In North India, some people consider a month beginning after the full moon day. In the South as well as in some other parts of India, a month is considered to begin from the new moon day. In the South, particularly in Karnataka, the first Friday of Shravan is considered as Sampat Shukravara. Usually, we get 5 Fridays in the month. Thus, we celebrate Sampat Shukravara for 5 weeks.
Every Friday in Shravan is celebrated like Varalakshmi Pooja. The method of pooja is the same as Varalakshmi. But, at the end of every Friday’s pooja, the story of Sampat Shukravara should be recited. This incident happened in Satyuga.
In brief, the story is: One Brahmin was suffering in poverty and could not make 2 ends meet. He had 4 sons and 4 daughters-in-law. One day, he went to a place where Sampat Shukravara was being celebrated by a Brahmin. He asked about the pooja at that place and found out the details.
On the previous day, some til oil and turmeric have to be given to a pure and good Suhasini and ask her to use the oil and turmeric while bathing and washing the hair the next day. She is also invited for the pooja next day to give her some gifts covered by 2 sieves. The woman has to be served food and pan-supari, etc. The Brahmin went home to inform the details of the pooja to his family members.
Thus, on the coming Thursday, the youngest daughter-in-law was sent to find a pure and good married woman. She met a Suhasini from a poor family. The woman asked the daughter-in-law about the oil and the turmeric. The daughter-in-law explains the reason she is carrying the stuff. The daughter-in-law, then, invited the woman for the next day’s pooja. Back home, the daughter-in-law informs rest of the family members about it.
The next morning everybody got ready for the pooja. It was Friday and the pooja was to be performed before the 10.30’s Rahu Kaal. Thus, they performed the pooja. The woman did not come even after 12 PM. She even does not come in the evening.
To be continued…