Vat Savitri Vrat Katha: Savitri and Satyavan

The Vat Savitri vrat is kept in the month of Jyeshtha: in North India usually on Jyeshtha Amavasya, and in Maharashtra and Gujarat on Jyeshtha Purnima (Vat Purnima). Traditionally, married women fast and worship the vat, the banyan tree, walking around it while winding raw cotton thread around its trunk, and listen to the katha of Savitri and Satyavan.

Savitri, daughter of King Ashwapati of Madra, was gifted and radiant. When no fitting groom was found, her father sent her to choose one herself. She returned and said she had chosen Satyavan, son of King Dyumatsen, who had gone blind, lost his kingdom and now lived in the forest.

Narad Muni, who was present, said: 'Satyavan has every virtue, but one year from today he will die.' Her father urged her to choose again, but Savitri said, 'I have chosen once with my whole heart. I will not change.' They were married, and Savitri served her in-laws in the forest. As the day drew near, she kept a hard fast for three days.

On that day she went with Satyavan into the forest to cut wood. Satyavan's head began to ache and he lay down with his head in her lap. Then Yamraj came, took his life and set off towards the south. Savitri followed. Yamraj told her to go back, but she spoke such wise words about dharma and the company of good people that Yamraj was pleased.

Yamraj offered her boons, anything except Satyavan's life. Savitri asked first for her father-in-law's sight, then his lost kingdom, then a hundred sons for her own father. Lastly she asked, 'May I have a hundred sons with Satyavan.' Yamraj said 'So be it', then saw that this boon could not come true without Satyavan alive. He returned Satyavan's life. Tradition holds that all this happened under a banyan tree.