Returning

That very night Dyumatsena's sight returned, and the next morning word came that his lost kingdom had been won back too — every one of Savitri's boons came true

A night's search

Meanwhile, at the hermitage, Dyumatsena suddenly regained his sight, and could see everything once more. Along with his wife Shaivya, he went searching for his son through all the neighbouring hermitages, deeply distressed. All through that night the old couple searched the woods, rivers, and streams, and at every sound they raised their heads, thinking — "There, Satyavan comes, with Savitri!" Their feet grew torn and bleeding, pierced by thorns and blades of kusha grass. At last the Brahmins of that hermitage found them and brought them, comforted, back to their own dwelling.

There, surrounded by elderly ascetics, Dyumatsena and Shaivya were consoled with stories of kings of former times. Yet remembering their son's younger days, they grew sorrowful again and again, lamenting — "Alas, son! Alas, chaste daughter-in-law! Where are you?" Then a truthful Brahmin named Suvarchas said — "Considering Savitri's austerity, self-restraint, and conduct, there is no doubt that Satyavan lives!" The sage Gautama said — "I have studied all the Vedas, and gained great ascetic merit through celibacy and austerity. By this very merit I am able to know the doings of others — take it as certain that Satyavan lives." Other sages, each in their own way, said the same — that by Savitri's own auspicious marks, her austerity, and her having gone out herself after completing her vow, there was no doubt Satyavan lived.

Return

Amid this very comfort, in the night itself, Savitri arrived at the hermitage with her husband Satyavan, her heart full of joy. The Brahmins said — "Your son's return, together with your own restored sight — this is a threefold good fortune arriving together, my king! From now your prosperity will grow swiftly." Lighting a fire, the Brahmins sat before Dyumatsena and asked, curious — "Why did you return so late, in the depths of this night? What delayed you?"

Satyavan said — "With my father's leave I went to the forest with Savitri. There, while chopping wood, I felt a sharp pain in my head, and fell into a deep sleep — that is all I remember. I have never slept so long before." The sage Gautama said — "You do not know how your father's sight was so suddenly restored. It falls to Savitri to tell us this. Savitri, tell us truly — if it need not be kept a secret." At these words Savitri said — "It is just as you suppose. I have no secret to keep. Hear the truth, then. The illustrious Narada had foretold my husband's death — today was the appointed day. I could not bear to be parted from my husband's company. After he fell asleep, Yama, accompanied by his messengers, came before him, bound him, and began to take him away toward the realm of the ancestors. I praised that great god with true words, and he granted me five boons, which I will now tell you. For my father-in-law I obtained two — the restoration of his sight, and of his kingdom. My father too has obtained a hundred sons. And I myself have obtained a hundred sons. And my husband Satyavan has obtained a life of four hundred years. It was for my husband's life that I kept that vow. This, in full, is how this great misfortune of mine turned afterward into happiness." The sages said — "Chaste lady of excellent conduct, observant of vows and virtue, sprung from an illustrious line — by you has the race of this foremost of kings, sinking in an ocean of darkness, been rescued." Praising and honouring her, the sages there assembled bade farewell to the king and his son, and, with peaceful and cheerful hearts, returned to their own dwellings.

The kingdom returns

When the night had passed and the sun had risen, those ascetics, having performed their morning rites, gathered together once more. Though they had already spoken again and again of Savitri's great fortune, they were still not satisfied. Then, a large group of people arrived at the hermitage from the Shalva country, bringing news — Dyumatsena's enemy, who had earlier seized his kingdom, had been slain by his own minister. His army had scattered, and the subjects, now of one mind, said — "Sighted or not, he alone shall be our king!" They said — "We have been sent to you with this resolve. This chariot, and this army of four divisions, have come for you. Good fortune to you, king! Come — you have been proclaimed in the city. Take once more the seat that belonged to your father and grandfather!" Seeing the king restored to sight and strength, they bowed their heads in wonder.

Honouring the elders and Brahmins of the hermitage, Dyumatsena, now sighted and strong, set out for his city. Shaivya, with Savitri, travelled beside him, borne along with the army in a fine litter. The priests then installed Dyumatsena upon the throne with due rites, and declared his son Satyavan crown prince. After a long time had passed, Savitri gave birth to a hundred valiant sons, who carried forward the glory of the Shalva line. And Ashvapati too was granted a hundred sons by Malavi, who became known as the Malavas.

Markandeya closed the story, saying — "Yudhishthira, just as Savitri raised herself, her parents, her parents-in-law, and her husband's whole line out of this misfortune, so too will Draupadi, by her own excellent character, rescue all of you."

Vaishampayana adds that on hearing these words from Markandeya, Yudhishthira's worry was relieved, and he continued to live in the Kamyaka forest. And a closing blessing is given for this story too — whoever hears the story of Savitri with reverence attains happiness and success, and is kept free from sorrow.

Note: This episode is given at length in Ganguli's translation — Dyumatsena's return of sight, the night-long search, the sages' comfort (Suvarchas, Gautama, and the others, each with their own reasoning), and the next morning's news of the kingdom's return, all appear exactly as written in the original. The "banyan tree" does not appear anywhere in this original episode — it belongs to the later Vat Savitri vow tradition, which survives to this day. A small textual note is also worth recording here — in the direct account of the event, Yama comes alone, and Savitri asks him why he came in person instead of sending his messengers; but later, retelling the event to the sages, Savitri herself says Yama came accompanied by his messengers. Both statements appear exactly as written in Ganguli's translation; both are kept here. The English dialogue lines are flowing paraphrases of the Sanskrit verses, not word-for-word translations.

Source: Mahabharata, Vana Parva — Pativrata-mahatmya Parva, Returning