Religious Fasts
Once upon a time, there was a very young girl about sever years old, who was married and had to come for the first Karva Chouth to her father's house. She was the only daughter with seven elder married brothers. Their wives and this young girl kept the fast of Karva Chouth with great devotion. Now this little girl's brothers could not get used to the idea of their darling sister remaining hungry and thirsty for hours on end. Their patience had nearly run out by evening, and they could not bear to see the pale face of their sister. So, they asked her to take tea or even drink a little water, but she refused as she was very anxious to follow her sisters-in-law. The brothers could not bear it, and even as twilight fell, and no moon was seen, they went out of the house and lit a fire in the forest. They then came home excitedly, and told the little sister that the moon had come out. They gave her a round sieve and asked her to look through it. She ran to each of her sisters-in-law, and asked them to come and see the moon. Each one refused, saying: 'Bibi rani, it is not our moon, but your moon which has come out.' She was very puzzled but took the sieve, and ran out. Looking through it, she saw a bright ball and decided that her brothers were right and sisters-in-law were very wrong. After doing puja to the moon she consumed some water and food, and lo behold! Her husband fell down in a great swoon. She was petrified and ran helter-skelter, crying and demanding to know what had happened? When she would not stop, and kept pestering everyone, one of her sisters-in-law told her the truth. She was very shocked and resolved that since she was not at fault she would demand the return of her husband to consciousness from the Gaur Mata herself. Keeping her husband's head on her lap she just sat down near the image of Gaur Mata. Very soon Gaur Mata came and exchanged karvas with all her sisters-in-law saying:
'Take O suhagan this karva, and give me O suhagan your karva', seven times to each sister-in-law. Then came the turn of the little girl. Gaur Mata refused to exchange karvas with her, but the little one insisted, and finally Gaur Mata turned towards her and said: 'O you, who cannot remain hungry; take this karva. O you, who cannot remain thirsty take this karva.' The young girl pleaded: 'No, no. Please say, take O suhagan this karva, and give O suhagan your karva, just as you have said to my sisters-in-law.' Gaur Mata replied: 'This I cannot say, but next year my sister will come and perhaps she may say it to you'. So this little girl sat with her husband's head on her lap for another year, without eating or drinking. She refused to budge from the place of worship and, on the appointed day, when the second Gaur Mata came, in a great cloud of wind and dust, looking really fearsome, this young bride did not move and insisted that the Gaur Mata stay and exchange the karva with her seven times. The fearsome lady refused, saying: 'Next year my older sister will come, perhaps she may have the power to restore your husband.' This event went on for six years, and each time a more fearsome aspect of Gaur Mata came and went, without doing anything for this young girl, but the girl loved her husband so much that she was ready to go to any extent to get him back and restore his health and happiness.
Then came the seventh Karva Chouth of this bride, who had been sitting without water or food all this while, and had not complained even once. Her husband neither stirred nor opened his eyes. Yet, she had put her faith in the goddess and did not flinch. Her brothers and her sisters-in-law came to her and tried their best to convince her that those who have gone from this world can never be brought back to life again (as it seemed that her husband was totally dead now). But she would hear none of it and, so, on the appointed day, of Karva Chouth, she was not afraid of the coming of the goddess, even after having experienced terrifying apparitions each year.
The moment came at last - the moon of the fourth day after full moon in Kartik arrived. She saw all the women of the household, dressed in their best, perform the puja and exchange the karvas. Then there blew a great storm, dark clouds covered the sky, the moon vanished, and a great roll of thunder rumbled and a flash lightning streaked the sky. The trees bent double under the wind, and the rain came down in torrents. All rushed in and shut themselves indoors, but she would not move, and in the lightning, she saw a huge figure of frightening dimensions and terrifying aspect, too terrible for any human to behold. And yet, she did not blink her eyes, but smiled a welcome, and implored the goddess to exchange the karva with her. The goddess roared and told her that as she had not been able to abide by the laws of the fast, it was not correct to ask for such a boon.
Now, the girl told the goddess about the trick that her loving brothers had played on her. Since the goddess was Parvati, she could not retain her awful aspect for long and started to shed tears of love for this little girl. She assumed the shape of a very beautiful woman, and the terrible storm, rain and thunder stopped. The moon came out in all its beauty, and there, alone in the courtyard, the goddess brought her karva towards that of the little girl, and said: 'Take O suhagan this karva, give me O suhagan your karva', just once, and the body, which was lying still on the girl's lap, came alive and the young husband rubbed his eyes and looked at his wife. It was a wonderful sight of happiness. The bride then took her karva and exchanged it seven times with Gaur Mata, who herself looked very pleased. There was an aura around them and thus rose the husband after seven years. Soon Gaur Mata left, and the young couple entered the house. There was no mark or strain of the seven years on her or her husband, and they looked radiant and full of life and vigour. Thus was rewarded the young bride's perseverance and faith. May everyone be so blessed!
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