Santoshi Mata Katha

Prachin samay ki baat hai. Ek vriddh mahila ke saat putra the. Chhah putra kamane wale aur dhanvaan the, jabki sabse chhota putra bhola, saral aur berozgaar tha. Vriddh mahila apne chhah bade putron aur unki patniyon ko achha bhojan deti thi, lekin sabse chhote putra aur uski patni ke saath bhedbhaav karti thi. Chhote putra ki patni bahut hi dharmik, sahansheel aur pativrata thi. Vah sabhi kashton ko chupchaap seh leti thi. Ek din chhote putra ne dekha ki uski maa apne bade putron ko prem se bhojan kara rahi hai, jabki use keval bacha hua bhojan diya ja raha hai. Yeh dekhkar uska hriday dukhi ho gaya. Usne ghar chhodkar pardesh jaakar dhan kamane ka nishchay kiya. Jaate samay usne apni patni ko dhairya rakhne aur Bhagwan par vishwas banaye rakhne ko kaha. Pardesh jaakar vah ek vyapari ke yahan kaam karne laga. Apni mehnat aur imaandari se usne vyapari ka vishwas jeet liya aur dheere-dheere bahut dhan kama liya. Idhar uski patni ghar mein anek kasht sahti rahi. Use poora bhojan bhi nahi milta tha aur din bhar kathin parishram karna padta tha, phir bhi usne kabhi apni shraddha nahi chhodi. Ek din gaon ki kuchh mahilaen Santoshi Mata ka vrat kar rahi thi. Chhote putra ki patni ne unse vrat ki mahima poochhi. Mahilaon ne bataya ki jo bhi shraddha aur vishwas ke saath Santoshi Mata ka vrat karta hai, uski sabhi manokamnaen poori hoti hain aur jeevan ke dukh door ho jaate hain. Yeh sunkar usne bhi Santoshi Mata ka vrat shuru kar diya. Vah har Shukravaar vrat rakhti, Mata ki pooja karti aur gud aur chane ka bhog lagati. Vrat ka sabse mahatvapurn niyam tha ki khatti vastuon ka sevan nahi karna hai. Usne poori shraddha aur bhakti ke saath vrat karna shuru kiya. Maa Santoshi uski bhakti se prasann ho gayin. Unki kripa se pardesh mein rah rahe uske pati ka vyapar safal hone laga aur uski aarthik sthiti majboot ho gayi. Ek raat Maa Santoshi ne uske pati ko swapn mein darshan diye aur kaha ki uski patni bahut kasht mein hai aur uski pratiksha kar rahi hai. Mata ki aagya paakar vah turant ghar laut pada. Ghar pahunchne par pati-patni ka milan hua. Dono bahut prasann hue aur unke jeevan mein sukh aur samriddhi aane lagi. Lekin parivaar ke kuchh logon ko unka sukh pasand nahi aaya. Unhone Santoshi Mata ke vrat mein badha daalne ka prayas kiya. Jab vrat ke udyapan ka samay aaya, tab chhote putra ki patni ne bachchon ko bhojan karane ka aayojan kiya. Uski jethani ke bachchon ne bhojan ke baad paise maange. Paise milne par unhone imli kharid kar kha li. Is prakar vrat ka niyam bhang ho gaya, kyunki udyapan ke din khatti vastu ka sevan varjit mana jata hai. Niyam bhang hone ke karan unke jeevan mein phir se kathinaaiyan aane lagi. Tab chhote putra ki patni ne Maa Santoshi se kshama maangi aur dobara poori shraddha aur vidhi ke saath vrat kiya. Maa Santoshi uski sachchi bhakti aur pashchatap se prasann ho gayin. Unhone uske sabhi kashton ko door kar diya aur uske ghar mein phir se sukh, shanti aur samriddhi ka vaas ho gaya. Parivaar ke sabhi log Maa Santoshi ki mahima ko samajh gaye aur unki pooja karne lage. Tab se yeh maana jata hai ki jo bhi bhakt shraddha, vishwas aur santosh ke saath Maa Santoshi ka vrat karta hai aur niyamon ka palan karta hai, Maa uski sabhi manokamnaen poori karti hain. Vah apne bhakton ko sukh, shanti, dhan, santan sukh aur samriddhi ka aashirvaad deti hain.