"Markandeya said, 'The powerful Satyavan then, accompanied by his wife,
plucked fruits and filled his wallet with them. And he then began to
fell branches of trees. And as he was hewing them, he began to perspire.
And in consequence of that exercise his head began to ache. And
afflicted with toil, he approached his beloved wife, and addressed her,
saying, "O Savitri, owing to this hard exercise my head acheth, and all
my limbs and my heart also are afflicted sorely! O thou of restrained
speech, I think myself unwell, I feel as if my head is being pierced
with numerous darts. Therefore, O auspicious lady, I wish to sleep, for
I have not the power to stand." Hearing these words, Savitri quickly
advancing, approached her husband, and sat down upon the ground, placing
his head upon her lap. And that helpless lady, thinking of Narada's
words, began to calculate the (appointed) division of the day, the hour,
and the moment. The next moment she saw a person clad in red attire with
his head decked with a diadem. And his body was of large proportions and
effulgent as the Sun. And he was of a darkish hue, had red eyes, carried
a noose in his hand, and was dreadful to behold. And he was standing
beside Satyavan and was steadfastly gazing at him. And seeing him,
Savitri gently placed her husband's head on the ground, and rising
suddenly, with a trembling heart, spake these words in distressful
accents, "Seeing this thy superhuman form, I take thee to be a deity. If
thou will tell me, O chief of the gods, who thou art and what also thou
intendst to do!" Thereat, Yama replied, "O Savitri, thou art ever
devoted to thy husband, and thou art also endued with ascetic merit. It
is for this reason that I hold converse with thee. Do thou, O auspicious
one, know me for Yama. This thy lord Satyavan, the son of a king, hath
his days run out. I shall, therefore, take him away binding him in this
noose. Know this to be my errand!" At these words Savitri said, "I had
heard that thy emissaries come to take away mortals, O worshipful one!
Why then, O lord, hast thou come in person?"'
"Markandeya continued, 'Thus addressed by her, the illustrious lord of
_Pitris_, with a view to oblige her, began to unfold to her truly all
about his intentions. And Yama said, "This prince is endued with virtues
and beauty of person, and is a sea of accomplishments. He deserveth not
to be borne away by my emissaries. Therefore is it that I have come
personally." Saying this, Yama by main force pulled out of the body of
Satyavan, a person of the measure of the thumb, bound in noose and
completely under subjection. And when Satyavan's life had thus been
taken out, the body, deprived of breath, and shorn of lustre, and
destitute of motion, became unsightly to behold. And binding Satyavan's
vital essence, Yama proceeded in a southerly direction. Thereupon, with
heart overwhelmed in grief, the exalted Savitri, ever devoted to her
lord and crowned with success in respect of her vows, began to follow
Yama. And at this, Yama said, "Desist, O Savitri! Go back, and perform
the funeral obsequies of thy lord! Thou art freed from all thy
obligations to thy lord. Thou hast come as far as it is possible to
come." Savitri replied, "Whither my husband is being carried, or whither
he goeth of his own accord, I will follow him thither. This is the
eternal custom. By virtue of my asceticism, of my regard for my
superiors, of my affection for my lord, of my observance of vows, as
well as of thy favour, my course is unimpeded. It hath been declared by
wise men endued with true knowledge that by walking only seven paces
with another, one contracteth a friendship with one's companion. Keeping
that friendship (which I have contracted with thee) in view, I shall
speak to thee something. Do thou listen to it. They that have not their
souls under control, acquire not merit by leading the four successive
modes of life, viz.,--celibacy with study, domesticity, retirement into
the woods, and renunciation of the world. That which is called religious
merit is said to consist of true knowledge. The wise, therefore, have
declared religious merit to be the foremost of all things and not the
passage through the four successive modes. By practising the duties of
even one of these four modes agreeable to the directions of the wise, we
have attained to true merit, and, therefore, we do not desire the second
or the third mode, viz., celibacy with study or renunciation. It is for
this again that the wise have declared religious merit to be the
foremost of all things!" Hearing these words of hers, Yama said, "Do
thou desist! I have been pleased with these words of thine couched in
proper letters and accents, and based on reason. Do thou ask for a boon!
Except the life of thy husband, O thou of faultless features, I will
bestow on thee any boon that thou mayst solicit!" Hearing these words,
Savitri said, "Deprived of his kingdom and bereft also of sight, my
father-in-law leadeth a life of retirement in our sylvan asylum. Let
that king through thy favour attain his eye-sight, and become strong
like either fire or the Sun!" Yama said, "O thou of faultless features,
I grant thee this boon! It will even be as thou hast said! It seems that
thou art fatigued with thy journey. Do thou desist, therefore, and
return! Suffer not thyself to be weary any longer!" Savitri said, "What
weariness can I feel in the presence of my husband? The lot that is my
husband's is certainly mine also. Whither thou carriest my husband,
thither will I also repair! O chief of the celestials, do thou again
listen to me! Even a single interview with the pious is highly
desirable; friendship with them is still more so. And intercourse with
the virtuous can never be fruitless. Therefore, one should live in the
company of the righteous!" Yama said, "These words that thou hast
spoken, so fraught with useful instruction, delight the heart and
enhance the wisdom of even the learned. Therefore, O lady, solicit thou
a second boon, except the life of Satyavan!" Savitri said, "Sometime
before, my wise and intelligent father-in-law was deprived of his
kingdom. May that monarch regain his kingdom. And may that superior of
mine never renounce his duties! Even this is the second boon that I
solicit!" Then Yama said,--"The king shall soon regain his kingdom. Nor
shall he ever fall off from his duties. Thus, O daughter of a king have
I fulfilled thy desire. Do thou now desist! Return! Do not take any
future trouble!" Savitri said, "Thou hast restrained all creatures by
thy decrees, and it is by thy decrees that thou takest them away, not
according to thy will. Therefore it is, O god, O divine one, that people
call thee _Yama_! Do thou listen to the words that I say! The eternal
duty of the good towards all creatures is never to injure them in
thought, word, and deed, but to bear them love and give them their due.
As regards this world, everything here is like this (husband of mine).
Men are destitute of both devotion and skill. The good, however, show
mercy to even their foes when these seek their protection." Yama said,
"As water to the thirsty soul, so are these words uttered by thee to me!
Therefore, do thou, O fair lady, if thou will, once again ask for any
boon except Satyavana's life!" At these words Savitri replied, "That
lord of earth, my father, is without sons. That he may have a hundred
sons begotten of his loins, so that his line may be perpetuated, is the
third boon I would ask of thee!" Yama said, "Thy sire, O auspicious
lady, shall obtain a hundred illustrious sons, who will perpetuate and
increase their father's race! Now, O daughter of a king, thou hast
obtained thy wish. Do thou desist! Thou hast come far enough." Savitri
said, "Staying by the side of my husband, I am not conscious of the
length of the way I have walked. Indeed, my mind rusheth to yet a longer
way off. Do thou again, as thou goest on, listen to the words that I
will presently utter! Thou art the powerful son of Vivaswat. It is for
this that thou art called _Vatvaswata_ by the wise. And, O lord, since
thou dealest out equal law unto all created things, thou hast been
designated the _lord of justice_! One reposeth not, even in one's own
self, the confidence that one doth in the righteous. Therefore, every
one wisheth particularly for intimacy with the righteous. It is goodness
of heart alone that inspireth the confidence of all creatures. And it is
for this that people rely particularly on the righteous." And hearing
these words, Yama said, "The words that thou utterest, O fair lady, I
have not heard from any one save thee; I am highly pleased with this
speech of thine. Except the life of Satyavan, solicit thou, therefore, a
fourth boon, and then go thy way!" Savitri then said, "Both of me and
Satyavan's loins, begotten by both of us, let there be a century of sons
possessed of strength and prowess and capable of perpetuating our race!
Even this is the fourth boon that I would beg of thee!" Hearing these
words of hers, Yama replied, "Thou shalt, O lady, obtain a century of
sons, possessed of strength and prowess, and causing thee great delight.
O daughter of a king, let no more weariness be thine! Do thou desist!
Thou hast already come too far!" Thus addressed, Savitri said, "They
that are righteous always practise eternal morality! And the communion
of the pious with the pious is never fruitless! Nor is there any danger
to the pious from those that are pious. And verily it is the righteous
who by their truth make the Sun move in the heaven. And it is the
righteous that support the earth by their austerities! And, O king, it
is the righteous upon whom both the past and the future depend!
Therefore, they that are righteous, are never cheerless in the company
of the righteous. Knowing this to be the eternal practice of the good
and righteous, they that are righteous continue to do good to others
without expecting any benefit in return. A good office is never thrown
away on the good and virtuous. Neither interest nor dignity suffereth
any injury by such an act. And since such conduct ever adheres to the
righteous, the righteous often become the protectors of all." Hearing
these words of hers, Yama replied, "The more thou utterest such speeches
that are pregnant with great import, full of honeyed phrases, instinct
with morality, and agreeable to mind, the more is the respect that I
feel for thee! O thou that art so devoted to thy lord, ask for some
incomparable boon!" Thus addressed, Savitri said, "O bestower of
honours, the boon thou hast already given me is incapable of
accomplishment without union with my husband. Therefore, among other
boons, I ask for this, may this Satyavan be restored to life! Deprived
of my husband, I am as one dead! Without my husband, I do not wish for
happiness. Without my husband, I do not wish for heaven itself. Without
my husband, I do not wish for prosperity. Without my husband, I cannot
make up my mind to live! Thou thyself hast bestowed on me the boon,
namely, of a century of sons; yet thou takest away my husband! I ask for
this boon, 'May Satyavan be restored to life,' for by that thy words
will be made true."'
"Markandeya continued, 'Thereupon saying,--_So be it_,--Vivaswat's son,
Yama, the dispenser of justice, untied his noose, and with cheerful
heart said these words to Savitri, "Thus, O auspicious and chaste lady,
is thy husband freed by me! Thou wilt be able to take him back free from
disease. And he will attain to success! And along with thee, he will
attain a life of four hundred years. And celebrating sacrifices with due
rites, he will achieve great fame in this world. And upon thee Satyavan
will also beget a century of sons. And these Kshatriyas with their sons
and grandsons will all be kings, and will always be famous in connection
with thy name. And thy father also will beget a hundred sons on thy
mother Malavi. And under the name of the _Malavas_, thy Kshatriya
brothers, resembling the celestials, will be widely known along with
their sons and daughters!" And having bestowed these boons on Savitri
and having thus made her desist, Yama departed for his abode. Savitri,
after Yama had gone away, went back to the spot where her husband's
ash-coloured corpse lay, and seeing her lord on the ground, she
approached him, and taking hold of him, she placed his head on her lap
and herself sat down on the ground. Then Satyavan regained his
consciousness, and affectionately eyeing Savitri again and again, like
one come home after a sojourn in a strange land, he addressed her thus,
"Alas, I have slept long! Wherefore didst thou not awake me? And where
is that same sable person that was dragging me away?" At these words of
his, Savitri said, "Thou hast, O bull among men, slept long on my lap!
That restrainer of creatures, the worshipful Yama, had gone away. Thou
art refreshed, O blessed one, and sleep hath forsaken thee, O son of a
king! If thou art able, rise thou up! Behold, the night is deep!"'
"Markandeya continued, 'Having regained consciousness, Satyavan rose up
like one who had enjoyed a sweet sleep, and seeing every side covered
with woods, said, "O girl of slender waist, I came with thee for
procuring fruits. Then while I was cutting wood I felt a pain in my
head. And on account of that intense pain about my head I was unable to
stand for any length of time, and, therefore, I lay on thy lap and
slept. All this, O auspicious lady, I remember. Then, as thou didst
embrace me, sleep stole away my senses. I then saw that it was dark all
around. In the midst of it I saw a person of exceeding effulgence. If
thou knowest everything, do thou then, O girl of slender waist, tell me
whether what I saw was only a dream or a reality!" Thereupon, Savitri
addressed him, saying, "The night deepens. I shall, O prince, relate
everything unto thee on the morrow. Arise, arise, may good betide thee!
And, O thou of excellent vows, come and behold thy parents! The sun hath
set a long while ago and the night deepens. Those rangers of the night,
having frightful voices, are walking about in glee. And sounds are
heard, proceeding from the denizens of the forest treading through the
woods. These terrible shrieks of jackals that are issuing from the south
and the east make my heart tremble (in fear)!" Satyavan then said,
"Covered with deep darkness, the wilderness hath worn a dreadful aspect.
Thou wilt, therefore, not be able to discern the tract, and consequently
wilt not be able to go!" Then Savitri replied, "In consequence of a
conflagration having taken place in the forest today a withered tree
standeth aflame, and the flames being stirred by the wind are discerned
now and then. I shall fetch some fire and light these faggots around. Do
thou dispel all anxiety. I will do all (this) if thou darest not go, for
I find thee unwell. Nor wilt thou be able to discover the way through
this forest enveloped in darkness. Tomorrow when the woods become
visible, we will go hence, if thou please! If, O sinless one, it is thy
wish, we shall pass this night even here!" At these words of hers,
Satyavan replied, "The pain in my head is off; and I feel well in my
limbs. With thy favour I wish to behold my father and mother. Never
before did I return to the hermitage after the proper time had passed
away. Even before it is twilight my mother confineth me within the
asylum. Even when I come out during the day, my parents become anxious
on my account, and my father searcheth for me, together with all the
inhabitants of the sylvan asylums. Before this, moved by deep grief, my
father and mother had rebuked me many times and often, saying,--_Thou
comest having tarried long_! I am thinking of the pass they have today
come to on my account, for, surely, great grief will be theirs when they
miss me. One night before this, the old couple, who love me dearly, wept
from deep sorrow and said into me, 'Deprived of thee, O son, we cannot
live for even a moment. As long as thou livest, so long, surely, we also
will live. Thou art the crutch of these blind ones; on thee doth
perpetuity of our race depend. On thee also depend our funeral cake, our
fame and our descendants!' My mother is old, and my father also is so. I
am surely their crutch. If they see me not in the night, what, oh, will
be their plight! I hate that slumber of mine for the sake of which my
unoffending mother and my father have both been in trouble, and I myself
also, am placed in such rending distress! Without my father and mother,
I cannot bear to live. It is certain that by this time my blind father,
his mind disconsolate with grief, is asking everyone of the inhabitants
of the hermitage about me! I do not, O fair girl, grieve so much for
myself as I do for my sire, and for my weak mother ever obedient to her
lord! Surely, they will be afflicted with extreme anguish on account of
me. I hold my life so long as they live. And I know that they should be
maintained by me and that I should do only what is agreeable to them!"'
"Markandeya continued, 'Having said this, that virtuous youth who loved
and revered his parents, afflicted with grief held up his arms and began
to lament in accents of woe. And seeing her lord overwhelmed with sorrow
the virtuous Savitri wiped away the tears from his eyes and said, "If I
have observed austerities, and have given away in charity, and have
performed sacrifice, may this night be for the good of my father-in-law,
mother-in-law and husband! I do not remember having told a single
falsehood, even in jest. Let my father-in-law and mother-in-law hold
their lives by virtue of the truth!" Satyavan said, "I long for the
sight of my father and mother! Therefore, O Savitri, proceed without
delay. O beautiful damsel, I swear by my own self that if I find any
evil to have befallen my father and mother, I will not live. If thou
hast any regard for virtue, if thou wishest me to live, if it is thy
duty to do what is agreeable to me, proceed thou to the hermitage!" The
beautiful Savitri then rose and tying up her hair, raised her husband in
her arms. And Satyavan having risen, rubbed his limbs with his hands.
And as he surveyed all around, his eyes fell upon his wallet. Then
Savitri said unto him, "Tomorrow thou mayst gather fruits. And I shall
carry thy axe for thy ease." Then hanging up the wallet upon the bough
of a tree, and taking up the axe, she re-approached her husband. And
that lady of beautiful thighs, placing her husband's left arm upon her
left shoulder, and embracing him with her right arms, proceeded with
elephantic gait. Then Satyavan said, "O timid one, by virtue of habit,
the (forest) paths are known to me. And further, by the light of the
moon between the trees, I can see them. We have now reached the same
path that we took in the morning for gathering fruits. Do thou, O
auspicious one, proceed by the way that we had come: thou needst not any
longer feel dubious about our path. Near that tract overgrown with
_Palasa_ tree, the way diverges into two. Do thou proceed along the path
that lies to the north of it. I am now well and have got back my
strength. I long to see my father and mother!" Saying this Satyavan
hastily proceeded towards the hermitage.'"