Chhathi Maiya Katha

Chhath Parv Shashthi ka Apabhransh hai. Kartik Maas ki Amaavasya ko Diwali manaane ke 6 din baad Kartik Shukla Paksh ki Shashthi ko manaaye jaane ke kaaran ise Chhath kaha jaata hai. Yah chaar din ka tyohar hai aur ismein saaf-safaai ka khaas dhyaan rakha jaata hai. Is tyohar mein galti ki koi jagah nahi hoti. Is vrat ko karne ke niyam itne kathin hain, is wajah se ise Mahaparv aur Mahavrat ke naam se sambodhit kiya jaata hai.

Maanyata hai ki Chhath Devi, Surya Dev ki behen hain aur unhein prasann karne ke liye jeevan ke mahatvapurn avayavon mein Surya aur Jal ki mahatta ko maante hue, inhein saakshi maan kar Bhagwan Surya ki aaraadhana aur unka dhanyavaad kiya jaata hai. Maa Ganga-Yamuna ya kisi bhi pavitra nadi ya pokhar (taalaab) ke kinaare yah pooja ki jaati hai. Shashthi Maiya yaani Chhath Mata bachchon ki raksha karne wali Devi hain. Is vrat ko karne se santaan ko lambi aayu ka vardaan milta hai.

Markandeya Puraan mein is baat ka ullekh milta hai ki Srishti ki Adhishthatri Prakriti Devi ne apne aap ko chhah bhaagon mein vibhaajit kiya hai. Inke chhathe ansh ko sarvashreshth Matri Devi ke roop mein jaana jaata hai, jo Brahma Ji ki maanas putri hain. Ve bachchon ki raksha karne wali Devi hain. Kartik Maas ke Shukla Paksh ki Shashthi ko inhi Devi ki pooja ki jaati hai.

Shishu ke janm ke chhah din baad bhi inhi Devi ki pooja ki jaati hai. Inki praarthana se bachche ko swasthya, safalta aur deerghaayu hone ka aashirvaad milta hai. Puraanon mein inhi Devi ka naam Katyayani bataya gaya hai, jinki Navratri ki Shashthi Tithi ko pooja ki jaati hai.

Katha ke anusaar Priyavrat naam ke ek Raja the. Unki patni ka naam Malini tha. Dono ki koi santaan nahi thi. Is baat se Raja aur unki patni bahut dukhi rehte the. Unhone ek din santaan praapti ki ichchha se Maharishi Kashyap dwaara Putreshti Yagya karvaaya.

Is yagya ke phalswaroop Rani garbhavati ho gayin. Nau mahine baad jab santaan sukh praapt karne ka samay aaya, toh Rani ko mrit putra praapt hua. Is baat ka pata chalne par Raja ko bahut dukh hua. Santaan shok mein unhone aatmahatya karne ka man bana liya.

Lekin jaise hi Raja ne aatmahatya karne ki koshish ki, unke saamne ek sundar Devi prakat hui. Devi ne Raja se kaha, "Main Shashthi Devi hoon. Main logon ko putra ka saubhaagya pradaan karti hoon. Iske alaava jo sachche bhaav se meri pooja karta hai, main uske sabhi prakaar ke manorath poorn kar deti hoon. Yadi tum meri pooja karoge toh main tumhein putra ratna pradaan karoongi."

Devi ki baaton se prabhaavit hokar Raja ne unki aagya ka paalan kiya.

Raja aur unki patni ne Kartik Shukla Paksh ki Shashthi Tithi ke din Devi Shashthi ki poore vidhi-vidhaan se pooja ki. Is pooja ke phalswaroop unhein ek sundar putra ki praapti hui. Tabhi se Chhath ka paavan parv manaaya jaane laga.

Chhath vrat ke sandarbh mein ek anya katha ke anusaar, jab Paandav apna saara raajpaat jue mein haar gaye, tab Draupadi ne Chhath vrat rakha. Is vrat ke prabhaav se unki manokaamnaayein poori hui aur Paandavon ko apna khoya hua raajpaat vaapas mil gaya.॥