Shloka 6

Sukanyā’s Encounter with the Aśvins and Cyavana’s Rejuvenation (लोमश–सुकन्या–च्यवनोपाख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

भ्राजसे5स्मिन्‌ वने भीरु विद्युत्सौदामनी यथा | न देवेष्वपि तुल्यां हि त्वया पश्याव भाविनि,“मेरा नाम इस जगतमें सुकन्या प्रसिद्ध है। मैं सम्पूर्ण हृदयसे सदा अपने पतिदेवके प्रति निष्ठा रखती हूँ।” यह सुनकर अश्विनीकुमारोंने पुनः हँसते हुए कहा--“कल्याणि! तुम्हारे पिताने इस अत्यन्त बूढ़े पुरुषके साथ तुम्हारा विवाह कैसे कर दिया? भीरु! इस वनमें तुम विद्युतकी भाँति प्रकाशित हो रही हो। भामिनि! देवताओंके यहाँ भी तुम-जैसी सुन्दरीको हम नहीं देख पाते हैं

Transliteration

bhrājase 'smin vane bhīru vidyut-saudāmanī yathā | na deveṣv api tulyāṃ hi tvayā paśyāva bhāmini ||

Translation

「おお、臆する乙女よ、この森にあってそなたは稲妻のごとく輝く。おお、美しき人よ、神々の中にさえ、そなたに等しい者を我らは見ぬ。」

Word by Word

भ्राजसेyou shine

अस्मिन्in this

वनेin the forest

भीरुO timid one

विद्युत्lightning

सौदामनीof lightning; lightning-like (Soudāmanī)

यथाas, like

नnot

देवेषुamong the gods

अपिeven, also

तुल्याम्equal (one)

हिindeed, for

त्वयाby you / with you (as standard of comparison)

पश्यावwe two see

भाविनिO lovely/beautiful woman

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sukanyā

Aśvinīkumāras (the Aśvins)

the forest (vana)

lightning (vidyut/saudāmanī)

the gods (devas)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores a common Mahābhārata ethical contrast: external beauty can attract praise and temptation, but true excellence is grounded in dharma—here, the woman’s steadfast loyalty to her husband despite circumstances.

What is happening in the narrative?

The Aśvin twins address Sukanyā in the forest, admiring her lightning-like radiance and declaring that even among the gods they do not see her equal—part of their interaction with her in the Sukanyā–Cyavana episode.