The
beautiful Savitri then rose and tying up her hair, raised her husband in
her arms. And Satyavan having risen, rubbed his limbs with his hands.
And as he surveyed all around, his eyes fell upon his wallet. Then
Savitri said unto him, "Tomorrow thou mayst gather fruits. And I shall
carry thy axe for thy ease." Then hanging up the wallet upon the bough
of a tree, and taking up the axe, she re-approached her husband. And
that lady of beautiful thighs, placing her husband's left arm upon her
left shoulder, and embracing him with her right arms, proceeded with
elephantic gait. Then Satyavan said, "O timid one, by virtue of habit,
the (forest) paths are known to me. And further, by the light of the
moon between the trees, I can see them. We have now reached the same
path that we took in the morning for gathering fruits. Do thou, O
auspicious one, proceed by the way that we had come: thou needst not any
longer feel dubious about our path. Near that tract overgrown with
_Palasa_ tree, the way diverges into two. Do thou proceed along the path
that lies to the north of it. I am now well and have got back my
strength. I long to see my father and mother!" Saying this Satyavan
hastily proceeded towards the hermitage.'"

SECTION CCLXLVI

"Markandeya said, 'Meanwhile the mighty Dyumatsena, having regained his
sight, could see everything. And when his vision grew clear he saw
everything around him. And, O bull of the Bharata race, proceeding with
his wife Saivya to all the (neighbouring) asylums in search of his son,
he became extremely distressed on his account. And that night the old
couple went about searching in asylums, and rivers, and woods, and
floods. And whenever they heard any sound, they stood rising their
heads, anxiously thinking that their son was coming, and said, "O yonder
cometh Satyavan with Savitri!" And they rushed hither and thither like
maniacs, their feet torn, cracked, wounded, and bleeding, pierced with
thorns and _Kusa_ blades. Then all the Brahmanas dwelling in that
hermitage came unto them, and surrounding them on all sides, comforted
them, and brought them back to their own asylum. And there Dyumatsena
with his wife surrounded by aged ascetics, was entertained with stories
of monarchs of former times. And although that old couple desirous of
seeing their son, was comforted, yet recollecting the youthful days of
their son, they became exceedingly sorry. And afflicted with grief, they
began to lament i