करवा चौथ व्रत कथा (कार्तिक कृष्ण चतुर्थी) · Karva Chauth Vrat Katha (Kartik Krishna Chaturthi)

The Chaturthi of Kartik's dark fortnight is called Karva Chauth, or Karak Chaturthi. On this day, married women whose husbands are living worship Bhagwan Ganesh, since Ganesh is worshipped first in any auspicious undertaking — even at the wedding of Shiv and Parvati, Ganesh was worshipped first — and so he is called the foremost of the gods and the remover of obstacles. On this day, a woman resolves to remain without food the whole day, keeping Ganesh in her mind, and to observe a waterless fast until moonrise. In the evening, a wall of the house is coated with cow-dung and ochre wash, upon which images of Ganesh, Parvati, Shiv, and Kartikeya are painted, along with a banyan tree, a human figure holding a sieve, and a rising moon.

Below this painted wall, two spouted earthen pots called karva are placed, filled with water; their necks are wrapped with sacred thread and sindoor, a straw is fixed in the spout, and a rice-filled bowl and betel nut are set on top. As naivedya, rice laddus, puri, kheer, and seasonal fruits such as water chestnut, banana, orange, and sugarcane are offered. After this, the katha is heard, and once it concludes, the ritual of "karva pherna" is performed, in which the positions of the two karvas — one placed to the right, one to the left — are exchanged. It is believed that observing the vow with this method pleases Ganesh, who then grants the heart's desire and unbroken good fortune.

A merchant had seven sons and one daughter. On Kartik Krishna Chaturthi, the merchant's wife, all his daughters-in-law, and his daughter together observed the vow. After the puja, when the sons sat down to eat, they urged their sister to join them. She replied that she would eat only after offering arghya to the moon, once it had risen. Unable to bear their sister's long wait, the brothers went out to a field, lit a fire, and, casting its light through a sieve, tried to convince her that the moon had risen.

The sister told her sisters-in-law that the moon had risen. They warned her that this was no moon but firelight glimmering through a sieve, but she paid no heed, took it for the moon, offered her arghya, and ate. For this mistake, Bhagwan Ganesh grew deeply angry. As a result, her husband was struck by a terrible illness, the family's entire wealth was consumed in treating him, and she sank into deep grief and suffering.

At last, she understood her mistake. She repented again and again, sought forgiveness from Ganesh, and performed the vow once more with full devotion and proper ritual. Pleased by her true devotion, Ganesh removed all her hardships and restored the family's prosperity. Whoever completes this vow according to its proper method has all their wishes fulfilled. After the katha, once the moon truly rises, arghya is offered to Chandra Dev while saying "Om Chandraya Namah," and he is circled four times with a bow of reverence. Only after the household's elders have eaten does the woman observing the vow eat herself, and the puja materials are given in charity to Brahmins.

The udyapan, the closing ceremony of Karva Chauth, is performed on the same tithi once the cycle of the vow is deemed complete. In this ceremony, a roli-decorated thali holding four puris and sweets arranged at thirteen spots, together with a new sari, a blouse, and dakshina as one is able, is offered to the mother-in-law. If she is no longer living, this offering is instead given to a married Brahmin woman whose husband is living. Only after completing this udyapan does the woman eat. By doing so, her good fortune remains forever unbroken.