बुधवार व्रत कथा

How the fast is kept
On Wednesday morning, bathe and wear clean clothes, green if you can. Think of Ganesh ji and Budh dev and take the vow of the fast.
Offer durva grass, flowers and laddoos or modaks to Ganesh ji, and light a lamp.
Chant “Om Gan Ganapataye Namah” and read or listen to this story with a calm mind.
In the evening, do the aarti and share the prasad. As your health allows, eat one meal that day; some families also give green moong as charity.

The story
In a town called Samtapur there lived a rich man named Madhusudan. He was married to Sangeeta, a lovely and good-natured girl from the town of Balrampur. After the wedding, Sangeeta had gone to stay at her parents’ home for a while.

One day Madhusudan reached Balrampur to bring his wife home. That day was a Wednesday. He told his in-laws that he wanted to take Sangeeta with him that very day. His in-laws gently explained, “Son, today is Wednesday. We do not send a daughter off on a Wednesday, and we do not set out on a journey for any good work on this day.” But Madhusudan would not listen. He said, “I do not believe in such ideas of lucky and unlucky days.” Because he insisted so much, his in-laws sadly let the two of them leave.

Madhusudan and Sangeeta set off in a bullock cart. They had gone only a little way when one wheel of the cart broke. So the two of them went on foot. On the way Sangeeta became very thirsty. Madhusudan seated her in the shade of a tree and went to fetch water.

When he came back with the water a little later, he was shocked. Next to Sangeeta sat another man who looked exactly like him. Sangeeta was just as confused to see the two of them. She could not tell which one was her real husband.

Madhusudan asked the man, “Who are you, and why are you sitting with my wife?” The man said, “Brother, this is my wife Sangeeta. I have just brought her home from her parents’ house. But who are you to ask such a thing?” Madhusudan said, “You must be some cheat. I left her here and went to fetch water.” The man replied, “You are the one who is lying. I am the one who went for water when she was thirsty, and I have already given her a drink.”

The argument grew, and the two began to quarrel. Hearing the noise, many people gathered. Soldiers of the town came too. They caught both men and took them to the king. The king heard the whole story, but he too could not decide who was telling the truth. Sangeeta could not recognise her real husband either. In the end the king ordered both men to be put in prison.

Hearing this, the real Madhusudan was frightened. In his heart he called on God. Just then a voice spoke from the sky: “Madhusudan, you did not listen to Sangeeta’s parents and set out from your in-laws’ home on a Wednesday. All this is the leela of Budh dev.”

Madhusudan folded his hands and prayed to Budh dev: “O Budh dev, I have made a big mistake. I did not listen to my elders. Please forgive me. From now on I will not make such a journey on a Wednesday, and I will keep your fast every Wednesday.”

Hearing his sincere prayer, Budh dev forgave Madhusudan. At that very moment the other man vanished before everyone’s eyes. The king and all the people were amazed at this miracle. The king sent Madhusudan and Sangeeta on their way with honour.

A little further on, they found their bullock cart. Its broken wheel was whole again. The two of them sat in it and reached Samtapur. After that, Madhusudan and Sangeeta kept the Wednesday fast with faith every week and lived happily.

May Ganesh ji and Budh dev give everyone good sense, and teach us to listen to our elders.
Bolo Shri Ganesh ji ki Jai! Bolo Budh dev ki Jai!