page no. foreword 2 items used for sri satyanaaraayan's vrat kathaa

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[72] vin apraadham sri krishno mani chouryaa api vaadavaan
niveditam asheshen punya sloks shiro mane
[73] yukte yat kuru raajendra tyuktavaa tushanim babhuva sa
srutvaa tu nishchitam krutvaa tayor bandhan mochnam
[74] kaaryitvaa tu kshurikam kaaryaamaas naapiteiha
snaapyaamaas surbhi teile rudharta nei stathaa
[75] bhoj yitvaa tu bhojyen raaj alankaar vaahaneiha
mahaa raha vastraa bharanehe pujyamaas bhupatihi
[76] abravit pujitou Saadhur jaamaatraa sahito nrupam
Saadhu uvaach: kaaraagaare bahu vidham dukh mapta mataha param
[77] aagnaapaya mahaaraaj ! desham yaantum krupaanidhe
srutvaa tad vachanam raaja praah koshaadhikaarinim
[78] tarni bhyo dhanam nitam taahaa pari purya
raajaa kimkara iti yukta stathaa chakre ati maanyan
[79] premanaa tou yaapyaa maas svadesham dharni patihi
jaamaatraa sahitam Saadhum geet vaaditra mangaleha
Sutpuraani said : O Shaunak and munis ! I will relay to you the story of a trader by the name of
Saadhu who was greatly impressed by the preaching of King Chandrachud. Once King
Chandrachud was performing Satyanaaraayan's pujaa with his family and friends. At that time,
Saadhu the trader happened to pass by on the river with seven of his big boats filled with great
wealth. There he happened to see canopies occupied by humans of all races, the covers of
which were studded with jewels. He heard the sound of Vedic mantras, songs being sung and
musical instruments played. Upon noticing this he asked his helmsman to stop there to enquire.
The helmsman accordingly stopped the boats.
With his chief man, Saadhu alighted from the boat and respectfully asked the people gathered
about the nature of the gathering and admiring the decorations he entered the main canopy.
There he bowed to the king and all honourable people and asked which vrat was being
performed.
The audience replied :
" We are performing with our families Sri Satyanaaraayan's pujaa. Please be seated, listen to
the kathaa and partake the prasaadam."
Thereupon the trader Saadhu asked of the benefit of Sri Satyanaaraayan's pujaa and its
procedure. The gathered people said even Brahma was not capable of relating the full effect of
the vrat.
"Nevertheless we will tell you in short. The one who gets to perform this kathaa, if he is without
wealth he acquires wealth, childless is bestowed with children, those deposed from the throne
obtain kingdom, the blind obtain sight, those imprisoned gain freedom, the frightened lose their
fear. Whatever just desires that one has become fulfilled."