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.'
विष्णुप्रिये नमो लक्ष्मि वेदमातः सरस्वति । इदं जगत्त्वया सृष्टं सर्वं स्थावरजङ्गमम्
'Salutations to you, beloved of Vishnu, O Lakshmi; salutations to you, Sarasvati, Mother of the Vedas. This entire world, movable and immovable, has been created by you.'
पासि त्वमिदमव्यग्रा तथात्सि लोकशान्तये । ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेशानां जननी त्वं सुसम्मता
'You protect it without distraction, and you exist for the peace of the worlds. You are acknowledged as the mother of Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara.'
बुद्धिदासि त्वमज्ञानां ज्ञानिनां मोक्षदा सदा । आज्ञा त्वं प्रकृतिः पूर्णा पुरुषप्रियदर्शना
'You grant wisdom to the ignorant and always bestow liberation to the wise. You are command, you are complete nature, you are dear to the Purusha.'
भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदासि त्वं प्राणिनां विशदात्मनाम् । अज्ञानां दुःखदा कामं सत्त्वानां सुखसाधना
'You grant enjoyment and liberation to beings of pure soul; you give suffering to the ignorant as you wish, and are the source of happiness for the virtuous.'
सिद्धिदा योगिनामम्ब जयदा कीर्तिदा पुनः । शरणं त्वां प्रपन्नास्मि विस्मयं परमं गता
'You grant accomplishment to yogis, O Mother, victory and fame again. I have sought refuge in you, and am filled with utmost wonder.'
पतिं दर्शय मे मातर्मग्नास्मि शोकसागरे । देवाभ्यां चरितं कूटं कं वृणोमि विमोहिता
'Show me my husband, O Mother, for I am submerged in the ocean of sorrow. The gods have acted deceitfully; I am bewildered as to whom I should choose.'
पतिं दर्शय सर्वज्ञे विदित्वा मे सतीव्रतम् । व्यास उवाच - एवं स्तुता तदा देवा तथा त्रिपुरसुन्दरी
'Reveal my husband, O Omniscient One, knowing my vow of chastity.' Vyasa said: Thus praised at that time, the goddess Tripurasundari,
हृदयेऽस्यास्तदा ज्ञानं ददावाशु सुखोदयम् । निश्चित्य मनसा तुल्यवयोरूपधरान्सती
At that moment, bestowed knowledge in her heart, bringing forth happiness; having resolved in her mind regarding those of equal age and form, the virtuous one...
प्रसमीक्ष्य तु तान् सर्वान्वव्रे बाला स्वकं पतिम् । वृतेऽथ च्यवने देवौ सन्तुष्टौ तौ बभूवतुः
Having carefully considered them all, the young woman chose her own husband; then, the two gods became pleased.
सतीधर्मं समालोक्य सम्प्रीतौ ददतुर्वरम् । भगवत्याः प्रसादेन प्रसन्नौ तौ सुरौत्तमौ
Seeing her steadfastness in duty, the two excellent gods, delighted by the grace of the Goddess, granted her a boon.