Chapter 296

“Markandeya said, ‘Meanwhile the mighty Dyumatsena, having regained hissight, could see everything. And when his vision grew clear he saweverything around him. And, O bull of the Bharata race, proceeding withhis wife Saivya to all the (neighbouring) asylums in search of his son,he became extremely distressed on his account. And that night the oldcouple went about searching in asylums, and rivers, and woods, andfloods. And whenever they heard any sound, they stood rising their heads,anxiously thinking that their son was coming, and said, ‘O yonder comethSatyavan with Savitri!’ And they rushed hither and thither like maniacs,their feet torn, cracked, wounded, and bleeding, pierced with thorns andKusa blades. Then all the Brahmanas dwelling in that hermitage came untothem, and surrounding them on all sides, comforted them, and brought themback to their own asylum. And there Dyumatsena with his wife surroundedby aged ascetics, was entertained with stories of monarchs of formertimes. And although that old couple desirous of seeing their son, wascomforted, yet recollecting the youthful days of their son, they becameexceedingly sorry. And afflicted with grief, they began to lament inpiteous accents, saying, ‘Alas, O son, alas, O chaste daughter-in-law,where are you?’ Then a truthful Brahmana of the name of Suvarchas spakeunto them, saying, ‘Considering the austerities, self-restraint, andbehaviour of his wife Savitri, there can be no doubt that Satyavanliveth!’ And Gautama said, ‘I have studied all the Vedas with theirbranches, and I have acquired great ascetic merit. And I have led acelibate existence, practising also the Brahmacharya mode of life. I havegratified Agni and my superiors. With rapt soul I have also observed allthe vows: and I have according to the ordinance, frequently lived uponair alone. By virtue of this ascetic merit, I am cognisant of all thedoings of others. Therefore, do thou take it for certain that Satyavanliveth.’ Thereupon his disciple said, ‘The words that have fallen fromthe lips of my preceptor can never be false. Therefore, Satyavan surelyliveth.’ And the Rishi said, ‘Considering the auspicious marks that hiswife Savitri beareth and all of which indicate immunity from widowhood,there can be no doubt that Satyavan liveth!’ And Varadwaja said, ‘Havingregard to the ascetic merit, self-restraint, and conduct of his wifeSavitri, there can be no doubt that Satyavan liveth.’ And Dalbhya said,’Since thou hast regained thy sight, and since Savitri hath gone awayafter completion of the vow, without taking any food, there can be nodoubt that Satyavan liveth.’ And Apastamba said, ‘From the manner inwhich the voices of birds and wild animals are being heard through thestillness of the atmosphere on all sides, and from the fact also of thyhaving regained the use of thy eyes, indicating thy usefulness forearthly purposes once more, there can be no doubt that Satyavan liveth.’And Dhauma said, ‘As thy son is graced with every virtue, and as he isthe beloved of all, and as he is possessed of marks betokening a longlife, there can be no doubt that Satyavan liveth.’

“Markandeya continued, ‘Thus cheered by those ascetics of truthfulspeech, Dyumatsena pondering over those points, attained a little ease. Alittle while after, Savitri with her husband Satyavan reached thehermitage during the night and entered it with a glad heart. TheBrahmanas then said, ‘Beholding this meeting with thy son, and thyrestoration to eye-sight, we all wish thee well, O lord of earth. Thymeeting with thy son, the sight of thy daughter-in-law, and thyrestoration to sight–constitute a threefold prosperity which thou hastgained. What we all have said must come to pass: there can be no doubt ofthis. Henceforth thou shalt rapidly grow in prosperity.’ Then, O Pritha’sson, the twice-born ones lighted a fire and sat themselves down beforeking Dyumatsena. And Saivya, and Satyavan, and Savitri who stood apart,their hearts free from grief, sat down with the permission of them all.Then, O Partha, seated with the monarch those dwellers of the woods,actuated by curiosity, asked the king’s son, saying, ‘Why didst thou not,O illustrious one, come back earlier with thy wife? Why hast thou come solate in the night? What obstacle prevented thee! We do not know, O son ofa king, why thou hast caused such alarm to us, and to thy father andmother. It behoveth thee to tell us all about this,’ Thereupon, Satyavansaid, ‘With the permission of my father, I went to the woods withSavitri. There, as I was hewing wood in the forest, I felt a pain in myhead. And in consequence of the pain, I fell into a deep sleep.–This isall that I remember. I had never slept so long before I have come so lateat night, in order that ye might not grieve (on my account). There is noother reason for this.’ Gautama then said, ‘Thou knowest not then thecause of thy father’s sudden restoration to sight. It, therefore,behoveth Savitri to relate it. I wish to hear it (from thee), for surelythou art conversant with the mysteries of good and evil. And, O Savitri,I know thee to be like the goddess Savitri herself in splendour. Thoumust know the cause of this. Therefore, do thou relate it truly! If itshould not be kept a secret, do thou unfold it unto us!’ At these wordsof Gautama Savitri said, ‘It is as ye surmise. Your desire shall surelynot be unfulfilled. I have no secret to keep. Listen to the truth then!The high-souled Narada had predicted the death of my husband. To-day wasthe appointed time. I could not, therefore, bear to be separated from myhusband’s company. And after he had fallen asleep, Yama, accompanied byhis messengers, presented himself before him, and tying him, began totake him away towards the region inhabited by the Pitris. Thereupon Ibegan to praise that august god, with truthful words. And he granted mefive boons, of which do ye hear from me! For my father-in-law I haveobtained these two boons, viz., his restoration to sight as also to hiskingdom. My father also hath obtained a hundred sons. And I myself haveobtained a hundred sons. And my husband Satyavan hath obtained a life offour hundred years. It was for the sake of my husband’s life that I hadobserved that vow. Thus have I narrated unto you in detail the cause bywhich this mighty misfortune of mine was afterwards turned intohappiness. The Rishis said, ‘O chaste lady of excellent disposition,observant of vows and endued with virtue, and sprung from an illustriousline, by thee hath the race of this foremost of kings, which wasoverwhelmed with calamities, and was sinking in an ocean of darkness,been rescued.’

“Markandeya continued, ‘Then having applauded and reverenced that best ofwomen, those Rishis there assembled bade farewell to that foremost ofkings as well as to his son. And having saluted them thus, they speedilywent, in peace with cheerful hearts, to their respective abodes.'”