लोमश उवाच
कस्य चित् त्व् अथ कालस्य सुराणाम् अश्विनौ नृप ॥
कृताभिषेकां विवृतां सुकन्यां ताम् अपश्यताम् ॥
तां दृष्ट्वा दर्शनीयाङ्गीं देवराजसुताम् इव ॥
ऊचतुः समभिद्रुत्य नासत्याव् अश्विनाव् इदम् ॥
कस्य त्वम् असि वामोरु किं वने वै करोषि च ॥
इच्छाव भद्रे ज्ञातुं त्वां तत् त्वम् आख्याहि शोभने ॥
ततः सुकन्या संवीता ताव् उवाच सुरोत्तमौ ॥
शर्यातितनयां वित्तं भार्यां च च्यवनस्य माम् ॥
अथाश्विनौ प्रहस्यैताम् अब्रूतां पुनर् एव तु ॥
कथं त्वम् असि कल्याणि पित्रा दत्ता गताध्वने ॥
भ्राजसे वनमध्ये त्वं विद्युत् सौदामिनी यथा ॥
न देवेष्व् अपि तुल्यां हि त्वया पश्याव भामिनि ॥
सर्वाभरणसंपन्ना परमाम्बरधारिणी ॥
शोभेथास् त्व् अनवद्याङ्गि न त्व् एवं मलपङ्किनी ॥
कस्माद् एवंविधा भूत्वा जराजर्जरितं पतिम् ॥
त्वम् उपास्से ह कल्याणि कामभोगबहिष्कृतम् ॥
असमर्थं परित्राणे पोषणे च शुचिस्मिते ॥
साधु च्यवनम् उत्सृज्य वरयस्वैकम् आवयोः ॥
पत्यर्थं देवगर्भाभे मा वृथा यौवनं कृथाः ॥
एवम् उक्ता सुकन्या तु सुरौ ताव् इदम् अब्रवीत् ॥
रताहं च्यवने पत्यौ मैवं मा पर्यशङ्किथाः ॥
lomaśa uvāca
kasya cit tv atha kālasya surāṇām aśvinau nṛpa ||
kṛtābhiṣekāṃ vivṛtāṃ sukanyāṃ tām apaśyatām ||
tāṃ dṛṣṭvā darśanīyāṅgīṃ devarājasutām iva ||
ūcatuḥ samabhidrutya nāsatyāv aśvināv idam ||
kasya tvam asi vāmoru kiṃ vane vai karoṣi ca ||
icchāva bhadre jñātuṃ tvāṃ tat tvam ākhyāhi śobhane ||
tataḥ sukanyā saṃvītā tāv uvāca surottamau ||
śaryātitanayāṃ vittaṃ bhāryāṃ ca cyavanasya mām ||
athāśvinau prahasyaitām abrūtāṃ punar eva tu ||
kathaṃ tvam asi kalyāṇi pitrā dattā gatādhvane ||
bhrājase vanamadhye tvaṃ vidyut saudāminī yathā ||
na deveṣv api tulyāṃ hi tvayā paśyāva bhāmini ||
sarvābharaṇasaṃpannā paramāmbaradhāriṇī ||
śobhethās tv anavadyāṅgi na tv evaṃ malapaṅkinī ||
kasmād evaṃvidhā bhūtvā jarājarjaritaṃ patim ||
tvam upāsse ha kalyāṇi kāmabhogabahiṣkṛtam ||
asamarthaṃ paritrāṇe poṣaṇe ca śucismite ||
sādhu cyavanam utsṛjya varayasvaikam āvayoḥ ||
patyarthaṃ devagarbhābhe mā vṛthā yauvanaṃ kṛthāḥ ||
evam uktā sukanyā tu surau tāv idam abravīt ||
ratāhaṃ cyavane patyau maivaṃ mā paryaśaṅkithāḥ ||
Lomasha said: 'After some time, the two Ashvins, best among the gods, saw Sukanya after her bath, uncovered. Seeing this woman of beautiful limbs, like the daughter of the king of gods, the Nasatyas — the two Ashvins — hurried up to her and said: "Whose are you, fair-thighed one? What are you doing in the forest? We wish to know you, gracious one; tell us, beautiful one." Then Sukanya, having covered herself, said to the two best of the gods: "Know that I am the daughter of Sharyati and the wife of Chyavana." Then the Ashvins, laughing, said to her again: "How is it, beautiful one, that your father gave you to one who has already traveled his road? You shine in the midst of the forest like lightning among the clouds; even among the gods, O beautiful one, we see none equal to you. Adorned with every ornament and clothed in the finest garments, you would shine, flawless one, and not thus, smeared with dirt. Why, being such as you are, beautiful one, do you serve a husband ruined by old age, deprived of the pleasures of love, unable either to protect or to support you, O bright-smiling one? Better to leave Chyavana and choose one of us. For the sake of a husband, O godlike one, do not waste your youth in vain." So addressed, Sukanya answered the two gods: "I am devoted to my husband Chyavana; do not suspect me of any such thing."'
8a3853566542 · published Jul 16, 2026, 5:06:19 PM UTC
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The temptation offered to Sukanya rests on the obvious: youth, beauty, comfort. But her answer rests not on calculation but on fidelity, which does not trade duty for a more pleasant option.