The Birth of Savitr

The Legend

The story of Savitri is an ancient story. It is both myth and pre-history. Its characters and contents are occult-spiritual. Given as a human tale, it has several connotations and is loaded with supernatural significance. In fact its symbolic nature is suggestive of the issue involved in this mortal creation, this mrityuloka. The issue is of a divine manifestation in the evolutionary way, evolution that has its beginning in Inconscience. There is a long spiritual tradition which carries in its experience this esoteric sense of the story.

The story appears early in the Mahabharata and is charged with the dynamism of the Dharma, the Path of Righteousness. The word dharma has the sense of the inner law of conduct natural to one's soul and one's spiritual build-up, one's swabhāva, becoming.

In the story Savitri the princess of Madra is of course the most important character. The other persons present are: Savitri's father Aswapati and mother Malawi; then, there is the heavenly sage Narad who pays a purposeful visit to Aswapati at a most crucial juncture in the life of Savitri. This happens when she is about to disclose to her parents her choice of marrying Satyavan; Satyavan, his mother Shaibya and blind father Dyumatsena, once the ruler of the Shalwa country, are staying as exiles in the forest. In the forest there are sages and learned ascetics engaged in hallowed spiritual practices, one prominent and well respected among them being the sage Gautama. Yama or the God of Death is at once frightful-dark and kind-gracious in the benignity of the Upholder of the Order of the Worlds. Princess Savitri's own birth was in response to Aswapati's prayer to the goddess Savitri. It is she who incarnated herself as his daughter in fulfilment of the exceptional boon granted to him, through her, by the Creator-Father Brahma himself. A cosmic-transcendental dimension is thus already set in the story narrated as a simple human tale belonging to the early times.

This entire paraphernalia has been pressed into the story to convey the revelatory truth of the spiritual evolution in the terrestrial scheme. Sri Aurobindo has renewed it, fixing his own yogic power into it: he has kindled the fire of his own soul in its body and in its spirit. We

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can thus appreciate how the story becomes both a legend and a symbol. No wonder that his elaborate presentation of the theme in the epic should focus itself on occult-supernatural actions and eventualities. Aswapati has explored the hierarchy of the worlds and found the true meaning of this creation. He has now discovered the nature of the problem and the difficulty that stands in the way. He is convinced that only if the supreme divine Power shall take birth here that this issue of mortality will be resolved.

In the Mahabharata story Aswapati is a follower of the dharma and is firmly established in the truth. He rules over his kingdom with love and has concern for its citizens. But he is issueless. Therefore with the intention of getting a son he engages himself in arduous tapasya. He retires to a forest and for eighteen years worships goddess Savitri. Pleased with his commitment to truth the goddess emerges out of the sacrificial flames and grants him the boon of a daughter. She assures him that this has the sanction of Brahma the Creator himself. In the course of time Savitri is born. She is brought up in the dignity of the tradition and soon grows into beautiful maidenhood. But because of her fiery youthful splendour no prince dares to approach her, extending his hand in marriage. For that reason Aswapati considers it perfectly in order that she should visit different lands and kingdoms in search of a young man of her choice to espouse, one endowed with qualities like her own. He tells her so.

Savitri, obeying her father, sets out on her search and travels from place to place. On her way she visits palaces and holy pilgrim centres and offers worships to the deities; also, she gives away great wealth to the learned. In the course of her journey as she passes through the green wooded regions she makes respectful obeisances to the sages and rishis staying in the sacred hermitages. It is in her sojourn at the Shalwa forest that she meets Satyavan.

Savitri, having made the choice, returns to her father's house. There as if by heavenly design is present with her father the revered sage Narad. Savitri bows down to them, touches their feet, and offers worshipful respects. Narad looks at her and makes inquiries about her. Aswapati explains to the sage that she had gone abroad in search of her life's partner and that now she must be returning after having successfully accomplished the mission. Savitri discloses that it is Satyavan whom she has chosen to marry.

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But Narad, while speaking glowingly about Satyavan's qualities, also at once strikes a note of alarm, even of deep regret. He tells Aswapati about the grave nature of the choice made by his daughter. It is a matter of serious concern, he forewarns, that Savitri should have decided to take this young man for a husband. He tells them that her choice of Satyavan is an accursed choice and makes it known that one year after the marriage he is destined to die on that very day.

Savitri, however, remains firm in her resolve. She also asserts that it is her soul's choice and that she will not move away from it. Narad sees in her steadfastness something very remarkable and fully endorses her decision. He finally recommends the marriage and blesses them. Then, invoking propitious things of life and good fortune for all, he leaves the palace for his home in Paradise.

The marriage is duly solemnized. Savitri now adapts herself to the austere and simple life of the hermitage. She attends to her household tasks diligently. But, within, the virtuous woman suffers greatly. She always remembers Narad's words and feels the cruel day of Satyavan's death approaching closer. When she counts that only four days are left and after that Satyavan will be no more, she resolves to perform the difficult three-night vow, of fasting and standing at one single place through the entire period.

On the fourth day, the destined day of Satyavan's death, Savitri gets ready well before the sunrise, and lights a bright fire, and makes offerings to the gods. The parents-in-law and the rishis bless her. She requests Satyavan, as he was setting out to go to the forest for the daily work, to let her accompany him.

The young couple, hand in exultant hand, is on the way to the destined place. Satyavan shows to Savitri the tall green mountains and the sacred rivers and trees laden with flowers. In the lovely and delightful woods, with the flocks of peacocks dancing there joyously, they hear all around a soft lyrical note of cheerfulness. In that gladness the lover speaks to his beloved in honey-sweet words. But, remembering Narad's words, Savitri knows that Satyavan's life is now only in hours and he will die with the arrival of the Time-Person, kāla-purusha.

The hour comes and Satyavan, as he is cutting the branch of a tree, begins to feel severe pain in his limbs. Savitri immediately goes

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closer to him and he lies in her lap. Presently, she sees a bright Person standing in front of her. He is luminous, is imposing in his red attire, and is wearing a splendid crown over his head; it seems to her that the Sun-God himself had come there at the bright hour of that noon. His body, though dark, is lustrous in hue and through his red eyes he is looking steadily at Satyavan. He is carrying a noose in his hand which inspires great dread.

On seeing him Savitri lays aside her husband's head and stands up with folded hands. Her heart is trembling but she inquires as to who that Person is and why he was there. Yama introduces himself and tells her that Satyavan's life is over and he has come to carry away his soul. He throws the noose around it and pulls it out. Satyavan's lifeless corpse now appears very faded and unpleasant. Savitri, though afflicted with grief, follows Yama determinedly.

A little later Yama looks behind and notices her following him. He advises her to return. But Savitri refuses, insisting that she will go wherever Satyavan was being taken. She must have the soul of Satyavan back and argues extensively with Yama on fundamental issues. Her speech is perfect in thought and expression and she tells him a thing or two about the greatness of the dharma by which the creation is sustained. She asserts that the sages who live in the Truth help it grow and it is by it that the sun shines and in it the movements of Time take shape. They thus prove to be the protectors of the entire world.

Immensely pleased with the sublimity of these utterances Yama grants her boon after boon. Indeed, the more she speaks of the dharma, acceptable always in the conduct of life in every circumstance, the more the admiration of Yama for her grows. Finally, gladdened by her words of dharma, he releases the noose from around the soul of the dead. He tells her that Satyavan is now in good health and fit to return with her to do noble works on earth. Further, he grants a life of four hundred years for him to live with her. They will be engaged in performance of holy Yajnas for the welfare of the world.

After the departure of Yama and getting her husband back, Savitri comes to the place where his dead body was lying. Satyavan regains his consciousness and affectionately looks at Savitri. He feels that he is waking from some deep sleep; but then he also carries a faint

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recollection of the dark-hued and terrifying figure that had dragged him to some dreadful and unknown world. He asks Savitri whether she knew anything about him. She tells him that it was the great God Yama himself, the Ordainer of the Creatures, who had come there; she, however, quickly adds that it is now all over and that he has left the place. Satyavan wants to know more about the entire episode. But Savitri postpones it by saying that she will narrate it later; she points out that a thick darkness is fast enveloping them in the forest. Then they start walking slowly back to the hermitage. Indicating that at the bifurcation near the group of palaasha-trees she should take the path leading to the north, he prompts her to quicken the pace that they may reach home as early as possible.

At the hermitage the parents are greatly worried, that Satyavan and Savitri have not yet returned when it had already grown so dark in the night. But the tapasvins of the forest assuage their fear. They pronounce that as Savitri is an exceptional woman, of virtuous qualities, and is fixed in the dharma, and has made great progress in her tapasya, nothing injurious can happen to Satyavan and that he is alive. In the tranquil benign surroundings and in the manner and movement of the dumb animals and birds they observe a secret presence of harmony, suggesting that there is nothing which should really cause them concern.

Then, not too long afterwards, Satyavan and Savitri reach the hermitage and there is great jubilation amongst all present. Kindling a bright fire they sit around it and throw a volley of questions. They wish to know why they were late in returning when the night had grown so dark in the jungles. Rishi Gautama expresses his eagerness to hear everything from Savitri. She has the knowledge of all that is far and near, that belongs to the past and to the future, and therefore he wants to know from her the truth behind the mystery.

Savitri narrates everything in detail, right from the beginning, how Narad foretold the impending doom of Satyavan's death, and the reason for her undertaking the three-night vow, and of accompanying her husband to the forest on that particular day. She tells them that at the midday hour Yama had appeared in the forest to take away Satyavan's soul. As he was carrying it away with him, she too followed him and offered him high eulogies with the utterances of the Truth. The mighty God was pleased and, beyond bound, had

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become happy with her. She then narrates how she received five boons from him and how Satyavan regained his consciousness.

Next day morning the rishis, rich in splendid austerities, gather once again at Dyumatsena's hermitage and speak of the extreme good fortune of Savitri, her mahābhāgyam. In the course of time all the boons of Yama get fulfilled.

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