|| Om Namo Bhagavathe
Vasudevaya ||
Chapter – 114 –The legend
of Manu/Rishi Chyavana
Shuka Bhramam continues “
Oh! Rajan, in olden days the fire sacrifices were performed in abundance to
please the deities, Somarasa was offered to Lord Indra and deities, but the
Ashwini Kumaras who are Lord of Ayurveda were considered as not important
deities to receive the Somarasa with Lord Indra. In every fire sacrifices, Lord Indra and
other deities were served with the Somarasa in the first hand and after that, the Ashwini Kumaras receives their portion of it. The Ashwini Kumaras met the illustrious Rishi
Chyavana and requested for his help, so that they could be seated with the Lord
Indra and other deities to claim their portion of the Somarasa. In return, the Ashwini Kumaras promised the Rishi
a handsome youthfulness and good physique.
Thus the treatment was begun, a divine herbal medicine was given to Chyavana Rishi, he was instructed to take a
dip in a pond, the Ashwini Kumaras also
took a dip in the pond along with
Chyavana Rishi, when the three of them got out of the pond has become
indistinguishable. Sukanya was troubled
at this sight, prayed to Ashwini Kumaras to help her to identify her husband,
soon she recognized her husband whose
feet were firm on the ground. Ashwini Kumaras
blessed the couple and disappeared from their sight.”
As requested by Ashwini
Kumaras the fire sacrifice has begun, Maharishi Chyavana recited the hymns to
invoke the Ashwini Kumaras while serving the Somarasa to Lord Indra and
deities. Lord Indra was fuming with
anger, took his Vajrayudha to sieve off the head of Chyavana Rishi was got his hand
immovable with the divine power of Rishi Chyavana. Lord Indra requested Maharishi Chyavana to
release his hand from the frozen state and agreed to serve the Ashwini Kumaras
with the Somarasa along with the deities.
Shuka Bhramam speaks “Once
King Sharyadhi visited the hermitage of Maharishi Chyavana, he was desired to
perform a fire sacrifice with the help of Maharishi. He saw his daughter Sukanya with a handsome
youth; he was shaken to see her with a young man instead of Maharishi Chyavana.
King Sharyadhi was too angry, Sukanya prostrated before the King, he said “You have disrespected an illustrious Sage who got married to you;
it is really shameful to see that you have changed your mind after witnessing a
youth, how could you forget all your culture and traditions? You have born in an illustrious clan; you
have brought shame to your clan. You
have become shameless, you should have added pride to your clan instead you
have brought disgrace to us.” Sukanya
spoke “Oh! Father, do not feel ashamed.
This youth is your son-in-law.” Sukanya narrated the incident happened
in his absence, King Sharyadhi was pleased. Later, King Sharyadhi performed
Yaga with the guidance of Rishi Chyavana and obtained offspring. Oh! Rajan, in this way, all the members of
this clan of Manu made their life fruitful contemplating upon supreme Lord
Vishnu.”