Anant Chaturdashi is considered very important in Hindu religion. Along with worship, there is also a tradition of observing fast on this day. This fast is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is believed that the worship and fasting done on this day pleases God and gives infinite results. If you recite Shri Vishnu Sahastranam Stotra on the day of Anant Chaturdashi fast, then all your wishes are fulfilled. Besides this, this fast is also observed for the wish of wealth, happiness and children.
How to worship on Anant Chaturdashi?
- On the day of Anant Chaturdashi, wake up in the morning, take bath and take a pledge to fast.
- After this, worship Anant Chaturdashi at home or temple.
- To perform puja at home, clean the puja room thoroughly, sprinkle Ganga water and install the Kalash.
- Place a vessel in the Kalash and establish Anant made from Kush in it. If it is not possible to make Anant from Kush, then you can also keep a picture of Lord Vishnu.
- After this, to prepare Anant Sutra, color a thread with kumkum, saffron and turmeric, tie fourteen knots in it and offer it in front of the picture of Lord Vishnu.
- Now worship God with turmeric, Akshat, flowers, fruits, Nevaidya, Panchopachar etc. and in the worship, read the fast story of Anant Chaturdashi and perform Aarti of God.
- After the puja is over, tie Anant Sutra on your arm.
- If you are a man then tie Anant Sutra on your right hand and if you are a woman then tie Anant Sutra on your left hand.
- After this, accept the Prasad only after feeding or donating to the Brahmin as per your capacity.
Story of Anant Chaturdashi
In ancient times, there was a Vashishtha Gotri sage Sumantu. His daughter’s name was Sheela. The daughter’s qualities were as per her name. Sumantu married her to Kaundinya Muni. Kaundinya Muni was returning to his home after marrying Sumantu Muni’s daughter and on the way, seeing the women observing Anant fast on the banks of the river, Sheela also observed Anant fast and tied the Anant Sutra on her arm, with the effect of which some women died. Within a few days, his house became full of wealth and grains.
Pride of Kaundinya
One day Kaundinya Muni’s eyes fell on the thread tied to his wife’s arm, seeing which the sage said to the woman – Have you tied this thread to control me? Then Sheela said no, this is the formula of the eternal God. But Kaundinya Muni, intoxicated with opulence, broke it and threw it in the fire. As a result of which, within a short time, their condition became miserable. After realizing his mistake, to remedy his mistake, Anant left home and went to the forest to seek forgiveness from God and went there and started worshiping to please Lord Shri Anant.
Lord Vishnu came to guide
Frustrated at not getting God’s blessings even after worshiping for many days, he was about to die by hanging himself from the branch of a tree, when an old Brahmin appeared there and stopped him and said, let’s go to the cave and meet the eternal God. I take darshan. In the guise of an old man, Lord Shri Anant took him to the cave and appeared in his four-armed form and said – To correct the mistake of disrespecting the Anant Sutra, you should observe an eternal fast for fourteen years, this will help you in recovering your destroyed property. Kaundinya Muni accepted it wholeheartedly. As the years passed by the grace of Lord Shri Anant, Kaundinya Muni regained his wealth and opulence.