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.
तां दृष्ट्वा देवकन्याभां गत्वा चान्तिकमादरात् । ऊचतुः समभिद्रुत्य नासत्यावतिमोहितौ
Seeing her, radiant as a divine maiden, the Ashvins, filled with admiration, approached her respectfully and spoke, overcome with wonder.
क्षणं तिष्ठ वरारोहे प्रष्टुं त्वां गजगामिनि । आवां देवसुतौ प्राप्तौ ब्रूहि सत्यं शुचिस्मिते
O beautiful one, pause for a moment, elephant-gaited lady, so we may ask you; we are the sons of the gods who have come—speak truly, O pure-smiling one.
पुत्री कस्य पतिः कस्ते कथमुद्यानमागता । एकाकिनी तडागेऽस्मिन् स्नानार्थं चारुलोचने
Whose daughter are you? Who is your husband? How did you come to this garden, O lovely-eyed one, alone to bathe in this pond?
द्वितीया श्रीरिवाभासि कान्त्या कमललोचने । इच्छामस्तु वयं ज्ञातुं तत्त्वमाख्याहि शोभने
O lotus-eyed one, you shine with beauty like a second goddess Shri; we wish to know the truth—tell us, O splendid lady.
कोमलौ चरणौ कान्ते स्थितौ भूमावनावृतौ । हृदाये कुरुतः पीडां चलन्तौ चललोचने
O lovely one, your tender feet, unshod, rest upon the ground; as you walk, O restless-eyed, they cause pain in our hearts.
विमानार्हासि तन्वङ्गि कथं पद्भ्यां व्रजस्यदः । अनावृतात्र विपिने किमर्थं गमनं तव
O slender-limbed, you are worthy of riding in a celestial chariot—why do you travel here on foot, uncovered, in this forest? For what purpose is your journey?
दासीशतसमायुक्ता कथं च त्वं विनिर्गता । राजपुत्र्यप्सरा वासि वद सत्यं वरानने
Attended by hundreds of maidservants, how have you come out alone? Are you a princess or an apsara? Speak truly, O beautiful-faced one.
धन्या माता यतो जाता धन्योऽसौ जनकस्तव । वक्तुं त्वां नैव शक्तौ च भर्तुर्भाग्यं तवानघे
Blessed is the mother who bore you, blessed indeed is your father; truly, we are unable to describe the fortune of your husband, O faultless one.
देवलिकाधिका भूमिरियं चैव सुलोचने । प्रचलंश्चरणस्तेऽद्य सम्पावयति भूतलम्
O beautiful-eyed one, this earth surpasses even the celestial realms today, for your moving feet now sanctify the ground.
सौभाग्याश्च मृगाः कामं ये त्वां पश्यन्ति वै वने । ये चान्ये पक्षिणः सर्वे भूरियं चातिपावना
Fortunate indeed are the deer who see you in the forest, and all the other birds as well; this earth is greatly purified.
स्तुत्यालं तव चात्यर्थं सत्यं ब्रूहि सुलोचने । पिता कस्ते पतिः क्वासौ द्रष्टुमिच्छास्ति सादरम्
You are truly worthy of the highest praise, but speak the truth, O beautiful-eyed one: who is your father, who is your husband, and where is he? We wish to see him with respect.
व्यास उवाच - तयोरिति वचः श्रुत्वा राजकन्यातिसुन्दरी । तावुवाच त्रपाक्रान्ता देवपुत्री नृपात्मजा
Vyasa said: Hearing their words, the exceedingly beautiful princess, overcome with modesty, replied to the divine twins.
शर्यातितनयां मां वां वित्तं भार्यां मुनेरिह । च्यवनस्य सतीं कान्तां पित्रा दत्तां यदृच्छया
Know me as the daughter of Sharyati, the wife of the sage Cyavana here, devoted and beloved, given by my father by his own will.
पतिरन्धोऽस्ति मे देवौ वृद्धश्चातीव तापसः । तस्य सेवामहोरात्रं करोमि प्रीतिमानसा
My husband, O gods, is blind, very old, and an ascetic; I serve him day and night with a joyful heart.
कौ युवां किमिहायातौ पतिस्तिष्ठति चाश्रमे । तत्रागत्य प्रकुरुतमाश्रमं चाद्य पावनम्
Who are you two, and why have you come here? Your husband remains in the hermitage. Go there and perform the purifying rites of the hermitage today.
तदाकर्ण्य वचो दस्रावूचतुस्तां नराधिप । कथं त्वमपि कल्याणि पिता दत्ता तपस्विने
Hearing these words, the two Asvins spoke to her, the king's daughter: 'How is it, O auspicious one, that your father gave you to an ascetic?'
भ्राजसेऽस्मिन्वनोद्देशे विद्युत्सौदामिनी यथा । न देवेष्वपि तुल्या हि तव दृष्टास्ति भामिनि
You shine in this forest region like a flash of lightning; O beautiful one, even among the gods, none are equal to you in appearance.
त्वं दिव्याम्बरयोग्यासि शोभसे नाजिनैर्वृता । सर्वाभरणसंयुक्ता नीलालकवरूथिनी
You are fit to wear divine garments; you do not suit coverings of animal skin. Adorned with all ornaments, with dark locks of hair, you are radiant.
अहो विधेर्दुष्कलितं विचेष्टितं यदत्र रम्भोरु वने विषीदसि । विशालनेत्रेऽन्धमिमं पतिं प्रिये मुनिं समासाद्य जरातुरं भृशम्
Alas, what a harsh act of fate, that you, with thighs like a plantain, languish here in the forest! O wide-eyed one, you have found as husband a blind, aged, decrepit sage.
वृथा व्रतस्तेन भृशं न शोभसे नवं वयः प्राप्य सुनृत्यपण्डिते । मनोभवेनाशु शराः सुसन्धिताः पतन्ति कस्मिन्पतिरीदृशस्तव
Your vow is in vain, and you do not shine at all, having reached youth and being skilled in graceful dance. Swift arrows of desire are well-aimed—upon whom do they fall, when your husband is such as he?