Magh Amavasya Fast Story

Once upon a time, in the city of Kanchi Puri, a Brahmin named Devswami lived with his wife, Dhanvati. They had seven sons and one daughter named Malti. The Brahmin’s sons were all married, but he was worried about arranging his daughter's marriage. When he showed Malti’s birth chart to a priest, the priest discovered a defect called "Vedh Dosha," which meant Malti’s husband would die during the seven marriage vows (Saptapadi), leaving her widowed. To fix this issue, the priest advised performing worship of a woman named Soma. The priest explained that Soma was a devoted washerwoman living on an island in the southern sea called Singhal. Her devotion to her husband was so powerful that even Yamraj (the God of death) respected her. Seeking her help would remove Malti's marriage curse. Following the priest’s advice, Devswami’s youngest son traveled with his sister Malti to find Soma. They reached the seaside but worried about crossing the ocean. While resting under a tree, a family of vultures noticed them. That evening, the young vultures requested their mother to help the siblings. With the mother vulture’s aid, the brother and sister reached Soma. Every morning, the siblings cleaned Soma’s house, sweeping and mopping it. Soma noticed her home was unusually tidy and asked her daughters-in-law about it. When they denied doing the cleaning, Soma stayed awake one night to uncover the truth and saw the siblings cleaning her house. After hearing their story, Soma agreed to help them and traveled with them to Kanchi Puri. Before leaving, she instructed her family that if anyone died in her absence, they should keep the body safe and wait for her return. On Malti’s wedding day, during the seven vows (Saptapadi), her husband died as predicted. Soma immediately transferred all her accumulated spiritual merits to Malti, bringing her husband back to life. Soma blessed them and returned home. However, giving away her merits caused her own husband, son, and son-in-law to pass away. While returning, Soma worshipped Lord Vishnu near a sacred Peepal tree and circled it 108 times. As she completed the circumambulations, her family members were revived. This story highlights the significance of the Magh Amavasya Vrat, demonstrating its ability to fulfill wishes and overcome challenges through devotion and faith.