Critical Edition
लोमश उवाच भृगोर्महर्षेः पुत्रोऽभूच्च्यवनो नाम भार्गवः समीपे सरसः सोऽस्य तपस्तेपे महाद्युतिः
AI Translation: Lomasha said: The son of the great sage Bhrigu was a Bhargava named Chyavana. Near a lake, he performed austerities, that very radiant one.
स्थाणुभूतो महातेजा वीरस्थानेन पाण्डव अतिष्ठत्सुबहून्कालानेकदेशे विशां पते
AI Translation: O Pandava, the very lustrous one became a pillar, and stood in the heroic posture, O lord of the earth, for many years in many places.
स वल्मीकोऽभवदृषिर्लताभिरभिसंवृतः कालेन महता राजन्समाकीर्णः पिपीलिकैः
M. N. Dutt: O king, after the lapse of a long time he was covered with an ant-hill which was in its turn covered with creepers. Crowds of ants enveloped him.
तथा स संवृतो धीमान्मृत्पिण्ड इव सर्वशः तप्यति स्म तपो राजन्वल्मीकेन समावृतः
M. N. Dutt: Covered all over with ants and looking like a heap of earth, that greatly intelligent one performed severe austerities.
अथ दीर्घस्य कालस्य शर्यातिर्नाम पार्थिवः आजगाम सरो रम्यं विहर्तुमिदमुत्तमम्
M. N. Dutt: Then after the lapse of a long time the king named Sharyati came to sport in this charming and excellent lake.
तस्य स्त्रीणां सहस्राणि चत्वार्यासन्परिग्रहः एकैव च सुता शुभ्रा सुकन्या नाम भारत
M. N. Dutt: O descendant of Bharata, with him were four thousand women, all wedded to him. There was also with him his daughter of beautiful brows, named Sukanya.
सा सखीभिः परिवृता सर्वाभरणभूषिता चङ्क्रम्यमाणा वल्मीकं भार्गवस्य समासदत्
M. N. Dutt: Surrounded by her companions and adorned with beautiful ornaments, she came to the anthill within which Bhrigu's son was seated.
सा चैव सुदती तत्र पश्यमाना मनोरमान् वनस्पतीन्विचिन्वन्ती विजहार सखीवृता
M. N. Dutt: Accompanied by her maids, she began to sport there, seeing the beautiful scenery and looking at the large trees that stood in the forest.
रूपेण वयसा चैव मदनेन मदेन च बभञ्ज वनवृक्षाणां शाखाः परमपुष्पिताः
AI Translation: By her beauty, youth, passion, and intoxication, she broke the branches of the forest trees, which were in full bloom.
तां सखीरहितामेकामेकवस्त्रामलंकृताम् ददर्श भार्गवो धीमांश्चरन्तीमिव विद्युतम्
AI Translation: He saw her, without a companion, dressed in a single garment, the wise Bhārgava saw her, like a flash of lightning.
तां पश्यमानो विजने स रेमे परमद्युतिः क्षामकण्ठश्च ब्रह्मर्षिस्तपोबलसमन्वितः तामाबभाषे कल्याणीं सा चास्य न शृणोति वै
M. N. Dutt: Seeing her sporting in the lonely forest, the greatly effulgent Brahmana Rishi, endued with the ascetic prowess, was filled with desire,
ततः सुकन्या वल्मीके दृष्ट्वा भार्गवचक्षुषी कौतूहलात्कण्टकेन बुद्धिमोहबलात्कृता
AI Translation: Then Sukanyā, seeing the eyes of Bhārgava in the anthill, out of curiosity, pierced them with a thorn, out of the power of delusion.
किं नु खल्विदमित्युक्त्वा निर्बिभेदास्य लोचने अक्रुध्यत्स तया विद्धे नेत्रे परममन्युमान् ततः शर्यातिसैन्यस्य शकृन्मूत्रं समावृणोत्
M. N. Dutt: His eyes being thus pierced, he felt great pain and became very angry. He then stopped the calls of nature of the troops of Sharyati.
ततो रुद्धे शकृन्मूत्रे सैन्यमानाहदुःखितम् तथागतमभिप्रेक्ष्य पर्यपृच्छत्स पार्थिवः
AI Translation: Then, when the feces and urine were stopped, the army was afflicted with colic. Seeing the Tathāgata, the king asked him,
तपोनित्यस्य वृद्धस्य रोषणस्य विशेषतः केनापकृतमद्येह भार्गवस्य महात्मनः ज्ञातं वा यदि वाज्ञातं तदृतं ब्रूत माचिरम्
AI Translation: Who has today offended this great-souled Bhargava, who is always engaged in austerities, who is old, and especially angry? Tell me quickly whether it is known or unknown.
तमूचुः सैनिकाः सर्वे न विद्मोऽपकृतं वयम् सर्वोपायैर्यथाकामं भवांस्तदधिगच्छतु
AI Translation: The soldiers said to him, "We do not know what wrong we have done. By whatever means you desire, may you attain it."
ततः स पृथिवीपालः साम्ना चोग्रेण च स्वयम् पर्यपृच्छत्सुहृद्वर्गं प्रत्यजानन्न चैव ते
AI Translation: Then the king himself, by means of conciliation and force, asked the group of friends, but they did not know.
आनाहार्तं ततो दृष्ट्वा तत्सैन्यमसुखार्दितम् पितरं दुःखितं चापि सुकन्येदमथाब्रवीत्
AI Translation: Seeing the army afflicted by hunger and suffering, and her father afflicted by grief, Sukanyā said this:
मयाटन्त्येह वल्मीके दृष्टं सत्त्वमभिज्वलत् खद्योतवदभिज्ञातं तन्मया विद्धमन्तिकात्
AI Translation: I saw a creature shining in a termite hill here. I recognized it as a firefly and pierced it with a thorn.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु शर्यातिर्वल्मीकं तूर्णमाद्रवत् तत्रापश्यत्तपोवृद्धं वयोवृद्धं च भार्गवम्
AI Translation: Hearing this, Sharayati quickly ran to the anthill. There he saw Bhargava, who was advanced in austerities and age.
Supplementary Passages:
3.122.20 After 20c, T2 G2-4 ins.: *595 चन्द्रादित्यसमप्रभम् ज्ञानवृद्धं वयोवृद्धं
अयाचदथ सैन्यार्थं प्राञ्जलिः पृथिवीपतिः अज्ञानाद्बालया यत्ते कृतं तत्क्षन्तुमर्हसि
AI Translation: Then the king, with folded hands, asked for an army. "Please forgive whatever has been done by me out of ignorance, O child."
Supplementary Passages:
3.122.21 After 21, D3 ins.: *596 इमामेव च ते कन्यां ददामि सुदृढव्रत भार्यार्थी त्वं गृहाणेमां प्रसीदस्व च भार्गव
ततोऽब्रवीन्महीपालं च्यवनो भार्गवस्तदा रूपौदार्यसमायुक्तां लोभमोहबलात्कृताम्
AI Translation: Then Chyavana, the son of Bhrigu, said to the king of the earth: Endowed with beauty and grandeur, created by the power of greed and delusion,
Supplementary Passages:
3.122.22 After 22ab, B D (except D1-3.5) ins.: *597 अपमानादहं विद्धो ह्यनया दर्पपूर्णया
तामेव प्रतिगृह्याहं राजन्दुहितरं तव क्षमिष्यामि महीपाल सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते
AI Translation: Having accepted your daughter, O king, I shall forgive you, O lord of the earth. I speak this truth to you.
ऋषेर्वचनमाज्ञाय शर्यातिरविचारयन् ददौ दुहितरं तस्मै च्यवनाय महात्मने
M. N. Dutt: Having heard the words of the Rishi, Sharyati without pausing for consideration at once bestowed his daughter on the high-souled Chyavana.
प्रतिगृह्य च तां कन्यां च्यवनः प्रससाद ह प्राप्तप्रसादो राजा स ससैन्यः पुनराव्रजत्
M. N. Dutt: Having received that maiden, the exalted one was pleased (with the king). Having obtained the Rishi's grace, the king with his soldiers then went to his own city.
सुकन्यापि पतिं लब्ध्वा तपस्विनमनिन्दिता नित्यं पर्यचरत्प्रीत्या तपसा नियमेन च
M. N. Dutt: The faultless Sukanya also, having obtained that ascetic for her husband, began to wait upon him by practising asceticism and observing the ordinances,
अग्नीनामतिथीनां च शुश्रूषुरनसूयिका समाराधयत क्षिप्रं च्यवनं सा शुभानना
M. N. Dutt: The beautiful-featured one, that guileless lady, worshipped Chyavana and waited upon his guests and ministers to the sacred fire.