Hartalika Teej Fast Story

According to beliefs, Lord Shiva once narrated the story of Hartalika Teej Vrat to Goddess Parvati to remind her of her previous birth. The story begins with the birth of Goddess Parvati, named Uma, as the daughter of King Himalaya. Since she was the daughter of the mountain king, she came to be known as Parvati. From a young age, Parvati was determined to marry Lord Shiva. To fulfill this wish, she began worshiping him and undertook intense penance for several years. Her father, King Himalaya, became worried about her hardships and started thinking about her marriage. One day, Sage Narada visited King Himalaya, who shared his concern about finding a suitable groom for Parvati. Narada suggested that Lord Vishnu would be the best match for her. Overjoyed, King Himalaya agreed and informed Parvati about the decision to marry her to Lord Vishnu. Hearing this, Parvati became deeply upset, as she had already accepted Lord Shiva as her life partner in her heart. She shared her sorrow with her friend, who decided to help her. Parvati’s friend took her to a dense forest and hid her in a cave. There, Parvati created a Shivling from sand and began worshiping Lord Shiva with intense devotion. It is said that she performed this worship on the Shukla Tritiya of Bhadrapada month under the Hasta Nakshatra, observing a Nirjala Vrat (fast without water). Impressed by her devotion and sincerity, Lord Shiva appeared and granted her the boon of fulfilling her wish. Parvati completed her fast and broke it with proper rituals. Meanwhile, King Himalaya reached the cave while searching for his daughter. Parvati explained the reason for leaving home and told her father that Lord Shiva had accepted her as his consort. Realizing her unwavering devotion, King Himalaya sought forgiveness from Lord Vishnu and agreed to let Parvati marry Lord Shiva. Eventually, the wedding was conducted with proper rituals, bringing Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati together as husband and wife. This marks the story of their reunion and the significance of Hartalika Teej Vrat.