देवौ वां रविपुत्रौ च सर्वज्ञौ सुरसम्मतौ । सतीं मां धर्मशीलां च नैवं वदितुमर्हथः
You two are gods, sons of the sun, all-knowing and honored among the gods. You should not speak thus to me, who am virtuous and devoted to dharma.
पित्रा दत्ता सुरश्रेष्ठौ मुनये योगधर्मिणे । कथं गच्छामि तं मार्गं पुंश्चलीगणसेवितम्
Given by my father, O best of gods, to the sage devoted to yoga, how can I follow the path frequented by women of loose conduct?
द्रष्टायं सर्वलोकस्य कर्मसाक्षी दिवाकरः । कश्यपाच्चैव सम्भूतो नैवं भाषितुमर्हथः
The sun, born of Kashyapa, is the witness of all actions in the world; you should not speak in this manner.
कुलकन्या पतिं त्यक्त्वा कथमन्यं भजेन्नरम् । असारेऽस्मिन्हि संसारे जानन्तौ धर्मनिर्णयम्
How can a noble maiden, abandoning her husband, seek another man? In this insubstantial world, you both know the determination of dharma.
यथेच्छं गच्छतं देवौ शापं दास्यामि वानघौ । सुकन्याहं च शर्यातेः पतिभक्तिपरायणा
Go as you wish, O gods; I will give you a curse, O sinless ones. I am Sukanya, devoted to my husband Sharyati.
व्यास उवाच - इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्या नासत्यौ विस्मितौ भृशम् । तावब्रूतां पुनस्त्वेनां शङ्कमानौ भयं मुनेः
Vyasa said: Hearing her words, the Nasatyas were greatly astonished; suspecting the sage's wrath, they spoke to her again.
राजपुत्रि प्रसन्नौ ते धर्मेण वरवर्णिनि । वरं वरय सुश्रोणि दास्यावः श्रेयसे तव
O princess, you are favored by dharma, O beautiful one; choose a boon, O lovely-hipped, we will grant you what is best for you.
जानीहि प्रमदे नूनं आवां देवभिषग्वरौ । युवानं रूपसम्पन्नं प्रकुर्यावः पतिं तव
Know, O lady, that we are indeed the best among divine physicians; we can make your husband young and handsome.
ततस्त्रयाणामस्माकं पतिमेकतमं वृणु । समानरूपदेहानां मध्ये चातुर्यपण्डिते
Then, among the three of us, choose one as your husband, from among those with equal form and skill.
सा तर्योवचनं श्रुत्वा विस्मिता स्वपतिं तदा । गत्वोवाच तयोर्वाक्यं ताभ्यामुक्तं यदद्भुतम्
She, hearing their words, was astonished and went to her husband; she told him the wondrous words spoken by them.
सुकन्योवाच - स्वामिन् सूर्यसुतौ देवौ सम्प्राप्तौ च्यवनाश्रमे । दृष्टौ मया दिव्यदेहौ नासत्यौ भृगुनन्दन
Sukanya said: O lord, the divine sons of the sun have arrived at Cyavana's hermitage; I have seen the Nasatyas, O descendant of Bhrigu, with their celestial forms.
वीक्ष्य मां चारुसर्वाङ्गीं जातौ कामातुरावुभौ । कथितं वचनं स्वामिन् पतिं ते नवयौवनम्
Seeing me, beautiful in every limb, both became overwhelmed with desire; O lord, they spoke to me about making your youth new.
दिव्यदेहं करिष्यावश्चक्षुष्मन्तं मुनिं किल । एतेन समयेनाद्य तं शृणु त्वं मयोदितम्
They will make the sage possess a divine body and eyesight; listen now to what I have told you, according to this agreement.
समावयवरूपं च करिष्यावः पतिं तव । तत्र त्रयाणामस्माकं पतिमेकतमं वृणु
They will make your husband equal in form to themselves; among the three, choose one as your husband.
तच्छ्रुत्वाहमिहायाता प्रष्टुं त्वां कार्यमद्भुतम् । किं कर्तव्यमतः साधो ब्रूह्यस्मिन्कार्यसङ्कटे
Hearing this, I have come here to ask you about this wondrous matter; O holy one, tell me what should be done in this difficult situation.
देवमायापि दुर्ज्ञेया न जाने कपटं तयोः । यदाज्ञापय सर्वज्ञ तत्करोमि तवेप्सितम्
Even divine illusion is hard to understand; I do not know their deception. Command me, O all-knowing, I will do whatever you desire.
च्यवन उवाच - गच्छ कान्तेऽद्य नासत्यौ वचनान्मम सुव्रते । आनयस्व समीपं मे शीघ्रं देवभिषग्वरौ
Cyavana said: Go, dear one, today, bring the Nasatyas here at my request, O virtuous woman, bring the best divine physicians quickly to me.
क्रियतामाशु तद्वाक्यं नात्र कार्या विचारणा व्यास उवाच - एवं सा समनुज्ञाता तत्र गत्वा वचोऽब्रवीत्
Let their words be fulfilled quickly; there is no need for deliberation here. Vyasa said: Thus, having been permitted, she went and spoke to them.
क्रियतामाशु नासत्यौ समयेन सुरोत्तमौ । तच्छ्रुत्वा चाश्विनौ वाक्यं तस्यास्तौ तत्र चागतौ
Let it be done quickly, O Nasatyas, according to the agreement, O best among gods. Hearing her words, the Ashvins came there.
ऊचतू राजपुत्रीं तां पतिस्तव विशत्वपः । रूपार्थं च्यवनस्तूर्णं ततोऽम्भः प्रविवेश ह
They said to the princess: Let your husband enter the water for beauty; Cyavana quickly entered the water.
अश्विनावपि पश्चात्तत्प्रविष्टौ सर उत्तमम् । ततस्ते निःसृतास्तस्मात्सरसस्तत्क्षणात्त्रयः । तुल्यरूपा दिव्य देहा युवानः सदृशाः किल । दिव्यकुण्डलभूषाढ्याः समानावयवास्तथा
The two Ashvins also entered that supreme lake afterward; then, from that lake, three emerged at once, all alike in form, with divine bodies, youthful, and similar in appearance, adorned with celestial earrings and possessing identical limbs.
तेऽब्रुवन्सहिताः सर्वे वृणीष्व वरवर्णिनि । अस्माकमीप्सितं भद्रे पतिं त्वममलानने
All three together spoke: 'Choose, O one of lovely complexion, whichever of us you desire as your husband, O pure-faced lady.'
यस्मिन्वाप्यधिका प्रीतिस्तं वृणुष्व वरानने । व्यास उवाच - सा दृष्ट्वा तुल्यरूपांस्तान्समानवयसस्तथा
Whichever one you feel greater affection for, O beautiful-faced one, choose him as your husband. Vyasa said: She, seeing them all alike in form and of the same age,
एकस्वरांस्तुल्यवेषांस्त्रीन्वै देवसुतोपमान् । सा तु संशयमापन्ना वीक्ष्य तान्सदृशाकृतीन्
All with the same voice, similar attire, and resembling divine sons, she became uncertain, observing their identical appearance.
अजानन्ती पतिं सम्यग्व्याकुला समचिन्तयत् । किं करोमि त्रयस्तुल्याः कं वृणोमि न वेद्म्यहम्
Not knowing her husband clearly, she grew anxious and pondered: 'What should I do? All three are alike. Whom should I choose? I do not know.'
पतिं देवसुता ह्येते संशये पतितास्म्यहम् । इन्द्रजालमिदं सम्यग्देवाभ्यामिह कल्पितम्
'These are divine sons, and I am caught in doubt. This is surely an illusion created here by the gods.'
कर्तव्यं किं मया चात्र मरणं समुपागतम् । न मया पतिमुत्सृज्य वरणीयः कथञ्चन
'What should I do here? Death has come upon me. I must never choose anyone, having abandoned my husband.'
देवस्त्वाधुनिकः कश्चिदित्येषा मम धारणा । इति सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा परां विश्वेश्वरीं शिवाम्
'Which one is my husband now? This is my conviction.' Thus reflecting in her mind, she turned to the supreme Lady of the Universe, Shiva.
दध्यौ भगवतीं देवीं तुष्टाव च कृशोदरी । सुकन्योवाच - शरणं त्वां जगन्मातः प्राप्तास्मि भृशदुःखिता
She meditated upon the blessed Goddess and praised her, the slender-waisted Sukanya said: 'I have come to you for refuge, O Mother of the world, greatly afflicted.'
रक्ष मेऽद्य सतीधर्मं नमामि चरणौ तव । नमः पद्मोद्भवे देवि नमः शङ्करवल्लभे
'Protect my chastity today; I bow to your feet. Salutations to you, O lotus-born Goddess, salutations to you, beloved of Shankara.'