अनंत चतुर्दशी व्रत कथा
भगवान विष्णु के अनंत व्रत की कथा — महाभारत में श्रीकृष्ण द्वारा कथित
अनंत चतुर्दशी भाद्रपद शुक्ल पक्ष की चतुर्दशी को आती है — यही गणेश विसर्जन का दिन भी है। इस दिन भक्त भगवान विष्णु को 'अनंत' रूप में पूजते हैं और चौदह गाँठों वाला अनंत सूत्र बाँधकर समृद्धि, रक्षा व कष्ट-निवारण की कामना करते हैं। जब पांडव सब कुछ हार गए थे, तब स्वयं श्रीकृष्ण ने यह कथा युधिष्ठिर को सुनाई थी।
सुशीला और अनंत सूत्र
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.
अहंकार, पतन और अनंत की खोज
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.
व्रत का फल
भगवान विष्णु (अनंत) का अनंत चतुर्दशी व्रत समृद्धि, अनिष्ट से रक्षा, खोए धन व प्रतिष्ठा की पुनःप्राप्ति तथा निरंतर कल्याण के लिए रखा जाता है। अनंत सूत्र की चौदह गाँठें अनंत भगवान से व्याप्त चौदह लोकों की प्रतीक हैं; यह व्रत परंपरागत रूप से चौदह वर्ष तक रखा जाता है।
इस पूजा के मंत्र व आरती
सामान्य प्रश्न
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.