Yama Yields to Savitri
by Stephanie Gifford
I, Chitragupta, have told stories about Yama's creation and
power to punish, but one story remains so the fullness on Yama's
personality may be
understood. This story took place a long time ago, when the world
was still new and evil was not as prevalent in the world. This is
the story of a woman who persuaded the God of Death to yield to her
wish. This is the story of Savitri.
Savitri was deeply in love with her husband, Satyavan. Satyavan was the son of a detroned and blind king but Savitri loved him anyway. Upon her wedding day, the seers in her kingdom brought word that Satyavan would only live one more year. Savitri having this knowledge used the year to contemplate the way to save Satyavan from his fate.
When the year had come, I readied Yama for his trip to collect Satyavan, while Savitri waited in the forest with her husband's head in her lap. A crow flew out of the nearest tree, cawing for no apparent reason. Right then Savitri knew that it was the call of Yama and she steadied herself for his appearance. Looking away for just a moment, she turned to her beloved husband and kissed him before his final breath, then looking up she saw Yama towering over her.
Yama smiled at Savitri and pulled the silver-threaded noose out of his pocket. He was not at all frightening and his greenish skin was set off by his red robe. As he pulled the soul of Satyavan from the body, Savitri watched with wide eyes as the soul of her beloved was no bigger than her own thumb. Yama turned toward the south and proceeded to walk away. Savitri also rose and trailed after him.
"Lord, may I follow you for a while? I do not fear you and wish for your company," she requested. Yama was taken back by this request and granted it. No living being ever wished to walk with death and besides conversing with me, Yama never really had time to speak to anyone else, so he indulged in the interlude. Savitri proceeded to ask Yama all sorts of questions ranging from what it was like to be the first mortal to die and eventually become the divine judge of mankind. The two talked on and on as they walked. Eventually Yama turned and confessed, "You are indeed not afraid of me, Savitri, daughter of Aswapati. Your friendship and conversation have meant much to me. Ask me for something but I cannot grant life back to Satyavan."
"Lord, friendship is meaningful and I ask for the eyesight of Dyumatsena returned to the aged king," she said.
"Granted, but that is easy. Ask for something else," explained Yama.
"Alright, return to him his rightful kingdom," she requested.
"That is already in the works. Don't you have anything you want for yourself?" Yama asked.
"Yes, I want to be the mother of one hundred sons by my husband," she pleaded.
"I grant it," Yama exclaimed before he thought it through. "But how can you have sons with no husband?" It was too late. He had already granted her wish and could not go back on his word. "Alright, Savitri, you have won the life of your husband but at the cost of part of your own. You must give up half of your days to him. Are you willing to do this?" Yama inquired.
"Yes, Lord, I would do anything for the love of my husband," she replied.
"Then take this," he said while handing her the small noose that held the soul of her husband. "Open his mouth and drop the soul in. He will remember nothing when he wakes. It will be as if all was a dream," commanded Yama and he watched Savitri turn away and run toward the body of her husband. Yama could not help being moved as he told me later. Savitri's friendship and lack of fear made the powerful God of Death yield to the request of a woman in love.
Author's Note: I was so moved with this story in William Buck's Mahabharata that I felt compelled to retell it in my storybook. This wonderful story shows elements of Yama's character that are rarely seen. He is seen as lonely and vulnerable to friendship. Yama values friendship so much that he is willing to break his own rules and grant life that he has taken away. This story is a perfect conclusion to this storybook because Yama has come full circle. He begins as an innocent human being that only has one companion and ends with being a god and having one companion in Chitragupta. Despite his great power he a lonely diety that craves human interaction. I imagine that at the end of the world, when all soul judgments have concluded, Yama will be free to be a carefree diety who is able to enjoy heaven in all its glory with the multitude of souls he has preserved. What a joyous day it would be for Yama. (He could also be out of a job and a bum in the streets of heaven, but I prefer a more optimistic point of view.) Thank you for taking time to read this wonderful project of mine and I hope that you now are ready for the Call of Yama!
Bibliography Information:
Buck, William. (1973). Mahabharata. Berkley, CA: University of California Press pg. 182-189.
Image Information:
Image Link. Yama and Savitri with Satyavan's soul in a noose. No further infromation given.
Savitri was deeply in love with her husband, Satyavan. Satyavan was the son of a detroned and blind king but Savitri loved him anyway. Upon her wedding day, the seers in her kingdom brought word that Satyavan would only live one more year. Savitri having this knowledge used the year to contemplate the way to save Satyavan from his fate.
When the year had come, I readied Yama for his trip to collect Satyavan, while Savitri waited in the forest with her husband's head in her lap. A crow flew out of the nearest tree, cawing for no apparent reason. Right then Savitri knew that it was the call of Yama and she steadied herself for his appearance. Looking away for just a moment, she turned to her beloved husband and kissed him before his final breath, then looking up she saw Yama towering over her.
Yama smiled at Savitri and pulled the silver-threaded noose out of his pocket. He was not at all frightening and his greenish skin was set off by his red robe. As he pulled the soul of Satyavan from the body, Savitri watched with wide eyes as the soul of her beloved was no bigger than her own thumb. Yama turned toward the south and proceeded to walk away. Savitri also rose and trailed after him.
"Lord, may I follow you for a while? I do not fear you and wish for your company," she requested. Yama was taken back by this request and granted it. No living being ever wished to walk with death and besides conversing with me, Yama never really had time to speak to anyone else, so he indulged in the interlude. Savitri proceeded to ask Yama all sorts of questions ranging from what it was like to be the first mortal to die and eventually become the divine judge of mankind. The two talked on and on as they walked. Eventually Yama turned and confessed, "You are indeed not afraid of me, Savitri, daughter of Aswapati. Your friendship and conversation have meant much to me. Ask me for something but I cannot grant life back to Satyavan."
"Lord, friendship is meaningful and I ask for the eyesight of Dyumatsena returned to the aged king," she said.
"Granted, but that is easy. Ask for something else," explained Yama.
"Alright, return to him his rightful kingdom," she requested.
"That is already in the works. Don't you have anything you want for yourself?" Yama asked.
"Yes, I want to be the mother of one hundred sons by my husband," she pleaded.
"I grant it," Yama exclaimed before he thought it through. "But how can you have sons with no husband?" It was too late. He had already granted her wish and could not go back on his word. "Alright, Savitri, you have won the life of your husband but at the cost of part of your own. You must give up half of your days to him. Are you willing to do this?" Yama inquired.
"Yes, Lord, I would do anything for the love of my husband," she replied.
"Then take this," he said while handing her the small noose that held the soul of her husband. "Open his mouth and drop the soul in. He will remember nothing when he wakes. It will be as if all was a dream," commanded Yama and he watched Savitri turn away and run toward the body of her husband. Yama could not help being moved as he told me later. Savitri's friendship and lack of fear made the powerful God of Death yield to the request of a woman in love.
Author's Note: I was so moved with this story in William Buck's Mahabharata that I felt compelled to retell it in my storybook. This wonderful story shows elements of Yama's character that are rarely seen. He is seen as lonely and vulnerable to friendship. Yama values friendship so much that he is willing to break his own rules and grant life that he has taken away. This story is a perfect conclusion to this storybook because Yama has come full circle. He begins as an innocent human being that only has one companion and ends with being a god and having one companion in Chitragupta. Despite his great power he a lonely diety that craves human interaction. I imagine that at the end of the world, when all soul judgments have concluded, Yama will be free to be a carefree diety who is able to enjoy heaven in all its glory with the multitude of souls he has preserved. What a joyous day it would be for Yama. (He could also be out of a job and a bum in the streets of heaven, but I prefer a more optimistic point of view.) Thank you for taking time to read this wonderful project of mine and I hope that you now are ready for the Call of Yama!
Bibliography Information:
Buck, William. (1973). Mahabharata. Berkley, CA: University of California Press pg. 182-189.
Image Information:
Image Link. Yama and Savitri with Satyavan's soul in a noose. No further infromation given.