Satyanārāyaṇa-vrata
From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia
By Swami Harshananda
Satyanārāyaṇa-vrata is an extremely popular vrata,[1] almost all over the country, especially among the lower middle class people and women. It can be done on any day, preferably on Purṇimā, Saṅkrānti or Ekādaśī days. The places to perform this vrata can be a temple, bank of a river, under the vaṭa or aśvattha trees or in one’s own house. The quantity of naivedya[2] is fixed at 1-j; for e.g., 1.25 kgs. The ingredients of this special naivedya are:
- Plantains
- Ghee
- Milk
- Wheat or rice flour
- Jaggery or sugar
They are all to be mixed to prepare the naivedya. Apart from the elaborate worship of the deity, following are the rituals widely observed:
- Listening to the stories about the greatness of this vrata
- Keeping vigil the whole night with devotional songs and devotional dances
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore