The Swasthani Vrata Katha: A Secret Vow to the Goddess

The Swasthani Vrata Katha is the most widely read, recited, and listened-to devotional text among Hindu laity in Nepal. Originating in the late sixteenth century, the Swasthani tradition encompasses three interrelated elements: the goddess Swasthani, revered as the goddess of "one's own place"; the goddess's story (katha) and its annual recitation; and the month-long ritual vow (vrat) undertaken by women to honor Swasthani.Today, the Swasthani blends widely circulating Hindu myths-featuring Shiva, Sati, and Parvati-with local folk narratives that reflect women's everyday hardships and the worldly and spiritual rewards of fulfilling one's dharma and devotion to Swasthani. This textual and ritual practice devoted to the goddess Swasthani centers women's roles, expectations, and responses and has significantly shaped Nepali Hindu identity and practice for both women and men.In Nepal, the Swasthani holds cultural, religious, and social significance comparable to the Ramayana and Mahabharat