1 Shree Swasthani Mata Ji’s Vrat-Katha Maaghmahatmay (A Fast worth Celebrating) 2 Contents S.NO TOPIC 1 Introduction 2 Shree Swasthani Mataji’s Vrat Procedure 3 Shree Ganesh Aarti and Vandana 4 Mahadev Ji’s Aaradhana (1) Rudrashtak (2) Mahamrityunjay Mantra (3) Twelve Jyotirlings (4) Shiv Stuti (5) Lord Shiva’s Aarti 5 Shree Swasthani Mataji’s Prayer 6 Shree Swasthani Mataji’s Outward Appearance 7-37 1st Adhyay to 31st Adhyay (The 31 Chapters) 38 Shree Swasthani Mataji’s Aarti 3 INTRODUCTION The Hindu religion propagates many fasts and the devotees undertake them according to their faith. In this book we are presenting to you the auspicious fast of “Shree Swasthani Mata Ji”. It is as under: Maa Sati, after leaving her corporal form, took birth as Parvati as the daughter of Giriraj Himalaya and his wife Maneka. Parvati used to worship Lord Shiva by making a Shivling (the holy phallus) of sand with a desire to attain him as her husband. When her marriage was fixed with Lord Vishnu, on insistence of sage Narada, she left her home to meditate in the forest. Lord Shiva showed her the glimpse of his divine spirit and suggested to her that only Lord Vishnu can show her the way to marry as per her desire. Then Maa Parvati worshipped Lord Vishnu who in turn came to bless her. Lord Vishnu asked– O Parvati! I am happy with your devotion. Ask for anything you desire. Maa Parvati replied– O God! You know that I worship Shiva as my husband since my childhood. So please show me a way to fulfil my desire. Lord Vishnu replied– O Parvati! Today I will tell you about a Vrat (Fast) that is above all other fasts and blesses beyond imagination. Donations of food, gold, jewellery, elephants and Kanyadaan (marriage of the daughter) yield result as per their glory. But this fast blesses the devotee with worldly pleasures as well as one gets a place in the Shivlok (the place where Lord Shiva resides) after death. This is the fast of “Shree Swasthani Mata Ji”. Then Lord Vishnu explained to Parvati the procedure of performing this fast. Maa Parvati performed this fast with utmost dedication and got Lord Shiva as her husband. One day she said to Shiva– O God! My desire to marry you got fulfilled with the influence of this fast. Many people in the world are suffering pain and agony on different accounts like lack of money, not getting progeny, suffering due to diseases, not getting a life-partner, some are orphans. I want such people to attain benefit from this fast. Please help in this direction. Then Lord Shiva said– O dear Parvati! I am happy with your kind-hearted feelings. Thus Rishi (sage) Ashvathama should be sent to the Rasatal (the deep sphere) first of all. Maa Parvati sent sage Ashvathama to propagate about this fast in that sphere. Afterwards she sent the Saptarishi to propagate this on the earth. This fast was performed firstly by Parvati herself in the Devlok, by Hiravati 4 (wife of Shankhchood Naag) in Rasatal, by Ratnavati (wife of Ratanchood Naag), by Mrigavati (wife of Kripadata Naag) and Madnavati (wife of Dhartrashtra Naag) along with sage Ashvathama and by Goma Brahmani on the Prithvilok (earth) under the guidance of Saptarihi. All men and women can keep this fast. This fast is not limited to ladies only. King Navraj, Chandravati’s associates and people like me and you, all can carry out this fast. It is open for all to execute. My life filled with beautiful colours after I performed this auspicious fast (Vrat). I was inspired to share it with you all. Many people have supported me in my mission to distribute this holy book to you. You, too, can attain worldly as well as divinely pleasures with the help of its knowledge. No one has lost anything in the journey towards divine attainment. Devotion takes us to the God and brings the supreme power closer to us. It makes us nationalistic and honest as well and raises our self-confidence. I got inclined towards this fast with the guidance of Mrs. Rezina Shah, a native of Nepal. We are providing this book to you free of cost with the blessings of “Shree Swasthani Mata Ji”. You can get this book free of cost by contacting me. We would like to share your thoughts regarding this fast so that others can also learn something from your experiences. You are welcome to share any additional knowledge of this fast. Please let us know if there are any faults in our effort. Our innermost desire is to see you attaining the God’s Grace. Vinod Sharma, Advocate (Supreme Court of India), 609, New Delhi House, 27, Barakhamba Road, Connaught Place, New Delhi – 110001 5 Shree Swasthani Mataji’s Vrat(Fast) Procedure This Vrat starts on the Paush Shukal Poornima Day. The Vrati (devotee) should cleanse himself/herself, take bathe, cut the nails and may keep fast (If so desires) before vowing to sit for the meditation of “Shree Swasthani Mata Ji”. For one month thereafter he/she should consume vegetarian food, sleep on the floor, without speaking a lie or quarrelling with someone and perform this fast with utmost dedication. Then worship Mataji daily morning by offering water, flowers and fruits and worship Lord Shiva in the afternoon. One should recite the Katha (story) of Mataji to others after sunset after offering dhoop, deep, naivaidya (food for God). You can read the adhyays (chapters) either one daily or as per your choice. Afterwards distribute the Prashad to all and self. This routine should be followed for a month and the Katha should be finished on the Maagh Shukal Purnima Day. On that day make a Shivling and sign of Aum by sand on a copper plate. Offer jaun, til, rice, flowers, paan, supari, yagyasutra to Mataji. The items for the Prashad should be 108 each in number. You should worship Lord Ganesha and Lord Varun after placing the Kalash. The fasting devotee, after taking bath, should sit on that place and take water, til, flower, kusha and speak one’s name, gotra and place to vow to perform this fast with full dedication. One should desire to attain a place in the Shivlok and give arghya (water offering) to the Sun God.The diyas should be lighted and the Kalash should be placed at the appropriate place. Then offer flower, fruit and money to Mataji. Remember Varun God by moving the kusha in the Kalash. Lord Ganesha should be worshipped and requested to grace the auspicious place. Fruits and flowers should be offered to him. Then visualise revering sacred rivers like Ganga, Narmada, Godawari, Sindhu and Kaaveri in the Kalash. Revere cow, Brahmins, Rudra and Lord Vishnu. Thereafter chant this mantra for Lord Ganesha – Aum Ganpataye namah, vighanrajaye namah, gajvaktraaye namah, parshu hastaye namah, Parvati nandnaaye namah and siddhivinaaykaaye namah. Then make eight corners on the plate or the land to revere Indra in the east, Agni in the south-east, Yama in the south, Nairiti in the south-west, Varun in the west, Kuber in the north, Ishaan in the north-east. 6 Worship Uma-Maheshwar, Lakshmi-Narayan, Mahadev Ji and Goma Brahmani, Shivsharma Brahman, Navraj, Chandravati and Laavanyavati. Shree Swasthani Mataji should be worshipped in the middle of that Ashtadal where Omkar is written. Pray to her with flowers and rice in hand and request her to take a place there. Then bathe the deity with milk, curd, ghee, sugar and fresh water. Then offer as per your capacity clothes, rice, jaun, til, flower, tilak, dori, vatta, chuda jewellery, sindoor etc. Then light the dhoop and offer sweets to Mataji. Do her aarti with shankh (conch) and ghanti. Mataji should be in your thoughts during this time. Pray to her by saying – “Glittering as gold, the three-eyed, whose face is like a lotus flower, who sits on the throne, attached with all ornaments, the four-armed, who has neelkamal in the upper left hand, varada in the upper right hand, khadaga in the lower left hand, charma in the lower right hand, such a powerful goddess; we remember you the divine being”. Pray to Mataji and request her to cleanse your conscience and fulfil your desires as she does for all her devotees. Hey Mataji– cleanse me, take away all my worries, bestow me with good health, progeny, money and worldly happiness and contentment. Bless me so that I remember you here and hereafter. Request her to fulfil your innermost greatest desire. Pray to her– “Mataji, I have nothing majestic to offer to you. Please accept whatever little I am offering to you and be happy on me. Take me away from bad deeds and accept the Gangajal (water of river Ganga)”. Then take a Parikrama (circle) of the 108 things that you have offered her and bow to her. Then offer food and donation to the Brahmans. The 108-numbered Prashad should be distributed to the husband or son or friend’s son. If no one is available pour it in the river. The men should give this to the son or brother or father or in the river. Chant Mataji’s name in the evening. Every day when you start the pooja, take rice, black til, jaun, sindoor in hand and offer to her. Collect this offered samagri (material) at one place and flow it in the river after the completion of one month. This is the complete process of undertaking this fast.