Satyanarayan is a name of Vishnu, the one who is truth. The puja is done by families at moments of gratitude and beginning: a housewarming, a wedding, a birth, a new job or simply a full Moon. It is simple, can be done without a large crowd, and is known for its katha, the story of five chapters read during the worship.
The katha is traditionally linked with the Reva Khanda of the Skanda Purana, and it exists in Sanskrit and in many regional languages.
Timing
The puja is most often done on Purnima, the full Moon day, in the morning or evening, but it can be done on any day that suits the household. For Purnima dates in 49 cities, see the Purnima page and the city pages such as New York, London and New Delhi. The any-city tool will give dates for other places. We do not state dates here.
Samagri: what to gather
| Item | Use |
|---|---|
| Picture or idol of Satyanarayan (Vishnu) | The focus of the puja |
| Wooden stool, yellow cloth, banana plant stems or leaves | A small mandap, the decorated seat |
| Kalash with mango leaves and a coconut | Placed to the right of the picture |
| Tulsi leaves | Indispensable for Vishnu worship |
| Panchamrit (milk, curd, honey, ghee, sugar) | For the bath and the prasad |
| Sheera or sooji halwa with banana, in a larger quantity | The prasad; traditionally made with equal parts semolina, ghee and sugar |
| Yellow flowers, garland, turmeric, kumkum, rice | Offered |
| Betel leaf, supari, fruit, dry fruit | For naivedya |
| Incense, lamp, camphor | Worship and aarti |
Steps in order
- Bathe, clean the place and set up the stool with a yellow cloth. Arrange the banana stems as a canopy if you can.
- Place the picture, set the kalash on rice, and light the lamp.
- Invoke Ganesha with a simple prayer, and then the nine planets and the guardians of the directions, in your own words or in your priest’s order.
- Take the sankalp, stating that you are doing the Satyanarayan puja and why.
- Bathe the deity with water and panchamrit, offer cloth, tilak, flowers and tulsi.
- Read or listen to the katha, chapter by chapter. After each chapter, offer a flower or a pinch of rice.
- Offer the sheera and fruit as naivedya, and sing an aarti such as Om Jai Jagdish Hare.
- Give the prasad to everyone present, and to neighbours and friends. By tradition, the prasad should not be refused.
The katha
The story opens with the sage Narada, who asks Vishnu for a simple way to relieve the troubles of people on earth. Vishnu tells him of the vrat of Satyanarayan.
In the first chapter, a poor Brahmin in Kashi begs for his living. Vishnu appears to him as an old man and tells him to keep the vrat. He does so, and finds his circumstances improve. A woodcutter hears of it, tries the vrat and also prospers.
In the chapters that follow, a king called Ulkamukha keeps the vrat, and a merchant, Sadhu, hears of it. The merchant, who is childless, promises to do the puja if a child is born. A daughter, Kalavati, is born, and he keeps delaying the puja until her wedding, and then again. On a trading voyage with his son-in-law, a series of misfortunes follows, including false charges of theft. Kalavati, hearing her husband is trapped, does the puja at home. In the later chapters, the merchant and his family realise that the delay was the cause of his trouble, and he promises sincerely. In one telling, Kalavati rushes out without taking the prasad, and the ship sinks, until she goes home and does so.
The lesson the tradition draws is that a promise made to the divine should be kept, and that prasad is to be received with respect. The story does not claim that circumstances change by ritual alone.
Regional variations
Customs differ by region and family; follow your family’s custom. In Bengal it is called Satyapir or Satyanarayan Puja and has its own panchali. In Maharashtra and Gujarat the prasad is often sheera; in some families it is made with five ingredients (panchamrit and flour). In Odisha it is called Satyanarayan Brata and has its own songs.
Fasting and food
The household usually fasts until the puja and the prasad, often taking only water or fruit, and breaks the fast with the prasad and a simple meal. Anyone who is pregnant, diabetic or unwell, or who takes regular medicine, should not fast without medical advice, and can take a light meal beforehand.
Frequently asked questions
↳ Do I need a priest for Satyanarayan puja?
No. Many families read the katha themselves from a book. A priest can guide the full ritual and read the katha, which many families prefer for important occasions.
↳ Is it only for Purnima?
Purnima is the most common day, but the puja is also done at the start of new ventures, on a wedding anniversary, a birthday, or any auspicious day.
↳ Why is tulsi used?
Tulsi is dear to Vishnu in the tradition, and no offering to him is considered complete without it. Tulsi leaves are placed in the panchamrit and on the prasad.
↳ How long does the puja take?
A home puja with the katha takes about an hour and a half to two hours, depending on how much of the ritual you include.