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.
स्थानाद्दूरे च संस्थाप्य दूरं गत्वा स्थिराभवत् । कृतशौचं पतिं ज्ञात्वा गत्वा जग्राह तं पुनः
Placing herself at a distance, she stood firm, and, when he had finished his ablutions, she approached and took him again.
आनीयाश्रममव्यग्रा चोपवेश्यासने शुभे । मृज्जलाभ्यां च प्रक्षाल्य पादावस्य यथाविधि
Without distraction, she brought him to the hermitage, seated him on a pure seat, and washed his feet with water as prescribed.
दत्त्वाऽऽचमनपात्रं तु दन्तधावनमाहरत् । समर्प्य दन्तकाष्ठं च यथोक्तं नृपनन्दिनी
She gave him a vessel for rinsing, brought him a tooth-cleaning stick, and, as instructed, presented it to him.
चकारोष्णं जलं शुद्धं समानीतं सुपावनम् । स्नानार्थं जलमाहृत्य पप्रच्छ प्रणयान्विता
She prepared pure, hot water, brought for bathing, and, with affection, asked him about his wishes.
किमाज्ञापयसे ब्रह्मन् कृतं वै दन्तधावनम् । उष्णोदकं सुसम्पन्नं कुरु स्नानं समन्त्रकम्
'What do you command, O Brahmin? Your teeth have been cleaned. Here is excellent hot water—bathe now, reciting the mantras.'
वर्तते होमकालोऽयं सन्ध्या पूर्वा प्रवर्तते । विधिवद्हवनं कृत्वा देवतापूजनं कुरु
'Now is the time for homa; the early twilight has begun. Having washed as prescribed, perform the worship of the deities.'
एवं कन्या पतिं लब्ध्वा तपस्विनमनिन्दिता । नित्यं पर्यचरत्प्रीत्या तपसा नियमेन च
Thus, having obtained a husband, a blameless ascetic, the maiden served him always with affection, through austerity and discipline.
अग्नीनामतिथीनां च शुश्रूषां कुर्वती सदा । आराधयामास मुदा च्यवनं सा शुभानना
Ever attentive to the sacred fires and to guests, she joyfully honored Cyavana, she of auspicious countenance.
कस्मिंश्चिदथ काले तु रविजावश्विनावुभौ । च्यवनस्याश्रमाभ्याशे क्रीडमानौ समगतौ
Then, at a certain time, the twin Ashvins, sons of the Sun, came playing near Cyavana’s hermitage.
जले स्नात्वा तु तां कन्यां निवृत्तां स्वाश्रमं प्रति । गच्छन्तीं चारुसर्वाङ्गीं रविपुत्रावपश्यताम्
Having bathed in the water, the maiden, adorned in every limb, was returning to her own hermitage; the sons of the Sun beheld her as she went.