Saavithri the daughter of King Asvapathi was a very beautiful & intelligent girl. She was born to the king after his dedicated prayers & devotion to the goddess. Once she set on a pilgrimage. On the way in a forest she met a young man who lived with his blind parents. The blind father was king Dyumatsena who lost his kingdom and was forced to live in exile in the forest with his wife and son Satyavaan.
Saavitri decided to marry satyavaan seeing his devotion towards his parents. But Devrishi Narad interferes and tells savitri and her parents that Satyavaan was going to die in a year. Saavithri stood by her decision and finally got married to Satyavaan and went to live with him in the forest by supporting him in serving the old parents. Everyday Satyavaan collected wood from the forest, sold it & earned the bread for his family. Saavitri prayed to goddess regularly.Months rolled and the D-day came. Saavitri observed severe fast that day and requested Satyavaan to take her along with him and so both of them went in search of wooden logs.
After sometime, satyavan felt tired and decided to lie down with his head on the lap of his wife savitri. Suddenly, he felt breathlessness and saavitri kept praying to the goddess. She saw yama approaching them.
Yamaa is the god of dharma. He carried the soul of satyavaan and was about to leave towards his abode, when savitri saluted him and requested him to leave her husband's soul back to his body. But Yamaa being the god of dharmaa said that he was carrying out his duty as assigned to him hence he could not give the soul of satyavan back and carried on his journey. Saavitri followed him. When yama anoitced her coming behind, he said "child, you cannot come with me. as your time has not yet come. go back to your home" but saavitri refused to go back to her parents-in-law's place without her husband and continued following him.
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Yamaa is the god of dharma. He carried the soul of satyavaan and was about to leave towards his abode, when savitri saluted him and requested him to leave her husband's soul back to his body. But Yamaa being the god of dharmaa said that he was carrying out his duty as assigned to him hence he could not give the soul of satyavan back and carried on his journey. Saavitri followed him. When yama anoitced her coming behind, he said "child, you cannot come with me. as your time has not yet come. go back to your home" but saavitri refused to go back to her parents-in-law's place without her husband and continued following him.
Yamaa got impressed with the speech of saavitri and her dedication in getting her husband's life back, offered to grant a boon to her. to ask anything except the life of satyavaan. So for the first boon, Saavitri requests that her parents-in-law get good eyesight with a healthy life. Yama granted that boon and again carried on with his journey. Saavitri again followed him.
When yamaa turned back, savitri saluted and praised him. Yamaa pleased with her devotion, offered to grant second boon. This time saavitri requested that the kingdom lost by her parents-in-law be restored to them. Yamaa granted that boon, told her not to follow and again carried on. But saavitri, never gave up and again started to follow him.
Yamaa decided to offer her the last & final boon & tell her to ask for anything except satyavaan's life and that she should not follow him after this final boon. Saavitri requested him to bless her 'to have children with long life'. Yamaa granted her the final boon saying 'so be it' thinking that saavitri will now go away.
But intelligent savitri again followed him. Yamaa turned back and said "child when I granted the final boon, I told you not to follow me anymore" to which Saavitri replied, "Oh the king of Dharmaa, you have granted me a boon to have children. But how can I have children without my husband?". Hearing this Yamaa realised the effect of the boon he had granted, not wanting to go back in his words, he finally impressed by the intelligence of Saavitri, grants the life of Satyavaan back and bless them with long, healthy & happy life and vanish.
The day in which saavitri kept her vrath (fasting) is observed as 'Karadayan Nonbu' during which day, the married women (for the well being of their husbands) and Unmarried girls (to get a good husband) prays to goddess observing fast, preparing special offerings and pooja.
Satyavaan's soul enters his body back and his love for his beloved wife increased many times. They return to the forest to see their parents who got their vision back. Their kingdom was restored to them and they lived happily ever after with their children.
