Sree Anantha Padma naabha vratha kalpamu…story to be read

Sage Sootha started telling the story to Sage Sounaka and his disciples. Hey,Sages!there is a vratha or ritual to be conducted by humans to avoid poverty and problems. Ages ago,Dharmaraju was observing aranyavasamu ie living in the woods along with his brothers.They were facing so many hardships at that time.One day he came across Sree Krishna.He told him about his problems and asked for a way out. Sree krishna replied him.Hey Dharmaraja!There is Anantha padmanabha vratham which comes on Bhaadrapada sukla chathurdasi.It showers name,fame,riches,happiness,continuity of progeny and contentment to those who perform it or listen it. Dharmaraju was eager to know all the answers to all his questions.He asked him.hey Krishna!who is this Anantha padmanaabha?Is he Adiseshu?Is he thakshaka?Is he Brahma?Is he incarnation of the Almighty? Sree Krishna replied.Hey Dharmaraja!I am Anantha padmanaabha!I come up to absolve the humanity from the bad.Now I am here as Vasudevas son.You can know me as Krishna,Vishnu,Harihara brahma,Almighty,Anantha padmanaabha,mathsya koorma varaaha avathaaras.Entire universe is within me and I am its master. Dharmaraju asked him.Hey Krishna!how should I perform this pooja?What is the benefit of doing it?Whom should I pray?On which prticular day should I perform it?Did anyone perform it earlier? Krishna started to tell.Once upon a time,There was a brahmin ,Sumanthudu,who was well versed.Bhrugu maharshis daughter,Deekshaadevi,was his wife.They had a daughter named Seela.After some time,Deekshaa devi passed away due to illness.To continue doing vedic rituals,he needed a wife.So,he married a woman named Karkasa.She was not plain and good natured.She was trouble shooter and had bad intentions all the time to hurt others. Seela grew up to be a nice,calm and composed and god fearing girl.Sage Koundinya came to their house.Sumanthudu invited him with due respect and gave away his daughter,Seela,to him in marriage.When they were ready to leave,he gave them pela pindi ie dough. Newly weds aboarded a chariot and left.En route they stopped at a place near a lake.There,Seela observed many women performing pooja and were all clad in red clothes.She went to them and enquired as to what they were doing.They gave her these details.We are ll performing Anantha padmanaabha swamy vratham for well being of all of us.It is to be conducted on Bhaadrapada sukla chathurdasi. You should take bath and wear clean clothes.You should prepare a neat place to perform pooja and put a kalasa in the centre of the stage.You should put Darbha or grass in the kalash and think that it is Anantha padmanabha swamy. slokamu ......... Kruthvaa darbhamayamdevam swethadveepe sdhitham harim/ Samanvitham sapthaphanaih pingalaaksham chathurbhujam// While reciting the above sholka,you have to consider Him as swethadveepivaasi,Pingalaaksha,Sapthaphani sahitha,sankhachakra gadaadhara and pray.One has to do entire process as per kalpoktha prakaara with shodasopachaara pooja.One has to do parikrama or pradakshina namaskara.Then you have to place the thora with fourteen knots before the deity.We have to make twenty eight ariselu or athirasas and keep offerings before him.Of them,fourteen athirasas should be given to brahmin.Other fourteen are for us.Everything we offer to Him should be fourteen in count.Every year we have to do this vratham. on hearing this,Seela was excited to perform this pooja.She took a dip in the pond,tied the sacred thread and performed pooja with the help of other women there.She conpleted the pooja satisfactorily.she offered the dough to the deity and to the brahmin.Then she left to her home along with her husband. by the time they went home,their entire house was filled with riched and bounties.They were so happy.It was all because of performing Anantha padmanabha vratham.couple were leading a happy,prosperous and contented life. One day,Koundinya saw the sacred knot she was wearing.He questioned her integrity and character that she was wearing it to bewitch him or some other person.She told him the truth but he would not believe it.He snatched the sacred thread and threw it into the flames.Seela ran and removed the sacred thread from the fire and cooled it by putting it in milk. After few days,their downfall started.thieves looted their house and took away their wealth.Their house got burnt down by fire.They had no place to live.No one was talking to them.Even if they tried,often it erupted into discontentment or fights without any reason. Then,suddenly Koundinya remembered Anantha padmanabha swamy.He wanted to see Him.He wandered aimlessly.On his way,he came across a mango tree full of flowers and fruits.But not even a single bird alighted that tree.He enquired the tree about Anantha padmanabha swamy.Tree replied that it does not kniw any thing. Koundinya went farther.He saw a cow,along with its calf,wandering in the grass.IT WAS UNABLE TO EAT THE GRASS.He asked the cow if she saw Anantha padmanabha swamy.cow answered in negative that she does not know anyone like that.He passed on.He saw an ox in a field.He enquired him bout ANANTHA PADMANABHA SWAMY?ox also did not know anything about that specific person. KOUNDINYA moved on.He came across two ponds connected to each other.They were full and flourishing.HE enquired them about ANANTHA padmanbha swamy and they too answered in negative.KOUNDInya went farther away.THEN!he came across an elephant and a donkey.When he enquired them they too said that they were ignorant about the person he was asking. Koundinya was very grief stricken.He became unconscious with sorrow.THEN Narayana came to him disguised as an old brahmin.He took him to his house.His house was bedecked with gold and diamonds.THEN,LORD PADMANABHA SWAMY SHOWED HIS REAL STATURE AND FORM to Koundinya. Then KOUNDINYA PRAISED THE Lord. Namonamasthe vaikunta sreevathsa subhalaanchana thvannaamasmaranaa thpaapamasesham nah pranasyathi, Namonamasthe govindaa naaraayana janaardana// Lord told Koundinya that he was pleased.He gave boon to him that he would live in riches,health,wealth,and continuation of progeny. KOUNDINYA THEN asked him about the mango tree,cow,ox,ponds,elephant and the donkey and the brahmin. Padmanabha swamy started thus.Hey brahmin!LONG TIME AGO THERE WAS A BRAHMIN.He was well versed in all the scriptures.BUT he was arrogant and did not part his knowledge to anyone.That is why he was born as a mango tree in a forest where no one can eat the fruits. There was a rich man.BUT in his entire life ,he never gave any donations or give food to the needy and brahmins.THAT IS WHY HE WAS BORN AS a cow which is umable to eat the grass though it is near the food. THERE was another person who was rich.BUT he donated waste and dry lands to the poor.HE is born as an ox and wandering in the forest aimlessly. two ponds which you saw are Dharma and Adharma. Another person was blaming and hurting people unnecessarily.HE IS BORN AS A DONKEY. Another person sold the lands which were donated by his forefathers to the downtrodden.He became rich and wealthy like that.SO,he is born as an elephant.BRAHMIN YOU SAW IS ME ONLY. Vishnu continued like this.HEY brahmin,you continue this Ananthapadmanabha vratham for fourteen years.You will secure the status of a star in the gallaxy.KOUNDINYA CAME HOME HAPPILY AND TOLD HIS WIFE WHAT HAD HAPPENED.They performed the vratham for fourteen years.They lived in harmony with wealth,children and happiness.THEY later attained moksha. Krishna told Dharmaraja.Hey Dharmaraja!you can see KOUNDINYA as a star in the gallaxy.EARLIER sage Agasthya performed this vratham.Sagara,Dileep,Bharatha,Harischandra,Janaka and many more kings performed this vratham succesfully and to their utmost benefit. ALL THE PEOPLE who perform this vratha,all those who hear this story would prosper and attain moksha in the end. THIS IS THE STORY TOLD IN BHAVISHYOTHTHARA PURAANAM AND IT IS THUS COMPLETE.