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?
विचारयध्वं मिलिता हितं स्यान्मम वै कथम् । मन्त्रिण ऊचुः - किं ब्रूमोऽस्मिन्महाराज सङ्कटेऽतिदुरासदे
Deliberate together and decide what is best for me. The ministers said: What can we say, O king, in this dire and difficult situation?
दुर्भगाय सुकन्यैषा कथं देयातिसुन्दरी । व्यास उवाच - तदा चिन्ताकुलं वीक्ष्य पितरं मन्त्रिणस्तदा
How can this exceedingly beautiful Sukanya be given to one so unfortunate? Vyasa said: Seeing the father troubled, the ministers were likewise distressed.
सुकन्या त्विङ्गितं ज्ञात्वा प्रहस्येदमुवाच ह । पितः कस्माद्भवानद्य चिन्ताव्याकुलितेन्द्रियः
But Sukanya, perceiving his distress, smiled and spoke these words: 'Father, why are you today so troubled and your senses so agitated?'
मत्कृते दुःखसंविग्नो विषण्णवदनोऽसि वै । अहं गत्वा मुनिं तत्र समाश्वास्य भयार्दितम्
'Because of me, you are overwhelmed by sorrow and your face is cast down. I will go to the sage there and comfort him, who is afflicted by fear.'
करिष्यामि प्रसन्नं तं आत्मदानेन वै पितः । इति राजा वचः श्रुत्वा भाषितं यत्सुकन्यया
'Father, I will make him pleased by offering myself, truly.' Hearing these words spoken by Sukanya—
तामुवाच प्रसन्नात्मा सचिवानां च शृण्वताम् । कथं पुत्रि त्वमन्धस्य परिचर्यां वनेऽबला
The king, his mind calmed, spoke to her in the presence of his ministers: 'Daughter, how will you, a young woman, serve a blind man in the forest?'
करिष्यसि जरार्तस्य क्रोधनस्य विशेषतः । कथमन्धाय चानेन रूपेण रतिसन्निभाम्
'How will you care for one old with age, especially one prone to anger? And how, with your beauty, will you give yourself to this blind man, as if to a beloved?'
ददामि जरया ग्रस्तदेहाय सुखवाञ्छया । पित्रा पुत्री प्रदातव्या वयोज्ञातिबलाय च
'How can I give you, desiring your happiness, to one whose body is consumed by old age? A daughter should be given by her father to one who is of suitable age and strength.'
धनधान्यसमृद्धाय नाधनाय कदाचन । क्व ते रूपं विशालाक्षि क्वासौ वृद्धो वनेचरः
'To one rich in wealth and grain, never to a poor man. Where is your beauty, O wide-eyed one, and where is that old forest-dweller?'
कथं देया मया पुत्री तस्मै नातिवराय च । उटजे नियतं वासो यस्य नित्यं मनोहरे
'How can I give my daughter to him, who is not an excellent match? His dwelling is always in a hut, though charming.'