I had never read the story of Savitri, and since I have been reading a lot of female-focused stories lately, I figured this would be a perfect story to read. This will probably be my last reading post, so I am really excited to save this one for last.
What is interesting about Savitri is that her purity and devotion is so strong that she is able to plead with Yama, the god of death, to save the life of her husband Satyavan! Here is the storyline:
- Savitri is born to the king of Madra Kingdom, Ashwapati
- Ashwapati prayed to the Sun God Savitr for a child, and Savitr granted him his boon in that he would have a beautiful daughter
- Savitri is incredibly beautiful and pure, and because of this, all of the men are intimidated by her; she receives no offers of marriage
- As a result, her father tells her to go out and seek a husband on her own
- Savitri meets Satyavan (son of blind king Dyumatsena of Shalwa Kingdom who lives in the forest with his wife and son after having lost everything) and returns to her kingdom to tell her father that she wishes to marry Satyavan
- Sage Narada is talking to her father when she returns and informs her that although Satyavan will be a good husband, he will die in exactly a year from then
- Although her father hesitates, Savitri insists on her wish to marry Satyavan and he agrees
- Savitri is married to Satyavan and lives in the forest with her husband and in-laws; she gives up her wealth as a princess and opts for hermit clothes
- In the three days before Satyavan's death, Savitri begins fasting and praying for her husband's survival
- The morning of his death, Savitri asks her father-in-law if they can accompany Satyavan to the forest; Dyumatsena agrees (since Savitri never asked anything of him before)
- Satyavan grows week and lays his head on Savitri's lap; when the Yama's servants come to fetch his soul, Savitri's holiness prevents them from doing so, and they return to Yama soulless; Yama himself decides to take the soul of Satyavan
- As he is carrying the soul away, Savitri follows him, and Yama stops, impressed by Savitri's purity and devotion to her husband:
- He grants her three boons (except for the life of Satyavan); Savitri asks:
- That her father-in-law get his eyesight and kingdom restored
- That her father get one hundred children
- That she and her husband get one hundred children
- To this last wish, Yama found himself facing a dilemma since it would indirectly require him to restore Satyavan's life; he grants her one more wish with no conditions, and Savitri immediately asks for the restoration of Satyavan's life
- Yama obliges and tells Savitri that she and her husband will live to 400 hundred years
- Satyavan awakens and returns with Savitri to the forest
- Dyumatsena regains his eyesight before Savitri and Satyavan returns
- Savitri explains to everyone what happened with Yama
- Dyumatsena's ministers come to their forest and tell him that his kingdom's usurper has died, and he has regained his kingdom
- The family rejoiced, and King Dyumatsena returned to the kingdom with his wife, son, and daughter-in-law to live a rich prosperous life
Bibliography: Savitri and Satyavan, Wikipedia page, Link.
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