Shri Sathyanaranayana katha is from Skandha purana, Reva kaanda. Sutha Puraanikji was the narrator of these stories, in Neimishaaranya to the rishis lead by Shounakji who were performing a 1000 year yajna for the benefit of mankind.

Shounakaji and others now ask Suta Puranikji an important question. "When a man has a desire, how can he fulfill that ethically sound desire? By worshipping whom, by what vrita, or tapas? Please let us know.

Sutaji was pleased to know that this question they asked, was for the benefit of the mankind and not for their personal benefit, for, they had abandoned their homes and all desires. Sutaji said " this question was also asked by Devarshi Naradaji once to Lord Narayana Himself; Let me tell you that story.

Once Naradaji was traveling all over the worlds and finally came to Bhuloka, where he found almost everyone was suffering one or the other misery on account of their past Karmas. Being a Satjana his heart felt their agonies and immediately he reached Vaikunta, to Lord Narayana to find the right answer. The Lord Narayana smiles at him and asks the purpose of his visit. Naradaji tells Him what he saw and requests Him a panacea for all such miseries.

The Lord said: Yes, there is a vrita called Sri Satyanarayana vrita which is not known to the inhabitants of the Bhuloka. This can be performed by anyone and very easily. One who does this, will get all the benefits and the pleasures of this world and will eventually get Moksha too. This can be done any day, in the evening. Gather friends and relatives and perform this vrita with faith and devotion. The night should be spent in Bhajans and praise of the Lord. All those attending Pooja should be given food and respect. Thus the performer will get all his wishes fulfilled.

Sri Lord Narayana tells Narada the further story:

There was an old and poor Brahmin in the city of Kashi. He was a man of virtue and yet extremely poor. Since the Lord is Viprapriya, He came in the guise of an old Brahmin and accosted him 'Tell me my friend, what ails you?'. The brahmin replied 'I am an old and very poor man and I shall be grateful if you can tell me how to get rid of this poverty of mine.' The Lord replied 'Why don't you perform Sri Satyanarayana Vrita', and He told him how to perform the Vrita.

The poor man now desires to do this vrita and thinking over these thoughts of the Lord he goes to bed. Again in the morning he says to himself, 'whatever I earn today by begging I shall use it to perform the vrita'. Since the Lord likes such feelings, that day, he got plenty of money while begging and thus pleased, he took the necessary articles and performed the vrita.

Very soon he became rich and had all the things of the world and thereafter he started performing the vrita every month and thus he enjoyed all the pleasures of the world and finally reached the Moksha too.

Sutaji replies: Once when this brahmin was performing the Sri Satyanarayana Pooja there came to his house a woodcutter. He saw the pooja and wanted to know what it is and what are its fruits. The brahmin said, 'This is Sri Satyanarayana Pooja. Whatever desires you have in your mind will be fulfilled by performing this vrita. My own poverty and troubles all ended by my very decision to perform this vrita'. On hearing this, the woodcutter prostrates to the Lord, takes prasad, and decides to perform this pooja next day. That day he sold the wood for twice the price. Happily thinking of the Lord he performs the pooja, inviting his friends and relatives. Thus performing regularly he became rich and happy and finally reached Satyaloka.

Suta Puranikji continues the story:

Once there was a good king called Ulkamukha. He was wedded to truth and sense-control. Once he was performing Sri Satyanarayana Vrita on the banks of a river. At that time there came a merchant in a ship loaded with precious goods. He approached the king and wanted to know the details of the pooja. The king told him about Sri Satyanarayana Pooja performed to obtain progeny, wealth, property, etc.

The merchant said, 'Please tell me the details as to how to perform this vrita, because I would like to have children.' The king tells him the details. The merchant returns home and his wife Lilavathi delivered a girl named Kalavathi. Lilavathi reminded her husband about the vrita and he kept postponing it.

The merchant and his son-in-law were in a city called Ratnasara where they were caught with stolen goods (left by burglars) and sent to prison. At about this time, back home both Lilavathi and Kalavathi lost all their belongings. Kalavathi sees Sri Satyanarayana Pooja being performed at one house and returns to tell her mother. Lilavathi performs the Pooja and begs for forgiveness. Accordingly, the king releases them and gives them lot of wealth.

Suta Puranik continues the story:

Thus released, the merchants were returning home. The Lord comes in the form of an old Sanyasi and inquires as to what the load in the ship is. The merchant bluffs and says it contains dried leaves. The sanyasi says 'Tathasthu'. When the merchant returns to the ship he finds that it does contain now dried leaves only. He swoons and when he regains consciousness he realizes that these are doings of the Sanyasi whom he had cursorily dismissed. He seeks him out and begs for forgiveness. The ever-merciful Lord forgives him.

The merchant sends a messenger ahead to Lilavathi. Lilavathi tells her daughter Kalavathi to complete the Satyanarayana pooja they were performing and goes ahead to meet her husband. Kalavathi does the pooja, but in a hurry to meet her husband, she neglects to take the prasad; and when she nears the anchorage, she does not find the ship nor her husband! She swoons.

The merchant decides to do the pooja as expiation for mistakes of omission. The Lord makes him realize that it is the daughter's oversight in not accepting the prasad that has created this problem. Kalavathi returned to the altar and took prasad with all faith and reverence. And her husband returned. From then onwards, they all performed Sri Sathyanarayana Pooja regularly till the end of their life and finally reached Satyaloka.

This chapter is important to us as we too tend to behave like the King in this story, in respect of pooja/worship/religion of other people.

In the woods of Nemisharanya, Suta Puranikji continued the story narrating the greatness of this Vrita to Shounaka and other Rishies:

In ancient times, there was a King called Angadwaja. He was good and righteous; and yet once he ignored the prasad of Sri Satyanarayana Pooja and had to suffer very dearly.

Once this king was returning from hunting. A few yards away a small group of cowherd boys had gathered to perform Sri Satyanarayana Pooja. They offered the prasad to the king who, out of contempt and pride, left it untouched. Pretty soon all his wealth was lost; his hundred children died and he now knew this was all on account of his contempt for those children's pooja. Without any delay the king gathers them all around him and performs the Satyanarayana Pooja with all shraddha and bhakthi.

Thus the king again got all his wealth and kingdom and kins.

Suta now tells the Rishis that this Vrita is specially effective in Kaliyuga. This Lord of Lords is called Ishwara, Satyadeva, Sri Satyanarayana and by many other names. He alone has taken names and forms. One who reads this story and one who hears it will be rid of all woes and difficulties.