Vat Savitri Vrat (Thursday 6 June 2024)

Vat Savitri Vrat is considered to be a fast that brings good luck and helps in having a child. In Indian culture, this fast has become a symbol of ideal womanhood. There are different opinions regarding the date of this fast. According to Skanda Purana and Bhavishyottara Purana, there is a provision to observe this fast on the full moon day of Shukla Paksha of Jyeshtha month, whereas according to Nirnayanamrit etc. it is said that this fast should be observed on the new moon day of Jyeshtha month. In Vat Savitri fast, both ‘Vat’ and ‘Savitri’ are considered to have special importance. There are many types of trees in this world, among them the banyan tree also has special importance. According to the scriptures, it has been said – ‘Vat Mule Topvasa’. Banyan tree is a symbol of longevity and immortality. According to the Purana, Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh reside in the banyan tree. By sitting under this tree and listening to worship, fasting stories etc., the desired result is achieved soon.The banyan tree is famous among the people for its vastness and longevity. It seems that married women worship the banyan tree with the thought that their husbands too should remain as big and long-lived as the banyan tree.

Other characteristics of banyan tree:-

When Yamraj, the god of death, took away the life of Savitri’s husband Satyavan, Savitri brought her father back to life. The debate between Yamraj and Savitri took place under the banyan tree, in order to save her life, he debated with Yamraj for three days. After that, Yamraj was pleased and due to this, the banyan tree also got associated with Savitri and the importance of the banyan tree increased.

Shri Ram, Sitaji and Lakshmanji rested under the Akshaya Vat of Prayag.

The abode of Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, Narasimha, Neel and Madhav is the banyan tree.

Banyan tree is also related to Lord Shiva and Shani Dev and both the gods love justice. According to the famous folk story, under this tree, devoted Savitri got justice from Yamraj.

It is said that during the time of doomsday, child Mukund had slept on banyan tree.

In the scriptures, Peepal, Banyan and Shami have been described as sacred trees. Using the wood of these trees in Yagya not only fulfills all the wishes but also purifies the environment.

Among all the sacred trees, the banyan tree has the longest lifespan.

The hair that lives in the banyan tree is similar to the hair of Lord Shiva.

It is said in Skandapuran, ‘Ashvattharupi Vishnu: Syadvarupi Shivo Yataah’ i.e. Vishnu in the form of Peepal and Shiva in the form of Jata. Lord Brahma resides in the roots of the banyan tree, Vishnu resides in the trunk and Shiva resides in the branches and leaves. By sitting under it and worshiping, fasting and listening to the story, the wishes are fulfilled.

Importance of Savitri:-

The character of the name Savitri is popular in Indian culture. Savitri also means Veda mother Gayatri and Saraswati. Savitri was also born under special circumstances. It is said that King Ashwapati of Bhadra country did not have any children. He offered one lakh offerings daily along with chanting mantras to get a child.This sequence continued continuously for eighteen years. After this, Savitri Devi appeared and gave a boon that ‘Rajan, you will be born with a bright girl.’ Due to her birth with the blessings of Savitri Devi, the girl was named Savitri.

The girl was very intelligent and beautiful. Savitri’s father remained sad due to not finding a suitable groom for her. He sent the girl himself to search for a groom. Savitri started wandering in Tapovan. King Dyumatsen of Salva country lived there because someone had snatched his kingdom. Seeing her son Satyavan, Savitri accepted him as her husband.

Worship material –

The idols of Savitri, Satyavan and Yama riding on buffalo made of clay should be installed under the banyan tree and worshiped and water should be given to the roots of the banyan tree. For puja, there should be water, mouli, roli, raw cotton, soaked gram, flowers, idol of Satyavan-Savitri, bamboo fan, red thread, earthen lamp, incense and five fruits which must include litchi etc.

Worship_Vidhana –

There is some difference in the method of worshiping Vat Savitri fast according to the region. Almost all the devotees observe Vat Savitri fast and worship according to their respective traditions. According to the general worship, on this day women take bath in the morning, wear new clothes and do sixteen makeups. On this day, married women remain fasting and circumambulate around the banyan tree with raw yarn.At the time of Vat Puja, fruits, sweets, puri, pua, wet gram and fan are offered. After that she listens to the story of Satyavan and Savitri. Again, like Savitri, she reaches home with a banyan leaf behind her head. After this, she fans her husband and breaks his fast by giving him water to drink.

Specially, in this puja, women keep twenty-four banyan fruits (made of flour or jaggery) and twenty-four puris in their lap and offer twelve puris and twelve banyans to the Banyan tree. They offer a pot of water to the tree, apply turmeric and roli on it and worship it with fruits, flowers, incense and lamps. Holding raw cotton in her hand, she circles the tree twelve times. On every parikrama, one gram is offered to the tree. And the thread continues to be wrapped around the stem.

After completion of the parikrama, the story of Satyavan and Savitri is heard. After that, she offers a garland of twelve raw threads on the tree and puts one around her neck. Again she changes the garland from the tree six times, later leaves one garland hanging and wears one herself. When the puja is over, the women pluck eleven grams and the bud of the tree (red colored bud of the tree) and swallow them with water.

How to break the fast –

The myth behind this is that until Satyavan was in his dying stage, Savitri had no consciousness of herself, but as soon as Yamraj brought Satyavan back to life, Savitri herself consumed the water by giving water to her husband Satyavan by eating the stem of the banyan tree.

How_to_prepare_for_puja –

Take bath in the morning and wear clean clothes and jewellery.
This fast starts 3 days in advance, so after fasting throughout the day, women take food in the evening.
On the day of Vat Purnima fast, clean the base of the banyan tree thoroughly.
Install the idols of Satyavan and Savitri under the banyan tree and offer red clothes.

Place 7 types of grains in a bamboo basket and cover it with two pieces of cloth.
Take another bamboo basket and keep incense, deep kumkum, akshat, mauli etc. in it.
The Banyan tree and Goddesses Savitri and Satyavan are worshiped together.
After this, Satyavan and Savitri are fanned with a fan made of bamboo and a leaf of banyan tree is kept in their hair.

After this, while praying, they circumambulate the banyan tree with red mauli or cotton thread and after going around, they tie the banyan tree with mauli or cotton thread. Do this 7 times.
After completing this process, read or listen to the story.
After this they give Dakshina to Panditji.
Take blessings by touching the feet of the elders of the house and break your fast by eating sweets.
If you are not able to give Dakshina to Pandit ji, then you can also donate to some needy person.

Regarding this fast, it is believed that by observing the fast with true devotion, all the wishes are fulfilled and all the ill-effects of the husband are also averted.

Story

King Ashvapati of Madra country obtained the boon of having a daughter by fasting and worshiping Savitri Devi ritually for his wife and children. Goddess Savitri, endowed with all qualities, was born as a daughter in the house of Ashwapati. When the girl became young, Ashwapati sent Savitri along with his minister to choose her husband. When Savitri returned after selecting the groom as per her wish, Maharishi Narad visited her on the same day.When asked by Naradji, Savitri said that King Dyumtsen, whose kingdom has been taken away, who has become blind and is roaming around in the forests along with his wife,Hearing the fame of his only son Satyavan, I have chosen him as my husband.

After calculating the planets of Satyavan and Savitri, Naradji congratulated Ashwapati and praised Satyavan’s qualities and told that Satyavan will die when Savitri turns twelve years old. Hearing Naradji’s words, King Ashwapati’s face turned pale.She advised Savitri to choose someone else as her husband, but Savitri replied that being an Arya girl, since I have chosen Satyavan, now whether he is short lived or long lived,I cannot give place to anyone else in my heart.

Savitri found out the time of Satyavan’s death from Naradji. Both of them got married. Savitri started living in the forest with her father-in-law’s family. Savitri started fasting three days before the day told by Naradji. When Satyavan went to the forest to cut wood on the date fixed by Naradji, she also went with Satyavan after taking permission from her mother-in-law and father-in-law. Satyavan reached the forest and climbed a tree to cut wood. After climbing the tree he started having severe headache.He came down. Savitri made him lie down under a banyan tree and placed his head on her thigh. Within no time, Yamraj explained the outline of Brahmaji’s law to Savitri and left with Satyavan’s life. ‘Somewhere it is also mentioned that Satyavan was bitten by a snake while lying under a banyan tree.’Savitri laid Satyavan under the banyan tree and followed Yamraj. Yamraj ordered Savitri, who was following, to return. On this she said, Maharaj, where there is a husband, there is a wife. This is religion, this is dignity.

Pleased with Savitri’s devotion to religion, Yamraj said that she could ask for anything except her husband’s life. Savitri asked Yamraj for the eyesight and longevity of her mother-in-law and father-in-law. Yamraj moved ahead saying Amen. Savitri kept chasing Yamraj. When Yamraj asked Savitri who was following him to return, Savitri said that a woman’s life has no meaning without her husband.Yamraj was pleased with Savitri’s husband’s fast and asked him to ask for a boon again. This time he prayed to get his father-in-law’s kingdom back. Saying Amen, Yamraj moved ahead. Savitri still continued following Yamraj. This time Savitri asked Yamraj for the boon of becoming the mother of a hundred sons.Saying Amen, when Yamraj moved ahead, Savitri said, You have blessed me with a hundred sons, but how can I become a mother without a husband. Fulfill this third boon of yours.

Knowing about Savitri’s devotion, knowledge, wisdom and devout religion, Yamraj freed Satyavan’s life from his noose. Savitri took Satyavan’s life and reached under the banyan tree where Satyavan’s dead body was kept.When Savitri circumambulated the banyan tree, Satyavan came alive. When happy Savitri reached her mother-in-law and father-in-law, she regained her eyesight. After this he also got his lost kingdom back. Later, Savitri became the mother of a hundred sons. In this way, all four directions echoed with the fame of Savitri’s adherence to Pativrata Dharma.