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>