Chyavana and Sukanya (Part 3)

Chyavana regains his youth

In the previous article we saw how Ashwinikumars, the twin devas, asked Sukanya to bring her husband to them and promised to make him young again. The agreement being that after they gave him his youth and vision, all three of them would stand in front of her and she would have to choose one of them as her husband. Sukanya did not realize what she was getting into; the idea that her old husband could become young again was alluring and she ran to tell her husband, Rishi Chyavana, of the offer.

Chyavana heard what his wife had to say and agreed to take the offer of the Ashwinikumars. They told the rishi to go into the lake. The Ashwinikumars also followed him into the water. The three of them then dived deep in the water and remained there for some time. They came out of the water as three young and very handsome men, but with exactly the same looks. They wore the same clothes and jewels and had the same pleasing and attractive personality. All of them sang out in one voice, “O beautiful one, out of the three of us choose your husband, either choose the one you are attracted to or the one you love.”

Sukanya realised that the Ashwinikumars had tricked her; they had underestimated the power of Sukanya’s austerity and one-pointedness. She closed her eyes and meditated upon her husband. She was clearly able to see and choose him out of the three youths. The twin gods were surprised to see that Sukanya’s perception could penetrate beyond the manifest world of form.

The rishi Chyavana was overjoyed at attaining the power and vigour of youth. He had married a very young and beautiful princess but because of his old age, was incapable of enjoying the joys of youthfulness. He told the two Ashwinikumars “You have given this old man his youth again. I have such a beautiful wife, and for this I am thankful. For me, you are the greatest of gods, even greater than your Lord Indra.” The Ashwinikumars were pleased to hear this and returned to the heavens.

When Sukanya’s father, King Sharayati, heard that the rishi had been graced with young age, he too was very happy. With all his queens, his ministers, and his army, he came to the forest to pay his respects to the rishi. When they had all gathered around, the rishi said “O king I will do a grand yagna for your welfare, please make all the necessary arrangements.” The king prepared a grand setting for the yagna.

On the auspicious day, the rishi asked the king to start the yagna and the Brahmins began reciting the verses. All the gods including Lord Indra attended the yagna and many mysterious events took place.