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3-Van Parv, 291-297  
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Story of Saavitree-2

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Story of Saavitree-2
Ch 295-297
Saavitree is neither a Raamaayan witness, nor a Mahaabhaarat witness. Her story comes in Mahaabhaarat, when Maarkandeya Rishi comes to see Paandav during their exile period, after Draupadee's abduction. Yudhishthir is very worried about his exile so he asks him whether he has seen any other woman who is as chaste as Draupadee, he tells the story to Saavitree to him.
Branched from      G-4-Van-51
Saavitree-1    Saavitree-2      Saavitree-3

Saavitree Gets Five Boons

Saavitree said - "Wherever my husband is being carried, or wherever my husband is going by his own will, I will go with him. This is the eternal custom. By virtue of my asceticism, my regard for my elders, my affection for my husband, by observance of my vows, my path is unimpeded. It has been said by learned people that by walking seven steps together people become friends of each other [that is what I have done with you], and for the same reason I say something to you. Listen, They who do not have control on souls, or do not pass their life according to four Aashram - celibacy in education, domesticity, retirement to woods, and renunciation of the world, have not earned religious merit. By practicing even one of these four modes of life we have attained true merit, we do not desire for the second or the third mode. Wise have declared the religious merit the foremost of all things."

Yam Raaj said - "You stop here. I am pleased with your words told to me with proper letters and accent and based on reason. You ask for a boon except the life of your husband. I will grant you any boon you cherish most." Saavitree said - "My father-in-law has lost his kingdom and his eye-sight, he is living in forest, let him have his eyesight back and be strong like Sun or fire." Yam Raaj said - "O Beautiful, I grant you this boon. It will be as you have said. You look tired from this journey, so you stop her and go back. Do not suffer more." Saavitree said - "What tiredness I can feel in the presence of my husband? Whatever is my husband's is certainly mine. Wherever you will take my husband, I will also follow him. O Chief of the Devtaa, Listen to me again. Even a single conversation with a pious man is highly desirable, while friendship is more so, while living with a virtuous man can never be fruitless, that is why one should always live in the company of virtuous and righteous people."

Yam Raaj said - "Whatever you have said is certainly useful instruction, delights the heart and enhances the wisdom even of a leaned. That is why you may ask a boon again except the life of Satyavaan." Saavitree said - "Sometime before, my wise father-in-law was deprived of the kingdom, may he regain his kingdom and never renounce his duties. This is the second boon I want." Yam Raaj said - "The King shall soon regain his kingdom, nor he will anytime fall from his duties. Thus O Daughter of the King, I have fulfilled your desire, now you may return, do not take any future trouble."

Saavitree said - "You have controlled all creatures by your rules, by your same rules you take them away, not by your will, that is why people call you Yam. Listen to my words what I say to now. The duty of the good people is never to injure any person in thought word and deed, but to have love for them and give them whatever is due to them. In this world, everything is my husband. Men do not have both devotion and skill. The good people show mercy even to their enemies who seek their protection." Yam Raaj said - "As water is for the thirsty soul, your words are like that to me, so O Beautiful Lady, Ask for any other boon except for Satyavaan's life." At this Saavitree said - "O Lord of Earth, My father is without sons, he may have 100 sons of his own, so that his family line may extend. tis is the thhird boon I ask you." Yam Raaj said - O Auspicious Lady, Your father will have 100 sons who will extend your father's family. Since you have got what you wanted, now you go back as you have already com very far."

Saavitree said - "When I am with my husband, I don't feel the distance. In fact my mind runs more than this. As you go on, listen to my words which I am going to tell you now. You are powerful son of Vivaswat, that is why you are called Vaivaswat by the wise. And since you have equal law for all the creatures, you have been assigned the position of Lord of Justice. One does not relaxes, even in one's own self, the confidence which he has in the righteous, that is why people want the intimacy with righteous people. Where somebody's heart is good, it inspires a person's confidence in him, and for the same reason people rely on righteous people." Yam Raaj said - "O Fair Lady, Whatever you have said, I have not heard them from anybody else. I am highly pleased with your speech, so except the life of Satyavaan, you ask for the fourth boon and then go away. Saavitree said - "I should have 100 sons from my husband Satyavaan to extend our race." Yam Raaj said - "O Lady, You will have 100 sons who will delight your heart. You will never be tired, now you go back, you have come very far."

Hearing this Saavitree said - "Who are righteous, they always practice morality and when two pious people meet, their meeting is never fruitless. Only righteous people by the power of their truth can move even Sun in the sky. And it is the righteous who supports the Earth b by their austerities. it is only the righteous on whom this past and future depend. Therefore righteous people are always happy in the company of righteous people." Hearing all this words of Saavitree, Yam Raaj said - "The more you speak all these sweet honey-like words, instinct with morality and agreeable to mind, the more respect I have for you. You are so devoted to your husband, so ask for any incomparable boon."

Saavitree said - "O Bestower of Honors, The boon you have just given me cannot be accomplished without getting back my husband. That is why I ask you the boon of my husband's life, may Satyavaan become alive again. Without my husband I am dead, without my husband I don't want any happiness, without my husband I do not wish even Heaven, without my husband I do not want to live. You have granted me the boon of having 100 sons, but you are taking my husband with you. I ask you this boon to restore Satyavaan's life so that your words become true."

Maarkandeya Jee continued - "At this Yam loosened his noose and said to Saavitree cheerfully - "Thus I free your husband. You will be able to take him free from diasease. he will be successful and he will live for 400 years. he will celebrate many sacrifices. he will have 100 sons and these Kshatriya, along with their sons and grandsons, will all be kings and will be famous connected to your name. Your father will also have 100 sons from your mother Maalavee. And your all brothers will be well known under the name of Maalavaa." After bestowing these boons and stopping her to follow him, Yam Raaj went to his abode.

Saavitree is Back

As Yam left, Saavitree came back to the place where her husband's dead body was lying. She sat down beside him, took his head in her lap. Satyavaan regained his consciousness and looked at Saavitree with affection again and again as if he had come home from a long journey. He said - "Oh, It seems that I have slept for a long time. Why didn't you wake me up? And where is that person who was dragging me away?" Saavitree said - "You have indeed slept for a long time in my lap. That controller of creatures, respected Yam, has gone away. You have had a good sleep, now you are refreshed. Rise now, see night has fallen."

Maarkandeya Jee said - "Satyavaan, after getting up from a deep sleep, looked around and found the he was in a forest. He said to Saavitree - "I think I came here to pluck fruits, and when I was cutting wood I felt pain in my head, and when I could stand no more, I lay down in your lap and slept. As you embraced me, sleep took my all senses away. I then saw all dark around and amidst that darkness I saw a man of effulgence. If you know something about this, tell me whether it was a dream or a reality?" Saavitree said - "See the night is passing. I shall tell you everything tomorrow. Now you get up and let us go to our Aashram and see our parents. The Sun has set a long while ago. Night animals have started wandering around." Satyavaan spoke - "This wilderness seems dangerous in deep darkness. You will not be able to trace the track and thus will not be able to go." Saavitree said - "Whatever has happened in the forest today in the daytime, because of that a withered tree got burnt, its flame are still seen because of wind. I bring some wood more and put them in this flame. You don't worry. If you don't dare to go I will do all this, because you seem unwell to me. Besides you will not be able to retrace the path also to go back. We will go tomorrow in the morning. It is your wish, we can pass the night here too."

Satyavaan said - My pain has gone, I feel all right. I think I will be able to see my parent with your help. I have never returned to Aashram after my usual time. Even before twilight, my mother will not allow me to go out of Aashram. Even if I went in the daytime and I was a bit late my parents used to search me along with the people of the Aashram. Even today they might be worried about me. One night, my parents wept and said to me - "We cannot love without you even for a moment. We are her till you are with us. You are the crutches for us blind ones. Everything depends on you - our race, our funeral cake, our fame, our descendents. Both my parents are old, so indeed I am their crutch. If they will not see me tonight, they will worry about me. I wouldn't like to stay here giving my parent trouble. I do not worry so much as for myself as for my parents. I live till my parent live. I know that I should take care of them, and I should do whatever they like.">/font>

Maarkandeya Jee said - "After saying this Satyavaan got very sad. Seeing her husband weeping, Saavitree wiped his tears and said - "If I have observed austerities, given away in charity, have performed sacrifice, may this night be good for my parents-in-laws. I have not told any lie even in jest, let my parents-in-laws hold their life by virtue of the truth." Satyavaan said - "I wish to see my parents, so let us go there quickly. If something has happened to my parents, I will not live. If you want me to live, then do what I like. We should got to our Ashram." Hearing this Saavitree rose up, tied her hair, and raised her husband by his arms. As he rose up, he looked for his bag. Saavitree said - "You may gather fruits tomorrow, I can carry your axe." She hung his bag on a tree branch, took the axe, placed her husband's arm upon her left shoulder and embracing him with her right arm proceeded towards the Aashram.

Satyavaan said - "I know the forest paths by habit, otherwise also I can see in the moonlight coming through the trees. We have now reached the path we took in the morning to gather the fruits. Near that Palaash tree, the path diverges into two. Take the path which goes to North. I am now fine. I want to see my parents."

Everything is Fine

[3-296] Maarkandeya Jee said - "In the meantime King Dyumatsen regained his sight and he started seeing everything. He saw around and went to other other huts along with his wife Shaivyaa in search of his son. They wandered huts to huts, rivers, woods etc. He was very worried about him. Wherever he heard even a little sound, he looked at side in the hope that he would find his son there. Their feet cracked, torn, wounded and bled with thorns on the path. All the Braahman came there and comforted them and brought them to their own hut. There Braahman told them the stories of old kings.

A Braahman named Suvarchaa said - "You have a very chaste daughter-in-law so you don't have to worry about Satyavaan's life. Gautam said - "I have studied Ved and their branches, I have done austerities, I have practiced Brahmcharya, I can see all the doings of others, so be sure that your Satyavaan is alive." His disciple said - "Whatever my preceptor has said can never be false. Satyavaan surely lives." Bharadwaaj Jee said - "Seeing his wife Saavitree, it is sure that Satyavaan lives." And Muni Daalabhya said - "Since you have regained the sight, and since Saavitree has gone after completing her vow, without taking food, there can be no doubt that Satyaan is alive." Muni Aapastambh said - "The sounds of birds and animals, and your regaining of eye sight show that Satyavaan surely lives." Rishi Dhaumya said - "As your son is full of every virtue and he is beloved of all, he has the signs of long life, so there is no doubt that he lives."

Maarkandeya Jee said - "When Rishi comforted him, the King Dyumatsen got some ease. In a little while Satyavaan and Saavitree also arrived in the Aashram. It was night, Seeing Satyavaan and Saavitree coming Rishi said to the King - "Now you meet your son seeing him with your own eyes. We all wish you well, You have gained three things, Satyavaan's coming, Saavitree's coming and your eye sight. So what we said to you was true. Now you should happily prosper." Then they lighted the fire and sat before all of them. They all were happy. Braahman, just for curiosity sake asked Satyavaan - "Why didn't you come before with your wife Saavitree? Why do you come so late in the night? We don't know what prevented you to come home in time, that your parents were very worried about you and they had to tell us about you. Tell us about it." Satyavaan said - "With the permission of my father, I went to woods with Saavitree. When I was collecting the wood, I felt pain in my head, and because of the I fell sleep. This is all I remember. I have never slept so long before, that is why I am coming so late at night. There is no other reason except this.">/font>

Rishi Gautam asked - "So you don't know anything about the sudden restoration of the sight of your father? Saavitree, You tell it. I wish to hear from you as you are conversant with the mysteries of good and evil. Saavitree, I know you are like the Saavitree Devee herself. That is why you tell us the truth. if it is not a secret, then tell us." Saavitree said - "I tell you what happened, I have no secret to hide. Listen. Naarad Jee had already predicted death of my husband and today was that day, that is why I did not want to be separated from him. After he had slept, Yam Raaj came along with his messengers and tying him proceeded towards the Pitri Lok. I began to praise him with truthful words and he granted me five boons - restoration of his sight and his kingdom, 100 sons for my father, 100 sons for myself, and 400 years of life for my husband Satyavaan. It was for the life of my husband I observed that vow. Thus I have told you that how my misfortune turned into happiness." Gautam Rishi said - "It is because of your chaste vow that this king's race and eyesight have been rescued."

Maarkandeya Jee said - "They all praised Saavitree, Braahman bade farewell to all and went away to their huts."

[3-297] Maarkandeya Jee said - "When the night had passed away, ascetics did their morning rites came to King Dyumatsen and praised high fortune of Saavitree, but the King was not satisfied. Meanwhile a large number of people came from Shaalv kingdom and told them that its king was killed  by his own Minister and they all agreed to have their old king as their own King. That is why they had come there that he should take charge of the kingdom of his father and grandfather.. Their chariot and the four kinds of army was also there to take them there. The King worshipped all the Braahman there and set out for his city. Priests installed the King Dyumatsen on the throne happily and his son as the Regent. After the time went by Saavitree had 100 sons, King Ashwapati also had 100 sons from his wife Maalavee. And that is how Saavitree brought good fortune to her own family and for her father's family. So Draupadee will rescue you all."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Hearing this Yudhishthir got satisfied and he continued to live in Kaamyak Van. Who hears the story of Saavitree attains happiness and success in everything and never meets misery."

End of the Story of Saavitree
 

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Modified on 02/12/12