Sankata Mata Katha

Ek budhiya thi. Us budhiya ka ek beta tha jiska naam Ramnath tha. Ramnath dhan kamaane ke liye pardes chala gaya. Budhiya apne putra ke videsh jaane ke baad bahut chintit aur dukhi rehne lagi, kyunki bahu use prayaḥ nitya khari-khoti sunaaya karti thi. Isi liye budhiya pratidin chintit aur udaas rehti aur ghar ke baahar sthit kuen par baithkar roya karti thi. Budhiya ka yeh kram roz chalta raha। Ek din kuen mein se Diye ki Maa naamak ek stree nikli aur usne budhiya se poochha, “Budhi Maa, tum is tarah baithkar kyon roti ho? Tumhe kis baat ka kasht hai? Tum mujhe apna dukh batao, main tumhare dukh door karne ka prayatn karoongi।” Budhiya ne us stree ka prashn sunkar koi jawab nahi diya aur roti hi rahi। Diye ki Maa baar-baar wahi prashn dohraati rahi। Is baat se budhiya jhunjhla uthi aur boli, “Tum baar-baar aisa kyon poochh rahi ho? Kya sachmuch tum mera dukh door kar dogi?” Budhiya ki baat sunkar Diye ki Maa boli, “Main avashya tumhare kashton ko door karne ka prayatn karoongi।” Tab budhiya ne kaha, “Mera beta kamaane ke liye pardes chala gaya hai। Uske peeche meri bahu mujhe bahut bura-bhala kehti rehti hai। Yahi mere dukh ka kaaran hai।” Budhiya ki baat sunkar Diye ki Maa ne kaha, “Yahan ke van mein Sankata Mata rehti hain। Tum apna dukh unhe sunaakar kashton se mukti ki prarthana karo। Maa bahut dayaalu hain। Ve nissantanon ko santaan, nirdhanon ko dhan, nirbal ko bal aur abhaagon ko bhaagyavaan banaati hain। Unki kripa se sabhi manokaamnayein poori hoti hain।” Diye ki Maa ki baat sunkar budhiya Sankata Mata ke paas gayi aur unke charanon mein girkar vilap karne lagi। Sankata Mata ne daya se poochha, “Budhiya, tum kis kaaran itna dukh pa rahi ho?” Budhiya boli, “Hey Mata, aap sab kuch jaanti hain। Mera beta pardes chala gaya hai aur meri bahu mujhe bahut satati hai। Isi dukh se main roz roya karti hoon।” Sankata Mata ne kaha, “Tum ghar jaakar meri manauti maango aur meri pooja karo। Pooja ke din suhaagin streeon ko bhojan karaana। Aisa karne se tumhara beta sakushal ghar laut aayega।” Budhiya ne Mata ke kahen anusaar vrat aur pooja ki। Usne suhaagin streeon ko bhojan ke liye nimantran diya। Jab vah laddoo banaane lagi, to har baar saat laddoo banaati, lekin ve apne aap aath ho jaate। Yeh dekhkar budhiya bahut chintit ho gayi। Usi samay Sankata Mata ek vriddh stree ke roop mein prakat huiं aur poochha, “Kyon budhiya, aaj tumhare yahan koi utsav hai kya?” Budhiya boli, “Aaj maine Sankata Mata ki pooja ki hai aur suhaaginon ko bhojan ke liye bulaaya hai। Lekin jab bhi saat laddoo banaati hoon, ve apne aap aath ho jaate hain।” Sankata Mata boli, “Kya tumne kisi budhiya ko bhi nimantrit kiya hai?” Budhiya boli, “Nahi, maine kisi budhiya ko nahi bulaaya। Par tum kaun ho?” Vriddh stree boli, “Main bhi ek budhiya hoon। Mujhe bhi nimantrit kar lo।” Budhiya ne unhe bhojan ke liye nimantrit kar liya। Iske baad sabhi suhaagin streeon ko laddoo aur anya mithaaiyon ka bhojan karaaya gaya। Sankata Mata budhiya ki bhakti se bahut prasann huiं। Mata ki kripa se budhiya ke bete Ramnath ke man mein apni maa aur patni se milne ki ichchha jagi aur vah ghar laut aaya। Kuch samay baad jab budhiya Sankata Mata ki pooja कर रही थी aur suhaaginon ko bhojan kara rahi thi, tab kisi ne uske bete ke aane ki soochna di। Budhiya boli, “Use baithne do, main pooja poori karke aati hoon।” Lekin bahu turant pati se milne bhaag gayi। Yeh dekhkar Ramnath ne socha, “Meri patni mujhse kitna prem karti hai, lekin meri maa ko mujhse zara bhi prem nahi।” Jab pooja samaapt hui, tab budhiya apne bete se milne gayi। Ramnath ne poochha, “Maa, aap ab tak kahan thi?” Budhiya boli, “Beta, maine tumhari kushalta ke liye Sankata Mata se manauti maangi thi। Usi ko poora karne ke liye suhaaginon ko bhojan kara rahi thi।” Sankata Mata ki kripa se Ramnath ka man apni patni se virakt ho gaya। Usne maa se kaha, “Maa, ya to main yahan rahunga ya yeh rahegi।” Budhiya boli, “Beta, maine tumhe bahut kathin tapasya se paaya hai। Main tumhe nahi chhod sakti।” Isliye Ramnath ne apni patni ko ghar se nikaal diya। Ghar se nikal kar vah ek peepal ke ped ke neeche baithkar rone lagi। Tab ek raja wahan se guzar raha tha। Usne us stree ko rote dekha aur uska dukh poochha। Stree ne apni saari vyatha suna di। Raja bola, “Aaj se tum meri dharm behan ho। Main tumhare kasht door karne ka prayatn karoonga।” Raja use apne mahal le gaya aur rani ko saari katha sunaayi। Kuch samay baad Ramnath ki patni ne bhi Sankata Mata ka vrat shuru kar diya aur suhaaginon ko bhojan karaane lagi। Usne rani ko bhi nimantrit kiya। Jab sabhi laddoo kha rahe the, tab rani boli, “Mujhe to rabdi, malai aur swaadisht mithaiyan hi pasand hain। Yeh kathor laddoo kaise khaun?” Rani ne laddoo khaane se mana kar diya। Kuch samay baad Sankata Mata ki kripa se Ramnath apni patni ko khojte hue wahan pahunch gaya। Usne apni patni ko pooja karte dekha aur usse kshama maangi। Patni boli, “Nath, yeh sab prarabdh ka phal hai। Ismein aapka koi dosh nahi।” Dono ne milkar Sankata Mata ki pooja ki aur vrat katha suni। Phir dono ghar laut aaye। Lekin Sankata Mata ke prasad ka apmaan karne ke kaaran rani par bhaari sankat aa gaya। Unka rajya aur sampatti sab nashṭ ho gayi। Tab rani ko Ramnath ki patni ki baat yaad aayi aur ve raja ke saath uske ghar pahunchi। Ramnath ki patni ne kaha, “Meri sab kuch karne wali Sankata Mata hain। Aap Mata se apni bhool ke liye kshama maangiye।” Rani ne poori shraddha aur bhakti se Sankata Mata ka vrat kiya, suhaaginon ko bhojan karaaya aur Mata se kshama maangi। Sankata Mata prasann hui or raat mein rani ko swapn diya, “Apne mahal laut jao, meri pooja karo aur suhaaginon ko bhojan karao। Tumhara rajya tumhe wapas mil jaayega।” Subah hote hi raja-rani mahal laut aaye। Unhone poori bhakti se Sankata Mata ki pooja ki or suhaaginon ko bhojan karaaya। Mata ki kripa se unka khoya hua rajya aur vaibhav unhe phir se prapt ho gaya aur ve sukhpoorvak jeevan bitaane lage।