Sukanya and Sage Chyavana: An Eventful Saga of Love

Love can be expressed in a variety of ways, one of which is through acts of service. Sukanya, the beautiful daughter of King Sharyati, was forced to marry an old sage named Chyavana due to the circumstances. However, she won his heart with her acts of service, whipping off one of the most eventful love stories in ancient India.

The beginning of a love saga Image source: Indian mythos

Sukanya, the daughter of King Sharyati, was curious and playful. She and her friends once went into the deep forest near her father's kingdom. Thereafter, they all began wandering in the forest and playing with their Sakhis, captivated by the refreshing beauty of the woods. Sukanya, in particular, looked even more beautiful and charming in her regal attire. It was not long when she suddenly noticed an anthill while playing hide and seek with her friends and wondered what it was. Her inquisitive nature drove her to poke that anthill with a sharp stick.

Sukanya heard a loud scream of pain the moment that stick went inside that sand boulder. With that, an angry old sage with a dense white beard and bleeding eyes appeared. The sage was none other than Maharshi Bhrigu's son, Sage Chyavana. The sage, who used to live in the same forest where Suakanya went wandering, was in a deep meditative state.

She immediately begged the sage's forgiveness and began crying. Sage Chyavana knew Sukanya was innocent, but his pain was unbearable and turned to anger. Meanwhile, word reached the king that Sukanya had broken the sage's meditation and injured his eyes. The king also requested the sage's forgiveness and promised to provide whatever the sage desired.

Sage Chyavana then reasoned that without his eyes, he would be unable to perform the daily tasks necessary to sustain himself in the forest. For the same reason, the sage requested that the king marry his daughter to him so that she could care for him.

When the king discovered the old sage wanted to marry his young, lovely daughter, Sukanya, he was both concerned and perplexed. However, he had already promised the sage that he would fulfil any request made by the sage, and he kept his word.

The king arranged for her daughter Sukanya to marry the sage Chyavana. Though she was reluctant, Sukanya married sage Chyavana against her heart's desire. Sukanya found the early days of her marriage difficult because the ways of forest life were diametrically opposed to her royal life. However, it didn't take long for the beautiful forest and the small sage hermitage to enchant Sukanya with their simplicity and authenticity.

Sukanya grew to enjoy living in the forest. Life became easier, but then once, two celestial beings named Ashwini Kumars visited Earth and passed by the sage's hut. They saw the young Sukanya and later discovered she was the wife of the sage Chyavana. The Ashiwini Kumars were taken aback by the young girl's sincerity and faithfulness and decided to put her to the test. Sukanya was approached by both Ashwini Kumars, who informed her that they could restore her husband's youth, but on one condition. The condition was that they take a dip in the holy river with her husband and then she had to correctly identify her husband.

Sukanya happily agreed and persuaded the sage to carry out the task. She couldn't believe her eyes when the three of them emerged from the holy water. There was no physical difference between the three of them. Sukanya was in a quandary because she was having difficulty recognising her husband. She then closed her eyes and asked the gods to guide her. The beautiful princess then focused her attention once more on all three of them, and something inside her heart convinced her that the middle one was Sage Chyavana. She pointed out her answer accordingly, and the Ashwini Kumars sighed in disbelief!

Sukanya had correctly identified her husband, and the Ashwini Kumars had blessed her by making her husband young. When young Chyavana came to embrace her, her joy knew no bounds. Sukanya and the sage Chyavana are said to have lived happily ever after.

While some love stories start in an instant, others take their time to develop and nurture. Sukanya and sage Chyavana's love story may have begun on a bitter note, but in the end, with Sukanya's sheer dedication and sage’s calm nature, theirs is a story that has stood the test of time.