Sankashti Vrat Katha – Adhik Maas

The story of Vibhuvana Palaka Maha Ganapati

Draupadi wonders why and how things suddenly went haywire in their lives. She recollects her humiliation in the court the minute she closes her eyes. Several thoughts plague her mind. She has five husbands. Each exemplary in their own way. Yet they had all failed her. What if Krishna had not come to her rescue? She shudders at the thought.

Will I ever get a chance to avenge my humiliation? I want complete destruction of my enemies – she says to herself – only that will give me solace. Draupadi wipes her tears angrily and starts cooking for her family. A short while later, the Pandavas tell her that rishi Vyasa has come over to meet them. Draupadi is overwhelmed with joy, welcomes him warmly and ensures that he feels comfortable.

In the evening when they assemble around rishi Vyasa, Draupadi says, “O learned rishi, please tell me why I was disrobed and humiliated publicly. What crime have I committed in my previous births to warrant this kind of treatment in this birth? Why have we been exiled from the kingdom? Please tell us how we can destroy our enemies completely for my heart knows no peace anymore.” Rishi Vyasa says, “I cannot give you any answers. But you can find some answers if you listen to this story carefully.”

In Satyuga, a king called Chandrasen rules over his kingdom wisely. He loves his queen Ratnavali immensely and the people live content lives. But Time works in its own mysterious ways. Enemies attack his kingdom, loot his treasury and take away all his elephants and horses. Chandrasen and Ratnavali have no other choice. They flee to the forest.

They wonder about the sudden turn of fortunes in their lives. But focus on their primary needs first now. Chandrasena has no weapons. They are hungry and tired. And the forest is full of wild animals. He wonders if they will survive for long. After a while, they spot a well and as they refresh themselves with the cool water they realize that they had reached rishi Markandeya’s hermitage. Rishi Markandeya greets them warmly after which Chandrasen narrates his tale to him.”

Rishi Vyasa looks at Draupadi kindly and says, “Chandrasen asked rishi Markandeya the same questions you asked me O Draupadi. Listen to the rest of the tale now…”

Chandrasen says, “O rishi, I must have committed some horrendous crimes in the past to experience this kind of suffering now. Please look into my past and tell me how I can invite good fortune back into our lives.”

Rishi Markendeya says, “ You were a king in your previous birth too O Chandrasen. One day you went hunting into a forest. You saw several Naga Kanyas dressed in red clothes. They were performing the Sankat Chaturthi Vrat. After they sighted the moon, they started going back to their homes.

That is when you stood before them and said, “O devout Naga Kanyas – please tell me which God you were worshipping for I too wish to do the same? How does he help you? What kind of rituals did you follow and what offerings did you make to that God to please him?”

The Naga Kanyas said, “Today is the Krishna Paksha Chaturthi of Adhik Maas. We worship the Vibhuvana Palaka Maha Ganapati form of lord Ganesha on this day after seating him on a Doorva Bilva Patra Peeta.  

We observe a fast all through the day. In the evening, we first install and bathe the Vibhuvana Palaka Maha Ganapati idol with Panchamrit. We then offer him dhoop, deep, sugandh, red flowers, a pair of clothes and naivedya of 15 laddoos.

After that, we listen to the Sankashti Vrat Katha and wait till we catch sight of the moon. We offer five laddoos to Brahmins, five to lord Ganesha and 5 to Kumarikas. We break our fast with the prasad that they offer us. Lord Vibhuvana Palaka Maha Ganapati fulfils our desires and blesses us with Siddhis, peace, happiness, prosperity and progress.”

Rishi Markandeya then says, “After getting these details from the Naga Kanyas, you too observed a fast on all Sankashtis. Vibhuvana Palaka Maha Ganapati was pleased with your devotion. So you became a wealthy king and married a beautiful devout woman. But a few months later, after experiencing the luxuries of your wealth, you became arrogant. You assumed that you had gained these material pleasures through your own hard work and stopped observing Sankashtis. So you met with an untimely death after that.

You are reborn as Chandrasen and are blessed with a wife like Ratnavali because of your past punya. But you have exhausted all your punya. So you are reduced to this plight now. Start worshipping the specific forms of lord Ganesha on all Sankashtis again. Lord Ganesha alone can set things right in your life.”

Draupadi speaks up now and says, “O rishi Vyasa, do describe the rituals that we have to perform on Sankashtis in detail. And also tell us the specific benefits of fasting on this Sankashti.”

Rishi Vyasya says, “Listen carefully then. Invoke Vibhuvana Palaka Maha Ganapati during the Adhik Maas. Offer him, red chandan, kumkum, turmeric, hibiscus flowers, rice, milk and 15 laddoos made out of pure ghee one by one.

Then take some achaman in your hands and say “Vishwapriyaya namaha”, bathe the idol while chanting, “Brahmacharine namaha”, offer vastra, dhoop and deep and say, “Ganeshwaraya namaha”, “Gaurisutaya namaha” and “Rudrapriyaya namaha.” Next chant “Pushitdaya namaha” as you smear chandan, “Vinayakaya namaha” when you shower him with flowers and “Phal datre namaha” when you offer him paan. Say “Sankatnashine” and “Vignanashine” as you offer him a fruit as naivedya.

Then chant this Vignavinashak Ganesha Stuti and say, “O Anandmukha Ganpatiji, I am embroiled in worldly sorrows. My mind is full of fears and my heart is filled with sadness. I bow down to you most humbly. Please bless me for you are the remover of obstacles, sadness, sickness and poverty, protect and destroy the enemies of your devotees.”

Then offer the moon Arghya and say, “O lord of the moon, you were born out of the Kshirasagara and are blessed with 16 kalas. Please accept these white flowers that I have placed in this Sankha along the jal, chawal, chandan, roli and dakshina. O husband of Rohini, please bless me and destroy my enemies.

Now feed a few Brahmins, give them 5 laddoos along with dakshina and eat the left over laddoos as prasad. Sleep on the floor that night and refrain from succumbing to greed or anger. Know that Vibhuvana Palaka Ganapati blesses students with knowledge, the poor with material pleasures, kumarikas with marriage and widows with a long married life in their next birth. So you too can get rid of your fears, detach yourself from worldly attachments and gain moksha. 

Rishi Vyasa finally says, “O Draupadi. Reflect on this story. Deeply. Understand yourself first. Question your questions on life before you start looking for answers. I hope you know what you are looking and asking for. Remember – lord Vibhuvana Palaka Maha Ganapati never fails his devotees.” Rishi Vyasa then parted ways with them.

Rishi Vyasa knows that we, mere Manavas, cling to whatever we are yearning for and ignore the rest – even in a story. That is why he asks Draupadi to question her questions and find her own answers instead of giving her explicit answers.

Draupadi knows she is suffering now because of something she did in her past life. Yet instead of accepting and making peace with the situation at hand, she focuses only one thing – “destroying” her enemies. Completely. We, Manavas, are strange creatures indeed.

Click here to read a few stories on Ganesha and the Sankashti Vrat Kathas.

Click here to read stories on Shiva.