Book excerpt: The Satnarayan Puja is usually done on the Poornima day of every month (the day of the full moon). It is also done on special occasions and during times of achievements as an offering of gratitude to the Lord. In this puja, people worship by reciting the gracious story of Lord Satyanarayana. This story was originally told by Lord Vishnu himself to the sage Narada for the benefit of humankind. For those who observe the fast religiously and regularly, there are some great lessons to be learned from the narration. This is shown by characters who ignored their promise to perform the puja after their wish had been fulfilled. They suffered as a result. One must understand that if one forgets to be thankful for gifts received from the Lord, one would have to go through another test until one remembers to remember. it is said that a devotional performance of this Puja will bear children to couples trying to start a family. The Satyanarayana Puja is unique, in that it does not require a Brahmin to be performed.