All Blogs · Theology Thursday ·Jun 09, 2021

The Story Behind Savitri Puja

This is the story of the princess who outwitted her husband's death.

Once upon a time, there was a princess named Savitri. She was so insanely beautiful that all the men in the kingdom were too intimidated to even ask her to marry them.

Savitri left town in pursuit of a suitor and found her perfect match in Satyavan, who was the poor son of a blind King, forced into exile.

The couple's horoscopes revealed that Satyavan was destined to die exactly within a year of their marriage. Savitri insisted on marrying him nevertheless.

As D-day approached, Savitri decided to keep a close eye on her husband and accompanied him to work. Satyavan was chopping wood like he normally did at work, when he suddenly felt really weak and tired.

Just as he lay down to rest his head, beneath a banyan tree, a dark figure appeared before the couple.

It was Yama, the God of Death, who had come to carry away Satyavan's soul.

Turns out, Savitri was both beauty and brains because what she said next convinced Yama to spare her husband's life.

Savitri decided to walk alongside Yama, as he carried Satyavan away, in hopes of changing the course of destiny. As they were talking, he became so impressed by her wit and charm, that he decided to grant her three wishes -- with the exception of saving Satyavan's life.

In her first wish, she asked for her Father-in-law's eyesight to be regained.

In her second wish, she asked for her Father-in-Law's kingdom to be regained.

In her third and final wish, she asked to have kids -- lots of them.

Yama agreed without hesitation until...

...Savitri pointed out it would be impossible to have children without her husband.

Being a man of his words, Yama had no choice but to spare Satyavan's life so that he could give Savitri children...
lots of them.

That's why even to this day, women perform the Vat Savitri Vrat Puja around this time of year, by tying a holy thread around a banyan tree 108 times, for the health and longevity of their husbands.

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