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16 Monday Fast Story and Method (16 Somvar Vrat Katha Aur Puja Vidhi)
It is considered auspicious to fast on 16 Mondays to get the blessings of Lord Shankar. Mostly girls observe this fast, but if boys also observe it to get a good life partner or for other wishes, then they get fulfilled. On any Monday of Udaya Tithi, after taking bath in the morning, take a resolution in front of Lord Shankar’s idol and perform rituals that you are starting 16 Monday fast. After this do the fast story of 16 Mondays.
16 Monday Fasting Story (16 Somvar Vrat Katha)
It was a matter of time when Mahadev was traveling with Parvati ji and while traveling reached Amravati city of Mrityulok. There was a king in that city who had built a huge temple of Lord Shiva. Mahadev and Goddess Parvati started living in that temple.
One day Goddess Parvati said to Mahadev- “O Prannath! Today I feel like playing backgammon. Knowing Parvati’s wish, Shiva sat down to play backgammon with Parvati. As soon as the game started, the priest of that temple came there. Then Parvati ji asked the priest that O priest! You tell me who will win in this backgammon? So the priest Brahmin said that Mahadev ji, the God of Gods, would win in this game. But Shivji was defeated in Chausar and Mother Parvati won.
Then Parvati ji cursed the Brahmin to become a leper for the crime of speaking untruth. Then Mahadev and Parvati ji returned to Mount Kailash from that temple. Due to the curse of Goddess Parvati, the priest became a leper. The men and women of the city started staying far away from the shadow of that priest. Some people complained to the king that the priest had become a leper, so the king, thinking that the priest had become a leper due to some sin, got him thrown out of the temple. Another Brahmin was made a priest in his place. But the leper priest started begging outside the temple.
A lot of time passed and then after a few days some Apsaras from heaven came to that temple. Apsarao saw that Kodi priest and seeing his condition asked the reason. Then the priest unhesitatingly told him the whole story of Lord Shiva and Parvatiji playing backgammon and Parvatiji’s curse. To emerge from this situation, the Apsaras then asked the priest to observe a ritualistic fast of sixteen Mondays (16 Somvar Vrat).
Sixteen Monday Fasting Method (16 Somvar Vrat Vidhi)
Then the priest asked the method of sixteen Mondays. On being asked by the priest about the method of worship, the Apsaras said-
Waking up before sunrise on Monday, retiring from bath, wearing clean clothes, taking half a seer of wheat flour and making three parts of it.
Then by lighting a lamp of ghee, take a pair of jaggery, naivedya, billpatra, sandalwood, Akshat, flowers and Janeu and worship Lord Shiva during the Pradosh period.
After worship, after offering one part of the three parts to Lord Shiva, take one. Considering the remaining two organs as the offerings of God, distribute them to the women, men and children present there.
While fasting in this way, when sixteen Mondays have passed, then on the seventeenth Monday, make churma by making a loaf of flour, adding ghee and jaggery to it. Then after offering bhog to Lord Shiva, distribute prasad to the women, men and children present there.
In this way, by fasting on sixteen Mondays and listening to the fasting story, Lord Shiva will cure your sick body and fulfill all your wishes. Apsarao told this thing to the priest and after saying this she went to heaven.
Then the priest duly observed a fast for sixteen Mondays according to the words of the Apsaras. As a result, by the grace of Lord Shiva, his leprosy was destroyed and he became healthy. Knowing this, the king again made him the priest of the temple. He started living his life happily worshiping Lord Shiva in the temple.
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Mahadev and Parvati Visit the Earth Again
After a few days, while visiting the earth again, the deities Mahadev and Parvati visit that temple. Seeing the priest in a healthy condition, Goddess Parvati surprisedly asked the reason for his getting rid of the disease, then the priest told her the whole story of fasting on sixteen Mondays.
Parvati ji was also very happy to hear about the fast and she herself started fasting for sixteen Mondays by asking the priest about the method of fasting on sixteen Mondays (16 Somvar Vrat Katha vidhi).
In those days, Parvati ji used to be very worried about her son Kartikeya getting angry and going away. She had done many measures to make Kartikeya come back, but Kartikeya was not coming back to her. Then while fasting for sixteen Mondays, Parvati wished Lord Shiva to return Kartikeya.
Kartikeya really returned on the third day after the end of the fast. Kartikeya asked Parvatiji regarding his change of heart- ‘O Mother! What remedy did you take, by which my anger was destroyed and I returned?’ Then Parvatiji narrated the story of the sixteen Monday fast to her son Kartikeya.
Kartikeya’s Sixteen Monday Fast
Kartikeya was deeply saddened by the departure of one of his Brahmin friends, Brahmadatta. In order to bring back his friend, Kartikeya observed a fast of sixteen Mondays (16 Somvar Vrat Katha) and expressed his wish for the return of Brahmadatta. Then a few days after the conclusion of the fast, the friend returned.
Brahmin friend said to Kartikeya- “Dear friend! What remedy did you do that completely changed my thoughts in foreign countries and I returned remembering you? Kartikeya also told his friend the story and method of fasting on sixteen Mondays. Brahmin friend was very happy to hear about the fast and then he also fasted.
Brahmadatta’s Sixteen Monday Fast
After concluding the sixteen Monday fast, Brahmadatta set out on a foreign trip. There, the Swayamvara of Princess Gunjan, daughter of King Harshvardhan of the city, was taking place. The king there had promised that an elephant would put this garland around his neck, he would marry his daughter to him.
Brahmin Brahmadatta also went to the palace out of curiosity. The princes of many states were sitting there in Swayamvar. Only then a decorated elephant came there carrying a garland in her trunk. Hathini put a garland around the neck of Brahmin Brahmadatta. As a result, the princess got married to a Brahmin.
Rajkumari’s Sixteen Monday Fast
One day the wife of Brahmin Brahmadatta asked – “O Prannath! What good deed did you do that the elephant left the princes and put a garland around your neck. Then the Brahmin told the method of sixteen Monday fast (16 Somvar Vrat Vidhi) to his wife. Then knowing the importance of sixteen Mondays from her husband, the princess fasted for sixteen Mondays with the desire to have a son. Then at a certain time, by the grace of Lord Shiva, a beautiful, gentle and healthy son was born in the princess’s house. And that son was named as Gopal.
On growing up, son Gopal also asked his mother one day that I was born in your house, what is the reason for this? Then mother Gunjan informed her son about Solah Somvar Vrat Katha. Then knowing the importance of fasting, Gopal also resolved to observe the fast.
Gopal Becomes King
When Gopal turned sixteen years old, he duly observed sixteen Mondays (16 Somvar Vrat Katha) with the desire to get the kingdom. After the end of the fast, Gopal went to a nearby town for a walk. The old king there liked Gopal and with great fanfare married his daughter Princess Mangala to Gopal. In this way, after fasting for sixteen Mondays, Gopal reached the palace and started living happily.
After two years the old king died, so Gopal was made the king of that city. In this way, by fasting on sixteen Mondays, Gopal’s desire to get the kingdom was fulfilled. Even after becoming the king, he duly kept fasting for sixteen Mondays.
Princess Mangala Not Going To the Temple
At the conclusion of the fast, on Monday the seventeenth, Gopal asked his wife Mangala to reach the nearby Shiva temple with all the ingredients of the fast. Disobeying her husband’s order, Princess Mangala sent the worship materials to the temple by the servants and did not go to the temple herself.
When King Gopal completed the worship of Lord Shiva, the sky said – “O king! Your queen has disrespected the sixteen Monday fast (16 Somvar Vrat Katha), so remove the queen from the palace, otherwise all your splendor will be destroyed.
Hearing the radio broadcast, King Gopal immediately reached the palace and ordered his soldiers to leave the queen in a distant city. Following the orders of the king, the soldiers immediately drove him out of the house.
Old Woman and Yarn
Rani Mangala started wandering in that city hungry and thirsty. Then the queen found an old woman in that city. That old lady was going to sell the yarn in the market, but the yarn was not being picked up from that old lady. The old woman said to the queen – “Daughter! If you pick up my yarn and take it to the market and help me sell yarn, I will give you money.
Rani Mangla accepted the advice of that old woman. But as soon as the queen touched the bundle of yarn, a strong wind blew and when the bundle was opened, all the yarn was blown away in the storm. The old woman scolded that queen and made her run away. Then again the queen reached the house of a Teli in the city while walking. Out of pity, Teli asked the queen to stay in the house, but then due to the anger of Lord Shiva, the pots filled with Teli’s oil started bursting one by one. Then Teli also chased away that queen.
Distraught with hunger and thirst, Rani Mangala started moving forward from there. When the queen wanted to quench her thirst by drinking water on a river, the water of the river dried up by her touch. Then the queen went ahead cursing her fate. While walking, the queen reaches a forest. There was a pond in that forest which contained pure water. The queen’s thirst intensified after seeing the pure water. Then as soon as the queen touched the water after coming down the stairs of the pond to drink water, innumerable insects were born in that water. The queen satiated her thirst by drinking that dirty water.
Then the queen wanted to rest for some time sitting under the shade of a tree, then the leaves of that tree dried up and scattered in a moment. Then Rani Mangala went and sat under another tree. The tree under which that queen used to sit would have dried up.
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Reaching the Queen’s Temple
The herdsmen there were very surprised to see this condition of the forest and lake. Then the cowherds took the queen to the priest in the nearby temple. Seeing the queen’s face, the priest knew that the queen must be from a big family and was wandering from door to door due to bad luck.
The priest said to the queen – Daughter! You don’t worry Stay with me in this temple everything will be fine in a few days. The queen was greatly comforted by the words of the priest. Then the queen started living in that temple, when the queen cooked food, the vegetables would get burnt, sometimes insects would get into the flour, and sometimes the water would start stinking.
The priest also being very worried about the queen’s misfortune said – “O daughter! Surely you have done some wrong thing because of which the Gods are angry with you and because of their displeasure you are in this condition. Then after listening to the priest, the queen told the whole story of not going to the temple and not worshiping Shiva on the orders of her husband.
The priest said – “Now don’t you worry. Tomorrow is Monday and from tomorrow you start fasting for sixteen Mondays (Solah Somvar Vrat Katha). God of Gods Mahadev Shiva will definitely forgive your faults.
Rani Mangala’s Monday Fast
By obeying the priest, the queen started fasting for sixteen Mondays. Rani Mangala observed fast on Monday (16 Somvar Vrat Katha) and duly worshiped Lord Shiva and started listening to the Vrat Katha. When the queen duly concluded the fast on the 17th Monday, then her husband, the king, remembered the queen. Then the king immediately sent his soldiers to find and bring the queen. Searching for the queen, the soldiers reached the temple and asked the queen to return. Then the priest refused the soldiers and the soldiers returned disappointed. The soldiers returned and told the whole thing to the king.
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Reaching the Temple Of Raja Gopal
King Gopal himself reached the priest in that temple and apologized to the priest for throwing the queen out of the palace. The priest said to the king- “All this has happened because of the anger of Lord Shiva.” Having said this, the queen was sent away.
Then the queen reaches the palace with the king. There was much rejoicing in the palace. The whole city was decorated. The king donated food, clothes and money to the Brahmins. Clothes were distributed to the poor in the city.
Then Rani Mangala started living happily in the palace while fasting for sixteen Mondays (Solah Somvar Vrat Katha). Due to the grace of Lord Shiva, his life was filled with happiness.
By fasting on sixteen Mondays (16 Somvar Vrat Katha) and listening to the story, all the wishes of a man are fulfilled and there is no shortage in life and men and women achieve salvation while living life happily.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Sixteen Mondays Fasting (16 Somvar Vrat)
What Are The Benefits Of Fasting On Sixteen Mondays (16 Somvar Vrat)?
The fast of sixteen Mondays is observed for the happiness of the family, to get the desired life partner and to fulfil the wishes.
Sixteen Monday Fast (16 Somvar Vrat) Ingredients
Half a seer of wheat flour, ghee, jaggery, naivedya, bill leaves, sandalwood, Akshat, flowers and a pair of Janeu and general worship material.
When To Start Fasting On Sixteen Mondays (16 Somvar Vrat)?
16 somvar vrat in Pradosh period
