Anant Chaturdashi Vrat
अनंत चतुर्दशी व्रत
The Anant Chaturdashi Vrat (अनंत चतुर्दशी व्रत) is kept on the fourteenth day of the bright fortnight of Bhadrapada in honour of "Anant" — the endless, eternal form of Lord Vishnu. Devotees worship Vishnu, tie a sacred fourteen-knotted thread (the Anant Sutra) on the arm, and listen to the vrat katha of King Vasudeva and the Pandavas. The same day is Ganesh Visarjan, the grand farewell of Ganesh Chaturthi.
Fasting Rules & Vidhi
Bathe in the morning, wear clean clothes and take a Sankalp to keep the Anant vrat.
Worship Lord Vishnu as "Anant" — set his image on a kalash, offer yellow flowers, tulsi, fruit and sweets.
Prepare the Anant Sutra — a cotton/silk thread dyed with turmeric and tied with fourteen knots; place it before the Lord and worship it.
Read or listen to the Anant Chaturdashi Vrat Katha, recite the Vishnu Sahasranama and chant "Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya" 108 times.
Tie the consecrated Anant Sutra on the right arm (men) or left arm (women), praying to Anant for protection and prosperity.
Keep a fast through the day (fruits/milk or one satvik meal), break it after the puja, and offer fourteen of each item where possible.
Significance & Story
Anant means "the endless one" — the infinite Lord Vishnu, reclining on the endless serpent Ananta-Shesha. The fourteen knots of the Anant Sutra represent the fourteen lokas (worlds) pervaded by him and the fourteen years the Pandavas, who had lost everything, regained their fortune by keeping this vrat on Krishna's advice. The thread is a bond of faith in the Lord's endless protection. As Anant Chaturdashi is also Ganesh Visarjan, many immerse the Ganesh idol the same day with "Ganpati Bappa Morya".