Jitiya Vrat 2024 Katha: Mothers must read this fasting story of eagle and jackal during Jitiya Puja

Jitiya Vrat 2024 Story: Jitiya fast is considered one of the most difficult fasts because mothers do not even consume food or water during this fast. Jitiya, Jiutiya or Jivitputrika fast is observed in eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Mithila etc.

The festival of Jitiya starts from the Saptami date of Ashwin Krishna Paksha and continues till Navami i.e. for three days. This time the fast of Jitiya is on 25 September 2024 and the fast will be broken on 26 September.

Jitiya festival is celebrated with different rules in different states. By keeping fast on this day, mothers worship Jimutvahan Devta made of Kusha for the happy life and long life of their children. At some places, idols of jackal and eagle are made from cow dung and clay and worshipped.

After the puja is over, the story of Jivitputrika Vrat (jivitputrika vrat katha) is heard or read. There are three stories related to Jitiya, which include the story of Jimutvahan, the story related to Mahabharata and the story of eagle and jackal. The story of eagle and jackal is the most popular among these, which is as follows-

Jitiya Eagle-Jackal Vrat Story (Jitiya Vrat 2024 story in Hindi)

According to the Jitiya Katha, an eagle and a jackal used to live in the Himalayan forest near the Narmada river. One day both of them saw some women worshipping. The women were talking about Jitiya fast.

The eagle and the jackal decided that they would also observe this fast. But during the fast, the jackal got very hungry and secretly ate a dead animal. But the eagle saw the jackal eating meat. On the other hand, the eagle observed the Jitiya fast with full devotion and dedication and followed its rules.

After some time both the eagle and the jackal died. They were born again as humans. Both were born as sisters in the same house. The elder sister’s name was Karpooravati and the other’s name was Shilavati. When they grew up, both the sisters were married. Karpooravati was married to a prince and Shilavati was married to a Brahmin. After marriage, both the sisters had 7 sons. All the seven sons of the younger sister Shilavati survived and all the sons of the elder sister died one by one within a few days of their birth.

The elder sister Karpoorvati started feeling jealous of her younger sister that despite being married in a poor family, she is living a happy life with her husband and children and I am not happy even after being the wife of a prince. She thought in her mind that surely my younger sister is a witch who killed my children by doing black magic.

The feeling of revenge grew in her and she tried many times to kill her younger sister’s children but she was not successful. Once Queen Karpooravati put a condition to the king that she wanted the heads of Shilavati’s seven sons. Despite the king’s refusal, she did not agree. Finally the king had to agree to her. The king ordered the Chandal to cut off the heads of Shilavati’s sons and bring them. The Chandal did the same. After this, Karpooravati wrapped the heads of all the children in a red cloth and sent them to her sister’s house.

That day Shilavati had kept a Jitiya fast. When Shilavati broke her fast, she saw that a message had come from her sister’s house. She removed the clothes and saw that there were coconuts, clothes and fruits in it. Actually, due to the effect of Jitiya fast, the shaved heads of Shilavati’s children turned into coconuts.

On the other hand, the elder sister was waiting for the sad news to come from her sister’s house so that she could celebrate. But the king told her that all the sons of Shilavati are alive and have turned into coconut heads. All this is the result of your bad deeds.

When Karpooravati told her sister that all your sons are alive and not mine. Then the younger sister Shilavati told her about the incident of the previous birth that you were a jackal in your previous birth and you ate meat by observing Jitiya fast, all this is the result of that. I was an eagle in my previous birth and I observed Jitiya fast with full rules, that is why all my sons are alive.

Significance of Jitiya fast:

Later, Karpooravati also observed the Jitiya fast as per the rituals and she too got the blessing of having children. This story related to the eagle and the jackal shows the glory of the Jitiya fast and tells its importance. In this way, this fast became famous in the world for getting the blessing of having children.

Also read: Jivitputrika Vrat 2024: Jitiya Vrat is a protective shield for children, mothers worship the deity Jimutvahan