Santoshi Mata (Hindi: संतोषी माता) or Santoshi Maa (संतोषी माँ) is venerated as "the Mother of Satisfaction",[1] the meaning of her name. Santoshi Mata is particularly worshipped by women of North India and Nepal. A vrata (ritual fast) called the Santoshi Maa vrata performed by women on 16 consecutive Fridays is believed to win the goddess' favour.

Goddess of satisfaction
Affiliation Devi
Abode Ganeshloka
Mantra Om shri santoshi mahamaye gajanandam dayini shukravar priye devi narayani namostute
Weapon Sword, golden pot of rice and Trishula (trident)
Mount Tiger or Lion

Worship:The vrata
The Santoshi Mata vrata is to be observed on 16 successive Fridays or till one's wish is fulfilled. The devotee should perform a puja (worship) of Santoshi Mata and offer her flowers, incense and a bowl of raw sugar and roasted chickpeas (gur-chana). The devotee should have only one meal during the day and not eat or serve bitter or sour food to others. When one's wish is granted, one should organize a udyapan ("bringing to conclusion") ceremony, where eight boys should be served a festive meal.[1]


The film Jai Santoshi Maa links the birth of Santoshi Mata to the festival of Raksha Bandhan, where a sister ties a rakhi string bracelet on her brother's wrist and the brother gifts his sister sweets, gifts and a promise of protection. When Ganesha's sister Manasa celebrates the festival with him, his sons ask Ganesha to grant them a sister. Although Ganesha initially refuses, upon the repeated pleas of his two wives Riddhi and Siddhi, sons, sister and the divine sage Narada, Ganesha creates Santoshi Mata through two flames rising from his wives' breasts. Narada decreed that this mind-born daughter of Ganesha will always fulfil everyone’s desires and thus, would be called Santoshi Maa, the Mother of Satisfaction.[1][2]
The film then shifts from the heavenly abode of Ganesha to the earth, where the story of the goddess's devotee Satyavati is told. Satyavati, prays to the goddess, to get her married to Birju and after her wish is granted, she undertakes a pilgrimage of the temples of Santoshi Mata with her husband. The mischievous Narada incites the jealousy of the goddesses Brahmani, Lakshmi and Parvati (Ganesha's mother, thus Santoshi Mata's grand-mother)—wives of the Hindu Trinity of gods Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva respectively—towards the "new" goddess Santoshi Mata. The goddess triad unleash their wrath on Satyavati. Like the vrata katha, Birju leaves to make a fortune. The goddess triad spread the rumour that Birju is dead and the lone "widow" Satyavati is tormented by her sister-in-laws. Birju forgets about Satyavati, but on the fulfilment of the Friday vrata by Satyavati, Santoshi Mata appears in Birju's dream and reminds him of his wife. Birju returns home a rich man and establishes a separate household with Satyavati. At the udayan ceremony, Satyavati's sister-in-laws mix sour food in the ritual meal, to be served to eight boys. Santoshi Mata punishes the sister-in-laws by crippling them and their sons who have the ritual meal, fall dead. Satyavati is blamed for this misfortune. But, finally when Satyavati prays to the goddess, the goddess appears before Satyavati and restores the boys and their mothers. Satyvati's kin then ask for the goddess' forgiveness. Ultimately, the goddess triad also repent and say that they were just testing Satyavati's devotion. Narada finally asks the goddess triad, their husbands and Ganesha to bless Santoshi Mata, which Lutgendorf interprets as an explicit confirmation to the new goddess's incorporation in the Hindu pantheon.[1][2]

From: Wiki
Maa Santoshi is an emblem of love, contentment, forgiveness, happiness and hope. It is so believed that fasting and praying for her for 16 consecutive Fridays brings peace and prosperity in ones family.

Santoshi Maa inspires an individual to cherish family values and to come out of the crisis with one's determination. Santoshi Maa is also considered to be an incarnation of Mother Durga and is widely worshipped through out India and by Indians residing outside India.

From: here
(A Hymn to Santoshi mata)
English Wording:
jai yuga-yuga ki adi sakti I jaga mem pracalita hai tava bhakti II
adi, madhya aura avasana I teri gati vidhi koi na jana II


English Meaning:
Glory, all glory to you, O Primordial Power, worshipped in every age. Devotion to you is now a universal phenomenon. Without a beginning, a middle and an end as you are, your movements and activities are mysterious and incomprehensible.

II
English Wording:
nirmala sraddha mem khusa hoti I thoRe mem samtusta ho jati II
kali mem nama dharyo santosi I agni tulya pratyaksa-visekhi II


English Meaning:
Selfless and an unblemished regard shown to you pleases you most; a trifling faith in you is enough to satisfy you. Although you are bright as fire and visible, you are called Santoshi in this Kali age.

III
English Wording:
kala jnana bala vidya datri I tuma sama sarala sukhada nahim dhatri II
sakala caracara tuma se calate I bhuta preta yamaduta simharate II


English Meaning:
To you we owe the arts, knowledge, strength, and learning, for there is no foster-mother as simple and comforting as you; and to you owes everything, moving and unmoving, its existence; but you are a big terror to ghosts, fiends, and Death’s messengers.

IV
English Wording:
dusta dalana samhara karini I mata tuma brahmanda dharini II
sarasvati laksmi aura kali I amita sakti ki khana nirali II


English Meaning:
While you kill and destroy the wicked, you sustain and uphold the universe. As Sarasvati, Laksmi and Kali you are a mysterious and unique reservoir of immeasurable power.

V
English Wording:
tumhare sarana gahe jo koi I manokamana purana hoi II
tuma ganesa ki mam kanya I tumase dharati ho gai dhanya II


English Meaning:
Whosoever seeks your protection, finds all his desires fulfilled. You are the virgin mother of Ganesa, and it is you who made the earth a supremely favoured place.

VI
English Wording:
rddhi siddhi hai tumhari mata I mamgalamaya varadana ke data II
brahma visnu mahesa trimaya I usaka bala tujhamem hai samaya II


English Meaning:
O Mother, you are the daughter of Rddhi and Siddhi, the two most munificent bestowers of propitious boons, and embody the triple wisdom (extraordinary or supernatural power, saktisor energies) of Brahma, Visnu and Mahesa.

VII
English Wording:
sira para kamcana mukuta suhata I sundara ratnasamuha dikhata II
madhura-manohara mukhaRa komala I puspamala aura syamala kuntala II


English Meaning:
On your head is a beautiful golden coronet studded with a cluster of splendid jewels, your soft, tender face possesses the beauty of mingled sweetness and charm aided by a beautiful wreath of flowers and a lock of black hair.

VIII
English Wording:
alamkara sohita haim amga mem I navya divya tana geru ramga mem II
sundara vastra mem mala rakhati I darsaka ke mana vasa mem karati II


English Meaning:
Your young divine body, decked out with ornaments, looks elegant in its red ochre as does the wreath on your beautiful garments which bewitch the minds of all who behold them.

IX
English Wording:
padma trirekha dhare do hatha I caturbhuji ko tekahu matha II
sanmukha amrta bhari surahi I satha kamadhenu manacahi II


English Meaning:
Bow to the four-armed goddess who holds a lotus and conch-shell in two of her hands. In front of her is a flagon filled with nectar and beside her the much-covered cow of plenty.

X
English Wording:
svarna kalasa rahata hai age I bhaktom ke saubhaga haim jage II
tumhare bhaktibhava jo pave I ajara amara jaga mem ho jave II


English Meaning:
Before you is kept a golden pitcher for blessing the devotees with good fortune. (The presence of the pitcher is an evidence of Santoshi’s readiness to bliss; the blessed urn is easily accessible for blessing whosoever wins her favour.) O Mother, age does not wither him nor Death kill the person whom you bless with disinterested love and devotion.

XI
English Wording:
namo namo jaga tarana hari I duhkha daridra taro mahatari II
sukravara dina ati anukula I santosi vrata mamgala mula II


English Meaning:
I bow to you again and again. O deliverer of the world, and entreat you to be so good a mother as to relieve me of my penury and misery. Fridays are all favourable to you for the observance of Santoshi vrata–the vow kept in hanour of you; it is the root of all blessings.

XII
English Wording:
bahuvidha mata ki puja kara I Santoshi ki katha sravana kara II guRa auracna prasada caRhave I
nirahara eka juna manave II savadhana usa dina yaha rakhe I bhula se khatta deve na cakhe II
nahim to matu kupita ho jati I vamsa sahita samtana nasati II


English Meaning:
Let the devotee worship the Mother in as many ways as possible and listen to the story of her miraculous acts; let him offer her jaggery and unfried gram and forgo one meal. He should be particularly careful not to offer nor taste anything sour. Failure to observe this rule so enrages the Mother that she, in her fury, destroys the family of the transgressor.

XIII
English Wording:
sukravara solaha vrata rakhe I udyapana utsaha manave II
phira to iccha purana hoi I matu krpa se dera na hoi II


English Meaning:
Continuously for sixteen Fridays should the vrata be observed and with great pomp and ceremony must it close. If these instructions are followed, every desire of the devotee will be fulfilled without delay.

XIV
English Wording:
adbhuta devi camatkarini pala mem cinta piRa harani II
japara krpa matu ki hoi I jita sake na usako koi II


English Meaning:
Endowed with miraculous powers, the wonderful goddess relieves her votaries of their anxieties and suffering in trice. Whosoever is blessed by the compassionate mother becomes invincible.

XV
English Wording:
dhana viveka sukha santi pradayini I isa yuga ki navaprana vidhayini II
tuma sama devi kou nahim I dekha liya maim tribhuvana mahim II


English Meaning:
She doles out wealth, knowledge, happiness, and peace to her supplicants, for she is the harbinger of new awakening (renewed vitality) in this age. I am convinced that there is none in the three spheres comparable to her in might and compassion.

XVI
English Wording:
dukha ati pai bahu becari I pati viyoga ki vaha dukhiyari II nariyala khopara pikara pani I
bhusa ki roti khai abhagini II Santoshi ka vrata jo kinha I pati sahita vaibhava pa linha II


English Meaning:
A poor hapless housewife, bereaved of her husband, was extremely distraught and was so unlucky that she had a coconut shell from which she drank water and eased her hunger by eating bread made of husks and chaff. When she observed the vow consecrated to Santoshi, she was blessed with prosperity, and her husband was restored to her.

XVII
English Wording:
pira cinta katahu mata I asta siddhi nau nidhi ke data I
Santoshi upavasa kare jo I sukha sampati ka bhoga kare vo II


English Meaning:
O Mother, you are the gracious donor of the eight accomplishments and nine treasures. I supplicate you to relieve me of my worries and sufferings. He who observes fast (as a ceremonial rite to please Santoshi), enjoys both wealth and happiness.

XVIII
English Wording:
yaham vaham saba thaura samai I tumhari mahima kahi na jai II
manavamchita vara pavai kvari I paye suhaga sadhava sannari II


English Meaning:
Your glory, which permeates all space, beggars description. Maidens, if chaste and devoted to you, get husbands of their choice and married women, if faithful an virtuous, receive the boon of lasting coverture.

XIX
English Wording:
sukha dhana jana saba manokamana I purna hogi satya janana II
patha sava sau karai jo koi I mitai kasta sukha-sampati hoi II


English Meaning:
Consider it an indubitable truth (law, principle) that devotion to Santoshi leads to the fulfilment of all desires and yields happiness, prosperity and large family. He who repeats this hymn a hundred and twenty-five times is relieved of all his afflictions and is blessed with great felicity and riches.

Doha
English Wording:
santosi samkata harana I he camatkara ki murti II
graha badha ko dura kara I karo kamana purti II


English Meaning:
Santoshi, a vetitable embodiment of miraculous feats, is the dispeller of all crises and obstructions caused by evil stars. I entreat her to fulfil my cherished hopes.


From here: Santoshi Mata Chaalisa


Also see:
Jai Santoshi Maa
Santoshi Maa Aarti I
Santoshi Maa Aarti II
Article: Santoshi Ma: The Goddess Through Popular Film
Puja info

Video, Youtube:
Jai Santoshi Maa (1975) Full Movie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xVKZm1VGY4