कथा
The Chhath vrat katha is read or recited during the four days of Chhath Puja, which in 2026 falls from 13 to 16 November. It tells who Chhathi Maiya is and why families worship her alongside Surya. The best-known version comes from the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, and several folk stories from Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh sit beside it. Here are both, clearly labelled.
Who is Chhathi Maiya?
Chhathi Maiya is identified with Devi Shashthi, the goddess of the sixth day, who protects children and grants offspring. In the Puranic tradition she is Devasena, born from the mind of Brahma and wife of Kartikeya, and she is counted among the forms of Prakriti, the divine mother. Popular belief in Bihar also calls her the sister of Surya, which is why the sun and the goddess are worshipped together on the same riverbank. That family link is a folk tradition rather than a Puranic statement.
The Chhath vrat katha of King Priyavrata
The Brahma Vaivarta Purana (Prakriti Khanda) tells of King Priyavrata, son of Svayambhuva Manu, and his queen Malini, who had no children. The sage Kashyapa performed a sacrifice for them, and the queen conceived. But the child was born lifeless. Grief-stricken, the king carried the body to the cremation ground and was ready to give up his own life.
At that moment a radiant goddess appeared in a celestial chariot. She said she was Shashthi, the sixth form of Prakriti, protector of children. She took the child in her arms, and he came back to life. She told Priyavrata that if he worshipped her and spread her worship among his people, she would protect their children. The king did so on the sixth day of the bright fortnight, and from then on Shashthi puja became a rite for the welfare of children and family.
Folk stories told on the ghats
Several other stories are told at Chhath, and each belongs to regional tradition. One says Sita kept the vrat at Munger after returning to Ayodhya, praying to the sun for blessings on Rama’s reign. Another says Draupadi and the Pandavas observed it during their exile, on the advice of the sage Dhaumya, and won back their kingdom. A third points to Karna, the son of Surya, who stood in water every day offering prayers to his father (Surya and the birth of Karna). These stories explain why the arghya is offered standing in water.
How the katha is used during the vrat
Families usually hear the katha on Kharna evening or before the Sandhya Arghya, when the vratis gather at the ghat with their baskets of thekua and fruit. Elder women often lead the telling, followed by Chhath songs addressed to Chhathi Maiya and Surya. No priest is required: the vrati speaks directly to the goddess and the sun.
The meaning of the story
At its heart, the Chhath vrat katha is about a mother’s protection and a family’s gratitude. Priyavrata’s son is saved not by wealth or power but by sincere worship, and the festival keeps that promise alive: discipline and devotion offered for the health of one’s children. Read about the festival itself on our Chhath Puja page.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Chhathi Maiya?
Chhathi Maiya is identified with Devi Shashthi, protector of children, who in the Puranas is Devasena, wife of Kartikeya. Folk tradition in Bihar also calls her the sister of Surya.
What is the story of Chhath Puja?
The best-known katha, from the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, tells how Devi Shashthi revived the stillborn son of King Priyavrata and asked him to spread her worship.
When is the Chhath vrat katha read?
It is usually heard on Kharna evening or before the Sandhya Arghya, when the family gathers at the ghat.
Why is Chhath celebrated on the sixth day?
Chhath is held on Shashthi, the sixth day of the bright half of Kartik, and the goddess worshipped is Shashthi, whose name means the sixth.
स्रोत और आगे पढ़ें
पढ़ें हमारी संपादकीय नीति कि शास्त्र, पुराण और लोक परंपरा को कैसे चिह्नित किया जाता है।