Married women observe the Karwa Chauth fast with full devotion and faith. On this day, they fast without water from sunrise to moonrise, praying for the safety and long life of their husbands. According to the Hindu calendar, Karwa Chauth is celebrated on the fourth day after the full moon in the month of Kartik. But do you know the story associated with the Karwa Chauth fast? Let’s explore the story that is traditionally recited during this observance.
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The Story of Karwa Chauth
Goddess Karwa lived with her husband near the Tungabhadra River. One day, as her husband was bathing in the river, a crocodile caught hold of his leg and began pulling him into the water. Facing imminent death, he called out loudly to Karwa. She rushed to the riverbank, saw the crocodile dragging her husband, and quickly bound the crocodile to a tree with a thin cotton thread. Due to her dedication, the crocodile was unable to move.
Seeing the danger her husband was in, Karwa invoked Lord Yama, the god of death, and requested him to grant her husband life and punish the crocodile with death. Yama replied that he could not do so because the crocodile’s life span was not yet over and her husband’s time had come. Enraged, Karwa threatened to curse Yama if he did not comply. Remembering the power of a devoted wife’s curse, Yama, frightened, sent the crocodile to Yama Lok and granted Karwa’s husband life. Due to this, married women pray to Goddess Karwa on Karwa Chauth, asking her to protect their husbands in the same way she protected hers from the jaws of death.
Another Story of Karwa Chauth
According to another popular story, a wealthy merchant had seven sons and one daughter. On the fourth day of the Kartik month, the merchant’s wife, his seven daughters-in-law, and his daughter all observed the Karwa Chauth fast. In the evening, when the merchant’s sons sat down for dinner, they asked their sister to join them. She replied that she would eat only after offering Arghya (a water offering) to the moon.
The brothers, deeply fond of their sister, could not bear to see her hungry and distressed. They decided to trick her by lighting a fire behind a tree outside the village and telling her that the moon had risen. Believing her brothers, she broke her fast by offering Arghya to the “moon” they showed her. Her sisters-in-law, however, warned her that her brothers had deceived her, but she ignored them.
After breaking her fast early, her husband fell seriously ill, and they spent all their wealth trying to treat him. When she realized her mistake, she was filled with regret. She prayed to Lord Ganesha for forgiveness and began observing the Chaturthi fast with full devotion. Lord Ganesha, pleased by her devotion, blessed her husband with a long life and prosperity, freeing her from all her troubles.
Another Popular Story
Once, Arjuna went to the Nilgiri mountains for penance. Draupadi, left behind, became concerned about the difficulties she might face in his absence. To find a solution, she prayed to Lord Krishna. Upon hearing her plight, Krishna told her a story that was once narrated by Lord Shiva to Goddess Parvati. He explained that observing the Karwa Chauth fast helps overcome family issues, obstacles, and even health problems related to pitta (heat-related issues). Krishna then told Draupadi the following story:
In ancient times, there was a devout Brahmin who had seven sons and one daughter. When the daughter grew up, she was married, and on the fourth day of Kartik, she observed the Karwa Chauth fast. She became very hungry before the moonrise, and her face lost its glow. Her brothers, unable to bear her discomfort, tricked her by creating light behind a Peepal tree to resemble the moon. They convinced her to offer Arghya to the “moon” and break her fast.
As soon as she ate, her husband passed away, and she was devastated. At that moment, Goddess Indrani appeared and asked her the reason for her sorrow. The woman explained everything, and Indrani told her that she had broken her fast before the actual moonrise, which had led to her husband’s death. Indrani advised her to observe the Chaturthi fasts with full devotion for an entire year, and only then would her husband come back to life.
Following Indrani’s guidance, the Brahmin’s daughter observed the Chaturthi fasts faithfully for twelve months. Finally, her husband was revived, and Lord Krishna assured Draupadi that if she observed the Karwa Chauth fast with sincerity, all her troubles would vanish, bringing her good fortune, wealth, and prosperity.
Draupadi followed Krishna’s advice and observed the Karwa Chauth fast, which helped the Pandavas win over the Kauravas in the Mahabharata war.