The Vat Savitri Mantra is central to the Vat Savitri Vrat observed by married Hindu women, primarily in Maharashtra, North India, and Nepal. The ritual involves tying threads around a banyan tree (Vat) while reciting mantras to invoke Savitri, the legendary wife who rescued her husband Satyavan from Yama, the god of death. This narrative is found in the Mahabharata (Vana Parva, chapters 293-299), where Savitri's unwavering devotion and wisdom compel Yama to restore Satyavan's life. The mantra is thus chanted for the longevity and well-being of the husband, embodying marital fidelity and the triumph of devotion over death. The primary mantra, 'Om Vat Savitri Devi Namah', salutes Savitri as the goddess associated with the banyan tree.
Another common mantra, 'Om Savitri Satyavanabhyam Namah', honors the divine couple. The beej-akshara 'Om' is the primordial sound, while 'Savitri' derives from the root 'su' meaning to impel or generate, linking her to the solar energy that sustains life. According to the Vat Savitri Katha, a traditional text recounting the legend, the banyan tree is considered a symbol of immortality and shelter. The ritual is typically performed on the full moon day of Jyeshtha (May-June), known as Vat Purnima or Vat Savitri Purnima. Women observe a fast, dress in finery, and circumambulate the banyan tree seven times, tying a thread around it for each circumambulation.
The chanting is done with focused devotion, often 108 times using a rosary. The recommended time is morning, after a bath, facing east. While no major cautions are prescribed, the mantra should be recited with sincere intent and purity of mind, as it is a vow of marital commitment. The Vat Savitri Stotram, a longer hymn, is also recited in some traditions. This practice reinforces the ideals of pativrata (devotion to husband) and the power of sati (virtuous wife), as extolled in the Mahabharata.
Salutations to the goddess Savitri associated with the banyan tree.
Contains the seed-syllable 'Oṁ' as the primordial sound, but no other distinct beej-aksharas.