पीड्यमानं जनं वीक्ष्य पितरं दुःखितं तथा । विचिन्त्य शूलभेदं सा सुकन्या चेदमब्रवीत्
Seeing the people afflicted and her father distressed, Sukanya, reflecting on the cause of their suffering, spoke these words.
वने मया पितस्तत्र वल्मीको वीरुधावृतः । क्रीडन्त्या सुदृढो दृष्टश्छिद्रद्वयसमन्वितः
Father, while I was playing in the forest, I saw there an anthill covered with plants, very firm, with two holes.
तत्र खद्योतवद्दीप्तज्योतीषी वीक्षिते मया । सूच्याविद्धे महाराज पुनः खद्योतशङ्कया
There, I saw two shining lights like fireflies; thinking they were fireflies, I pierced them with a needle, O great king.
जलक्लिन्ना तदा सूची मया दृष्टा पितः किल । हाहेति च श्रुतः शब्दो मन्दो वल्मीकमध्यतः
At that time, father, I saw the needle wet with moisture, and I heard a faint cry of 'ha' from within the anthill.
तदाहं विस्मिता राजन्किमेतदिति शङ्कया । न जाने किं मया विद्धं तस्मिन्वल्मीकमण्डले
Then, astonished, I wondered, 'What is this?' I do not know what I pierced in that circle of the anthill.
राजा श्रुत्वा तु शर्यातिः सुकन्यावचनं मृदु । मुनेस्तद्धेलनं ज्ञात्वा वल्मीकं क्षिप्रमभ्यगात्
Hearing Sukanya's gentle words, King Sharyati, realizing the ascetic had been wronged, quickly went to the anthill.
तत्रापश्यत्तपोवृद्धं च्यवनं दुःखितं भृशम् । स्फोटयामास वल्मीकं मुनिदेहावृतं भृशम्
There he saw Cyavana, advanced in austerity, greatly distressed, and he broke open the anthill, which tightly covered the sage's body.
प्रणम्य दण्डवद्भूमौ राजा तं भार्गवं प्रति । तुष्टाव विनयोपेतस्तमुवाच कृताञ्जलिः
Bowing down with his body to the ground before the Bhargava, the king praised him with humility and addressed him with joined palms.
पुत्र्या मम महाभाग क्रीडन्त्या दुष्कृतं कृतम् । अज्ञानाद्बालया ब्रह्मन् कृतं तत्क्षन्तुमर्हसि
O greatly fortunate one, my daughter, while playing, has committed a wrong; O Brahman, it was done by the ignorant child—please forgive it.
अक्रोधना हि मुनयो भवन्तीति मया श्रुतम् । तस्मात्त्वमपि बालायाः क्षन्तुमर्हसि साम्प्रतम्
I have heard that sages are free from anger; therefore, you too should now forgive the girl.
व्यास उवाच - इति श्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य च्यवनो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । विनयोपनतं दृष्ट्वा राजानं दुःखितं भृशम्
Vyasa said: Hearing his words and seeing the king approach with humility, Cyavana, greatly afflicted, spoke.
च्यवन उवाच - राजन्नाहं कदाचिद्वै करोमि क्रोधमण्वपि । न मयाद्यैव शप्तस्त्वं दुहित्रा पीडने कृते
Cyavana said: O king, I never harbor even the slightest anger; nor have I cursed you today for your daughter's act of harm.
नेत्रे पीडा समुत्पन्ना मम चाद्य निरागसः । तेन पापेन जानामि दुःखितस्त्वं महीपते
Today, though I am blameless, pain has arisen in my eyes; by that sin, O king, I know you are suffering.
अपराधं परं कृत्वा देवीभक्तस्य को जनः । सुखं लभेत यदपि भवेत् त्राता शिवः स्वयम्
Who, having committed a great offense against a devotee of the Goddess, could ever find happiness, even if Shiva himself were their protector?
किं करोमि महीपाल नेत्रहीनो जरावृतः । अन्धस्य परिचर्यां च कः करिष्यति पार्थिव
What shall I do, O king, blind and afflicted by old age? Who will attend to a blind man, O ruler?
राजोवाच - सेवका बहवः सेवां करिष्यन्ति तवानिशम् । क्षमस्व मुनिशार्दूल स्वल्पक्रोधा हि तापसाः
The king said: Many servants will attend to you day and night. Forgive, O best of sages, for ascetics are slow to anger.
च्यवन उवाच - अन्धोऽहं निर्जनो राजंस्तपस्तप्तुं कथं क्षमः । त्वदीयाः सेवकाः किं ते करिष्यन्ति मम प्रियम्
Cyavana said: I am blind and alone, O king; how can I endure to perform austerities? What good will your servants do for me?
क्षमापयसि चेन्मां त्वं कुरु मे वचनं नृप । देहि मे परिचर्यार्थं कन्यां कमललोचनाम्
If you wish to appease me, O king, then do as I say: Give me a lotus-eyed maiden to serve me.
तुष्येऽनया महाराज पुत्र्या तव महामते । करिष्यामि तपश्चाहं सा मे सेवां करिष्यति
With your daughter, O wise king, I will be satisfied. I will perform austerities, and she will attend to me.
एवं कृते सुखं मे स्यात्तव चैव भविष्यति । सन्तुष्टे मयि राजेन्द्र सैनिकानां न संशयः
If this is done, happiness will be mine and yours as well. When I am pleased, O king, your soldiers will surely be safe.
विचिन्त्य मनसा भूप कन्यादानं समाचर । न चात्र दूषणं किञ्चित्तापसोऽहं यतव्रतः
Consider in your mind, O king, and give your daughter. There is no fault in this, for I am an ascetic, devoted to vows.
व्यास उवाच - शर्यातिर्वचनं श्रुत्वा मुनेश्चिन्तातुरोऽभवत् । न दास्येऽप्यथवा दास्ये किञ्चिन्नोवाच भारत
Vyasa said: Hearing the sage's words, Sharyati became troubled in mind. He thought, 'I will not give her, or perhaps I will,' but said nothing, O Bharata.
कथमन्धाय वृद्धाय कुरूपाय सुतामिमाम् । देवकन्योपमां दत्त्वा सुखी स्यामात्मसम्भवाम्
How can I, after giving my daughter—equal to a divine maiden—to a blind, old, and unattractive man, be happy with one born of myself?
को वात्मनः सुखार्थाय पुत्र्याः संसारजं सुखम् । हरतेऽल्पमतिः पापो जानन्नपि शुभाशुभम्
Who, for his own happiness, would give his daughter for worldly pleasure? Only a foolish and sinful man would do so, knowing good and evil.
प्राप्य सा च्यवनं सुभ्रूः पञ्चबाणशरार्दिता । अन्धं वृद्धं पतिं प्राप्य कथं कालं नयिष्यति
Having attained Cyavana, the beautiful-browed maiden, pierced by the arrows of Kama, how will she spend her days with a blind and aged husband?
यौवने दुर्जयः कामो विशेषेण सुरूपया । आत्मतुल्यं पतिं प्राप्य किमु वृद्धं विलोचनम्
In youth, desire is hard to resist, especially for one of beauty. Having a husband equal to herself, what of an old, blind one?
गौतमं तापसं प्राप्य रूपयौवनसंयुता । अहल्या वासवेनाशु वञ्चिता वरवर्णिनी
Ahalya, endowed with beauty and youth, having Gautama the ascetic as husband, was deceived by Indra, O fair-complexioned one.
शप्ता च पतिना पश्चाज्ज्ञात्वा धर्मविपर्ययम् । तस्माद्भवतु मे दुःखं न ददामि सुकन्यकाम्
She was cursed by her husband afterwards, upon learning her transgression of dharma. Therefore, let sorrow be mine, but I will not give Sukanya.
इति सञ्चिन्त्य शर्यातिर्विमना स्वगृहं ययौ । सचिवांश्च समादाय मन्त्रं चक्रेऽतिदुःखितः
Thinking thus, Sharyati, distressed, returned to his house, gathered his ministers, and held counsel, greatly troubled.
भो मन्त्रिणो ब्रुवन्त्वद्य किं कर्तव्यं मयाधुना । पुत्री देयाथ विप्राय भोक्तव्यं दुःखमेव वा
O ministers, tell me today what I should do now: Should I give my daughter to the sage, or must I endure sorrow?