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Karwa Chauth, the biggest and most sacred festival of married women, has a very special place in Indian culture and marital life. This fast, observed on the Chaturthi date of Krishna Paksha of Kartik month, is a symbol of every married woman’s wish for her husband’s long life, unbroken good fortune, good health and bright future. On this day, women observe waterless fast throughout the day and break their fast only after offering Arghya to the moon at night. The worship of this fast is considered incomplete unless its ancient and sacred story is heard or read. The ‘story of Veeravati and the seven brothers’, which is narrated every year during this fast, not only teaches us the lesson of love and unwavering faith, but also teaches us with what true devotion one should follow religion and traditions. Let us know in detail every untouched aspect of this mythological and ancient story related to Karva Chauth.
According to mythology, in ancient times there were seven brave and illustrious brothers in the house of a moneylender and they had an only beloved sister, whose name was Veeravati. Being greatly loved by her seven brothers and parents, Veeravati’s marriage was solemnized with great pomp and show with a capable and noble king. Some time after the marriage, when the Chaturthi date of Krishna Paksha of Kartik month came, Queen Veeravati, staying in her maternal home, observed her first Karva Chauth Nirjala fast with all the rituals. From early morning, Veeravati started a very difficult fast without taking food or water. As the day progressed, everyone in the palace and her maternal home started worrying about her health because Veeravati was very delicate and gentle by nature. All seven of her brothers loved their sister very much and she was not able to tolerate her hunger and thirst, this was not visible to the brothers.
When the evening approached and there was still a long time left for nightfall, Veeravati’s seven brothers approached their sister and requested her to eat and drink something as her weak body was no longer able to bear the rigors of fasting. But Veeravati, showing her determination, flatly refused and said that today was the fast of Karva Chauth and she would consume water only after offering Arghya to the Moon. After seeing the condition of their sister, the brothers came up with a unique and very wrong idea. He lit a big fire under the cover of a dense Peepal tree outside the village and placed a curtain of light in front of it so that when seen from a distance, it appeared as if a real moonrise had occurred in the sky. The brothers ran and called their sister and said, “Look Veeravati, the moon has come out, now you can break your fast by offering Arghya.”
Having unwavering faith in the words of her real brothers, innocent Veeravati gave the extract to the artificial moon without any doubt and took the food with joy. But as soon as his fast was broken, the dire consequences of this act against the law of nature came to light. As soon as she took a mouthful of food, she received a dreadfully ominous news that her husband’s health had suddenly deteriorated and he had fallen unconscious. By the time Veeravati reached her in-laws’ house in despair, her husband’s breathing had stopped and his dead body was in front of her. Due to this tragic and sudden incident, a wave of mourning ran across the entire state and Veervati’s marriage was ruined.
Veeravati, completely devastated by the untimely death of her husband, sat near the dead body and started mourning and asking God for forgiveness for her mistake. Seeing his unconditional love, compassionate cry and repentance, Mata Karva (the fourth mother) appeared directly from heaven. The mother consoled Veervati and said, “O daughter! Under the influence of your brothers, you had broken your Nirja fast by seeing the artificial moon through the sieve before the moonrise, due to which your husband lost his life due to the anger of Lord Ganesha and the moon. If you observe the fast of Sankashti Chaturthi which comes every month throughout the year and repeat the fast of this Karva Chauth with full devotion, then your husband will be brought back to life. You will get it and you will never have to face widowhood.” Veervati took the words of her mother and followed every rule for a year and again observed the fast of Karva Chauth with full dedication. Pleased with her unwavering penance and devotion, Mother Karva brought her husband back to life and since then this ancient fast has become the biggest law of unbroken good fortune for married women in Sanatan Dharma.
