Sage Chyavan was a great devotee of the Bhagwati Jagadamba. He always spent his time meditating on Jagadamba. Maharishi was doing penance near a lake which was beautiful like lake Mansarovar. His body was made their home by termites and he looked as if there was a pile of soil. Close to the same lake was the capital of King Sharyati. Once upon a time, King Sharyati came near that lake . He had a lot of ministers and army with him. King Sharyati had a beautiful daughter, named Sukanya, she also came near the lake with her father.
Princess Sukanya was wandering around looking for flowers near the lake. While wandering there, she saw a pile of soil, it had two holes which were shining and light came out of them. Sukanya out of curiousity took the wood lying there and pierced those holes. In fact, the two holes were the eyes of Maharishi Chyavan, from whom the light was coming out. Maharishi started feeling very sad due to piercing of eyes. For this reason, the feces and urine of King Sharyati’s soldiers, ministers and the king himself also stopped. King Sharyati apologized to Chyavan Rishi for this mistake of his daughter. On the request of the Chyavan sage, after much deliberation, King Shariyati married Sukanya with Chyavan Rishi, respecting his daughter’s wish.
Chyavan Rishi was suffering by old age. His two eyes were also gone due to Sukanya. After marriage, Sukanya served with great reverence to Chyavan Rishi. She would get up every day in the Brahma Muhurta and also wake up Chyavan Rishi. She used to help her husband in daily work. Helping him to brush his tooth, she would keep hot water for bath before Chyavan Rishi. After his taking bath,she would dress the sage in new clothes and took the sage to his meditation place and made him sit. After meditation, she offered the Maharishi fruits to eat , after eating fruits, Maharishi would again get into the studying of vedas. In the afternoon, Munivar was served a meal and then she asked Muniver to rest. At night, she would put him to sleep. Sukanya had this routine and she devotedly served her husband. She was a very pure-hearted woman and also a loving woman.
Once upon a time, the twins Ashvinikumar, who were the physician of the gods, came near the ashram of Maharishi Chyavan. They saw Sukanya, wife of Chyavan Rishi, going from the river to the ashram after taking bath. Sukanya looked very beautiful, all her parts were very soft. Ashwini Kumars came to Sukanya and started asking her, “women who are you, who is your father, whose wife are you and whose sister are you.” Please tell us what you are doing near this ashram. Hearing the words of Ashwini Kumar, Sukanya says, I am Sukanya, the daughter of King Shariyati. My father has given me Chyavan Rishi as wife with my will. My husband is blind and he has become old.
After listening to Sukanya, both Ashwini Kumar said, it is very surprising that a beautiful girl like you is the wife of blind and old Chaman Rishi. It is because of your misfortune that you have got such a husband. Otherwise the creator Brahma ji’s intellect would have become frustrated because of which he has given you such a husband. Otherwise a beautiful woman like you should be in heaven, you are worthy of being in heaven. Your father has committed a sin by handing over the Chyavan Rishi to you. How can a father treat his daughter like this? Hearing the words of Ashwini kumars, Sukanya said, you two are sons of Sun. That is why it does not suit you to talk such things. The sun god is the witness of everyone in the world, his vision remains on everyone. Having such thoughts does not suit you, leave this place from this moment, otherwise I will curse you both. I am a chaste woman in every situation, I will continue to serve my husband, that is my duty.
Ashwini Kumar were surprised to hear Sukanya’s words and the thought curse scared both of them. Then Ashwini Kumar said to Sukanya, women we are very happy to see you do your duty with such devotion , that’s why we want to give me a boon. If you want, by our powers we can make your husband a young like us. Then choose one of the three of us as your husband. Hearing the words of Ashwini Kumar, Sukanya soon went to her husband Chyavan Rishi and told him lord, Ashwini Kumar are presently visiting our ashram. Both of them were fascinated by seeing me,a young lady. When I told them about me being your wife and my duty towards you and said to curse them,they were pleased with my devotion towards you and they want to make you a young man like them.
Ashwini Kumar has placed a condition that when they will make you young , beautiful and having eyes like them both, then I will have to choose one of the three as a husband. I am shocked to hear this and have come to ask you about this, please tell me what I should do at this time. Chyavan Rishi said, dear, at this time, you should listen to those Ashwini Kumar and bring them here. Sukanya soon obeyed her husband, after getting permission from Chyavan Rishi she brought both of them to Chyavan Rishi. Both Ashwini kumaras asked the Chyavan Rishi to take a dip in the river water with them. The three dived together in water and when they got up, they all started looking alike, all three of them together, in the same voice, said to Sukanya. Women, you can make one of the three of us your husband, whoever you love more, make him your husband.
Sukanya was very surprised to see three identical men in front of her. She got into thinking who is my real husband out of these three. How can I decide who my husband is, this very painful situation has arisen in front of me. How can I choose someone my husband except my real husband? Now what should I do, who should ask for help, such thoughts were coming in Sukanya’s mind. Then she started meditating on Bhagwati Bhuvaneshwari, Sukanya praised Bhagwati Jagadamba which made Adi Shakti Jagadamba happy on Sukanya and she instilled divine wisdom in Sukanya’s heart.
Sukanya recognized her husband Chyavan Rishi out of the three identical men with the influence of the knowledge given by Bhagwati Jagadamba. Due to which Chavan Rishi became very happy. Now Ashwini Kumar wanted to go from with the permission of Chyavan Rishi. Then the sage said, Dev Kumar, you guys have done a great favor on me. Due to old age I used to get very upset and due to being blind I could not see anything. You have put an end to all my sufferings by giving me youth. That is why if you have any work, then I want to do whatever I can, if you want, I will definitely fulfill your desire.
After listening to the sage, the two Ashwini kumaras consulted each other and said, Even after being a deity, both of us are deprived of the right to drink Somaras by Devraj Indra, as we are physicians . That is why we want you to make us eligible to drink Somaras. On hearing the words of Ashwini Kumar, Chyavan Rishi conducted a yajna by Sukanya’s father and his father-in-law Maharaj Shariati. After a lot of hard work, he got both Ashwini Kumaras the right to drink Somaras from indra.
In this way Ashwini Kumar made Chyavan Rishi a young man and by the grace of Bhagwati Jagadamba, Sukanya recognized her young husband.
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Categories: Devi Bhagwat Puran, Stories of Goddess Durga
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