Greatness of Sati Sulochana’s Pativrata

Sulochana was the daughter of Vasuki Naga and the wife of Meghnad, son of Ravana, the king of Lanka. Meghnad was killed in a fierce battle with Lakshman. His severed head was brought to the camp of Lord Shri Ram.

On receiving the news of her husband’s death, Sulochana requested her father-in-law Ravana to go to Ram and bring her husband’s head. But Ravana was not ready for this. He told Sulochana to go to Ram herself and bring Meghnad’s head. Because Ram is the supreme being, hence you should not have any kind of fear in going near him.

When Lakshman presented himself to go to the battlefield, taking a vow to kill Ravana’s mighty son Indrajit (Meghnad), then Ram said to him – “Lakshman! Go to the battle and kill Ravana’s son Meghnad with your bravery and military skills. You will do it, I have no doubt about it.

But take special care of one thing that Meghnad’s head should not fall on the ground in any way. Because Meghnad is a devotee of women and his wife is extremely devoted to her husband.

If the head of the husband of such a sadhvi falls on the earth, our entire army will be destroyed and we will have to give up the hope of victory in the war. Lakshman set out with his army. He did the same in the battlefield. In the battle, he took off Meghnad’s head with his arrows, but did not let it fall on the earth. Hanuman brought that head to Raghunandan.

Meghnad’s right arm flew in the sky and fell near his wife Sulochana. Sulochana was surprised. The very next moment Anyant started wailing out of grief. But he did not touch the arm. He thought, it is possible that this arm belongs to some other person.

In such a situation, I will be blamed for the touch of another man. To decide, she said to the arm – “If you are my master’s arm, then write the entire story of the war with the power of my husband’s vow.” The maid handed the pen to the arm. The pen wrote – “Dear! This arm is mine only.

I fought with Shri Ram’s brother Lakshman in the battlefield. Lakshman has given up his wife, food and sleep for many years. He is radiant and full of all divine qualities. I did not get along with him in the battle. In the end, I died after being hit by his arrows. My head is with Shri Ram.

Sulochana became distraught as she read the lines written in her husband’s hand. Hearing the lamentation of his son and daughter-in-law, Ravana, the king of Lanka, came and said – ‘Don’t mourn, daughter.

As soon as the morning comes, thousands of heads will be cut off by my arrows and will return to the earth. I will shed rivers of blood. Screaming pitifully, Sulochana said – “But what will be my benefit from this, father? Not just thousands, but even millions of heads will not be able to compensate for the lack of my master’s head. Sulochana decided that ‘I should now become Sati.’

But her husband’s dead body was lying in Ram-dal. Then how could she have been Sati? When she expressed her intention to her father-in-law Ravana and asked him to get her husband’s body, Ravana replied – “Devi! You yourself go to Ram’s party and get your husband’s body.

You should not be afraid of going to the society where child-celibate Hanuman, supreme Jitendriya Lakshman and monogamous Lord Shri Ram exist. I am confident that you will not be left disappointed by these praiseworthy great men.”

As soon as he heard the news of Sulochana’s arrival, Shri Ram stood up and himself came to Sulochana and said – “Devi! Your husband was the greatest warrior and bravest of the world. He had many virtues. But who can change the written law? Seeing you like this, Sulochana started praising God.

Shri Ram interrupted her and said – “Devi! Do not put me to shame. The glory of devotion to one’s husband is immense, its power is incomparable. I know that you are the ultimate Sati. Even the world trembles with your chastity. Tell me the reason for coming here yourself, tell me how can I help you?

Sulochana looked at the Lord with tearful eyes and said – “Raghavendra! I have come here to take the head of my husband to commit Sati.” Shri Ram soon respectfully asked for Meghnad’s head and gave it to Sulochana.

Sulochana’s heart was greatly moved after seeing her husband’s severed head. His eyes started raining heavily. While crying, he looked at Laxman standing nearby and said – “Sumitranandan! Don’t be proud even by mistake that I have killed Meghnath. No one in the world had the power to destroy Meghnath.

This was the fate of two devoted women. Your wife is also devoted to her husband and I too am her exclusive follower who remains devoted to her husband. But my husband Dev used to eat the food of his father who kidnapped a devoted woman and went into battle for her, due to this my life and wealth were restored to the afterlife.

All the warriors were surprised to see Sulochana in Ram’s camp. He was unable to understand how Sulochana came to know that her husband’s head was with Lord Rama.

To satisfy his curiosity, Sugriva asked how he came to know that Meghnad’s head was in Shri Ram’s camp. Sulochana told clearly – “My husband’s arm had gone to me after flying from the battlefield. She told me in writing.

Sugriva spoke sarcastically – “If a lifeless arm can write, then this severed head can also laugh.” Shri Ram said – “Don’t talk in vain, friend. You don’t know the importance of devotion to your husband. This severed head can also laugh if it wants to.

Seeing Shri Ram’s facial expression, Sulochana understood his feelings. She said – “If I consider my husband a god in my mind, words and deeds, then this lifeless head of my husband will laugh. Sulochana had not even finished talking when the severed head started laughing loudly.

Everyone was stunned to see this. Everyone saluted the devoted Sulochana. Everyone became aware of the glory of devotion to husband. While walking, Sulochana prayed to Shri Ram – “Lord, today is the funeral of my husband and I, his companion, am going to meet him.

Therefore, wars should stop today. Shri Ram accepted Sulochana’s prayer. Sulochana returned to Lanka with her husband’s head. A sandalwood pyre was prepared on the sea shore in Lanka. Taking her husband’s head in her lap, Sulochana sat on the pyre and within a few moments committed sati in the blazing fire…!!