhu Vaishya ordered his boatman to stop the boat there only as he wanted to see that what was going on there.

He came down from the boat and asked about it, then came to the Mandap and asked the people sitting there - "What Punya act you are doing here?" People said - "We are doing Bhagavaan Satya Naaraayan Poojaa along with our respected king. He has got back his kingdom because fo this Poojaa only. By doing this Poojaa, who desires for money gets money; who desires for son gets son; who desires for knowledge obtains knowledge; and a fearful man becomes fearless. Thus by worshipping Him, a human being fulfills one's all kinds of desires."

Hearing this he wrapped his cloth around his neck several times and did Saashtaang Pranaam to Satya Naaraayan Bhagavaan, and said - "Hey Bhagavan, I am childless, therefore my all efforts are useless. Hey kind Bhagavaan, If I will get a son or a daughter then I will worship you with golden flag." At this people sitting there said, "So be it." In the end he took Prasaad and thinking about Bhagavaan he went to his home. His wife Leelaavatee welcomed him with auspicious things. At appropriate time his wife gave birth to a beautiful daughter by the grace of Satya Naaraayan Bhagavaan.

Both Saadhu and his wife got very happy to see that girl and they donated lots of money at her birth. He performed her Sanskaar, constructed her birth chart and named her Kalaavatee. Now she started growing like Moon. A girl, when she is of 8 years of age is called a child, when she is of 9 years of age is called Rohinee, when she is of 10 years of age she is called maiden and when she is of 12 years of age she is called "Rajswalaa" (of marriageable age). So with time she grew and soon became of marriageable age.

There lived a Shankhpati named Vaishya in Kaachanpur city. He was handsome, wealthy, kind and belonged to a noble family. He found him worthy of his daughter, so he married his daughter to him and gave a lots of things in dowry. He had kept his son-in-law in his house and treated him like his son and he also respected Saadhu as his father. Thus a lot of time passed. Saadhu took a Sankalp that he would do Satya Naaraayan Poojaa after the child's birth but he forgot this and he did not do the Poojaa.

After some time he went far for trading and stayed there for long time. There also he didn't do any Satya Dev's Poojaa. Bhagavaan got angry with him and he had to suffer with various calamities. Once some thieves stole a lots of money and pearl necklace from the royal palace. The king warned his servants that if they did not find the thieves and did not present the lost things in two days time, they would be sentenced to death. They tried their best to find those thieves but could not succeed. They talked among themselves that since they could not find the thieves and the material, so the king would sentence them to death. Instead of getting Pret Yoni, it is better that they should commit suicide by drowning in Narmadaa River so that they could attain Shiv Lok by the grace of Narmadaa River.

So they all went to the banks of Narmadaa River [to commit suicide] but they saw that Saadhu Vaishya and the pearl necklace in his neck. They took him as the thief and brought him and his son-in-law to the king along with his wealth. Since the Vaishya lied to Satya Bhagavaan that is why He was not favoring him. That is why the king ordered his servants to deposit all that wealth in royal treasury and put them in jail. Vaishya got very sad along with his son-in-law. Thus they stayed in jail for several days.

[Satya Naaraayan Kathaa Pancham Adhyaaya Samaapt]