Page 91 - Defending Prabhupada Words - By Harivlas Das

Addendum #2
Wives who saved their husbands from death or liberated
their husbands from death

A beautiful queen named Veervati was the only sister
among her seven brothers. During her first Karwa Chauth
(a ritual fast undertaken by wives for the benefit of their
husbands’ health and well-being), she stayed at her
parent’s house and followed a strict fast after sunrise until
the rise of the full moon without eating or drinking. She
looked forward to the moon rising as she couldn’t bear
the hunger and thirst. Seeing her suffering, her brothers
begged her to eat, but she didn’t. The brothers decided
to trick by hold a flame behind a peepal tree that would
look like the Moon in the sky. Queen Veervati broke her
fast before the moon rise. As a result, her husband died.
She was devastated. Soon the Goddess Parvati, the wife of
Lord Shiva appeared, and instructed Queen Veeravati and
all wives to redo the fast with complete devotion and faith.
Due to her strict adherence and sincerity to keep the fast,
Yamaraja, the demigod of death restored her husband to
life. Since then this ritual tradition has been established,
and it is followed by many married Hindu ladies.

There is another similar history about Savitri and her
husband Satyavan, who was destined to die young. When
he died, Savitri fasted from food and water. Because of her
purity of chastity and submissiveness to her husband and
his mother and father, she was able to see Yamaraja who
came to take the soul of her dead husband to the nether
world. She was able to follow Yamaraja, the demigod of

90

09-02-2023 17:30:20
Defending Prabhupada Words inside.indd 90
Defending Prabhupada Words insid e.indd 90 09-02-2023 17:30:20