Shloka 11

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

Devanagari script

पत्यर्थ देवगर्भाभे मा वृथा यौवन कृथा: । एवमुक्ता सुकन्यापि सुरौ ताविदमब्रवीत्‌,“देवकन्याके समान सुन्दरी राजकुमारी! बूढ़े पतिके लिये अपनी इस जवानीको व्यर्थ न गँवाओ।” उनके ऐसा कहनेपर सुकन्याने उन दोनों देवताओंसे कहा--

Transliteration

paty-arthaṁ deva-garbhābhe mā vṛthā yauvanaṁ kṛthāḥ | evam uktā sukanyāpi surau tāv idam abravīt ||

Translation

“美若天女的公主啊，莫为年迈的丈夫而徒然耗尽青春。”他们如此劝说时，苏迦尼娅便对那两位天神答道——

Word by Word

पत्यर्थम्for the sake of (your) husband

देवगर्भाभेO one with divine, womb-born radiance (O very radiant one)

माdo not

वृथाin vain, uselessly

यौवनम्youth

कृथाःmake / do

एवम्thus

उक्ताhaving been addressed / spoken to

सुकन्याSukanyā

अपिalso, even

सुरौthe two gods

तौthose two

इदम्this

अब्रवीत्said, spoke

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sukanyā

the two gods (Aśvin twins)

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 frames a moral test: whether personal youth and pleasure should override marital duty. It highlights the dharmic ideal of steadfastness and restraint when confronted by persuasive temptation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Two divine beings (the Aśvin twins) address Sukanyā, praising her beauty and advising her not to waste her youth on an old husband. The verse ends by introducing Sukanyā’s reply, which continues in the next lines.