By: B.S. Krishna Murthy
The story of Savitri and Satyavan, when told to me as a child, ended with the lesson, “So great was her devotion to her husband that she was able to win him back even from Yama. ” When I grew up as a devotee of Sai Maharaj, to read the story, which occurs in the Mahabharata, I knew of her victory, against the god of death, to be born of her complete absence of fear, her strong inner convictions and great presence of mind.
Sai Baba narrated the story to Kaka Dixit and others. Yama had come, yanked Satyavan’s life, and started going southwards with it. Savitri did not faint, nor cry, nor scream, nor fight. From her lap, she gently placed Satyavan’s head on the ground and stood up to negotiate with Yama himself.
Savitri followed Yama and began by establishing a relationship with him, as an equal partner in conversation. She said, “Seven steps, they say, are enough to contract a friendship. Now I have walked more than that with you and so as a friend I would like to say something, listen. ” Baba asserted that Yama was charmed. Having made him her friend, Savitri asserted the importance of dharma.
Yama was more impressed. He granted her a boon, “Ask me for a boon other than the life of Satyavan,” became his rhetoric. Savitri asked for her father-in-law to regain his eyesight and health. She, however, did not stop following Yama. Yama too did not get irritated. He gently told her, “You will get tired, go back. ” Savitri said she would not tire as she was walking with her husband and spoke of the value of having righteous companions, the merit of Satsang. With this, she paid a compliment to the company she was in. Again, Yama was impressed and this time she asked that her father-in-law regain his lost kingdom. That granted, Yama said, “Now go back. Do not take more trouble. ”
Savitri had established friendship and spoken of Satsang, now she described those who make the Satsang, taking off as it were from the advice he gave her to turn back. “Your duty is to restrain all creatures with your command. That is why you are called Yama. I think our primary duty is not to hurt any other being in thought, word, or deed, but to live with love for all. There are those who have no devotion and there are the good who protect even their foes.” Has she gently told him how he should behave? Yama was appreciative. He granted her a boon that her father begets a hundred sons.
Now, Savitri addressed Yama as the one who is equal to all in his disposition. Though he takes lives, she described him as one with a good heart who inspires confidence in people. Yama granted her another boon with the same caveat. She asked for a hundred sons. And Yama granted that. Savitri went on to extol the righteous ones. Yama granted her yet another boon but Savitri said, “The fourth boon cannot fructify without my husband Satyavan. ” Not once had she begged for Satyavan’s life. Her composure drew it back to her. Yama returned her Satyavan to her so that she may beget a hundred sons. Those sons came to be known as Savitri Putras, celebrating, as it were, her fearlessness, strategy, tenacity, and success.
Sai Baba extolled women’s empowerment and the need for bold and fight for equal rights.
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