The faithful wife follows him closely. Yama bids her go home and perform the funeral rites; but she persists in following, till Yama, pleased with her devotion, grants her any boon she pleases, except the life of her husband. She chooses that her husband's father, who is now blind, may recover his sight. Yama consents, and bids her now return home. Still she persists in following. Two other boons are granted in the same way, and still Savitri follows closely on the heels of the king of death. At last, overcome by her constancy, Yama grants a boon without exception. The delighted Savitri exclaims:

"Nought, mighty king, this time hast thou excepted: let my husband live;
Without him I desire not happiness, nor even heaven itself;
Without him I must die.' 'So be it, faithful wife,' replied the king of death:
Thus I release him;' and with that he loosed the cord that bound his soul."

Amongst the many names by which Yama is known, the following are the most common:--

Dharmaraja, "King of righteousness."

Pitripati, "Lord of the fathers."

Samavurti, "He who judges impartially."

Kritanta, "The finisher."

Samana, "The leveller."

Kala, "Time."

Dandadhara, "He who carries the rod."

Sraddhadeva, "The god of funeral ceremonies."

Vaivasvata, "The son of Vivasvata."

Antaka, "He who puts an end to life."

Footnotes

^79:* Muir, O. S. T., v. 289.

^79:+ Ibid., v. 284.

^80:* Muir, O. S. T., v. 302.

^80:+ Ibid., v. 302 ff.

^81:* Muir, O. S. T., v. 327.

^82:* "Vishnu Purana," p. 207, note.

^82:+ Ibid., p. 286.

^84:* "Indian Wisdom," p. 395.