Significance, Date, Rituals And Method To Worship On Sankashti Chaturthi

The first story or Vrat Katha begins, according to this story Lord Ganesha wasn’t invited to the wedding ceremony of Lord Vishnu and Mata Lakshmi mistakenly or due to some other reason. But even after this Lord Ganesha reached the wedding venue after a few minutes when other Gods insulted him and granted him the task of guarding the procession until the return of the succession. Narad Ji on seeing this, told Ganesh Ji that Vishnu Ji has insulted him by letting him sit here as well as advised him to send his mouse army ahead in the procession and they will dig the way ahead. This will lead the chariots of all processions and Lord Vishnu to sink into the earth because of which Lord Ganesha might receive a respectful call.

Listening to this, Lord Ganesha sent his mouse army to the procession and the army completely dug the ground from inside. When Shri Vishnu’s procession reached there to see what was happening, his chariots sank into the ground and nobody was able to remove the wheels of the chariot. On seeing this, Narad Ji told everyone that they had insulted Lord Ganesha which was not fair at all and they should impress him and call him respectfully which might solve their problem and the crisis could be prevented.

After this, everyone called Ganesh Ji and requested him to resolve the situation. The farmer working in the field was called and when he heard about the chariot being pulled out, he folded his hands and closed his eyes as well as started chanting the mantras of Lord Ganesha as “Shri Ganeshaya Namah” memorising the name of Ganesh Ji in his mind. Slowly all the chariots left.

On being asked how he easily removed the chariot after it was fixed, the farmer replied that though all the Gods might not have celebrated Ganesha which was the only reason why Ganesha wasn’t with them and they faced a crisis. Only the mere remembrance of Lord Ganesha removes all the troubles and hardships. Soon, Lord Vishnu realised his mistake and apologised to Shri Ganesha. Since then people have understood the significance of Sankashti Chaturthi! 

Another popular story of Sankashti Chaturthi states that once all deities came together and were in some trouble. Due to this all of them went to Lord Bholenath to get rid of their problems and Kartikeya as well as Lord Ganesha were seated near to each other.

Lord Shankar Ji asked both Kartikeya and Ganesha whether any of them could solve the problems or crisis. Now, it became very difficult to authorise this task to any of them. After that, it was decided to test both Kartikeya and Ganesha Ji as well as it was said that one who will be able to encompass the earth first will go to solve the problems of the Gods. 

On hearing this, Kartikeya rode his vehicle peacock and started to drift around the earth so that he came first but Ganesh Ji’s vehicle was a mouse on which it was difficult to encompass around the earth. So, Ganesh Ji thought differently and sat back going around his parents seven times whereas when Kartikeya returned he called himself the winner. When Shiv Ji asked Lord Ganesha about not circumambulating the earth then Ganesh Ji told, “All the worlds are at the feet of the parents” and gave this reason for encompassing his parents. 

Hearing this answer of Ganesh Ji, Shankar Ji ordered him to help all the Gods to get rid of their problems. On this day, Shankar Ji blessed Lord Ganesha that whoever worships and keeps the fast on the day of Chaturthi as well as offers Arghya to the moon in the night will be freed from all the three heats ie. Physical, divine and material heat. 

One who keeps fast on this day is blessed with all the material pleasures and all kinds of sorrows are removed. Since then fasting on this day of Sankashti Chaturthi removes all kinds of sorrows and material pleasures in life. 

There is also the third story of Sankashti Chaturthi and it is also very popular. It is believed that there was a potter who lived in the kingdom of Satyasindhu King Harishchandra and whenever he made pottery, the pottery used to remain raw. Once a Tantrik advised him to throw a child with utensils into the fire in the furnace and he did the same. The child’s mother felt helpless on not finding her child anywhere and prayed to Lord Ganesha for the wellness of her son.

The potter noticed on the second day that the utensils were cooked in the gooseberry but nothing happened to the child. This incident frightened the potter and he went to the kingdom to narrate this story to the King. King Harishchandra got astonished hearing this incident and called the woman where she told her that she prayed to Lord Ganesha to let her child be safe. That day was Chaturthi and that is why the day is well known as Sankashti Chaturthi. After this incident, the woman started fasting on the day of Sankashti Chaturthi for the wellness and good fortune of her child and family. 

This Legend of Sankashti Chaturthi fast begins where Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati were sitting on the banks of Narmada. Mother Parvati expressed her feeling to play Chaupar and Lord Shankar agreed upon this but the question was who would decide the winner and the loser. Then Lord Shankar collected some straws, made an effigy out of it and gave it life ordering it to tell the winner or loser as there was no one to decide it.

After this, the game of Chaupar started between Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati. This game was played three times and every time Mother Parvati won the game but the boy (effigy) took his decision in favour of Lord Shiva and declared him victorious. On which Mother Parvati became very angry and cursed him to be lame and to lie in the mud. The boy apologised to Mother Parvati and told her that all of this happened by him unknowingly and he had not done this in any malicious spirit. 

After seeing him apologise, Mother Parvati told him that Nagkanyas would come to worship Lord Ganesha and if he keeps a fast as per the guidance of Nagkanyas, he might get her Darshan as well as might be blessed enough to walk on his feet. After this Nagkanyas told him to keep the fast for Lord Ganesha for 21 days. Ganesh Ji got pleased and told the boy to ask for any wish. On this, the boy replied, ” Oh Lambodar Ganaraj! Please give me so much strength that I may walk on my feet such that I can reach Mount Kailash with your parents”. On hearing, this Lord Ganesha blessed the boy with the boon and Lord Ganesha became meditative. 

When the boy reached Mount Kailash, he narrated the story to Lord Shankar. Mother Parvati was also angry with Lord Shiva because of the day. When Lord Shiva listened to the boy, he also kept the fast for 21 days for Ganesh Ji. Due to this fact, the resentment of Mother Parvati towards Lord Shiva ended. 

Lord Shankar told about this fast to Mother Parvati and she had the desire to meet her son Kartikeya. Mother Parvati too kept this fast for 21 days and worshipped Lord Ganesha with Durva, flowers and Laddoos. On the 21st day of the fast, Kartikeya himself came to meet Mother Parvati and since then Sankashti Chaturthi is dedicated to Shri Ganesha and helps to fulfil all the wishes. It is believed that this fast helps to remove all the sufferings of a person.