takest them away, not according to thy will.
Therefore it is, O god, O divine one, that people
call thee Yama! Do thou listen to the words that
I say! The eternal duty of the good towards all
creatures is never to injure them in thought, word,
and deed, but to bear them love and give them their
due. As regards this world, everything here is
like this (husband of mine). Men are destitute
of both devotion and skill. The good, however,
show mercy to even their foes when these seek their
protection. Yama said, ’As water to the
thirsty soul, so are these words uttered by thee to
me! Therefore, do thou, O fair lady, if thou
will, once again ask for any boon except Salyavana’s
life!’ At these words Savitri replied, That lord
of earth, my father, is without sons. That he
may have a hundred sons begotten of his loins, so
that his line may be perpetuated, is the third boon
I would ask of thee!’ Yama said, Thy sire, O
auspicious lady, shall obtain a hundred illustrious
sons, who will perpetuate and increase their father’s
race! Now, O daughter of a king, thou hast obtained
thy wish. Do thou desist! Thou hast come
far enough.’ Savitri said, ’Staying
by the side of my husband, I am not conscious of the
length of the way I have walked. Indeed, my mind
rusheth to yet a longer way of. Do thou again,
as thou goest on, listen to the words that I will
presently utter! Thou art the powerful son of
Vivaswat. It is for this that thou art called
Vaivaswata by the wise. And, O lord, since thou
dealest out equal law unto all created things, thou
hast been designated the lord of justice! One
reposeth not, even in one’s own self, the confidence
that one doth in the righteous. Therefore, every
one wisheth particularly for intimacy with the righteous.
It is goodness of heart alone that inspireth the confidence
of all creatures. And it is for this that people
rely particularly on the righteous.’ And
hearing these words, Yama said, ’The words that
thou utterest, O fair lady, I have not heard from any
one save thee; I am highly pleased with this speech
of thine. Except the life of Satyavan, solicit
thou, therefore, a fourth boon, and then go thy way!’
Savitri then said, ’Both of me and Satyavan’s
loins, begotten by both of us, let there be a century
of sons possessed of strength and prowess and capable
of perpetuating our race! Even this is the fourth
boon that I would beg of thee!’ Hearing these
words of hers, Yama replied, ’Thou shalt, O
lady, obtain a century of sons, possessed of strength
and prowess, and causing thee great delight, O daughter
of a king, let no more weariness be thine! Do
thou desist! Thou hast already come too far!’
Thus addressed, Savitri said, ’They that are
righteous always practise eternal morality! And
the communion of the pious with the pious is never
fruitless! Nor is there any danger to the pious
from those that are pious. And verily it is the
righteous who by their truth make the Sun move in
the heaven. And it is the righteous that support