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Whenever the name of Chhath festival comes, a different feeling of reverence and devotion arises in the mind. The influx of lakhs of devotees on the banks of rivers and ponds, standing waist-deep in water and offering prayers to the setting and rising sun, and that sweet smell of Thekua… it is not just a festival, but a symbol of a tough penance and unwavering faith.
In this festival which lasts for four days, starting from ‘Nahay-Khay’ to ‘Kharna’ and then fasting for about 36 hours without water, makes it the most difficult of the fasts. In this puja we worship Sun God, but at the same time we also worship ‘Chhathi Maiya’. But do you know who Chhathi Maiya is and how this great fast started? Come, let us know its whole story.
Who is Chhathi Maiya?
According to mythological beliefs, two main things are said about Chhathi Maiya:
- Sister of Sun God: Chhathi Maiya is considered to be the sister of Lord Surya. That is why in Chhath Puja, the Sun is pleased by offering Arghya to him, so that Chhathi Maiya is also pleased.
- Goddess protector of children: Chhathi Maiya is also called the mental daughter of Lord Brahma, who protects children and grants them the blessing of long life. Even today, when a child is born in a house, ‘Chhathi’ is worshiped on the sixth day, it is this goddess who is worshipped.
Mythological story of Chhath fast (Chhath Puja Vrat Katha)
The story of the beginning of this fast is related to a very unhappy king. According to the legend, a long time ago Priyavrat There was a king named. He had everything, but he had no children. The king and his wife Malini were troubled day and night by this sorrow.
To get a child the king consulted Maharishi Kashyap. Putrayeshti Yagya Got it done. With the blessings of Yagya, the queen became pregnant, but after nine months she gave birth to a stillborn son.
Seeing this, the king was heartbroken and became so sad that he decided to commit suicide. As the king tried to end his life, a very beautiful, radiant goddess appeared before him.
The goddess said, “O king! Wait. I am Shashthi Devi (Chhathi Maiya). I protect all the children of the world and give the blessing of children to the childless. Whoever worships me with true devotion and devotion, I fulfill all his wishes.”
The goddess said to the king, “You worship me, I will bless you with a son.”
Hearing this, the king, as per the advice of the goddess, fasted and worshiped Chhathi Maiya with full rituals on the sixth day of Shukla Paksha of Kartik month. As a result of this puja, they were blessed with a beautiful and healthy son. It is believed that this great tradition of Chhath Puja started from then.
According to another legend, when the Pandavas lost everything in gambling in the Mahabharata, Draupadi also observed a fast on Chhath. With the effect of this fast, his wish was fulfilled and the Pandavas got their kingdom back.