Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 9 · Chapter 3
श्रीशुक उवाच शर्यातिर्मानवो राजा ब्रह्मिष्ठ: सम्बभूव ह । यो वा अङ्गिरसां सत्रे द्वितीयमहरूचिवान् ॥ १ ॥
sri-suka uvaca saryatir manavo raja brahmisthah sambabhuva ha yo va angirasam satre dvitiyam ahar ucivan
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami continued: O King, Saryati, another son of Manu, was a ruler completely aware of Vedic knowledge. He gave instructions about the functions for the second day of the yajna to be performed by the descendants of Angira.
सुकन्या नाम तस्यासीत् कन्या कमललोचना । तया सार्धं वनगतो ह्यगमच्च्यवनाश्रमम् ॥ २ ॥
sukanya nama tasyasit kanya kamala-locana taya sardham vana-gato hy agamac cyavanasramam
Saryati had a beautiful lotus-eyed daughter named Sukanya, with whom he went to the forest to see the asrama of Cyavana Muni.
सा सखीभि: परिवृता विचिन्वन्त्यङ्घ्रिपान् वने । वल्मीकरन्ध्रे ददृशे खद्योते इव ज्योतिषी ॥ ३ ॥
sa sakhibhih parivrta vicinvanty anghripan vane valmika-randhre dadrse khadyote iva jyotisi
While that Sukanya, surrounded by her friends, was collecting various types of fruits from the trees in the forest, she saw within the hole of an earthworm two things glowing like luminaries.
ते दैवचोदिता बाला ज्योतिषी कण्टकेन वै । अविध्यन्मुग्धभावेन सुस्रावासृक् ततो बहि: ॥ ४ ॥
te daiva-codita bala jyotisi kantakena vai avidhyan mugdha-bhavena susravasrk tato bahih
As if induced by providence, the girl ignorantly pierced those two glowworms with a thorn, and when they were pierced, blood began to ooze out of them.
शकृन्मूत्रनिरोधोऽभूत् सैनिकानां च तत्क्षणात् । राजर्षिस्तमुपालक्ष्य पुरुषान् विस्मितोऽब्रवीत् ॥ ५ ॥
sakrn-mutra-nirodho ’bhut sainikanam ca tat-ksanat rajarsis tam upalaksya purusan vismito ’bravit
Thereupon, all the soldiers of Saryati were immediately obstructed from passing urine and stool. Upon perceiving this, Saryati spoke to his associates in surprise.
अप्यभद्रं न युष्माभिर्भार्गवस्य विचेष्टितम् । व्यक्तं केनापि नस्तस्य कृतमाश्रमदूषणम् ॥ ६ ॥
apy abhadram na yusmabhir bhargavasya vicestitam vyaktam kenapi nas tasya krtam asrama-dusanam
How strange it is that one of us has attempted to do something wrong to Cyavana Muni, the son of Bhrgu. It certainly appears that someone among us has polluted this asrama.
सुकन्या प्राह पितरं भीता किञ्चित् कृतं मया । द्वे ज्योतिषी अजानन्त्या निर्भिन्ने कण्टकेन वै ॥ ७ ॥
sukanya praha pitaram bhita kincit krtam maya dve jyotisi ajanantya nirbhinne kantakena vai
Being very much afraid, the girl Sukanya said to her father: I have done something wrong, for I have ignorantly pierced these two luminous substances with a thorn.
दुहितुस्तद् वच: श्रुत्वा शर्यातिर्जातसाध्वस: । मुनिं प्रसादयामास वल्मीकान्तर्हितं शनै: ॥ ८ ॥
duhitus tad vacah srutva saryatir jata-sadhvasah munim prasadayam asa valmikantarhitam sanaih
After hearing this statement by his daughter, King Saryati was very much afraid. In various ways, he tried to appease Cyavana Muni, for it was he who sat within the hole of the earthworm.
तदभिप्रायमाज्ञाय प्रादाद् दुहितरं मुने: । कृच्छ्रान्मुक्तस्तमामन्त्र्य पुरं प्रायात् समाहित: ॥ ९ ॥
tad-abhiprayam ajnaya pradad duhitaram muneh krcchran muktas tam amantrya puram prayat samahitah
King Saryati, being very contemplative and thus understanding Cyavana Muni’s purpose, gave his daughter in charity to the sage. Thus released from danger with great difficulty, he took permission from Cyavana Muni and returned home.
सुकन्या च्यवनं प्राप्य पतिं परमकोपनम् । प्रीणयामास चित्तज्ञा अप्रमत्तानुवृत्तिभि: ॥ १० ॥
sukanya cyavanam prapya patim parama-kopanam prinayam asa citta-jna apramattanuvrttibhih
Cyavana Muni was very irritable, but since Sukanya had gotten him as her husband, she dealt with him carefully, according to his mood. Knowing his mind, she performed service to him without being bewildered.
कस्यचित् त्वथ कालस्य नासत्यावाश्रमागतौ । तौ पूजयित्वा प्रोवाच वयो मे दत्तमीश्वरौ ॥ ११ ॥
kasyacit tv atha kalasya nasatyav asramagatau tau pujayitva provaca vayo me dattam isvarau
Thereafter, some time having passed, the Asvini-kumara brothers, the heavenly physicians, happened to come to Cyavana Muni’s asrama. After offering them respectful obeisances, Cyavana Muni requested them to give him youthful life, for they were able to do so.
ग्रहं ग्रहीष्ये सोमस्य यज्ञे वामप्यसोमपो: । क्रियतां मे वयो रूपं प्रमदानां यदीप्सितम् ॥ १२ ॥
graham grahisye somasya yajne vam apy asoma-poh kriyatam me vayo-rupam pramadanam yad ipsitam
Cyavana Muni said: Although you are ineligible to drink soma-rasa in sacrifices, I promise to give you a full pot of it. Kindly arrange beauty and youth for me, because they are attractive to young women.
बाढमित्यूचतुर्विप्रमभिनन्द्य भिषक्तमौ । निमज्जतां भवानस्मिन् ह्रदे सिद्धविनिर्मिते ॥ १३ ॥
badham ity ucatur vipram abhinandya bhisaktamau nimajjatam bhavan asmin hrade siddha-vinirmite
The great physicians, the Asvini-kumaras, very gladly accepted Cyavana Muni’s proposal.
इत्युक्तो जरया ग्रस्तदेहो धमनिसन्तत: । ह्रदं प्रवेशितोऽश्विभ्यां वलीपलितविग्रह: ॥ १४ ॥
ity ukto jaraya grasta- deho dhamani-santatah hradam pravesito ’svibhyam vali-palita-vigrahah
After saying this, the Asvini-kumaras caught hold of Cyavana Muni, who was an old, diseased invalid with loose skin, white hair, and veins visible all over his body, and all three of them entered the lake.
पुरुषास्त्रय उत्तस्थुरपीव्या वनिताप्रिया: । पद्मस्रज: कुण्डलिनस्तुल्यरूपा: सुवासस: ॥ १५ ॥
purusas traya uttasthur apivya vanita-priyah padma-srajah kundalinas tulya-rupah suvasasah
Thereafter, three men with very beautiful bodily features emerged from the lake. They were nicely dressed and decorated with earrings and garlands of lotuses. All of them were of the same standard of beauty.
तान् निरीक्ष्य वरारोहा सरूपान् सूर्यवर्चस: । अजानती पतिं साध्वी अश्विनौ शरणं ययौ ॥ १६ ॥
tan niriksya vararoha sarupan surya-varcasah ajanati patim sadhvi asvinau saranam yayau
The chaste and very beautiful Sukanya could not distinguish her husband from the two Asvini-kumaras, for they were equally beautiful. Not understanding who her real husband was, she took shelter of the Asvini-kumaras.
दर्शयित्वा पतिं तस्यै पातिव्रत्येन तोषितौ । ऋषिमामन्त्र्य ययतुर्विमानेन त्रिविष्टपम् ॥ १७ ॥
darsayitva patim tasyai pati-vratyena tositau rsim amantrya yayatur vimanena trivistapam
The Asvini-kumaras were very pleased to see Sukanya’s chastity and faithfulness. Thus they showed her Cyavana Muni, her husband, and after taking permission from him, they returned to the heavenly planes in their plane.
यक्ष्यमाणोऽथ शर्यातिश्च्यवनस्याश्रमं गत: । ददर्श दुहितु: पार्श्वे पुरुषं सूर्यवर्चसम् ॥ १८ ॥
yaksyamano ’tha saryatis cyavanasyasramam gatah dadarsa duhituh parsve purusam surya-varcasam
Thereafter, King Saryati, desiring to perform a sacrifice, went to the residence of Cyavana Muni. There he saw by the side of his daughter a very beautiful young man, as bright as the sun.
राजा दुहितरं प्राह कृतपादाभिवन्दनाम् । आशिषश्चाप्रयुञ्जानो नातिप्रीतिमना इव ॥ १९ ॥
raja duhitaram praha krta-padabhivandanam asisas caprayunjano natipriti-mana iva
After receiving obeisances from his daughter, the King, instead of offering blessings to her, appeared very displeased and spoke as follows.
चिकीर्षितं ते किमिदं पतिस्त्वया प्रलम्भितो लोकनमस्कृतो मुनि: । यत् त्वं जराग्रस्तमसत्यसम्मतं विहाय जारं भजसेऽमुमध्वगम् ॥ २० ॥
cikirsitam te kim idam patis tvaya pralambhito loka-namaskrto munih yat tvam jara-grastam asaty asammatam vihaya jaram bhajase ’mum adhvagam
O unchaste girl, what is this that you have desired to do? You have cheated the most respectable husband, who is honored by everyone, for I see that because he was old, diseased and therefore unattractive, you have left his company to accept as your husband this young man, who appears to be a beggar from the street.
कथं मतिस्तेऽवगतान्यथा सतां कुलप्रसूते कुलदूषणं त्विदम् । बिभर्षि जारं यदपत्रपा कुलं पितुश्च भर्तुश्च नयस्यधस्तम: ॥ २१ ॥
katham matis te ’vagatanyatha satam kula-prasute kula-dusanam tv idam bibharsi jaram yad apatrapa kulam pitus ca bhartus ca nayasy adhas tamah
O my daughter, who were born in a respectable family, how have you degraded your consciousness in this way? How is it that you are shamelessly maintaining a paramour? You will thus degrade the dynasties of both your father and your husband to hellish life.
एवं ब्रुवाणं पितरं स्मयमाना शुचिस्मिता । उवाच तात जामाता तवैष भृगुनन्दन: ॥ २२ ॥
evam bruvanam pitaram smayamana suci-smita uvaca tata jamata tavaisa bhrgu-nandanah
Sukanya, however, being very proud of her chastity, smiled upon hearing the rebukes of her father. She smilingly told him, My dear father, this young man by my side is your actual son-in-law, the great sage Cyavana, who was born in the family of Bhrgu
शशंस पित्रे तत् सर्वं वयोरूपाभिलम्भनम् । विस्मित: परमप्रीतस्तनयां परिषस्वजे ॥ २३ ॥
sasamsa pitre tat sarvam vayo-rupabhilambhanam vismitah parama-pritas tanayam parisasvaje
Thus Sukanya explained how her husband had received the beautiful body of a young man. When the King heard this he was very surprised, and in great pleasure he embraced his beloved daughter.
सोमेन याजयन् वीरं ग्रहं सोमस्य चाग्रहीत् । असोमपोरप्यश्विनोश्च्यवन: स्वेन तेजसा ॥ २४ ॥
somena yajayan viram graham somasya cagrahit asoma-por apy asvinos cyavanah svena tejasa
Cyavana Muni, by his own prowess, enabled King Saryati to perform the soma-yajna. The muni offered a full pot of soma-rasa to the Asvini-kumaras, although they were unfit to drink it.
हन्तुं तमाददे वज्रं सद्योमन्युरमर्षित: । सवज्रं स्तम्भयामास भुजमिन्द्रस्य भार्गव: ॥ २५ ॥
hantum tam adade vajram sadyo manyur amarsitah savajram stambhayam asa bhujam indrasya bhargavah
King Indra, being perturbed and angry, wanted to kill Cyavana Muni, and therefore he impetuously took up his thunderbolt. But Cyavana Muni, by his powers, paralyzed Indra’s arm that held the thunderbolt.
अन्वजानंस्तत: सर्वे ग्रहं सोमस्य चाश्विनो: । भिषजाविति यत् पूर्वं सोमाहुत्या बहिष्कृतौ ॥ २६ ॥
anvajanams tatah sarve graham somasya casvinoh bhisajav iti yat purvam somahutya bahis-krtau
Although the Asvini-kumaras were only physicians and were therefore excluded from drinking soma-rasa in sacrifices, the demigods agreed to allow them henceforward to drink it.
उत्तानबर्हिरानर्तो भूरिषेण इति त्रय: । शर्यातेरभवन् पुत्रा आनर्ताद् रेवतोऽभवत् ॥ २७ ॥
uttanabarhir anarto bhurisena iti trayah saryater abhavan putra anartad revato ’bhavat
King Saryati begot three sons, named Uttanabarhi, Anarta and Bhurisena. From Anarta came a son named Revata.
सोऽन्त:समुद्रे नगरीं विनिर्माय कुशस्थलीम् । आस्थितोऽभुङ्क्त विषयानानर्तादीनरिन्दम । तस्य पुत्रशतं जज्ञे ककुद्मिज्येष्ठमुत्तमम् ॥ २८ ॥
so ’ntah-samudre nagarim vinirmaya kusasthalim asthito ’bhunkta visayan anartadin arindama tasya putra-satam jajne kakudmi-jyestham uttamam
O Maharaja Pariksit, subduer of enemies, this Revata constructed a kingdom known as Kusasthali in the depths of the ocean. There he lived and ruled such tracts of land as Anarta, etc. He had one hundred very nice sons, of whom the eldest was Kakudmi.
ककुद्मी रेवतीं कन्यां स्वामादाय विभुं गत: । पुत्र्यावरं परिप्रष्टुं ब्रह्मलोकमपावृतम् ॥ २९ ॥
kakudmi revatim kanyam svam adaya vibhum gatah putrya varam pariprastum brahmalokam apavrtam
Taking his own daughter, Revati, Kakudmi went to Lord Brahma in Brahmaloka, which is transcendental to the three modes of material nature, and inquired about a husband for her.
आवर्तमाने गान्धर्वे स्थितोऽलब्धक्षण: क्षणम् । तदन्त आद्यमानम्य स्वाभिप्रायं न्यवेदयत् ॥ ३० ॥
avartamane gandharve sthito ’labdha-ksanah ksanam tad-anta adyam anamya svabhiprayam nyavedayat
When Kakudmi arrived there, Lord Brahma was engaged in hearing musical performances by the Gandharvas and had not a moment to talk with him. Therefore Kakudmi waited, and at the end of the musical performances he offered his obeisances to Lord Brahma and thus submitted his long-standing desire.
तच्छ्रुत्वा भगवान् ब्रह्मा प्रहस्य तमुवाच ह । अहो राजन् निरुद्धास्ते कालेन हृदि ये कृता: ॥ ३१ ॥
tac chrutva bhagavan brahma prahasya tam uvaca ha aho rajan niruddhas te kalena hrdi ye krtah
After hearing his words, Lord Brahma, who is most powerful, laughed loudly and said to Kakudmi: O King, all those whom you may have decided within the core of your heart to accept as your son-in-law have passed away in the course of time.
तत्पुत्रपौत्रनप्तृणां गोत्राणि च न शृण्महे । कालोऽभियातस्त्रिणवचतुर्युगविकल्पित: ॥ ३२ ॥
tat putra-pautra-naptrnam gotrani ca na srnmahe kalo ’bhiyatas tri-nava- catur-yuga-vikalpitah
Twenty-seven catur-yugas have already passed. Those upon whom you may have decided are now gone, and so are their sons, grandsons and other descendants. You cannot even hear about their names.
तद् गच्छ देवदेवांशो बलदेवो महाबल: । कन्यारत्नमिदं राजन् नररत्नाय देहि भो: ॥ ३३ ॥
tad gaccha deva-devamso baladevo maha-balah kanya-ratnam idam rajan nara-ratnaya dehi bhoh
O King, leave here and offer your daughter to Lord Baladeva, who is still present. He is most powerful. Indeed, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose plenary portion is Lord Visnu. Your daughter is fit to be given to Him in charity.
भुवो भारावताराय भगवान् भूतभावन: । अवतीर्णो निजांशेन पुण्यश्रवणकीर्तन: ॥ ३४ ॥
bhuvo bharavataraya bhagavan bhuta-bhavanah avatirno nijamsena punya-sravana-kirtanah
Lord Baladeva is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One who hears and chants about Him is purified. Because He is always the well-wisher of all living entities, He has descended with all His paraphernalia to purify the entire world and lessen its burden.
इत्यादिष्टोऽभिवन्द्याजं नृप: स्वपुरमागत: । त्यक्तं पुण्यजनत्रासाद् भ्रातृभिर्दिक्ष्ववस्थितै: ॥ ३५ ॥
ity adisto ’bhivandyajam nrpah sva-puram agatah tyaktam punya-jana-trasad bhratrbhir diksv avasthitaih
Having received this order from Lord Brahma, Kakudmi offered obeisances unto him and returned to his own residence. He then saw that his residence was vacant, having been abandoned by his brothers and other relatives, who were living in all directions because of fear of such higher living beings as the Yaksas.
सुतां दत्त्वानवद्याङ्गीं बलाय बलशालिने । बदर्याख्यं गतो राजा तप्तुं नारायणाश्रमम् ॥ ३६ ॥
sutam dattvanavadyangim balaya bala-saline badary-akhyam gato raja taptum narayanasramam
Thereafter, the King gave his most beautiful daughter in charity to the supremely powerful Baladeva and then retired from worldly life and went to Badarikasrama to please Nara-Narayana.
