English
The Story of Ahoi Ashtami
Source: Traditional vrat katha (Ahoi Ashtami)
Long, long ago a merchant lived in a town. His wife was good-hearted and hardworking. They had seven sons, and the house was always full of laughter.
Diwali was coming and the house had to be plastered afresh. One day in the dark fortnight of Kartik, the merchant's wife went towards the forest to fetch clay, and began digging with a spade beside a mound.
Inside that mound was the den of a syahu, a porcupine, where her little ones lay asleep. The merchant's wife had no idea. Her spade went deep… and one of the syahu's cubs was killed by the blow.
When she saw what had happened, her heart trembled. She had never wished harm on any creature. With a heavy heart she carried the clay home, but the sight would not leave her eyes.
When the mother syahu returned and found her cub lifeless, her grief filled the whole forest. One mother's sorrow fell like a shadow across another mother's life.
Time passed, and sorrow after sorrow came to the merchant's house. The katha says that within a year all seven of his sons left this world, one after another. The courtyard that had rung with children's voices fell silent.
One day the broken-hearted mother sat with the elderly women of the village and, weeping, told them what had happened in the forest: “Without knowing it, I emptied a mother's lap.”
The elderly women listened carefully. Then one of them said kindly, “Sister, you have not hidden your fault; you have owned it with a true heart. Half your burden is already lifted.”
They showed her the way: “On the Ashtami of Kartik's dark fortnight, keep the fast of Ahoi Mata. Draw Ahoi Mata on the wall, and beside her draw the syahu and her cubs. Worship them, ask forgiveness for your mistake, and in the evening break your fast by offering arghya to the stars.”
She did exactly that. On Ashtami she fasted without water with all her heart. With red ochre she drew Ahoi Mata on the wall, and beside her the syahu and her cubs. Tears flowed as she worshipped. In the evening, when the first stars shone in the sky, she offered them arghya, and only then did she drink water.
Folding her hands she prayed, “Mother, I never meant harm to anyone, yet a tiny life was lost to my spade. Forgive me, and keep every mother's lap safe.”
She resolved to keep this fast not for one year but every year. And she vowed that from then on she would be careful and kind towards every living creature.
Ahoi Mata was pleased with her true devotion and repentance. The goddess appeared to her and blessed her, and by her grace the merchant's wife was blessed with seven sons again. Her empty courtyard filled once more with children's laughter.
Since then mothers keep the Ahoi Ashtami fast for the long life and happiness of their children, worship Ahoi Mata and the syahu, and listen to this story. In many homes a small silver syahu is made on this day and strung on a thread to be worn like a pendant, a token of blessing for the children.
What this story teaches
Owning up even to an unknowing mistake takes courage. Sincere repentance, compassion and faith bring light back into life.
Ahoi Ashtami falls on Kartik Krishna Ashtami, about four days after Karwa Chauth. Mothers fast through the day for their children, worship Ahoi Mata and the syahu drawn on the wall in the evening, hear the katha, and break the fast with arghya when the stars appear (in some families, after moonrise). Another version is also told, in which it is the merchant's daughter who digs the clay, and her youngest sister-in-law wins the syahu's blessing through her service.
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