एवमस्त्विति सावित्री ध्यानयोगपरायणा। मनसा ता गिरः सर्वाः प्रत्यगृह्णात्तपस्विनी
Savitri, devoted to meditation and yoga, accepted all those words in her mind, saying, 'So be it,' steadfast in her asceticism.
तं कालं तं मुहूर्तं च प्रतीक्षन्ती नृपात्मजा। यथोक्तं नारदवचश्चिन्तयन्ती सुदुःखिता
The princess, deeply distressed, waited for that destined time and moment, reflecting on Narada's words as spoken.
ततस्तु श्वश्रूश्वशुरावूचतुस्तां नृपात्मजाम्। एकान्तमास्थितां वाक्यं प्रीत्या भरतसत्तम
Then, O best of the Bharatas, her mother-in-law and father-in-law approached the princess, who was sitting apart, and addressed her with affection.
व्रतं यथोपदिष्टं तु तथा तत्पारितं त्वया। आहारकालः संप्राप्तः क्रियतां यदनन्तरम्
'You have completed your vow just as instructed; now the time for eating has come—let what follows be done,' they said.
अस्तं गते मयाऽऽदित्ये भोक्तव्यं कृतकामया। एष मे हृदि संकल्पः समयश्च कृतो मया
'I have resolved and made a promise to eat only after the sun has set,' she replied, 'this is my firm intention.'
एवं संभाषमाणायाः सावित्र्या भोजनं प्रति। स्कन्धे परशुमादाय सत्यवान्प्रस्थितो वनम्
As Savitri was thus speaking about her meal, Satyavan took up his axe on his shoulder and set out for the forest.
सावित्री त्वाह भर्तारं नैकस्त्वं गन्तुमर्हसि। सह त्वया गमिष्यामि न हित्वां हातुमुत्सहे
But Savitri said to her husband, 'You should not go alone; I will go with you, for I cannot bear to be separated from you.'
वनं न गतपूर्वं ते दुःख पन्थाश्च भामिनि। व्रतोपवासक्षामा च कथं पद्भ्यां गमिष्यसि
'You have never gone to the forest before, beloved, and the path is difficult; weakened by fasting and vows, how will you walk there on foot?'
उपवासान्न मे ग्लानिर्नास्ति चापि परिश्रमः। गमने च कृतोत्साहां प्रतिषेद्धुं न माऽर्हसि
'Fasting has not made me weak, nor do I feel any fatigue; I am eager to go, and you should not prevent me.'
यदि ते गमनोत्साहः करिष्यामि तव प्रयम्। मम त्वामन्त्रय गुरून्न मां दोषः स्पृशेदयम्
'If you are determined to go, I will do as you wish; but first, seek permission from my elders, so that no fault may touch me.'
साऽभिवाद्याब्रवीच्छ्वश्रूं श्वशुरं च महाव्रता। अयं गच्छति मे भर्ता फलाहारो महावनम्
Having respectfully addressed her mother-in-law and father-in-law, the great-vowed Savitri said, 'My husband, who lives on fruits, is going to the great forest.'
इच्छेयमभ्यनुज्ञाता आर्यया श्वशुरेण ह। अनेन सह निर्गन्तुं न मेऽद्य विरहः क्षमः
'I wish, with your permission, noble mother and father-in-law, to go out with him; today I cannot bear to be apart from him.'
गुर्वग्निहोत्रार्तकृतेप्रस्थितश्च सुतस्तव। न निवार्यो निवार्यः स्यादन्यथा प्रस्थितो वनम्
'Your son has set out for the sake of the sacred fire and his duties to the elders; once he has departed for the forest, he should not be stopped.'
संवत्सरः किंचिदूनो न निष्क्रान्ताऽहमाश्रमात्। वनं कुसुमितं द्रष्टुं परं कौतूहलं हि मे
'It is a little less than a year since I left the hermitage; I have a great desire to see the blossoming forest.'
यदा प्रभृति सावित्री पित्रा दत्ता स्नाषु मम। नानयाऽभ्यर्थनायुक्तमुक्तपूर्वं स्मराम्यहम्
From the time Savitri was given to me by her father, I do not recall her ever making a request or speaking out of turn.
तदेषा लभतां कामं यथाभिलषितं वधूः। अप्रमादश्च कर्तव्यः पुत्रि सत्यवतः पथि
Let this bride obtain whatever she desires; and, my daughter, you must act with care on the path of truth.
उभाभ्यामभ्यनुज्ञाता सा जगाम यशस्विनी। सहभर्त्रा हसन्तीव हृदयेन विदूयता
Granted permission by both, that illustrious woman departed with her husband, as if smiling, though her heart was torn.
सा वनानि विचित्राणि रमणीयानि सर्वशः। मयूरगणजुष्टानि ददर्श विपुलेक्षणा
She, wide-eyed, beheld the wondrous and delightful forests, filled everywhere with flocks of peacocks.
नदीः पुण्यवहाश्चैव पुष्पितांश्च नगोत्तमान्। सत्यवानाह पश्येति सावित्रीं मधूरं वचः
She saw sacred rivers and flowering, lofty mountains, and Satyavan sweetly said to Savitri, 'Look!'
नीरीक्षमाणा भर्तारं सर्वावस्थमनिन्दिता। मृतमेव हिं मेने काले मुनिवचः स्मरन्
Gazing at her husband in every circumstance, blameless, she thought of him as already dead, remembering the sage’s words.
अनुव्रजन्ती भर्तारं जगाम मृदुगामिनी। द्विधेव हृदयं कृत्वा तं च कालमवेक्षती
Following her husband, the gentle-stepping one went on, as if her heart were split in two, watching for that destined time.
अथ भार्यासहायः स फलान्यादाय वीर्यवान्। कठिनं पूरयामास ततः काष्ठान्यपाटयत्
Then, accompanied by his wife, the strong one gathered fruits and began to cut hard wood, splitting it thereafter.
तस्य पाटयतः काष्ठं स्वेदो वै समजायत। व्यायामेन च तेनास्य जज्ञे शिरसि वेदना
As he split the wood, sweat arose on him; from the exertion, pain developed in his head.
सोऽभिगम्य प्रियां भार्यामुवाच श्रमपीडितः। व्यायामेन ममानेन जाता शिरसि वेदना
Approaching his beloved wife, afflicted by fatigue, he said, 'From this exertion, pain has come into my head.'
अङ्गानि चैव सावित्रि हृदयं दूयतीव च। अस्वस्थमिव चात्मानं लक्षये मितभाषिणि
'My limbs, Savitri, and my heart seem as if torn; I feel myself unwell, O you of few words.'
शूलैरिव शिरो विद्धमिदं संलक्षयाम्यहम्। `भ्रमन्तीव दिशः सर्वाश्चक्रारूढं मनो मम'। तत्स्वप्तुमिच्छे कल्याणि न स्तातुं शक्तिरस्ति मे
'I sense my head is pierced as if by spikes; all directions seem to spin, my mind mounted on a wheel. So, good lady, I wish to sleep; I have no strength to stand.'
सा समासाद्य सावित्री भर्तारमुपगम्य च। उत्सङ्गेऽस्य शिर कृत्वा निषसाद महीतले
Then Savitri approached her husband, and, placing his head on her lap, sat down on the ground.
ततः सा नारदवचो विमृशन्ती तपस्विनी। तं मुहूर्तं क्षणं वेलां दिवसं च युयोज ह
Thereafter, reflecting on Narada’s words, the devoted one measured out the moment, the instant, the time, and the day.
हन्त प्राप्तः स कालोऽयमिति चिन्तापरा सती'। मुहूर्तादेव चापश्य्पुरुषं रक्तवाससम्। वद्धमौलिं वपुष्मन्तमादित्यसमतेजसम्
Absorbed in thought, 'Alas, that time has come,' she saw, in just a moment, a man clad in red garments, with bound hair, splendid, radiant as the sun.
श्यामावदातं रक्ताक्षं पाशहस्तं भयावहम्। स्थितं सत्यवतः पार्श्वे निरीक्षन्तं तमेव च
Dark yet bright, red-eyed, holding a noose, terrifying, he stood at Satyavan’s side, gazing only at him.