Chyavana and Sukanya (Part 4)

Sharayati’s Yagna

In the previous articles we saw that Rishi Chyavana held a yagna for King Sharayati, his father-in-law. During the yagna in presence of all the gods, Rishi Chyavana gave Soma (elixir) to the two Ashwinikumars as it was them who had made him young again. Indra, king of the gods, felt insulted and spoke these words, “These two Ashwinikumars do not deserve to be offered Soma. Even though they live in heaven with the gods, they are mere physicians. Only gods can be offered elixir.”

The rishi replied “O Indra, the Ashwinikumars have all the greatness of the gods, and in looks no one is their equal. They have made me young, handsome, and immortal; for me, they are gods and hence worthy of Soma.”

To this, Indra retorted “They are just healers who work for us gods. They are not worthy of this elixir.” As Indra was speaking these words, Chyavana insulted Indra by bringing the cup of soma to the Ashwinikumars. This angered Indra who sounded out to Chyavana that if he offered them the cup, Indra would strike him down with a terrifying bolt of lightning. At this, the rishi laughed and gave the elixir to the twin gods.

Indra was full of wrath and lifted his hand to throw a lightning bolt onto the rishi. Chyavana saw this coming and he froze Indra’s hand mid-air, and turned him into a statue. The rishi then repeated some Sanskrit verses and threw some incense into the yagna fire. From the flames, arose Mada, a mighty form so huge that it was impossible to measure her. She had teeth that were miles long; her upper lip covered the sky and the lower lip the earth. Her hands were bigger than mountains and she licked her lips with a long tongue from which emitted streaks of fire; her sound shook the whole earth. She ran towards the frozen Indra to eat him up.

Indra saw the terrible form coming to devour him and in fear said these words to the rishi, “O great and holy rishi, I accept the Ashwinikumars as gods and also that they are worthy of being give the Soma. Please have mercy on me and relieve me from this plight. May the greatness of this yagna be known forever, and may the fame of your wife Sukanya be embedded in time.”

The minute Indra said these words the rishi calmed down and freed the frozen Indra. The rishi then asked the form he had created to disintegrate and dissolve into the alcohol that people drink, gamble, and pursue in pleasure.

The rishi Chyavana then completed the yagna by giving the Soma to the two Ashwinikumars, then to Indra, and thereafter the other gods. Owing of this yagna, the fame of the rishi spread in all the three worlds.