# Ahoi Ashtami Vrat Katha: Story and Vidhi > The Ahoi Ashtami vrat katha: the woman who killed a porcupine's cub by accident, lost her seven sons and won them back from Ahoi Mata. Source: https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/ahoi-ashtami/legends/ahoi-ashtami-vrat-katha | Day | Kartika Krishna Ashtami (Purnimanta) | | --- | --- | | Goddess | Ahoi Mata, a form of Parvati | | Kept by | Mothers, for their children | ## The katha A woman with seven sons lived in a village. A few days before Diwali she went to the forest to dig soil to plaster her house. As she dug, her spade struck and killed a porcupine's cub (syahu) hidden in its burrow. She was grieved, but went home with the soil. Within a year, one after another, all seven of her sons died. In despair she told the old women of the village what had happened in the forest, and that she had not meant to kill the cub. They told her that by repenting she had already lessened her sin, and that she should worship Ahoi Mata, the goddess who protects all children, on the Ashtami of Kartika, drawing a picture of the porcupine and its cubs and praying for forgiveness. The woman kept the fast and worshipped Ahoi Mata on that day, and every year after. Pleased with her repentance and devotion, the goddess restored her seven sons to life. Another version tells of a woman whose sister-in-law, digging soil, killed the cub, and who, through her own service to a cow and a holy man, won back the children of her family. ## Its lesson The katha teaches that every mother's child is precious, even an animal's, and that sincere repentance and prayer are answered. Mothers hear it with a pot of water and grain before them, and offer the water to the stars when the fast ends. ## Dates and related pages - [Ahoi Ashtami Puja Vidhi](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/ahoi-ashtami/info/ahoi-ashtami-puja-vidhi) - [Ahoi Ashtami Date and Time](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/ahoi-ashtami/ahoi-ashtami-date-time) - [Ahoi Mata Aarti](https://www.hinducalendar.today/lyrics/aarti/ahoi-mata/ahoi-mata-aarti) ## Festival and Vrat Kathas - [Vat Savitri Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/vat-savitri/vat-savitri-vrat-katha) - [Varalakshmi Vrata Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/varalakshmi-puja/varalakshmi-vrata-katha) - [Mahalakshmi Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/maha-lakshmi/mahalakshmi-vrat-katha) - [Kojagara Puja Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/kojagara-puja/kojagara-puja-vrat-katha) - [Maha Shivaratri Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/maha-shivaratri/maha-shivaratri-vrat-katha) - [Tulasi Vivah Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/tulasi-vivah/tulasi-vivah-vrat-katha) - [Ananta Chaturdashi Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/ananta-chaturdashi/ananta-chaturdashi-vrat-katha) - [Akshaya Tritiya Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/akshaya-tritiya/akshaya-tritiya-vrat-katha) - [Akshaya Navami Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/akshaya-navami/akshaya-navami-vrat-katha) - [Yama Dwitiya Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/yama-dwitiya/yama-dwitiya-vrat-katha) - [Nag Panchami Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/nag-panchami/nag-panchami-vrat-katha) - [Rishi Panchami Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/rishi-panchami/rishi-panchami-vrat-katha) - [Hala Shashthi Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/hala-shashthi/hala-shashthi-vrat-katha) - [Jivitputrika Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/jivitputrika-vrata/jivitputrika-vrat-katha) - [Kokila Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/kokila/kokila-vrat-katha) - [Jaya Parvati Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/jaya-parvati/jaya-parvati-vrat-katha) - [Mangala Gauri Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/mangala-gauri/mangala-gauri-vrat-katha) - [Gangaur Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/gangaur/gangaur-vrat-katha) - [Jyeshtha Gauri Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/jyeshtha-gauri/jyeshtha-gauri-vrat-katha) - [Pithori Amavasya Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/pithori-amavasya/pithori-amavasya-vrat-katha) - [Ashoka Ashtami Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/ashoka-ashtami/ashoka-ashtami-vrat-katha) - [Durva Ashtami Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/durva-ashtami/durva-ashtami-vrat-katha) - [Purnima Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/purnima/purnima-vrat-katha) - [Rama Navami Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/rama-navami/rama-navami-vrat-katha) - [Sita Navami Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/sita-navami/sita-navami-vrat-katha) - [Vivah Panchami Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/vivah-panchami/vivah-panchami-vrat-katha) - [Hanuman Jayanti Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/hanuman-jayanti/hanuman-jayanti-vrat-katha) - [Narasimha Jayanti Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/narasimha-jayanti/narasimha-jayanti-vrat-katha) - [Parashurama Jayanti Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/parashurama-jayanti/parashurama-jayanti-vrat-katha) - [Balarama Jayanti Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/balarama-jayanti/balarama-jayanti-vrat-katha) - [Buddha Purnima Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/buddha-purnima/buddha-purnima-vrat-katha) - [Narada Jayanti Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/narada-jayanti/narada-jayanti-vrat-katha) - [Ganga Saptami Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/ganga-saptami/ganga-saptami-vrat-katha) - [Chhinnamasta Jayanti Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/chhinnamasta-jayanti/chhinnamasta-jayanti-vrat-katha) - [Mahesh Navami Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/mahesh-navami/mahesh-navami-vrat-katha) - [Karwa Chauth Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/karwa-chauth/legends/karwa-chauth-legends) - Ahoi Ashtami Vrat Katha - [Hartalika Vrat Legend](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/teej/legends/hartalika-vrat-legend) - [Dhanteras Legends](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/dhanteras/legends/dhanteras-legends) - [Raksha Bandhan Legends](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/raksha-bandhan/legends/raksha-bandhan-legends) - [Holi Legends](https://www.hinducalendar.today/festivals/holi/festivals-holi-legends) - [Sharad Purnima Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/purnima/sharad/legends/sharad-purnima-vrat-katha) - [Kumbha Mela Legends](https://www.hinducalendar.today/kumbh-mela/legends/kumbha-mela-legends) ## All vrat kathas - [Vrat Katha](https://www.hinducalendar.today/vrat-katha/vrat-katha)