Savitri Triumphs over Yama, the God of Death

Discussion

FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

This sculpture portrays a story in which Savitri, a devoted wife, wins back her husband, Satyavan, from the god of death, Yama. She married him despite warnings that he would die within one year and performed deep penance in the hope of securing the gods’ help. In the scene depicted here, on the prophesied day of his death Satyavan has gone to cut wood in the forest, where he falls ill. Savitri can be seen in the background pleading with Yama for her husband’s life.

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