There was once a wealthy merchant. He had seven sons and one daughter. She was the beloved sister of all seven brothers. They would all sit together and eat their meals.
One day, the fourth day of Kartik (Karwa Chauth) arrived, and the sister observed the Karwa Chauth fast. All the brothers came to eat and said to their sister, "Come, sister, you should eat too."
Their mother said, "Today she will not eat. She is observing the Karwa Chauth fast. She will eat only after the moon rises."
The brothers could not bear to see their sister hungry and thirsty. So they deceived her by lighting a fire in the forest and showing it through a sieve as a false moon. Then she said to her sisters-in-law, "Come, sisters-in-law, the moon has risen. Offer the arghya (water offering)."
Her sisters-in-law replied, "That may be your moon. Our moon will rise at night."
Hearing this, and at the insistence of her brothers, she offered arghya to the moon and sat down to eat. When she broke her first morsel, a hair came out of it. When she broke the second morsel, she sneezed. When she broke the third morsel, a message arrived from the king's house saying that the king's son was ill and that the girl should be sent immediately.
The mother opened the chest three times to take out clothes for her daughter to wear. All three times, white clothes came out. So she dressed her daughter in white clothes and sent her to her in-laws' house. The mother tied a gold coin into the end of her daughter's sari and said, "On the way, bow at the feet of everyone you meet. Whoever blesses you with the blessing of a long and fortunate married life, give that person the gold coin and tie a knot in your pallu."
As she traveled, she bowed at everyone's feet, but no one gave her the blessing of marital fortune. When she arrived at her in-laws' house, her youngest sister-in-law was standing at the door. She bowed at her feet, and the younger sister-in-law blessed her, saying, "May you remain married, may you be blessed with children, may you become the mother of seven sons, and may you enjoy the happiness of my brother."
Then she gave the gold coin to her younger sister-in-law and tied a knot in her pallu. After that, she went inside and saw that her husband was lying dead.
She stayed with him in a room and remained there. For an entire year, she served him. Her mother-in-law would send leftover bread through a maidservant. In this way, a whole year passed while she continued serving her husband.
Then Karwa Chauth arrived again. All the women in the neighborhood bathed and prepared for the Karwa Chauth fast. They washed their hair, applied henna to their hands, and wore bangles. She watched them all.
One neighbor said, "You should also observe the Karwa Chauth fast." She replied, "How can I?" The neighbor said, "By the grace of Chauth Mata, everything will become well again." Following her advice, she also observed the fast.
After a while, a woman selling karvas (earthen pots used in the ritual) came calling, "Buy karvas, O women, buy karvas! Beloved sisters of brothers, buy karvas!"
The woman said, "O seller of karvas, give me some karvas too." The seller replied, "My second sister will come; she will give you karvas." Then the second sister came calling, "Buy karvas, O women, buy karvas! Beloved sisters of brothers, buy karvas!" "O seller of karvas, give me some karvas too." She replied, "My third sister will come; she will give them to you."
In this way, five sisters came and went, but none of them gave her any karvas. Then the sixth sister came and said, "My seventh sister will come and she will give you karvas. Just scatter thorns all along the path. When she comes shouting loudly, a thorn will prick her foot. Then sit ready with a needle. Hold her foot and do not let go. Remove the thorn from her foot. Then she will bless you, saying, 'May your brother live, may your husband live.' When she blesses you, ask her for the karvas. Then she will give them to you. After that, perform the Ujman (completion ritual), and your husband will be restored to health."
She did exactly as instructed. She scattered thorns all along the path. When the seventh sister came shouting loudly with the karvas, a thorn pierced her foot. The woman held her foot and would not let go until she removed the thorn.
The sister then blessed her. The woman said, "Since you have blessed me, you must also give me the karvas." The sister replied, "You have tricked me!" But she still gave her the karvas.
Taking the karvas, the woman prepared for the Ujman. She observed the fast. The king's son recovered and said, "I slept for a very long time." She replied, "You did not merely sleep. It has been twelve months that I have spent serving you."
Then she performed the Ujman of Chauth Mata properly. She listened to the story of Chauth Mata and completed the ritual.
Afterward, the husband and wife began playing chaupar (a traditional board game). Meanwhile, the maidservant arrived carrying oil and a lump of jaggery. Seeing them playing together, she went to the mother-in-law and said, "There is great festivity in the palace. Your daughter-in-law is happily playing chaupar."
Hearing this, the mother-in-law came to see for herself. When she saw them both together, she became very happy. The daughter-in-law massaged her mother-in-law's feet, and the mother-in-law said, "Daughter-in-law, tell me truthfully, what did you do?" The daughter-in-law told her the entire story.
Then the king had a proclamation made throughout the city that all married women should observe the Karwa Chauth fast for the protection and long life of their husbands. The first Ujman of the karva should be performed at their parental home.
Thus ends the Karwa Chauth Vrat Katha.