सावित्री सत्यवान

Prachin kaal mein Madra desh mein Ashwapati naamak ek dharmatma aur pratapi raja the. Unhe bahut varshon tak koi santan nahi hui. Raja Ashwapati ne Savitri Devi ki kathor tapasya aur atharah varshon tak pratidin Agnihotra havan kiya. Prasann hokar Savitri Devi ne vardaan diya ki unhe ek tejaswi kanya ki prapti hogi. Samay aane par Rani Malvi ke garbh se ek atyant sundar aur tejaswi kanya ka janm hua. Savitri Devi ke vardaan se prapt hone ke kaaran kanya ka naam "Savitri" rakha gaya.

Savitri atyant sundar, buddhimati aur dharmparayan kanya thin. Unka tej itna prakhar tha ki koi bhi rajkumar unke samaksh vivah ka prastaav rakhne ka saahas nahi karta tha. Vivah ki aayu hone par Raja Ashwapati ne Savitri se kaha ki ve swayam apne liye yogya var ka chunav karein. Savitri ne mantriyon aur rishiyon ke saath Bharat bhraman kiya.

Bhraman ke dauran Savitri Shalva desh ke van mein ek aashram mein pahunchi. Wahan unhone andhe Raja Dyumatsena ke putra Satyavan ko dekha. Satyavan atyant sundar, dharmatma, vidwan aur satyavadi yuvak the. Unke pita Dyumatsena ko unke mantriyon ne andha hone ke kaaran rajya se nikaal diya tha aur ve van mein aashram banakar reh rahe the. Savitri ne Satyavan ko dekhte hi man mein nishchay kar liya ki ve unhi se vivah karengi.

Jab Savitri ne apne pita ko Satyavan chunne ki baat batai to wahan upasthit Devarshi Narad ne chetavni di — "Satyavan sarvgun sampann hai, parantu uski aayu bahut kam hai. Aaj se theek ek varsh baad Satyavan ki mrityu nishchit hai." Yeh sunkar Raja Ashwapati ne Savitri se anya var chunne ki prarthana ki. Parantu Savitri ne dridhta se kaha — "Kanya ek baar hi kisi ko hriday mein sthaan deti hai. Maine Satyavan ko chun liya hai — chahe unki aayu lambi ho ya chhoti, main unhi se vivah karoongi." Narad ji ne Savitri ke sankalp ki prashansa ki.

Savitri aur Satyavan ka vivah sampann hua. Savitri ne rajsi vastra aur aabhushan tyaagkar valkal vastra dhaaran kiye aur Satyavan ke saath van mein aashram mein rehne lagin. Ve apne saas-sasur ki seva kartin, pati ki dekhbhal kartin aur aashram ka karya sambhaltin. Parantu hriday mein sada ek peeda thi — Satyavan ki mrityu ka din nikat aa raha tha. Jab mrityu ka din teen din shesh reh gaya to Savitri ne Triratri Vrat (teen din teen raat ka nirjal upvas) aarambh kiya.

Niyat din aaya. Satyavan van mein lakdi kaatne gaya. Savitri ne bhi saath jaane ki anumati li. Van mein Satyavan jab ek vriksh par kulhadi chala raha tha to achanak use teevra sirdard hua aur woh moorchit hokar gir pada. Savitri ne use apni god mein litaya. Usi samay Yamraj swayam prakat hue — kale vastra, haath mein paash (phanda), bhayanak aur tejaswi roop. Unhone Satyavan ki aatma ko apne paash mein baadhkar dakshin disha ki or chalna shuru kiya.

Savitri Yamraj ke peeche chalne lagi. Yamraj ne kaha — "He Savitri, laut jao. Tumhare pati ka samay poorn ho gaya. Yeh mrityu ka niyam hai jise koi nahi badal sakta." Parantu Savitri ne kaha — "Jahan mere pati jayenge, wahin main bhi jaungi. Pativrata stri kabhi apne pati ko akela nahi chhodti." Yamraj uske dharm gyaan aur saahas se prabhavit hue. Unhone kaha — "Satyavan ke praanon ke atirikt koi bhi vardaan maang lo." Savitri ne kaha — "Mere sasur ka rajya aur drishti vaapas ho." Yamraj ne "Tathastu" kaha.

Savitri chalti rahi. Yamraj ne phir kaha — "Ab laut jao." Savitri ne punah dharm ki baatein kahin. Prasann Yamraj ne phir vardaan diya. Savitri ne kaha — "Mere pita ko putra prapti ho." "Tathastu." Savitri phir bhi chalti rahi. Teesre vardaan mein Savitri ne maanga — "Mujhe sau putron ki mata banne ka saubhagya mile." Yamraj ne "Tathastu" keh diya. Tab Savitri ne muskurakar kaha — "He Dharmraj, aapne mujhe sau putron ka vardaan diya, parantu pativrata stri ko putra bina pati ke kaise prapt honge? Mere pati Satyavan ke bina yeh vardaan kaise poorn hoga?"

Yamraj Savitri ki buddhimatta, dharmnishtha aur atal prem se atyant prasann hue. Unhone Satyavan ki aatma ko paash se mukt kar diya aur kaha — "He Savitri, tum dhanya ho. Tumhare jaisi pativrata stri prithvi par durlabh hai. Jao, tumhare pati ko deerghayu prapt hogi." Satyavan punah jeevit ho utha. Savitri ki god mein usne aankhein kholin aur kaha ki use laga ki woh bahut gehri neend mein so gaya tha. Dono aashram laute jahan Raja Dyumatsena ko drishti prapt ho chuki thi aur unka khoya rajya bhi vaapas mil gaya.