Bark Garments

A princess removed all her ornaments and put on garments of bark, and began serving among the ascetics of the forest — knowing already when her husband would die

A wedding in the forest

Ashvapati summoned elderly Brahmins and priests, and on an auspicious day set out with his daughter for Dyumatsena's hermitage. There he found the blind king seated on a cushion of kusha grass beneath a sala tree. After duly offering him water, a seat, and a cow, Dyumatsena asked — "What is the purpose of your visit?"

Ashvapati explained his wish — "This is my daughter, Savitri. O knower of morality, accept her, according to the custom of our order, as your daughter-in-law." Dyumatsena said — "Deprived of our kingdom, living in these woods, we lead the life of ascetics. How will your daughter, raised in a palace, bear the hardship of this forest?" Ashvapati answered — "My daughter knows, as well as I do, that happiness and sorrow come and go. Such words are not fitting from one such as me. I have come here having made up my mind, bowing to you in friendship — do not destroy my hope. You are my equal in every way, as I am yours." Dyumatsena said — "I too had wished for this alliance before, but hesitated after losing my kingdom. Let that old wish be fulfilled today. You are a welcome guest to me."

Summoning all the twice-born dwelling in that forest, the two kings had the marriage performed with due rites. Having given his daughter fine robes and ornaments, Ashvapati returned to his own kingdom with a joyful heart. The moment her father departed, Savitri removed all her ornaments, and put on garments of bark and cloth dyed red.

Service, and a hidden memory

Savitri pleased everyone with her service, her virtues, her tenderness, and her self-denial. She served her mother-in-law with robes and ornaments, worshipped her father-in-law as a god, and kept a careful check on her speech. She pleased her husband with sweet words, her skill in every task, her evenness of temper, and the private signs of her love. In this way, living in the hermitage of those forest-dwellers, they continued their life of ascetic austerity. But Narada's words stayed present, day and night, in sorrowful Savitri's mind.

The three-night vow

After a long time had passed, the appointed hour for Satyavan's death drew near. Narada's words had never left Savitri's mind, and she had been counting the days as they passed. Having reckoned that her husband would die on the fourth day following, she began the Triratra vow — a fast kept continuously through three nights.

Hearing of her vow, Dyumatsena grew deeply sorrowful. He rose and comforted Savitri, saying — "This vow you have taken, daughter, is exceedingly hard — to fast through three nights together is very difficult." Savitri answered — "Do not be sorrowful, father. I shall be able to keep this vow. I have undertaken this task with firm resolve, and it is perseverance that carries a vow to its completion." Hearing this, Dyumatsena said — "I cannot tell you to break your vow. One like me should instead say — complete your vow." And having said this, he fell silent.

Fasting on, Savitri grew as lean as a wooden doll. Knowing that her husband would die on the morrow, she spent that sorrowful night in anguish.

Note: This episode is clear in Ganguli's translation — the exchange between Dyumatsena and Ashvapati, the wedding, Savitri setting aside her ornaments, and the three-night Triratra vow all appear exactly as written. Savitri worked out on her own, by counting the days, that her husband would die on the fourth day — this too is directly from the text. The English dialogue lines are flowing paraphrases of the Sanskrit verses, not word-for-word translations.

Source: Mahabharata, Vana Parva — Pativrata-mahatmya Parva, Bark Garments