[Advaita-l] Maha Pativrataas

[Aditya Kumar]

 Namaste,
This is quite interesting because this is all about devotion. I used to wonder why men or women would be devoted to their spouses. I even felt that it is impossible to have such mental and physical devotion/fidelity to their partners. As I was one day flipping through the great Mahabharatha of Vyasa, I stumbled upon the story of Chyavan and Sukanya. Sukanya hails from a royal lineage whereas Chyavana from a Brahman lineage. Due to some strange circumstances (you may refer Mahabharatha for details) they get married.
One day the Ashwini devatas behold the beauty of Sukanya and express their interest in her. Chyavan was old and frail, due to his age and austerities. The gods reason with Sukanya - Behold us, the handsome gods and your husband is an old person! In spite of it, Sukanya refuses to give in. Whether is it because of the fear of dharma/adharma or anything is unknown. Could not make out from the narrative. But it seems like some people are naturally more devoted than others. Of purified mind, of good lineage, people tend to be more devoted. Others may be a bit lower, that is they may give in when circumstances change. The lowest of them are by nature not devoted and always indulge in promiscuity. The gods make another offer to her, that they will make her husband equal to them. She has to choose someone blindly, whomsoever she chooses, she has to be their wife. But Sukanya recognizes her husband in spite of it and chooses Chyavana!
    On Sunday, 8 July, 2018, 10:16:55 AM IST, Divya Meedin via Advaita-l <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:  
 
 Namaste

In Sundara Kaand of Vaalmiki Ramayana Sarga 24, Lokamaathaa Sita says,

दीनो वा राज्यहीनो वा
यो मे भर्ता स मे गुरुः ।
तं नित्यमनुरक्ताऽस्मि
यथा सूर्यं सुवर्चला ॥

Regardless of whether he is miserable or has lost his kingdom, he, my
husband, is my lord. I am always in love with him and only him, as
Suvarcala is with the sun.


यथा शची महाभागा
शक्रं समुपतिष्ठति ।
अरुन्धती वसिष्ठं च
रोहिणी शशिनं यथा ।
लोपामुद्रा यथाऽगस्त्यम्
सुकन्या च्यवनं यथा ।
सावित्री सत्यवन्तं च
कपिलं श्रीमती यथा ।
सौदासं मदयन्तीव
केशिनी सगरं यथा ।
नैषधं दमयन्तीव
भैमी पतिमनुव्रता ।
तथाऽहमिक्ष्वाकुवरम्
रामं पतिमनुव्रता ॥
Just as the blessed Ṡaci stayed bound to Ṡakra, Arundhati to Vasishṭha,
Rōhiṇee to the moon, Lōpāmudrā to Agastya, Sukanyā to Cyavana, Sāvitri to
Satyavanta, Ṡreematee to Kapila, Madayantee to Saudāsa, Kēṡinee to Sagara, and
just as Damayanti, the daughter of Bheema, religiously followed Naishadha, I
follow my husband Rāma, the foremost of Ikshwākus.


I require some help in learning more about the stories of these great
*Pativrataas.*

I have already come across the Sukanyā-Cyavana Upaakhyaanam, and the
Sāvitri-Satyavanta
Upaakhyaanaam in Srimad Devi Bhaagavatam.

Could the esteemed members point me to resources containing the stories of
(1)  Ṡaci-Ṡakra
(2)  Arundhati-Vasishṭha
(3)  Rōhiṇee-Chandra
(4)  Lōpāmudrā-Agastya
(5)  Ṡreematee-Kapila
(6)  Madayantee-Saudāsa
(7)  Kēṡinee-Sagara
(8)  Damayanti-Naishadha
(9)  Suvarchala-Surya

Would be grateful for any guidance.
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