Savitri and Satyavan - Premium Prose India

The Story of
Savitri and Satyavan
Episode Two
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The Story ofSavitri and Satyavan
Episode Two
Author: Simon Maddock
Illustrations: Rui Lai
Book Design: Eva Angelova
Narrated By: Ayesha Mendham
Music and Sound Engineer: Ishan Isaacs
Producer: Emma Horton
This book is copyright © Gilsar Pty Limited, 2014
Illustrations are copyright © Gilsar Pty Limited, 2014
Book Design is copyright © Gilsar Pty Limited, 2014
Voice Recording is copyright © Gilsar Pty Limited, 2014
Music is copyright © Gilsar Pty Limited, 2014
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced
without the permission of the publisher.
©Gilsar Pty Limited, 2014. All rights reserved.
In Episode One we heard how Savitri, a beautiful
Princess found her one true love, Satyavan
living in a forest. She returned to her
parents, King Ashvapati and Queen Malavi
of Madura, who were overjoyed.
But their joy turned to sorrow
when Narada, the holy dweller
in heaven, told them all that
Satyavan was fated to die
on the first anniversary
of their wedding. And
worse, if he did so Savitri
was forbidden by law to
marry again.
Her parents tried to talk
her out of marrying
Satyavan but her heart
was his already, and
she departed for the
jungle vowing to marry
Satyavan and to defeat
Death himself.
And now the story continues
…
When Savitri reached the jungle
she found her way to the simple
hut of Satyavan and his parents.
Straightaway they were united as
husband and wife.
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She joined her husband and her
parents-in-law, she gave up her fine
dresses for simple clothing and exchanged
all her beautiful jewellery for a few bangles
on her wrists, which clinked and rang out
as she busied herself with the ordinary
work around the simple hut in the
jungle.
She kept Narada’s fearful prophecy
a deep secret in her heart. She
had limitless faith in her love for
Satyavan, and his for her. So she spent
the year working with her husband in
devoted service in the jungle to her
new family, and she prayed daily to
all the gods, but she saved her special
prayers for Yama, the God of Death,
who, according to
Narada,
was
going
to
come on the
anniversary of
their wedding to
claim her husband’s
soul.
Nearly a year went by in this manner
until, three days before their
wedding anniversary, three days
before the fateful day upon which
Yama the God of Death was to come
for Satyavan, Savitri announced
that she would stop eating and
drinking . King Dyumatsena and
his queen and Satyavan tried to
talk her out of it.
“Oh Savitri, you are a
wonderful
daughter-inlaw, you have served us
devotedly for nearly a
year.
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You are a delicate and
gentle princess, please don’t put
yourself through this hardship.”
But Savitri told them that she had
taken a vow to fast before her wedding
anniversary.
Two more days went by and then, on
the fateful morning, Satyavan hefted his
axe onto his shoulder, ready to go out
into the jungle to cut wood for their fire.
Savitri, seeing him about to set off, asked
to accompany him.
Again, Dyumatsena and Lakshmibai tried
to talk her out of it. Satyavan too tried to
dissuade her.
“Savitri, you are a royal princess,”
he said, “the dangerous jungle is
no place for you. Stay here and
I shall return at sunset with
firewood.”
“Where on earth should
I rather be than at the
side of my strong and
faithful husband? What
danger can threaten me
in the jungle when you
are there to protect me?
On this day of all days, the
anniversary of our wedding
where else should I be?”
Satyavan finally agreed, and so he
and Savitri set off together into the
jungle.
All morning Satyavan worked hard
without a break chopping wood.
Savitri sat quietly praying to Yama
the God of Death.
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As the sun rose high in the sky
Satyavan’s axe strokes began to slow
down. He wiped the sweat from his
forehead.
“I am feeling tired,” he said, “Perhaps I’ll
lie down and rest for a while.”
So saying, he lay down and put his
head in Savitri’s lap. Savitri sat
perfectly still, listening to her
husband’s gentle breathing as
he fell into a deep sleep.
Then she heard another deeper
sound. The rhythmic thump,
thump, thump, thump of
an approaching beast. The
noise grew louder and the
ground began to shake.
Soon the leaves of the jungle
parted and Yama the God of
Death appeared riding on an
enormous black bull.
As prophesied by Narada, Yama
the God of Death had come in
person for the soul of Satyavan.
“Greetings, Oh Princess,” said
Yama, the God of Death, “I have come
for your husband’s soul. Your devotion
to me and your fasting and your prayers
have won from me this great gift, that
you can see me in person when no others
can.”
Savitri greeted him politely and, without
disturbing her beloved husband bowed low to
the God of Death. Then, Yama took a noose of
rope and with it he caught the soul of Satyavan
and pulled it from his body. Satyavan breathed
his last.
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Then Yama turned the bull and headed back towards
the jungle path from which he had come.
As Yama, riding his great black bull and holding the soul
of Satyavan, made his way along the jungle path he
became aware of a gentle sound behind him: Clink,
clink, clink, clink.
He stopped and turned the bull
around and there was Savitri,
whose bangles were gently
ringing
as
she
followed
Yama
down the path. When Yama
stopped she bowed low to him.
“Savitri, why are you here? I journey to the Kingdom
of Death where you cannot follow. “
“Oh Great God of Dharma, you are the ruler
of Life and Death. All come to meet you
in the end to have their good deeds
and their bad deeds weighed
in the balance.
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You are the King of Justice. I follow you from intense feelings of devotion.”
And Savitri again bowed low to the God of Death.
Yama was pleased with her words, and he gave her his blessing. Then he turned
the bull around and headed, once again down the jungle path towards his kingdom,
taking the soul of Satyavan with him. After a while he again became aware of a gentle
sound: Clink, clink, clink, clink.
Once again he stopped and turned around and found Savitri standing on the path.
“Oh Princess your faithfulness is truly wonderful, why now do you follow me?”
“Oh Great Lord of the Underworld, I follow my husband as far as I can. What wife
would not do such a thing if she could, to have as many precious minutes as possible
with the one she loves.”“Your love has impressed me deeply. I grant you a wish. Ask
for anything in the whole Universe, but do not ask for the soul of your husband, this I
will not return to you.”
Savitri bowed low and thanked the Lord of Death and asked that her father-in-law
receive back his sight.
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“Done!” said Yama, “Ask for
something else. Anything your
heart desires. Only do not ask for
your husband’s soul, for this I will
not return to you.”
Again Savitri bowed low and asked
that her father-in-law receive his
kingdom back.
“Done!” said Yama the God of
Death. “Now ask for your final
gift. And ask for something for
yourself. But do not ask for the
soul of your husband, this I
cannot give.”
“Oh Lord, if you would be
so gracious, I ask to be the
mother of one hundred sons.”
“Done!” said Lord Yama with
a wave of his mighty arm.
“Oh Lord,” said Savitri, bowing low
and speaking in a respectful voice,
“how can this be. You are the Lord of
Law, and one of your laws is that a woman cannot
remarry after the death of her husband. Without a
husband how can I fulfil your blessing that I be the mother of
one hundred sons?”
At this, Yama laughed a mighty laugh - Ha Ha Ha Ha! -which shook the whole
world. “Oh Princess, you have defeated me! For thousands of years people will
tell the story of your love and your devotion to your husband Satyavan. And they
will also tell how you overcame the God of Death to win back your husband from
him, even at the very threshold of his kingdom.”
And with that Yama, the Great Lord of Righteousness, carefully handed the soul of
Satyavan to Savitri, who again bowed down low. And then each turned and went their
way, Yama to the underworld, and Savitri back to the forest clearing where the body of
her husband lay peacefully.
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She knelt down beside him and gently placed his soul down upon him. As his soul
re-entered his body, Satyavan stretched and yawned.
“How long have I slept, my dear, we must return to my parents or they will worry.”
Together they returned to the hut where Dyumatsena and his Queen Lakshmibai
were marvelling at the return of his sight. Just as Savitri and Satyavan approached,
a messenger came riding through the jungle with startling news. The evil ruler of
Shalwa had died suddenly and the people were clamouring for Dyumatsena and
Lakshmibai’s return as their King and Queen.
At this point Savitri sat and closed her eyes and offered up a silent prayer of thanks
to the Lord Yama. When her husband and parents-in-law asked what she was doing
Savitri explained the whole sequence of events to them.
They were amazed and bowed down to her and worshipped her as the perfect
example of devotion, intelligence and courage. They returned to Madura and King
Ashvapati and Queen Malavi and all the people of Madura rejoiced at the return of
their beloved Princess and her handsome husband.
Together they ruled for many a long year and, as foretold by Yama, the God of Death,
the story of Savitri and Satyavan is told and retold even to this very day!
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©Gilsar
©GilsarPty
PtyLimited,
Limited,2014.
2014.All
Allrights
rightsreserved.
reserved.