SECTION –CCLXLI
(Pativrata-mahatmya Parva)
"Yudhishthira said, 'O mighty sage, I do not
so much grieve for myself or these my brothers or the loss of my kingdom as I
do for this daughter of Drupada. When we were afflicted at the game of the dice
by those wicked-souled ones, it was Krishna that delivered us. And she was
forcibly carried off from the forest by Jayadratha. Hast thou even seen or
heard of any chaste and exalted lady that resembleth this daughter of
Drupada?'"
"Markandeya said, 'Listen, O king, how the
exalted merit of chaste ladies, O Yudhishthira, was completely obtained by a
princess named Savitri. There was a king among the Madras, who was virtuous and
highly pious. And he always ministered unto the Brahmanas, and was high-souled
and firm in promise. And he was of subdued senses and given to sacrifices. And
he was the foremost of givers, and was able, and beloved by both the citizens
and the rural population. And the name of that lord of Earth was Aswapati. And
he was intent on the welfare of all beings. And that forgiving (monarch) of
truthful speech and subdued senses was without issue. And when he got old, he
was stricken with grief at this. And with the object of raising offspring, he
observed rigid vows and began to live upon frugal fare, having recourse to the
Brahmacharya mode of life, and restraining his senses. And that best of kings,
(daily) offering ten thousand oblations to the fire, recited Mantras in honour
of Savitri 1 and ate temperately at the sixth hour. And he passed eighteen
years, practising such vows. Then when the eighteen years were full, Savitri
was pleased (with him). And O king, issuing with great delight, in embodied
form, from the Agnihotra fire, the goddess showed herself to that king. And
intent on conferring boons, she spoke these words unto the monarch, 'I have
been gratified, O king, with thy Brahmacharya practices, thy purity and
self-restraint and observance of vows, and all thy endeavours and veneration!
Do thou, O mighty king. O Aswapati, ask for the boon that thou desirest! Thou
ought, however, by no means show any disregard for virtue.' Thereat Aswapati
said, 'It is with the desire of attaining virtue that I have been engaged in
this task. O goddess, may many sons be born unto me worthy of my race! If thou
art pleased with me, O goddess, I ask for this boon. The twice-born ones have
assured me that great merit lieth in having offspring!' Savitri replied, 'O
king, having already learnt this thy intention, I had spoken unto that lord,
the Grandsire, about thy sons. Through the favour granted by the Self-create,
there shall speedily be born unto thee on earth a daughter of great energy. It
behoveth thee not to make any reply. Well-pleased, I tell thee this at the
command of the Grandsire.'
"Markandeya said, 'Having accepted Savitri's
words and saying, 'So be it!' the king again gratified her and said, 'May this
happen soon!' On Savitri vanishing away, the monarch entered his own city. And
that hero began to live in his kingdom, ruling his subjects righteously. And
when some time had elapsed, that king, observant of vows, begat offspring on
his eldest queen engaged in the practice of virtue. And then, O bull of the
Bharata race, the embryo in the womb of the princess of Malava increased like the
lord of stars in the heavens during the lighted fortnight. And when the time
came, she brought forth a daughter furnished with lotus-like eyes. And that
best of monarchs, joyfully performed the usual ceremonies on her behalf. And as
she had been bestowed with delight by the goddess Savitri by virtue of the
oblations offered in honour of that goddess, both her father, and the Brahmanas
named her Savitri. And the king's daughter grew like unto Sree herself in an
embodied form. And in due time, that damsel attained her puberty. And beholding
that graceful maiden of slender waist and ample hips, and resembling a golden
image, people thought, 'We have received a goddess.' And overpowered by her
energy, none could wed that girl of eyes like lotus-leaves, and possessed of a
burning splendour.'
'And it came to pass that once on the occasion of
a parva, having fasted and bathed her head, she presented herself before the
(family) deity and caused the Brahmanas to offer oblations with due rites to
the sacrificial fire. And taking the flowers that had been offered to the god,
that lady, beautiful as Sree herself, went to her high-souled sire. And having
reverenced the feet of her father and offering him the flowers she had brought,
that maiden of exceeding grace, with joined hands, stood at the side of the
king. And seeing his own daughter resembling a celestial damsel arrived at
puberty, and unsought by people, the king became sad. And the king said,
'Daughter, the time for bestowing thee is come! Yet none asketh thee. Do thou
(therefore) thyself seek for a husband equal to thee in qualities! That person
who may be desired by thee should be notified to me. Do thou choose for thy
husband as thou listest. I shall bestow thee with deliberation. Do thou, O
auspicious one, listen to me as I tell thee the words which I heard recited by
the twice-born ones. The father that doth not bestow his daughter cometh by
disgrace. And the husband that knoweth not his wife in her season meeteth with
disgrace. And the son that doth not protect his mother when her husband is
dead, also suffereth disgrace. Hearing these words of mine, do thou engage
thyself in search of a husband. Do thou act in such a way that we may not be
censured by the gods!'
"Markandeya said, 'Having said these words to
his daughter and his old counsellors, he instructed the attendants to follow
her, saying,--Go!
Thereat, bashfully bowing down unto her father's
feet, the meek maid went out without hesitation, in compliance with the words of
her sire. And ascending a golden car, she went to the delightful asylum of the
royal sages, accompanied by her father's aged counsellors. There, O son,
worshipping the feet of the aged ones, she gradually began to roam over all the
woods. Thus the king's daughter distributing wealth in all sacred regions,
ranged the various places belonging to the foremost of the twice-born
ones.'"
Footnotes
570:1 Also called Gayatri, the wife of Brahma.
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