Anant Chaturdashi Vrat Katha
The story of the Anant vrat of Lord Vishnu, told by Krishna in the Mahabharata
Anant Chaturdashi falls on the fourteenth day of the bright fortnight of Bhadrapada — also the day Ganesh idols are immersed (Ganesh Visarjan). On this day devotees worship Lord Vishnu as Ananta ('the endless one') and tie a sacred fourteen-knotted thread (anant sutra) on the arm, praying for prosperity, protection and the removal of troubles. Krishna Himself told this katha to Yudhishthira when the Pandavas had lost everything.
Sushila and the Anant Thread
Long ago there lived a Brahmin named Sumant whose virtuous daughter, Sushila, was married to the sage Kaundinya. Once, as the couple travelled, they came upon a group of women on a riverbank joyfully worshipping Lord Ananta and tying the anant sutra. Sushila asked them the meaning of the vrat, and learning of its power, she too worshipped Lord Ananta with devotion and tied the sacred fourteen-knotted thread upon her arm.
From that day, by the grace of Lord Ananta, the household of Kaundinya began to prosper greatly; wealth and well-being flowed to them, and they wanted for nothing.
Pride, Loss, and the Search for Ananta
One day Kaundinya noticed the thread on Sushila's arm and asked what it was. When she explained that their prosperity had come by the grace of Lord Ananta and the anant vrat, he grew proud and scornful — 'It is by my own learning and effort that we prosper, not by a mere thread!' — and he snatched the sacred sutra from her arm and cast it into the fire.
This insult to Lord Ananta brought ruin: their wealth vanished, fire consumed their home, cattle perished, and misfortune fell upon them on every side. Realising his terrible error, Kaundinya set out, grief-stricken, to find Lord Ananta and beg forgiveness. He wandered the forests in despair until, at the edge of giving up his life, the Lord appeared to him — telling him that his suffering was the fruit of his own pride and disregard. Humbled and repentant, Kaundinya worshipped Lord Ananta and kept the anant vrat faithfully for fourteen years; his prosperity and happiness were fully restored. Thus Krishna told Yudhishthira to keep the Anant vrat, and by it the Pandavas too regained their kingdom and glory.
The Fruit of the Vrat
The Anant Chaturdashi vrat of Lord Vishnu (Ananta) is kept for prosperity, protection from misfortune, recovery of lost wealth and position, and continuous well-being. The fourteen knots of the anant sutra represent the fourteen worlds pervaded by the endless Lord; the vrat is traditionally kept for fourteen years.
Mantras & Aarti for this Puja
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the anant sutra (anant dhaga)?
It is a sacred thread, dyed with turmeric and tied with fourteen knots, worshipped and bound on the arm during the Anant Chaturdashi vrat — men on the right arm, women on the left. The fourteen knots signify the fourteen worlds pervaded by Lord Ananta (Vishnu).
Why is the Anant vrat associated with the Mahabharata?
When the Pandavas lost their kingdom and were suffering in the forest, Lord Krishna advised Yudhishthira to worship Lord Ananta and keep this vrat; by its merit they regained their kingdom and prosperity. The katha of Kaundinya and Sushila is told as part of it.
When is Anant Chaturdashi celebrated?
On the Chaturdashi (fourteenth day) of the bright fortnight of Bhadrapada — the same day as Ganesh Visarjan, about ten days after Ganesh Chaturthi, usually in September.