Savitri. Part IV.

As still Savitri sat beside     Her husband dying,--dying fast,     She saw a stranger slowly glide     Beneath the boughs that shrunk aghast.     Upon his head he wore a crown     That shimmered in the doubtful light;     His vestment scarlet reached low down,     His waist, a golden girdle dight.     His skin was dark as bronze; his face     Irradiate, and yet severe;     His eyes had much of love and grace,     But glowed so bright, they filled with fear.     A string was in the stranger's hand     Noosed at its end. Her terrors now     Savitri scarcely could command.     Upon the sod beneath a bough,     She gently laid her husband's head,     And in obeisance bent her brow.     "No mortal form is thine,"--she said,     "Beseech thee say what god art thou?     And what can be thine errand here?"     "Savitri, for thy prayers, thy faith,     Thy frequent vows, thy fasts severe,     I answer,--list,--my name is Death.     "And I am come myself to take     Thy husband from this earth away,     And he shall cross the doleful lake     In my own charge, and let me say     To few such honours I accord,     But his pure life and thine require     No less from me." The dreadful sword     Like lightning glanced one moment dire;     And then the inner man was tied,     The soul no bigger than the thumb,     To be borne onwards by his side:--     Savitri all the while stood dumb.     But when the god moved slowly on     To gain his own dominions dim,     Leaving the body there--anon     Savitri meekly followed him,     Hoping against all hope; he turned     And looked surprised. "Go back, my child!"     Pale, pale the stars above them burned,     More weird the scene had grown and wild;     "It is not for the living--hear!     To follow where the dead must go,     Thy duty lies before thee clear,     What thou shouldst do, the Shasters show.     "The funeral rites that they ordain     And sacrifices must take up     Thy first sad moments; not in vain     Is held to thee this bitter cup;     Its lessons thou shall learn in time!     All that thou canst do, thou hast done     For thy dear lord. Thy love sublime     My deepest sympathy hath won.     Return, for thou hast come as far     As living creature may. Adieu!     Let duty be thy guiding star,     As ever. To thyself be true!"     "Where'er my husband dear is led,     Or journeys of his own free will,     I too must go, though darkness spread     Across my path, portending ill,     'Tis thus my duty I have read!     If I am wrong, oh! with me bear;     But do not bid me backward tread     My way forlorn,--for I can dare     All things but that; ah! pity me,     A woman frail, too sorely tried!     And let me, let me follow thee,     O gracious god,--whate'er betide.     "By all things sacred, I entreat,     By Penitence that purifies,     By prompt Obedience, full, complete,     To spiritual masters, in the eyes     Of gods so precious, by the love     I bear my husband, by the faith     That looks from earth to heaven above,     And by thy own great name O Death,     And all thy kindness, bid me not     To leave thee, and to go my way,     But let me follow as I ought     Thy steps and his, as best I may.     "I know that in this transient world     All is delusion,--nothing true;     I know its shows are mists unfurled     To please and vanish. To renew     Its bubble joys, be magic bound     In Maya's network frail and fair,     Is not my aim! The gladsome sound     Of husband, brother, friend, is air     To such as know that all must die,     And that at last the time must come,     When eye shall speak no more to eye     And Love cry,--Lo, this is my sum.     "I know in such a world as this     No one can gain his heart's desire,     Or pass the years in perfect bliss;     Like gold we must be tried by fire;     And each shall suffer as he acts     And thinks,--his own sad burden bear;     No friends can help,--his sins are facts     That nothing can annul or square,     And he must bear their consequence.     Can I my husband save by rites?     Ah, no,--that were a vain pretence,     Justice eternal strict requites.     "He for his deeds shall get his due     As I for mine: thus here each soul     Is its own friend if it pursue     The right, and run straight for the goal;     But its own worst and direst foe     If it choose evil, and in tracks     Forbidden, for its pleasure go.     Who knows not this, true wisdom lacks,     Virtue should be the turn and end     Of every life, all else is vain,     Duty should be its dearest friend     If higher life, it would attain."     "So sweet thy words ring on mine ear,     Gentle Savitri, that I fain     Would give some sign to make it clear     Thou hast not prayed to me in vain.     Satyavan's life I may not grant,     Nor take before its term thy life,     But I am not all adamant,     I feel for thee, thou faithful wife!     Ask thou aught else, and let it be     Some good thing for thyself or thine,     And I shall give it, child, to thee,     If any power on earth be mine."     "Well be it so. My husband's sire,     Hath lost his sight and fair domain,     Give to his eyes their former fire,     And place him on his throne again."     "It shall be done. Go back, my child,     The hour wears late, the wind feels cold,     The path becomes more weird and wild,     Thy feet are torn, there's blood, behold!     Thou feelest faint from weariness,     Oh try to follow me no more;     Go home, and with thy presence bless     Those who thine absence there deplore."     "No weariness, O Death, I feel,     And how should I, when by the side     Of Satyavan? In woe and weal     To be a helpmate swears the bride.     This is my place; by solemn oath     Wherever thou conductest him     I too must go, to keep my troth;     And if the eye at times should brim,     'Tis human weakness, give me strength     My work appointed to fulfil,     That I may gain the crown at length     The gods give those who do their will.     "The power of goodness is so great     We pray to feel its influence     For ever on us. It is late,     And the strange landscape awes my sense;     But I would fain with thee go on,     And hear thy voice so true and kind;     The false lights that on objects shone     Have vanished, and no longer blind,     Thanks to thy simple presence. Now     I feel a fresher air around,     And see the glory of that brow     With flashing rubies fitly crowned.     "Men call thee Yama--conqueror,     Because it is against their will     They follow thee,--and they abhor     The Truth which thou wouldst aye instil.     If they thy nature knew aright,     O god, all other gods above!     And that thou conquerest in the fight     By patience, kindness, mercy, love,     And not by devastating wrath,     They would not shrink in childlike fright     To see thy shadow on their path,     But hail thee as sick souls the light."     "Thy words, Savitri, greet mine ear     As sweet as founts that murmur low     To one who in the deserts drear     With parchd tongue moves faint and slow,     Because thy talk is heart-sincere,     Without hypocrisy or guile;     Demand another boon, my dear,     But not of those forbad erewhile,     And I shall grant it, ere we part:     Lo, the stars pale,--the way is long,     Receive thy boon, and homewards start,     For ah, poor child, thou art not strong."     "Another boon! My sire the king     Beside myself hath children none,     Oh grant that from his stock may spring     A hundred boughs." "It shall be done.     He shall be blest with many a son     Who his old palace shall rejoice."     "Each heart-wish from thy goodness won,     If I am still allowed a choice,     I fain thy voice would ever hear,     Reluctant am I still to part,     The way seems short when thou art near     And Satyavan, my heart's dear heart.     "Of all the pleasures given on earth     The company of the good is best,     For weariness has never birth     In such a commerce sweet and blest;     The sun runs on its wonted course,     The earth its plenteous treasure yields,     All for their sake, and by the force     Their prayer united ever wields.     Oh let me, let me ever dwell     Amidst the good, where'er it be,     Whether in lowly hermit-cell     Or in some spot beyond the sea.     "The favours man accords to men     Are never fruitless, from them rise     A thousand acts beyond our ken     That float like incense to the skies;     For benefits can ne'er efface,     They multiply and widely spread,     And honour follows on their trace.     Sharp penances, and vigils dread,     Austerities, and wasting fasts,     Create an empire, and the blest     Long as this spiritual empire lasts     Become the saviours of the rest."     "O thou endowed with every grace     And every virtue,--thou whose soul     Appears upon thy lovely face,     May the great gods who all control     Send thee their peace. I too would give     One favour more before I go;     Ask something for thyself, and live     Happy, and dear to all below,     Till summoned to the bliss above.     Savitri ask, and ask unblamed."--     She took the clue, felt Death was Love,     For no exceptions now he named,     And boldly said,--"Thou knowest, Lord,     The inmost hearts and thoughts of all!     There is no need to utter word,     Upon thy mercy sole, I call.     If speech be needful to obtain     Thy grace,--oh hear a wife forlorn,     Let my Satyavan live again     And children unto us be born,     Wise, brave, and valiant." "From thy stock     A hundred families shall spring     As lasting as the solid rock,     Each son of thine shall be a king."     As thus he spoke, he loosed the knot     The soul of Satyavan that bound,     And promised further that their lot     In pleasant places should be found     Thenceforth, and that they both should live     Four centuries, to which the name     Of fair Savitri, men would give,--     And then he vanished in a flame.     "Adieu, great god!" She took the soul,     No bigger than the human thumb,     And running swift, soon reached her goal,     Where lay the body stark and dumb.     She lifted it with eager hands     And as before, when he expired,     She placed the head upon the bands     That bound her breast which hope new-fired,     And which alternate rose and fell;     Then placed his soul upon his heart     Whence like a bee it found its cell,     And lo, he woke with sudden start!     His breath came low at first, then deep,     With an unquiet look he gazed,     As one awaking from a sleep     Wholly bewildered and amazed.