The oldest known version of the story of Savitri and Satyavan is found in Vana Parva ("The Book of the Forest") of the Mahabharata.
The story occurs as multiple embedded narratives in the Mahabharata as told by sage Markandeya. When Yudhishthira asks Markandeya whether there has ever been a woman whose devotion matched Draupadi’s, Markandeya replies by relating this story.
The childless king of Madra Kingdom, Asvapati, lives ascetically for many years and offers oblations to Sun God Savitr. His consort is Malavi. He wishes to have a son for his lineage. Finally, pleased by the prayers, God Savitr appears to him and grants him a boon: he will soon have a daughter. The king is joyful at the prospect of a child. She is born and named Savitri in honor of the god. Savitri is born out of devotion and asceticism, traits she will herself practice.
Savitri is so beautiful and pure, she intimidates all the men in the vicinity. When she reaches the age of marriage, no man asks for her hand, so her father tells her to find a husband on her own. She sets out on a pilgrimage for this purpose and finds Satyavan, the son of a blind king named Dyumatsena of Salwa Kingdom, who, after he lost everything including his sight, lives in exile as a forest-dweller.
itsumo itsu no hi mo ataetemoratte bakari de
namida ga koboresou ureshii kara
hitorijanai koto wakatta
tojite miru hitomi ima made kiseki to tomo ni
kakasenai egao natsukashii koe
kimitachi de sugu afuretekuru
toki ni wakariaezu komaraseta ne
demo ne honki de mukiattekureta
arigatou no kotoba kokoro kara
hibikase okuru yo to your heart
nanika ga utsurikawaru toki sa
coming out of my shell ima koko de tobitatsu
oshietekureta the meaning of your love
toki o koe
irodorareru yo
sotto ano hi no boku ni tsubuyaita
yume wo kanaerukoto ga dekita yo to
koko kara itsumademo utagoe de
omoi wo todokete yuku kara
because of you ima koko ni boku wa ikiteiru
zutto honki de mukiattekureta
arigatou no kotoba kokoro kara
hibikase okuru yo to your heart