Chyavana and Sukanya

Chyavana, Maharishi Bhrigu’s son, was a great rishi. He lived deep in a forest, on the banks of a beautiful lake. There he practiced difficult tapas and remained seated in the same posture for many years. This increased the power of his aura, making his eyes and body shine with a beautiful radiance. As time went by, he was covered by an ant hill which totally hid him, but for his eyes from where he could see the outside world. Within the ant hill, the rishi kept practicing his austerities for many years.

Sharayati, the king of a nearby kingdom, together with his queen, his retinue, and army came to spend a few days of pleasure and rest on the banks of the lake. He had a beautiful and pleasing daughter, named Sukanya. She was always surrounded by her maids and companions. Intoxicated with youth and beauty, the young Sukanya spent her time collecting the fragrant flowers of the forest. One day while she was out alone and was playfully picking flowers along the bank of the lake, very near to the spot where the rishi was meditating. Through the two holes in the anthill, the rishi was watching Sukanya, and her youth and playfulness made him very happy. He tried calling out to her but as he had not spoken in years, his throat was dry and he could not speak.

Sukanya saw the anthill and the two holes from which the rishi’s eyes shone like two beautiful balls. Her curiosity aroused, she took two pointed sticks, and pierced them into the two holes, blinding Chyavana. The rishi cried out in anguish and Sukanya saw blood flowing out of the two holes. Frightened that she had done something gravely wrong, she ran away. The rishi was in terrible pain and also very angry at what had happened. The vibrations that emanated from his anger were so powerful that it affected all the soldiers in the king’s army. They all started getting stomach cramps and cried out in deep pain.

Hearing the cries of the army, the king ran to see his soldiers and immediately realized that someone had disturbed the tapas of the rishi. He started asking everyone who had done so. He pleaded that even if someone had done so unknowingly, they should own up so that the rishi’s anger could be pacified.

When Sukanya saw the condition of her father’s soldiers, she went to her father and narrated what had happened. She explained that she mistook the two bright holes in the anthill to be fireflies and pierced them with two sticks. Sharayati quickly went to the anthill, where he saw the blinded rishi and begged him to forgive his daughter who had committed the act in ignorance.

The rishi was very angry and told the king that his daughter had committed this offense out of pride and haughtiness. He said he would only forgive her if she married him.