Shloka 12

Dharma-pratyabhijñāna and Vara-pradāna (धर्मप्रत्यभिज्ञानम्—वरप्रदानम्)

Devanagari script

अवैधव्याशिषस्ते तु सावित्र्यर्थ हिता: शुभा: । ऊचुस्तपस्विन: सर्वे तपोवननिवासिन:,उस तपोवनमें रहनेवाले सभी तपस्वियोंने सावित्रीके लिये अवैधव्यसूचक-- सौभाग्यवर्धक, शुभ और हितकर आशीर्वाद दिये

Transliteration

avaidhavyāśiṣas te tu sāvitrī-arthaṁ hitāḥ śubhāḥ | ūcus tapaspvinaḥ sarve tapovana-nivāsinaḥ ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya said: Then all the ascetics dwelling in that forest of austerities spoke auspicious and beneficial blessings for Sāvitrī—blessings that signified freedom from widowhood and the increase of her good fortune. In the ethical frame of the episode, the community of the righteous affirms and protects a woman’s marital well-being through words grounded in tapas and goodwill.

Word by Word

अवैधव्याशिषःblessings for non-widowhood (auspicious blessings)

तेthey

तुbut/indeed

सावित्रिto/for Savitri

अर्थेfor the sake/purpose

हिताःbeneficial

शुभाःauspicious

ऊचुःsaid/uttered

तपस्विनःascetics

सर्वेall

तपोवननिवासिनःdwellers in the penance-grove (forest hermitage)

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Sāvitrī

tapovana (forest hermitage)

tapaspvinaḥ (ascetics)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Words spoken by the disciplined and virtuous—grounded in tapas and goodwill—are portrayed as ethically potent: they uphold dharma, confer auspiciousness, and support the welfare of others, especially in protecting marital well-being.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya narrates that the ascetics living in the forest hermitage offer Sāvitrī auspicious, beneficial benedictions—specifically blessings implying she will not face widowhood—foreshadowing her steadfast dharmic resolve in the larger Savitri narrative.