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Satyavati - Journey of a Woman; from an Ordinary Boat-Rower to a Powerful King- Maker: an Analytical Approach

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Satyavati - Journey of a Woman; from an Ordinary Boat-Rower to a Powerful King- Maker: an Analytical Approach 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. Volume XII, Issue IV, 2020 Page No: 3350 Journal of Xi'an University of Architecture & Technology ISSN No : 1006-7930 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 Volume XII, Issue IV, 2020 Page No: 3351 Journal of Xi'an University of Architecture & Technology ISSN No : 1006-7930 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.
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