The Ill Omens on Savitri's Approach to the Sacrifice

Verse 1 (skanda.6.191.1)

ऋषय ऊचुः । सूतपुत्र त्वया प्रोक्तं सावित्री नागता च यत् । कौटिल्येन समायुक्तैराहूता वचनैस्तथा । पुलस्त्येन पुनश्चैव प्रसक्ता गृहकर्मणि

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ sūtaputra tvayā proktaṁ sāvitrī nāgatā ca yat kauṭilyena samāyuktairāhūtā vacanaistathā pulastyena punaścaiva prasaktā gṛhakarmaṇi

The sages said: "O son of Suta, you have told us how Savitri did not arrive, being summoned by words full of deceit, and remained engrossed once more in household work through Pulastya's errand,"

Verse 2 (skanda.6.191.2)

ततस्तु ब्रह्मणा कोपाद्गायत्री च समाहृता । देवैर्विप्रेश्चे साऽतीव शंसिता भार्यतां गता

tatastu brahmaṇā kopādgāyatrī ca samāhṛtā devairvipreśce sā'tīva śaṁsitā bhāryatāṁ gatā

"and how then, out of Brahma's anger, Gayatri was brought instead, and she, greatly praised by the gods and the brahmins, became his wife."

Verse 3 (skanda.6.191.3)

सावित्री च कथं जाता तां ज्ञात्वा यज्ञमण्डपे । पत्नीशालां प्रविष्टां च सर्वं नो विस्तराद्वद

sāvitrī ca kathaṁ jātā tāṁ jñātvā yajñamaṇḍape patnīśālāṁ praviṣṭāṁ ca sarvaṁ no vistarādvada

"But how Savitri came to be born — tell us this; and, learning of it, [her] entering the yajna-pavilion and the wives' hall — tell us all of this in full."

Verse 4 (skanda.6.191.4)

सूत उवाच । सावित्री वशगं कांतं ज्ञात्वा विश्वासमागता । स्थिरा भूत्वा तदा सर्वा देवपत्नीः समानयत्

sūta uvāca sāvitrī vaśagaṁ kāṁtaṁ jñātvā viśvāsamāgatā sthirā bhūtvā tadā sarvā devapatnīḥ samānayat

Suta said: Savitri, knowing her husband to be under another's sway, grew apprehensive; then, having steadied herself, she gathered together all the wives of the gods —

Verse 5 (skanda.6.191.5)

गौरी लक्ष्मीः शची मेधा तथा चैवाप्यरुन्धती । स्वधा स्वाहा तथा कीतिर्बुद्धिः पुष्टिः क्षमा धृतिः । तथा चान्याश्च बहवो ह्यप्सरोभिः समन्विताः

gaurī lakṣmīḥ śacī medhā tathā caivāpyarundhatī svadhā svāhā tathā kītirbuddhiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣamā dhṛtiḥ tathā cānyāśca bahavo hyapsarobhiḥ samanvitāḥ

Gauri, Lakshmi, Shachi, Medha, and also Arundhati, Svadha, Svaha, and Kirti, Buddhi, Pushti, Kshama, Dhriti, and many others besides, together with the Apsarases —

Verse 6 (skanda.6.191.6)

घृताची मेनका रंभा उर्वशी च तिलोत्तमा । अप्सराणां गणाः सर्वे समाजग्मुर्द्विजोत्तमाः

ghṛtācī menakā raṁbhā urvaśī ca tilottamā apsarāṇāṁ gaṇāḥ sarve samājagmurdvijottamāḥ

Ghritachi, Menaka, Rambha, Urvashi, and Tilottama — all the hosts of Apsarases gathered there, O best of brahmins.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.191.7)

सा ताभिः सहिता देवीपूर्णहस्ताभिरेव च । संप्रहृष्टमनोभिश्च प्रस्थिता मण्डपं प्रति

sā tābhiḥ sahitā devīpūrṇahastābhireva ca saṁprahṛṣṭamanobhiśca prasthitā maṇḍapaṁ prati

She, accompanied by them, their hands filled with offerings, their minds filled with joy, set out toward the pavilion.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.191.8)

वाद्यमानेषु वाद्येषु गीतध्वनियुतेषु च । गन्धर्वाणां प्रमुख्यानां किन्नराणां विशेषतः

vādyamāneṣu vādyeṣu gītadhvaniyuteṣu ca gandharvāṇāṁ pramukhyānāṁ kinnarāṇāṁ viśeṣataḥ

While every kind of instrument was played, filled with the sound of song, especially that of the foremost Gandharvas and Kinnaras —

Verse 9 (skanda.6.191.9)

प्रस्थिता सा महाभागा यावत्तद्यज्ञमण्डपम् । तावत्तस्यास्तदा चक्षुः प्रास्फुरद्दक्षिणं मुहुः

prasthitā sā mahābhāgā yāvattadyajñamaṇḍapam tāvattasyāstadā cakṣuḥ prāsphuraddakṣiṇaṁ muhuḥ

as that fortunate lady set out, by the time she reached the yajna-pavilion, her right eye had begun to throb again and again.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.191.10)

अपसव्यं मृगाश्चक्रुस्तथान्येऽपि खगादयः । विपर्यस्तेन संयाति शब्दान्कुर्वंति चासकृत्

apasavyaṁ mṛgāścakrustathānye'pi khagādayaḥ viparyastena saṁyāti śabdānkurvaṁti cāsakṛt

Deer circled toward her inauspicious side, and other birds too; going along a reversed path, they cried out again and again.

Verse 11 (skanda.6.191.11)

दक्षिणानि तथाऽङ्गानि स्फुरमाणानि वै मुहुः। तस्या मनसि संक्षोभं जनयति निरर्गलम्

dakṣiṇāni tathā'ṅgāni sphuramāṇāni vai muhuḥ tasyā manasi saṁkṣobhaṁ janayati nirargalam

Her right limbs, too, throbbed repeatedly; this produced an unchecked turmoil in her mind.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.191.12)

ताश्च देवस्त्रियः सर्वा नृत्यंति च हसंति च । गायंति च यथोत्साहं तस्याः पार्श्वे व्यवस्थिताः

tāśca devastriyaḥ sarvā nṛtyaṁti ca hasaṁti ca gāyaṁti ca yathotsāhaṁ tasyāḥ pārśve vyavasthitāḥ

And all those wives of the gods danced and laughed and sang, as their enthusiasm moved them, standing there at her side.

Verse 13 (skanda.6.191.13)

न जानंति च संक्षोभं तथा शकुनजं हृदि । अन्योन्यस्पर्द्धया सर्वा गीतनृत्यपरायणाः

na jānaṁti ca saṁkṣobhaṁ tathā śakunajaṁ hṛdi anyonyasparddhayā sarvā gītanṛtyaparāyaṇāḥ

But they did not perceive the turmoil, born of these omens, within her heart; all of them, vying with one another, remained absorbed in song and dance,

Verse 14 (skanda.6.191.14)

अहंपूर्वमहंपूर्वं प्रविशामि महामखे । इत्यौत्सुक्यसमोपेतास्ता गच्छंति तदा पथि

ahaṁpūrvamahaṁpūrvaṁ praviśāmi mahāmakhe ityautsukyasamopetāstā gacchaṁti tadā pathi

[each crying] "I first! I first! Let me enter the great sacrifice first!" — thus, filled with eagerness, they went along on that road.