The tale centers on Veeravati, a stunning queen and the cherished sister of seven devoted brothers. During her first Karwa Chauth at her parents' home, she kept a rigorous fast. By evening, she grew frail and eagerly awaited the moonrise. Moved by her suffering, her brothers devised a trick: they used a mirror in a pipal tree and a flame behind a sieve to mimic the moon.

Mistaking a reflection for the real moon, Veeravati ended her fast. As she ate, word came that her husband, the king, was critically ill. Devastated, she hurried to him and encountered Goddess Parvati, who exposed her brothers' trickery. The Goddess urged her to faithfully re-observe the fast. Veeravati complied, and her deep devotion compelled Yama, the god of death, to revive her husband. From that day, women began observing this ritual, gazing at the moon through a sieve, inspired by Veeravati's tale and praying for their husbands' longevity.