प्रतिगृह्य मुनिः कन्यां प्रसन्नो भार्गवोऽभवत् । पारिबर्हं न जग्राह दीयमानं नृपेण ह
Having accepted the maiden, the sage became pleased; Bhargava did not take the gifts offered by the king.
कन्यामेवाग्रहीत्कामं परिचर्यार्थमात्मनः । प्रसन्नेऽस्मिन्मुनौ जातं सैनिकानां सुखं तदा
He took only the maiden, as he wished, for his own service; with the sage thus satisfied, the soldiers too found happiness at that time.
राज्ञश्च परमाह्लादः सञ्जातस्तत्क्षणादपि । दत्त्वा पुत्रीं यदा राजा गमनाय गृहं प्रति
And the king too felt supreme joy at that very moment, when, having given his daughter, he prepared to return home.
मतिं चकार तवङ्गी तदोवाच नृपं सुता । सुकन्योवाच - गृहाण मम वासांसि भूषणानि च मे पितः
Then, O king, your daughter made up her mind and spoke: Sukanya said— 'Father, take my garments and ornaments.'
वल्कलं परिधानाय प्रयच्छाजिनमुत्तमम् । वेषं तु मुनिपत्नीनां कृत्वा तपसि सेवनम्
'Give me bark-cloth to wear and a fine deerskin; I will adopt the attire of a sage's wife and engage in austerities.'
करिष्यामि तथा तात यथा ते कीर्तिरच्युता । भविष्यति भुवः पृष्ठे तथा स्वर्गे रसातले
'I will act in such a way, father, that your fame will remain undying on earth, in heaven, and in the netherworld.'
परलोकसुखायाहं चरिष्यामि दिवानिशम् । दत्त्वान्धाय च वृद्धाय सुन्दरीं युवतीं तु माम्
'For the sake of happiness in the next world, I will serve day and night; having given me, a beautiful young woman, to an old and blind man—'
चिन्ता त्वया न कर्तव्या शीलनाशसमुद्भवा । अरुन्धती वसिष्ठस्य धर्मपत्नी यथा भुवि
'You should not worry, for anxiety leads to ruin; I will be on earth like Arundhati, the virtuous wife of Vasiṣṭha.'
तथैवाहं भविष्यामि नात्र कार्या विचारणा । अनसूया यथा साध्वी भार्यात्रेः प्रथिता भुवि
'In the same way, I will be; there is no need for doubt in this. I will be like Anasūyā, the renowned chaste wife of Atri on earth.'
तथैवाहं भविष्यामि पुत्री कीर्तिकरी तव । सुकन्यावचनं श्रुत्वा राजा परमधर्मवित्
'So too will I be, your daughter, a bringer of fame to you.' Hearing Sukanya's words, the king, who knew the highest dharma—
दत्त्वाजिनं रुरोदाशु वीक्ष्य तां चारुहासिनीम् । त्यक्त्वा भूषणवासांसि मुनिवेषधरां सुताम्
—gave her the deerskin and wept at once, seeing her with her lovely smile, leaving behind her ornaments and garments, his daughter now dressed in the garb of a sage's wife.
विवर्णवदनो भूत्वा स्थितस्तत्रैव पार्थिवः । राज्ञ्यः सर्वाः सुतां दृष्ट्वा वल्कलाजिनधारिणीम्
The king stood there, his face drained of color, having seen his daughter wearing bark and deerskin.
रुरुदुर्भृशशोकार्ता वेपमाना इवाभवन् । तामापृच्छ्य महीपालो मन्त्रिभिः परिवारितः । ययौ स्वनगरं राजन् मुक्त्वा पुत्रीं शुचार्पिताम्
All the queens, seeing the princess clad in bark and deerskin, wept in deep sorrow and trembled; after taking leave of her, the king, surrounded by his ministers, departed for his own city, leaving behind his daughter, filled with grief.
अश्विनीकुमारयोः सुकन्यां प्रति बोधवचनवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच - गते राजनि सा बाला पतिसेवापरायणा । बभूव च तथाग्नीनां सेवने धर्मतत्परा
Vyāsa said: When the king had departed, that young girl devoted herself to serving her husband and became equally devoted to tending the sacred fires.
फलान्यादाय स्वादूनि मूलानि विविधानि च । ददौ सा मुनये बाला पतिसेवापरायणा
She gathered sweet fruits and various roots and gave them to the sage, ever devoted to serving her husband.
पतिं तप्तोदकेनाशु स्नापयित्वा मृगत्वचा । परिवेष्ट्य शुभायां तु बृस्यां स्थापितवत्यपि
She quickly bathed her husband with heated water, wrapped him in a deerskin, and seated him on a clean mat.
तिलान् यवकुशानग्रे परिकल्प्य कमण्डलुम् । तमुवाच नित्यकर्म कुरुष्व मुनिसत्तम
She prepared sesame seeds, barley, and sacred grass in front, set out the water pot, and said to him, 'Perform your daily rites, O best of sages.'
तमुत्थाप्य करे कृत्वा समाप्ते नित्यकर्मणि । बृस्यां वा संस्तरे बाला भर्तारं संन्यवेशयत्
Having raised him up and taken his hand, when the daily rites were completed, the young wife settled her husband on the mat or bedding.
पश्चादानीय पक्वानि फलानि च नृपात्मजा । भोजयामास च्यवनं नीवारान्नं सुसंस्कृतम्
Afterwards, the princess brought ripe fruits and served Cyavana well-cooked nivāra rice.
भुक्तवन्तं पतिं तृप्तं दत्त्वाचमनमादरात् । पश्चाच्च पूगं पत्राणि ददौ चादरसंयुता
When her husband had eaten and was satisfied, she respectfully gave him water for rinsing, and then, with devotion, offered betel leaves.
गृहीतमुखवासं तं संवेश्य च शुभासने । गृहीत्वाऽऽज्ञां शरीरस्य चकार साधनं ततः
Having refreshed his mouth, she seated him on an auspicious seat, and, after receiving his permission, began her own bodily preparations.
फलाहारं स्वयं कृत्वा पुनर्गत्वा च सन्निधौ । प्रोवाच प्रणयोपेता किमाज्ञापयसे प्रभो
After taking her meal of fruits, she returned to his presence and, filled with affection, asked, 'What do you command, Lord?'
पादसंवाहनं तेऽद्य करोमि यदि मन्यसे । एवं सेवापरा नित्यं बभूव पतितत्परा
'Shall I massage your feet today, if you wish?' Thus, ever devoted to service, she became wholly dedicated to her husband.
सायं होमावसाने सा फलान्याहृत्य सुन्दरी । अर्पयामास मुनये स्वादूनि च मृदूनि च
In the evening, after the homa was completed, the beautiful one brought sweet and tender fruits and offered them to the sage.
ततः शेषाणि बुभुजे प्रेमयुक्ता तदाज्ञया । सुस्पर्शास्तरणं कृत्वा शाययामास तं मुदा
Then, with love and at his command, she ate the remaining food, and, spreading a soft bedding, joyfully laid him to rest.
सुप्ते सुखं प्रिये कान्ता पदसंवाहनं तदा । चकार पृच्छती धर्मं कुलस्त्रीणां कृशोदरी
While her beloved slept comfortably, the slender-waisted lady massaged his feet and inquired about the duties of noble women.
पादसंवाहनं कृत्वा निशि भक्तिपरायणा । निद्रितं च मुनिं ज्ञात्वा सुष्वाप चरणान्तिके
Having massaged his feet at night, devoted to service, she, seeing the sage asleep, rested herself at his feet.
शुचौ प्रतिष्ठितं वीक्ष्य तालवृन्तेन भामिनी । कुर्वाणा शीतलं वायुं सिषेवे स्वपतिं तदा
Seeing him seated in a pure place, the lovely one fanned her husband with a palm leaf, creating a cool breeze.
हेमन्ते काष्ठसम्भारं कृत्वाग्निज्वलनं पुरः । स्थापयित्वा तथापृच्छत्सुखं तेऽस्तीति चासकृत्
In winter, she gathered firewood, kindled a fire before him, and repeatedly asked, 'Are you comfortable?'
ब्राह्मे मुहूर्ते चोत्थाय जलं पात्रं च मृत्तिकाम् । समर्पयित्वा शौचार्थं समुत्थाप्य पतिं प्रिया
At the Brahma-muhūrta, she rose, brought water, a vessel, and clay, and, for his purification, awakened her beloved husband.