A Song of love and death

There was once a King, Aswapati, valiant, and wise,
A King of the Madra, true without vice,

Composed and controlled, always in his sense
Patient and prudent, devoid of any pretense

He ruled the country, town, and village
His people happy, in time and it’s passage

Not so the king, childless in his throne
Yearning for an heir, suffering all alone

Heavy a penance he underwent
Subduing his desires of the flesh unbent

A sacrifice to Savitri he undertook
All the food, only once a day he partook

Even that, a little a day he kept aside.
Sixteen years in penance and purpose, staying alive

Till at last, the divinest Sâvitrî did arise
Through the sacred flames of his sacrifice

“O King, with thy faith and fast
You have patiently played your part

You have endured so much pain
Such merit should not go in vain

Make your wish under this full moon
It pleases me to grant you a boon

Oh Goddess, I forsake my arrows and bows
For want of a child, I took on these heavy vows

If thou art satisfied, grant me, I pray,
Fair babies, before I turn fully gray

This is the boon from you, I plead
For me in my lifetime to leave my seed

So be it, for I shall decree
A fair baby be born unto thee

Nothing more delightful will there ever be
Not anything will earthly eyes ever see

And so in time the wise king lay
When the hour was good without delay

With her that was his fairest wife,
Together they created a new life

In a month and nine the queen delivered her child
The delightful daughter looked around and smiled

The day of the first birth was celebrated
All the kingdom came and got inebriated

Celebrating this precious gift from their Goddess
They named her beloved, Savitri the Apsaras

In grace and beauty the girl grew to form
As the king and his kingdom protected her from harm

Her youth ripened with passing moons
Princes and Kings came from afar to swoon

The heart whispered, he is the one indeed
He is the one, her mind violently agreed

She returned with her retinue, back to her fort
To find her father, waiting in his court

Tell me the good news, he said, stepping up to greet
First, get the blessings of sage Narada, touching his feet

Bless you, my child, the sage decreed
May you be blessed with all that you need

Without haste, daughter, tell me about your findings
Pray tell me that you have come back with good tidings

I await the day when by marriage you are bound
To bring happiness and joy to everyone around

To ask her hand for a lifetime of happiness
Afraid they could never be enough for the celestial princess

And so the King became desperate and distressed
On seeing his beautiful daughter, still unwed

He begged her to seek a worthy man by God's grace
For a father to keep his daughter at home, a disgrace

And so one fine day, on a golden chariot she rode
With her friend and attendants, leaving her royal abode

She traveled north and south, east and west
In search of the one who would be her best

In far of lands, in kingdoms large and small
Many a prince she met, yet none she could fall

Days and nights passed; no suitors in sight
When at last she saw him, her heart in delight

Oh father, I bring you news that you desire
For I found a man that my heart and mind admire

He lives deep in the jungle in a simple hermitage
A son of a king who became blind in old age

Stripped of his kingdom, he had retreated to the forest
With his queen, escaping the brigand, baby on her breast

They found shelter in the jungle and called it their home
Raising their only child amid nature, free to roam

The King Dymutsena in time became a blind ascetic
While his son grew up strong and athletic

Sage Narada heard this all and sounded alarmed
Oh divine daughter, alas, you have been wronged

For this boy is none other than Satyavan
Brave, wise, magnanimous, he is handsome like the early dawn

Yet for all his merits, there is one but enormous defect
Alas, a year from today his death will take effect

Oh sage! What a cruel fate you have revealed to her
No, No, daughter, forget Satyavan, do reconsider

To which she stood tall and replied
Short or long, our lives are tied

Oh King, your daughter’s heart wavers not
For it is but fate that they tie the knot

Narada then declared that the marriage proceed in peace
Alas, he could not stay, for he had to leave to the heavenly seas

The King, then, bade that all things be prepared
The robes and cups, as the brahmans declared

They set forth with pomp and joy to meet Satyavan
Their daughter in a palanquin, decked in white like a swan

And so they traveled day and night
The home of the blind king at last in sight

The Kings both met and exchanged pleasantry
And walked across to the lonely tree

What, Maharaja, bringeth thee?"
And Aswapati, answering, told him all about Savitri

Oh, prince Satyavan, take her from me to be your wife,
For she has fixed that it is with you is her life

The blind lord spoke:
In my past was my wish to wed into your family
My realm lost along with my sight in tragedy

Yet now, so let it be, since that seems to be the fate
For sure my son cannot find a better woman as mate

They assembled, family and friends in the forest
All those priests, rites done in earnest

On a day named auspicious, they became man and wife
Her father and family blessing them a long life

Nuptial tied, the couple held hand
Dance and music played by the band

And now it was time for the groom and bride
To set out on their path, strong in stride

So Sâvitrî bid goodbye to the family of her birth
There was much sadness, but still enough mirth

For this was a cause for celebration
As much as it was of separation

Satyavan beamed with joy and elation
Winning a spouse, all love, and devotion

She too rejoiced to be in the poor little cottage
So chosen of her soul, bonded in marriage

She bared her neck and arms of gold
For she was the daughter-in-law of hermits, old

And with her husband in love, she was the perfect bride
Dutiful and devoted; alas the fateful day arrived.

The time was up for Narada’s prophecy
Her mind occupied in constant agony  

The fated day and time came as foretold
I have to get wood for fire since my parents are cold

Savitri rushed to say she will come along
Insisting, that together they were strong

In that early morning, before birds started their jingle
She left with her husband to the deep green jungle

Holding hands, they sang, Satyavan in joy
Savitri kept pace with a heavy heart, she could not enjoy

Suddenly, a wave of tiredness swept over Satyavan
She caught him before he fell, and set him down to fan

His face full of sweat, and his body losing heat
Savitri held him in her lap, his heart without a beat

She looked up to see the enormous dark cloud  
What purpose is yours, she asked aloud

The figure of a God with a noose emerged
Distraught and depressed, she cried, enraged

Dear child, I am here to take away your man in hand
For it is time that he leaves this realm, his birth land

Why not your messengers, as is the norm
She asked of the Lord as he revealed his form

Yama I am, in person for Satyavan
For he is a man of virtue, a paragon

I must go with my lord; for that is my duty
For where he is, that is my destiny

Onward marched the lord of death, Satyavan, in tow
Wailing, she followed, unable to let go

Dear child, seven steps and more, and so you must go
You are free of any obligation, and this love you must forgo

You are the lord, pinnacle of Dharma
My place is with my husband, oh lord Yama

She spoke of women, their place on this planet
Coupled with their love, forever in a duet

No saint or sage can ever know the true extent
Of those who have seen souls merged dependent

Her speech and sound shook the celestial world
And Yama could not but admire this woman, so bold

Ask me of boons, for I am so pleased
You are but special, and so it shall be released

Anything you can ask for, but the life of Satyavan
For that I cannot give, destined he to the One Bhagavan

Then let the eyes of my father-in-law see the light
For it is but fair the mighty king has his sight

A kingdom is barren without a man in succession
Pray my father be bestowed with one hundred sons

And so shall it be, with the boon granted
One more you can ask as you had wanted

She looked up at the lord with great devotion
And said she wants a hundred sons in succession

I cannot bear this boon without my husband in union
Do restore his breath without further opinion

The lord smiled at the logic of the brave Savitri
He released the noose, and said so shall it be

Never has this world seen one so much in devotion
To true love and attachment with the deepest emotion

The world shall know you and your history
A story of love and death : Satyavan Savitri.

- Srikanth Desikan