Chapter 293

“Markandeya said, ‘Having pondered over these words (of Narada) about hisdaughter’s marriage, the king began to make arrangements about thenuptials. And summoning all the old Brahmanas, and Ritwijas together withthe priests, he set out with his daughter on an auspicious day. Andarriving at the asylum of Dyumatsena in the sacred forest, the kingapproached the royal sage on foot, accompanied by the twice-born ones.And there he beheld the blind monarch of great wisdom seated on a cushionof Kusa grass spread under Sala tree. And after duly reverencing theroyal sage, the king in an humble speech introduced himself. Thereupon,offering him the Arghya, a seat, and a cow, the monarch asked his royalguest,–Wherefore is this visit?–Thus addressed the king disclosedeverything about his intentions and purpose with reference to Satyavan.And Aswapati said, ‘O royal sage, this beautiful girl is my daughternamed Savitri. O thou versed in morality, do thou, agreeably to thecustoms of our order, take her from me as thy daughter-in-law!’ Hearingthese words, Dyumatsena said, ‘Deprived of kingdom, and taking up ourabode in the woods, we are engaged in the practice of virtue as asceticswith regulated lives. Unworthy of a forest life, how will thy daughter,living in the sylvan asylum, bear this hardship?’ Aswapati said, ‘When mydaughter knoweth, as well as myself, that happiness and misery come andgo (without either being stationary), such words as these are not fit tobe used towards one like me! O king, I have come hither, having made upmy mind! I have bowed to thee from friendship; it behoveth thee not,therefore, to destroy my hope! It behoveth thee not, also, to disregardme who, moved by love, have come to thee! Thou art my equal and fit foran alliance with me, as indeed, I am thy equal and fit for alliance withthee! Do thou, therefore, accept my daughter for thy daughter-in-law andthe wife of the good Satyavan!’ Hearing these words Dyumatsena said,’Formerly I had desired an alliance with thee. But I hesitated, beingsubsequently deprived of my kingdom. Let this wish, therefore, that I hadformerly entertained, be accomplished this very day. Thou art, indeed, awelcome guest to me!’

“Then summoning all the twice-born ones residing in the hermitages ofthat forest, the two kings caused the union to take place with due rites.And having bestowed his daughter with suitable robes and ornaments,Aswapati went back to his abode in great joy. And Satyavan, havingobtained a wife possessed of every accomplishment, became highly glad,while she also rejoiced exceedingly upon having gained the husband afterher own heart. And when her father had departed, she put off all herornaments, and clad herself in barks and cloths dyed in red. And by herservices and virtues, her tenderness and self-denial, and by heragreeable offices unto all, she pleased everybody. And she gratified hermother-in-law by attending to her person and by covering her with robesand ornaments. And she gratified her father-in-law by worshipping him asa god and controlling her speech. And she pleased her husband by herhoneyed speeches, her skill in every kind of work, the evenness of hertemper, and by the indications of her love in private. And thus, OBharata, living in the asylum of those pious dwellers of the forest, theycontinued for some time to practise ascetic austerities. But the wordsspoken by Narada were present night and day in the mind of the sorrowfulSavitri.'”