TIRTHAYATRA PARVA: Chapter 124

The story of Sukanya

लोमश उवाच ततः शुश्राव शर्यातिर्वयस्थं च्यवनं कृतम्। सुहृष्टः सेनया सार्धमुपायाद् भार्गवाश्रमम्॥
Lomasha said: Thereupon hearing that Chyavana had been turned into a youth, Sharyati, becoming very much pleased, came with his troops to the hermitage of the son of Bhrigu.

च्यवनं च सुकन्यां च दृष्ट्वा देवसुताविवा रेमे सभार्यः शर्याति: कृत्स्नां प्राप्य महीमिव॥ ऋषिणा सत्कृतस्तेन सभार्यः पृथिवीपतिः। उपोपविष्टः कल्याणी: कथाश्चक्रे मनोरमाः॥
He saw Chyavana and Sukanya like two celestials children. Sharyati with his wife was as pleased as he would have been, if he had acquired the whole earth. The ruler of earth together with his wife was received honourable by those saints. The king seated himself near the ascetic and entered into a delightful conversation of an auspicious kind.

अथैनं भार्गवो राजन्नुवाच परिसान्त्वयन्। याजयिष्यामि राजंस्त्वां सम्भारानवकल्पय॥
O king, the son of Bhrigu thus spoke to that ruler of worlds these words of a soothing nature, “O king, I shall perform your sacrifice. Let the necessary articles be procured."

ततः परमसंहष्टः शतिरवनीपतिः। च्यवनस्य महाराज तद् वाक्यं प्रत्यपूजयत्॥
Thereupon that ruler of earth, Sharyati was exceedingly delighted. O great king, he expressed his approbation of the proposal made by Chyavana.

प्रशस्तेऽहनि यज्ञीये सर्वकामसमृद्धिमत्। कारयामास शर्यातिर्यज्ञायतनमुत्तमम्॥
On an auspicious day, suitable for the commencement of a sacrificial ceremony, Sharyati ordered the erection of an excellent sacrificial shrine. He then splendidly furnished it with all desirable things.

तत्रैनं च्यवनो राजन् याजयामास भार्गवः। अद्भुतानि च तत्रासन् यानि तानि निबोध मे॥
O king, Chyavana, the son of Bhrigu performed his sacrifice. Hear the wonderful events which happened at that spot.

अगृहणाच्च्यवनः सोममश्विनोर्देवयोस्तदा। तमिन्द्रो वारयामास गृहणानं स तयोर्ग्रहम्॥
Chyavana took up some Soma juice, so that he might offer it to the Ashvins who are the physician to the celestials. When he was going to offer it, Indra prevented him.

इन्द्र उवाच उभावेतौ न सोमा) नासत्याविति मे मतिः। भिषजौ दिवि देवानां कर्मणा तेन नार्हतः॥
Indra said: These two (Ashvins) in my opinion have no right to receive an offering of the Soma juice; they are the physicians to the celestials. As such, they are prevented (from receiving it).

च्यवन उवाच महोत्साहौ महात्मानौ रूपद्रविणवत्तरौ। यो चक्रतुर्मां मघवन् वृन्दारकमिवाजरम्॥ ऋते त्वां विबुधांश्चान्यान् कथं वै नार्हतः सवम्। अश्विनावपि देवेन्द्र देवौ विद्धि पुरंदर॥
Chyavana said: O Indra, these two are of great energy, they are high-souled, beautiful and handsome, they have made me eternally young like a celestials. Why should you and the other celestials have a right to the Soma juice and not they? O lord of the celestials, O Purandara, know that the Ashvins are also celestials.

इन्द्र उवाच चिकित्सको कर्मकरी कामरूपसमन्वितौ। लोके चरन्तौ मानां कथं सोममिहार्हतः॥
Indra said: These two are physicians and as such they are but servants. Assuming various forms at pleasure, they roam about the world of the mortals. How can they claim the Soma juice?

लोमश उवाच एतदेव यदा वाक्यामाप्रेडयति देवराट्। अनादृत्य ततः शक्रं ग्रहं जग्राह भार्गवः॥
Lomasha said : When these words were said by the king of the celestials, the son of Bhrigu (Chyavana) did not heed them; and he took up the offering of (the soma).

ग्रहीष्यन्तं तु तं सोममश्विनोरुत्तमं तदा। समीक्ष्य बलभिद् देव इदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥
Having seen that he was about to take up an excellent portion of Soma to offer it to the Ashvins, the destroyer of Bala Indra thus spoke to hiin,

आभ्यामर्थाय सोमं त्वं ग्रहीष्यसि यदि स्वयम्। वज्रं ते प्रहरिष्यामि घोररूपमनुत्तमम्॥
"If you take up the Soma to offer it to those two celestials, I shall hurl at you my fearful thunder which is superior to all existing weapons."

एवमुक्तः स्मयन्निन्द्रमभिवीक्ष्य स भार्गवः। जग्राह विधिवत् सोममश्विभ्यामुत्तमं ग्रहम्॥
Having been thus addressed, the son of Bhrigu smilingly looked at Indra and he then took up in due form some excellent Soma juice to offer it to the Ashvins.

ततोऽस्मै प्राहरद् वज्रं घोररूपं शचीपतिः। तस्य प्रहरतो बाहुं स्तम्भयामास भार्गवः॥
The husband of Sachi (Indra), then hurled at him the fearful thunder. When he was about to hurl it, the son of Bhrigu paralyzed it.

तं स्तम्भयित्वा च्यवनो जुहुवे मन्त्रतोऽनलम्। कृत्यार्थी सुमहातेजा देवं हिंसितुमुद्यतः॥
Having paralyzed his arms, Chyavana recited sacred hymns and made offerings to the fire. That greatly effulgent one, having gained his object tried to kill the celestials (Indra).

ततः कृत्याथ संजज्ञे मुनेस्तस्य तपोबलात्। मदो नाम महावीर्यो बृहत्कायो महासुरः॥
Thereupon the Rishi created, by his ascetic power, a great Asura of huge body and exceeding prowess, named Mada.

शरीरं यस्य निर्देष्टुमशक्यं तु सुरासुरैः। तस्यास्यमभवद् घोरं तीक्ष्णाग्रदशनं महत्॥
His body was incapable of being measured by the Suras and the Asuras. His mouth was fearful; it was of huge size with teeth of sharpened ends.

हनुरेका स्थिता त्वस्य भूमावेका दिवं गता। चतस्रश्चायता दंष्ट्रा योजनानां शतं शतम्॥
One of his jaws rested on earth and the other stretched to heaven. He had four fangs extending as far as one hundred yojanas.

इतरे तस्य दशना बभूवुर्दशयोजनाः। प्रासादशिखराकाराः शूलाग्रसमदर्शनाः॥
His other fangs extended as far as one hundred yojanas. They looked like the towers on a palace. They might be likened to the ends of spears.

बाहू पर्वतसंकाशावायतावयुतं समौ। नेत्रे रविशशिप्रख्ये वक्त्रं कालाग्निसंनिभम्॥
His two arms were like two hills. They were of equal bulk and extended ten thousand yojanas. His two eyes resembled the sun and the moon and his countenance looked like the great fire at the universal dissolution.

लेलिहञ्जिह्वया वक्त्रं विद्युच्चपललोलया। व्यात्ताननो घोरदृष्टिप्रुसन्निव जगद् बलात्॥
He was licking his mouth with his tongue, which like lightning knew no rest. His mouth was open and his glance was fearful. It appeared as if he would forcibly swallow up the world.

स भक्षयिष्यन् संक्रुद्धः शतक्रतुमुपाद्रवत्। महता घोररूपेण लोकाञ्छब्देन नादयन्॥
He rushed upon Shatakratu (Indra) with the intention of devouring that deity. The worlds resounded with the loud and fearful roaring of that Asura.