In ancient times, there lived a woman named Karva in a village. She was a devoted woman. One day Karva’s husband went to the river to take bath. As soon as she entered the river, a crocodile appeared and caught hold of her husband’s leg. The crocodile started dragging him slowly into the river. Karva’s husband became frightened and seeing his life in danger, started calling Karva loudly.
Hearing her husband’s voice, Karwa reached the river bank, where the crocodile was about to take her husband’s life. Karva had a thread in his hand. He immediately tied the crocodile with that thread. Then Karva went to Yamraj. Karva told Yamraj that the crocodile had caught hold of her husband’s leg. Karva prayed to Yamraj to send the crocodile to hell for the crime of holding her husband’s leg.
Yamraj said to Karva, “O Goddess, I cannot do this even if I want to, because there is still life left in the crocodile.” Karva told Yamraj that if he did not do so, she would curse him. Hearing Karva’s words, Yamraj became emotional and went with Karva to the river where the crocodile had held the leg of Karna’s husband. Yamraj sent the crocodile back to Yampuri and seeing Karwa’s fearlessness and devotion to her husband, blessed her husband with long life. All women observing the fast of Karva Chauth should read this story and with folded hands, pray to Karva Mata, “O Karva Mata, just as you protected your husbands, protect everyone’s husbands.”
Second story of Karva Chauth
Veervati, the married daughter of a Veddharma Brahmin of Shakaprasthapur, also observed the fast of Karva Chauth. Since during the fast of Karva Chauth one has to eat food only after moonrise, Veervati also wanted to eat, but she could not bear the hunger and became distraught. Her brothers could not bear to see their sister hungry. He showed the moonrise by spreading beautiful lights of fireworks under a Peepal tree and forced Veeravati to break her fast before the moonrise. As a result, Veeravati’s husband died. Thereafter, Veeravati observed a fast on every Chaturthi for twelve months and on Karva Chauth regained her husband by her penance.