ॐ भूर्भुव: स्व: तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं । भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि, धीयो यो न: प्रचोदयात् ।।
Oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tát savitúr váreṇiyaṃ
bhárgo devásya dhīmahi
dhíyo yó naḥ prachodáyāt
Once upon a time there lived a good and just king called King Asvapati. His people loved him and his country was prosperous. The only thing that saddened the King was that he had no children. So every day he prayed sincerely to the Goddess Savitri for a child. The kind Goddess granted him his wish and the King and Queen were blessed with a beautiful daughter who they named Savitri after the Goddess who had blessed them with a daughter.
Savitri was not just beautiful to look at but also had a beautiful and kind heart. She was the most loving daughter any parent could desire. She was also clever, caring and generous too. As she grew up she gave her parents and the people of the country much joy and happiness. Everyone loved her.
When she was old enough her father, the King, wanted her to choose her own husband. He believed his daughter was intelligent and such a good judge of character that she would be the best person to select a match for herself. So her father called her and said, “Savitri, you have now grown into a lovely lady and your mother and I would like to see you happily married to a worthy man. I would like you to travel far and find for yourself an honourable and noble husband.”
Savitri being an obedient daughter agreed to her father's request. She was an independent girl and knew that she was capable of choosing for herself an excellent match. Her golden chariot was called for and Savitri left with her retinue of staff to help her during her travels. Also travelling with her were wise ministers to advise her should she need the advice and brave soldiers to protect her during her journey. Before commencing her search for a suitable groom Savitri prayed at several holy places requesting God to help her to make a wise decision.
She travelled for many months before returning to her father's palace. The King and Queen were delighted when she finally returned. At the time of her return the great Sage Narada had come to the palace to visit her father. Seeing Savitri, the sage enquired of the King, “Where is your daughter returning from?” The King told him of the journey Savitri had made to find herself a groom. “Come, let us all go into the grand hall of the palace and hear about the man Savitri has chosen,” said the King.
Once everyone was comfortably seated in the hall, Savitri began, “Oh father, a noble and wise King Dyumatsena was once the ruler of the Salwa kingdom. While he was King and at a time when his son was very young, he lost his sight and became completely blind. Taking advantage of the situation a wicked neighbouring King suddenly attacked and took over King Dyumatsena’s kingdom and drove him into the forest with his wife and little son. Once exiled, the good King gave up all worldly desires and lived as a hermit in the forest. His son, Satyavan, has grown into a handsome, charming and good man and I have fallen in love with him. I wish to marry Satyavan.”
Once she had informed Sage Narada and her parents Savitri went up to them and touched their feet to receive their blessings.
Sage Narada looked at the beautiful young girl and sadly shook his head. Turning towards the King he said, “Your daughter has made a foolish choice.”
Shocked the King asked, “Why oh revered sage do you say that? Is Prince Satyavan not brave and kind?”
“Yes he is certainly all that and more but sadly he has just one year left to live,” the sage replied.
The King rose from his throne and holding his daughter close to him begged of her, “Please my dearest daughter pick another man to be your husband. I could not bear to see you a widow.”
But Savitri was determined to marry Satyavan. She said, “Father, I will marry only Satyavan or remain unmarried for the rest of my life.”
Sage Narada was touched by the courage and determination of the young girl and said to the King, “Let Savitri marry Satyavan as she has decided that she will marry no one else but him.”
The King bowed to Sage Narada and said he would agree to his daughter’s choice. The next day the King, Queen, a group of ministers and some Brahmin priests left with Savitri for the forest where Satyavan lived with his parents. The forest was dense so they left the royal chariot by the roadside and walked through the woods till they reached the tiny cottage where King Dyumatsena lived. The hermit King was sitting on a grass mat inside the hut. Savitri’s father after gifting the King a cow asked for his son’s hand in marriage for his daughter, Savitri.
King Dyumatsena was surprised and said, “I would have gladly accepted your proposal had I still been ruling my kingdom. How can I bring your daughter into this life of hardship and difficulty?” But King Asvapati would hear no protest and King Dyumatsena finally agreed to the marriage. The priests conducted the marriage right away and Satyavan and Savitri became man and wife.
As soon as the wedding ceremony was over, Princess Savitri took all her heavy ornaments and silk robes off and dressed in coarse cloth just as Satyavan and his parents were clothed. She adapted to the life in the forest not missing for a moment her royal life at the palace.
Satyavan and Savitri lived life blissfully. Savitri and Satyavan loved each other very much. Every moment for them was joyful. But the days and months were ticking by and all too soon the year came to an end.
As the end drew near, Savitri prayed sincerely, neither eating any food nor drinking any water. Though they hoped her prayers would be answered, Satyavan’s parents could not bear to see their daughter-in-law starve. They begged her to eat something as she was getting weaker by each passing day. But Savitri would not relent. She kept praying and fasting hoping that the God’s would hear her pleas.
The final day arrived, Satyavan asked to go out to the forest to cut wood. Savitri walked out behind him. Her husband said to her, “You are weak from no nourishment. Please do not follow me.”
But Savitri would not agree. She said, “I will not leave you alone today. There is no better place for me than by my husband's side.”
Even though Satyavan was afraid that she might faint due to fatigue, he could not stop her from joining him as he left the cottage. Savitri’s deep and abiding love for Satyavan gave her the strength to walk with him into the forest.
The forest was beautiful, with a myriad flowers, fresh fruit hanging from the boughs of the trees and the birds singing merrily perched on the branches. The water in the stream was dancing over rocks and boulders and peacocks were striding gracefully along the shores amidst the foliage. There was a cool breeze and it was indeed a perfect day but both Satyavan and Savitri were filled with sadness. Their hearts were too heavy to enjoy the sights and sounds.
All of a sudden Prince Satyavan fell to the ground unconscious. Savitri knowing that the dreaded time had arrived sat on the ground and cradled her husband's head on her lap. Within moments a large, dark, figure loomed over them. His eyes were a deep flaming red. Savitri asked of the figure, “Who are you?”
The figure replied, “I am Yama, the God of death. I have come for your husband.”
Savitri with folded hands fell at the feet of Lord Yama and begged of him to spare Satyavan's life.
But Yama replied, “Ask for anything else and I can grant it to you but I cannot allow Satyavan to live.”
Savitri then asked the Lord for her father-in-law’s eye sight to be restored. Yama readily granted her this boon. Then he told her she must leave as he would be taking Satyavan away. He pulled Satyavan’s fallen body and began moving further into the forest. Savitri followed behind them.
After a while when Yama turned he saw Savitri following them and felt sorry for her. He said, “You cannot follow your husband to where I am taking him but I will grant you one more wish. Ask for anything but for your husband’s life and I will give it to you.”
The thoughtful Princess Savitri now asked that her father-in-law be given back his kingdom. Yama willingly granted this too. Then Lord Yama turned and moved on.
Savitri kept following them and once again seeing her behind them Yama said, “Go home princess and prepare for the last rites of this honourable Prince, your husband.”
Savitri said to Yama, “The wise have said that by walking seven paces together one establishes friendship with another. I have walked several paces with you. So in the name of this friendship I beg that you take me with my husband wherever it is you are going. My love for my husband has me following him wherever he goes.”
Yama was moved and touched my Savitri’s pleadings but said, “I cannot take you along with your husband. You are tired and can barely walk. I request that you return.”
Savitri said, ‘I feel no fatigue while I am with my husband. You Lord Yama are a God. Have mercy on me and give back my husband.”
Yama replied, “I can show you mercy but cannot give you your husband life. Instead ask for anything else and I will gladly grant it to you.”
This time Savitri said, “Lord Yama my father had no son. Please grant that he may have a hundred sons.” Yama immediately replied, “I grant this too. Now please leave and return back to your home.”
But Savitri still followed Lord Yama. Once again Yama looked back and Savitri said to him, “Lord you have shown me kindness and mercy. Now please show me justice.”
Yama once again feeling compassion for the Princess said, “The life of Satyavan I cannot give you. So you may ask for anything else and I will grant you one last boon.”
Savitri said, “The boon I ask of you is that I may bear Prince Satyavan a hundred sons as strong, brave, handsome and kind as Satyavan himself.”
Yama in a hurry to move on, quickly replied, “Princess I grant you this last boon too.”
Savitri’s face lit up with joy, “You have granted me a hundred sons with Satyavan. In order to have these sons Satyavan must return to life. You are righteous and will not allow your words to be false.”
Lord Yama had given his word to grant her one last wish. He could not go back on his word. Graciously Lord Yama said to the Princess, “You are right. As I have granted you the boon you asked for, I must give Satyavan back his life.”
Then Lord Yama continued, “I have been so moved by your love and devotion for your husband that I not only grant you a hundred sons with him but also grant you a life of togetherness for the next four hundred years.”
With these words Yama disappeared. Satyavan woke from what he believed to be a long, long sleep. Together they returned to their hut in the forest where King Dyumatsena and his Queen were pacing outside worried as to what had happened to Satyavan and Savitri. Seeing them they rushed upto them to embrace them.
Just then some soldiers and a group of men came to give the good King the news that the usurper King had died and the throne and kingdom were being returned to King Dyumatsena even though he was blind. But to everyone’s amazement, the King announced that he was no longer blind. Together they returned to the kingdom of Salwa and the people of Salwa were thereafter ruled well and justly.
All of Savitri’s boons from Lord Yama were fulfilled and even Savitri’s father King Asvapati was blessed with one hundred sons.
LESSONS LEARNT
1. Savitri was an independent girl who made her own decisions. It is important that we also learn to make our own decisions.
2. Once she had made her decisions Savitri willingly and happily faced all the difficulties of living in a forest. We too must learn to face cheerfully all the challenges our decisions bring us.
3. Of all the princes and noble men that Savitri met, to pick herself a husband, she chose Satyavan even though he was no longer rich or powerful. She chose him because he was a good and kind man. When you choose your friends choose children/people who are caring, honest and loving regardless of whether they are rich or poor.
4. Savitri never gave up hope and kept trying to save Satyavan. We too need to persevere if we want to succeed.
5. Let us all learn to be as thoughtful and giving as Savitri. When granted boons by Lord Yama, Savitri first asked for boons for her father-in-law and father and not for herself.
Comments