Seventh Skandha · Chapter 4
Sourceव्यास उवाच - गते राजनि सा बाला पतिसेवापरायणा । बभूव च तथाग्नीनां सेवने धर्मतत्परा ॥ १ ॥ फलान्यादाय स्वादूनि मूलानि विविधानि च । ददौ सा मुनये बाला पतिसेवापरायणा ॥ २ ॥ पतिं तप्तोदकेनाशु स्नापयित्वा मृगत्वचा । परिवेष्ट्य शुभायां तु बृस्यां स्थापितवत्यपि ॥ ३ ॥ तिलान् यवकुशानग्रे परिकल्प्य कमण्डलुम् । तमुवाच नित्यकर्म कुरुष्व मुनिसत्तम ॥ ४ ॥ तमुत्थाप्य करे कृत्वा समाप्ते नित्यकर्मणि । बृस्यां वा संस्तरे बाला भर्तारं संन्यवेशयत् ॥ ५ ॥ पश्चादानीय पक्वानि फलानि च नृपात्मजा । भोजयामास च्यवनं नीवारान्नं सुसंस्कृतम् ॥ ६ ॥ भुक्तवन्तं पतिं तृप्तं दत्त्वाचमनमादरात् । पश्चाच्च पूगं पत्राणि ददौ चादरसंयुता ॥ ७ ॥ गृहीतमुखवासं तं संवेश्य च शुभासने । गृहीत्वाऽऽज्ञां शरीरस्य चकार साधनं ततः ॥ ८ ॥ फलाहारं स्वयं कृत्वा पुनर्गत्वा च सन्निधौ । प्रोवाच प्रणयोपेता किमाज्ञापयसे प्रभो ॥ ९ ॥ पादसंवाहनं तेऽद्य करोमि यदि मन्यसे । एवं सेवापरा नित्यं बभूव पतितत्परा ॥ १० ॥ सायं होमावसाने सा फलान्याहृत्य सुन्दरी । अर्पयामास मुनये स्वादूनि च मृदूनि च ॥ ११ ॥ ततः शेषाणि बुभुजे प्रेमयुक्ता तदाज्ञया । सुस्पर्शास्तरणं कृत्वा शाययामास तं मुदा ॥ १२ ॥ सुप्ते सुखं प्रिये कान्ता पदसंवाहनं तदा । चकार पृच्छती धर्मं कुलस्त्रीणां कृशोदरी ॥ १३ ॥ पादसंवाहनं कृत्वा निशि भक्तिपरायणा । निद्रितं च मुनिं ज्ञात्वा सुष्वाप चरणान्तिके ॥ १४ ॥ शुचौ प्रतिष्ठितं वीक्ष्य तालवृन्तेन भामिनी । कुर्वाणा शीतलं वायुं सिषेवे स्वपतिं तदा ॥ १५ ॥ हेमन्ते काष्ठसम्भारं कृत्वाग्निज्वलनं पुरः । स्थापयित्वा तथापृच्छत्सुखं तेऽस्तीति चासकृत् ॥ १६ ॥ ब्राह्मे मुहूर्ते चोत्थाय जलं पात्रं च मृत्तिकाम् । समर्पयित्वा शौचार्थं समुत्थाप्य पतिं प्रिया ॥ १७ ॥ स्थानाद्दूरे च संस्थाप्य दूरं गत्वा स्थिराभवत् । कृतशौचं पतिं ज्ञात्वा गत्वा जग्राह तं पुनः ॥ १८ ॥ आनीयाश्रममव्यग्रा चोपवेश्यासने शुभे । मृज्जलाभ्यां च प्रक्षाल्य पादावस्य यथाविधि ॥ १९ ॥ दत्त्वाऽऽचमनपात्रं तु दन्तधावनमाहरत् । समर्प्य दन्तकाष्ठं च यथोक्तं नृपनन्दिनी ॥ २० ॥ चकारोष्णं जलं शुद्धं समानीतं सुपावनम् । स्नानार्थं जलमाहृत्य पप्रच्छ प्रणयान्विता ॥ २१ ॥ किमाज्ञापयसे ब्रह्मन् कृतं वै दन्तधावनम् । उष्णोदकं सुसम्पन्नं कुरु स्नानं समन्त्रकम् ॥ २२ ॥ वर्तते होमकालोऽयं सन्ध्या पूर्वा प्रवर्तते । विधिवद्हवनं कृत्वा देवतापूजनं कुरु ॥ २३ ॥ एवं कन्या पतिं लब्ध्वा तपस्विनमनिन्दिता । नित्यं पर्यचरत्प्रीत्या तपसा नियमेन च ॥ २४ ॥ अग्नीनामतिथीनां च शुश्रूषां कुर्वती सदा । आराधयामास मुदा च्यवनं सा शुभानना ॥ २५ ॥ कस्मिंश्चिदथ काले तु रविजावश्विनावुभौ । च्यवनस्याश्रमाभ्याशे क्रीडमानौ समगतौ ॥ २६ ॥ जले स्नात्वा तु तां कन्यां निवृत्तां स्वाश्रमं प्रति । गच्छन्तीं चारुसर्वाङ्गीं रविपुत्रावपश्यताम् ॥ २७ ॥ तां दृष्ट्वा देवकन्याभां गत्वा चान्तिकमादरात् । ऊचतुः समभिद्रुत्य नासत्यावतिमोहितौ ॥ २८ ॥ क्षणं तिष्ठ वरारोहे प्रष्टुं त्वां गजगामिनि । आवां देवसुतौ प्राप्तौ ब्रूहि सत्यं शुचिस्मिते ॥ २९ ॥ पुत्री कस्य पतिः कस्ते कथमुद्यानमागता । एकाकिनी तडागेऽस्मिन् स्नानार्थं चारुलोचने ॥ ३० ॥ द्वितीया श्रीरिवाभासि कान्त्या कमललोचने । इच्छामस्तु वयं ज्ञातुं तत्त्वमाख्याहि शोभने ॥ ३१ ॥ कोमलौ चरणौ कान्ते स्थितौ भूमावनावृतौ । हृदाये कुरुतः पीडां चलन्तौ चललोचने ॥ ३२ ॥ विमानार्हासि तन्वङ्गि कथं पद्भ्यां व्रजस्यदः । अनावृतात्र विपिने किमर्थं गमनं तव ॥ ३३ ॥ दासीशतसमायुक्ता कथं च त्वं विनिर्गता । राजपुत्र्यप्सरा वासि वद सत्यं वरानने ॥ ३४ ॥ धन्या माता यतो जाता धन्योऽसौ जनकस्तव । वक्तुं त्वां नैव शक्तौ च भर्तुर्भाग्यं तवानघे ॥ ३५ ॥ देवलिकाधिका भूमिरियं चैव सुलोचने । प्रचलंश्चरणस्तेऽद्य सम्पावयति भूतलम् ॥ ३६ ॥ सौभाग्याश्च मृगाः कामं ये त्वां पश्यन्ति वै वने । ये चान्ये पक्षिणः सर्वे भूरियं चातिपावना ॥ ३७ ॥ स्तुत्यालं तव चात्यर्थं सत्यं ब्रूहि सुलोचने । पिता कस्ते पतिः क्वासौ द्रष्टुमिच्छास्ति सादरम् ॥ ३८ ॥ व्यास उवाच - तयोरिति वचः श्रुत्वा राजकन्यातिसुन्दरी । तावुवाच त्रपाक्रान्ता देवपुत्री नृपात्मजा ॥ ३९ ॥ शर्यातितनयां मां वां वित्तं भार्यां मुनेरिह । च्यवनस्य सतीं कान्तां पित्रा दत्तां यदृच्छया ॥ ४० ॥ पतिरन्धोऽस्ति मे देवौ वृद्धश्चातीव तापसः । तस्य सेवामहोरात्रं करोमि प्रीतिमानसा ॥ ४१ ॥ कौ युवां किमिहायातौ पतिस्तिष्ठति चाश्रमे । तत्रागत्य प्रकुरुतमाश्रमं चाद्य पावनम् ॥ ४२ ॥ तदाकर्ण्य वचो दस्रावूचतुस्तां नराधिप । कथं त्वमपि कल्याणि पिता दत्ता तपस्विने ॥ ४३ ॥ भ्राजसेऽस्मिन्वनोद्देशे विद्युत्सौदामिनी यथा । न देवेष्वपि तुल्या हि तव दृष्टास्ति भामिनि ॥ ४४ ॥ त्वं दिव्याम्बरयोग्यासि शोभसे नाजिनैर्वृता । सर्वाभरणसंयुक्ता नीलालकवरूथिनी ॥ ४५ ॥ अहो विधेर्दुष्कलितं विचेष्टितं यदत्र रम्भोरु वने विषीदसि । विशालनेत्रेऽन्धमिमं पतिं प्रिये मुनिं समासाद्य जरातुरं भृशम् ॥ ४६ ॥ वृथा व्रतस्तेन भृशं न शोभसे नवं वयः प्राप्य सुनृत्यपण्डिते । मनोभवेनाशु शराः सुसन्धिताः पतन्ति कस्मिन्पतिरीदृशस्तव ॥ ४७ ॥ त्वमन्धभार्या नवयौवनान्विता कृतासि धात्रा ननु मन्दबुद्धिना । न चैनमर्हस्यसितायतेक्षणे पतिं त्वमन्यं कुरु चारुलोचने ॥ ४८ ॥ वृथैव ते जीवितमम्बुजेक्षणे पतिं च सम्प्राप्य मुनिं गतेक्षणम् । वने निवासं च तथाजिनाम्बर- प्रधारणं योग्यतरं न मन्महे ॥ ४९ ॥ अतोऽनवद्याङ्ग्युभयोस्त्वमेकं वरं कुरुषावहिता सुलोचने । किं यौवनं मानिनि सङ्करोषि वृथा मुनिं सुन्दरि सेवमाना ॥ ५० ॥ किं सेवसे भाग्यविवर्जितं तं समुज्झितं पोषणरक्षणाभ्याम् । त्यक्त्वा मुनिं सर्वसुखापवर्जितं भजानवद्याङ्ग्युभयोस्त्वमेकम् ॥ ५१ ॥ त्वं नन्दने चैत्ररथे वने च कुरुष्व कान्ते प्रथितं विहारम् । अन्धेन वृद्धेन कथं हि कालं विनेष्यसे मानिनि मानहीनम् ॥ ५२ ॥ भूपात्मजा त्वं शुभलक्षणा च जानासि संसारविहारभावम् । भाग्येन हीना विजने वनेऽत्र कालं कथं वाहयसे वृथा च ॥ ५३ ॥ तस्माद्भजस्व पिकभाषिणि चारुवक्त्रे एवं द्वयोस्तव सुखाय विशालनेत्रे । देवालयुषे च कृशोदरि भुङ्क्ष्व भोगान् त्यक्त्वा मुनिं जरठमाशु नृपेन्द्रपुत्रि ॥ ५४ ॥ किं ते सुखं चात्र वने सुकेशि वृद्धेन सार्धं विजने मृगाक्षि । सेवा तथान्धस्य नवं वयश्च किं ते मतं भूपतिपुत्रि दुःखम् ॥ ५५ ॥ शशिमुखि त्वमतीव सुकोमला फलजलाहरणं तव नोचितम् ॥ ५६ ॥
vyāsa uvāca - gate rājani sā bālā patisevāparāyaṇā | babhūva ca tathāgnīnāṃ sevane dharmatatparā || 1 || phalānyādāya svādūni mūlāni vividhāni ca | dadau sā munaye bālā patisevāparāyaṇā || 2 || patiṃ taptodakenāśu snāpayitvā mṛgatvacā | pariveṣṭya śubhāyāṃ tu bṛsyāṃ sthāpitavatyapi || 3 || tilān yavakuśānagre parikalpya kamaṇḍalum | tamuvāca nityakarma kuruṣva munisattama || 4 || tamutthāpya kare kṛtvā samāpte nityakarmaṇi | bṛsyāṃ vā saṃstare bālā bhartāraṃ saṃnyaveśayat || 5 || paścādānīya pakvāni phalāni ca nṛpātmajā | bhojayāmāsa cyavanaṃ nīvārānnaṃ susaṃskṛtam || 6 || bhuktavantaṃ patiṃ tṛptaṃ dattvācamanamādarāt | paścācca pūgaṃ patrāṇi dadau cādarasaṃyutā || 7 || gṛhītamukhavāsaṃ taṃ saṃveśya ca śubhāsane | gṛhītvā''jñāṃ śarīrasya cakāra sādhanaṃ tataḥ || 8 || phalāhāraṃ svayaṃ kṛtvā punargatvā ca sannidhau | provāca praṇayopetā kimājñāpayase prabho || 9 || pādasaṃvāhanaṃ te'dya karomi yadi manyase | evaṃ sevāparā nityaṃ babhūva patitatparā || 10 || sāyaṃ homāvasāne sā phalānyāhṛtya sundarī | arpayāmāsa munaye svādūni ca mṛdūni ca || 11 || tataḥ śeṣāṇi bubhuje premayuktā tadājñayā | susparśāstaraṇaṃ kṛtvā śāyayāmāsa taṃ mudā || 12 || supte sukhaṃ priye kāntā padasaṃvāhanaṃ tadā | cakāra pṛcchatī dharmaṃ kulastrīṇāṃ kṛśodarī || 13 || pādasaṃvāhanaṃ kṛtvā niśi bhaktiparāyaṇā | nidritaṃ ca muniṃ jñātvā suṣvāpa caraṇāntike || 14 || śucau pratiṣṭhitaṃ vīkṣya tālavṛntena bhāminī | kurvāṇā śītalaṃ vāyuṃ siṣeve svapatiṃ tadā || 15 || hemante kāṣṭhasambhāraṃ kṛtvāgnijvalanaṃ puraḥ | sthāpayitvā tathāpṛcchatsukhaṃ te'stīti cāsakṛt || 16 || brāhme muhūrte cotthāya jalaṃ pātraṃ ca mṛttikām | samarpayitvā śaucārthaṃ samutthāpya patiṃ priyā || 17 || sthānāddūre ca saṃsthāpya dūraṃ gatvā sthirābhavat | kṛtaśaucaṃ patiṃ jñātvā gatvā jagrāha taṃ punaḥ || 18 || ānīyāśramamavyagrā copaveśyāsane śubhe | mṛjjalābhyāṃ ca prakṣālya pādāvasya yathāvidhi || 19 || dattvā''camanapātraṃ tu dantadhāvanamāharat | samarpya dantakāṣṭhaṃ ca yathoktaṃ nṛpanandinī || 20 || cakāroṣṇaṃ jalaṃ śuddhaṃ samānītaṃ supāvanam | snānārthaṃ jalamāhṛtya papraccha praṇayānvitā || 21 || kimājñāpayase brahman kṛtaṃ vai dantadhāvanam | uṣṇodakaṃ susampannaṃ kuru snānaṃ samantrakam || 22 || vartate homakālo'yaṃ sandhyā pūrvā pravartate | vidhivadhavanaṃ kṛtvā devatāpūjanaṃ kuru || 23 || evaṃ kanyā patiṃ labdhvā tapasvinamaninditā | nityaṃ paryacaratprītyā tapasā niyamena ca || 24 || agnīnāmatithīnāṃ ca śuśrūṣāṃ kurvatī sadā | ārādhayāmāsa mudā cyavanaṃ sā śubhānanā || 25 || kasmiṃścidatha kāle tu ravijāvaśvināvubhau | cyavanasyāśramābhyāśe krīḍamānau samagatau || 26 || jale snātvā tu tāṃ kanyāṃ nivṛttāṃ svāśramaṃ prati | gacchantīṃ cārusarvāṅgīṃ raviputrāvapaśyatām || 27 || tāṃ dṛṣṭvā devakanyābhāṃ gatvā cāntikamādarāt | ūcatuḥ samabhidrutya nāsatyāvatimohitau || 28 || kṣaṇaṃ tiṣṭha varārohe praṣṭuṃ tvāṃ gajagāmini | āvāṃ devasutau prāptau brūhi satyaṃ śucismite || 29 || putrī kasya patiḥ kaste kathamudyānamāgatā | ekākinī taḍāge'smin snānārthaṃ cārulocane || 30 || dvitīyā śrīrivābhāsi kāntyā kamalalocane | icchāmastu vayaṃ jñātuṃ tattvamākhyāhi śobhane || 31 || komalau caraṇau kānte sthitau bhūmāvanāvṛtau | hṛdāye kurutaḥ pīḍāṃ calantau calalocane || 32 || vimānārhāsi tanvaṅgi kathaṃ padbhyāṃ vrajasyadaḥ | anāvṛtātra vipine kimarthaṃ gamanaṃ tava || 33 || dāsīśatasamāyuktā kathaṃ ca tvaṃ vinirgatā | rājaputryapsarā vāsi vada satyaṃ varānane || 34 || dhanyā mātā yato jātā dhanyo'sau janakastava | vaktuṃ tvāṃ naiva śaktau ca bharturbhāgyaṃ tavānaghe || 35 || devalikādhikā bhūmiriyaṃ caiva sulocane | pracalaṃścaraṇaste'dya sampāvayati bhūtalam || 36 || saubhāgyāśca mṛgāḥ kāmaṃ ye tvāṃ paśyanti vai vane | ye cānye pakṣiṇaḥ sarve bhūriyaṃ cātipāvanā || 37 || stutyālaṃ tava cātyarthaṃ satyaṃ brūhi sulocane | pitā kaste patiḥ kvāsau draṣṭumicchāsti sādaram || 38 || vyāsa uvāca - tayoriti vacaḥ śrutvā rājakanyātisundarī | tāvuvāca trapākrāntā devaputrī nṛpātmajā || 39 || śaryātitanayāṃ māṃ vāṃ vittaṃ bhāryāṃ muneriha | cyavanasya satīṃ kāntāṃ pitrā dattāṃ yadṛcchayā || 40 || patirandho'sti me devau vṛddhaścātīva tāpasaḥ | tasya sevāmahorātraṃ karomi prītimānasā || 41 || kau yuvāṃ kimihāyātau patistiṣṭhati cāśrame | tatrāgatya prakurutamāśramaṃ cādya pāvanam || 42 || tadākarṇya vaco dasrāvūcatustāṃ narādhipa | kathaṃ tvamapi kalyāṇi pitā dattā tapasvine || 43 || bhrājase'sminvanoddeśe vidyutsaudāminī yathā | na deveṣvapi tulyā hi tava dṛṣṭāsti bhāmini || 44 || tvaṃ divyāmbarayogyāsi śobhase nājinairvṛtā | sarvābharaṇasaṃyuktā nīlālakavarūthinī || 45 || aho vidherduṣkalitaṃ viceṣṭitaṃ yadatra rambhoru vane viṣīdasi | viśālanetre'ndhamimaṃ patiṃ priye muniṃ samāsādya jarāturaṃ bhṛśam || 46 || vṛthā vratastena bhṛśaṃ na śobhase navaṃ vayaḥ prāpya sunṛtyapaṇḍite | manobhavenāśu śarāḥ susandhitāḥ patanti kasminpatirīdṛśastava || 47 || tvamandhabhāryā navayauvanānvitā kṛtāsi dhātrā nanu mandabuddhinā | na cainamarhasyasitāyatekṣaṇe patiṃ tvamanyaṃ kuru cārulocane || 48 || vṛthaiva te jīvitamambujekṣaṇe patiṃ ca samprāpya muniṃ gatekṣaṇam | vane nivāsaṃ ca tathājināmbara- pradhāraṇaṃ yogyataraṃ na manmahe || 49 || ato'navadyāṅgyubhayostvamekaṃ varaṃ kuruṣāvahitā sulocane | kiṃ yauvanaṃ mānini saṅkaroṣi vṛthā muniṃ sundari sevamānā || 50 || kiṃ sevase bhāgyavivarjitaṃ taṃ samujjhitaṃ poṣaṇarakṣaṇābhyām | tyaktvā muniṃ sarvasukhāpavarjitaṃ bhajānavadyāṅgyubhayostvamekam || 51 || tvaṃ nandane caitrarathe vane ca kuruṣva kānte prathitaṃ vihāram | andhena vṛddhena kathaṃ hi kālaṃ vineṣyase mānini mānahīnam || 52 || bhūpātmajā tvaṃ śubhalakṣaṇā ca jānāsi saṃsāravihārabhāvam | bhāgyena hīnā vijane vane'tra kālaṃ kathaṃ vāhayase vṛthā ca || 53 || tasmādbhajasva pikabhāṣiṇi cāruvaktre evaṃ dvayostava sukhāya viśālanetre | devālayuṣe ca kṛśodari bhuṅkṣva bhogān tyaktvā muniṃ jaraṭhamāśu nṛpendraputri || 54 || kiṃ te sukhaṃ cātra vane sukeśi vṛddhena sārdhaṃ vijane mṛgākṣi | sevā tathāndhasya navaṃ vayaśca kiṃ te mataṃ bhūpatiputri duḥkham || 55 || śaśimukhi tvamatīva sukomalā phalajalāharaṇaṃ tava nocitam || 56 ||
English translation
1-38. Vyasa said O King! When the King S'aryati departed, that virtuous lady devoted her tinne in serving her husband, and the Fire. She gave to the Muni for his food various delicious roots and fruits. She made him bathe with warm water; then making him put on the deer skin, she made him sit on the Kus'asan. (Seat made of the Kus'a grass.) Next she used to place in his front Kus'a, Til and Kamandalu and speak to him “O best of Munis! You are now to perform your daily rites (Nitya Karma).” When the Nitya Karma was finished, the lady used to catch him by his hand and make him sit on another seat. Next the princess brought fresh ripe fruits and cooked rice, grown without cultivation and gave to the Muni for his food. When the husband finished his meals, she gave him devotedly water for cleansing his mouth; then washing his hands and feet gave him the betelnuts and pan leaves. Next she made him sit on an excellent seat, and with his permission, performed her own bodily purifications. She then, used to eat the remnants, fruits and roots of the dishes of her husband; and coming next to her husband addressed him affectionately “O Lord! Order me what can I do now for you? If you like, I may shampoo your legs and feet.” Thus every day that princess devotedly spent her time in serving her husband.
At evening when the Homa ceremony was finished, she collecting delicious and soft fruits presented to him to eat. With his permission she, then, ate that were left of the fruits; next she prepared bedding soft to the touch and gladly made him sleep on it. When his dear husband thus laid himself on the bed, she shampooed his feet and legs and in the interval, asked him about the religious duties of the chaste wives of the family. When the Muni fell asleep in the night, she devotedly laid herself close to his feet and slept. During the summer season when her husband was perspiring, the lady used to fan him with cool breeze. She took off his troubles and thus served her husband. In the cold season, she collected firewood and lit them
before him and used to ask him frequently “O Muni! Are you feeling pleasure in this?” That lady, dear to her husband, used to get up from her bed in the Brahma Muhurta before Sunrise, next made her husband get up and took him some short way off and there made him sit for calling on nature. She kept ready water and earth and stood in readiness at a suitable distance apart. Knowing that he had finished his calls for nature, she took him back to the As'ram, and washed his hands and feet with water duly making him sit on a convenient Asana. She then gave to him the pot for Achamana and then began to collect fuel. She used to bring pure clear water and made it hot; then she asked her husband fondly “O Husband! Have you finished cleaning your teeth? Warm water is ready; may I bring it to you? You better bathe with that, uttering your Mantrams. The time is now for performing the morning Sandhya and for performing Homa. Do the Homa regularly and worship the Devas.” The princess, whose nature was pure and clean as anything, kept herself engaged daily in serving her husband, Chyavana Muni, with perfect gladness, austerity, and observing all the rules duly. Thus that beautiful-faced princess worshipped gladly Chyavana Muni, serving Fire and the guests daily. Then, once, on an occasion, the AsVin twins, the sons of Surya came sporting and at their pleasure, close to the hermitage of the Chyavana Muni. At that time the princess, beautiful in all respects, was returning home after her bath in a pure clear stream and came to the sight of the two AsVins. Being enchanted by her extraordinary lovely beauty, they thought she might be a Deva Kavya, quickly went to her and fondly questioned her“O slow moving One like an elephant! Look! We are the sons of Devas; we have come to you to ask some questions. O Excellent One! Wait for a moment; we request thus to you. O Sweet-smiling One! Please answer our questions truly and properly. O Lovely-eyed! Whose daughter are you? Who is your husband Why have you come here alone to bathe in this tank? O Lotus-eyed! You seem to be a second Laksmi; O Beautiful One! We want to know something; please reply exactly. O Beloved! Your feet are exceedingly gentle; why have you not put on any shoes; why are you walking barefooted? Our hearts are being troubled to see you walking thus
barefooted? O Thin bodied One! Your body is very soft that you ought to have gone in a car; why are you thus walking on foot and in such an ordinary dress in this forest? Why have not hundreds of maid-servants accompanied you? O lovely faced One! Speak truly whether you are a princess or Apsara. O Sinless One! Blessed is your mother from whom you are born, blessed is your father. Specially the person with whom you are married, we are unable to describe his fortune. O Lovely eyed! This earth is being sanctified by the movements of your feet; consequently this garden is now purer today than the Devaloka. Boundless is the fortune of these deer and birds who can see you whenever they like; what more can we say than this that this forest is rendered very pure. O Fair One with fair eyes! It is needless to praise your beauty; speak truly who is your father and who is your husband; we like very much to see them.”
39-56. Vyasa said O King! On hearing their words, the exquisitely beautiful princess bespoke to the twin Devas with much bashfulness I am the daughter of S'aryati; father has given me over, under the directions of the Daiva, to the Maharsi Chyavana. I am his chaste dear wife; the Maharsi is staying in this very place. O Twin Devas!
My husband is a blind ascetic and he is very aged. I gladly serve him day and night according to the rules of chastity amongst women. Who are you? And why have you come here? My husband is staying in the As'rama; kindly come and sanctify the As'rama. O King! The two AsVins heard her and said “O Auspicious One! Why has your father betrothed you, such a gem, to an old ascetic? It is very strange. Indeed! In this solitary forest you are shining like a steady lightning; what more can we say than this that we hardly find a beautiful lady like you, even in the Devaloka! Alas! The Deva dress and a full set of ornaments and blue dyes look well on you; this deer¬ skin and barks of trees in no way fit you. O Beautiful One! Your eyes are very large; yet the Creator has given you a blind husband; specially a very aged one; and you are wearing away by constantly dwelling with your blind husband in this forest. What more can be
wrong for the Creator than this? O deer-eyed One! In vain you have selected him for your husband. At this period of your youth and beauty it does not look at all well to see you with your blind husband. You are versed in dancing and music; but your husband is blind and aged; when in dancing you will shoot your darts of love, on whom then, will those arrows fall? O large-eyed One! Oh! The Creator is certainly of a very little understanding! Else why would he have made you, so full of youthful vitality, the wife of a blind man? O lovely-eyed One! You are never fit for him; select another husband.
O Lotus-eyed One! Your husband is not only blind but an ascetic; so your life is quite useless; we do not consider it fit that you reside in this forest and put on this bark and deer-skin. O dark-eyed One! Your body and every limb thereof is very beautiful; judge well and make one amongst us your husband. O Proud One! Why are you being so very beautiful, spending your youth in vain in serving this Muni? No good signs are visible in this Muni; he cannot maintain nor protect you even; why are you, then, serving him in vain? O spotless One! Leave at once this Muni, quite incapable in giving any sort of pleasure, and marry one of us. O Beloved! Then you will enjoy in the Nandana Kanana or in the forest of Chaitratarha. O Proud One! How will you spend your time with the aged husband, being brought to so much humiliation and without any dignity and self-respect. You are endowed with all auspicious signs; moreover you are a princess; you are not ignorant of all enjoyments in this world; why then you like to live such an unfortunate life in vain in this forest? O Princess! Your face is exceedingly beautiful; your eyes are wide and your waist is thin. Your voice is sweet like a cuckoo. Who is more beautiful than you? Quit now your aged ascetic husband and marry one of us for your happiness; then you will be able to enjoy excellent celestial things in the heavens. O good-haired one! What pleasure can you derive by your staying in this forest with your blind husband! O deer¬ eyed One. It is very painful for you to serve at this young age of yours, to remain in this forest and serve this aged man. O Princess!
Is it that you like troubles and nothing else. O One with a face lovely like the Moon! We see that you are of a very soft body; so to collect water and fruits is never a duty fit for you.
Here ends the Fourth Chapter in the Seventh Book on the conversation between the two AsVins and the Princess Sukanya in S'ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam, the Maha Puranam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 25100, revision 76165 (2016-08-16T23:46:39Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk07ch04.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.