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.'"

SECTION CCLXLII

"Markandeya continued, 'On one occasion, O Bharata, when that king, the
lord of the Madras, was seated with Narada in the midst of his court,
engaged in conversation, Savitri, accompanied by the king's counsellors,
came to her father's abode after having visited various sacred regions
and asylums. And beholding her father seated with Narada, she worshipped
the feet of both by bending down her head. And Narada then said, 'Whither
had this thy daughter gone? And, O king, whence also doth she come? Why
also dost thou not bestow her on a husband, now that she hath arrived at
the age of puberty?' Aswapati answered, saying, 'Surely it was on this
very business that she had been sent, and she returneth now (from her
search). Do thou, O celestial sage, listen, even from her as to the
husband she hath chosen herself!'

"Markandeya continued, 'Then the blessed maid, commanded by her father
with the words,--Relate everything in detail,--