Anantha Vrath Story

With faith and devotion, Susheela performed the puja with those gathered there, distributed half of the fried wheat flour to brahmanas, wore the red thread and with the thoughts of Ananta Padmanabha accompnied her husband to his ashram. Because of the power of anantavrata, Kaundinya's ashram acquired beauty and wealth. All his relatives were eagerly waiting to do the Anantavrata. Susheela had acquired an aura of brilliance.
One day Kundinya sees the red thread on Susheela's hand and asks for an explanation; In spite of her telling him the truth, in a fit of anger and jealousy, Kaundinya forcibly removes the thread and throws in the fire. Sushila picks up the half burnt thread and immerses it in milk. His behaviour proved very dear to Kaundinya; pretty soon all his wealth was lost; his relatives desert him; his cattle died and he now knows that this was on account of his rudeness to Ananta Padmanabha swami in the form of red thread.
Kaundinya leaves his house in search of Anantha padmanabha. Like ademented person enters the jungle and asks a mango tree full of mangoes, have you seen Ananta Padmanabha swami ? He goes further and asks a cow along with its calf the same question. A little further he meets a bullock to who he poses this question. His travel brings him near two lakes which were overflowing to whom he puts the same question. The next in line were a donkey and an elephant who could not answer his question. By now he was tired and heartbroken. He falls down there. Lord in His infinite compassion comes there in the form an old brahman, revives him and takes him to a palace where he shows him his four armed form along with Mahalakshmi. Kaundinya praises the Lord in many stotras. The Lord please gives him three boons viz., Removal of poverty, ability to follow dharma, mukti saubhagya.
Now Kaundinya asks the Lord about the strange sights he saw on the way to Him. The Lord explains. The man who was full of knowledge but did not teach his disciples and was useless became the mango tree. Although wealthy one who never ate himsef and did not give to others as became this cow. The king who gave non productive lands as gifts is born now as a bullock. The two lakes which overflow are dharma and adharma. One who neglected his ancestors' dharma has become an elephant. The donkey reperesents the person who condemned others and lived through unrighteous metheds. Do this vrita for 14 years and I shall grant you a permanat place in the heavens.
Kaundinya returned home and did the puja with shraddha and bhakti. He lived a life of wealth and happiness. In the bygone days, sages like Agastya, kings like Janaka, Sagara, Dilipa, Harischandra have done this vrita. You to do this vrita and all your troubles will be over. Listening to this the exiled king Dharmaraja also performed this vrita. One who hears this story or narrates it will be rid of all woes and difficulties and will acquire all kinds of wealth.