Cyavana and Mada
The Vishṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa tells how the old ṛshi (seer) Cyavana became young again through the Aśvins. Out of thanks, he made Indra give the Aśvins a share of soma at the yajñas. To do this he created a fearful being called Mada. Afterwards Cyavana placed Mada in four things: wine, women, dice and hunting. These became the four great vices (vyasanas) that destroy kings. Pushkara tells this to Paraśurāma in Chapter 50.
Where the account stands
The account comes in the Dvitīya Khaṇḍa, in the section on the sciences of animals and plants. It is a bridge between the Gaja-chikitsā section and the start of the teaching on the Saptopāya. Pushkara tells it to Paraśurāma as a warning about the four causes of a king’s ruin. It also shows the irresistible power of the tejas (radiance) born of tapas.
Cyavana and Sukanyā
The ṛshi Cyavana, son of Bhṛgu, was doing hard tapas in the forest. The princess Sukanyā, daughter of king Śaryāti, disturbed him by accident. In the confusion she hurt Cyavana without knowing it. Her father had to give her in marriage to the ancient ṛshi to calm his anger. Sukanyā became the loyal wife of the old ṛshi and served him with full devotion.
The Aśvins, the physicians of the devas, came to the āśrama. They were struck by the beauty and goodness of Sukanyā. They asked her why so lovely a woman was tied to so old a husband. Sukanyā answered that her husband, whatever his age, was her dharma and her world.
The Aśvins were moved by her loyalty. They offered to make Cyavana young and handsome as a reward for her pativratā (wifely devotion). Sukanyā asked Cyavana, and he agreed. The Aśvins went into a sacred lake together with Cyavana. All three came out looking the same. Sukanyā chose her husband without any mistake, and Cyavana stood before her as a young man of blazing splendour.
The dispute over soma
The Aśvins were physicians of great puṇya (merit), yet the devas had kept them from drinking soma at the yajñas. The reason was that the Aśvins travelled widely among mortals doing healing work. For this the devas held them impure for the soma yajña.
Cyavana was thankful for his youth and decided to put this right. King Śaryāti held a great yajña (mahāyajña) and asked Cyavana to preside. When the time came to offer soma to the devas, Cyavana offered it first to the Aśvins.
Indra was furious. He said the Aśvins had no right to soma and moved to stop the offering. He raised his vajra (thunderbolt) to kill Cyavana.
The creation of Mada
Cyavana was not moved by Indra’s threat. He began a mighty homa (fire offering) and through it created Mada. Mada was a being of terrible, huge form. His mouth was open as wide as earth and sky. His teeth were as sharp as thunderbolts. He was made from the gathered force of Cyavana’s tapas joined with his anger. Mada came toward Indra with his jaws open.
The vajra fell from Indra’s hand. Indra was terrified and agreed to Cyavana’s demand. From that day the Aśvins would have their right share of soma at all yajñas. The Aśvins became soma-bhāgīs, full sharers in the yajñas of the devas.
The distribution of Mada
Indra had given way, so the purpose of Mada was done. But a being of such terrible power could not simply be undone. Cyavana divided the force of Mada among four places, where it would live for ever and ruin those who fell under it:
- Surā (wine and strong drink). Mada entered all fermented and intoxicating drinks.
- Strī (women, meaning wrong or excessive attachment to women). Mada entered the passion of too much desire.
- Dyūta (gambling and dice). Mada entered the craving for gambling.
- Mṛgayā (hunting). Mada entered the intoxication of the hunt.
These four became the four great vyasanas (vices) that destroy kings. A king who becomes addicted to any one of them has let Mada, the destroyer born of anger, make a home in his life.
The teaching for kings
Pushkara tells this to Paraśurāma just before the teaching on the Saptopāya and Daṇḍa-nīti. The lesson is plain. Wine, women, gambling and hunting are the very substance of a being created to destroy. A king who gives way to them has become the victim of Mada. No skill in government, no strength in war and no wealth can save a king who is destroyed from within by these four.
Agni’s retelling in the Mahābhārata
In the Aśvamedhika Parva of the Mahābhārata, Agni tells this same episode to Indra as a warning. It comes in the Saṃvarta-Maruttīya ākhyāna, when Indra mocks Agni for fearing the ṛshi Saṃvarta. In that telling, Cyavana wins soma for the Aśvins at Śaryāti’s yajña. Indra attacks him in fury, and Cyavana creates Mada. The Mahābhārata says that Cyavana’s tapo-śakti (power of tapas) strikes away Indra’s raised hand together with the vajra it holds.
Sources
- Vishṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa, Uttarārdha, Chapter 50: Cyavana and Mada
- Mahābhārata, Aśvamedhika Parva, Chapter 9: Agni’s retelling to Indra