Cyavana and Sukanyā
This account is told by Lomaśa to Yudhishṭhira, at the tīrthas (holy places) they visit, in the Vana Parva of the Mahābhārata, Chapters 121 to 125. It is about the ṛshi Cyavana of the Bhṛgu line, the princess Sukanyā, and the Aśvins, the devas who are physicians.
Cyavana had grown very old. Sukanyā, by mistake, blinded him. She became his wife, stayed true to him, and so brought about his return to youth and the Aśvins’ share of the soma.
Cyavana in the anthill
Cyavana had sat so still in tapas (austerity) for so many years that an anthill had grown over his body and covered him completely. Only his eyes could be seen through the earth. He sat there, ancient and unmoving, like part of the earth. (Vana Parva, Chapter 121)
Sukanyā’s mistake
King Śaryāti was a great and righteous ruler. While travelling with his court and family, he camped with his people in the forest near Cyavana’s anthill.
Śaryāti’s daughter Sukanyā was walking in the forest, curious and playful. She saw two shining things in the anthill. She did not know what they were. They glittered like fireflies or jewels. She pierced them with a thorn. They were Cyavana’s eyes. The old ṛshi cried out, and blood flowed. (Vana Parva, Chapter 121)
The result came at once. The whole camp of Śaryāti’s army was struck by Cyavana’s displeasure, and the soldiers could not pass urine or stool. This is a known sign of a ṛshi’s anger. Śaryāti asked in alarm who had wronged a ṛshi. Sukanyā told him what she had done.
Śaryāti went at once to Cyavana to beg forgiveness. Cyavana was not angry at the girl but at the carelessness. He said that only one thing would satisfy him: Sukanyā herself as his wife. To protect his people and make up for the harm, Śaryāti gave his dear daughter in marriage to the ancient, blind ṛshi. (Vana Parva, Chapters 121 and 122)
Sukanyā’s devoted life
Sukanyā went to live in Cyavana’s āśrama (hermitage) and accepted her new life fully. She served her aged husband with complete devotion. She saw to his needs, did the work of the āśrama, and lived with the dignity and virtue of a true wife. She did not grieve for her life as a princess, or for her youth spent beside an ancient ṛshi in a forest. Her pativratā conduct (a wife’s devotion to her husband) was complete. (Vana Parva, Chapter 122)
The Aśvins’ offer
One day the Aśvins came to the āśrama. They are Nāsatya and Dasra, the twin sons of Sūrya, and they are the physicians of the devas. They saw the beautiful young Sukanyā and were struck by how strange it was. A radiant princess, a jewel among women, was living with a worn-out old ṛshi.
They went to her and offered her a choice. She could leave the old man and come with them, and they would make her the wife of one of the most glorious devas. (Vana Parva, Chapter 123)
Sukanyā refused without delay. She told them she was fully content with her husband and wanted no other.
Then the Aśvins made another offer. They said they had the power to make Cyavana young again, handsome and strong. They would do this if Sukanyā, after seeing Cyavana young, would still choose him over them. All three would enter water together. When they came out, Sukanyā was to pick her husband from three young men who looked the same, and say whom she chose.
The test and Cyavana’s restoration
Cyavana was told of the Aśvins’ offer and agreed. He also had a condition of his own, which he would speak of after he was restored.
Cyavana and the two Aśvins entered the water together. When they came out, all three were alike: young, shining and divinely handsome. Sukanyā looked at the three and chose, without delay, the one who was Cyavana. She knew her husband by an inner certainty that has nothing to do with outer form. (Vana Parva, Chapter 123)
Cyavana came out young, strong and radiant. He embraced Sukanyā with joy. Their life was changed, but Sukanyā’s devotion was what it had always been.
The soma share of the Aśvins
Now Cyavana kept his side of the bargain. The Aśvins had long been kept out of the share of soma at yajñas (fire rituals). The other devas thought of them as physicians, not as full devas who deserved soma, and had refused them this honour since ancient times.
Cyavana held a great yajña and gave the Aśvins a place in the soma offering. Indra came to stop it. He was angry that Cyavana was honouring the Aśvins against old custom. Cyavana held Indra’s arm still by the power of his tapas. Then he made a great asura named Madu from the offerings of the yajña to threaten Indra, and Indra gave way. (Vana Parva, Chapters 124 and 125)
The Aśvins received their soma. From that day the Aśvins have their share of soma at every yajña.
Sources
- Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapters 121 to 125