SAVITRI SATYAVAAN – PATIVRATA MAHATMYA !!!
Suta says :
HEY RISIS , Infinitely brave KING Manu asked LORD MATSYA about the PATIVRATA women and their stories .
- WHo is great among the pativrata women ?
- Who has defeated the Death ?
- WHose name should be always chanted by humans ?
- Kindly narrate to me the story that destroys the sins quickly !
BHAGAVAN MATSYA said :
Hey dutiful KIng ! EVEN DHARMARAJ [ deity of death ] can not act against the pativrata women because even these women are held in high esteem and respect by him . I shall narrate a story in this aspect as to how a women of high devotion towards husband managed to rescue him from the shackles of death himself .
In the previous era , in the country of MADRA [ present day SIALKOT ] there was a KING in the lineage of SHAKAL vansh by name ASHVAPATI . He did not have a son . So to get a son, King consulted the bramhins . By their advice he started the worship of SAVITRI devi , after ten months , once when KING finished homa of hundred ahutis with white mustards and gave scores of bramhins the dakshina and dana . DEVI SAVITRI appeared in his dreams on a chaturthi day and said , ” Oh King you are my devotee and am pleased with your continuous devotion ,so I would bless you with a GIRL child and she would be most beautiful . With a lightning the goddess disappeared
AT AN appropriate time MALATI gave birth to a very beautiful girl who resembled goddess Savitri and hence all the bramhins present gave her the name “SAVITRI” .
Savitri grew into a marriageable girl and KING promised her hand to KING DHYUMATSEN ‘s son SATYAVAAN . Sage NARAD then appeared and said that prince Satyavaan has only one year of his longevity left .
King was highly disturbed at the words of SAGE NARAD but to keep his words He said to himself that GIRL ‘s KANYADAAN is done only once so there cannot be reversal of the decision .So SAVITRI married SATYAVAAN and was serving the in laws and husband with utmost devotion even though the words of sage were disturbing her day and night with utmost pain and misery .Her plight was pitiable yet she served her elders and Husband with utmost devotion in the jungle in a hut because Suddenly KING DHYUMATSEN and his wife lost their eyesight and also their Kingdom .
Her devotion and selfless serving was giving more misery to the King DHYUMATSEN who felt that he had spoilt the life of beautiful princesses and also they could not see her exceptional qualities owing to their blindness .
WHen astrologers came and told her that , “fourth day from now her husband would DIE “ SAVITRI taking the permission of in-laws manifested herself into ” TRIRATRA VRAT ANUSHTHAAN ” a three day marathon vrat austerities .
On the fourth day when SATYAVAAN asked her to accompany her to the jungle to collect flowers and fruits and some wood for fire . SHE accepted as refusing would constitute ‘ YACHANABHANGA ” [ note : however austere the rules of vrata may be , but for a married woman , advice/ order /desires /needs /command of husband is paramount , not heeding to these constitutes vratabhanga , giving into desire of husband , obeying his commands , looking after his needs even if they are against the austere measures of vrata niyama , is the only dharma , it does not constitute vratabhanga but in the name of vrata niyama , if husband is neglected his desires not fulfilled , that actually constitutes vrata bhanga ]
She followed Satyavaan although fearing the words of sage NARADA with extremely unhappy mind and very thought of losing husband that day was bringing tears in her eyes , yet she collected her calm and followed the husband deep into the jungle .In order to hide her state of mind from the husband and to keep him happy and engaged, she asked him to educate about the flora and fauna of the forest . Though she knew most about the forests and its inhabitants and trees and flowers , she asked her to keep him, his mind and herself engaged . SATYAVAAN too kept on showing various animals trees and flowers to the beautiful large eyed SAVITRI and assured her of his love towards her just to relieve her of the tiredness of walking into deep jungles .
SATYAVAAN said :
” Oh large eyed SAVITRI , look at the green soft grass of this jungle as if spring has dawned , and MANMATH along with rati have come down to enhance the atmosphere of lOVE with these mango trees lush green full of ripe mangoes giving delight to eyes and nose with ripe smell contributing to increasing romance in the air ..
These ashoka trees full of flowers seems to be teasing me and perhaps laughing at me amidst the spring . Just look at the captivating array of kinshuk trees with flowers like flames of burning charcoal . These sweet smelling flowers and its scent carried by the breeze is kindhearted in refreshing us by curing the tiredness and freshening US .
Look at the west how appealing is the beauty of bushes with golden flowers of kaNer tree . The weeds and creepers of TINEES have blocked the way . Flowers over these are looking great all through the way . How enchanting is this earth with these flowers . The bees humming all through over these is indicating that Deity MANMATH is surely drawing his bow [ to strike the cupid’s arrow] .
These small dense groups of tilak trees with kokila birds singing over it and harmonizing the atmosphere with their sweet notes which have been sweetened by the tasting the various tasty fruits of the forest . this scenery is as beautiful and attractive as YOu yourself are oh SAVITRI .
The mangoes ripe on the tree have imparted their yellow colour to the kokila and this kokila is singing the notes as if a cultured man is giving his introduction to impress a attractive damsel .
Look at the bees among the backdrop of beautiful arrays of colourful flowers seems like following their beloveds madly in love .
The male kokila even though there are many fruits on the trees still they are eating from the fruits in the mouth of the beloved . The crow is dragging its children in its feathers and still giving its food in the beak to its pregnant lady .
The lovestuck KAPINJAL [ teetar ] is not eating anything just sitting on the ground .Oh large eyed SAVITRI , this chatak [ goraiya bird] is playing with the feathers of its counterpart . The parrot sitting on the branch of a tree is pulling the fruit laden branch with its feather to tease and help its beloved.
The meat eating LION is asleep with satisfaction and the lioness is sleeping amidst its legs . The tiger couples are so lovestruck that their eyes are illuminating the caves differently nearby . The hippopotamus is licking the tongue of its beloved again and again . The monkey is getting its beloved free of lice and giving a good massage onto the head . The big cat is lying on the ground showing her stomach and the other one is pinching and striking its teeth onto it but the cat is not feeling hurt or pain . Look at the pair of rabbit , they have moved into each other in a such a way that except ears nothing can be seen of them .
The elephants in the pond full of lotus is hitting each other with lotus stalks and sporting in the water . The wild boar is uprooting the bushes on its way which its children and family are eating along . The she buffalo with all the dirt and mud onto it is chasing the male with passion . Oh beautiful one ! look at this deer staring at both of us with atrractive eyes in wonder . ANd the other deer is pushing it back lovingly with its horns all at the same time scratching her ears with the legs .
Look at the wild cow moving lazily towards the oX , and this ox is struggling to get the crow off his back . just as a neelgay makes an attempt to shoo the crow away . Look at the sheep trying to place its legs onto its male and trying to eat the fruits from the tree .
The cranes in the pond are enchanting and looks like a moon in the shining sunlight . The chakrawaak is circling around the female amongst the lotus and she is blooming like lotus in sun .
SATYAAVAAN said ” I have collected the fruits and you have also collected the flowers , let me make some arrangements for wood !! Oh bhamini !!! you rest here near the pond for a minute under the shade and I shall get some wood .”
Savitri said . ” KANT !!!! as you say , i shall abide , but do not go away from my sight as I fear staying alone in this forest !!!!!”
So SATYAVAAN stayed nearby collecting the wood but little distance separating them still made savitri as having lost HIM !!!!!
While cutting the wood , SATYAVAAN experienced a severe headache and ran towards his wife and keeping his head onto her LAP , he said ” I am perhaps tired and am in pain , I feel like entering darkness and i am unable to think anything and I just want to sleep in your LAP . !!!!” Thus he slept in her LAP .
At that time SAVITRI SAW , DHARMARAJ coming himself with bluish[ lotus ] hue on the body wearing a yellow silk pitambar , He was appearing as cloud amidst the lightning and golden Crown on his head was akin to a SUN , bright and shining , he even had two earrings . The garland was beautiful dangling down his chest . There were shoulder cuffs . He was accompanied by MRUTYU and MAHAKAAL .
YAma as he arrived , with his pasha took away the PRANAby drawing a man from the body of SATYAVAAN , who was of the size of THUMB . ANd THUS YAMA sped away towards the southern direction .
SAVITRI realizing that her husband has died without wasting a moment in laziness and distress , ran towards YAMARAAJ and with folded hands near the heart told DHARMARAAJ :
” By the devotion towards the mother one gets the enjoyments on the earth , By devotion towards the FATHER one gets enjoyments in the loka of swarga etc medium planes . By the devotion and concentration towards the Teacher GURU , one gets the BRAHMALOKA . One who has served these three he has served everyone and and has adhered to all the dharma . One who has not served any one of these three all his karma is fruitless and all his merits go waste . Till these three are alive in this world , there is no necessity of any other dharma . Spending time in the welfare of these three itself is dharma and one should spend his time in it . If by their command one has to undergo slavery even that should be acceptable and should be offered to them by speech mind and action . ALL the karma of a man starts and ends with mother father and guru !!!
Yama says ” LEAVE the wish that is driving you to follow me , and kindly return back !!!YES there is no karma and dharma bigger than serving mother father and guru !!! But you are hurting yourself by taking this strenuous path and also creating an obstacle to my work !! You are fully tired and hence I am saying so . Oh dharmik lady !!! your husband was indeed devoted to guru and you are also devoted to your husband , at this point of time you are in trouble , kindly return back !!! ”
SAVITRI said ” For a woman , husband is a DEVATA , husband is the one who protects her and thus all the women should follow their husbands wherever they go ! Father brother and SON give limited [ whatever they can give ] but husband gives infinitly everything ! Then HOW will one not worship such a husband . Oh Best among the deities !! wherever you are going or taking my husband , I should also be going there !!
DEV! If at anypoint I am unable to follow you in the journey of my husband , I shall leave my mortal body and embrace death !!! Its unfortunate to live like a widow even for a second !!!!!
YAMA said ” Oh most FORTUNATE pious lady !!!! I am very pleased with you so except the life of your husband ask a boon I shall grant it . !!!”
SAVITRI said ” DHARMAGNYA !!! One who is bereft of KINGDOM and eyes as such My father in law , kindly grant him KINGDOM and EYESIGHT !!! ”
YAMA said ” Oh protected one ! you have travelled a long way , kindly return , Your these wishes will be fulfilled !! Your walking behind me will cause obstacle to my work and also cause tiredness to your self kindly heed my words !!!!!
SAVITRI said ” Oh the great amongst devatas ! What’s tiredness / hardship in the process of begetting the company of satpurush [ a satvik holy men ] . I do not feel unhappy or any misery in the company the great men like yourself . In this world only holy drive the goals of both sadhu [ pious ] and asadhu [ unholy sinful ] people . Sinners neither are helpful to pious , unpious and not even to themselves . Poison , fire and weapons do not cause much destruction as a evil man who without reason takes up enmity with the world .Just as good men sacrifice their lives to the benefit of others so also evil men give up their lives in quest of causing harm to others .
To attain the upper worlds [ heavens ] the holy men do not care for self and own lives , so also to stop the holy men from recahing heavens evil makes everyattempt without caring for their lives . Thus BRAMHA has chosen and appointed a KING to control such evil people in this creation . KINg should keep testing people and his subject , those who are holy he should protect and honour them and those who are evil he should punish them . One who does this is great among the kings !! Honoring holy and punishing evil makes him the KING !!!!! Hevaens will open gates for such KINGS !!! THere is no other dharma for the KINGs except ruling the subject in this manner !! Those who cannot be chastised by such KINGS , such evils are taken to task by YOU oh Dharmaraaj ! Thus you are the most powerful and important among the kings and DEVATAS . This world is lead by the holy men , and YOU are the leader amongst such holy men and hence I have no hardship in following you !!!!!!”
YAMA said ” I am very pleased by your words full of wisdom and DHARMA !!! Thus You can ask any boon except the life of SATYAVAAN!!! Do ASK without delay !!!!”
SAVITRI said ” Oh the author of destiny VIBHO ! I want to be the sister of a hunded brothers , my father is without a son and so let him be bestowed with the happiness of son !!!!”
Yama said ” Oh woman of no blemish !!! just return the way you have arrived , and get the preparation done for the creamation of your dead husband’s body . Satyvaan has now entered another sphere[ loka] , now you cannot walk behind him . But as you are a PATIVRATA , you can walk another few minutes ! Oh protected one , Your HUSBAND has served gurus well and has amassed a lot of punya and thus I am taking him personally !! Oh beautiful one !!! learned always should spend time in serving elders like mother father and guru . Satyavaan has done all the three very well in the forest and has pleased them all . Hence he has gained swarga , On account you being his wife you have also reserved a place in swarga . Oh auspicious one ! men attain swarga with tapasya , bramhacharya and serving agni and guru ! SPECIALLY ONE MUST TAKE CARE IN NEVER INSULTING BRAMHINS TEACHERS FATHER MOTHER AND ELDER BROTHER !!! because acharya [bramhin ] is image of BRAMHA . father of PRAJAPATI , mother of PRITHVI , ELDER brother is an image of the SELF !!!!!!! The amount of hardship that parents undergo in giving birth to a child cannot be repaid in crores of lives . So humans should strive hard to satisfy the desires of parents and guru , because when these three are pleased all the tapasya is said to have been accomplished !!!!
SERVICE to these three guru [ father mother and acharya ] is highest tapasya and no other dharma should be undertaken without their exquisite permission !!!!!
These three [ mother father and acharya ] are the three worlds [ lokas . swarga antariksha and bhumi ] , these are the three vedas , these are the three agnis .
Father is grahyapatya agni , mother is dakshinagni , acharya is avahaniya agni !!!!
These three agnis are great and grahasthas should never get inattentive in the matters of these three agnis . they should be always alert and then they become eligible to win over the SWARGA with their deity like bodies .Oh Protected one ! your work has been accomplished , you must return ! whatever you have asked for will be fullfilled , this way by following you are obstructing my work and also you are too tired , that is the reason why I say so to return !!!!”
- Savitri said ” Oh great among the deities ! what can there be hardships and miseries in accomplishing dharma . The Dharma is in the very worship of your feet !!! Oh DEV ! men of wisdom should be engaged in the activity of accumulating the dharma , because gain of dharma is infinitely greater than all gains !!!!The birth is the result of DHARM ARTHA KAAM all in a single go !!!!
- Because one without dharma his artha and kaama is akin to a son of a barren women !!!! Dharma alone gives rise to artha and kaam and also with the help of dharma alone one gets the heavens !!!!!
- The one who goes anywhere with his will [ jeeva ] is always accompanied by his DHARMA alone , ALL other material things associated with body [ wife relations sons wealth honor etc ] everything ends with the end of the body , JEEVA takes birth alone and dies alone ,but dharma alone accompanies the jeeva after his death not his wife , nor brothers nor relatives or friends none gives you company !!!!!
- Success in undertaking , good fortune , beauty everything is possible through dharma only .
- Oh the ruler of men’s lives [ purushantak ] !!!! VISHNU Bramha Shiva Indra ,chandra yama ,surya ,agni , varuna vayu vasu ,ashvini kuber etc devatas who fulfill the wishes and their worlds are all obtained by Dharma alone ,
- HUMANS live in pleasure giving beautiful islands and varshas [ harivarsha plaksh dweep etc ] only by DHARMA
- DEvatas’ gardens like NANADAN VANA etc is obtained by Dharma/punya alone
- SIMILARLY amazing aircrafts swarga apsaras are all obtained by punya through dharma alone !!!!
- The lusturous valorous bodies of men are result of punya alone.
- The kingship , kingdoms , honor from kings ,obtaining long cherished desires and well cultured upbringing are all the result of accumulated punya alone ,
- Oh the presiding Deity !!! One with punya alone can have a chamar of gold and vaidurya and will be bright as SUN .
- Like a full moon the chatra will look decorated with cloth spun in precious stones over a ma of PUNYA
- The beat of success by the magadhbandi’s with their shankh and other auspicious instruments ready with abhisheka for a man on the ROYAL THRONE [ SIMHASAN ] are the fruits of puya alone ,
- Good food , water , songs , servants , garlands , sandal paste , precious stones , and precious clothes all these are results of PUNYA .
- Lovely and highly attractive damsels full of compassion and beauty and life in palacial house are all the outcome of PUNYA through auspicious deeds .
- The horses with golden bells on the head and chariots attached to such horses are results of PUNYA
- ELEPHANTs like a walking mountains , with golden seats [ ambari ] with cushioning steps is the property of people with PUNYA .
- Such wishes can be fulfilled in swarga , and these swarga are obtained only through PUNYA , and bhakti in such swargas can only be had through PUNYA again .
- SUch PUNYA can be obtained by –
- yagnya , tapa , dana, indriyanigraha , kshama
- ,bramhacharya , satya , teerth yatra ,
- swadhyaya , seva , satpurusha sangati , devatarchana ,
- gurujan sushrusha , bramhana pooja ,
- controlling senses , and jealosyless bramhcharya !!!!!
- Wise learned should always strive to amass these because death never waits for anyone . DEATH does not reason whether one has accomplished his work or not , whether anything is pending or not , it just strikes mercilessly !!!!
- DEv! thus one should strive to accumulate punya from the childhood because life is never permanent . who can say who will die today ?
- oh great among the deities ! As we stand death stares at us yet we live as if we do not have death! this is most surprising !!!!! a youth feels he is away from death more than an old and child feels he is away from death than youth !!!!! But whom will the old compare with sitting in the lap of death !!!!!!
- AND what will be the fate of those who try to find ways to escape death !!!!!!
- HUMANS in this world not only have fear of death but they also do not have any place to get away from it or save themselves from DEATH !!!!!
- THUS ONLY PUNYAVAAN holy lives on this earth fearlessly in this world !!!!”
YAMA said ” oh wide eyed beauty !!!! I am very much pleased with your words of wisdom about dharma !!! Except the life of your husband ask for a boon !!!”
SAVITRI said ” I ask for a boon of hundred sons from my womb [ putram aurasam ] . because without son there will not be good afterlife !!!! ”
YAMA GRANTS her the boon !!!!!
SAVITRI recites a very beautiful stotra for YAMA Thus .
Oh deity KNOWER of all the dharm and adharma and himself the abider of SUCH DHARMA !!! You are the Lord of this wold and lord of all the men
- , you make people abide by dharma hence sarvadharmapravartak
- You are the destiny of the person and hence you are vidhanagnya
- You are ruler of the world hence jagatonatha:
- You regulate and carry out niyaman of these men thus you are Known as MANU
- because you regulate all according to their karma you are known as DEV YAMA
- You rule and regulate as per DHARMA and hence you are DHARMARAAJ
- men come before you with both their good and bad karma hence are MRUTYU
- You keep record of all the seconds kshan kalaa etc thus you are known as KAAL
- You are MAHADHYUTE as you emanate like a light among all the deities .
- You end everything you are known as ANTAK
- You are the son of VIVASWAAN the SUN so you are known as VAIVASWAT
- Once the longevity is over you catch people by surprise thus you are SARVAPARANAHAR
- The dharma as ordained by RUk YAJUS and SAAm is steady in this world only by your grace .
- By your grace alone people in this world are engrossed in dharma
- By your grace people will not beget children of intermixed castes
- By your grace holy men achieve their goals
- by your grace jagannath , this world is intact in its maryada [ boundaries of behaviour and physical boundary limits ]ie everybody is in their limits !!!!
- Oh great among the three worlds and ten directions . I am in distress and in your sharan. [subjudicated abode ] Please help me and this prnces’ father and mother are also unhappy !!!!! “
YAMA SAYS ” I am pleased with your devotion and stotra and thus I release your HUSBAND SATYAVAAN from the shackles of death !!!!!! Oh frail one ! return to your place with all the wishes fulfilled !!!! This SATYAVAAN will live with you for FIVE HUNDRED years and happily enjoying the kingdom and then will be happy in swarga as well along with other devatas . He will give you hundred sons all having devata like qualities and able kshatriyas , will live complete life and be famous . Your Parents will also beget hundred sons in the country of MALAVA and hence they will be famous as MALAVS and will live full lives alongwith their children and grandchildren , they will all possess qualities like devatas and will be worthy kshatriyas .
Oh The virtuous women Whover recites this stotra early in the morning will be blessed with long life !!!!!! ”
SAYING these golden words , YAMA leaving Satyavaan disappeared alongwith KAAL and MRUTYU !!!!!
Later SAVITRI came back through same way towards the jungle and took her husband head in her LAP !!! . SATYAVAAN , slowly got up and asked ” where did that man go who was dragging me along ! Oh beautiful one , I did not know who he was , oh one with complete beauty !!! complete day has passed by in this jungle , you must be hungry due to fast and tiredness !!!! Because of my laziness my parents have gone hungry and have undergone some discomfort !!! Oh one with beautiful eyebrows !!! I would like to see them instantly let us go !!!”
SAVITRI said ” Oh dear LORD !!! sun has set , if you like we shall go back to the ashram , as parents are blind they would be worried . LEt me tell you about the man after we reach the ashram !!!”
Thus they went to the ashram . DHYUMATSEN and his wife had regained the eyesight but not finding their daughterinlaw , were worried ! ALl the tapasvis nearby had gathered and they were consoling them . Just then FRAIL SAVITRI and SATYVAAN came by , SEEING them DHYUMATSEN was very happy ., SATYAVAAN paid his respects to the gathered TAPASVIS . SAVITRI retold all that happened , TOGETHER all of them resided there in the ashram and in the night completed the vrata .
AS the dawn broke , ALL the subjects of the KING DHYUMATSEN arrived with loud auspicious sounds and requested KING to rule his kINGDOM again as , the old KING who had usurped the kingdom from DHYMATSEN OWING to his loss of eyesight had been killed by the ministers and PEOPLE wanted the old KING to come back !!!! .
By the grace of LORD YAMA DHYUMATSEN regained his Kingdom . SAVITRI got hundred brothers , In the time to come she also bore hundred children .
Thus MAHASADHVI PATIVRATA SAVITRI upheld the honor of both her lineage and husbands lineage [ PITRU PAKSHA < PATI PAKSHA ] and FREED back her husband from the shackles of MRUTYU !!!!!!
MEN should always respect the women of high virtue !!! By the grace of such virtuous women these worlds stand !!! Their words in this world never go waste or false !!!! Those wishing to get their desires fulfilled always worship women !!!! Those who listen to this story wholeheartedly with devotion , get success in all their undertakings and experience happiness and never experience miseries in life !!!!!!!
Krishnarpanamastu .
Note :
The words of astrologer , destiny , misery ,happiness all are limited in knowledge and all are under the grace of lord , If with devotion anyone prays LORD and with conviction that his miseries will be erased . LORD protects and fulfills their desires , no matter how big the astrologer may be . no matter what his rants of predictive achievements may be ! HARI can remove any misery provided one worships him with DEVOTION > NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE < !!!!
Chiraan's Astrology 
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