The story of Vignaraja Mahaganapati
Yudhistra looks at Krishna with utter despair and says, “Can I ever regain the kingdom that I gambled away? How? What does destiny have in store for us? Can our kingdom ever be restored to its former glory? Guide me O Krishna, for I have lost all hope now.”
Krishna pacifies Yudhistra and says, “O Yudhishtra. There is a way to solve your problems. In time beyond your comprehension, Devi Parvati performed the most austere of penances because she wanted to marry Shiva alone. Yet Shiva did not manifest before her. That is when rishi Narad appeared before her and asked her to worship lord Ganesha – for He was the only one who could remove the obstacles from her path and fulfil her desires.
Parvati worships lord Ganesha who appears instantly. He says, “O Devi, the Sankashti that falls in the month of Bhadrapad is also known as the Bahula Sankashti. Observe a fast on this day to get rid of all the obstacles that you are facing in your life. Perform all the rituals according to your guru’s instructions.
Worship the Vignaraja form of Ganesha on this Sankashti for this form of Ganesha destroys the obstacles from your life, bestows siddhis, ushers prosperity and fulfils all your desires.
Wake up early in the morning on that day. Have your bath. Wear clean clothes and worship Vignaraja with Panchopachar i.e. invite him to reside within the turmeric paste idol that you have shaped with your hands. Offer Vignaraja dhoop, deep, naivedya, akshat and flowers. Take some water in your hands, meditate on Vignaraja with complete devotion and chant the following mantra:
“Mama Sarvakarmasiddaye Siddhivinayak Pujanmaha Karishye”
Now fill a Kalash with water. Mix some Ganga jal in it. Keep some Dharba, coins and whole haldi stems around it. Tie the mouth of the Kalash with a red cloth. Install the turmeric idol of Vignaraja over this Vigneshwar Peeta. And meditate on Vignaraja throughout the day.
In the evening, have your bath and worship Vignaraja. Offer Vignaraja clothes and modak as naivedya. After the moon rises, offer the moon too Arghya – i.e. invite him into your home.
Now read the following Sankashti Vrat Katha aloud and imbibe my message. Perform the Arti after you finish listening to the Vrat Katha and break your fast by eating the prasad of modaks alone that night.”
Sankashti Vrat Katha Bhadrapad
“In an age beyond Time, Nala, a king lived with his wife Damayanti. They were blessed with two sons who grew up to be fine princes. Nala was a noble and devout king and Damayanti beautiful and wise beyond her years. All was well in their kingdom too.
But who can predict the future or change the past for that matter? Everyone has to live through the karma that they have accrued in this life and in the previous ones too. And destiny does what it has to do. With everyone. And that was the case with Nala and Damayanti too.
Time turned against them. Dacoits plundered their kingdom and stripped their treasury of every last treasure that it had. They carted away all the fine stallions and elephants from his kingdom to create an army of their own. Much to Nala’s dismay, even his most trusted ministers betrayed him when he needed them the most.
What was worse was they joined forces with the enemy king and invaded Nala’s kingdom because they knew Nala had nothing to fall back on – no money, manpower, weapons, horses or elephants. And to Nala’s utter horror, they went on to set his entire kingdom afire.
Stripped of all his possessions, Nala had no other choice. He fled to the forest on the outskirts of his kingdom with Damayanti and his two sons. For several months, they lived together in the wilderness surviving on the fruits, berries and game that they could hunt down with their meagre set of weapons. They managed to keep body and soul together.
One day Damayanti and Nala went to different parts of the forest to forage for food. Time was truly testing them. For both of them ended up losing their way in the forest. Nala and Damayanti were separated from one another and their children too and despite searching for one another for several days they did not find their ways back to one another.
Nala, Damayanti and the two princes reached different parts of the neighbouring kingdom. They did all kinds of menial work to earn a living whenever they could. And when they failed to find work, they were left with no choice. They begged for alms. They could not afford to live in the city. So they lived in different parts of the forest that lay close to the city. To add to their woes, they now had to contend with hunger, disease and sickness and all of them became weak and thin.
One day, Damayanti mustered the little strength that she had in her frail body and went to the forest to find some food for herself. She came across Maharishi Sharbhang. Damayanti narrated everything to him and said, “When will I get to see my husband Nala and children? Will our lives ever turn for the better? What does destiny have in store for us? Why are we facing a series of challenges in our lives suddenly? When will we be able to clear our karmic debts? Please give me a clear answer.”
Rishi Sharbhang says, “Your condition is pitiable indeed. But I will show you a way out of this. Observe a fast on the Bahula Sankashti that falls in the Krishna Paksha of the month of Bhadrapad. Worship the Vignaraja form of Ganesha on this day. For Vignaraja helps people overcome the challenges that they are facing in their lives currently. If you perform the rituals with devotion correctly Vignaraja will surely grant you whatever you want.”
Damayanti follows rishi Sharbhang advice. She fasts on the Sankashti that falls in Bhadrapad and also on all other Sankashtis. And she is overjoyed when she is reunited with Nala and her two princes after 7 months.
Time favoured them now. Nala regained his lost kingdom and former glory too. But Nala and Damayanti made it a point to fast on all Sankashtis after that. And with Vignaraja’s blessings, they could rule over their kingdom happily ever.
Krishna says, “O Yudhishtra, you too can regain your lost kingdom, your former glory and change your destiny if you fast on the Sankashti that falls during the month of Bhadrapad. I am narrating the story as Ganesha narrated it to his mother, Parvati. Please follow this auspicious path that I have shown you and seek Vignaraja’s blessings.” Yudhistra fasted on all Sankashtis after that and went on to regain his lost kingdom and glory too.
Time turns against all of us. At some time or the other. And the first thing we do is to try to control the situation. But despite our very best efforts everything – literally everything – that is dear to us – somehow crumbles and collapses to dust right in front of our eyes. That is Karma. And it has a duty to do too.
But He comes to our rescue in His own ways – through Sankashtis and Vrat Kathas and myriad other forms. He doesn’t give up on us. Even when we feel like doing so. That is for sure.
Click here to read a few stories on Ganesha and the Sankashti Vrat Kathas.
Click here to read stories on Krishna.