Karadayan Nonbu is
performed by married women in the South India, by fasting and by praying to God
Mother on the day and time when the Tamil month "Maasi" ends and the
Tamil month "Panguni" begins. Basically it’s the confluence of the
Tamil months Maasi and Panguni. In the English Calendar, it’s the mid-March.
The married women basically pray for the
longevity and welfare of their husbands' lives. They wear the yellow thread
with a piece of turmeric in it called "Manja Saradu". They prepare kara adai (salted) and vella
adai (sweet). Basically it's the fresh rice flour mixed with water, lentil
beans (Lobia), coconut scrapings and molten jaggery and then steamed like
Idlis.
Savitri is a
princess and the only daughter of king Ashwapati, who ruled the kingdom of
Madra (Madra Desam) in the Bharatha Desam. King Ashwapati was not blessed with
any sons to succeed him as his heir. Savitri was brought up with lot of love
and affection, as she was the only daughter. When Savitri attained the marriageable age, the King wanted to
perform her Swayamvaram as per the Kshatriya practice. In fact the Kshatriya
princesses are allowed to exercise their choice and choose their husbands, who
they wish to marry. The Kshatriya Kings would accept their choice and perform
their Swayamvaram. King Ashwapati granted that choice to his daughter. Savitri
by her extremely good nature wanted to choose a husband, who was undergoing
struggle in his life and facing the trials and tribulations of his life. She
wanted to genuinely help her husband to overcome the struggle and trials in his
life. With this noble intention in her mind, Savitri started screening the prospective
husbands.
She came across a
Prince called Satyavan. Satyavan is the son of the King Dhyumatsena, who once
ruled the Kingdom of Chaalpa (Chaalpa Desam) in the Bharatha Desam. King
Dhyumatsena became blind and lost his eyesight. His evil minded villainous
Ministers took advantage of the King and threw him out of the Kingdom and
captured the power and they themselves started ruling the Kingdom in a chaotic
manner. After losing the kingdom, King
Dhyumatsena along with his family started living in the forests as a commoner
along with many sages, sadhus and rishis. Satyavan too lived with his parents
in the forest and was helping them by cutting woods in the forest every day.
One day Savitri
openly expressed her deep desire to marry Satyavan. King Ashwapati regretted
her decision and felt sorry for her. He tried to reason with her to change her
decision. But she remained firm in her decision. When this argument was going
on between the king and his daughter, Sage Narada landed there by divine grace.
He noticed what was going on there between the father and the daughter. Sage
Narada suddenly prophesied and announced his shocking view that Satyavan is destined to die within one year. He will live just exactly for one year from
now on. He advised Savitri to reconsider her decision and marry someone else
instead of Satyavan. But Savitri was very firm in her decision and replied that
after internally accepting and realizing
Satyavan as her husband, she is in no mood to change her decision. She
will marry only Satyavan and none else. Sage Narada realized her
"Pathivratha" attitude even before her marriage and blessed her
immediately that her dharma would save and protect her in her life. After this
incident, King Ashwapati got her daughter Savitri married to Satyavan.
Post her marriage to
Satyavan, Savitri accompanied her husband and unhesitatingly went to the
forests to live with him. She was very much devoted to her husband and
respected him and helped him in his daily chores. She also willingly served her
In-laws and took care of them as well. Satyavan too whole-heartedly
reciprocated his love and affection to Savitri for her great sacrifice and
service. Life was going on like this and the one year dead line on the life of
Satyavan was nearing. Savitri was very conscious of this passage of time and
kept track. She did not divulge the information about the impending death of
Satyavan to him or to his parents. She kept this secret to herself and was
undergoing self-torture every day. Finally the D-day for Satyavan arrived and
Savitri only knew about it.
Savitri performed
Karadayan Nonbu Pooja by fasting and praying to the God Mother (Jagan Matha),
on the day when the Tamil month "Maasi" ends and the Tamil month
"Panguni" begins (Mid-March). She expected the response of God Mother
for her prayers. In the meanwhile, as per the daily practice, Satyavan started
to leave for the forests for cutting wood. Savitri wanted to accompany her
husband to the forest on that day . Satyavan objected to her and advised her
not to accompany him as she has not
broken her fast. But Savitri in a very subtle manner requested Satyavan not to
object to her and allow her to accompany him on that day. Satyavan's parents
also supported Savitri and recommended to their son Satyavan to take Savitri
with him to the forest. Both Satyavan and Savtri enjoyed roaming together in
the forest. Savitri made sure to satisfy the desires of Satyavan on that day.
But she was fearing inside her mind the end
moment to happen for her husband, as prophesied by Sage Narada.
Suddenly Satyavan
fell down unconscious in the forest. Savitri immediately put her husband on her
lap and started praying. She could realize Satyavan breathing his last and
passing away. His soul and spirit was taken away by Lord Yama Dharma Raja in
front of the eyes of Savitri. Since Savitri was "Pathivratha
Choodamani", she could have the darshan of
Lord Yama with her naked eyes.
She immediately
started to follow the Lord of Death and pleaded to him to give back the life of
her husband Satyavan. But Lord Yama said
it is his dharma to take away the life of humans and he cannot return any life
back. He advised her not to follow him. But Savitri replied to Yama that she is
following him because he is taking the life of her husband and Lord Yama is
visible to her naked eyes. She also said that when humans follow Sages and
Sadhus they will be benefited and blessed. Lord Yama said to Savitri that she
is putting forth her case well, so he said he will grant her a boon, except the
life of her husband and asked her to request for a boon. Savitri immediately
requested that her parents were not blessed with any son as heir to her king
father and asked Lord Yama to grant a male progeny in her parent's family. The
boon was granted by Lord Yama.
But Savitri
continued to follow Lord Yama and he again objected to this. Savitri chanted
another sloka meaning that Sadhus help and bless sadhus, Sadhus also help and
bless evil minded villains in real life to salvage them. But villainous and
evil minded people never help anyone in life.
Lord Yama was pleased with this sloka too and said he will grant her a
second boon, except her husband's life and encouraged her to ask for the second
boon. Immediately Savitri pleaded to Lord Yama to restore the eye sight to her
Father-in-law King Dhyumatsena and also restore back the lost kingdom to him.
Savitri further
pleaded to Lord Yama that he was so kind to grant male progeny to her parents,
now he should be very kind enough to grant male progeny for her also for
vamsavrudhhi. Lord Yama granted her this boon also and blessed her that she
will beget one hundred sons. When Savitri further followed Lord Yama, he raised
objections and said that he has already granted her the desired boons and she
should stop following him allow him to perform his dharma. Immediately Savitri
retorted that Oh Lord Yama, when you have granted me the boon of one hundred
sons, how can you take away my husband? Lord Yama realized his folly in
granting this boon and felt that Savitri has the blessings of Lord Iswara that
made him commit this folly. Instantly Lord Yama gave back the life of Satyavan
to Savitri and blessed her and disappeared.
Satyavan woke up as
if he had a long sleep. Savitri did not utter any word to him about what had
happened to him and that she only saved his life. Satyavan's father King
Dhyumatsena got back his eye sight and also his kingdom back as the evil minded
villainous Ministers started fighting with each other and after realizing that
the King's eye sight was restored, they handed over the kingdom back to him.
Satyavan was coroneted as the Prince and Savitri was coroneted as the Princess
of Kingdom of Chaalpa (Chaalpa Desam) and they all lived happily thereafter.
Shankar Subramanian
Source:
"Sati Vijayam" by Sri Sri Krishna Premi Swamigal
P.S. Sri Aurobindo has written a book on Savitri in a
poetic narrative and it contains a detailed account of the conversation between
Savitri and Lord Yama.
