o Narad questioned, "whither was Savitri led,
Wherefore to a happy husband hath Savitri not been wed?"

"Nay! to choose her lord and husband," so the virtuous monarch said,
"Fair Savitri long hath wandered and in holy _tirthas_ stayed,

Maiden! speak unto the _rishi_, and thy choice and secret tell!"
Then a blush suffused her forehead, soft and slow her accents fell!

"Listen, father! Salwa's monarch was of old a king of might,
Righteous-hearted Dyumat-sena, feeble now and void of sight,

Foemen robbed him of his kingdom when in age he lost his sight,
And from town and spacious empire was the monarch forced to flight,

With his queen and with his infant did the feeble monarch stray,
And the jungle was his palace, darksome was his weary way.

Holy vows assumed the monarch and in penance passed his life,
In the wild woods nursed his infant and with wild fruits fed his wife,

Years have gone in rigid penance, and that child is now a youth,
Him I choose my lord and husband, Satyavan, Soul of Truth!"

Thoughtful was the _rishi_ Narad, doleful were the words he said:
"Sad disaster waits Savitri if this royal youth she wed!

Truth-beloving is his father, truthful is the royal dame,
Truth and virtue rule his actions, Satyavan is his name,

Steeds he loved in days of boyhood and to paint them was his joy,
Hence they called him young Chitraswa, art-beloving gallant boy!

But O pious-hearted monarch! fair Savitri hath in sooth
Courted Fate and sad disaster in that noble gallant youth!"

"Tell me," questioned Aswapati, "for I may not guess thy thought,
Wherefore is my daughter's action with a sad disaster fraught?

Is the youth of noble lustre, gifted in the gifts of art,
Blest with wisdom, prowess, patience daring, dauntless in his heart?"

"SURYA'S lustre in him shineth," so the _rishi_ Narad said,
"BRIHASPATI'S wisdom dwelleth in the young Satyavan's head,

Like MAHENDRA in his prowess, and in patience like the Earth,
Yet O king! a sad disaster marks the gentle youth from birth!"

"Tell me, _rishi_, then thy reason," so the anxious monarch cried,
"Why to youth so great and gifted may this maid be not allied?

Is Satyavan free in bounty, gentle-hearted, full of grace,
Duly versed in sacred knowledge, fair in mind and fair in face?"

"Free in gifts like Rantideva," so the holy _rishi_ said,
"Versed in lore like monarch Sivi, who all ancient monarchs led,

Like Yayati open-hearted and like CHANDRA in his grace,