Vyāsa (attributed) · Complete work
Chapter 2 (Mahābhārata 3.294)
Chapter 2 (Mahābhārata 3.294) of 8. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
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294.1 युधिष्ठिर उवाच।नात्मानमनुशोचामि नेमान्भ्रातॄन्महामुने।हरणं चापि राज्यस् यथेमां द्रुपदात्मजाम् ।।
294.2 द्यूते दुरात्मभिः क्लिष्टाः कृष्णया तारिता वयम्।जयद्रथेन चपुनर्वनाच्चापि हृता बलात् ।।
294.3 अस्ति सीमन्तिनी काचिद्दृष्टपूर्वाऽपिवा श्रुता।पतिव्रता महाभागा यथेयं द्रुपदात्मजा ।।
294.4 मार्कण्डेय उवाच।शृणु राजन्कुलस्त्रीणां महाभाग्यं युधिष्ठिर।सर्वमेतद्यथाप्राप्तं सावित्र्या राजकन्यया ।।
294.5 आसीन्मद्रेषु धर्मात्मा राजा परमधार्मिकः।ब्रह्मण्यश्चमहात्मा च सत्यसन्धो जितेन्द्रियः ।।
294.6 यज्वा दानपतिर्दक्षः पौरजानपदप्रियः।पार्थिवोऽश्वपतिर्नाम सर्वभूतहिते रतः ।।
294.7 क्षमावाननपत्यश्च सत्यवाग्विजितेन्द्रियः।अतिक्रान्तेन वयसा संतापमुपजग्मिवान् ।।
294.8 अपत्योत्पादनार्थं च तीव्रं नियममास्थितः।काले परिमिताहारो ब्रहमचारी जितेन्द्रियः ।।
294.9 हुत्वा शतसहस्रं स सावित्र्या राजसत्तम।षष्ठेषष्ठे तदाकाले बभूव मितमोजनः ।।
294.10 एतेन नियमेनासीद्वर्षाण्यष्टादशैव तु।पूर्णे त्वष्टादशे वर्षे सावित्री तुष्टिमभ्यगात् ।।
294.11 रूपिणी तु तदा राजन्दर्शयामास तं नृपम्।अग्निहोत्रात्समुत्थाय हर्षेण महताऽन्विता ।।
294.12 उवाच चैनं वरदा वचनं पार्थिवं तदा।सा तमश्वपतिं राजन्सावित्री नियमे स्थितम् ।।
294.13 ब्रह्मचर्येण शुद्धेन दमेन नियमेन रच।सर्वात्मना च भक्त्या च तुष्टाऽस्मि तव पार्थिवाः ।।
294.14 वरं वृणीष्वाश्वपते मद्रराज यदीप्सितम्।न प्रामादश्च धर्मेषु कर्तव्यस्ते कथंचन ।।
294.15 अश्वपतिरुवाच।अपत्यार्थः समारम्भः कृतो धर्मेप्सया मया।पुत्रा मे बहवो देवि भवेयुः कुलभावनाः ।।
294.16 तुष्टाऽसि यदि मे देवि वरमेतं वृणोम्यहम्।संतां परमो धर्म इत्याहुर्मां द्विजातयः ।।
294.17 सावित्र्युवाच।पूर्वमेव मया राजन्नभिप्रायमिमं तव।ज्ञात्वा पुत्रार्थमुक्तो वै भगवांस्ते पितामहः ।।
294.18 प्रसादाच्चैव तस्मात्ते स्वयं विहितवत्यहम्।कन्या तेजस्विनी सौम्य क्षिप्रमेव भविष्यति ।।
294.19 उत्तरं च न ते किंचिद्व्याहर्तव्यं कथंचन।पितामहनियोगेन तुष्टा ह्येतद्ब्रवीमि ते ।।
294.20 स तथेति प्रतिज्ञाय सावित्र्या वचनं नृपः।प्रसादयामास पुनः क्षिप्रमेतद्भविष्यति ।।
294.21 अन्तर्हितायां सावित्र्यां जगाम स्वपुरं नृपः।स्वराज्ये चावसद्बीरः प्रजा धर्मेण पालयन् ।।
294.22 कस्मिंश्चित्तु गते काले स राजा नियतब्रतः।ज्येष्ठायां धर्मचारिण्यां महिष्यां कगर्भमादधे ।।
294.23 राजपुत्र्यास्तु गर्भः स मानव्या भरतर्षभ।व्यर्धतं तदा शुक्ले तारापतिरिवाम्बरे ।।
294.24 प्राप्ते काले तु सुषुवे कन्यां राजीवलोचनाम्।क्रियाश्च तस्या मुदितश्चक्रे च नृपसत्तमः ।।
294.25 सावित्र्या प्रीतया दत्ता साव्त्र्या द्दुतया ह्यपि।सावित्रीत्येव नामास्याश्चक्रुर्विप्रास्तथा पिता ।।
294.26 सा विग्रहवतीव श्रीव्यवर्धत नृपात्मजा।कालेन चापि सा कन्या यौवनस्ता बभूव ह ।।
294.27 तां सुमध्यां पृथुश्रोणीं प्रतिमां काञ्चनीमिव।प्राप्तेयं रदेवकन्येति दृष्ट्वा संमेनिरे जनाः ।।
294.28 तां तु पद्मपलाशाक्षीं ज्वलन्तीमिव तेजसा।न कश्चिद्वरयामास तेजसा प्रतिवारितः ।।
294.29 अथोपोष्य शिरःस्नाता देवतामभिगम्य सा।हुत्वाग्निं विधिवद्विप्रान्वाचयामास पर्वणि ।।
294.30 ततः सुमनसः शेषाः प्रतिगृह्य महात्मनः।पितुः समीपमगमद्देवी श्रीरिव रूपिणी ।।
294.31 साऽभिवाद्य पितुः पादौ शेषाः पूर्वं निवेद्य च।कृताञ्जलिर्वरारोहा नृपतेः पार्श्वमास्थिता ।।
294.32 यौवनस्थां तु तां दृष्ट्वा स्वां सुतां देवरूपिणीम्।अयाच्यमानां च वरैर्नृपतिर्दुःखितोऽभवत् ।।
294.33 राजोवाच।पुत्रि प्रदानकालस्ते न च कश्चिद्वृणोति माम्।स्वयमन्विच्छ भर्तारं गुणैः सदृशमात्मनः ।।
294.34 प्रार्थितः पुरुषो यश्च स निवेद्यस्त्वया मम।विमृश्याहं प्रदास्यामि वरय त्वं यथेप्सितम् ।।
294.35 श्रुतं हि धर्मशास्त्रेषु पठ्यमानं द्विजातिभिः।तथा त्वमपिकल्याणि गदतो मे वचः शृणु ।।
294.36 अप्रदाता पिता वाच्यो वाच्यश्चानुपयन्पतिः।मृते पितरि पुत्रश्च वाच्यो मातुररक्षिता ।।
294.37 इदं मे वचनं क्षुत्वा भर्तुरन्वेषणे न्वर।देवतानां यथा याच्यो न भवेयं तथा कुरु ।।
294.38 एवमुक्त्वा दुहितरं तथा वृद्धांश्च मन्त्रिणः।व्यादिदेशानुयात्रं च गम्यतां चेत्यचोदयत् ।।
294.39 साऽभिवाद्य पितुः पादौ व्रीडितेव मनस्विनी।पितुर्वचनमाज्ञाय निर्जगामाविचारितम् ।।
294.40 सा हैमं रथमास्थाय स्थविरैः सचिवैर्वृता।तपोवनानिरम्याणि राजर्षीणां जगाम ह ।।
294.41 मान्यानां तत्र वृद्धानां कृत्वा पादाभिवादनम्।वनानि क्रमशस्तात सर्वाण्येवाभ्यगच्छत ।।
294.42 एवं तीर्थेषु सर्वेषु धनोत्सर्गं नृपात्मजा।कुर्वी द्विजमुख्यानां तंतं देशं जगाम ह ।।
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the Sanskrit, passage for passage, covering the whole Savitri episode of the Mahabharata (Book 3, chapters 293–300 of the vulgate), 321 verses.
294.1 Yudhishthira said:“I grieve neither for myself nor for these brothers, great sage,nor for the loss of my kingdom, as I grieve for this daughter of Drupada.
294.2 Tormented by wicked men at dice, we were rescued by Krishna;then Jayadratha carried her off by force from the forest.
294.3 Has any noble woman ever been seen or heard ofso faithful to her husband as this daughter of Drupada?”
294.4 Markandeya said:“Hear, Yudhishthira, the great fortune of a woman of noble birth,all that befell the princess Savitri, king.
294.5 In Madra lived a righteous king, devoted above all to dharma,reverent toward brahmins, great-souled, true to his word and master of his senses.
294.6 A sacrificer, generous and capable, beloved of town and countryside,King Ashvapati sought the good of every living being.
294.7 Patient and childless, truthful, master of his senses,as he passed beyond his prime he fell into distress.
294.8 To beget offspring he undertook a severe observance:eating measured meals at appointed times, celibate, his senses subdued.
294.9 He offered a hundred thousand oblations to Savitri, noblest of kings,and ate only a little on every sixth day.
294.10 He kept this observance for eighteen years;at the close of the eighteenth, Savitri was pleased.
294.11 Then, king, she appeared in bodily form before the ruler,rising from the sacrificial fire, filled with great joy.
294.12 The giver of blessings then addressed the king;to Ashvapati, steadfast in his vow, Savitri spoke:
294.13 “By pure celibacy, self-restraint and observance,and wholehearted devotion, you have pleased me, king.
294.14 Choose the blessing you desire, Ashvapati, king of Madra;but never, under any circumstance, neglect your duties of dharma.”
294.15 Ashvapati said:“In desire for dharma I began this undertaking to have children;may I have many sons, goddess, to carry on my line.
294.16 If you are pleased with me, goddess, this is the blessing I choose.The twice-born tell me that offspring are the highest dharma.”
294.17 Savitri said:“I knew your intention already, king, and for sonsI spoke to your divine forefather, Brahma.
294.18 By his favor I myself have ordained this for you:you shall soon have a radiant daughter, gentle king.
294.19 You must raise no objection of any kind.At the forefather's bidding I tell you this, well pleased.”
294.20 The king assented to Savitri's wordsand begged once more that this might come to pass soon.
294.21 When Savitri vanished the king returned to his city;the hero lived in his kingdom, governing his people by dharma.
294.22 After some time the king, faithful to his vow,begot a child in his chief queen, who followed dharma.
294.23 Within that princess from the Manava line, bull of the Bharatas,the child grew like the lord of stars waxing in the bright sky.
294.24 When her time came she bore a lotus-eyed daughter;the delighted king performed the rites for her.
294.25 Because pleased Savitri had granted her, through the Savitri offering,both the priests and her father named her Savitri.
294.26 The king's daughter grew as though Fortune herself had taken shape;in time the girl came into the bloom of youth.
294.27 Slender-waisted, broad-hipped, like a golden image,people saw her and thought, “A daughter of the gods has come.”
294.28 But no one asked for her hand, lotus-petal-eyedand seemingly aflame with splendor: her brilliance held them back.
294.29 One festival day she fasted, bathed her head, approached the deity,made the prescribed fire offering and had the brahmins recite blessings.
294.30 Then the great-souled lady took the remaining flowersand went to her father, like Fortune embodied.
294.31 She bowed at her father's feet and presented the remnants first;then the graceful woman stood beside the king with folded hands.
294.32 Seeing his own godlike daughter grown to womanhood,yet sought by no suitor, the king was grieved.
294.33 The king said:“Daughter, the time has come to give you in marriage, but no one asks me.Seek out for yourself a husband whose virtues match your own.
294.34 Tell me whom you have chosen;after considering him, I shall give you to him. Choose as you wish.
294.35 I have heard the brahmins recite the texts of dharma;listen, dear child, to what I tell you from them.
294.36 A father who fails to give his daughter in marriage is blamed, as is a husband who fails to come to her;and a son who fails to protect his mother when her husband dies is blamed.
294.37 Having heard my words, set out in search of a husband;act so that I need not answer for this before the gods.”
294.38 So he spoke to his daughter, then ordered his aged counselorsto accompany her and bade them go.
294.39 The spirited girl bowed at her father's feet, almost shyly,and, obeying his words, set out without hesitation.
294.40 She mounted a golden chariot, attended by elderly ministers,and traveled to the lovely ascetic groves of royal sages.
294.41 There she bowed at the feet of venerable elders,and, dear king, went through all the forests in turn.
294.42 Giving wealth to eminent brahmins at every sacred ford,the princess traveled from place to place.
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the Sanskrit, covering the whole Savitri episode of the Mahabharata (Book 3, chapters 293–300 of the vulgate), 321 verses.
294.1 Yudhishthira said:“Great sage, I do not grieve for myself or my brothers,or even for the loss of our kingdom, as much as for this daughter of Drupada.
294.2 When evil men tormented us at dice, Draupadi saved us.Then Jayadratha forcibly carried her off from the forest.
294.3 Has anyone ever seen or heard of a married womanas devoted to her husband and as admirable as Drupada's daughter?”
294.4 Markandeya said:“Listen, Yudhishthira, to the story of a remarkable woman of a good family:what happened to the princess Savitri, from beginning to end.
294.5 In Madra there was a king who lived by what was right and was deeply devoted to it.He respected the priests, was generous, kept his word, and controlled his senses.
294.6 He performed sacrifices, gave freely, and was capable and loved by his people.This king was named Ashvapati, and he cared for the welfare of every living being.
294.7 He was patient, spoke truthfully, controlled his senses, but had no children.As he grew older, this caused him distress.
294.8 To have a child, he undertook a strict discipline.He ate a limited amount at set times, lived without sex, and controlled his senses.
294.9 Best of kings, he made a hundred thousand offerings to the goddess Savitri.At that time he ate sparingly, once every sixth day.
294.10 He kept this practice for eighteen years.When the eighteenth year ended, Savitri was pleased.
294.11 King, she appeared in visible form to the king,rising out of the sacrificial fire, filled with great joy.
294.12 The goddess Savitri, who could grant a wish, then spoketo King Ashvapati, who was keeping his religious discipline:
294.13 ‘I am pleased with your chastity, your self-control and observances,and your devotion with your whole being, king.
294.14 Choose whatever gift you want, Ashvapati, king of Madra.But you must never neglect what is right.’
294.15 Ashvapati said:‘To have children, I undertook this practice out of a wish to do what is right.Goddess, may I have many sons to continue my family.
294.16 If you are pleased with me, goddess, that is the gift I choose.The twice-born priests tell me that having children is a person's highest duty.’
294.17 Savitri said:‘King, I knew already that this was your wish,and I spoke to the revered Brahma, the grandfather of all, about your desire for sons.
294.18 With his favor, I myself have arranged this for you.Good man, you will soon have a daughter who shines with strength.
294.19 You must not say anything more in reply.I am pleased, and I tell you this at Brahma's command.’
294.20 The king accepted Savitri's words, saying, ‘So be it.’He again asked for her favor, that this might happen soon.
294.21 When Savitri vanished, the king went back to his city.The brave man lived in his kingdom and ruled his people justly.
294.22 Some time later the king, faithful to his vows,gave his eldest queen, who also lived rightly, a child to carry.
294.23 The child grew in the princess's womb, best of the Bharatas,like the lord of the stars, the moon, growing bright in the sky.
294.24 In due time she gave birth to a lotus-eyed daughter.The excellent king joyfully performed the rites for her.
294.25 Because the pleased goddess Savitri had given the child, and because she was obtained through the Savitri offering,the priests and her father named her Savitri.
294.26 The princess grew as if she were prosperity in human form.In time the girl reached young adulthood.
294.27 When people saw her narrow waist and broad hips, like a golden statue,they thought a daughter of the gods had arrived.
294.28 Though her eyes were like lotus petals and she seemed to shine with energy,no one asked to marry her: her brilliance held them back.
294.29 One festival day, after fasting and washing her hair, she approached the deity,made the prescribed offering in the fire, and had the priests recite blessings.
294.30 Then, carrying the flowers left from the offerings,the noble young woman went to her father, looking like prosperity in person.
294.31 She bowed at her father's feet and first offered him the remaining flowers.Then the beautiful woman stood beside the king with her hands joined.
294.32 The king saw that his own daughter, as lovely as a goddess, had grown upbut no suitor had asked for her. He was distressed.
294.33 The king said:‘Daughter, it is time to give you in marriage, but no one asks me for your hand.Find a husband yourself who matches your good qualities.
294.34 Tell me which man you would like to marry.I will consider him and give you to him. Choose whomever you wish.
294.35 I have heard the priests recite this teaching about what is right.Dear daughter, listen now to what I say.
294.36 A father who does not give his daughter in marriage deserves blame, as does a husband who does not have relations with his wife.When her father dies, a son who fails to protect his mother also deserves blame.
294.37 Having heard me, go and look for a husband.Act so that I will not be blamed before the gods.’
294.38 After speaking to his daughter, he instructed the elderly ministers too.He ordered an escort and urged them to leave.
294.39 She bowed at her father's feet, feeling shy despite her firm mind.Obeying his words, she left without further thought.
294.40 She rode in a golden chariot with the older ministersand visited the pleasant forest retreats of royal sages.
294.41 There she bowed at the feet of the elders worthy of respect.Dear king, she visited all those forests, one after another.
294.42 At every sacred place the princess gave wealthto the leading priests, visiting one region after another.