Satyanarayan Katha Chapter 3: King Ulkamukh, the Merchant Sadhu and Kalavati

The third chapter is the longest of the Satyanarayan Katha. Its message is clear: a promise made to God must not be forgotten.

King Ulkamukh's vow

Long ago there was a wise, truthful and self-controlled king named Ulkamukh. Every day he went to the temple and satisfied the Brahmins with gifts. One day he was keeping the Satyanarayan vow on the bank of the river Bhadrashila with his lotus-faced, devoted wife.

Just then a merchant named Sadhu, travelling by boat with much wealth for trade, stopped there. Seeing the king at worship he humbly asked: "O King, what are you doing with such a devoted heart?" The king said: "Sadhu, with my relatives I am keeping the vow and worship of the mighty Lord Satyanarayan, for the blessing of a son and other good things."

The merchant's promise

Hearing this, the merchant said respectfully: "O King, tell me the full method too; I also have no child. I too will keep this vow." Having heard the method, he finished his trading, returned home and told his wife Lilavati about this vow that grants children, saying: "When a child is born to us, I will keep this vow."

Kalavati's birth and the postponing

By the Lord's grace Lilavati conceived, and in the tenth month a beautiful daughter was born, named Kalavati. She grew day by day like the waxing moon. Then Lilavati sweetly said to her husband: "Why do you not now keep the vow you resolved upon?"

Sadhu said: "My dear, I will do it at her wedding." Reassuring his wife thus, he went off to the city.

Kalavati's marriage

Kalavati grew up in her father's house. When she came of age, Sadhu sent a messenger to find a worthy groom. The messenger went to the city of Kanchanpur and brought back a handsome, virtuous merchant's son. Sadhu joyfully married Kalavati to him with due rites, but by fate, or forgetfulness, he forgot the Satyanarayan vow even at the wedding.

The Lord was displeased, and it was ordained that he would suffer great sorrow.

Trouble in Ratnasarapur

Some time later Sadhu, skilled in trade, went with his son-in-law to the city of Ratnasarapur by the sea, ruled by King Chandraketu, and began trading there. At that time a thief, moved by the Lord's maya, stole the king's treasure and, pursued by the king's soldiers, dropped it in fear where Sadhu and his son-in-law were staying.

The soldiers found the king's wealth there, bound both merchants and took them to the king. Without inquiry the king ordered them imprisoned and their wealth seized. They protested their innocence, but no one listened, and they remained in prison a long time, twelve years by tradition.

Ruin at home

Meanwhile, through the Lord's displeasure, Sadhu's house was robbed and all its wealth lost. Lilavati and Kalavati, suffering illness, grief, hunger and thirst, began to beg.

One day, hungry and thirsty, Kalavati went to a Brahmin's house where the Satyanarayan vow was being kept. She sat and heard the katha, took prasad and returned home at night. Her mother asked: "Where were you so late?" Kalavati said: "Mother, I saw the Satyanarayan vow, which fulfils every wish, being kept in a Brahmin's house."

Hearing this, Lilavati remembered her husband's forgotten promise. With her relatives she kept the vow and worshipped Lord Satyanarayan, praying: "Lord, forgive the fault of my husband and son-in-law, and let them return home soon."

The king's dream

The Lord was pleased and appeared to King Chandraketu in a dream: "O King, the two merchants you have imprisoned are innocent. Release them at dawn and return all their wealth, or your kingdom, wealth and sons will be destroyed."

In the morning the king told his court of the dream, summoned the two merchants, had their chains cut, had them bathed and dressed in new clothes, returned their wealth doubled and said: "Fate brought you this suffering; there is nothing to fear now. Go home."

What this chapter teaches

• A promise to God should not be put off till "later"; postponing was the cause of the trouble.
• Children too can guide a family rightly; Kalavati reminded her mother of the vow.
• When forgiveness is sincerely asked, God forgives.
• Condemning anyone without inquiry is injustice; the king later corrected his mistake.