बृहस्पतिवार व्रत कथा (प्रत्येक बृहस्पतिवार) · Brihaspativar Vrat Katha (Every Thursday)

The Thursday vow is dedicated to Bhagwan Brihaspati Dev, and is kept through the worship of Brihaspateshwar Mahadev. On this day, the observer should wear yellow clothing and take only a single meal, of chana dal without salt. In the puja, yellow flowers, chana dal, yellow cloth, and yellow sandalwood are offered, and the banana tree is also worshipped. After the puja, one should hear the story of this vow. This vow is considered especially fruitful for women, for the attainment of wealth and learning.

In a certain city there lived a wealthy but extremely stingy housewife. One Thursday, an accomplished sadhu came to her door seeking alms, but she turned him away, saying she was busy sweeping the courtyard just then. The following Thursday the sadhu came again, and she said she was busy feeding her child and had no time to spare. On the third Thursday, when the sadhu came again, she gave the same answer, that she had no time. At this, the sadhu extracted a promise from her that whenever she was completely free of tasks, she would surely give alms. Along with this, he taught her a particular discipline to observe on Thursdays — rise early in the morning and sweep the whole house, gathering the dust into one corner; do not have anyone's hair cut in the house that day; cook food and keep it hidden behind the hearth, out of sight; light a lamp in the evening; do not wear yellow clothing; and do no other housework that day.

The housewife followed this discipline for some time, but gradually let it lapse and returned to her old ways. As a result, her household slid toward poverty, until there was not even enough left in the house to cook a meal. Some time later, the same sadhu came again to her door, but this time too she had nothing to give him. The sadhu pressed her insistently for the reason, and the housewife, in tears, asked him how she might restore her former prosperity.

The sadhu told her that every Thursday morning she should bathe and plaster the courtyard of the house with cow dung, not have her hair cut that day, give food and water as best she could to the hungry and thirsty, and light a lamp in the evening. The housewife began following this discipline with devotion, and prosperity soon returned to her household, remaining with her for the rest of her life. By Brihaspati Dev's grace, every household that observes this vow remains blessed with wealth and grain, and whoever hears this story finds lasting happiness and prosperity dwelling in their home as well.