Hello and welcome to episode 14 of The Ask Sri Vishwanath Show. Today I want to talk about the knowledge of consciousness. Can it help you conquer death? Can the dead be brought back to life?
Today’s question comes from Connie and she says “I have read in books that you can defy any fate, including death. If fate is pre-ordained for some is it possible to cancel that fate and to ask God not to take that person’s life? I have always believe in my heart that we can reverse things if we know how. Where can I find the right information?”
Thanks for the question Connie. Krishna brought the dead back to life, so did Christ but ordinary people like you and me cannot do this. We have to endure. However I want to share two very powerful stories with you. I’ll share the first story in this episode, it’s about Savitiri and how she brought Satyavan back to life. In the next episode I’ll share the story of Parikshit.
Savitiri
Savitiri was the beautiful daughter of the king Ashvapati. She had a wonderful nature and had all the qualities of a wonderful woman. When she became of marriageable age her father asked her to choose her husband. She was privileged so she could travel to various kingdoms to search for a husband. She travelled all over India and met many handsome kings but she didn’t feel anything in her heart for any of them.
Then she went into a beautiful forest. The animals in the forest had lived for the past 1000 years without being hunted by humans. The animals live peacefully among man and the trees were always bursting with fruit. The entire place was at peace.
The old king
A king was living in the forest. He had lost his kingdom and was blind due to old age. He had come to the forest with his queen and his son so they could live out the rest of their lives in peace.
Savitiri entered the forest and she saw the old king. She fell in love with Satyavan the second she saw him. He captured her heart completely. She decided there and then that he was the one she was going to marry.
She returned to her father and told him that she had found the man she wanted to marry. She told him that he was the son of the King who had lost his kingdom. Her father tried his best to persuade her not to marry him but she was adamant that he was the one for her.
Her father consulted an astrologer. They matched the pair and then they discovered that Satyavan would die exactly one year after they were married. The father went to Savitiri and begged her to re-consider. He did not want her to be a widow after a year of marriage. Her resolve was strong, she explained that her heart belonged to him now and she would never want to be with anyone else. Her father finally agreed and they were married.
Savitiri left her father kingdom to live with her new husband. She tried to be happy but she was plagued by the constant worry of her husband’s pending death. Months past and they tried to live a normal life. She would tend to the old kings needs and he would spends his days in the forest.
Death looms
Time past and soon there were only 3 days left. Her heart was pounding with worry so she began fasting and penance and anything else she could do. The dreaded day finally came. She knew he would die this day. That day she told Satyavan that she wanted to accompany him to the forest. They both left together and after some time Satyavan told Savitiri that he was feeling dizzy and that he needed to lay his head on her lap. He was about to lie down when suddenly, he collapsed.
Savitiri knew that this was the end. Savitiri had built a chaste fire around her and when the messengers of Yama came for his soul she saw that that he could not pass through the flames. Such is the power of a chaste woman.
The messengers returned to Yama and told him they could not pass the flames to take the soul. Yama himself went and passed through the flames to take his soul. He told Savitiri not to cry. This was the fate of all mortals and there was nothing she could do.
The chaste woman
Yama turned and left. Not long after he heard footsteps behind him. He turned and saw Savitiri following him. He asked her why she was following him. She told him that it was not her that was following him, but the mind of chaste woman. She explained that the mind of a chaste woman will never leave her husband, even in death.
Yama explained to her that she could have one boon. He would do one thing for her as long as it wasn’t a request to bring her husband back. She thanked him and asked him to restore the old king’s eyesight. Yama agreed to give the old king his sight back from that very second.
Yama tried to leave when he turned and saw Savitiri following him once more. He asked her why she was following him again. She told him the mind is weak and that it follows the body. She told him that Satyavan’s soul is her soul. The body follows the mind and the mind follows the soul. Therefore she would go where ever he goes.
Yama said OK you can ask for another boon but Satyavan will not come back to life. She asked that the old man’s kingdom and wealth be returned to him. Yama then said “let it be, all he once had will be his again”. He then proceeded further but Savitiri was still following him.
He demanded to know why she was still following him. She told him that she had no other choice. Yama challenged her by asking her if Satyavan’s soul was destined for hell, would she also follow him there. She said “yes. Such is the mind of a chaste woman. Where my husband goes, I go. If my husband’s soul goes to hell so be it. I will go too”
Love conquers
Yama agreed to give her one more boon but once more told her that the dead would not come back to life. She asked for the lineage of her father-in-law to continue. She asked that Satyavan’s soul would descend onto her son.
Yama smiled. Love had conquered death. By asking for the third boon in a clever way, that the lineage would continue on by letting his soul descend to his son. Satyavan would be re-born and the lineage would continue. Yama told her that love had conquered death. He handed back the soul and Satyavan came back to life.
This is a really wonderful story. Through fasting, penance, chastity and devotion Savitiri was able to save her husband’s soul. Love and intelligence will conquer death.
In the next episode will talk about Parikshit. He was also destined to die but fate took a different turn for him.
Remember you keep asking questions and I’ll keep answering them.
