Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c4.3192

c4.3192

One day Sukanyā was returning from the river after her bath and on the way she came across the Aśvinīdevas. They were astounded to see such a beautiful damsel in the forest and they accosted her and requested her to select one of them as her husband. Knowing her identity they advised her to forsake her old and blind husband and come and live with one of them. She flew into a fury when she heard her husband spoken of so slightingly and by logical argument convinced them the error of their request. Then they told her thus: “You are aware we are the physicians of the devas. We can give back eyesight to your husband and make him as beautiful as one of us. We will then appear before you as three lovely young men identical in appearance and then you must select one among the three as your husband.” Sukanyā was immensely pleased as well as surprised to hear the offer and was eager to see her husband young and beautiful. But the last condition frightened her. Anyhow she promised to give a reply after consulting her husband and ran to the āśrama to tell her husband the news. Cyavana advised her to accept the offer of the Aśvinīdevas and Sukanyā ran back to the Aśvinīdevas and brought them to her husband accepting their terms. The Aśvinīdevas took the aged and blind Cyavana along with them to the river nearby and the three plunged into the river. When they rose up after a dip the three emerged as young, lovely and charming triplets difficult to be distinguished from one another. When Sukanyā stood before the three to select her real husband she prayed to her goddess and the Devī gave her the power to identify Cyavana and so she correctly chose him from the three. (Saptama Skandha, Devī Bhāgavata).