The Story of Princess Savitri

This is one of the most well-known and popular Indian stories.

Once upon a time there lived a good and wise king called Aswapati. He had no children, so when he felt himself to be growing old, he prayed that some sons might be born to him.
  The gods were pleased with his requests, and one day a beautiful goddess appeared to the old king.
   "I have spoken of your request to the Father of the Gods," she said. "He has granted your wish and soon a daughter of great splendour and energy will be born to you."
  The King bowed to the goddess, and some time after his wife gave birth to a little girl who they called Savitri. As she grew older she became more and more beautiful, but overwhelmed by her radiance, no suitors came to seek her hand in marriage.
  When the King realised that no one wished to marry his daughter he became very sad. At last he called her to him and said:
  "My daughter it is time for you to marry, but no one comes to seek your hand. For this reason, I wish you to find a husband for yourself; when you have chosen a man who is your equal, I will inform him of your desire."
  The princess bowed low before her father and, accompanied by his aged ministers, set out for the woods on a golden chariot. There were many wise men in the forest, living in beautiful retreats, and Princess Savitri visited them all.
  One day she returned to her father’s court. King Aswapati was sitting beside his friend the famous sage, Narada, and he greeted his daughter with delight, and asked her if she had chosen a husband.
  "Yes, I have, O father," said Savitri. "There is a King called Dyumatsena who in his old age became blind. An enemy drove him out of his kingdom, and the blind king fled with his wife and their little son to the forest. He began to live a holy life, and the son grew up in his peaceful retreat. I have seen this son, and I have chosen him to be my husband."
  "Alas, O King," said the wise Narada, "your daughter, Savitri has committed a great wrong. She should not have chosen the excellent Satyavan to be her husband."
  "Why not?" said the King. "Is this young man lacking in intelligence, or forgiveness, or courage?"
  "Indeed my Lord," said Narada, "Satyavan is as wise as the advisor to the gods, and as brave as the lord of the gods, and as forgiving as Earth herself."
  "And is this young man generous? Is he handsome and lovely to behold?" asked the King.
  "Prince Satyavan is as generous as King Rantideva, who gave away the whole world to the wisemen of his realm," said Narada. "He is truthful, and as beautiful as the Moon. He is devoted to his friends, and honour is firmly seated on his brow."
  "O learned sage," said the King, "this Prince seems to possess every virtue. Tell me, what are his faults, if, that is, he has any?"
  "The prince possesses but one fault," said Narada, "but it is a fault which outweighs all his virtues, and that fault cannot be overcome. In less than a year from now Satyavan, possessed of a short life, will cast off his body."
  "O Savitri, choose another husband," said the King to his daughter. "You hear what the illustrious Narada has said. Choose another husband."
  "Death can fall but once," said Savitri, " a daughter can be given away but once, and only once can a person say ‘I give this away’. Whether this prince is short-lived or long-lived, I have chosen him for my husband. I will not choose again."
  "O best of men," said Narada, your daughter’s heart does not waver from her choice. It is not possible to make her swerve from the path of virtue, so I give my approval of the marriage. Blessings to you all."
  So saying, the wise Narada disappeared and the King began to make preparations for the wedding of his daughter.
  When everything was ready the King and Savitri set out with their ministers for the retreat of the blind King Dyumatsena.
  They found the old man sitting beneath a tree, and King Aswapati went to him, and told him that he wished to bestow Princess Savitri upon his son, Prince Satyavan.
  "How will the Princess bear the simple forest way of life?" said the old man. "we have been driven from our kingdom, and our only home is the lonely forest."
  "O my lord," said King Aswapati, "such words should not be used to my daughter, or myself. We care nothing for good or ill fortune, for we know that both always come and go. Please, treat me as your equal, and accept my daughter as your son’s wife.
  The blind king smiled at these kind words on the part of the powerful Aswapati.
  "I gladly accept your daughter," he said. "My only concern was that this life might be harsh for her. Truly, you are a welcome guest to me."
  So the marriage was celebrated, and after giving his daughter presents of robes and ornaments, King Aswapati returned home.
  When her father had left, Savitri dressed herself in simple clothes and began to do all she could to please her father and mother-in-law, and her husband. They were all enchanted by her sweet words, her kindness, and her loving ways, and the days passed very happily. However, Savitri could not forget Narada’s warning, and it preyed on her mind, night and day.
  The months passed by and the day grew closer and closer on which Savitri’s husband was to die. The poor princess had been counting down the days, and when there were only three days left she ceased to eat and drink and sat quite still, overwhelmed by anxiety and anguish.
  Her husband and her father and mother-in-law were filled with concern, but Savitri told them she was observing a fast, and there was no cause for alarm. On the morning of the fourth day the sun rose over the horizon and Savitri looked at it and thought to herself "today is the day". Then she arose and went to greet her father and mother-in-law and the other wise men living in the sanctuary.
  "Your three day fast is completed, dear daughter, "said the blind King and his wife. "Now the time has come when you can eat and drink."
  "I shall eat when the sun goes down," said Savitri. At these words her husband, Satyavan, took up his axe, and prepared to go out into the woods to collect firewood and fruit for the evening meal. Seeing this, Savitri leapt up and said:
  "Do not go alone – let me come with you. I cannot bear to be parted from you."
  "But dear wife," said Satyavan in surprise, " you have never come with me into the forest before. And you have not eaten or drunk for three days – you will be too weak to walk all that way."
  "I am not tired or weakened," said Savitri. "I have made up my mind to come with you, and you must not gainsay me."
  "Very well," said Satyavan. "You may come with me, if my parents also approve."
  Then Savitri went to the blind King and his wife, and bowed down before them.
  "Beloved parents," she said, "my husband is going to the forest to collect fruits and I wish to go with him. The forest is full of flowers, and I long to see it. Please give me permission to accompany him."
  "Since Savitri was bestowed upon us by her father I do not remember her making a single request," said the old King. "Let her then accompany my son – but take care, dear child, not to distract Satyavan from his work."
  Hearing this, Savitri set forward with Satyavan. And she admired the forest with him, and pointed out the peacocks and tumbling blossoms, but in reality her heart was heavy with grief. She could not forget Narada’s words, and she followed softly behind her husband, expecting him to fall down at any moment.
  Satyvan filled his pouch with fruits, and then began to cut wood. As he worked he began to perspire, and his head began to ache. At last he laid down his axe, and turned to Savitri.
  "O Savitri," he said. "This hard work has made my head ache, and my limbs and heart are hurting. I feel unwell – as if my head is being pierced by many darts. I think I will sleep a while – for I cannot stand."
  At these words, Savitri hurried to her husband and, sitting down, placed his head on her lap. And she thought of Narada’s words, and wondered when the moment of death would come.
  Suddenly, she saw a person dressed all in red, with a sparkling diadem on his head. He was very large, and shone as brightly as the sun. In his hand was a noose of rope, and he was standing beside Satyavan, gazing fixedly at him. Savitri laid her husband’s head gently on the ground and rose to her feet with a beating heart.
  "I can see your wonderful form and I know you to be a god," she said to the stranger. "Please tell me who you are, and what you mean to do."
  "O Savitri," replied the stranger, "you love your husband, and are very wise; it is for this reason that I speak to you. I am Death, and I have come to take away Satyavan, for his days have run out."
  "O Lord," said Savitri, "I have heard that your messengers carry off mortal people – why have you come in person?"
  "This prince is good and beautiful and possesses many accomplishments," replied Death. "It is not fit for my messengers to bear him away."
  So saying he pulled a little figure, no bigger than a thumb from Satyavan’s body, and bound it in his noose. Then the body, deprived of life and breath became ugly to look upon. Death took up Satyvan’s vital essence, which was quite helpless, and bearing it in the noose, set off towards the South.
  Savitri’s heart was overwhelmed with grief, and she began to follow death.
  "Go home, O Savitri," said Death, "go home and perform your husband’s last rites. You owe him no further duty – you have come as far as you can come."
  "Wherever my husband is carried, or goes of his own accord, I will follow him," said Savitri. "Listen, let me tell you something, out of friendship, for, like friends, we have travelled a little way together. The wise say that true knowledge is the greatest happiness, and no happiness can be attained through renouncing wealth, or abandoning one’s home or through study of the holy books."
  "Wait – wait," interrupted Death. "I am pleased with what you have said. I will give you a wish, and you may wish for anything except your husband’s life."
  "O Death," said Savitri, "my father-in-law is blind, and has lost his kingdom. May he regain his eyesight and become strong."
  "O beautiful one, your wish is granted," said Death. "But you look weary – it is time for you to return home."
  "How can I feel weary when I am near my husband?" asked Savitri. "Wherever he goes, I will follow. Now, O lord of the gods, listen to me again. Even one meeting with the wise is highly desirable – and friendship with them, even more so. Conversation with the wise can never be fruitless; therefore one should always live in the company of the wise."
  "These words which you have spoken delight my heart, and would increase the wisdom even of the learned," said Death. "You may ask for a second wish – anything except the life of Satyavan."
  "May my father-in-law regain his kingdom," said Savitri.
  "Your wish is granted," said Death. "Now, dear lady, return home."
  "Listen to the words I have to say," said Savitri. "The eternal duty of the good is kindness to all creatures, and they should not injure them in thought, word, or deed. Everything in this world is mortal, like this husband of mine, and men are often ignorant and ungrateful. Yet the good are kind to all, and even show mercy to their enemies, when they beg for forgiveness."
  "Your words are like water to a thirsty soul," cried Death. "O lady, ask for another wish – anything except for the life of Satyavan."
  "My father is without sons," said Savitri. "My third wish is that he may have a hundred sons."
  "Your wish is granted," said Death. "Your father will have a hundred glorious sons. Now, O princess, go home. You have come far enough!"
  "Walking by my husband’s side, I do not notice the distance," said Savitri. "O Death, the wise say that you treat everyone alike and they call you the Lord of Justice. Once again, listen to my words as we travel onwards. No one can be trusted like the wise. For this reason, everyone yearns to be the close friend of the wise. Only goodness of heart inspires trust in all creatures, and this is why the good and wise are particularly relied upon."
  "I have never heard any, save you, utter these words," said Death. "I am filled with delight, and I grant you a fourth wish. I will give you anything, save the life of Satyavan."
  "My fourth wish is that Satyavan and myself may be the parents of a hundred strong and powerful sons," said Savitri.
  "You shall have a hundred sons, who will cause you great delight," said Death. "Now, fair lady, be on your way. You have already come too far."
  "They that are good are always lovers of truth," said Savitri, "and, truly, it is because of the lovers of truth that the sun moves in the heavens, and the earth is held up. The good know this to be true, and they always do good to others without expecting anything in return."
  "The more I hear your words, the more respect I feel for you," said Death. "O lady, ask me for a truly wonderful wish."
  "O giver of wonders," said Savitri, "the wish you have just granted me can never come to pass without my husband. Therefore, I wish that Satyavan may be brought back to life. Without my husband I do not wish for happiness, without my husband I do not wish for prosperity; without my husband I have no wish to live.
  "You have granted me a hundred sons, but you are carrying away my husband. Please, to make your words come true, give my husband back his life."
  "So be it," said Death. With a glad heart, he unbound Satyavan and spoke these words to Savitri:
  "See, O blessed and pure-hearted lady, I have set your husband free. You may take him home with you, free of disease, and he will attain to great success. You will both live four hundred years, and your fame will spread throughout the world."
  At this, Death went back to his own kingdom, and Savitri returned to where her husband’s ash-coloured corpse lay on the ground. She took his head on her lap once again, and Satyavan opened his eyes.
  "Alas, I have been asleep a long, long time," he said. "Why didn’t you awaken me? And who was that black person who was dragging me away?"
  "You have been asleep a long while, dear husband," said Savitri. "But do not fear, the blessed Death has returned to his own kingdom. Now, if you are strong enough, stand up, and let us go back home, for see – night has long since fallen."
  "Then Savitri fastened up her hair and, putting her arms round her husband helped him to rise. Satyavan rubbed his stiff arms and legs, and Savitri hung up the wallet of fruits on a tree, and picked up the axe.
  "We may gather the fruits tomorrow," she said, "and I will carry your axe for you. Come let me help you to walk home."
  "Yes, and let us hasten," said Satyavan, "I long to see my father and mother. I have never been away from the retreat for so long, and they are so old, and love me so dearly, that I fear they are suffering great anxiety."
  So saying they set forth through the dark forest. Soon they reached the retreat, and were greeted by the old king, who had regained his sight, and came running towards them. Then they all seated themselves round the fire, and Savitri explained everything that had happened.
  Satyavan and his parents were filled with wonder, and when they heard of the five wishes Savitri had been granted, they praised and blessed her again and again.
  The next day messengers arrived bearing the news that the usurper had been slain, and the people were clamouring for the return of their banished king.
  The King came out to greet them, and when the messengers saw him strong, and able to see, they bowed down in amazement. Then Dyumatsena ascended the chariot which the messengers had brought, and with his loyal wife and Satyavan and Savitri, he re-entered his city in triumph.
  A long while after, a hundred sons were born to Savitri, and she also had a hundred brothers, who were all handsome and glorious to behold. And thus it was that the wise and beautiful Princess Savitri, daughter of King Aswapati, brought joy to those she loved, and rescued her husband from the hands of Death.

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