Savitri. Part I Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABCDCDEDED FGFGHGHGHIHI JKJKLMLNOPOP QRSRCECETLTL UVUVWXWXYZYZ A2KA2KB2C2B2C2D2HD2H E2BE2BF2GF2GEG2EG2 MH2NH2LBI2BJ2K2J2K2 L2M2L2N2O2QO2QP2Q2P2 Q2 R2S2R2S2T2U2T2U2V2W2 V2W2 QHQHX2Y2X2Y2Z2Y2Z2Y2 A3X2A3B3C3QC3QD3AD3A MW2NW2Y2HY2HM2Y2M2Y2 K2E3K2E3VE3VE3F3GF3G E3E3E3E3QQQQLE3LE3 G3E3G3E3H3QH3QN2D2M2 D2 QI3QI3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3 E3 J3K3J3K3E3M2E3M2M2L3 M2L3 E3D2E3D2E3E3E3E3M2QM 2Q QTQTM3QM3QQQQQ N3O3N3O3E3M2E3M2QM2Q M2 P3E3Q3E3R3SR3SRS3RT3Savitri was the only child | A |
Of Madra's wise and mighty king | B |
Stern warriors when they saw her smiled | A |
As mountains smile to see the spring | B |
Fair as a lotus when the moon | C |
Kisses its opening petals red | D |
After sweet showers in sultry June | C |
With happier heart and lighter tread | D |
Chance strangers having met her past | E |
And often would they turn the head | D |
A lingering second look to cast | E |
And bless the vision ere it fled | D |
- | |
What was her own peculiar charm | F |
The soft black eyes the raven hair | G |
The curving neck the rounded arm | F |
All these are common everywhere | G |
Her charm was this upon her face | H |
Childlike and innocent and fair | G |
No man with thought impure or base | H |
Could ever look the glory there | G |
The sweet simplicity and grace | H |
Abashed the boldest but the good | I |
God's purity there loved to trace | H |
Mirrored in dawning womanhood | I |
- | |
In those far off primeval days | J |
Fair India's daughters were not pent | K |
In closed zenanas On her ways | J |
Savitri at her pleasure went | K |
Whither she chose and hour by hour | L |
With young companions of her age | M |
She roamed the woods for fruit or flower | L |
Or loitered in some hermitage | N |
For to the Munis gray and old | O |
Her presence was as sunshine glad | P |
They taught her wonders manifold | O |
And gave her of the best they had | P |
- | |
Her father let her have her way | Q |
In all things whether high or low | R |
He feared no harm he knew no ill | S |
Could touch a nature pure as snow | R |
Long childless as a priceless boon | C |
He had obtained this child at last | E |
By prayers made morning night and noon | C |
With many a vigil many a fast | E |
Would Shiva his own gift recall | T |
Or mar its perfect beauty ever | L |
No he had faith he gave her all | T |
She wished and feared and doubted never | L |
- | |
And so she wandered where she pleased | U |
In boyish freedom Happy time | V |
No small vexations ever teased | U |
Nor crushing sorrows dimmed her prime | V |
One care alone her father felt | W |
Where should he find a fitting mate | X |
For one so pure His thoughts long dwelt | W |
On this as with his queen he sate | X |
Ah whom dear wife should we select | Y |
Leave it to God she answering cried | Z |
Savitri may herself elect | Y |
Some day her future lord and guide | Z |
- | |
Months passed and lo one summer morn | A2 |
As to the hermitage she went | K |
Through smiling fields of waving corn | A2 |
She saw some youths on sport intent | K |
Sons of the hermits and their peers | B2 |
And one among them tall and lithe | C2 |
Royal in port on whom the years | B2 |
Consenting shed a grace so blithe | C2 |
So frank and noble that the eye | D2 |
Was loth to quit that sun browned face | H |
She looked and looked then gave a sigh | D2 |
And slackened suddenly her pace | H |
- | |
What was the meaning was it love | E2 |
Love at first sight as poets sing | B |
Is then no fiction Heaven above | E2 |
Is witness that the heart its king | B |
Finds often like a lightning flash | F2 |
We play we jest we have no care | G |
When hark a step there comes no crash | F2 |
But life or silent slow despair | G |
Their eyes just met Savitri past | E |
Into the friendly Muni's hut | G2 |
Her heart rose opened had at last | E |
Opened no flower can ever shut | G2 |
- | |
In converse with the gray haired sage | M |
She learnt the story of the youth | H2 |
His name and place and parentage | N |
Of royal race he was in truth | H2 |
Satyavan was he hight his sire | L |
Dyoumatsen had been Salva's king | B |
But old and blind opponents dire | I2 |
Had gathered round him in a ring | B |
And snatched the sceptre from his hand | J2 |
Now with his queen and only son | K2 |
He lived a hermit in the land | J2 |
And gentler hermit was there none | K2 |
- | |
With many tears was said and heard | L2 |
The story and with praise sincere | M2 |
Of Prince Satyavan every word | L2 |
Sent up a flush on cheek and ear | N2 |
Unnoticed Hark The bells remind | O2 |
'Tis time to go she went away | Q |
Leaving her virgin heart behind | O2 |
And richer for the loss A ray | Q |
Shot down from heaven appeared to tinge | P2 |
All objects with supernal light | Q2 |
The thatches had a rainbow fringe | P2 |
The cornfields looked more green and bright | Q2 |
- | |
Savitri's first care was to tell | R2 |
Her mother all her feelings new | S2 |
The queen her own fears to dispel | R2 |
To the king's private chamber flew | S2 |
Now what is it my gentle queen | T2 |
That makes thee hurry in this wise | U2 |
She told him smiles and tears between | T2 |
All she had heard the king with sighs | U2 |
Sadly replied I fear me much | V2 |
Whence is his race and what his creed | W2 |
Not knowing aught can we in such | V2 |
A matter delicate proceed | W2 |
- | |
As if the king's doubts to allay | Q |
Came Narad Muni to the place | H |
A few days after Old and gray | Q |
All loved to see the gossip's face | H |
Great Brahma's son adored of men | X2 |
Long absent doubly welcome he | Y2 |
Unto the monarch hoping then | X2 |
By his assistance clear to see | Y2 |
No god in heaven nor king on earth | Z2 |
But Narad knew his history | Y2 |
The sun's the moon's the planets' birth | Z2 |
Was not to him a mystery | Y2 |
- | |
Now welcome welcome dear old friend | A3 |
All hail and welcome once again | X2 |
The greeting had not reached its end | A3 |
When glided like a music strain | B3 |
Savitri's presence through the room | C3 |
And who is this bright creature say | Q |
Whose radiance lights the chamber's gloom | C3 |
Is she an Apsara or fay | Q |
No son thy servant hath alas | D3 |
This is my one my only child | A |
And married No The seasons pass | D3 |
Make haste O king he said and smiled | A |
- | |
That is the very theme O sage | M |
In which thy wisdom ripe I need | W2 |
Seen hath she at the hermitage | N |
A youth to whom in very deed | W2 |
Her heart inclines And who is he | Y2 |
My daughter tell his name and race | H |
Speak as to men who best love thee | Y2 |
She turned to them her modest face | H |
And answered quietly and clear | M2 |
Ah no ah no It cannot be | Y2 |
Choose out another husband dear | M2 |
The Muni cried or woe is me | Y2 |
- | |
And why should I When I have given | K2 |
My heart away though but in thought | E3 |
Can I take back Forbid it Heaven | K2 |
It were a deadly sin I wot | E3 |
And why should I I know no crime | V |
In him or his Believe me child | E3 |
My reasons shall be clear in time | V |
I speak not like a madman wild | E3 |
Trust me in this I cannot break | F3 |
A plighted faith I cannot bear | G |
A wounded conscience Oh forsake | F3 |
This fancy hence may spring despair | G |
- | |
It may not be The father heard | E3 |
By turns the speakers and in doubt | E3 |
Thus interposed a gentle word | E3 |
Friend should to friend his mind speak out | E3 |
Is he not worthy tell us Nay | Q |
All worthiness is in Satyavan | Q |
And no one can my praise gainsay | Q |
Of solar race more god than man | Q |
Great Soorasen his ancestor | L |
And Dyoumatsen his father blind | E3 |
Are known to fame I can aver | L |
No kings have been so good and kind | E3 |
- | |
Then where O Muni is the bar | G3 |
If wealth be gone and kingdom lost | E3 |
His merit still remains a star | G3 |
Nor melts his lineage like the frost | E3 |
For riches worldly power or rank | H3 |
I care not I would have my son | Q |
Pure wise and brave the Fates I thank | H3 |
I see no hindrance no not one | Q |
Since thou insistest King to hear | N2 |
The fatal truth I tell you I | D2 |
Upon this day as rounds the year | M2 |
The young Prince Satyavan shall die | D2 |
- | |
This was enough The monarch knew | Q |
The future was no seal d book | I3 |
To Brahma's son A clammy dew | Q |
Spread on his brow he gently took | I3 |
Savitri's palm in his and said | E3 |
No child can give away her hand | E3 |
A pledge is nought unsanction d | E3 |
And here if right I understand | E3 |
There was no pledge at all a thought | E3 |
A shadow barely crossed the mind | E3 |
Unblamed it may be clean forgot | E3 |
Before the gods it cannot bind | E3 |
- | |
And think upon the dreadful curse | J3 |
Of widowhood the vigils fasts | K3 |
And penances no life is worse | J3 |
Than hopeless life the while it lasts | K3 |
Day follows day in one long round | E3 |
Monotonous and blank and drear | M2 |
Less painful were it to be bound | E3 |
On some bleak rock for aye to hear | M2 |
Without one chance of getting free | M2 |
The ocean's melancholy voice | L3 |
Mine be the sin if sin there be | M2 |
But thou must make a different choice | L3 |
- | |
In the meek grace of virginhood | E3 |
Unblanched her cheek undimmed her eye | D2 |
Savitri like a statue stood | E3 |
Somewhat austere was her reply | D2 |
Once and once only all submit | E3 |
To Destiny 'tis God's command | E3 |
Once and once only so 'tis writ | E3 |
Shall woman pledge her faith and hand | E3 |
Once and once only can a sire | M2 |
Unto his well loved daughter say | Q |
In presence of the witness fire | M2 |
I give thee to this man away | Q |
- | |
Once and once only have I given | Q |
My heart and faith 'tis past recall | T |
With conscience none have ever striven | Q |
And none may strive without a fall | T |
Not the less solemn was my vow | M3 |
Because unheard and oh the sin | Q |
Will not be less if I should now | M3 |
Deny the feeling felt within | Q |
Unwedded to my dying day | Q |
I must my father dear remain | Q |
'Tis well if so thou will'st but say | Q |
Can man balk Fate or break its chain | Q |
- | |
If Fate so rules that I should feel | N3 |
The miseries of a widow's life | O3 |
Can man's device the doom repeal | N3 |
Unequal seems to be a strife | O3 |
Between Humanity and Fate | E3 |
None have on earth what they desire | M2 |
Death comes to all or soon or late | E3 |
And peace is but a wandering fire | M2 |
Expediency leads wild astray | Q |
The Right must be our guiding star | M2 |
Duty our watchword come what may | Q |
Judge for me friends as wiser far | M2 |
- | |
She said and meekly looked to both | P3 |
The father though he patient heard | E3 |
To give the sanction still seemed loth | Q3 |
But Narad Muni took the word | E3 |
Bless thee my child 'Tis not for us | R3 |
To question the Almighty will | S |
Though cloud on cloud loom ominous | R3 |
In gentle rain they may distil | S |
At this the monarch Be it so | R |
I sanction what my friend approves | S3 |
All praise to Him whom praise we owe | R |
My child shall wed the youth she loves | T3 |
Toru Dutt
(1)
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