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Sati if defined psychologically is burning of a widow’s life into ashes. It is an age old custom existing in India according to which every Hindu widow voluntary decides to end her life after the death of her husband. As per the law it is a selfless attitude and unconditional love of wife for her husband. In this way she fulfills all the promises and vows she takes with her partner when taking the seven sacred rounds of marriage. Do such a custom actually existed in the ancient India?
The term ‘Sati’ is basically derived from the name of the Goddess Sati who is popularly known as Dakshayani. She immolated her life as a consequence of her father humiliating her husband Shiva. She could not bear the insult of her husband and protested against her father by burning herself in fire. She had great, love, respect, and devotion for Shiva and so while her life was burning to ashes she prayed dedicatedly to get take birth again as the new wife of Shiva. There is no God who can ignore the voice of heart and words of true love. And that’s why her prayer was answered and she was reborn as Shiva’s new wife in the new personification known as Parvati.
Another belief from the Hindu mythology states that Savitri stood against the Lord of Death, Yama, when He came to take the soul of her husband Satyavan. She was so devoted to her husband that she could not stand the truth and so she begged Yamato restore her husband’s life and in return take her life. Yama was impressed by her strength, courage, and endurance so He gave her a boon anything other than Satyavan. Savitri was such a dedicated and devoted wife that in lieu of her boon she asked to have children from Satyavan and then Yama had no words left. Yama was then forced to restore the life of her husband.
Both the stories are true stories of Sati who are righteously believed to be dedicated and devoted wives. There is no evidence that shows that Sati burnt herself in fire after the death of her husband. Then from where has this sickening evil corrupted in the country? Is it actually a religious factor or the social factor that we ourselves have created and imagines? Though this custom existed in the country since centuries but in the earlier days it was not forced on women. They had the right to decide whether she wants to end her life with her husband or not as a sign of true love. Over the period of time this customary belief and tradition became a blind belief that transformed completely into a social evil destructing the society. Later on, unaware of the social beliefs and the truth of the custom, widows were forced and even dragged to commit Sati. It’s just a blind belief behind which the society is still running blind, deaf, and dumb. Now answer yourself whether such a custom was ever a part of the Indian Mythology?
Even in the recent years, many cases of Sati have been reported. Several initiatives and policies have been instituted to prohibit the cat but still the practice is on. To ensure complete termination of such a mind boggling issue it is required to spread more awareness amongst the rural people and besides that even the government has to take strict action against the prohibition of this practice.
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