The Glory of Chyavaneshvara: The Tale of Sukanya and Chyavana

Verse 1 (skanda.7.280.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। ततो गच्छेन्महादेवि च्यवनेश्वरमुत्तमम्। तत्रैव संस्थितं लिंगं सर्वपातकनाशनम्

īśvara uvāca| tato gacchenmahādevi cyavaneśvaramuttamam| tatraiva saṁsthitaṁ liṁgaṁ sarvapātakanāśanam

Ishvara said: Then, O great Goddess, one should go to the supreme Chyavaneshvara; the linga established there destroys all sins.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.280.2)

यत्र शर्यातिना दत्ता सुकन्या सा महर्षये। यत्र संस्तंभितं सैन्यमानाहार्त्तमथाकरोत्

yatra śaryātinā dattā sukanyā sā maharṣaye| yatra saṁstaṁbhitaṁ sainyamānāhārttamathākarot

Where King Sharyati gave Sukanya in marriage to the great sage; and where he paralyzed Sharyati's army, afflicting it with anaha, a painful abdominal distension.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.280.3)

एष शर्यातियज्ञस्य देशो देवि प्रकाशते। प्रभासक्षेत्रमध्ये तु साक्षात्पातकनाशनः

eṣa śaryātiyajñasya deśo devi prakāśate| prabhāsakṣetramadhye tu sākṣātpātakanāśanaḥ

This place, O Goddess, is renowned as the site of Sharyati's sacrifice; in the very midst of the field of Prabhasa, it visibly destroys sin.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.280.4)

साक्षात्तत्राभजत्सोममश्विभ्यां सह कौशिकः। चुकोप भार्गवश्चैव महेन्द्राय महातपाः

sākṣāttatrābhajatsomamaśvibhyāṁ saha kauśikaḥ| cukopa bhārgavaścaiva mahendrāya mahātapāḥ

There Kaushika (Indra) visibly shared the Soma together with the two Ashvin twins, and the greatly ascetic descendant of Bhrigu grew angry at Mahendra.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.280.5)

संस्तंभयामास च तं वासवं च्यवनः प्रभुः। सुकन्यां चापि भार्यां स राजपुत्रीमवाप्तवान्

saṁstaṁbhayāmāsa ca taṁ vāsavaṁ cyavanaḥ prabhuḥ| sukanyāṁ cāpi bhāryāṁ sa rājaputrīmavāptavān

And Lord Chyavana paralyzed Vasava (Indra); and he obtained the princess Sukanya as his wife.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.280.6)

देव्युवाच। कथं विष्टंभितस्तेन भगवान्पाकशासनः। किमर्थं भार्गवश्चापि कोपं चक्रे महातपाः

devyuvāca| kathaṁ viṣṭaṁbhitastena bhagavānpākaśāsanaḥ| kimarthaṁ bhārgavaścāpi kopaṁ cakre mahātapāḥ

The Goddess said: How was the illustrious Pakashasana (Indra) paralyzed by him? And for what reason did the greatly ascetic descendant of Bhrigu become angry?

Verse 7 (skanda.7.280.7)

नासत्यौ च कथं ब्रह्मन्कृ तवान्सोमपायिनौ। तत्सर्वं च यथावृत्तमाख्यातु भगवान्मम

nāsatyau ca kathaṁ brahmankṛ tavānsomapāyinau| tatsarvaṁ ca yathāvṛttamākhyātu bhagavānmama

And how, O Brahman, did he make the two Nasatyas (Ashvins) drinkers of Soma? Let the Lord relate to me all of that, exactly as it happened.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.280.8)

ईश्वर उवाच। भृगोर्महर्षेः पुत्रोऽभूच्च्यवनो नाम नामतः। स प्रभासं समासाद्य तपस्तेपे महामुनिः

īśvara uvāca| bhṛgormaharṣeḥ putro'bhūccyavano nāma nāmataḥ| sa prabhāsaṁ samāsādya tapastepe mahāmuniḥ

Ishvara said: There was a son of the great sage Bhrigu, named Chyavana. Having come to Prabhasa, that great sage performed austerity.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.280.9)

स्थाणुभूतो महातेजा वीरस्थाने च भामिनि। अतिष्ठत्सुचिरं कालमेकदेशे वरानने

sthāṇubhūto mahātejā vīrasthāne ca bhāmini| atiṣṭhatsuciraṁ kālamekadeśe varānane

Motionless as a post, of great splendor, O radiant one, at Virasthana, he remained for a very long time in one place, O fair-faced one.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.280.10)

स वल्मीकोऽभवत्तत्र लताभिरभिसंवृतः। कालेन महता देवि समाकीर्णः पिपीलकैः

sa valmīko'bhavattatra latābhirabhisaṁvṛtaḥ| kālena mahatā devi samākīrṇaḥ pipīlakaiḥ

He became covered there by an anthill, entirely enveloped by creepers; after a great length of time, O Goddess, he became thronged with ants.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.280.11)

स तथा संवृतो धीमान्मृत्पिंड इव सर्वतः। तप्यते स्म तपो घोरं वल्मीकेन समावृतः

sa tathā saṁvṛto dhīmānmṛtpiṁḍa iva sarvataḥ| tapyate sma tapo ghoraṁ valmīkena samāvṛtaḥ

Thus covered on all sides like a clod of earth, that wise one, enveloped by the anthill, performed terrible austerity.

Verse 12 (skanda.7.280.12)

अथास्य यातकालस्य शर्यातिर्नाम पार्थिवः। तीर्थयात्राप्रसंगेन श्रीसोमेशदिदृक्षया। आजगाम महाक्षेत्रं प्रभासं पापनाशनम्

athāsya yātakālasya śaryātirnāma pārthivaḥ| tīrthayātrāprasaṁgena śrīsomeśadidṛkṣayā| ājagāma mahākṣetraṁ prabhāsaṁ pāpanāśanam

Then, as time passed, a king named Sharyati, on the occasion of a pilgrimage, desiring to behold the glorious Someshvara, came to that great, sin-destroying field of Prabhasa.

Verse 13 (skanda.7.280.13)

तस्य स्त्रीणां सहस्राणि चत्वार्यासन्परिग्रहाः। एकैव तु सुता शुभ्रा सुकन्यानाम नामतः

tasya strīṇāṁ sahasrāṇi catvāryāsanparigrahāḥ| ekaiva tu sutā śubhrā sukanyānāma nāmataḥ

He had four thousand wives, but he had only a single fair daughter, named Sukanya.

Verse 14 (skanda.7.280.14)

सा सखीभिः परिवृता सर्वाभरणभूषिता। चंक्रम्यमाणा वल्मीकं भार्गवस्य समासदत्

sā sakhībhiḥ parivṛtā sarvābharaṇabhūṣitā| caṁkramyamāṇā valmīkaṁ bhārgavasya samāsadat

She, surrounded by her companions and adorned with every ornament, wandering about, came upon the anthill of the descendant of Bhrigu.

Verse 15 (skanda.7.280.15)

सा चैव सुदती तत्र पश्यमाना मनोरमान्। वनस्पतीन्विचिन्वंती विजहार सखीवृता

sā caiva sudatī tatra paśyamānā manoramān| vanaspatīnvicinvaṁtī vijahāra sakhīvṛtā

She, of lovely teeth, gazing there upon the enchanting trees and gathering flowers from them, wandered about at play, surrounded by her friends.

Verse 16 (skanda.7.280.16)

रूपेण वयसा चैव सुरापानमदेन च। बभंज वनवृक्षाणां शाखाः परम पुष्पिताः

rūpeṇa vayasā caiva surāpānamadena ca| babhaṁja vanavṛkṣāṇāṁ śākhāḥ parama puṣpitāḥ

In the intoxication of her beauty, her youth, and her wine-drinking, she broke the fully-blossomed branches of the forest trees.

Verse 17 (skanda.7.280.17)

तां सखीरहितामेकामेकवस्त्रामलंकृताम्। ददर्श भार्गवो धीमांश्चरंतीमिव विद्युतम्

tāṁ sakhīrahitāmekāmekavastrāmalaṁkṛtām| dadarśa bhārgavo dhīmāṁścaraṁtīmiva vidyutam

The wise descendant of Bhrigu saw her, alone without her companions, clad in a single garment, adorned, moving about as if she were lightning itself.

Verse 18 (skanda.7.280.18)

तां पश्यमानो विजने स रेमे परमद्युतिः। क्षामकण्ठश्च ब्रह्मर्षिस्तपोबलसमन्वितः

tāṁ paśyamāno vijane sa reme paramadyutiḥ| kṣāmakaṇṭhaśca brahmarṣistapobalasamanvitaḥ

Gazing at her in that solitary place, he, of supreme radiance — the brahmin-seer with a withered throat, endowed with the power of his austerity — took delight.

Verse 19 (skanda.7.280.19)

तामभाषत कल्याणीं सा चास्य न शृणोति वै। ततः सुकन्या वल्मीके दृष्ट्वा भार्गवचक्षुषी

tāmabhāṣata kalyāṇīṁ sā cāsya na śṛṇoti vai| tataḥ sukanyā valmīke dṛṣṭvā bhārgavacakṣuṣī

He spoke to that gracious girl, but she did not hear him at all. Then Sukanya, seeing within the anthill the two eyes of the descendant of Bhrigu,

Verse 20 (skanda.7.280.20)

कौतूहलात्कण्टकेन बुद्धिमोहबलात्कृता। किन्नु खल्विदमित्युक्त्वा निर्बिभेदास्य लोचने

kautūhalātkaṇṭakena buddhimohabalātkṛtā| kinnu khalvidamityuktvā nirbibhedāsya locane

— out of curiosity, and driven by her bewildered mind, saying 'What indeed is this?' — pierced his eyes with a thorn.

Verse 21 (skanda.7.280.21)

अकुध्यत्स तया विद्धो नेत्रे परममन्युमान्। ततः शर्यातिसैन्यस्य शकृन्मूत्रे समावृणोत्

akudhyatsa tayā viddho netre paramamanyumān| tataḥ śaryātisainyasya śakṛnmūtre samāvṛṇot

Pierced by her in the eyes, he grew filled with the greatest fury; then he sealed off the excrement and urine of Sharyati's army.

Verse 22 (skanda.7.280.22)

ततो रुद्धे शकृन्मूत्रे सैन्यमानाहदुःखितम्। तथागतमभिभेक्ष्य पर्यतप्यत पार्थिवः

tato ruddhe śakṛnmūtre sainyamānāhaduḥkhitam| tathāgatamabhibhekṣya paryatapyata pārthivaḥ

Then, with excretion and urination obstructed, the army was afflicted with painful distension; seeing it in that state, the king too was greatly distressed.

Verse 23 (skanda.7.280.23)

तपोनित्यस्य वृद्धस्य रोषणस्य विशेषतः। केनापकृतमद्येह भार्गवस्य महात्मनः। ज्ञातं वा यदि वाऽज्ञातं तदिदं ब्रूत मा चिरम्

taponityasya vṛddhasya roṣaṇasya viśeṣataḥ| kenāpakṛtamadyeha bhārgavasya mahātmanaḥ| jñātaṁ vā yadi vā'jñātaṁ tadidaṁ brūta mā ciram

[The king said:] 'By whom today has some wrong been done, whether knowingly or unknowingly, to the great-souled descendant of Bhrigu, who is ever devoted to austerity, aged, and especially prone to anger? Tell me this without delay.'

Verse 24 (skanda.7.280.24)

तत्रोचुः सैनिकाः सर्वे न विद्मोऽपकृतं वयम्। सर्वोपायैर्यथाकामं भवान्समधिगच्छतु

tatrocuḥ sainikāḥ sarve na vidmo'pakṛtaṁ vayam| sarvopāyairyathākāmaṁ bhavānsamadhigacchatu

There all the soldiers said: 'We do not know of any wrongdoing on our part. By every means, as you wish, may your majesty find out the cause.'

Verse 25 (skanda.7.280.25)

ततः स पृथिवीपालः साम्ना चोग्रेण च स्वयम्। पर्यपृच्छत्सुहृद्वर्गं प्रत्यजानन्न चैव ते

tataḥ sa pṛthivīpālaḥ sāmnā cogreṇa ca svayam| paryapṛcchatsuhṛdvargaṁ pratyajānanna caiva te

Then that lord of the earth himself, sometimes with gentle words and sometimes with sternness, questioned his circle of companions; but they too did not confess to anything.

Verse 26 (skanda.7.280.26)

आनाहार्त्तं ततो दृष्ट्वा तत्सैन्यं संमुखोदितम्। पितरं दुःखितं चापि सुकन्यैवमथाब्रवीत्

ānāhārttaṁ tato dṛṣṭvā tatsainyaṁ saṁmukhoditam| pitaraṁ duḥkhitaṁ cāpi sukanyaivamathābravīt

Then, seeing that army afflicted with the distension standing before him, and her father in distress, Sukanya then spoke as follows.

Verse 27 (skanda.7.280.27)

मया तातेह वल्मीके दृष्टं सर्वमभिज्वलत्। उद्द्योतवदविज्ञानात्तन्मया विद्धमन्तिकात्

mayā tāteha valmīke dṛṣṭaṁ sarvamabhijvalat| uddyotavadavijñānāttanmayā viddhamantikāt

'Father, I saw within this anthill something entirely ablaze, like a glow — and, not understanding what it was, I pierced it from close by.'

Verse 28 (skanda.7.280.28)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु शर्याति र्वल्मीकं क्षिप्रमभ्यगात्। तत्रापश्यत्तपोवृद्धं वयोवृद्धं च भार्गवम्

etacchrutvā tu śaryāti rvalmīkaṁ kṣipramabhyagāt| tatrāpaśyattapovṛddhaṁ vayovṛddhaṁ ca bhārgavam

Hearing this, Sharyati went quickly to the anthill; there he saw the descendant of Bhrigu, great in his austerity and advanced in years.

Verse 29 (skanda.7.280.29)

अथावदत्स्वसैन्यार्थं प्रांजलिः स महीपतिः। अज्ञानाद्बालया यत्ते कृतं तत्क्षंतुमर्हसि

athāvadatsvasainyārthaṁ prāṁjaliḥ sa mahīpatiḥ| ajñānādbālayā yatte kṛtaṁ tatkṣaṁtumarhasi

Then, for the sake of his own army, that lord of the earth, with joined palms, said: 'You should forgive what this girl did to you out of ignorance.'

Verse 30 (skanda.7.280.30)

ततोऽब्रवीन्महीपालं च्यवनो भार्गवस्तदा। रूपौदार्यसमायुक्तां लोभमोहसमावृताम्

tato'bravīnmahīpālaṁ cyavano bhārgavastadā| rūpaudāryasamāyuktāṁ lobhamohasamāvṛtām

Then Chyavana, the descendant of Bhrigu, said to the lord of the earth: 'Only when this heart of mine — though drawn by beauty and nobility, yet now overcome by desire and confusion —'

Verse 31 (skanda.7.280.31)

तामेव प्रतिगृह्याहं राजन्दुहितरं तव। क्षमिष्यामि महीपाल सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते

tāmeva pratigṛhyāhaṁ rājanduhitaraṁ tava| kṣamiṣyāmi mahīpāla satyametadbravīmi te

'— accepts, O king, that very daughter of yours in marriage, shall I grant forgiveness, O lord of the earth; this I tell you truly.'

Verse 32 (skanda.7.280.32)

ईश्वर उवाच। ऋषेर्वचनमाज्ञाय शर्यातिरविचारयन्। ददौ दुहितरं तस्मै च्यवनाय महात्मने

īśvara uvāca| ṛṣervacanamājñāya śaryātiravicārayan| dadau duhitaraṁ tasmai cyavanāya mahātmane

Ishvara said: Having heard the sage's words, Sharyati, without further deliberation, gave his daughter to that great-souled Chyavana.

Verse 33 (skanda.7.280.33)

प्रतिगृह्य च तां कन्यां भगवान्प्रससाद ह। प्राप्ते प्रसादे राजा तु ससैन्यः पुरमाव्रजत्

pratigṛhya ca tāṁ kanyāṁ bhagavānprasasāda ha| prāpte prasāde rājā tu sasainyaḥ puramāvrajat

Having accepted that maiden, the illustrious one became gracious indeed. When that grace was obtained, the king, together with his army, returned to his city.

Verse 34 (skanda.7.280.34)

सुकन्यापि पतिं लब्ध्वा तपस्विनमनिन्दितम्। नित्यं पर्यचरत्प्रीत्या तपसा नियमेन च

sukanyāpi patiṁ labdhvā tapasvinamaninditam| nityaṁ paryacaratprītyā tapasā niyamena ca

Sukanya too, having obtained as her husband that blameless ascetic, constantly served him with love, through austerity and observance of vows.

Verse 35 (skanda.7.280.35)

अग्नीनामतिथीनां च शुश्रूषुरनसूयया। समाराधयत क्षिप्रं च्यवनं सा शुभानना

agnīnāmatithīnāṁ ca śuśrūṣuranasūyayā| samārādhayata kṣipraṁ cyavanaṁ sā śubhānanā

Attentive to the sacred fires and to guests, and free from envy, that fair-faced woman quickly won the full favor of Chyavana.