Savitri and Satyavan

Savitri and Satyavan, also called Sāvitrī-Upākhyāna and Pativrata-mahatmya Parva, is an episode from the Indian epic Mahabharata, appearing in the Vana Parva (The Book of the Forest). It tells the story of Princess Savitri, who, through her intelligence and devotion, overcomes a divine prophecy foretelling her husband Satyavan’s early death. This episode is a significant literary and religious text in Hindu tradition, emphasizing themes of destiny, free will, and pativrata dharma (wifely duty).
The Mahabharata, a vast work of over 100,000 double verses, contains numerous side episodes, some of which are nested within one another, in addition to the main story, which narrates the battle between the Pandavas and Kauravas, two related princely families. The episode of Savitri and Satyavan, known in Sanskrit as Savitri Upakhyana or Pativrata Mahatmya Parva, appears as an embedded narrative within the Vana Parva, the third of the epic's eighteen books. Savitri Upakhyana, which spans sections 277 to 283 of Vana Parva, follows Ramopakhyana (episode of Rama).
In the main narrative, Yudhishthira, the eldest of the five Pandava brothers, loses his kingdom to the Kauravas in a rigged game of dice and is forced into exile in the forest for twelve years along with his brothers and wife, Draupadi. During their exile, Draupadi is abducted by Jayadratha, a Kaurava ally, but remains steadfast in her devotion to her husbands, even when offered queenship. Following this event, Yudhishthira asks the sage Markandeya whether any woman has ever displayed devotion equal to Draupadi’s. In response, Markandeya narrates the tale of Savitri and concludes that Draupadi, like Savitri, will bring fortune to the Pandavas.
The childless king of the Madra Kingdom, Ashvapati, engaged in penance for eighteen years and offered a hundred thousand oblations to propitiate Savitri, a consort of Brahma. Pleased, the goddess Savitri appeared to him and asked him to choose a boon. Ashvapati sought the boon of having many sons to extend his dynastic line. The goddess, however, informed him that he would be blessed with a daughter instead. After some time, the king's first queen, Malati, became pregnant, and gave birth to a girl. She was named Savitri by her father, in honour of the goddess.
Savitri grew to become a beautiful woman, brimming with such energy that she was often regarded to be a celestial maiden. No man dared to ask for her hand in marriage. On an auspicious day, after she had offered her respects, her father told her to choose a husband with suitable qualities on her own. Accompanied by ministers, she embarked on a quest on her golden chariot, visiting a number of hermitages and forests. Upon her return to Madra, Savitri found her father seated with the sage Narada. She informed her father that she had chosen an exiled prince named Satyavan as her husband, the son of a blind king named Dyumatsena of the Shalva kingdom; Dyumatsena had been driven out of his kingdom by a foe and led a life of exile as a forest-dweller with his wife Shaivya and son. Narada opined that Savitri had made a bad choice: although he was intelligent, righteous, generous, and handsome, Satyavan was destined to die one year from that day. In response to her father's pleas to choose a different husband, Savitri insisted that she had made up her mind. After Narada expressed his agreement with Savitri's decision, Ashvapati consented to his daughter's choice.
Ashvapati and Savitri approached Dyumatsena and Satyavan in the forest to propose the marriage, which was joyfully accepted. Savitri and Satyavan were soon married. Immediately after the wedding, Savitri discarded her jewellery and adopted the bark and red garment attire of a hermit, and lived in perfect obedience and respect to her new parents-in-law and husband. Despite her happiness, she could not stop dwelling on the words of Narada. Three days before the destined death of Satyavan, Savitri started to observe a vow of fasting and stood day and night. Her father-in-law worried that she had taken on too harsh a regimen, but Savitri replied that she has taken an oath to perform these austerities, to which Dyumatsena offered his support. The day of her husband's predicted demise, Savitri offered oblations to the fire and obeisance to the Brahmanas, completing her vow. She joined Satyavan when he went to chop wood. Growing fatigued due to exertion, he conveyed his desire to sleep to his wife, who placed his head on her lap. Yama, the god of death, personally arrived to collect the soul of Satyavan with his noose. Distressed, Savitri followed Yama as he carried her husband's soul away. When he tried to convince her to turn back, she offered a number of successive homilies. First, she discussed the significance of adherence to dharma, followed by association with the virtuous, the righteousness of compassion, the trustworthiness of the virtuous, and finally the conduct of the virtuous. Impressed at each homily, Yama praised both the content and diction of her words and offered to grant her any boon of her choice, except the life of Satyavan. She first requests the restoration of her blind father-in-law Dyumatsena’s sight and strength, which Yama grants. As they continue, she secures another boon for Dyumatsena to regain his lost kingdom. Pleased by her insight, Yama grants her a third boon, allowing Ashwapati to have a hundred sons to continue his lineage. Even after receiving these favors, Savitri refuses to turn back and continues to walk alongside Yama, discussing morality and righteousness. Yama, further impressed, grants her a fourth boon: a hundred sons for herself and Satyavan. At this point, Savitri cleverly argues that the fulfillment of this boon would be meaningless without her husband, as she could only bear sons with him. Yama, realizing her wisdom and devotion, relents and restores Satyavan’s life and blessed both of them with a long life.
With Yama’s blessings, Savitri returns to the forest and places Satyavan’s head on her lap. He regains consciousness, confused, but she reassures him. As Satyavan and Savitri return, Dyumatsena, having regained his sight, searches anxiously for his son. The sages reassure him, predicting Satyavan’s survival due to Savitri’s virtue. Late at night, the couple arrives at the hermitage, bringing relief to all. Savitri recounts her encounter with Yama and the boons granted—her father-in-law’s sight and kingdom, a hundred sons for her father, and the same for herself and Satyavan. The next morning, messengers announce Dyumatsena’s restoration to the throne, as his usurper has been slain. He returns to his kingdom with his family, and in time, Savitri bears a hundred sons, securing their lineage.
In Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha, married women observe Savitri Vrata on the Amavasya (new moon) day in the month of Jyestha every year. This is performed for the well-being and long life of their husbands. A treatise entitled Savitri Brata Katha in the Odia language is read out by women while performing the puja. In Western India, the holy day is observed on the Purnima (full moon) of the month as Vat Purnima. In India, many women are named "Savitri".
It is believed that Savitri got her husband back on the first day of the Tamil month Panguni. This day is celebrated as Karadayan Nonbu in Tamil Nadu. On this day, married women and young girls wear yellow robes and pray to Hindu goddesses for long lives for their husbands. Girls start this practice at a very young age; they wear a yellow robe on this day from the time they are a year old so they will find a good husband in future.
In 1950 and 1951, Sri Aurobindo published his epic poem in blank verse titled: Savitri: A Legend and a Symbol.
In England, Gustav Holst composed a chamber opera in one act in 1916, his Opus 25, named Savitri based on this story.
The new age group 2002 released an album inspired by the story of Savitri and Satyavan in 1995.
There have been about thirty-four film versions of the Savitri/Satyavan story produced in India. One of the earliest is the Indian silent film, Satyavan Savitri (1914) directed by Dadasaheb Phalke. Other silent-era films include the failed Savitri (1912) by V. P. Divekar, A. P. Karandikar and Shree Nath Patankar, Sukanya Savitri (1922) by Kanjibhai Rathod, Sati Savitri (1927) by Baburao Painter, Sati Savitri (1931) by Bidkar. The 1923 version, Savitri also called Satyavan Savitri, was an Italian co-production directed by Giorgio Mannini and J. J. Madan, produced by Madan Theatres Ltd. and Cines.
Sati Savitri (1932), a sound film, was released in Hindi/Gujarati by Chandulal Shah and was the second talkie Gujarati film. Savitri (1933) was the first film produced by the East India Film Company. Directed by C. Pullaiah, it received an Honorary Certificate at the Venice Film Festival. Bhalji Pendharkar released Savitri (1936) in Marathi. In 1937, Savitri was produced in Hindi directed by Franz Osten. Sathyavaan Savithiri (1933), Savithri (1941) by Y. V. Rao were also made during British rule in India.
Many films, centering on this story, were made after independence (especially in South India) and included: Telugu language film versions of the story in 1957, 1977 and 1981. Satyavan Savitri (1948), Mahasati Savitri (1955) by Ramnik Vaidya, Savitri (1961) by Phani Majumdar, Satyavan Savitri (1963) by Dinesh Rawal, Sati Savitri (1964) by Shantilal Soni, Sati Savitri (1965) by P. R. Kaundinya, Mahasati Savitri (1973) by Chandrakant, Sathyavaan Savithri (1977) by P. G. Viswambharan, Savithri (1978) by T. S. Ranga, Sati Savitri (1982) by Girish Manukant, Savitri (1983) by Murlidhar Kapdi, Maha Sati Savitri (1983) by Sona Mukherjee.
The Tamil-language films Doctor Savithri (1955) and Roja (1992) are contemporary adaptations of the story of Savitri and Satyvan.
Savitri - EK Prem Kahani, an Indian television series which aired on Life OK in 2013 is a modern adaptation of the story.
Savitri by Pavan Sadineni and Warrior Savitri (2016) by Param Gill are modern-day adaptations of the tale. The latter was controversial for its depiction of Savitri as a 21st-century woman.
Satyawaan Savitri is a 2022 big budget Marathi TV series airing on Zee Marathi based on this story.