Savithri Sadhana

So I mentioned there’s a sign on the outside of our gate that says, “Savithri Sadhana:"

I was familiar with the term Sadhana which is basically dedicated spiritual practice in pursuit of realization or spiritual goal.  I couldn’t place where I’d heard Savithri before.  Then I remembered I had heard a story about Savithri and her husband, Satyavan, in Deepak Chopra’s book, “Life After Death.” It’s an old Indian mythology-type story and there are several different versions of it.  But ultimately, in the story, Savithri is tasked with overcoming death in order to save her husband, who is doomed to be taken by death that very day.  Death comes in the form of a being named Yama.  And in the version I most like, Savithri overcomes death through love.  Essentially, she falls in love with Yama and thereby convinces Yama to give her one more second  on earth; because one more second to Yama is 100 years of human time. Thus, Satyavan is spared his impending death, and goes on to live a complete life.

And at first Savithri is sort of faking it; she doesn’t really love Yama. She pretends to love him in order to save Satyavan. But after the extra 100 years on earth, during which time she outlives her husband by many, many years, she becomes meditative and reaches enlightenment. At the end of her life, she realizes that she does love Yama (death), and comes to be eternally grateful to him.

So I’m grateful that on this trip that Savithri’s energy is on the outside of my door.  I’m hopeful that through my dedicated practice, my Sadhana,  that I, too, will become grateful and love Yama - love the impermanence of all forms, love change, and ultimately, love death.

And in so loving, become totally fearless.

I’ll let you all know how it goes.

Om Shanti, everyone.