Mahamuni Vyasa said: "Long ago, in the holy forest of Naimisharanya, eighty-eight thousand sages led by Shaunaka asked Suta, the knower of the Puranas: “O Suta! In this age of Kali, how will people who lack knowledge of the Vedas attain devotion to God, and how will they be delivered? O best of sages, tell us of a vow or austerity by which, performed in but little time, one may gain merit and have one’s heart’s desire fulfilled. We long to hear such an account.”"
Hearing this, Suta, learned in the scriptures, replied: "O revered Vaishnavas! You have asked after the good and welfare of all beings. I shall now relate to you the supreme vow that the great sage Narada once asked of Lord Lakshmi-Narayana, and which the Lord revealed to him. Listen, all of you, with attention."
O lord of sages, hear this story of Truth, which in every age bestows great joy. It burns away affliction, ends the round of birth, accomplishes every task, and increases happiness. In the deepest distress it removes sorrow, and stands as helper in every place, fair or foul. For without singing the Lord’s name and glorious deeds, how can the sins of this dark age of Kali be destroyed?
Narada, best of sages, wandering through all the worlds for the good of others, once came to the world of mortals. Seeing that almost all human beings, born through many kinds of births, were afflicted by countless sufferings according to their deeds, he pondered by what means the sufferings of living beings might surely be relieved. With this thought he went to the abode of Vishnu.
There he beheld Narayana, lord of the gods, fair of hue and four-armed, bearing the conch, discus, mace and lotus in his hands and wearing a garland of forest flowers, and began to praise him. Narada said: "O Lord! You are infinitely mighty; neither mind nor speech can reach you; you have no beginning, middle, or end. Formless, you are the cause of creation and the destroyer of your devotees’ sufferings. I bow to you again and again."
Hearing such praise from Narada, Lord Vishnu said: "O king of yogis! What is in your heart? For what purpose have you come here? Speak without hesitation."
Then Narada, best of sages, said: "In the world of mortals all human beings, born through many kinds of births, are made wretched by manifold sufferings brought on by their own deeds. O Lord, if you are gracious to me, tell me how all the sufferings of these people may be removed with but little effort."
Lord Vishnu said: "O Narada! For the welfare of humankind you have asked an excellent question. I shall tell you of a vow that frees a person from delusion. Listen: it bestows great merit and is rare in both heaven and the mortal world. When the vow of Lord Satyanarayana is performed with due rite, a person enjoys every happiness on this earth and, after death, attains liberation." Hearing these words, Narada asked: "O Lord! What is the rule of that vow? What is its fruit? Who has performed it before, and on what day should it be observed? Pray explain it to me in full."
Lord Vishnu said: "O Narada! This vow, which removes sorrow, grief and every kind of disease, brings victory in all places. On any day, with faith and devotion, in the evening one should worship Lord Satyanarayana together with kinsfolk and Brahmins. With devotion offer naivedya — bananas, ghee, milk, and a measure and a quarter of sugar or jaggery and wheat flour (in the absence of wheat, ground sathi rice may be used). Offer all this to Lord Satyanarayana, feed the Brahmins along with kinsfolk and friends, and only then take food oneself. Through the night pass the time in songs and remembrance of Lord Satyanarayana. Those who keep this vow will surely have their wishes fulfilled. Especially in the age of Kali, this is the one means by which great merit may be gained with little time and little wealth."
The great sage Suta said: "O sages! I shall tell you the histories of those who performed this vow in ancient times; listen with care. In the most beautiful city of Kashipur there lived a very poor Brahmin, ever wretched, tormented by hunger and thirst. Lord Vishnu, who loves Brahmins, seeing his distress, one day took the form of an aged Brahmin, approached him and asked with great kindness: “O Brahmin! Why do you wander the earth in sorrow at every moment? O noble Brahmin, tell me your trouble; I wish to hear it.” The Brahmin, beset by hardships, said: “I am a poor Brahmin who roams the earth begging for alms. O Lord, if you know any means of deliverance from this, be gracious and tell me.”"
Then Lord Vishnu, in the guise of the aged Brahmin, said: "O Brahmin! Lord Satyanarayana grants every heart’s desire; therefore worship him with due rite, by which a person is freed from all sorrows." Having taught the poor Brahmin the whole rule of the vow, the Lord Satyanarayana, in the form of the old Brahmin, vanished.
"The vow that the old Brahmin has told me, I shall surely perform with all its rites," resolved the poor Brahmin, and went home. But that night sleep would not come to him.
The next day he rose early and, resolved to keep the vow of Lord Satyanarayana, set out to beg. That day he received more alms than usual; with them he bought all that was needed for the worship, came home, and with his kinsfolk performed the vow of Lord Satyanarayana according to the rites. By doing so the poor Brahmin was freed from all his troubles and became very wealthy. From that time he kept the vow every month. Whoever performs the vow of Lord Satyanarayana with devotion, as prescribed in the scriptures, is freed from all sufferings and attains liberation. This is the vow that Lord Satyanarayana told to Narada, and which I have now told to you. O best of Brahmins, what more do you wish to hear? Ask me."
Then the sages said: "O lord of sages! We all wish to hear who in the world, having heard of it from this Brahmin, went on to keep this vow."
Hearing this from the sages, Suta said: "O sages! Listen to the tale of each one who kept this vow. Once, this now-wealthy Brahmin was performing the vow of Lord Satyanarayana at his home with his kinsfolk according to the rites. Just then an old man who sold wood came there. He set down the bundle of wood he carried on his head and entered the Brahmin’s house. Parched with thirst, the woodcutter saw the Brahmin keeping the vow and forgot his thirst. He greeted the Brahmin and asked: “O Brahmin! Whom are you worshipping? What fruit comes of keeping this vow? Pray tell me.”"
Then the Brahmin said: "This is the vow of Lord Satyanarayana, who fulfils every desire; it is by his grace that wealth and prosperity have come to my house." Learning of the vow from the Brahmin, the woodcutter was overjoyed. Taking the Lord’s charanamrita and eating, he went home.
The next day the woodcutter resolved in his heart: "With whatever I earn today by selling wood in the village, I shall perform the noble vow of Lord Satyanarayana." With this thought he carried his bundle of wood upon his head to a fair city where wealthy people lived. That day he was paid four times the usual price for the wood. Overjoyed, the old woodcutter brought home ripe bananas, sugar, honey, ghee, milk, curd and wheat flour — all the materials for the vow of Lord Satyanarayana. Then he called his kinsfolk and performed the worship and the vow with due rite. By the power of that vow the old woodcutter was blessed with wealth and grain, and having enjoyed every happiness of the world, departed to Vaikuntha.
Suta said: "O noble sages! Now I tell a further tale. In ancient times there was a great and wise king named Ulkamukha. He had mastered his senses and spoke only truth; daily he went to the temples and relieved the sufferings of the poor by giving them wealth. His wife was chaste and devoted, her face lovely as a lotus. One day, on the bank of the river Bhadrashila, the two of them were performing the vow of Lord Satyanarayana with due rite. At that time a merchant named Sadhu came there, carrying much wealth for trade. Mooring his boat at the river bank, he came to the king, and seeing him keeping the vow, asked humbly: “O king! What is this you are doing? I wish to know; pray explain it to me also.” King Ulkamukha said: “O merchant Sadhu! Together with my kinsfolk I am keeping the vow and worship of Lord Satyanarayana, that I may obtain a son.” Hearing the king’s words, the merchant Sadhu said respectfully: “O king! Tell me too its whole rite. I shall keep this vow just as you say. I too have no child; I am sure that by keeping this noble vow I too shall have a child.”"
Having heard from the king all the rules of the vow, the merchant finished his trade and returned home in contentment. He told his wife of the vow that grants offspring and vowed: "When I have a child, I shall perform this vow." These words he spoke to his wife Lilavati as well. In time, by the grace of Lord Satyanarayana, Lilavati conceived, and in the tenth month gave birth to a very beautiful girl. Day by day the child grew like the waxing moon. They named her Kalavati. Then Lilavati gently reminded her husband that he should now fulfil the vow he had resolved to perform. The merchant Sadhu said: "O dear one! I shall perform this vow at Kalavati’s marriage." Thus reassuring his wife, he went abroad to trade.
Kalavati grew up in her father’s house. On his return, when Sadhu saw his daughter, now grown, playing with her companions in the city, he became anxious about her marriage. He summoned a messenger and bade him find a worthy groom for his daughter. At the merchant’s command the messenger went to the city of Kanchana and, after careful search, brought back a suitable merchant’s son for the merchant’s daughter. With his kinsfolk and a glad heart, the merchant Sadhu married his daughter to that worthy young man. But unhappily, even at the marriage he forgot to keep the vow of Lord Satyanarayana. At this Lord Satyanarayana grew very angry and cursed the merchant that he would meet with grievous sorrow.
Thereafter the merchant, skilled in his trade, set out with his son-in-law and a fleet of boats to do business, and came to the city of Ratnasarpura by the sea, ruled by a king named Chandraketu. Father-in-law and son-in-law began to trade in that city. One day, moved by the maya of Lord Satyanarayana, a thief who had stolen King Chandraketu’s wealth was fleeing. Seeing the king’s men coming swiftly after him, the thief in his fright quietly hid the king’s wealth in the merchant’s boat, where the two were staying, and ran away. When the king’s men found the royal wealth lying with the merchant, they took the father-in-law and son-in-law for the thieves. They bound them both and brought them to the king, saying: "We have caught these two thieves who stole your wealth; behold them and give your command."
Then the king, without hearing the merchant out, ordered them thrown into prison; and so by the king’s command they were imprisoned and all their wealth seized. Through the curse of Lord Satyanarayana the merchant’s wife Lilavati and daughter Kalavati were also plunged into grief at home, for thieves had carried off all their wealth. Worn by anguish of mind and body and by hunger and thirst, Kalavati went to a Brahmin’s house in hope of food. There she saw the Brahmin keeping the vow of Lord Satyanarayana with due rite. She heard the story, reverently received the prasada, and came home at night. Her mother asked: "O daughter! Where have you been until now? I have been greatly worried for you."
Hearing her mother’s words, Kalavati said: "O mother! I have seen the vow of Lord Satyanarayana being kept in a Brahmin’s house, and I too wish to perform that excellent vow."
Hearing her daughter’s words, the mother made ready to worship Lord Satyanarayana. With her kinsfolk she performed the worship and vow and asked the boon: "May my husband and son-in-law soon return home." She also prayed: "O Lord! If we have committed any fault, forgive the offence of us all." Lord Satyanarayana was pleased with this vow. Appearing to King Chandraketu in a dream, he said: "O king! The two merchants you have imprisoned are innocent; release them at dawn and return all the wealth you have seized, or else I shall destroy your kingdom, your wealth, your sons and all." So saying to the king, the Lord vanished.
At dawn King Chandraketu told his dream to all the court and ordered his soldiers to free the two merchants from prison and bring them before him. As soon as they came, they bowed to the king. The king said in gentle words: "O noble ones! Through ignorance you have met this grievous sorrow. Now you have nothing to fear; you are free." Then he had them clothed in fine garments and ornaments, returned twice the wealth he had taken from them, and sent them off with honour. The two merchants set out for home.
Suta continued: "The merchant began his journey and set out for his city. When they had gone a little way, Lord Satyanarayana, in the guise of a Dandi ascetic, asked him, to test him: “O merchant! What is in your boats?” The proud merchant laughed and said: “O Dandi! Why do you ask? Do you hope to take some wealth? My boats are only filled with bael leaves.”"
Hearing such words from the merchant, Lord Satyanarayana in the Dandi’s guise said: "May your words come true!" So saying, he departed and, going some distance off, sat down on the seashore.
After the Dandi had gone, the merchant finished his daily duties and was astonished to see his boats riding high in the water; and when he saw nothing but bael leaves within them, he fainted and fell to the ground. When he came to, he began to grieve bitterly. Then his son-in-law said: "Do not grieve. This is the curse of the Dandi; let us go and take refuge in him, for he alone will end our sorrows." Hearing his son-in-law’s words, the merchant went to the Lord in the Dandi’s form and, repenting with deep devotion, said: "Forgive me the false words I spoke to you." So saying, he wept in his grief. Then the Lord said: "O merchant’s son! It is by my command that suffering has come upon you again and again, for you turned away from my worship." Then the merchant said: "O Lord! Even Brahma and the gods cannot fathom your maya; how then should I, a fool, know it? Be pleased with me; I shall worship you to the best of my power. Protect me, and fill my boats with wealth as before."
Hearing his words full of devotion, Lord Satyanarayana was pleased, granted the boon as he desired, and vanished. When father-in-law and son-in-law came to the boats, they saw them full of wealth. Then, having worshipped Lord Satyanarayana with due rite, he set out with his companions for his city. When he drew near, he sent a messenger ahead to his house. The messenger came to the house of the merchant Sadhu, greeted his wife and said: "Your husband, with his son-in-law, has come near the city." Lilavati and her daughter Kalavati were worshipping the Lord at that time. Hearing the messenger’s words, Sadhu’s wife joyfully completed the worship of Lord Satyanarayana and said to her daughter: "I go to meet my husband; finish the worship and come quickly." But Kalavati left the worship and the prasada and went to see her husband.
Because she slighted the worship and the prasada, Lord Satyanarayana in his displeasure sank her husband, boat and all, beneath the water. Not finding her husband, Kalavati fell weeping to the ground. Seeing the boat sunk and his daughter weeping, the merchant Sadhu was moved and cried: "O Lord! Forgive whatever offence I or my family have committed in ignorance."
Hearing such words from him, Lord Satyadeva was pleased. A voice from the sky said: "O merchant! Your daughter has come away leaving my prasada; that is why her husband has vanished. If she goes home, receives the prasada, and returns, she will surely find her husband again." Hearing this voice, Kalavati went home, received the prasada, and on returning rejoiced to find her husband as before, and beheld him. Then the merchant Sadhu, with his kinsfolk, worshipped Satyadeva with due rite. Having enjoyed every happiness of this world, he at last attained liberation.
Suta said: "O sages! I tell yet another tale; listen, all of you, with care. There was a king named Tungadhwaja, ever mindful of his people, who came to great grief by spurning the prasada of Lord Satyanarayana. Once, having hunted and slain wild beasts in the forest, the king came to rest beneath a banyan tree. There he saw cowherds worshipping Lord Satyanarayana with devotion together with their kinsfolk. Yet though he saw them, in his pride he neither went to them nor bowed to Lord Satyadeva; and when the cowherds set the Lord’s prasada before him, he left it untouched and went back to his city. On reaching the city he found his whole kingdom destroyed. He understood that all this was the work of Lord Satyadeva in his displeasure. Then he returned to the forest, went to the cowherds, worshipped with due rite and received the prasada; and by the grace of Lord Satyanarayana all became as it was before. Having enjoyed happiness for a long age, after death he attained liberation."
Whoever keeps this noble and rare vow, by the grace of Lord Satyanarayana shall lack neither wealth nor grain. The poor become rich, and the captive, freed from bonds, becomes fearless. The childless obtain children, and having had every desire fulfilled, at last they go to the abode of Vaikuntha.
Now learn also of those who first kept this vow — hear too the story of their later births.
The aged Brahmin named Shatananda was born as Sudama, and by his devotion and service to Lord Krishna attained Vaikuntha. King Ulkamukha was born as King Dasharatha, and worshipping Lord Ranganatha attained liberation. The merchant named Sadhu was born as the righteous and truthful king Mordhwaja, who — cutting his own son in two with a saw — attained the abode of Vaikuntha. King Tungadhwaja became Svayambhuva Manu, and leading many people into devotion to the Lord attained the abode of Vaikuntha. The woodcutter was born in his next life as the Nishada king named Guha, who by serving the holy feet of Lord Rama redeemed all his births.