Matsya Purana 208: adhyāyaḥ 208

208.1

pativratāmāhātmye sāvitryupākhyānam.
sūta uvāca.
tataḥ sa rājā deveśaṃ papracchāmitavikramaḥ.
pativratānāṃ māhātmyaṃ tatsambandhāṃ kathāmapi .. 208.1 ..

Sûta said:—"King Vivasvata Manu requested the Lord to explain to him the glory of the Pativratâ-ladies (chaste and virtuous ladies) and on other subjects"—1

208.2

manuruvāca.
pativratānāṃ kā śreṣṭhā kayā mṛtyuḥ parājitaḥ .
nāmasaṅkīrtanaṃ kasyāḥ kīrtanīyaṃ sadā naraiḥ .. 208.2 ..

Manu said:—"Among the chaste ladies who is the best? Who has subdued death? Whose name should the people recite every day? Pray tell me all this, their glory is the dispeller of all sins"—2

208.3

matsya uvāca.
vailomyaṃ dharmarājo'pi nācaratyatha yoṣitām.
pativratānāṃ dharmajña! pūjyāstasyāpi tāḥ sadā .. 208.3 ..

Matsya said:—"Even the Dharmarâja does not dare to do anything against the wishes of the virtuous and chaste ladies who are worthy of being venerated by Him"—3

208.4

atra te varṇayiṣyāmi kathāṃ pāpapraṇāśinīm.
yathā vimokṣito bharttā mṛtyupāśādyataḥ striyā .. 208.4 ..

"I shall now relate to you on this point a story which drives away all sin as a virtuous lady saved her lord from the meshes of death Hear'—4

208.5

madreṣu śākalo rājā babhūvāśvapatiḥ purā.
aputrastapyamāno'sau putrārthī sarvakāmadām .. 208.5 ..

"In the country of Madra there was in ancient times a king named Śakala Aśvapati With the object of begetting progeny he began to adore Sâvitrî The Brâhmanas began to pour offerings of white sesamums into the fire daily, when ten months passed and Sâvitrî Devi became pleased and appeared before the king, and said 'King! you are my constant devotee I shall give you a progeny A beautiful daughter will be born to you by My favour' Saying so She vanished, and afterwards Mâlatî, the virtuous queen of that king, gave birth to a daughter handsome like Sâvitrî The king then said to the Brâhmanas This daughter has been born by the favour of Sâvitrî and she should therefore be named Sâvitrî'—5 11

208.6

ārādhayati sāvitrīṃ lakṣito'sau dvijottamaiḥ.
siddhārthakairhūyamānāṃ sāvitrīṃ pratyahaṃ dvijaiḥ .. 208.6 ..

208.7

śatasaṃkhyaiścaturthyāntu daśamāsāgate dine.
kāle tu darśayāmāsa svāntanuṃ manujeśvaram .. 208.7 ..

208.8

sāvitryuvāca.
rājan! bhakto'si me nityaṃ dāsyāmi tvāṃ sutāṃ sadā.
tāṃ dattāṃ matprasādena putrīṃ prāpsyasi śobhanām .. 208.8 ..

208.9

etāvaduktvā sā rājñaḥ praṇatasyaiva pārthiva!.
jagāmādarśanaṃ devī yathā vai nṛpa! cañcalā .. 208.9 ..

208.10

mālatī nāma tasyāsīdrājñaḥ patnī pativratā.
suṣuve tanayāṃ kāle sāvitrīmiva rūpataḥ .. 208.10 ..

208.11

sāvitryāhūtayā dattā tadrūpasadṛśī tathā.
sāvitrī ca bhavatveṣā jagāda nṛpatirdvijān.. 208.11 ..

208.12

kālena yauvanaṃ prāptā dadau satyavate pitā.
nāradastu tataḥ prāha rājānaṃ dīptatejasam .. 208.12 ..

"Afterwards the girl grew young and she was promised to Satyavâna. At the same time Nârada came and told the king 'King! Satyavâna with whom you think of marrying your daughter will die within a year' The king then said to himself 'I have already resolved to give my daughter to one particular person and under the circumstances I shall not change my determination' With that mind he gave her away to Satyavâna, the son of Dyumatı Sen Sâvitrî on becoming his wife became anxious on the recollection of the verdict of Nârada and began to devoutfully serve her lord and her father in law and mother in law Her blind father in law was deprived of his kingdom and resided with his son and his son's wife in the forest Sâvitrî served them with great care and they were greatly satisfied—12 16

208.13

saṃvatsareṇa kṣīṇāyuḥ bhaviṣyati tṛpātmajaḥ.
sakṛtkanyāḥ pradīyante cintayitvā narādhipaḥ .. 208.13 ..

208.14

tathāpi pradadau kanyāṃ dyumatsenātmaje śubhe.
sāvitryāpi ca bhartāramāsādya nṛpamandire .. 208.14 ..

208.15

nāradasya tu vākyena dūyamānena cetasā.
śuśrūṣāṃ paramāṃ cakre bhartṛśvaśurayorvane .. 208.15 ..

208.16

rājyād bhraṣṭaḥ sabhāryastu naṣṭacakṣurnarādhipaḥ.
na tutoṣa samāsādya rājaputrīṃ tathā snuṣām .. 208.16 ..

208.17

caturthe'hani martavyaṃ tathā satyavatā dvijāḥ!.
śvaśureṇābhyanujñātā tadā rājasutāpi sā .. 208.17 ..

In the meantime only four days remained for Satyavâna to die when Sâvitrî with the permission of her father in law kept up a fast for three nights On the fourth day Satvavana went to fetch flowers and fruits from the forest with his father's permission, when Sâvitrî also with her father in law s permission followed him there In the forest oppressed with the overwhelming grief of her lord s approaching death she in order not to disclose her mind began to ask her lord the names of the various trees and flowers Satyavâna began to point out to his distressed consort the principal forest trees birds and animals —17 21

208.18

cakre trirātraṃ dharmajñā prāpte tasmiṃstadā dine.
cārupuṣpaphalāhāraḥ satyavāṃstu yayau vanam .. 208.18 ..

208.19

śvaśureṇābhyanujñātā yācanā bhaṅgabhīruṇā.
sāvitryapi jagāmārtā saha bhartrā mahadvanam .. 208.19 ..

208.20

cetasā dūyamānena gūhamānā mahad bhayam.
vane papraccha bhartāraṃ drumāścāsadṛśāṃstathā .. 208.20 ..

208.21

āśvāsayāmāsa sa rājaputrīṃ klāntāṃ vane padmaviśālanetrām.
sandarśanenātha drumadvijānāntathā mṛgāṇāṃ vipine nṛvīraḥ .. 208.21 ..