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.
तं दृष्ट्वासहसोत्थाय भर्तुन्यस्य शनैः शिरः। कृताञ्जलिरुवाचार्ता हृदयेन प्रवेपती
Seeing him, she quickly rose, gently laying her husband’s head down, and, palms joined, trembling in her heart, spoke in distress.
दैवतंत्वाभिजानामि वपुरेतद्ध्यमानुषम्। कामया ब्रूहि देवेश कस्त्वं किंच चिकीर्षसि
'I recognize you as a divinity; this form is not human. Tell me truly, lord of gods, who are you and what do you intend to do?'
पतिव्रताऽसि सावित्रि तथैव च तपोन्विता। अस्त्वामभिभाषामि विद्धि मां त्वं शुभे यमम्
Savitri, you are devoted to your husband and endowed with great austerity. Yet, O auspicious one, I speak to you—know me to be Yama.
अयं ते रसत्यवान्भर्ता क्षीणायुः पार्थिवात्मजः। नेष्यामि तमहं बद्ध्वा विद्ध्येतन्मे चीकिर्षितं
This man, your husband, the son of a king, has reached the end of his life. I will bind him and take him away—know that this is my intention.
श्रूयते भगवन्दूतास्तवागच्छन्ति मानवान्। नेतुं किल भवान्कस्मादागतोसि स्वयं प्रभो
It is heard, O venerable one, that your messengers come to fetch mortals. Why then, O lord, have you yourself come here?
इत्युक्तः पितृराजस्तां भगवान्स्वचिकीर्षितम्। यथावत्सर्वमाख्यातुं तत्प्रियार्थं प्रचक्रमे
Thus addressed, the lord of the ancestors, desiring to please her, began to explain everything to her just as she wished.
अयं च धर्मसंयुक्तो रूपवान्गुणसागरः। नार्हो मत्पुरुषैर्नेतुमतोस्मि स्वयमागतः
This man is righteous, handsome, and an ocean of virtues. He is not fit to be taken by my servants; therefore, I have come myself.
ततः सत्यवतः कायात्पाशबद्धं वशंगतम्। अङ्गुष्ठमात्रं पुरुषं निश्चकर्ष यमो बलात्
Then Yama forcibly drew out from Satyavat’s body a person the size of a thumb, bound and subdued.
ततः समुद्धृतप्राणं गतश्वासं हतप्रभम्। निरविचेष्टंशरीरं तद्बभूवाप्रियदर्सनम्
Then, with his life withdrawn, breath gone, and radiance lost, Satyavat’s body became motionless and dreadful to behold.
यमस्तु तं ततो बद्ध्वा प्रयातो दक्षिणामुखः। सावित्री चैव दुःखार्ता यममेवान्वगच्छत
Yama, having bound him, departed facing south; and Savitri, stricken with grief, followed Yama.