Note 16 — Chapter VII · TREE AND SERPENT WORSHIP.
Reading edition
Vad or the Banian tree—A prince named Satyawán died of snakebite under the Vad tree. His wife named Sávitri, who was very chaste and dutiful, requested Yama, the god of death, and succeeded in securing from him the life of her husband Satyawán. As the prince Satyawán returned from the jaws of death under the Vad tree, this tree was specially worshipped by her, and it is therefore believed that Sávitri has ever since then been responsible for the practice of worshipping the Vad tree by women for the purpose of securing a long life to their husbands.16 It is also believed that the god Vishnu takes shelter under the Vad at the time of the general destruction of the world. The worship of this tree is similar to that of the other deities, and women take turns around it at the close of the worship or puja.17