Chapter 1 · Parvati's Question at Kailash
On the most sacred ground of Mount Kailash, beneath a great banyan tree, Lord Shiva sat upon a tiger skin together with Parvati and all his attendants. The mighty Veerabhadra, Bhringi, Shringi, Nandi and others stood at their posts, adding to the glory of Sadashiv's court. Gandharvas, kinnaras, and great sages were engaged in instruments and songs of praise, in proper ritual verses, for Lord Shankar. At that fortunate moment, Queen Parvati joined both her hands and asked Lord Shiva: O Maheshwar, it is my great fortune that I chose a husband such as you. Can I know what merit I earned, by which I attained this? You know all hearts, please be gracious enough to tell this servant.
Hearing Queen Parvati's such prayer, Shivji said: O Parvati, you had gathered the most excellent merit, by which you attained me. It is a very secret vow, but at your insistence, I reveal it. It is this, that it is known by the name of the Teej vow of the Shukla Paksha of Bhadrapada. This vow is like the moon among the stars, the sun among the nine planets, the Brahmin among the castes, the Ganga among the gods, the Mahabharata among the Puranas, the Sama among the Vedas, the mind among the senses, such is this excellent vow, and if this Teej falls together with the Hasta Nakshatra, it becomes even more greatly meritorious.
Hearing this, Mother Parvati said: O Maheshwar, when and how I performed the Teej vow, I wish to hear this in full detail. Hearing this, Lord Shankar said that, fortunate Uma, north of Bharatvarsha is the excellent mountain Himachal, whose king's name is also Himachal. There you were born to the fortunate Queen Mena, and from your very childhood you began worshipping me.
Chapter 2 · The Rigorous Penance and Narada's Message
As you grew a little older, you went into the difficult caves of Himachal, together with your friend, and began penance to attain me. In the summer season you performed penance standing outdoors in water, and in the season of snow you stood in water, absorbed in meditation upon me. Thus, even after performing penance through six seasons, when you did not obtain sight of me, you then turned your face upward and lived on air alone, and then wasted this body by eating the dry leaves of trees.
Seeing you absorbed in such penance, King Himachal became greatly worried, and began to worry about arranging your marriage. At this opportune moment, the great sage Narada arrived. The king, with great joy, welcomed and honored him, and asked the reason for his arrival.
Narada said: O king, Lord Vishnu has sent me. I wish that your beautiful daughter obtain a worthy husband, and so the Lord who dwells in Vaikuntha, reclining on Shesha, has accepted your daughter, is this acceptable to you? King Himachal said: Great one, it is my good fortune that Vishnu ji has accepted my daughter, and I shall surely give my daughter's hand to him. This being settled, Narada, reaching Vaikuntha, told Lord Vishnu that Parvati's marriage was arranged.
Chapter 3 · The Flight to the Forest with Her Friend
Meanwhile, King Himachal, reaching the forest, told Parvati that her marriage to Lord Vishnu had been settled. Hearing this, Parvati was greatly grieved. Overcome by that grief, she went to her friend and began to lament, and seeing your lament, your friend, knowing your wish, said: Devi, I shall take you to such a cave for penance, where even King Himachal will not be able to go.
So saying, Uma, together with her friend, disappeared into a deep cave of Himachal. Then King Himachal, growing anxious, began to search for Parvati and lament that he had given his word to Vishnu, and how this would now be fulfilled, so saying, he fainted. Then, taking all the townspeople with him, the king set out to search, worrying that perhaps a tiger had eaten his daughter, or a serpent had bitten her, or a demon had carried her off.
At that time, you, together with your friend, reaching that deep cave, without food or water, having begun this vow of mine, set up an image of Shiva from the sand of the river, and began to worship it with various forest flowers and fruits.
Chapter 4 · The Sand Shivling and Shiva's Appearance
That very day was the Tritiya of the Shukla Paksha of Bhadrapada, together with the Hasta Nakshatra. As a result of your worship, I and my throne began to shake. I went and gave you my darshan, and said to you: O Devi, I am greatly pleased by your vow and worship, tell me your wish. Hearing this, you prayed with a bashful feeling that you, knowing all hearts, the feelings of my mind are not hidden from you, I desire you as my husband. Hearing this, I said 'evamastu,' so be it, and having granted you the boon you desired, I vanished.
After this, your father Himachal, together with his ministers, searching for you, arrived at the riverbank. At that very time, you, together with your friend, had brought my sand image to the riverbank to immerse it. At that very time, the residents of your city, together with the ministers and King Himachal, obtaining your darshan, became greatly pleased, and began weeping, embracing you again and again, and said: how did you come, with your friend, into this fearsome forest, which is most terrible, where lions, tigers, and fearsome venomous serpents dwell, where a person's life may be in danger. Therefore, O daughter, give up this fearsome forest and set out for your home.
Chapter 5 · The Father's Consent and the Marriage
When her father said this, you said: father, you have already accepted my marriage with Lord Vishnu, and so I shall remain in this very forest and give up my life. Hearing this, King Himachal became greatly grieved and said: dear daughter, do not grieve, I shall never marry you to Lord Vishnu, I shall marry you instead to that very Sadashiv, your desired husband whom you have already obtained. Daughter, you were greatly pleased with me, and then, together with your friend, arriving in the city, you went to meet your mother and your friends.
Some time later, at an auspicious hour, King Himachal and Queen Mena earned merit by having my marriage performed with me according to Vedic rites. O fortunate one, the friend who took you away and kept you in a cave of the Himalayas, where you performed this Teej vow, it is from this that this vow's name became Hartalika, and this vow became the Vrataraj, the king of all vows.
Hearing this, Mother Parvati said: my lord, you have pleased me by telling this joyful story of our meeting, but you have not told me the method of performing this vow and its fruit, so please tell me also the method of performing it and its separate fruits. Hearing this, Lord Sadashiv said: dear one, I am telling you the fruit of this Vrataraj, listen carefully. This vow should be performed by fortunate women and by girls desiring a husband. Through it, by the grace of Lord Shankar and Mother Parvati, all wishes are fulfilled. Pray to Shri Shankar-Parvati ji: O Lord, just as you heard Mother Parvati's prayer, hear ours too in the same way, Lord. Now say: victory to Mother Parvati and Lord Shankar!
Chapter 6 · The Vow's Method, Fruit, and Glory
Begin this vow on the evening of the Shukla Paksha Dwitiya of Bhadrapada, and remain without food and without water. Set up a golden image of Shiva-Parvati, raise pillars of banana stalks and flowers, stretch a silk canopy overhead and hang festive garlands, then set up a Shivling of sand and keep a night vigil with Vedic mantras, songs of praise, and instruments such as the bheri, ghanta, mridang, and jhanjhar.
After worshipping Lord Shiva, offer fruit, flowers, sweets, laddus, dried fruit and nuts, and confections of many kinds. The Brahmin should be given food, cloth, betel, and so on, with devotion. Each item offered to Lord Shiva should be offered while reciting the accomplished five-syllable mantra (Om Namah Shivaya). While praying, place whatever wish is in your heart before the Lord and bow, then offer this prayer to Mother Parvati: victory to the mother of the world, victory to the mother of the world, the giver of my fortune. You are Parvati, beloved of Shiva, granter of boons, destroyer of demons. True to your vow as a devoted wife, victory to the giver of joy. May I obtain my desired boon from you, may I not suffer for my faults, may I attain you through devotion, fulfill this completely.
After the prayer, take flowers in both hands and offer them as pushpanjali. Then, on Chaturthi, immerse the Shivling in a river or pond, and feed three Brahmins and give them their due gift. Completing this vow in this way makes a woman fortunate, and she lives out her life happily with wealth, grain, and descendants. By performing this vow, girls attain the fortune of obtaining a well-born, learned, and wealthy husband.
O Uma, whichever woman holds this vow with devotion and proper rite attains a husband like me, and in her next birth, becoming as beautiful in form as you, enjoys the finest happiness in this world. After performing this vow, women come to dwell in Shri Shivlok. Now say: victory to Lord Shri Shankar and Mother Parvati!
How to Read Hartalika Teej Vrat Katha
Begin this vow on the evening of Bhadrapada Shukla Dwitiya and stay without food or water. Set up an image of Shiva-Parvati with a Shivling of sand, keep a night vigil with Vedic mantras and instruments, offer fruit, flowers, and sweets, listen to the vow's story, and give the Brahmin food and a gift. On Chaturthi, immerse the image and break the fast. The full method, prayer verse, and fruits of the vow are given in detail in the final chapter of this page.
About Hartalika Teej Vrat Katha
The Hartalika Teej Vrat Katha tells the story of Goddess Parvati's penance to win Lord Shiva as her husband, told across six chapters as narrated by Lord Shiva himself to Mother Parvati at Kailash. The first chapter has Parvati's question to Shiva, the second her rigorous penance and Narada's message of a proposed marriage to Vishnu, the third the story of her flight to the forest with her friend, the fourth the sand Shivling and Shiva's appearance, the fifth her father's consent and the marriage, and the sixth the vow's full method, prayer verse, and fruits.
This vow is observed especially on the Shukla Tritiya of Bhadrapada by married and unmarried women alike, seeking a worthy husband or a happy married life. This page presents the full text of all six chapters in plain Hindi, with adjustable text size and print support.
The Hartalika Teej Vrat Katha has no single named author. It's traditionally framed as the story Lord Shiva narrated to Mother Parvati at Kailash, reminding her of this same past birth of hers, and it's often linked to the Bhavishya Purana tradition, though no single, universally agreed Puranic source can be pinned down. The text presented here is a faithful transcription of a published Hindi Hartalika Teej Vrat Katha booklet, with only clear printing errors corrected and no change made to the story itself. The fine details of this centuries-old tradition still vary a little by region and edition, so other printed editions may use somewhat different wording.
Frequently asked questions
How many chapters does the Hartalika Teej Vrat Katha have?
It has six chapters in total, five with the story and a final chapter with the vow's full method and fruits, traditionally read or heard together as one complete text.
When is Hartalika Teej observed?
This vow is observed on the Shukla Tritiya of the Bhadrapada month, under the Hasta Nakshatra.
What does the word 'Hartalika' mean?
It's commonly explained as a combination of 'haran' (to take away) and 'alika' (a female friend), meaning the vow of a girl taken away by her friend, as described in the story's third chapter.
What are the benefits of the Hartalika Teej Vrat?
Performing this vow with devotion is believed to grant a worthy husband and a happy married life, as Lord Shiva himself told Mother Parvati.
Can water be consumed during the Hartalika Teej Vrat?
No, this is traditionally a nirjala vrat, beginning on the evening of Dwitiya and continuing through all of Tritiya, broken only on Chaturthi after the image is immersed and proper worship is completed.