मार्कण्डेय उवाच अथ कन्याप्रदाने स तमेवार्थं विचिन्तयन्। समानिन्ये च तत् सर्वं भाण्डं वैवाहिकं नृपः॥
Markandeya said : The monarch, reflecting on the words (of Narada) with regard to his daughter's marriage, began to make preparations for the wedding.
ततो वृद्धान् द्विजान् सर्वानृत्विजः सपुरोहितान्। समाहूय दिने पुण्ये प्रययौ सह कन्यया॥
Then, inviting all the old Brahmanas and the Ritvijas together with the priests, the king accompanied by his daughter set out on an auspicious day.
मेध्यारण्यं स गत्वा च धुमत्सेनाश्रमं नृपः। पद्भ्यामेव द्विजैः सार्धं राजर्षि तमुपागमत्॥
Having reached the hermitage of Dyumatsena (situate) in the sacred forest, the king (Ashvapati) accompanied by the Brahmanas advanced on foot to meet that royal sage.
तत्रापश्यन्महाभाग शालवृक्षमुपाश्रितम्। कौश्यां बृस्यां समासीनं चक्षुर्हीनं नृपं तदा॥
And there (in the hermitage) he saw that highly wise and old king seated on a mat of Kusha grass under a Sala tree.
स राजा तस्य राजर्षेः कृत्वा पूजां यथार्हतः। वाचा सुनियतो भूत्वा चकारात्मनिवेदनम्॥ तस्यार्थ्यमासनं चैव गां चावेद्य स धर्मवित्। किमागमनमित्येवं राजा राजानमब्रवीत्॥
The King (Ashvapati) having in conformity with usage, paid his respects to that royal sage, introduced himself (to him) by an appropriate speech and the king (Dyumatsena) versed in religion, having offered to the monarch (Ashvapati) a seat, (the oblation called) Arghya and a cow asked him what brought him there,
तस्य सर्वमभिप्रायमितिकर्तव्यतां च ताम्। सत्यवन्तं समुद्दिश्य सर्वमेव न्यवेदयत्॥
He (Ashvapati) then expressed all his intentions and purposes in detail with regard to Satyavana.
अश्वपतिरुवाच सावित्री नाम राजर्षे कन्येयं मम शोभना। तां स्वधर्मेण धर्मज्ञ स्नुषार्थे त्वं गृहाण मे॥
Ashvapati said : O royal sage, this fair damsel, named Savitri, is my daughter. O virtuous one, do you accept her for your daughter-in-law in conformity with the usage of your order.
धुमत्सेन उवाच श्वराम धर्म नियतास्तपस्विनः। कथं त्वनीं वनवासमाश्रमे निवत्स्यते क्लेशमिमं सुता तव॥
Dyumatsena said : Exiled from my kingdom we have taken refuge in the woods and have been, like ascetics, practising virtue with subdued passions. How will (therefore), your daughter, unworyour of a forest life, put up with (its) hardships living in the forest?
अश्वपतिरुवाच सुखं च दुःखं च भवाभवात्मकं यदा विजानाति सुताहमेव च। न मद्विधे युज्यति राक्यमीदृशं विनिश्चयेनाभिगतोऽस्मि ते नृप॥
Ashvapati said : Neither happiness nor misery has any permanence. My daughter and myself are aware of this. Therefore, O king, you should not use such words towards me. Having (previously) made up my mind. I have come here.
आशां नार्हसि मे हन्तुं सौहृदात् प्रणतस्य च। अभितश्चागतं प्रेम्णा प्रत्याख्यातुं न मार्हसि॥
You should not dishearten me since I have saluted you through friendship. As I have come here actuated by love, you ought not to refuse me.
अनुरूपो हि युक्तश्च त्वं ममाहं तवापि च। स्नुषां प्रतीच्छ मे कन्यां भार्यां सत्यवतः सतः॥
You are my and I am your equal; and we are suitable to each other. Be pleased, (therefore) to accept my daughter as your daughter-in-law and wife of good Satyavana.
धुमत्सेन उवाच पूर्वमेवाभिलषितः सम्बन्धो मे त्वया सह। भ्रष्टराज्यस्त्वहमिति तत एतद् विचारितम्॥
Dyumatsena said: Formerly, I cherished a desire of forming an alliance with you. (But) deprived of my kingdom (afterwards) I hesitated (to do it).
अभिप्रायस्त्वयं यो मे पूर्वमेवाभिकाक्षितः। स निर्वर्ततु मेऽद्यैव काक्षितो ह्यसि मेऽतिथिः॥
Let, what I desired before, be accomplished this very day. You are a welcome guest to me.
ततः सर्वान् समानाय्य द्विजानाश्रमवासिनः। यथाविधि समुद्वाहं कारयामासतुनृपौ॥
Then, those two monarchs, inviting all the Brahmanas dwelling in the hermitages, caused the wedding to be celebrated agreeably to the usage.
दत्त्वा सोऽश्वपतिः कन्यां यथार्ह सपिरच्छदम्। ययौ स्वमेव भवनं युक्तः परमया मुदा॥
Having given away his daughter with suitable robes, Ashvapati with a merry heart left for his own abode.
सत्यवानपि तां भार्यां लब्ध्वा सर्वगुणान्विताम्। मुमुदे सा च तं लब्ध्वा भर्तारं मनसेप्सितम्॥
Satyavana having obtained a wife graced with all the (noble) qualities and she (Savitri) too having got a husband after her own heart, rejoiced exceedingly.
गते पितरि सर्वाणि संन्यस्याभरणानि सा। जगृहे वल्कलान्येव वस्त्रं काषायमेव च॥
Her father having departed, she cast off all her ornaments and put on barks of trees and cloths dyed red.
परिचारैर्गुणैश्चैव प्रश्रयेण दमेन च। सर्वकामक्रियाभिश्च सर्वेषां तुष्टिमादधे॥
By her ministrations, good qualities, affections, self-control and good services to all, she pleased every one.
शुश्रू शरीरसत्कारैः सर्वैराच्छादनादिभिः। श्वशुरं देवसत्कारैर्वाचः संयमनेन च॥
By ministering to her physical comforts and by (covering her with) all sorts of robes, she delighted her mother-in-law. And she pleased her father-in-law by worshipping him as a god and by controlling her words.
तथैव प्रियवादेन नैपुणेन शमेन च। रहाचैवोपचारेण भर्तारं पर्यतोषयत्॥
Similarly, by agreeable words, by skillfulness, by sweet disposition and by ministering to him in private she delighted her husband.
एवं तत्राश्रमे तेषां तदा निवसतां सताम्। कालस्तपस्यतां कश्चिदपाक्रामत भारत॥
Thus, O Bharata, these good people engaged in asceticism continued to dwell for some time in that hermitage.
सावित्र्या ग्लायमानायास्तिष्ठन्त्यास्तु दिवानिशम्। नारदेन यदुक्तं तद् वाक्यं मनसि वर्तते॥
And Savitri too, whether asleep or awake, could not forget the words of Narada which were present in her mind day and night.