Parallel Myths (34 page)

But Savitri was wise and persuaded her father to give his blessing; it was better to be married for love even if just for one year. Whether or not Satyavant was to die, she was in love with him and no other. Savitri said that she was prepared for whatever the gods had ordained. Ashvapati granted her wish.

Ashvapati had just begun to plan a royal wedding with great feasts, but Savitri insisted that she marry in the style of the holy hermits, not of wealthy rulers. Luxury, she pointed out, was only an illusion. Again, Ashvapati granted her request.

Savitri went out into the forest among the sadhus and there she and Satyavant were married, clad in the robes of simple hermits. She shared her husband’s contemplative life on the edge of the great forest, the deepest, darkest forest in the world. She never told Satyavant of his foretold death. As she gave alms to the poor, people would say, “May you never know widowhood,” and the tears would stream down Savitri’s face. As the first year of their marriage drew to a close, Savitri prayed to the gods to give her the strength to protect her husband.

On the very eve of their first anniversary, Satyavant asked Savitri to accompany him into the deep forest to cut wood. As they walked into the ever-thickening woods, the animals knew of Satyavant’s
imminent death, and fled. The little birds sang their best songs, thinking that this might be the last sound Satyavant heard. They proceeded farther and farther into the forest, where it was so thick that one could not see the sunlight. They walked on, Satyavant with his ax over his shoulder and Savitri at his side.

Then Satyavant began to chop down a great tree. Suddenly he dropped his ax and turned white. He was in horrible pain and he told Savitri that it felt as if his head were being pierced by a thousand needles [a cerebral hemorrhage?]. Darkness clouded his eyes and he fell to the ground barely breathing.

At that moment Savitri heard the footsteps of a stranger approaching. This stranger had dark blue skin and red eyes—he was no stranger; it was Yama, the lord of the dead. Nonetheless Savitri asked the “stranger” to identify himself. “You know who I am,” said Yama. “You also know why I am here.” Yama took his cord and wrenched the soul of Satyavant from the body. As Yama turned around to take the soul to his kingdom, Savitri fell on the ground in his path.

Yama told her that it was useless; Satyavant’s time had come as the gods had ordained. But Savitri pleaded with him, and Yama asked her politely to get out of his way. Then Savitri rose to her feet and began to follow Yama to the Underworld.

Yama told her to turn back; this was the land of the dead, not the living. It was now Savitri’s duty to be a good wife and see to it that the funeral rites were properly performed, not to detain Yama from his mission. Yama, who is often thought of as heartless and cruel, can be compassionate. Often he will take the souls of very sick people to free them from their suffering. The lord of the dead was touched by Savitri’s insistence.

Yama said, “Your love for your husband is very great and so is your courage; I will grant you one wish.” Savitri replied, “Restore the kingdom to Satyavant’s father.” Yama told her, “It is done. Now return to the living, Savitri.”

But Savitri would not turn back. She was so close to the gates of Yama’s kingdom that the sky was now black and she could hear the
snarling of the four-headed dog that guards the gate to the dead.
*
No mortal had ever come this close to the land of Yama.

“Please turn back now!” ordered Yama. “No living mortal can ever enter my kingdom!” Savitri told Yama that she would not leave her husband for any reason. Yama begged her once more to turn back, but she refused. Yama then said that no man had ever entered his kingdom; Savitri, always wise, responded that she was no man, but a woman. Yama was now as impressed by her wisdom as by her courage, and he offered her a second wish. “Restore the life of my husband.” Yama granted this wish, saying, “It is already done—now go back and you will find Satyavant, not dead but sleeping.”

Before Savitri turned back, Yama told her, “Just one more thing—my blessing goes with you always. You have learned the wisdom of the gods. No woman could ever have followed me alive to the very door of my kingdom if the gods were not on her side. Your wish and more will be granted you, for you know that love is stronger than death; love is the power that Yama cannot defy. Return to where you left Satyavant and live well.”

She walked back to the glade where Satyavant lay, not dead, but sleeping as Yama had promised. She kissed him and his eyes opened. He told Savitri that he had a strange dream wherein Yama had carried his soul away, but Savitri’s love had rescued it. Savitri laughed and told him to forget this silly dream. It was not until many years later that she told him that this story was no dream; it had actually happened.

As they left the deep forest, messengers came to Satyavant with wonderful news: His father was restored to the throne. In fact, the old king had regained his sight as soon as he sat on his rightful throne! The young couple ran to the palace and Satyavant’s father was delighted to see his son for the first time in years, and to lay eyes on his beautiful daughter-in-law. Something inside the heart of the old king told him that Savitri had brought this reversal of fortune to pass.

Satyavant and Savitri passed many more years in the forest, living a simple life as hermits, raising their children in poverty, humility, honesty, and wisdom. Later, when Satyavant’s father died at a goodly age, Satyavant and Savitri ruled the land of both Satyavant’s father and Savitri’s father, Ashvapati, with equity.

When it was time to die, Yama greeted them as old friends and told them that their souls were only with him for a visit, as they were to go to the highest heaven. When they left this earth, they had over one hundred descendants.

(New Zealand)

P
are was a beautiful girl who flirted with a boy named Hutu, but then refused him her favors. Deeply hurt by the rejection, Hutu ran away in anger. Confused and guilty, Pare hanged herself and descended to Po, the land of night where the dead dwell, which is governed by Hina, the first woman. Hutu still longed for Pare and, with Hina’s help, Hutu followed Pare to the Underworld. Why did Hina help him? You will recall that she too knows the pains of love.

There Hutu did all he could to attract Pare’s attention and affections. But Pare was lost among the multitudes of the spirits of the dead and he still could not find her. Hutu finally got her attention by bending down a young tree and then swinging high into the air. Pare saw Hutu do this and joined him in the game. They swung higher and higher until they were able to grasp the roots of plants poking through from the Ao world above. Then they were able to pull themselves up out of the land of the dead.

No one can live in the Ao world of the living without a soul, except during twilight and dusk, when Ao meets Po. So Hutu forced Pare’s soul up through the soles of her feet. With her body revived, Pare and Hutu married and became the ancestors of a great tribe. How did
Hutu have the magic to force Pare’s soul into her body? Love is stronger than death.

(Iroquois)

S
ayadio was a warrior who had a younger sister who died. He grieved for her so much that he resolved to find her and bring her back to life from the land of the spirits. The search took him years, and just when he was about to give up he encountered a wise old man who knew the secrets of the spirit world. This old man gave him a magic gourd in which he might catch the spirit of his sister. Upon further conversation, Sayadio learned that this old man was the guide on the path to the part of the spirit world where his sister now was.

When Sayadio arrived in the land of the spirits, the spirits fled from him in fear. He recognized Tarenyawagon, who had lived on earth as Hiawatha, the great teacher of the Five Nations. Tarenyawagon now was the spirit master of ceremonies, and he was as compassionate as he was when he was on earth. Tarenyawagon told Sayadio that the spirits of the dead were about to have a great dance festival, in which his sister would take part. As soon as the spirits formed the dance line, Sayadio recognized the spirit of his sister. When he went to embrace her, however, she disappeared.

He turned again to Tarenyawagon for advice. The teacher gave him a magic rattle. His sister was so entranced by the dance music and the magic sound of the rattle that Sayadio captured her spirit with ease, placing it in the magic gourd.

Sayadio returned to the village with his sister’s spirit in the gourd. Just when the ceremony to reunite the spirit with her body had begun, a foolish curious girl opened the gourd and the sister’s spirit vanished.

(Algonquin)

T
here was once a young warrior whose bride died on the eve of their wedding. Although he had distinguished himself by his bravery and goodness, the death left the young man inconsolable, unable to eat or sleep. Instead of hunting with the others, he just spent time at the grave of his bride, staring into the air.

However, one day he happened to overhear some elders speaking about the path to the spirit world. He listened intently and memorized the directions to the most minute detail. He had heard that the spirit world was far to the south. He immediately set out on his journey. After two weeks, he still saw no change in the landscape to indicate that the spirit world was near.

Then he emerged from the forest and saw the most beautiful plain he had ever seen. In the distance was a small hut where an ancient wise man lived. He asked the wise man for directions.

The old man knew exactly who the warrior was and whom he sought. He told the lad that the bride had passed by only a day before. In order to follow her, the warrior would have to leave his body behind and press on in his spirit. The spirit world itself is an island in a large lake that can be reached only by canoes waiting on this shore. However, the old man warned him not to speak to his bride until they were both safely on the island of the spirits.

Soon the old man recited some magic chants and the warrior felt his spirit leave his body. Now a spirit, he walked along the shore and saw a birchbark canoe. Not a stone’s throw away was his bride, entering her own canoe. As he made his way across the water and looked at her, he saw that she duplicated his every stroke. Why didn’t they travel together? One can only enter the spirit world alone and be judged only on one’s individual merits.

Midway through the journey, a tempest arose. It was more terrible than any he had ever seen. Some of the spirits in canoes were swept
away by the storm—these were those who had been evil in life. Since both the warrior and his bride were good, they made it through the tempest without incident and soon the water was as smooth as glass beneath a cloudless sky.

The island of the blessed was a beautiful place where it was always late spring, with blooming flowers and cloudless skies, never too warm or too cold. He met his bride on the shore and took her hand. They had not walked ten steps together when a soft sweet voice spoke to them—it was the Master of Life.