मार्कण्डेय उवाच ततः काले बहुतिथे व्यतिक्रान्ते कदाचन। प्राप्तः स कालो मर्तव्यं यत्र स्तयवता नृप॥
Markandeya aid : After the lapse of a long while, O king, the time for Satyavana's death at last arrived.
गणयन्त्याश्च सावित्र्या दिवसे दिवसे गते। यद् वाक्यं नारदेनोक्तं वर्तते हृदि नित्यशः॥
Savitri counted each days it passed away, (for) the words of Narada were always present in her mind.
चतुर्थेऽहनि मर्तव्यमिति संचिन्त्य भाविनी। व्रतः त्रिरात्रमुद्दिश्य दिवारानं स्थिताभवत्॥
Having ascertained (by calculation) that her husband's death would take place on the fourth day (thence), that observant of the Triratra vow, fasted day and night.
तं श्रुत्वा नियमं तस्या भृशं दुःखान्वितो नृपः। उत्थाय वाक्यं सावित्रीमब्रवीत् परिसान्त्वयन्॥
Aware of her vow, the king (Dyumatsena) became very sorry and rising up consoled Savitri with these words.
द्युमत्सेन उवाच अतितीव्रोऽयमारम्भस्त्वयाऽऽरब्धो नृपात्मजे। तिसृणां वससीतनां हि स्थानं परमदुश्चरम्॥
Dyumatsena said : Princess, the vow you have taken is very difficult to observe, for, it is extremely hard to fast continuously for three nights.
सावित्र्युवाच न कार्यस्तात संताप: पारयिष्याम्यहं व्रतम्। व्यवसायकृतं हीदं व्यवसायश्च कारणम्॥
Savitri said: O sire, you need not be sorry. I will be able to complete the vow. I have undertaken this vow with a firm resolve; and determination is the (sole) cause of success (in every undertaking).
धुमत्सेन उवाच व्रतं भिन्धीति वक्तुं त्वां नास्मि शक्तः कथञ्चन। पारयस्येति वचनं युक्तमस्मद्विधो वदेत्॥
Dyumatsena said : I can, by no means tell you to give up your vow. Men like us should rather encourage you to complete it.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच एवमुक्त्वा धुमत्सेनो विरराम महामनाः। तिष्ठन्ती चैव सावित्री काष्ठभूतेव लक्ष्यते॥
Markandeya said : Saying this, the high-minded Dyumatsena ceased; and Savitri thus remaining (without food) looked like a wooden doll.
श्वोभूते भर्तृमरणे सावित्र्या भरतर्षभ। दुःखान्वितायास्तिष्ठन्त्याः सा रात्रिर्व्यत्यवर्तत॥
O best of the Bharatas, thinking that her husband would die tomorrow, Savitri, stricken with grief and observing fasts, passed the night in great sorrow.
अद्य तद् दिवसं चेति हुत्वा दीप्तं हुताशनम्। युगमात्रोदिते सूर्ये कृत्वा पौर्वाहिणकी: क्रियाः॥
Then, when the sun rose a couple of hands (on the horizon), Savitri performed her morning devotions and offered oblation to the blazing fire.
ततः सर्वान् द्विजान् वृद्धान् श्व श्वशुरमेव च। अभिवाद्यानुपूर्येण प्राञ्जलिर्नियता स्थिता॥
She then bowed down to all the aged Brahmanas, her father-in-law and mother-inlaw, one after the other and stood humbly before them with joined hands.
अवैधव्याशिषस्ते तु सावित्र्यर्थं हिताः शुभाः। ऊचुस्तपस्विनः सर्वे तपोवननिवासिनः॥
And all the ascetics living in the hermitage pronounced, for the welfare of Savitri, the benediction that she might never be a widow.
एवमस्त्विति सावित्री ध्यानयोगपरायणा। मनसा ता गिरः सर्वा प्रत्यगृह्णात् तपस्विनाम्॥
Savitri, who was buried in contemplation, saying in her mind “be it so" bowed down to the words of the ascetics,
तं कालं तं मुहूर्तं च प्रतीक्षन्ती नृपात्मजा। यथोक्तं नारदवचश्चिन्तयन्ती सुदुःखिता॥
And with a heavy heart, the princess, pondering on the words of Narada (anxiously) awaited the hour and the moment of her husband's death).
ततस्तु श्वश्रूश्वशुरावूचतुस्तां नृपात्मजाम्। एकान्तमास्थितां वाक्यं प्रीत्या भरतसत्तम॥
Then, O best of the Bharatas, her father-in-law and mother-in-law gladly told the king's daughter who was seated alone, these words.
श्वशुरावूचतुः व्रतं यथोपदिष्टं तु तथा तत् पारितं त्वया। आहारकालः सम्प्राप्तः क्रियतां यदनन्तरम्॥
The Father-in-law said : You have performed the vow as directed. It is now the time to eat. Do what you think proper.
सावित्र्युवाच अस्तं गते मयाऽऽदित्ये भोक्तव्यं कृतकामया। एष मे हृदि संकल्प: समयश्च कृतो मया॥
Savitri said : Having observed the desired vow I appointed the time when the sun would go down for my meals. (Even now) this is the determination of my heart.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच एवं सम्भाषणाणायाः सावित्र्या भोजनं प्रति। स्कन्धे परशुमादाय सत्यवान् प्रस्थितो वनम्॥
Markandeya said : When Savitri was saying this about her meals. Satyavana, taking his hatchet on his shoulders, left for the woods.
सावित्री त्वाह भर्तारं नैकस्त्वं गन्तुमर्हसि। सह त्वया गमिष्यामि न हि त्वां हातुमुत्सहे॥
(Thereupon) Savitri said to her husband "you should not go alone. I will go with you. I do not feel inclined to be separated from you.
सत्यावानुवाच वनं न गतपूर्वं ते दुःखः पन्थाश्च भाविनि। व्रोतपवासक्षामा च कथं पद्भ्यां गमिष्यसि॥
Satyavana said: Dearest, you have never visited the woods before. The path is very rugged (Moreover), lean and weak as you have been by the observance of fasts and vow how will you be able to walk?
सावित्र्युवाच उपवासान्न मे ग्लानिर्नास्ति चापि परिश्रमः। गमने च कृतोत्साहां प्रतिषेढुं न मार्हसि।॥
Savitri said : Neither do I feel exhaustion nor lassitude on account of the fast. (Moreover) I am very eager to go. Do not (therefore) prevent me.
सत्यवानुवाच यदि ते गमनोत्साहः करिष्यामि तव प्रियम्। मम त्वामन्त्रय गुरून् न मां दोषः स्पृशेदयम्॥
Satyavana said: Since you are so eager to go, I will fulfill your desire. (But) take leave of my parents (first) so that no blame can be attached to me.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच साभिवाद्याब्रवीच्छ्वधू श्वशुरं च महाव्रता। अयं गच्छति मे भर्ता फलाहारो महावनम्॥
Markandeya said : (Then) bowing down to her mother-in-law and father-in-law, she of great vows said (to them) "my husband is going to the great forest for gathering fruits.
इच्छेयमभ्यनुज्ञाता आर्यया श्वशुरेण ह। अनेन सह निर्गन्तुं न मेऽद्य विरहः क्षमः॥
It is my desire that your worshipful self and my father-in-law will (kindly) permit me to accompany him. I cannot bear to be separated (from him) this day.
गुर्वग्निहोत्रार्थकृते प्रस्थितश्च सुतस्तव। न निवार्यो निवार्यः स्यादन्यथा प्रस्थितो वनम्॥
As your son is going to the forest for the sacrificial fire and for his superiors, you ought not to prevent him. Had it been for any other (business) he should have been prevented.
संवत्सरः किंचिदूनो न निष्क्रान्ताहमाश्रमात्। वनं कुसुमितं द्रष्टुं परं कौतूहलं हि मे॥
I have not walked out for a little less than a year. Great indeed is my desire to witness the woods.
द्युमत्सेन उवाच यतः प्रभृति सावित्री पित्रा दत्ता स्नुषा मम। नानयाभ्यर्थनायुक्तमुक्तपूर्वं स्मराम्यहम्॥
Dyumatsena said : From the very time that Savitri was made my daughter-in-law by her father, I do not remember her to have ever made any request to me.
तदेषा लभतां कामं यथाभिलषितं वधूः। अप्रमादश्च कर्तव्यः पुत्रि सत्यवतः पथि॥
So, let what my daughter-in-law desires be fulfilled. Daughter, act in such a manner that Satyavana does not neglect his business on the way.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच उभाब्यामभ्यनुज्ञाता सा जगाम यशस्विनी। सह भ; हसन्तीव हृदयेन विदूयता॥
Thus permitted by both, the renowned (Savitri) with a smiling (countenance) though with a sorrowful heart accompanied her husband (to the woods).
सा वनानि विचित्राणि रमणीयानि सर्वशः। मयूरगणजुष्टानि ददर्श विपुलेक्षणा॥३
And that large-eyed lady beheld, on all sides romantic and charming forests frequented by swarms of peacocks.
नदीः पुण्यवहाश्चैव पुष्पितांश्च नगोत्तमान्। सत्यवानाह पश्येति सावित्री मधुरं वचः॥
And Satyavana said these sweet words to Savitri "behold these streams of sacred waters and these excellent blossoming trees.”
निरीक्षमाणा भर्तारं स्रवावस्थमनिन्दिता। मृतमेव हि भर्तारं काले मुनिवचः स्मरन्॥
That blameless girl, however, began to watch all the movements of her husband; but remembering what the sage (Narada) had said, she considered him as already dead.
अनुव्रजन्ती भर्तारं जगाम मृदुगामिनी। द्विधेष हृदयं कृत्वा तं च कालमवेक्षती॥
With her heart divided into two parts, she (with one of these) replying to her husband and (with the other) awaiting the (fatal) hour, followed him slowly.