Canto 9: Liberation
SB9.3

Canto 9 · Chapter 3 · 36 verses · 1 story

The Marriage of Sukanyā and Cyavana Muni

Sukanyā marries Cyavana Muni, who regains his youth through the Aśvinī-kumāras.

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Connected storiesBhṛgu Muni
Who is speakingSūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitEvery voice in this chapter ›

What this chapter speaks about · the ten subjects

Chapter summary

This chapter describes the dynasty of Śaryāti, another son of Manu, and also tells about Sukanyā and Revatī.

Devajña Śaryāti gave instructions about what to do in the ritualistic ceremony observed on the second day of the yajña of the Aṅgirasas. One day, Śaryāti, along with his daughter, known as Sukanyā, went to the āśrama of Cyavana Muni. There Sukanyā saw two glowing substances within a hole of earthworms, and by chance she pierced those two glowing substances. As soon as she did this, blood began to ooze from that hole. Consequently, King Śaryāti and his companions suffered from constipation and inability to pass urine. When the King asked why circumstances had suddenly changed, he found that Sukanyā was the cause of this misfortune. Then they all offered prayers to Cyavana Muni just to satisfy him according to his own desire, and Devajña Śaryāti offered his daughter to Cyavana Muni, who was a very old man.

When the heavenly physicians the Aśvinī-kumāra brothers once visited Cyavana Muni, the muni requested them to give him back his youth. These two physicians took Cyavana Muni to a particular lake, in which they bathed and regained full youth. After this, Sukanyā could not distinguish her husband. She then surrendered unto the Aśvinī-kumāras, who were very satisfied with her chastity and who therefore introduced her again to her husband. Cyavana Muni then engaged King Śaryāti in performing the soma-yajña and gave the Aśvinī-kumāras the privilege to drink soma-rasa. The King of heaven, Lord Indra, became very angry at this, but he could do no harm to Śaryāti. Henceforward, the Aśvinī-kumāra physicians were able to share in the soma-rasa.

Śaryāti later had three sons, named Uttānabarhi, Ānarta and Bhūriṣeṇa. Ānarta had one son, whose name was Revata. Revata had one hundred sons, of whom the eldest was Kakudmī. Kakudmī was advised by Lord Brahmā to offer his beautiful daughter, Revatī, to Baladeva, who belongs to the viṣṇu-tattva category. After doing this, Kakudmī retired from family life and entered the forest of Badarikāśrama to execute austerities and penances.

In this chapter

Who · Sukanyā, Śaryāti, Cyavana Muni, the Aśvinī-kumāras

The story · While visiting Cyavana Muni’s āśrama with her father Śaryāti, Sukanyā unknowingly pierced two glowing substances in a hole, causing blood to flow and trouble to fall upon the King’s companions. She admitted what she had done, and Śaryāti offered her in marriage to the elderly sage to satisfy him. Later, the Aśvinī-kumāras took Cyavana Muni into a special lake and restored his youth. Unable to recognize her husband afterward, Sukanyā sought their help. Pleased with her chastity, they identified her husband for her.

What it teaches · Sukanyā acknowledged her mistake, and the heavenly physicians honored her faithfulness to her husband.

Beyond this chapter

Connected stories across the Bhāgavatam

Stories told in other chapters that this chapter's verses or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purports bring in, the other Bhāgavatam verses the purports quote, and stories in other cantos with the same themes. Each link shows the sentence it comes from.

What it teaches · The chapter identifies tolerance as a sure sign of greatness and establishes Lord Viṣṇu’s supremacy. Arjuna’s unsuccessful search also shows the limits of even an extraordinary warrior’s independent power.

How strange it is that one of us has attempted to do something wrong to Cyavana Muni, the son of Bhṛgu.

She smilingly told him, “My dear father, this young man by my side is your actual son-in-law, the great sage Cyavana, who was born in the family of Bhṛgu.”

Read the story in SB 10.89