The Story of

Savitri and Satyavan

Episode One

Gilsar Pty Limited, 2014. All rights reserved.

The Story ofSavitri and Satyavan

Episode One

Author: Simon Maddock

Illustrations: Rui Lai
Book Design: Eva Angelova
Narrated By: Ayesha Mendham
Music and Sound Engineer: Ishan Isaacs
Producer: Emma Horton
This book is copyright Gilsar Pty Limited, 2014
Illustrations are copyright Gilsar Pty Limited, 2014
Book Design is copyright Gilsar Pty Limited, 2014
Voice Recording is copyright Gilsar Pty Limited, 2014
Music is copyright Gilsar Pty Limited, 2014
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced
without the permission of the publisher.
Gilsar Pty Limited, 2014. All rights reserved.

Long, long ago heroic kings and queens ruled in India

and wise sages roamed the land performing great
sacrifices to the Gods and Goddesses. At this time, brave
King Ashvapati sat on the throne of the Kingdom of
Madura. He and his beautiful Queen Malavi ruled wisely
and well and the people of Madura were loyal and happy.
The king was tall, handsome, and astute and his queen
was serene, intelligent and wise.
The palace of Madura was large and picturesque with rose
pink walls and latticed windows. Elephants and peacocks
strolled through vast pleasure gardens, and the sound
of water splashing in ornate fountains filled the palace.
Laughter and conversation could be heard everywhere as
servant girls and important Ministers of State hurried here
and there to do the bidding of their beloved King and
Queen.

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But the happiness of Ashvapati and Queen Malavi was not complete
because they had no child who would grow up and, in turn, rule the
kingdom wisely and well.
So the King and Queen prayed to Savitra the Sun God, for a child.
Pleased with their prayers and sacrifices Savitra, the Sun God, granted
their request and soon a beautiful baby girl was born to them. A
princess for Madura! The King and Queen were overjoyed, and
all the people of Madura rejoiced as well. The streets were
filled with the sound of jubilation as everyone hurried to
dress in their finest clothes. And they rushed into the city
to celebrate the birth of their princess.
What shall we call our new daughter? Queen Malavi
asked her husband, King Ashvapati.
We shall show our gratitude to Savitra,
the Sun God, who heard our prayers and gave
her to us. Let us call her Savitri.

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And so it was that Savitri grew into a

beautiful and loyal daughter to her doting
parents. She was instructed in all the
arts and sciences and proved a willing
and clever student, absorbing easily all
the lessons of her teachers. She could
read, write, sing and dance. She could
discuss learned questions with the
wise sages, and all Madura looked
forward to the day when she would
marry a great prince, who would
join her in ruling Madura.
Finally the day came when Savitri
was grown up and of the age
when, her thoughts and those
of her loving parents, turned
to who would be a suitable
husband; a partner for life.
So her parents, King
Ashvapati and Queen Malavi
said to Savitri: Savitri, you
are the apple of our eyes,
you are like sunshine on a dark
day. The people of Madura
love you, we love you. The
time has come to consider that
important question for any young
person. To whom will you promise
yourself for life? Whom shall you
marry?

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One hundred and one great princes from noble

families, who are suitable matches for you,
have sent messages asking for your hand in
marriage. We have invited them to come to meet
you to see who is suitable to become your husband.
And so from that day, princes came from far and
wide to seek the hand of the beautiful Savitri.
But none was found who could satisfy
Savitri. One prince was lazy, another arrogant,
a third rough, a fourth weak, a fifth
selfish and so on, and on, and on.
King Ashvapati and Queen Malavi
began to despair.
Would no
suitable prince ever be found?
Oh Father, dear Mother, said
Savitri, put your minds at
rest, have no fear. This very day
I will depart the palace and seek
through all the lands for a man
who is kind, brave and intelligent who
will be a suitable husband for me.
Without another word Savitri, with a
retinue of followers set out, guided by the Gods
themselves to find a husband for Savitri. Little
did she know, that she was fated to find
her love, but she was also to face the hardest
test of all. She was to lose him to the God
of Death one year after their wedding day!

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One day, after many weeks of journeying through many kingdoms, Savitri
and her followers were travelling through a dark and forbidding jungle. Birds
screeched, and monkeys chattered as they passed and snakes slithered
from their path. The servant girls were round-eyed with fear. The soldiers
clutched their weapons, ready to rush to the rescue of their beautiful mistress.
At last they came to a clearing and saw to their great amazement a small hut
built of wood and roofed with broad banyan leaves. Sitting quietly outside the
hut, wearing simple clothes was an old man and his wife.
Greetings to you sainted Father, and holy Mother, said Savitri politely, bowing
low to the old man and woman. My name is Savitri, Princess of Madura.
Why do you live here, far from civilisation, alone in the jungle, threatened by
dangerous beasts?
Oh Princess Savitri, welcome to our humble dwelling. You are welcome, as are
all your followers. Please accept our hospitality, small though it may be. Please
sit, and drink some cool water. Eat some of our simple food. And I will tell you
our story.

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Thank you kind sir and madam, said Savitri,

You are very generous to us, who have
travelled from a distant land.
Savitri and her followers seated themselves
comfortably on the ground and took a little
water and some of the old man and womans
simple food. When they were satisfied, Savitri
again politely asked them how they had come to live in
the jungle.
Our story is a sad one. My name is Dyumatsena and I am
the rightful Ruler of the Kingdom of Shalwa. This
beautiful lady is my Queen Lakshmibai.
Unfortunately while ruling my kingdom,
one day I was afflicted with blindness.
Seeing his opportunity, one of my
enemies from a neighbouring
kingdom, swooped down
and surprised my palace. My
Queen and I barely escaped with
our lives, and we fled to this jungle carrying
our newborn son, Satyavan. Since that day we have
dwelt here in the jungle, watching Satyavan grow into
a fine young man. And weeping at the fate, that our
handsome, strong and intelligent son will never rule
the kingdom he was born to.

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On hearing the name of Satyavan, Savitris heart leapt. It leapt even more when
Satyavan, handsome, strong and calm, emerged from the jungle carrying an axe
over one shoulder and a heavy bundle of firewood easily under the other.
He too stopped at the sight of Savitri, and their eyes locked on each other. Each
knew they were destined for each other. Savitri had found her husband.
They received the blessing of
King Dyumatsena and his
Queen Lakshmibai and Savitri
hurried home to tell her
parents, while Satyavan
stayed in the forest
continuing to care for his
aged parents.
Imagine the mixture
of joy and sadness in
the palace of the king
of Madura.

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For Savitri had found a husband, but he was a poor dweller in the jungle; she had
found herself a prince! But his blind father had lost his kingdom. And worse news
was to come!
The whole Kingdom of Madura could talk of nothing but the story of Savitri and
Satyavan, when one day Narada the Holy Dweller in Heaven, chief devotee of Lord
Vishnu, came to earth for one of his regular journeys to see how the world was
faring.
King Ashvapati welcomed Holy Narada and offered him a seat, some water and
some fruits. When the Holy One was at his ease he enquired about the state of the
kingdom. King Ashvapati told him the news of Savitris search for a husband and the
eventual outcome, the discovery of Satyavan.
Oh Great King said Narada, shaking his head sadly, I have terrible news for you.
This match is perfect in every way but one. Savitri and Satyavan are perfectly suited
to each other and, except for one thing, would be destined for a life of happiness
and prosperity.
Oh Great Sage, said King Ashvapati, What is the one thing which will prevent
their happiness? What great enemy stands in their way? What dreadful fate awaits
them? What can be done?
By my holy vision, I can foresee the future, and I tell you this. Without a doubt,
exactly one year to the day, from the time Savitri and Satyavan celebrate their
wedding, Yama, the God of Death, will claim Satyavans soul. No force on earth can
prevent this from happening.
With great sadness in his heart King Ashvapati summoned the beautiful and modest
Savitri into the great hall of the palace to hear the dreadful news directly from
Narada.
When Savitri had listened carefully to Naradas words, King Ashvapati tried to
persuade his daughter to change her mind, to choose someone other than Satyavan
as her husband. But Savitri remained firm.

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Dearest Father, Holy Narada, my love for Satyavan is wider than

the sky and deeper than the ocean. His love for me is the same. I
can choose no other husband. Our love will conquer even death.
King Ashvapati then spoke again: But, Dearest Daughter, you know the
traditional laws of marriage of our land. If you are betrothed to a man
and go through the wedding ceremony with him, and he afterwards
dies, the law states that you must remain single for the rest of your
life. Without children in the first year of your marriage the kingdom
will have no heir to the throne.
But Savitri remained immovable. She insisted that she would marry
Satyavan.
At this Narada asked permission to speak. Noble King, Illustrious Princess,
I know things seem impossible. But again, through my divine sight I can
see that Savitri and Satyavan will marry. It is written in the stars and in
the destiny of these two children of royal households. I give this match
my blessing.
With this, King Ashvapati and Queen Malavi agreed, and the eager Savitri
left her parents palace and took her journey to the jungle to marry
Satyavan and to try to defeat Death himself!
The Story of Savitri and Satyavan is continued in Episode 2
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