The story of Sadhu Vanik and his son-in-law in Satyanarayan Katha.

Before starting the story it is necessary to explain the consequences of our carelessness in relation to Bhagwan. He gives us in leaps and bounds and in return just wants us to remember worshipping him. This story is about the utter callous attitude of the Sadhu Vanik. We already know the story of King Chandrachud and his devotion to Satyanarayan Bhagwan. He and his subjects followed the tradition of vrat and puja. During one such puja, a Sadhu vanik happened to sail through Manipur.

He noticed the mandaps and sound of musical instruments. Intrigued, he docked his ship laden with rich earnings. He came to the shore and started inquiring about this. He was told that this was the Satyanarayan puja which fulfills all your wishes. People recalled how their King won back his kingdom by the blessings of Bhagwan. The Sadhu was childless. He deeply craved for a child. He immediately pleaded before the gathering in the puja to Bhagwan Satyanarayan. Everyone present there blessed him.

The Sadhu Vanik expressed his desire to perform puja and gift away a golden flag(pataka) to Bhagwan if his wish was fulfilled. He returned home and happily narrated this to his wife, who was a devout and god-fearing person. A girl was born after an appropriate time.

She was very beautiful. She started growing up and was named Kalavati as her looks kept on changing like the phases of the moon. The Sadhu had forgotten about the puja although he did not forget to perform the rituals performed after childbirth. At an appropriate age, the Vanik got his daughter married to Shankhpati of Kanchanpur. Again he forgot Bhagwan Satyanarayan. He treated his son in law or Jamata as his son and kept him at Manipur itself. The son in law also accompanied him on his business expeditions. Meanwhile, a robbery took place at Manipur. The King was angry. He ordered his soldiers to catch the thief or they would lose their lives. The soldiers started searching for the robber earnestly.

Meanwhile, Sadhu Vanik was returning from his business expedition. His wealth laden ship had docked in Manipur. The Sadhu, having earned a lot of money, was wearing a precious necklace on his neck. The soldiers came searching for the thief near the ship. The Vanik had just alighted from the ship. The soldiers mistook him for a robber.

They arrested him and his son in law and took him to the King. The Sadhu Vanik pleaded before the King to prove his innocence, but to no avail. He along with his son in law was put behind bars. This was the punishment they received for ignoring Bhagwan Satyanarayan for so long.

The story of Kalavati and Leelavati in the next chapter will be continued.