Sathya Narayan Katha

Story of Purnima (Satyanarayana Katha): It is auspicious to carry out Satyanarayana Puja on Purnima days.

Śrī Satya Nārāṇaya Svāmī Kathā
Satya Nārāṇaya katha comes from the Skanda Purāṇa, Revā khaṇḍa. Sūta Maharṣi is the one narrating these account to Śaunaka Muni, in Naimiṣāraṇya to the ṛṣis who were performing a 1,000 year yajña for the benefit of mankind lead by Śaunaka. In the stories characters who ignored their promise to perform the puja after their wish had been fulfilled suffered as a result. Therefore one is to deduce that one must stick to the promise given to the Lord in exchange of the desire fulfilled by his grace. One is not to ignore or forget the Lord’s Grace.

Prasāda is symbolic of God’s Grace which Kalāvatī ignored as she learned of her husband’s safe return. One can understand her eagerness in wanting to be re-united with her beloved, but one must understand that if one forgets to be thankful for gifts received from the Lord, one would have to go through another test until one remembers to remember.

Picture

When a rich merchant (called Sādhu with suffixes such as Banīya, Vāṇi, or Vaiśya in North and Central India) is asked what the boat contains, he untruthfully replies,

Only dry leaves

and the Mendicant says,

Tathāstu – So be it.

The above incident tells us that the spoken word has power. What you speak, manifests. Hence one must not speak an untruth. Especially an inauspicious untruth.

In the last story one learns that no one is higher or lower in status in the eyes of the Lord. Hence one must accord respect to whoever it may be, who is taking the name of God.

Chapter 1
Sūta Maharṣi narrated the stories. Once upon a time while travelling the three worlds, Nārada Maharṣi reached Bhū-loka (Earth) and saw the human beings immense suffering. He then went to the abode of Lord Śrī Satya Nārāṇaya Svāmī (the benevolent form of Lord Viṣṇu), who alone can relieve the mankind from the sufferings. There he met the Lord Viṣṇu with four arms each with Śaṅkha, Cakra, Gadā & Padma, adorned with the Tulasī Mālā (garland) around his neck. Nārada Maharṣi then asked the lord for a panacea for the miseries of the world. Lord Śrī Satya Nārāṇaya told Nārada Maharṣi that there is a vrata (fast) and puja which can be performed by anyone to overcome these obstacles. The Lord said,

“Anyone who performs Śrī Satya Nārāṇaya Svāmī’s Vrata and his Puja in the right way they will get all the pleasures on earth & will reach their goal.”

The fast would result in the fulfillment of his desires and also liberation from the cycle of birth and death into attaining Mokṣa (salvation). Whosoever performs Śrī Satya Nārāṇaya Svāmī’s Kathā with a Brahmin and with his family with full rites/rituals, they will be relieved off their sufferings and sorrows. They will be bestowed with wealth & wisdom, they will be blessed with children and they will get overall victory & increased devotion.

For this prayer, one requires ripe bananas, ghee, milk & choori (made with wheat flour, ghee & sugar). After the prayers, all present must have the prasādam & then take their meals together, & then sing, praise, & chant mantras of Śrī Satya Nārāṇaya Svāmī. By doing this, their wishes will be fulfilled. This Satya Nārāṇaya Vrata in Kali Yuga gives boon (reward) very quickly.

Thus ends the second chapter of Lord Satya Nārāṇaya Svāmī’s Kathā.
*All chant together (say):
Śrī Satya Nārāṇaya ji ki jai.
Swami Narayan, Narayan, Narayan, swami Narayan, Narayan, Narayan.*

Chapter 2
Lord Satya Nārāṇaya then narrated to Devarṣi Nārada how and who performed the puja first. In a place named Sunder Kashipur, there used to live a very innocent Brahmin. In hunger & thirst he used to roam begging for his daily bread. When the Lord saw the Brahmin in sorrow and begging daily, he disguised himself as an old Brahmin & asked him,

“On Brahmana, why are you so sad. Please tell me all about your difficulties. Is there any way I could help you?”

The Brahmin replied,

“I am a poor Brahmin & I roam daily for bread. Do you know if there is any way to come out of all this sorrow?”

Then, the Lord, in the guise of a Brahmin, said,

“Lord Satya Nārāṇaya grants all the wishes of all the people if his puja and fast is performed diligently. If you pray to him & keep his fast you will overcome all your sorrow and get Mokṣa”

After telling him all the details of the prayer and the fast, Lord disappeared. The poor Brahmin could not sleep that night. He kept thinking of the fast and the prayer which the Lord had asked him to do. In the morning, he woke up with the thought that somehow he must perform the puja and so thinking went out for his bhikṣā (alms). On that day the Brahmin got a lot of money. He used most of this money to buy all the necessary things for the prayer. He called his family and performed Lord Satya Nārāṇaya’s prayer. By doing so, the Brahmin overcame all his sorrows & became rich. From then onwards, he performed the prayers every month without fail. Thus everyone who performs Lord Satya Nārāṇaya Svāmī’s puja will be relieved from all their sorrows.

The Lord then narrated another story. The same Brahmin now a rich person performed the prayer every month without fail with his family. Once a Brahmin was in between his prayer when a wood-cutter passed by. After keeping the bundle of wood outside the Brahmin’s house, he went in to quench his thirst. The thirsty wood-cutter saw the Brahmin performing the Satya Nārāṇaya Vrata. He bowed down to the Brahmin & asked him,

“Oh Brahmana, what are you doing, please tell me.”

The Brahmin replied,

“I am performing the vratam of Lord Satya Nārāṇaya Svāmī. One who accomplishes this will overcome all obstacles and their wishes will be granted. They will attain wealth and wisdom. I have acquired my wealth also in the same way.”

After hearing about the prayer and drinking the water, the wood-cutter felt happy. He ate the prasāda from the puja and left for his home.

Thinking of Lord Satya Nārāṇaya in his mind – he said,

“Whatever money I make from selling wood today, I will use it to perform the Satya Nārāṇaya Svāmī Vrata.”

So thinking, he loaded the bundle of wood onto his head and left for his home. Along the way home he went roaming in Sunder Nagar selling the wood. On that day, he got four times more money than what he made usually out of the wood sale. Feeling happy, he went and bought all the necessary things for the prayers (i.e. ripe bananas, sugar, ghee, wheat flour, etc.). On reaching his house and after cleaning himself, he called his family and did the prayer with due respect. He became rich and acquired all the pleasures of life. At the end of his life he went to heaven.

Chapter 3
This Chapter consists of a childless merchant Called Sādhu and his adventures. There was a wise king named Ulkāmukha. He had a pious and beautiful wife. He would go to the temple daily and would give charity to the Brahmins. One day near the banks of river Madhuśālā, where they were performing Lord Śrī Satya Nārāṇaya’s vrata, a wealthy merchant was passing by. He anchored his boat, went to the king and asked him,

“Oh King, please let me know the details about the vratam you are performing with such devotion.”

The king replied that he was performing the Lord Satya Nārāṇaya Svāmī’s vrata. He said that one who performs this vratam will gain worldy pleasures and attain salvation. The merchant with much eager asked him the details stating that,

“Oh King, I would like to know the details as I am childless and would like to perform this vrata.”

The king gladly gave the entire procedural details about the Śrī Satya Nārāṇaya’s vrata and its vidhānam.

After acquiring the entire details of the vratam, the merchant and his wife decided to perform the fast if they get a child. Sometime later his wife Līlāvatī became pregnant and she delivered a girl who they named Kalāvatī. The merchant’s wife Līlāvatī reminded him about his promise to keep the fast and perform the vratam. The merchant postponed it saying that he would do so when the daughter grows and is ready to be married. The merchant told his wife that during the time of Kalāvatī’s wedding it would be easy to do the fast because at the moment he was busy in his business. So saying he left for his business trip to various villages.

Kalāvatī grew up to be a beautiful girl. When the merchant saw his daughter was of marriageable age; he called the match-maker and requested him to search an ideal match for his daughter. Hearing the merchant’s request, the match-maker reached Kanchan Nagar. From there, he brought the proposal of a young handsome boy. Agreeing to the proposal and after speaking to the boy’s parents, Kalāvatī’s marriage was performed with much fanfare and religious ceremonies & rituals. All this while and even at this time of his daughter’s wedding the merchant forgot about the promise to perform the Satya Nārāṇaya vratam. So the Lord decided to remind the merchant about his promise.

The merchant, after a few days, left for his business trip with his son-in-law by boat. They anchored their boat in a beautiful village, named Ratnapura ruled by King Candraketu. One day, the thieves robbed the wealth of the king. After robbing they went and stayed at the same place where the merchant was staying. Seeing the guards following them, they left the entire loot near the merchant and then hid themselves. When the guards reached the merchant’s place, they saw all the king’s wealth beside the merchant and his son-in-law. Thinking them to be robbers, they arrested them and brought them before the king stating that they were responsible for the theft. The king, without giving any chance of explaining their case ordered both be confined to behind bars. Even their wealth was confiscated by the king.

While at the merchant’s house, the thieves robbed their entire wealth. This left his wife and daughter to beg for their daily bread. One day while begging for food, Kalāvatī reached a Brahmin’s house. At that time the Brahmin and his family were performing Lord Satya Nārāṇaya’s puja. After listening to the prayer and taking the prasādam, she left for home. By the time she reached home it was already dark.

Līlāvatī was worried. She asked her daughter Kalāvatī, why it took her so much time to come home. Kalāvatī replied,

“Oh Mother, today I was at a Brahmin’s house where they were performing Lord Satya Nārāṇaya’s vratam.”

On hearing this, Līlāvatī recollected the long pending promise by her husband and narrated it to her daughter. She soon began the preparations for the Lord Satya Nārāṇaya vratam. She did the fast & prayer and asked the Lord for forgiveness. She prayed that her husband and her son-in-law return home safely.

Lord Satya Nārāṇaya was pleased with the prayer and the fast. One day, he told King Candraketu in his dream,

“Oh King, You must release the merchant and his son-in-law as they are not the robbers. Return their wealth and set them free. If you do not do so, your kingdom will be destroyed.”

In the morning, the king called the people in his court and told them about the dream.

The people agreed that the merchant and his son-in-law should be released by the king. The king asked the guards to bring the prisoners, returned all their belongings and set them free. The king told them that due to their wrongdoings, they had to undergo this suffering, but now there was nothing to fear & they could go back home. They bowed down to the king & left for home.

Chapter 4
In this Chapter, Sādhu, the merchant, prayed first and then gave some wealth to the Brahmins before starting his journey for home. When they went little further, Lord Satya Nārāṇaya wanted to test them. He disguised as an old man and went up to the merchant. The Lord asked,

“What is in your boat? Give me little from there.”

The merchant in arrogance and pride, replied,

“Oh Old man, we have nothing in our boat except hay and leaves.”

On hearing such harsh words from the merchant, the Lord said,

“Your words shall be true.”

So saying, he went from there and sat on the bank of the river. When the Lord went away, the boat started to rise higher in the water. The merchant was surprised at this. He went to check inside the boat. To his shock he saw that his boat which was filled with his wealth now contains only leaves and hay. Seeing this he fainted. When he came to his senses, he said,

“How could this happen?”

His son-in-law meanwhile told him,

“Do not cry over this. All has happened because you spoke harshly to the old man and lied to him. Still, nothing is lost. You could go back to him and ask him for his forgiveness. He may set everything right.”

The merchant, after hearing the words of his son-in-law went in search of the old man. He bowed down before him and with respect said,

“Oh Lord, please forgive me for the words I have spoken.”

So saying, he bowed down with tears of sorrow in his eyes. When the Lord, saw the merchant in his state of sorrow and crying for forgiveness, he said, “Oh foolish person, due to your deeds, you have seen all this sorrow & suffering.” On hearing the Sādhu merchant’s words filled with bhakti, the Lord was happy & he turned the boat full of wealth. When the merchant mounted his boat and saw it full with wealth again, he thanked the Lord & said,

“With Lord Satya Nārāṇaya’s grace, my wish is fulfilled. When I reach home, I will do his prayer & fast.”

Saying so, he left for his home.

When the merchant saw that his home-town Ratanpur is nearing, he sent a messenger in advance, to his house to inform his wife & daughter of his arrival. The messenger, on reaching the merchant’s house, bowed down to the merchant’s wife & gave them the most awaited news that the merchant & his son-in-law have reached Ratnapura.

Līlāvatī had just finished doing her Satya Nārāṇaya Puja meanwhile. She told her daughter to finish doing the prayer and then come & receive her husband & her father. Kalāvatī finished doing her puja quickly & without taking the prasāda left to meet her husband. The Lord got angry at her for this, and so he drowned her husband with the boat. When Kalāvatī did not see her husband; she was shocked and she fainted on the floor.

On seeing his daughter and the sudden disappearance of the boat, the merchant was shocked. He prayed to Lord Satya Nārāṇaya, asked him for his forgiveness and prayed to the Lord to take them out of this difficulty. The Lord said to the merchant,

“Oh merchant, your daughter, in a hurry to meet her husband has left my prasādam. When she goes back and takes the prasāda with due respect only then she will see her husband.”

On hearing this, Kalāvatī ran home, ate the prasāda offered respects to Lord Satya Nārāṇaya and came back to meet her husband. When the merchant saw this, he was very happy.

The merchant then performed the Satya Nārāṇaya’s vrata with his family every month from then onward. They all gained the pleasures of life and after their death they got the ultimate gift of ‘Mokṣa’ (Salvation – Liberation from the cycle of life and death).

Chapter 5
Sūta Maharṣi continuing his narrative, tells the ṛṣis, the story of a king called Angadwaja. Once, as King Angadwaja was returning from a hunting expedition, he stopped to rest under a tree for a while. Nearby a small group of cowherd boys were playing the game of doing puja. They offered their humble prasāda to the king, who out of pride left it untouched. Subsequently the king suffered great losses and realised that that was due to the contempt he had shown for those children’s puja. The king, realising his mistake, returned to the spot where he had met the cowherds, and with great faith performed the puja with them. The king regained all that he had lost.

Sūta Maharṣi now told the ṛṣis that the Lord Śrī Satya Nārāṇaya Svāmī vrata (fast_ is very effective during Kali Yuga and that whoever read or heard this story would be rid of all sorrows and difficulties.

The names of the persons who kept Satya Nārāṇaya vratam took rebirth are as follows:

The Brahmin took birth as Sudāma & in his entire life he served Lord Kṛṣṇa & attained Mokṣa (Liberation).
King Ulkāmukha took birth as King Daśaratha, and in that life he became the father of Śrī Rāma & attained eternity.
The merchant took birth as King Morad, who cut his son in half & offered to the Lord & got Mokṣa.
King Angadwaja took birth as Kevat, who took Lord Rāma across the river, served him & got Mokṣa.
Thus ends the fifth chapter of Lord Satya Nārāṇaya Svāmī’s Kathā.

*All chant together (say):
Śrī Satya Nārāṇaya ji ki jai.
Swami Narayan, Narayan, Narayan, swami Narayan, Narayan, Narayan.*

Sathya Narayan Aarti Lyrics

English lyrics

oṃ jaya lakṣmī ramaṇā, svāmī jaya lakṣmī ramaṇā ॥
satyanārāyaṇa svāmī, jana-pātaka-haraṇā ॥ oṃ jaya lakṣmī…

ratna jaḍaita siṃhāsana, adbhuta chavi rāje ।
nārada karata nīrājana, ghaṃṭā dhvani bāje ॥ oṃ jaya lakṣmī…

prakaṭa bhae kalikārana, dvija ko darasa diyo ।
būḍhao brāhmaṇa banakara, kañcana mahala kiyo ॥ oṃ jaya lakṣmī…

durbala bhīla kaṭhāro, jina para kṛpā karī ।
candracūḍa ika rājā, tinakī vipati harī ॥ oṃ jaya lakṣmī…

vaiśya manoratha pāyo, śraddhā taja dīnhī ।
so phala bhogyo prabhujī, phira stuti kinhīṃ ॥ oṃ jaya lakṣmī…

bhāva-bhakti ke kāraṇa, china-china rūpa dharyo ।
śraddhā dhāraṇa kinhī, tinako kāja saro ॥ oṃ jaya lakṣmī…

gvāla-bāla saṅga rājā, bana meṃ bhakti karī ।
manavāñchita phala dīnho, dīna dayālu hari ॥ oṃ jaya lakṣmī…

caḍhata prasāda savāyo, kadalī phala mevā ।
dhūpa-dīpa-tulasī se, rājī satyadevā ॥ oṃ jaya lakṣmī…

satyanārāyaṇa jī kī āratī jo koī nara gāve ।
tana-mana sukha-saṃpatti manavāñchita phala pāve ॥ oṃ jaya lakṣmī…

oṃ jaya lakṣmī ramaṇā, svāmī jaya lakṣmī ramaṇā ।
satyanārāyaṇa svāmī, jana-pātaka-haraṇā ॥ oṃ jaya lakṣmī…

Hindi Lyrics

ॐ जय लक्ष्मी रमणा, स्वामी जय लक्ष्मी रमणा ॥
सत्यनारायण स्वामी, जन-पातक-हरणा ॥ ॐ जय लक्ष्मी…

रत्न जडैत सिंहासन, अद्भुत छवि राजे ।
नारद करत नीराजन, घंटा ध्वनि बाजे ॥ ॐ जय लक्ष्मी…

प्रकट भए कलिकारन, द्विज को दरस दियो ।
बूढओ ब्राह्मण बनकर, कञ्चन महल कियो ॥ ॐ जय लक्ष्मी…

दुर्बल भील कठारो, जिन पर कृपा करी ।
चन्द्रचूड इक राजा, तिनकी विपति हरी ॥ ॐ जय लक्ष्मी…

वैश्य मनोरथ पायो, श्रद्धा तज दीन्ही ।
सो फल भोग्यो प्रभुजी, फिर स्तुति किन्हीं ॥ ॐ जय लक्ष्मी…

भाव-भक्ति के कारण, छिन-छिन रूप धर्यो ।
श्रद्धा धारण किन्ही, तिनको काज सरो ॥ ॐ जय लक्ष्मी…

ग्वाल-बाल सङ्ग राजा, बन में भक्ति करी ।
मनवाञ्छित फल दीन्हो, दीन दयालु हरि ॥ ॐ जय लक्ष्मी…

चढत प्रसाद सवायो, कदली फल मेवा ।
धूप-दीप-तुलसी से, राजी सत्यदेवा ॥ ॐ जय लक्ष्मी…

सत्यनारायण जी की आरती जो कोई नर गावे ।
तन-मन सुख-संपत्ति मनवाञ्छित फल पावे ॥ ॐ जय लक्ष्मी…

ॐ जय लक्ष्मी रमणा, स्वामी जय लक्ष्मी रमणा ।
सत्यनारायण स्वामी, जन-पातक-हरणा ॥ ॐ जय लक्ष्मी…