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Traditional story (retold)
Part 1: The Brahmin Woman and the Orphan Prince
In ancient times, in a city lived a poor Brahmin woman. Her husband had passed away and she had one young son. The widowed Brahmin woman went out every day with her son to beg for alms, and lived on whatever she got.
One day, as she was returning from begging, she found a boy on the road in an injured state. He was very handsome and radiant, but there were wounds on his body. The Brahmin woman felt pity for him. She brought him home, nursed him and began raising him like her own son. That boy was the prince of the land of Vidarbha. An enemy king had defeated his father and seized the kingdom, and the king had been killed. The prince was wandering, an orphan.
Part 2: Sage Shandilya and the Pradosh Vrat
The Brahmin woman went on raising both her sons. One day she went to the ashram of Sage Shandilya and had his darshan. The sage told her about the Pradosh vrat and said, "On the day of Trayodashi, worship Lord Shiva during Pradosh Kaal, and all your troubles will go away." The Brahmin woman obeyed the sage's command and began to keep the Pradosh vrat regularly with the two boys.
Part 3: The Meeting with Anshumati
After some time both boys went to play in the forest. There the prince saw some Gandharva maidens. One of the maidens was named Anshumati. The prince began to talk with her and they became acquainted. Anshumati went home and told her parents about the prince. The next day the Gandharva king also saw the prince. Lord Shiva commanded the Gandharva king in a dream to give his daughter in marriage to this prince. The Gandharva king did just that.
Part 4: Regaining the Kingdom
After his marriage to Anshumati, the prince attacked Vidarbha with the help of the Gandharvas' vast army. He defeated the enemy king and regained his father's kingdom. He became king and made the Brahmin woman's son his minister. The Brahmin woman too was given a place in the royal palace with honour.
Part 5: The Glory of the Vrat
One day Anshumati asked the king, "How did all this happen?" The king said, "All this is the fruit of the Pradosh vrat and the grace of Lord Shiva." From that time the glory of the Pradosh vrat spread in the world. Whoever keeps the Pradosh vrat with faith has all sorrows removed, debts and illness driven away, and receives peace and happiness.
Thus ends the complete Pradosh Vrat Katha