and by her
agreeable offices unto all, she pleased everybody. And she gratified her
mother-in-law by attending to her person and by covering her with robes
and ornaments. And she gratified her father-in-law by worshipping him as
a god and controlling her speech. And she pleased her husband by her
honeyed speeches, her skill in every kind of work, the evenness of her
temper, and by the indications of her love in private. And thus, O
Bharata, living in the asylum of those pious dwellers of the forest, they
continued for some time to practise ascetic austerities. But the words
spoken by Narada were present night and day in the mind of the sorrowful
Savitri.'"

SECTION CCLXLIV

"Markandeya said, 'At length, O king, after a long time had passed away,
the hour that had been appointed for the death of Satyavan arrived. And
as the words that had been spoken by Narada were ever present in the mind
of Savitri, she had counted the days as they passed. And having
ascertained that her husband would die on the fourth day following, the
damsel fasted day and night, observing the Triratra vow. And hearing of
her vow, the king became exceedingly sorrow and rising up soothed Savitri
and said these words, 'This vow that thou hast begun to observe, O
daughter of a king, is exceedingly hard; for it is extremely difficult to
fast for three nights together!' And hearing these words, Savitri said,
'Thou needst not be sorry, O father! This vow I shall be able to observe!
I have for certain undertaken this task with perseverance; and
perseverance is the cause of the successful observance of vows.' And
having listened to her, Dyumatsena said, 'I can by no means say unto
thee, Do thou break thy vow. One like me should, on the contrary,
say,--Do thou complete thy vow!' And having said this to her, the
high-minded Dyumatsena stopped. And Savitri continuing to fast began to
look (lean) like a wooden doll. And, O bull of the Bharata race, thinking
that her husband would die on the morrow, the woe-stricken Savitri,
observing a fast, spent that night in extreme anguish. And when the Sun
had risen about a couple of hand Savitri thinking within herself--To-day
is that day, finished her morning rites, and offered oblations to the
flaming fire. And bowing down unto the aged Brahmanas, and her
father-in-law, and mother-in-law, she stood before them with joined
hands, concentrating her senses. And for the welfare of Savitri, all the
ascetics dwelling in