Shri Sut Ji said - The Sadhu merchant after performing Mangalcharan and giving money to the Brahmins, left for his city. When the Sadhu went some distance, Lord Satyanarayan became curious to test his truthfulness - 'Sadhu! What is your boat filled with?' Then both the merchants, intoxicated with wealth, laughed disdainfully and said - 'Dandin! Why are you asking? Do you want to take some money? Our boat is filled with creepers and leaves etc.' Hearing such cruel words - 'May what you say come true' - saying this, the Lord, taking the form of a Dandi Sanyasi, went some distance and sat near the sea.
After the Dandi left, the Sadhu was very surprised to see the boat floating upwards in the water after performing his daily rituals and on seeing the creepers and leaves etc. in the boat, he fell unconscious on the ground. On regaining consciousness, the merchant's son became worried. Then his son-in-law said - 'Why are you mourning? The Dandi has cursed us, in this situation if he wishes, he can do everything, there is no doubt in this. So let us go to him for shelter, only then will our wish be fulfilled.' On hearing the words of his son-in-law, the saintly merchant went to him and on seeing the Dandi there, he bowed to him with devotion and said respectfully - Whatever I have said in front of you, I have committed the sin of speaking a lie, please forgive me for that sin - saying this, he bowed repeatedly and became overwhelmed with great grief.
The Dandi, seeing him crying, said - 'O fool! Do not cry, listen to me. Due to being indifferent to my worship and by my order only, you have repeatedly received pain.' On hearing such words of the Lord, he started praising him.
The saint said - 'O Lord! It is surprising that due to being fascinated by your Maya, even gods like Brahma are not able to know your qualities and forms as they are, then how can I, a fool, know them due to being fascinated by your Maya! May you be pleased. I will worship you according to my wealth. I have come to your refuge. Please protect me and all my wealth which was in the boat.' Hearing the devotional words of that merchant, Lord Janardan was pleased.
Lord Hari granted him the desired boon and disappeared there itself. After that, the saint boarded his boat and seeing it full of wealth and grains, he said, 'Our wish has been fulfilled by the grace of Lord Satyadev' - saying this, he worshipped the Lord with his relatives. By the grace of Lord Sri Satyanarayan, he was filled with joy and after carefully handling the boat, he left for his country. The saintly merchant said to his son-in-law - 'Look there! My city Ratnapuri is visible'. After this, he sent the messenger who was the protector of his wealth to his city to give the news of his arrival.
After that the messenger went to the city and on seeing the wife of the sadhu folded his hands and greeted her and told her the desired thing - 'Seth ji has arrived near the city with his son-in-law and relatives, having got a lot of wealth and grains.' Hearing this from the mouth of the messenger, she was overwhelmed with great joy and that sadhu after worshipping Shri Satyanarayan said to her daughter - 'I am going to see the sadhu, you come soon.' Hearing such words from her mother, Kalavati also left to see her husband after ending her fast and abandoning the Prasad. This angered Lord Satyanarayan and he kidnapped her husband and the boat along with the wealth and drowned it in the water.
After this, Kalavati girl fell on the ground crying with great sorrow on not seeing her husband. Seeing the disappearance of the boat and the girl being very sad, the sadhu merchant thought with a frightened mind - what is this surprise? All those who were steering the boat also became worried. Thereafter, Lilavati also became upset after seeing the girl and while lamenting with great sorrow, she said to her husband - 'How did he disappear along with the boat just now? Who knows due to the neglect of which god the boat was taken away or who can know the greatness of Shri Satyanarayan!' Saying this, she started lamenting with her relatives and Kalavati started crying holding the girl in her lap.
Kalavati girl also became sad on the death of her husband and she decided in her mind to follow him by taking her husband's sandals. Seeing this kind of behavior of the girl, that religious saint merchant along with his wife became very sad and started thinking - either Lord Satyanarayan has kidnapped her or we all have been fascinated by the illusion of Lord Satyadev. I will worship Lord Shri Satyanarayan according to my financial capacity. Calling everyone and saying this, he expressed his heart's desire and bowed down to Lord Satyadev again and again. This pleased Lord Satyadev, the protector of the poor. The devotee-loving Lord said kindly - 'Your daughter had left the Prasad and had gone to see her husband, surely this is the reason why her husband has disappeared. If he goes home and comes back after taking the Prasad, then O virtuous merchant! There is no doubt that your daughter will get her husband back.
On hearing such a voice from the sky, daughter Kalavati also went home quickly and took the Prasad. Coming back, she saw her relatives and her husband. Then daughter Kalavati said to her father - 'Let us go home now, why are we delaying?' On hearing this from the daughter, the merchant's son became satisfied and after worshipping Lord Satyanarayan with rituals, went to his home with wealth and relatives. Thereafter, after enjoying happiness in this world by worshipping Lord Satyanarayan on the full moon and Sankranti festivals, he finally went to Satyapur Vaikunthalok.
Shri Satyanarayanvrat Katha Fourth Complete
