लोमश उवाच कस्यचित् त्वथ कालस्य त्रिदशावश्विनौ नृप। कृताभिषेकां विवृतां सुकन्यां तामपश्यताम्॥ तां दृष्ट्वा दर्शनीयाङ्गी देवराजसुतामिव। ऊचतुः समभिदुत्य नासत्यावश्विनाविदम्॥
Lomasha said : O king, once on a time, the (two) celestials the Ashvins saw Sukanya, when she had bathed and when she had no clothes on her person. Having seen that charming damsel who resembled a daughter of the celestials king, the horse-born Ashvins came to her and thus spoke to her.
कस्य त्वमसि वामोरु वनेऽस्मिन् किं करोषि च। इच्छाव भद्रे ज्ञातुं त्वां तत्त्वमाख्याहि शोभने॥
"O lady of tapering thighs, whose daughter are you? What are you doing in this forest? O blessed one, O beautiful damsel, we desire to know this. Therefore tell us."
ततः सुकन्या सुव्रीडा तावुवाच सुरोत्तमौ। शर्यातितनयां वित्तं भार्यां मा च्यवनस्य च॥
Thereupon Sukanya filled with bashfulness thus spoke to those foremost of celestials," "I am the daughter of Sharyati and I am the wife of Chyavana."
अथाश्विनौ प्रहस्यैतामबूतां पुनरेव तु। कथं त्वमसि कल्याणि पित्रा दत्ता गताध्वने।॥ भ्राजसेऽस्मिन् वने भीरु विद्युत्सौदामनी यथा। न देवेष्वपि तुल्यां हि त्वया पश्याव भाविनि॥
Ashvins then again spoke to her with smiles, “O auspicious one, why has your gather bestowed you on a man who is verging on death? O timid one, you shine in this forest like the flashing lightning. O beautiful lady, we have never seen any one like you even in the celestials region.
अनाभरणसम्पन्ना परमाम्बरवर्जिता। शोभयस्यधिकं भद्रे वनमपप्यनलंकृता॥
O blessed one, unadorned with ornaments and unclad in beautiful robes as you are, you beautify the forest more by your unadorned beauty.
सर्वाभरणसम्पन्ना परमाम्बरधारिणी। शोभसे त्वनवद्याङ्गि न त्वेवं मलपकिनी॥
O lady of faultless limbs, you cannot (however) look so beautiful besmeared as you are with mud and dirt as you would if adorned with ornaments and clad in gorgeous costume.
कस्मादेवंविधा भूत्वा जराजर्जरितं पतिम्। त्वमुपास्से ह कल्याणि कामभोगबहिष्कृतम्॥
O auspicious one, becoming such why do you serve a decrepit old husband, one that has become incapable of realising pleasure,
असमर्थं परित्राणे पोषणे तु शुचिस्मिते। सा त्वं च्यवनमुत्सृज्य वरयस्वैकमावयोः॥
O lady of sweet smiles, one who is in incapable of protecting and supporting u? Therefore abandoning Chyavana, accept one of us as your husband.
पत्यर्थं देवगर्भाभे मा वृथा यौवनं कृथाः। एवमुक्ता सुकन्यापि सुरौ ताविदमब्रवीत्॥
Making up your mind, invite your husband (from among us two). Do not spend your youth uselessly.” Having been thus addressed, Sukanya thus spoke to the celestials,
रताहं च्यवने पत्यौ मेवं मां पर्यशङ्कतम्। तावदूतां पुनस्त्वेनामावां देवभिषग्वरौ॥ युवानं रूपसम्पन्नं करिष्याव: पति तव। ततस्तस्यावयोश्चैव वृणीष्वान्यतमं पतिम्॥ एतेन समयेनैनमामन्त्रय पति शुभे।
“I am devoted to my husband Chyavana. Do not entertain any doubts about it.” To her again they spoke thus, “We two are the celestials physicians. We shall make your husband young and handsome. Then from among us three, you shall select one of us as your husband. O blessed one, promising this, bring your husband here."
सा तयोर्वचनाद् राजन्नुपसंगम्य भार्गवम्॥ उवाच वाक्यं यत् ताभ्यामुक्तं भृगुसुतं प्रति। तच्छ्रुत्वा च्यवनो भार्यामुवाच क्रियतामिति॥
O king, she went at their word to Bhrigu's son and told the son of Bhrigu what the two celestials had said. Having heard this, Chyavana said, "Do it."
ऊचतू राजपुत्रीं तां पतिस्तव विशत्वपः। ततोऽम्भश्च्यवनः शीघ्रं रूपार्थी प्रविवेश ह॥
They then thus spoke to that princess, “Let your husband enter into water. Thereupon Chyavana with the desire of becoming handsome soon entered the water.
अश्विनावपि तद् राजन् सरः प्राविशता तदा। ततो मुहूर्तादुत्तीर्णाः सर्वे ते सरसस्तदा।॥ दिव्यरूपधराः सर्वे युवानो मृष्टकुण्डलाः। तुल्यवेषधराश्चैव मनसः प्रीतिवर्धनाः॥
O king, the two Ashvins also entered into the lake. A few minutes after they all came out from the lake, becoming exceedingly beautiful, young and wearing brilliant car-rings, all assuming the same appearance delightful to the heart.
तेऽब्रुवन् सहिताः सर्वे वृणीष्वान्यतमं शुभे। अस्माकमीप्सितं भद्रं पतित्वे वरवर्णिनि॥
They then all said to her “O blessed lady, O fortunate one, O beautiful damsel, chose one of us as your husband.
यत्र वाप्यभिकामासि तं वृणीष्व सुशोभने। सा समीक्ष्य तु तान्सर्वांस्तुल्यरूपधरान् स्थितान्।।२०। निश्चित्य मनसा बुद्ध्या देवी ववे स्वकं पतिम्। लब्ध्वा तु च्यवनो भार्यां वयो रूपं च वाञ्छितम्॥ हृष्टोऽब्रवीन्महातेजास्तौ नासत्याविदं वचः। यथाहं रूपसम्पन्नो वयसा च समन्वितः॥ कृतोभवद्भ्यां वृद्धः सन् भार्यां च प्राप्तवानिमाम्। तस्माद् युवां करिष्यामि प्रीत्याहं सोमपीथिनौ। मिषतो देवराजस्य सत्यमेतद् ब्रवीमि वाम्॥
O beautiful featured lady, select him for your husband who may be liked by you.” But seeing then all of the same appearance, she paused and pondered. At last she ascertained who was her husband and selected him. Having obtained his wife and the beauty that he desired, Chyavana, of exceeding prowess, cheerfully spoke these words to the horse-born deities. “Since being an old man I have obtained from you youth and beauty and also my wife, I shall make you two the drinkers of the Soma juice even in the presence of the king of the celestials."
तच्छ्रुत्वा हृष्टमनसौ दिवं तौ प्रतिजग्मतुः। च्यवनश्च सुकन्या च सुराविव विजह्रतुः॥
Having heard this, the two (Ashvins) cheerfully went to heaven. Chyavana and Sukanya also passed happily their days like (two) celestials.