Shitala Satam

Shitala Satam is an important festival in Sanatan tradition, dedicated to Goddess Sheetala. This celebration symbolizes the compassion and blessings of Goddess Shitala. The Shitala Satam fast is observed on the seventh day (Saptami) of the Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada. It is believed that Goddess Shitala grants relief from diseases like measles and smallpox to her devotees and their families. This day holds great religious and social significance for devotees, as it provides them with hope and faith for health and protection.

On Shitala Satam, devotees do not prepare fresh food at home. Instead, there is a significant custom of consuming stale food on this occasion. The festival of Shitala Satam closely resembles the Basoda and Shitala Ashtami festivals celebrated in North India. On this day, family members gather together, seek the blessings of Goddess Shitala, and pray for her grace. This ritual is considered a social event, where collective fasting and meditation are observed, along with prayers for prosperity and happiness.

Worship Method

A day before the Saptami of the Bhadrapada month, on the Shashthi, the prasad for the festival should be prepared. Depending on one’s capability, sweet rice, stale poori, curd, rabri, etc., can be made, as no fresh food is cooked on this day, nor is the stove lit. All family members partake in this as prasad. Before sunrise, devotees should rise early and bathe with cold water. Then, they should offer water to the idol of Goddess Shitala, light a ghee lamp made of flour, and offer items such as roli, mehndi, turmeric, rice grains (akshat), and sacred thread (kalava). Afterward, cold food, which was prepared the previous night, is offered to the goddess as bhog. Following this, devotees perform the worship of Goddess Shitala and listen to the story of her glory.

Story

According to a legend, once upon a time, the son of a king was afflicted with smallpox. During the same period, a Brahmin's son in the same kingdom was also suffering from the same disease. The Brahmin was extremely poor and lived by begging, but he was spiritually very devout. Even in the midst of his son's illness, the Brahmin strictly followed all religious practices and took special care to keep his house clean.

When his son contracted smallpox, the Brahmin worshiped Goddess Bhagwati with great devotion and discipline. He prohibited the preparation of fried and greasy food at home. The Brahmin neither consumed any hot food himself nor allowed his son to eat any. Following strict discipline and devotion, the Brahmin worshiped Goddess Shitala daily and prayed for his son's speedy recovery. Eventually, the day came when, by the grace of the goddess, the Brahmin's son was completely cured.

On the other hand, when the king's son fell ill due to smallpox, the king also began worshiping Goddess Shitala. Daily havans were performed, and the king ordered his royal priests to continue the worship without interruption. Though the priests were constantly worshiping for the prince's well-being, no one paid attention to maintaining discipline and restraint. Every day, various hot and delicious meals were prepared in the royal palace, including a wide variety of vegetable dishes and other delicacies.

The aroma of such food would tempt the prince, and he would demand to eat it. Being the only son of the king, all his unreasonable demands were fulfilled. Due to the lack of discipline and dietary restraint, the smallpox worsened instead of subsiding. The prince developed various boils on his body, and the itching and burning increased. Despite many efforts to cure the smallpox, the outbreak kept intensifying. The king couldn’t understand why, despite all the measures, the smallpox was not calming down. His son's worsening condition deeply troubled the king.

Seeing the king's anxiety, all the royal courtiers and priests became worried, and gradually the news spread throughout the kingdom. During this time, one of the king's spies learned about the situation and informed the king that the son of a Brahmin in the kingdom had also been afflicted by smallpox but had fully recovered. Upon hearing this, the king became even more distressed, wondering how, despite performing such devoted service to Goddess Shitala and not neglecting any rituals or ceremonies, his son remained unwell, while the Brahmin's son recovered without any special worship or service. Lost in these thoughts, the king eventually fell asleep.

When the king was in deep sleep, Goddess Shitala, dressed in white garments, appeared in his dream and said, "O King! I am pleased with your worship and devotion, which is why your son is still alive. The main reason your son has not recovered is the violation of the rules that must be followed during smallpox. You must stop the use of salt in your palace, as salt causes itching in the boils. There should be no seasoning (tadka) added to the vegetables in the palace, as it tempts the patient to eat. It is also inappropriate for the patient to meet anyone, as it may infect others. If you follow these rules, your son will surely recover. After explaining this to the king, the goddess disappeared, and the king awoke from his sleep.

As soon as morning arrived, the king issued orders to follow the instructions of the goddess he had seen in his dream and began to adhere to those rules himself. By following these guidelines, the king's son gradually began to recover, and within a few days, he became completely healthy.

Significance of the Sheetala Satam Fast

The Shitala Satam fast not only provides liberation from obstacles in life but also improves your health. By the grace of Goddess Shitala, devotees remain healthy for a long time and find relief from physical ailments. With the goddess's blessings, individuals can be protected from epidemics like smallpox or measles. Therefore, women observe this fast for the health of their children and pray for their well-being.

Related topics-

• Sheetala Ashtami