मयाऽटन्त्येह वल्मीके दृष्टं सत्वमभिज्वलत्। खद्योतवदभिज्ञातं तन्मया विद्धमन्तिकात्
While I was wandering here near the anthill, I saw a radiant being, shining like a firefly, and I recognized it and struck it from close by.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु वल्मीकं शर्यातिस्तूर्णमभ्ययात्। तत्रापशय्त्तपोवृद्धं चन्द्रादित्यसमप्रभम्
Hearing this, Sharyati quickly approached the anthill and there saw a sage, advanced in austerity, shining with the brilliance of the moon and sun.
अयाचदथ सैन्यार्थं प्राञ्जलिः पृथिवीपतिः। अज्ञानाद्बालया यत्ते कृतं तत्क्षन्तुमर्हसि
With joined palms, the king asked for forgiveness and for the sage's support in battle, saying, 'What my daughter did was out of ignorance and childishness; you ought to forgive it.'
ततोऽब्रवीन्महीपालं च्यवनो भार्गवस्तदा। अपमानादहं विद्धो ह्यनया दर्पपूर्णया
Then Cyavana, the descendant of Bhrigu, said to the king, 'I have been insulted by this girl, filled with pride.'
रूपौदार्यसमायुक्तां लोभमोहबलात्कृताम्। तामेव प्रतिगृह्याहं राजन्दुहितरं तव। क्षंस्यामीति महीपाल सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते
She is endowed with beauty and nobility, but acted out of greed and delusion; therefore, O king, I will accept your daughter herself, and by doing so, I will forgive her—this is the truth I speak to you.
ऋषेर्वचनमाज्ञाय शर्यातिरविचारयन्। ददौ दुहितरं तस्मै च्यवनाय महात्मने
Hearing the sage's words, Sharyati, without hesitation, gave his daughter to the great-souled Cyavana.
प्रतिगृह्य च तां कन्यां भगवान्प्रससाद ह। प्राप्तप्रसादौ राजा वै ससैन्यः पुरमाव्रजत्
And having accepted the maiden, the venerable sage was appeased; the king, now at peace, returned to his city with his army.
सुकन्याऽपि पतिं लब्ध्वा तपस्विनमनिन्दिता। नित्यं पर्यचरत्प्रीत्या तपसा नियमेन च
Sukanya, faultless, having gained her ascetic husband, served him always with devotion, austerity, and discipline.
अग्नीनामतीथीनां च शुश्रूषुनसूयिका। समाराधयत क्षिप्रं च्यवनं सा शुभानना
Eager to serve the sacred fires and guests, free from jealousy, that beautiful-faced woman quickly pleased Cyavana.
कस्य चित्त्वथ कालस्य त्रिदशावश्विनौ नृप। कृताभिषेकां विवृतां सुकन्यां तामपश्यताम्
After some time, O king, the two Ashvins, lords among the gods, saw Sukanya, adorned and radiant, moving about.
तां दृष्ट्वा दर्शनीयाङ्गीं देवराजसुतामिव। ऊचतुः समभिद्रुत्य नासत्यावश्विनाविदम्
Seeing her, whose limbs were lovely, like the daughter of the king of gods, the Ashvins approached her and spoke these words:
कस्य त्वमसि वामोरु वनेऽस्मिन्किं करोषि च। इच्छाव भद्रे ज्ञातुं त्वां तत्वमाख्याहि शोभने
'Who are you, slender-thighed one, and what are you doing in this forest? We wish to know the truth about you, O beautiful one—tell us, lovely lady.'
ततः सुकन्या संवीता तावुवाच सुरोत्तमौ। शर्यातितनयां वित्तं भार्यां मां च्यवनस्य च
Then Sukanya, modestly veiled, spoke to those two divine ones: 'Know me as the daughter of Sharyati and the wife of Cyavana.'
नाम्ना चाहं सुकन्येति नृलोकेऽस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठिता। साऽहंसर्वात्मना नित्यं भर्तारमनुवर्तिनी
'By name I am Sukanya, renowned in this world of men; I am ever devoted to my husband with all my heart.'
अथाश्विनौ प्रहस्यैतामब्रूतां पुनरेव तु। कथं त्वमसि कल्याणि पित्रा दत्ताऽऽगता वने
Then the Ashvins, smiling, again spoke to her: 'How is it, blessed one, that you, given by your father, have come to dwell in the forest?'
भ्राजसेऽस्मिन्वने भीरु विद्युत्सौदामनी यथा। न देवेष्वपि तुल्यां हि त्वया पश्याव भामिनि
'You shine in this forest, timid one, like a flash of lightning; even among the gods we see none equal to you, O beautiful lady.'
अनाभरणसंपन्ना परमाम्बरवर्जिता। शोभयस्यधिकं भद्रे वनमप्यनलंकृता
'Though you are without ornaments and dressed in simple garments, you enhance the forest all the more, O gentle one, even unadorned.'
सर्वाभरणसंपनना परमाम्वरधारिणी। शोभेथास्त्वनवद्याङ्गि न त्वेवं मलपङ्किनी
'Adorned with all ornaments and wearing the finest garments, you would shine, flawless one, but not so, covered in dust and dirt.'
कस्मादेवंविधा भूत्वा जराजर्जरितं पतिम्। त्वमुपास्से ह कल्याणि कामभोगबहिष्कृतम्
Why, having such a form, do you serve as your husband this old man, worn down by age, O fortunate one, who is deprived of all pleasures of desire?
असमर्थं परित्राणे पोषणे तु शुचिस्मिते। सा त्वं च्यवनमुत्सृज्यवरयस्वैकमावयोः
He is unable to protect or provide for you, O pure-smiling one; so abandon Cyavana and choose one of us as your husband.
पत्यर्थं देवगर्भाभे मा वृथा यौवनं कृथाः। एवमुक्ता सुकन्याऽपि सुरौ ताविदमब्रवीत्
Do not waste your youth, which is like that of a goddess, for the sake of a husband; thus addressed, Sukanya spoke these words to the two gods.
रताऽहं च्यवने पत्यौ मैवं मां पर्यशङ्कतम्। तावब्रूतां पुनस्त्वेनामावां देवभिषग्वरौ
I am devoted to my husband Cyavana; do not suspect me in this way; the two then again spoke to her, saying, 'We are the divine physicians.'
युवानं रूपसंपन्नं करिष्यावः पतिं तव। ततस्तस्यावयोश्चैव वृणीष्वान्यतमं पतिम्। एतेन समयेनैनमामन्त्रय पतिं शुभे
We will make your husband young and endowed with beauty; then, among the three of us, choose whichever one you wish as your husband; with this agreement, address your husband, O auspicious one.
सा तयोर्वचनाद्राजन्नुपसंगम्य भार्गवम्। उवाच वाक्यं यत्ताभ्यामुक्तं भृगुसुतं प्रति
Then, by their words, O king, she approached the Bhargava and spoke to the son of Bhrigu what had been said by them.
तच्छ्रुत्वा च्यवनो भार्यामुवाच क्रियतामिति। `सा भर्त्रा समनुज्ञाता क्रियतामित्यथाब्रवीत्
Hearing this, Cyavana said to his wife, 'Let it be done'; thus permitted by her husband, she said, 'Let it be done.'
श्रुत्वा तदश्विनौ वाक्यं तस्यास्तत्क्रियतामिति'। ऊचतू राजपुत्रीं तां पतिस्तव विशत्वपः
Hearing her words, the two Ashvins said, 'Let it be done'; they told the princess, 'Let your husband enter the water.'
ततोऽम्भश्च्यवनः शीघ्रं रूपार्थी प्रविवेश ह। अश्विनावपि तद्राजन्सरः प्राविशतां तदा
Then Cyavana, desiring beauty, quickly entered the water; and the two Ashvins, O king, also entered that lake at that time.
ततो मुहूर्तादुत्तीर्णाः सर्वे ते सरसस्त्रयः। दिव्यरूपधराः सर्वे युवानो मृष्टकुण्डलाः। तुल्यवेषधराश्चैव मनसः प्रीतिवर्धनाः
Then, after a moment, all three emerged from the lake, bearing divine forms, all young, adorned with shining earrings, dressed alike, and increasing delight in the heart.
तेऽब्रुवन्सहिताः सर्वे वृणीष्वान्यतमं शुभे। अस्माकमीप्सितं भद्रे पतित्वे वरवर्णिनि
All of them together said, 'Choose whichever one you wish, O auspicious one; it is our desire, O beautiful one, that you select one of us as your husband.'
त्वमश्विनोरन्यतरं च्यवनं वा यशस्विनि'। यत्र वाऽप्यभिकामाऽसि तं वृणीष्व सुशोभने
You may choose either one of the Ashvins or Cyavana, O illustrious lady; select whomever you desire, O beautiful one.