🌕 Purnima Vrat (Satyanarayan Katha) Vrat Katha
The story
The five chapters of the Satyanarayan katha (Skanda Purana, Reva Khanda) are read on Purnima — Vishnu told Narada this simple vrat for the suffering people of Kali Yuga: (1) the poor Brahmin of Kashi — learnt the vrat from Vishnu in an old man's form and grew wealthy; (2) the woodcutter — received the katha prasad at the Brahmin's home, kept the vrat, was happy; (3) King Ulkamukha and the merchant Sadhu — Sadhu vowed the vrat for a child, the daughter Kalavati was born, but he forgot the vrat; (4) Sadhu and his son-in-law were falsely accused of theft and jailed; Kalavati heard the katha, his wife Leelavati kept the vrat — they were freed; on the boat home Sadhu told the Lord (come as a mendicant) that the boat held only 'creepers and leaves' — the wealth really turned into creepers and leaves, and came back after he begged forgiveness and vowed the vrat; (5) Kalavati ran to meet her husband leaving the prasad — the boat sank, when she returned and took the prasad it rose; King Tungadhwaja refused the cowherds' prasad — lost sons and wealth, regained them by taking the prasad.
The lesson: Satyanarayan = truth itself is Narayana — forgetting a vowed vrat, disrespecting/leaving the prasad, lies — bring calamity; the katha, prasad and truth with faith bring happiness; hence distributing the prasad (panjiri-banana-panchamrit) to all and taking it oneself is essential, and one does not get up leaving the katha midway.
The tale of the Moon: wasting from Daksha's curse, the Moon worshipped Shiva at Prabhas, and Shiva placed him on his head and made him full on Purnima — since then Moon and Shiva worship on Purnima; the Moon is lord of the mind, the mother, water and herbs — the Purnima vrat brings peace of mind and the mother's comfort (folk astrology).
Why this katha — the significance
The Moon is at full strength on Purnima — its influence on the mind (Moon) is intense, hence the vrat's restraint and the Moon arghya; the most auspicious day for Vishnu puja and the Satyanarayan katha (Skanda Purana, Reva Khanda) — the katha may be held on any day but Purnima and the Sankranti are best; the fruit of the Purnima bath (Ganga-Yamuna-Narmada) and charity is multiplied.
The vrat rule: the Purnima by the udaya tithi or moonrise-vyapini — the fast on the udaya tithi day, the Satyanarayan katha and Moon arghya on the evening when the Purnima is present at moonrise (usually the same day; sometimes a day earlier — the list above follows the udaya rule, choose the katha evening from the tithi window); paran after seeing the Moon or the next morning.
A weak Moon/Chandra dosha in the chart (restlessness, less comfort from the mother) — the Purnima vrat, the gift of white things (milk-rice-silver-mishri), 'Om Som Somaya Namah', the Shiva abhishek as remedies; women for children, marital fortune and household peace; a vow of 12 Purnimas (a year), the udyapan on Kartika/Magha Purnima.
How the katha is heard
- Hear or read the katha after the puja, before the aarti — the whole family sits together.
- The one keeping the vrat should listen with a calm mind; keep a lamp lit and a little akshat-flowers in hand.
- At the end, offer the flowers at the deity's feet and bow; share the prasad with everyone.
📿 Purnima Vrat (Satyanarayan Katha) puja vidhi (step by step) →
Frequently asked questions
When is the next Purnima? The Purnima dates of {Y}?
Above are the date of the next Purnima, the tithi window and moonrise (Delhi) and the next 12 Purnimas with their month names — by the udaya tithi rule; if the Purnima is split across two days, the vrat on the udaya day, the Satyanarayan katha and Moon arghya on the evening when the Purnima is present at moonrise — see from the tithi window.
Why the Satyanarayan katha on Purnima? Can it be on another day?
The katha may be held on any auspicious day (housewarming, wedding, birthday, the fulfilment of a vow) — but Purnima, the Sankranti, Ekadashi and Thursday are best; on Purnima both Vishnu-Lakshmi and the Moon are strong; if one has vowed a monthly katha, on the evening of every Purnima; if there is no priest anyone in the family may read it.
Why is the panjiri in the 'sava' measure?
In the Satyanarayan katha the prasad is 'savaya' (sava pav/sava kilo/sava paanch) — a little more than the whole — a symbol of gratitude and increase; in the katha the merchant Sadhu suffered for forgetting his vow, hence the vowed prasad is savaya; the measure of the panjiri (semolina-ghee-sugar-banana-Tulsi), the panchamrit too is sava.
What to eat in the Purnima vrat? Is rice allowed?
Yes — there is no rice ban on Purnima as on Ekadashi; fruit in the vrat (fruit-milk-sabudana-makhana), kheer-poori-sabzi-rice after seeing the Moon; waterless only for the healthy and vowed; the prasad (panjiri-panchamrit) first.
What to do on Purnima for Chandra dosha?
A weak/afflicted Moon in the chart (restlessness, sleep, the mother's comfort) — the Purnima vrat, the Moon arghya, 'Om Som Somaya Namah' 108 times, the gift of white things (milk-rice-sugar-silver-pearl), the Shiva abhishek (the Moon rests on Shiva's head), service to the mother; a pearl on a priest's advice; a vow of 12 Purnimas.
Which Purnimas are the big ones?
Kartika (Dev Deepawali, the Ganga bath), Magha (the Maghi bath), Vaishakha (Buddha Purnima), Ashadha (Guru Purnima), Shravana (Raksha Bandhan), Ashwin (Sharad/Kojagari), Phalguna (Holika Dahan), Margashirsha (Dattatreya), Pausha (Shakambhari), Jyeshtha (Vat Savitri/Snana), Chaitra (Hanuman Jayanti), Bhadrapada (the start of Pitru Paksha) — all have their own pages under 'related' or on the hub.
🏠 Purnima Vrat (Satyanarayan Katha) 2026 — date, muhurat, full page · All vrat & festivals