Devibhagavatapurana 7.4: caturtho'dhyāyaḥ | aśvinīkumārayoḥ sukanyāṃ prati bodhavacanavarṇanam

7.4.1

vyāsa uvāca -
gate rājani sā bālā patisevāparāyaṇā |
babhūva ca tathāgnīnāṃ sevane dharmatatparā ||

7.4.2

phalānyādāya svādūni mūlāni vividhāni ca |
dadau sā munaye bālā patisevāparāyaṇā ||

7.4.3

patiṃ taptodakenāśu snāpayitvā mṛgatvacā |
pariveṣṭya śubhāyāṃ tu bṛsyāṃ sthāpitavatyapi ||

7.4.4

tilān yavakuśānagre parikalpya kamaṇḍalum |
tamuvāca nityakarma kuruṣva munisattama ||

7.4.5

tamutthāpya kare kṛtvā samāpte nityakarmaṇi |
bṛsyāṃ vā saṃstare bālā bhartāraṃ saṃnyaveśayat ||

7.4.6

paścādānīya pakvāni phalāni ca nṛpātmajā |
bhojayāmāsa cyavanaṃ nīvārānnaṃ susaṃskṛtam ||

7.4.7

bhuktavantaṃ patiṃ tṛptaṃ dattvācamanamādarāt |
paścācca pūgaṃ patrāṇi dadau cādarasaṃyutā ||

7.4.8

gṛhītamukhavāsaṃ taṃ saṃveśya ca śubhāsane |
gṛhītvā''jñāṃ śarīrasya cakāra sādhanaṃ tataḥ ||

7.4.9

phalāhāraṃ svayaṃ kṛtvā punargatvā ca sannidhau |
provāca praṇayopetā kimājñāpayase prabho ||

7.4.10

pādasaṃvāhanaṃ te'dya karomi yadi manyase |
evaṃ sevāparā nityaṃ babhūva patitatparā ||

7.4.11

sāyaṃ homāvasāne sā phalānyāhṛtya sundarī |
arpayāmāsa munaye svādūni ca mṛdūni ca ||

7.4.12

tataḥ śeṣāṇi bubhuje premayuktā tadājñayā |
susparśāstaraṇaṃ kṛtvā śāyayāmāsa taṃ mudā ||

7.4.13

supte sukhaṃ priye kāntā padasaṃvāhanaṃ tadā |
cakāra pṛcchatī dharmaṃ kulastrīṇāṃ kṛśodarī ||

7.4.14

pādasaṃvāhanaṃ kṛtvā niśi bhaktiparāyaṇā |
nidritaṃ ca muniṃ jñātvā suṣvāpa caraṇāntike ||

7.4.15

śucau pratiṣṭhitaṃ vīkṣya tālavṛntena bhāminī |
kurvāṇā śītalaṃ vāyuṃ siṣeve svapatiṃ tadā ||

7.4.16

hemante kāṣṭhasambhāraṃ kṛtvāgnijvalanaṃ puraḥ |
sthāpayitvā tathāpṛcchatsukhaṃ te'stīti cāsakṛt ||

7.4.17

brāhme muhūrte cotthāya jalaṃ pātraṃ ca mṛttikām |
samarpayitvā śaucārthaṃ samutthāpya patiṃ priyā ||

7.4.18

sthānāddūre ca saṃsthāpya dūraṃ gatvā sthirābhavat |
kṛtaśaucaṃ patiṃ jñātvā gatvā jagrāha taṃ punaḥ ||

7.4.19

ānīyāśramamavyagrā copaveśyāsane śubhe |
mṛjjalābhyāṃ ca prakṣālya pādāvasya yathāvidhi ||

7.4.20

dattvā''camanapātraṃ tu dantadhāvanamāharat |
samarpya dantakāṣṭhaṃ ca yathoktaṃ nṛpanandinī ||

7.4.21

cakāroṣṇaṃ jalaṃ śuddhaṃ samānītaṃ supāvanam |
snānārthaṃ jalamāhṛtya papraccha praṇayānvitā ||

7.4.22

kimājñāpayase brahman kṛtaṃ vai dantadhāvanam |
uṣṇodakaṃ susampannaṃ kuru snānaṃ samantrakam ||

7.4.23

vartate homakālo'yaṃ sandhyā pūrvā pravartate |
vidhivaddhavanaṃ kṛtvā devatāpūjanaṃ kuru ||

7.4.24

evaṃ kanyā patiṃ labdhvā tapasvinamaninditā |
nityaṃ paryacaratprītyā tapasā niyamena ca ||

7.4.25

agnīnāmatithīnāṃ ca śuśrūṣāṃ kurvatī sadā |
ārādhayāmāsa mudā cyavanaṃ sā śubhānanā ||

7.4.26

kasmiṃścidatha kāle tu ravijāvaśvināvubhau |
cyavanasyāśramābhyāśe krīḍamānau samagatau ||

7.4.27

jale snātvā tu tāṃ kanyāṃ nivṛttāṃ svāśramaṃ prati |
gacchantīṃ cārusarvāṅgīṃ raviputrāvapaśyatām ||

7.4.28

tāṃ dṛṣṭvā devakanyābhāṃ gatvā cāntikamādarāt |
ūcatuḥ samabhidrutya nāsatyāvatimohitau ||

7.4.29

kṣaṇaṃ tiṣṭha varārohe praṣṭuṃ tvāṃ gajagāmini |
āvāṃ devasutau prāptau brūhi satyaṃ śucismite ||

7.4.30

putrī kasya patiḥ kaste kathamudyānamāgatā |
ekākinī taḍāge'smin snānārthaṃ cārulocane ||

7.4.31

dvitīyā śrīrivābhāsi kāntyā kamalalocane |
icchāmastu vayaṃ jñātuṃ tattvamākhyāhi śobhane ||

7.4.32

komalau caraṇau kānte sthitau bhūmāvanāvṛtau |
hṛdāye kurutaḥ pīḍāṃ calantau calalocane ||

7.4.33

vimānārhāsi tanvaṅgi kathaṃ padbhyāṃ vrajasyadaḥ |
anāvṛtātra vipine kimarthaṃ gamanaṃ tava ||

7.4.34

dāsīśatasamāyuktā kathaṃ ca tvaṃ vinirgatā |
rājaputryapsarā vāsi vada satyaṃ varānane ||

7.4.35

dhanyā mātā yato jātā dhanyo'sau janakastava |
vaktuṃ tvāṃ naiva śaktau ca bharturbhāgyaṃ tavānaghe ||

7.4.36

devalikādhikā bhūmiriyaṃ caiva sulocane |
pracalaṃścaraṇaste'dya sampāvayati bhūtalam ||

7.4.37

saubhāgyāśca mṛgāḥ kāmaṃ ye tvāṃ paśyanti vai vane |
ye cānye pakṣiṇaḥ sarve bhūriyaṃ cātipāvanā ||

7.4.38

stutyālaṃ tava cātyarthaṃ satyaṃ brūhi sulocane |
pitā kaste patiḥ kvāsau draṣṭumicchāsti sādaram ||

7.4.39

vyāsa uvāca -
tayoriti vacaḥ śrutvā rājakanyātisundarī |
tāvuvāca trapākrāntā devaputrī nṛpātmajā ||

Vyâsa 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 Âs'rama; kindly come and sanctify the As'rama. O King! The two As'vins 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 Kânana 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 conversa- tion between the two As'vins and the Princess Sukanyâ in S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâ Purânam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.

7.4.40

śaryātitanayāṃ māṃ vāṃ vittaṃ bhāryāṃ muneriha |
cyavanasya satīṃ kāntāṃ pitrā dattāṃ yadṛcchayā ||

7.4.41

patirandho'sti me devau vṛddhaścātīva tāpasaḥ |
tasya sevāmahorātraṃ karomi prītimānasā ||

7.4.42

kau yuvāṃ kimihāyātau patistiṣṭhati cāśrame |
tatrāgatya prakurutamāśramaṃ cādya pāvanam ||

7.4.43

tadākarṇya vaco dasrāvūcatustāṃ narādhipa |
kathaṃ tvamapi kalyāṇi pitā dattā tapasvine ||

7.4.44

bhrājase'sminvanoddeśe vidyutsaudāminī yathā |
na deveṣvapi tulyā hi tava dṛṣṭāsti bhāmini ||

7.4.45

tvaṃ divyāmbarayogyāsi śobhase nājinairvṛtā |
sarvābharaṇasaṃyuktā nīlālakavarūthinī ||

7.4.46

aho vidherduṣkalitaṃ viceṣṭitaṃ yadatra rambhoru vane viṣīdasi |
viśālanetre'ndhamimaṃ patiṃ priye muniṃ samāsādya jarāturaṃ bhṛśam ||

7.4.47

vṛthā vratastena bhṛśaṃ na śobhase navaṃ vayaḥ prāpya sunṛtyapaṇḍite |
manobhavenāśu śarāḥ susandhitāḥ patanti kasminpatirīdṛśastava ||

7.4.48

tvamandhabhāryā navayauvanānvitā kṛtāsi dhātrā nanu mandabuddhinā |
na cainamarhasyasitāyatekṣaṇe patiṃ tvamanyaṃ kuru cārulocane ||

7.4.49

vṛthaiva te jīvitamambujekṣaṇe patiṃ ca samprāpya muniṃ gatekṣaṇam |
vane nivāsaṃ ca tathājināmbara-pradhāraṇaṃ yogyataraṃ na manmahe ||

7.4.50

ato'navadyāṅgyubhayostvamekaṃ varaṃ kuruṣāvahitā sulocane |
kiṃ yauvanaṃ mānini saṅkaroṣi vṛthā muniṃ sundari sevamānā ||

7.4.51

kiṃ sevase bhāgyavivarjitaṃ taṃ samujjhitaṃ poṣaṇarakṣaṇābhyām |
tyaktvā muniṃ sarvasukhāpavarjitaṃ bhajānavadyāṅgyubhayostvamekam ||

7.4.52

tvaṃ nandane caitrarathe vane ca kuruṣva kānte prathitaṃ vihāram |
andhena vṛddhena kathaṃ hi kālaṃ vineṣyase mānini mānahīnam ||

7.4.53

bhūpātmajā tvaṃ śubhalakṣaṇā ca jānāsi saṃsāravihārabhāvam |
bhāgyena hīnā vijane vane'tra kālaṃ kathaṃ vāhayase vṛthā ca ||

7.4.54

tasmādbhajasva pikabhāṣiṇi cāruvaktre evaṃ dvayostava sukhāya viśālanetre |
devālayuṣe ca kṛśodari bhuṅkṣva bhogān tyaktvā muniṃ jaraṭhamāśu nṛpendraputri ||

7.4.55

kiṃ te sukhaṃ cātra vane sukeśi vṛddhena sārdhaṃ vijane mṛgākṣi |
sevā tathāndhasya navaṃ vayaśca kiṃ te mataṃ bhūpatiputri duḥkham ||

7.4.56

śaśimukhi tvamatīva sukomalā phalajalāharaṇaṃ tava nocitam ||

7.4.56.c1

iti śrīmaddevībhāgavate mahāpurāṇe'ṣṭādaśasāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ saptamaskandhe aśvinīkumārayoḥ sukanyāṃ prati bodhavacanavarṇanaṃ nāma caturtho'dhyāyaḥ ||