मार्कण्डेय उवाच अथ मद्राधिपो राजा नारदेन समागतः। उपविष्टः सभामध्ये कथायोगेन भारत॥
Markandeya said : OBharata, (one day) when that monarch, the king of the Madra, joined by Narada and seated in the midst of his court, was conversing with him.
ततोऽभिगम्य तीर्थानि सर्वाण्येवाश्रमांस्तथा। आजगाम पितुर्वेश्म सावित्री सह मन्त्रिभिः॥
Savitri, after visiting all the Tirthas and the hermitages, came to the abode of her father together with the ministers.
नारदेन सहासीनं सा दृष्ट्वा पितरं शुभा। उभयोरेव शिरसा चक्रे पादाभिवादनम्॥
That auspicious one, seeing her father seated with Narada, bowed down to the feet of both with her head.
नारद उवाच क्व गदाभूत् सुतेयं ते कुतश्चैवागता नृप। किमर्थं युवती भत्रे न चैनां सम्प्रयच्छसि॥
Narada said: O king, where did this your daughter go to and where does she come from? Why do you not bestow this youthful (damsel) on a husband?
अश्वपतिरुवाच कार्येण खल्वनेनैव प्रेषितायैव चागता। एतस्याः शृणु देवर्षे भर्तारं योऽनया वृतः॥
Ashyapati said : She was sent on that very business and she is just now come. Hear, O divine sage, from her, whom she has chosen for her husband.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच सा ब्रूहि विस्तरेणेति पित्रा संचोदिता शुभा। तदैव तस्य वचनं प्रतिगृह्येदमब्रवीत्॥
Markandeya said : That auspicious one, at the command of her father to relate everything in detail, regarded his words like those of a god and said thus,
सावित्र्युवाच आसीच्छाल्वेषु धर्मात्मा क्षत्रियः पृथिवीपतिः। धुमत्सेन इति ख्यातः पश्चाच्चान्धो बभूव ह॥
Savitri said : There was, in Shalya, a pious Kshatriya king, Dyumatsena by name, who lost his eyes in course of time.
विनष्टचक्षुषस्तस्य बालपुत्रस्य धीमतः। सामीप्येन हृतं राज्यं छिद्रेऽस्मिन् पूर्ववैरिणा॥
That intellectual (monarch) who had an only infant son, having lost his eyes, a neighbouring enemy who bore him an old grudge, taking advantage of his blindness, seized his kingdom.
स बालवत्सया साधु भार्यया प्रस्थितो वनम्। महारण्यं गतश्चापि तपस्तेपे महाव्रतः॥
(Deprived of his kingdom), he (Dyumatsena) accompanied by his wife with the infant at her breast, retired to the woods. And having gone to a great forest, he, observant of rigid vows, began to practise asceticism.
तस्य पुत्र पुरे जातः संवृद्धश्च तपोवने। सत्यवाननुरूपो मे भर्तेति मनसा वृतः॥
His son, Satyavana (by name), born in the city and brought up in the hermitage, is my fit husband and I have wedded him in my mind.
नारद उवाच अहो बत महत् पापं सावित्र्या नृपते कृतम्। अजानन्त्या यदनया गुणवान् सत्यवान् वृतः॥
Narada said: Alas, O king, Savitri has done a very foolish act in as much as she, has through ignorance, chosen for her husband, Satyavana endued with (high) qualities.
सत्यं वदत्यस्य पिता सत्यं माता प्रभाषते। तथास्य ब्राह्मणाश्चक्रुर्नामैतत् सत्यवानिति॥
It is because his father is (ever) truthful and his mother speaks the truth, that the Brahmanas have named him Satyavana (i.e. truthful).
बालस्याश्वाः प्रियाश्चास्य करोत्यश्वांश्च मृन्मयान्। चित्रेऽपि विलिखत्यश्वांश्चित्राश्व इति चोच्यते॥
In his boyhood he was very fond of horses, made horses of clay and painted them. Therefore he is (sometimes) called Chitrashva (i.e. one who paints horses)
राजोवाच अपीदानी स तेजस्वी बुद्धिमान् वा नृपात्मजः। क्षमावानपि वा शूरः सत्यवान् पितृवत्सलः॥
The King said: Is now the prince Satyavana, who is attached to his father, energetic, intelligent, forgiving and brave?
नारद उवाच विवस्वानिव तेजस्वी बृहस्पतिसमो मतौ। महेन्द्र इव वीस्थ वसुधेव समन्वितः॥
Narada said: He is energetic as Vibhavasu (the sun), wise as Brihaspati, heroic as Mahendra and forgiving as the earth.
अश्वपतिरुवाच अपि राजात्मजो दाता ब्रह्मण्यश्चापि सत्यवान्। रूपवानप्युदारो वाप्यथवा प्रियदर्शनः॥
Ashvapati said : Is the king's son, Satyavana, charitable, devoted to the Brahmanas, handsome, largehearted and of amiable appearance?
नारद उवाच सांकृते रन्तिदेवस्य स्वशक्त्या दानतः समः। ब्रह्मण्यः सत्यवादी न शिबिरौशीनरो यथा॥
Narada said : With regard to charity commensurate with his means, he is equal to Rantideva, the son of Sankriti and he is as devoted to the Brahmanas and as truthful as Shibi, the son of Ushinara.
ययातिरिव चोदारः सोमवत् प्रियदर्शनः। रूपेणान्यतमोऽश्विभ्यां धुमत्सेनसुतो बली॥
The heroic Satyavana is equal to Yayati in magnanimity, is as lovely to look at as the moon and is as beautiful as either of the twin Ashvinis.
स दान्तः स मृदुः शूरः स सत्यः संयतेन्द्रियः। स मैत्रः सोऽनसूयश्च स ह्रीमान् द्युतिमांश्च सः॥
He is (moreover) possessed of self-restraint, is meek, heroic, truthful, of subdued senses, faithful to his friends, free from malice, modest and patient.
नित्यशश्चार्जवं तस्मिन् स्थितिस्तस्यैव च ध्रुवा। संक्षेपतस्तपोवृद्धैः शीलवृद्धश्च कथ्यते॥
To be brief, men of great asceticism and of high character say that he (Satyavana) is ever plain and firm in honour.
अश्वपतिरुवाच गुणैरुपेतं सर्वैस्तं भगवन् प्रब्रवीषि मे। दोषानष्यस्य मे ब्रूहि यदि सन्तीह केचन॥
Ashvapati said: O adorable one, you have described him as possessed of all noble qualities. Now tell me of his defects, if there be any.
नारद उवाच एक एवास्य दोषो हि गुणानाक्रम्य तिष्ठति। स च दोषः प्रयत्नेन न शक्यमतिवर्तितुम्॥
Narada said: He has only one defect which has eclipsed all his qualities and which even by the most vigorous exertions cannot be rooted out.
एको दोषोऽस्ति नान्योऽस्य सोऽद्यप्रभृति सत्यवान्। संवत्सरेण क्षीणायुहन्यासं करिष्यति॥
He has only one defect and no other. Satyavana who has a little of life in store for him, will, within a year from this day, breathe his last.
राजोवाच एहि सावित्रि गच्छस्व अन्यं वरय शोभने। तस्य दोषो महानेको गुणानाक्रम्य च स्थितः॥
The King said: O beautiful Savitri, go and seek another for your husband. He has a great defect which lies surpassing all his merits.
यथा मे भगवानाह नारदो देवस्तकृतः। संवत्सरेण सोऽल्पायुहन्यासं करिष्यति॥
The divine Narada, who is honoured by the celestials, tells me that within a year, he, of short life, will give up the ghost.
सावित्र्युवाच सकृदंशो निपतति सकृत् कन्या प्रदीयते। सकृदाह ददानीति त्रीण्येतानि सकृत् सकृत्॥
Savitri said: The die falls but once and the daughter can once be bestowed. The words "I bestow" are uttered but once and once only these three things occur.
दीर्घायुरथवाल्पायुः सगुणो निर्गुणोऽपि वा। सकृद् वृतो मया भर्ता न द्वितीयं वृणोम्यहम्॥
Whether his life be long or short, whether he be gifted with (noble) qualities or destitute of them, I have for once, chosen him for my husband and will not select any other a second time.
मनसा निश्चयं कृत्वा ततो वाचाभिधीयते। क्रियते कर्मणा पश्चात् प्रमाणं मे मनस्ततः॥
Having (first) settled a thing in mind, it is then expressed in words and is ultimately given effect to by (external) acts. My (own) mind is a proof of this.
नारद उवाच स्थिरा बुद्धिर्नरश्रेष्ठ सावित्र्या दुहितुस्तव। नैष वारयितुं शक्या धर्मादस्मात् कथंचन॥
Narada said: O best of men, your daughter is firm in her resolve. It is impossible to wean her away from virtue.
नान्यस्मिन् पुरुषे सन्ति ये सत्यवति वै गुणाः। प्रदानमेव तस्मान्मे रोचते दुहितुस्तव॥
The qualities that are present in Satyavana are wanting in any other person. Therefore I command the bestowal of your daughter (on Satyavana).
राजोवाच अविचाल्यं तदुक्तं यत् तथ्यं भगवता वचः। करिष्याम्येतदेवं च गुरुर्हि भगवान् मम॥
The King said: The words of your respectable self are true and should never be dishonoured. Since O adorable one, you are my preceptor I will do as directed by you.
नारद उवाच अविघ्नमस्तु सावित्र्याः प्रदाने दुहितुस्तव। साधयिष्याम्यहं तावत् सर्वेषां भद्रमस्तु वः॥
Narada said: May your daughter Savitri, be given away without any obstruction. I shall now go away. May you be all happy.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच एवमुक्त्वा समुत्पत्य नारदस्त्रिदिवं गतः। राजापि दुहितुः सज्जं वैवाहिकमकारयत्॥
Markandeya said : Saying this, Narada, soaring upwards, returned to heaven. And the king too began to ..jake preparations for the marriage of his daughter.