Journal of Xi'an University of Architecture & Technology ISSN No : 1006-7930
Satyavati - Journey of a Woman; from an Ordinary Boat-rower to a Powerful King- maker: An Analytical Approach
Dr Baisakhi Ghosh, Assistant Professor in Sanskrit, Bijoy Krishna Girls’ College, Howrah
Abstract:
Mahabharata always startled us by its variety of perspectives towards human nature. This epic has millions of characters, among them few interesting mind-blowing female characters are found; those who had played a significant role in the game of throne. Their stories are neither discussed nor portrayed extensively still their glorified presence makes the epic unique. This study is based on such an eminent woman of Mahabharata, Satyavati. She starts her life from an ordinary boat-rower but ends with a successful queen-mother of Kuru Empire. Her life story is briefly narrated here to show her ambition, deprivation, devotion, strategic manoeuvre and intelligence behind the throne. This unrecognised character of Mahabharata teaches a lot regarding politics. This paper tries to explore Satyavati’s sublimation from deprivation towards empowerment in play of power and politics. This study is also highly motivated by the scholarly writings of renounce writers. In conclusion a brief comparison between two epic Ramayana and Mahabharata is also given to make the study complete.
Keywords: Mahabharata, Women, Satyavati, Politics, Power, Deprivation.
Introduction:
In Mahabharata, the great epic of India, diverse layers of life has been pictured. By which the position of women in the then society can be traced back. In Mahabharata a large number of female characters were found, some of them were played an important role in power-play of politics for the game of throne. Here Satyavati, a minor character of Mahabharata had also played a great role behind the throne of Hastinapur dynasty. In her maidenhood she helped her father in rowing boat to carry people across the river. In the epic she was not portrayed such significantly though she was the mother of great sage Vyasa, the writer of Mahabharata too and also the Queen-mother of Hastinapur empire; throughout her life she took an active part to protect the royal Kuru-dynasty of Hastinapur.
Purpose:
The story of Satyavati was very interesting but not so popular and pictured not like a major character in the epic. Though she was the mother of the writer of Mahabharata but her great sage-son always introduced himself in the name of his father, Parasara-son-Vyasa. The great sage never disobeys his mother and always appeared whenever she required him. Satyavati, the queen-mother, was influential but her life was shaded with full of distress and deprivation. This paper will try to explore this eminent woman of Mahabharata, Satyavati that how she was turned off her deprivation towards empowerment and became a prevailing King-maker from a most ordinary boat-rower.
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Methodology:
The entire study is based on secondary sources. The original text of Mahabharata with its explanatory notes is the prime resource for this article. Eminent scholars’ articles published in knowledge based journals and books are also taken as reference. This study is also highly influenced by the innovative writings of different writers. References are collected from different websites to make the study complete.
Objectives & Findings:
Birth-Episode of Satyavati:
Many years ago the king of Lords, Indra gifted a crystal jewel studded vehicle to the King of Chedi, Vasu by which he could move freely in the upper region of the heaven; that’s why he was known as Uparicaravasu. Once the king made free the river Suktimati near his capital from a vigorous mountain that used to hold the river’s water; getting free from that mountain by that king the river was very pleased; she gave him her children, one son and one daughter. The king Uparicaravasu engaged the son of river in his army and married her beautiful daughter, Girika.
After his marriage one day the king went to the forest for hunting. In the forest the king saw the beauty of spring and missed his beautiful wife. In this excitement his semen was failed which he kept very carefully in a leaf and sent it to his wife by a falcon bird. In the midway the falcon bird was attacked by a hawk and the leaf with the semen of the king fell down in the river Yamuna; where angel (apsara) Adrika was living as a fish since she was cursed by Lord Brahma. She took this semen and got pregnant. About ten months later she was caught in a fisherman’s net. When the fisherman cut the fish two human children was seen, a boy and a girl in her belly. The angel Adrika was free from her curse after giving birth to twin human children and left that place. The boy child was taken by the king Uparicaravasu and the girl child was presented by the king to the fisherman-chief Dasa. The girl, named Satyavati who had all good qualities but due to her birth her stinking fishy smell did not left her; she was known in the name of Matsyagandha. When she grew up she used to help her father by rowing boat to carry people to cross the river. One day the eminent sage Parasara came to across the river, seeing the charming beauty of Satyavati he expressed his desire to unite with her; but in front of the people standing on the bank of the river in the boat Satyavati was not agreed to become united with the sage. Parasara still insisted her by saying that after mating with him her bad body odour would be transformed into fragrance which would spreads up to one mile. Then her name will be Yojangandha and she will get back her virginity. After getting this boon like words from the sage, Satyavati agreed to unite with Parasara. The sage created cavernous fog in between the river and united with Satyavati; after mating with sage Parasara, Satyavati became pregnant and due to supernatural power of Parasara Satyavati delivered an eight years old son near a black island. This son was named Krishnadvaipayana and later known as Vyasa (divided Veda into four parts therefore known as Vedavyasa or Vyasa). After his birth Vyasa was committed to her mother Satyavati and he will be present whenever his mother called him. Reaching home with dispelling fishy smell the fishermen-chief asked Satyavati the reason of this; Satyavai narrated the sage episode; from then her fragrance and beauty spreads like a wildfire by which once the King of Hastinapur, Santanu was moved and wanted to marry Satyavati.
Marriage-Episode of Satyavati:
In the Kuru dynasty there was king named Santanu who was married to Ganga. They have eight children but due to the curse of Astavasu she left them into the river after their birth. But at the time of the last one, Ganga due to her husband, king Santanu’s curiosity took away her son with her and deserted the King. After few years
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she returned her son, well trained in all subjects to her husband Santanu and disappeared. The son was named Devavrata and has admirable personality and righteousness. The King Santanu was highly delighted with his son for his knowledge and wisdom so he engaged him as his heir-apparent (Yuvaraja) and they live together happily for four years.
One day the king Santanu went to a forest near the river of Yumuna where he got the fragrance of Satyavati and seeing her charming beauty the King Santanu wanted to marry her. Satyavati said that her marriage depends on her father’s prudence. The old king Santanu then meet Satyavati’s father, Dasaraja to convey his wish to marry her daughter. The fisherman-chief stated that since her daughter’s childhood he dreamed to give her marry in a royal family but Santanu’s son, Devarata will be the next King of Hastinapur after his death. After listening this Santanu got upset and both of them had unfulfilled desire. The old lonely king returned to his capital silently. His son Devavrata had noticed it and asked his father what was the reason? The old king could not expressed his desire to marry Satyavati but told his son in different way that he is worried for his son Devavrata as he is engage in the mastery over the kingdom as well as he is well acquire in the uses of weapons thus if anything erroneous happens to him then he will not be able to accept it. But the intelligent Devavrata came to know about the original reason for his father's sadness and went to Dasaraja’s home to ask his daughter’s hand for the king of Hastinapur. The fisherman-chief informed his wish that after Santanu’s death Satyavati wants the kingship for her son. Virtuous Devavrata then took his strong vow that he will not marry in his entire life nor will he claim his right for the throne. Listening to his righteous truthful vow the chief Dasaraja agreed to give marry her daughter, Satyavati with the old king Santanu. This dreadful self sacrifice inscribed Devavrata in the name of Bhisma in the rest of his life. Satyavati and Santanu got married following Vedic rituals.
Thus few years were spent; Satyavati gave birth of two sons - Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. Chitrangada became a gallant hero and mount the throne after his father Santanu’s death, his younger brother Vichitravirya became a great archer but he lost his father Santanu in very young age.
King-making Episode of Satyavati:
After Santanu’s death Chitrangada became the ruler of Hastinapur dynasty but his arrogant behaviour turned off his life into death. He was attacked by the Gandharva king of the same name and died in a stern battle at Kurukshetra. Satyavati lost her first child. Vichitravirya was then a boy but he was obedient to Bhishma so the entire kingdom was administrated by him with the consultation of Satyavati. After reaching the youth hood Vichitravirya was in the throne of Hastinapur and got married with two daughters of the king of Kasi. After passing seven years enjoying sexual life with two beautiful girls Vichitravirya died childless. Satyavati mourned on her dear son’s death, she saw the family tree of Kuru dynasty stands to an end so she ordered Bhishma to marry his brother’s queen to save the family tree. But Bhishma was not agreed to do so, his righteous attitude towards his truth made Satyavati disappointed. Then Satyavati spoke everything related to her life righteously to Bhishma, her wise step son, her only resort. She wished to call her maidenhood son, sage Vyasa to produce virtuous children from her daughter-in-laws. Knowing the name of Vyasa, Bhishma agreed to the suggestion of Satyavati for saving the family-tree.
With the approval of Bhishma, Satyavati mentally called Vyasa and he appeared immediately. Satyavati briefed Vyasa about the present situation and told him that he has been called by her for the sake of Dharma (righteous). Vyasa agreed with her proposal but put a condition that for one year the ladies should observe rigorous penance as without purification of body and mind no woman can be able to unite with him. Satyavati further stated her son that without a king the kingdom will be ruined though Bhishma will be the guardian of them but the countrymen, even Gods and ancestors of Bharata will meet destruction and suffered for offering
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rice-balls (pinda) and water if there will be no king. So she requested her son to infuse the ladies as early as possible. Vyasa then agreed but put a condition that as the time is not well so the ladies should abide his ugliness. He gave instruction to his mother for the daughter of Kasikosala kingdom, Ambika taking decontaminate bath, dressing well, wearing ornaments and thinking for fornication on the bed - will wait for him. After listen to this Satyavati went to Ambika and told her righteously that it was her duty to raise the family tree of Bharata and to please the ancestors. For this reason she should unite with one of her brother-in- law to get a gallant son. Thus with great difficulty Satyavati said her daughter-in-law to be ready for Niyoga (replacement) for the sake of virtue.
That night Ambika expected Bhishma or other handsome and valiant brother-in-laws of Kuru family; but at late night the sage Vyasa entered into the room lighted with lamps. Ambika got devastated to see Vyasa’s dark complexion, deep brown beard and sparking eyes. Ambika closed her eyes out of fear. To accomplish the mother’s word Vyasa united with Ambika with closed eyes. Vyasa wishing to comply with his mother’s wish united with Ambika who could not look at him and kept her eyes closed. But due to this faulty act of having closed eyes during sex a blind son will be born, to listen this from Vyasa Satyavati said that a blind person cannot be the protector of the ancestry nor promoter of the ancestors. So she wished another kinsman and advised Ambalika, the second daughter in law in the same way. Vyasa came again as before but seeing ugly Vyasa Ambalika was scared and became pale and whitish and therefore her son would be whitish in complexion. Satyavati again asked him for one more son. Vyasa also agreed. Now Ambika adorned a beautiful maid (dasi) with her own garments and ornaments and sent her to Vyasa. Thinking about the terrified features of Vyasa it was too hard for Ambika to obey her mother-in-law’s word. Vyasa pleased with the meeting of the dasi and blessed her for most auspicious son’s birth. Thus three sons of Vicitravirya were born - born blind Dhritarastra, whitish Pandu and righteous Vidura from Vyasadeva. These three sons were brought up under the supervision of Bhishma. In this way Queen-mother Satyavati saved the vanishing lineage of Kuru family. Dhritarastra being blind and Vidura being lower caste could not be the king, so Pandu was installed in the throne by Satyavati. Bhishma governed the kingdom in consultation with Satyavati until the children were not grown up. After the death of Pandu when his wife Kunti with her five sons returned to Hastinapur, the capital of Kurus from hermitage, then Satyavati decided to leave the kingdom because Vyasa anticipated the dreadful destruction of the Kuru family ahead. Thus Satyavati became the most powerful woman of Kuru family from an ordinary boat-rower.
Analysis:
The entire story of Satyavati filled up with many supernatural events. Her birth episode and meeting with sage Parasara was depicted astonishingly in the epic. But if we go through the story of Satyavati we find a deprived woman in every sphere of her life. Her biological father Uparicaravasu couldn’t accept her as his daughter though she endowed with all good qualities. She was adopted by the fisherman chief Dasaraja and helped him by rowing boat to carry people in the river Yamuna. Fishy smell of her body makes her sadden during her infancy but sage Parasara with his supernatural power transformed her striking smell into fragrance. Sage Parasara attracted by the beauty of Satyavati, so he offered her to meet but Satyavati being a virgin scared about the social stigma and the sage’s curse too but she agreed to meet Parasara with some conditions. First she doesn’t lose her virginity and second fishy smell of her body should be transformed. She begets a son also from this meeting. From here the journey of Satyavati turns her life in a new form. Her fragrance attracted the old king of Hastinapur, Santanu, he wanted to marry her but Dasaraja gives some clauses for this marriage, as far Dasaraja he wants to see her daughter as a queen-mother. Knowing this when Santanu’s son righteous Devavrata comes and does severe vows at that time Satyavati becomes silent. Satyavati was unfortunate but
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very much intelligent. She was deprived but at the same time very much ambitious too. Her fishy smell, non acceptance of her biological father makes her deprived but at the time she agrees to meet Parasara, the eminent sage and keeps the clauses before him for meeting from there she starts to change her fate and tries to sublimate herself towards empowerment. Dasaraja’s desire was her desire too, that’s why she remains silent during the severe vows of Devavrata, the old king’s son. She was also sexually deprived, after begetting two sons her husband the old king passed away when she was quite young. Her elder son died in early age. Then her second son was very young to become the king, so she engaged her step son Devavrata as his guardian. Devavrata looked after the administration with the guidance of Satyavati. When the second son of Satyavati died his funeral performance was done by Devavrata or Bhishma along with other members of Kuru family as desired by Satyavati. Her both the sons passed away without any progeny. So she told Bhishma about her maidenhood son great sage Vyasa without hiding anything and wanted to engage Vyasa to produce sons to protect the family tree of Kuru dynasty. Here her grief transferred into prevailing power and under any circumstances she was not agree to lose her power being a queen or a queen-mother. She always engaged Bhishma and Vyasa for the welfare of Kuru dynasty. She wanted to keep Kuru family tree alive but instead of that she actually grew the family tree of sage Parasara because Vichitravirya was not at all the biological father of Dritarastra and Pandu rather Vyasa was their biological father. Satyavati instructed Bhishma to take the responsibility of education of these three children Dritarastra, Pandu and Vidura. After completion of their education Satyavati was also chosen Pandu as the next king after his son’s demise. Actually Satyavati lives in the summit of the power of Kuru dynasty after his husband’s death and becomes a supreme of the family. Her wisdom, her ability ensures the story of her success. Her life begins with a menial job but at the end of her life she was ardent about the welfare of the kingdom. Her step son Bhishma respected her and consulted her in administrative matters. Satyavati devoted her life for the welfare of the kingdom, setting aside her grief. Satyavati left the kingdom after knowing that the coming days would be leading towards dreadful destruction due to the wrong policies of Kurus. She ended her life by practicing penance in the hermitage. Her devotion towards the kingdom was unquestionable but for the dreadful destruction of the so called Kuru family one reason was-choosing Pandu as king of Hastinapur. She was unable to understand the psychology of Dritarastra and Vidura; their pride for power and throne was the first footstep towards destruction. Satyavati also encapsulates whatever be the position of birth one can rise the summit of success by ambition and self - confidence.
Conclusion:
It may be said in conclusion that as the Mahabharata with all of its extended part ended after the epic Ramayana but writing of Mahabharata started before Ramayana. Therefore few different perceptions of women are found in Mahabharata, like freedom for movement, keeping many husbands together, self earnings etc. In Mahabharata for procreating family tree, polygamy was accepted for all classes of people but in Ramayana it was only accepted for men. That's why Kaikeyi’s boon by Dasaratha and conditions for marriage didn't highlighted in Ramayana. If Kaikeyi got power like Satyavati the whole story of Ramayana would be different and should be written in another way. But to save the society and its people from being ruined such barriers were incorporated so that destruction of a family, like in Mahabharata would not occur again. The rights, power and position of women was degraded day by day after the age of Mahabharata. Above all in Mahabharata due to some upward attitude towards life, some very powerful women characters like Satyavati were found, those who are the assets of the epic, Mahabharata.
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