Anant Chaturdasi is a fast that has roots in Indian Mythology and is also linked to the story of mahabharata. It is said that Pandavas got back their lost glory due to the effect of Anant Chaturdashi fast.
The story of Anant Chaturdashi as documented in Mahabharata was narrated by Shri Krishna to the Pandavas. It is about that time when Pandavas had lost everything from Kauravas in Chaupar, and went into exile for twelve years. While living in the forest, all the Pandavas and their wife Draupadi had become very dejected and weak, then Lord Shri Krishna came to meet them in the forest.
As soon as he saw Krishna, Yudhishthir narrated his plight to him and with deep agony asked him as to why do they have to suffer this pain? Yudhisthra seeked some solution to come out of this difficult situation and get back his kingdom.
Then Shri Krishna suggested to Yudhisthra that in order to please the infinite God, he should observe the fast of Anant Chaturdashi as per the rituals. With the effect of this fast, all his sins will be destroyed and his wishes will be fulfilled. By observing this fast he will become victorious in all the worlds.
Thereafter he narrated the story of Anant Chaturdashhi as per the puranas –
In Satyayuga, there was a Brahmin named Sumant, who married Diksha, a beautiful girl of Vashishtha Gotra. Sumanth and Deeksha had a daughter named Sushila, but unfortunately, after some time, Deeksha suffered from high fever, due to which she died. To bring up Sushila, Sumant remarried a woman named Karkasha. Unfortunately Karkasha did not like Sushila at all and Sushila was deeply saddened by her stepmother’s behaviour, but she was helpless.
As Sushila grew up, Brahmin Sumant started worrying about his daughter’s marriage. He requested the great sage Rishi Kaudinya, an expert in the Vedas, to marry his virtuous daughter. Sage Kaudinya accepted his request, and married Sushila.
Sushila’s mother Karkasha was not happy with this either and despite Sumant’s insistence, she did not give anything to Sushila to take along. Sad Sushila left with her husband. While going to the sage’s ashram, he saw many women worshiping on the banks of river Yamuna. When Sushila asked them about it, the women told that they were fasting on Anant Chaturdashhi. This is a very virtuous and fruitful fast and due to its effect one attains wealth.
Hearing this, Sushila also took a vow to fast and after performing the ritual worship, adopted the Anant Sutra. Due to the glory of this fast, the house of sage Kaudinya was filled with wealth and happiness and prosperity resided in his house.
But sage Kaudinya was unaware of Sushila’s fast. On one Anant Chaturdashhi, Sushila worshiped with full devotion and wore the Anant Sutra. But sage Kaudinya felt that Sushila was doing some kind of witchcraft on him and this thread was tied for her. He got angry and broke that sutra and threw it in the fire. Lord Anant became angry with this act of his. After this, all the glory and happiness of Rishi Kaudinya gradually got destroyed. Disturbed by this, he wanted to know the reason from his wife Sushila. Then Sushila made him aware of his mistake. Realizing his mistake, Rishi Kaudinya set out towards the forest. On the way there they found a mango tree, a cow, a bull, a pushkarini, an elephant and a donkey. Kaudinya asked all of them whether they found Lord Anant?
Everyone refused one by one, then sage Kaudinya in despair decided to sacrifice his life. Just as Kaudinya was about to give up his life, Lord Anantha appeared before him and finally Kaudinya saw the cosmic form of the Lord.
Anant Dev told them that all the creatures he found in the forest were humans from their previous lives, who had committed some mistakes. Now because of that he has to suffer this sorrow in this birth. Sage Kaudinya apologised to Lord Anant for his sin and resolved to observe Anant Chaturdashi fast. Due to the effect of this fast, he soon got back his lost glory.
After narrating this story, Krishna guided Yudhisthra and other pandavas to observe Anant Chaturdashi fast and ensure their salvation. Since that day, people also observe the fast of Anant Chaturdashi so as to get the blessings of the god who is infinite – Anant Dev