Vat Savitri Vrat Katha · वट सावित्री व्रत कथा

King Ashvapati had no children. For many years he offered oblations to the goddess Savitri, and at last she appeared and granted him a radiant daughter. Born by the goddess's grace, the girl was named Savitri.

Savitri grew up very beautiful, but no suitable husband could be found, so her father sent her to choose one herself. In a forest hermitage she found Satyavan, the son of King Dyumatsena, a blind king who had lost his kingdom to an enemy and lived in exile in the forest, and she chose him as her husband.

The sage Narada then told King Ashvapati that Satyavan was virtuous and good in every way, but that he would die within a year. Her father begged Savitri to choose someone else, but she would not change her mind, and she was married to Satyavan. She went to live in the forest and served her husband's parents.

As the destined day drew near, Savitri fasted. On that day Satyavan went into the forest to cut wood, and she went with him. While working he was struck by pain and lay down, and she took his head in her lap. Then Yama, the god of death, came and took Satyavan's life, and Savitri followed him.

Yama told her to go back, but she would not: where her husband went, she would go. Pleased by her devotion and wisdom, Yama offered her boons, anything except her husband's life. She asked that her blind father-in-law regain his sight; then that he regain his lost kingdom; and then that she herself be blessed with a hundred sons. Yama granted each one. Then Savitri pointed out that a devoted wife could not have sons without her husband. Bound by his own word, Yama gave Satyavan's life back to her.

Savitri returned to where her husband lay, and Satyavan came back to life. When they reached home, his parents had regained their sight, and in time the lost kingdom was restored.

The katha ends by saying that keeping the Vat Savitri vrat and hearing this story protects the life of one's husband.

The story of Savitri and Satyavan comes from the Mahabharata, where the sage Markandeya tells it to Yudhishthira. On Vat Savitri, married women fast and worship the banyan (vat) tree, winding a thread around its trunk, and hear this story, praying for their husbands' long life. The published versions are in Hindi prose and differ in details such as the order of the boons; the retelling above keeps only what at least two of the versions linked below agree on. See Vat Savitri for the date.

The katha is heard on Vat Savitri during the worship of the banyan tree. Customs vary by family and region.