SECTION CLXXIII
(Chaitraratha Parva continued)
"Arjuna said, 'Thou hast addressed me (more
than once) as Tapatya. I therefore wish to know what the precise significance
of this word is, O virtuous Gandharva, being sons of Kunti, we are, indeed,
Kaunteyas. But who is Tapati that we should be called Tapatyas?'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed,
the Gandharva related to Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti, the (following) story
well-known in the three worlds.'
"The Gandharva said, 'O son of Pritha, O
foremost of all intelligent men, I will duly recite to you in full this
charming narrative. O, listen with attention to what I say in explanation of
why I have addressed thee as Tapatya. That one in heaven who pervadeth by his
light the whole firmament had a daughter named Tapati equal unto himself.
Tapati, the daughter of the god Vivaswat, was the younger sister of Savitri,
and she was celebrated throughout the three worlds and devoted to ascetic
penances. There was no woman amongst the celestials, the Asuras, the Yakshas,
the Rakshasas, the Apsaras, and the Gandharvas, who was equal to her in beauty.
Of perfect, symmetrical and faultless features, of black and large eyes, and in
beautiful attire, the girl was chaste and of perfect conduct. And, O Bharata,
seeing her Savitri (the sun) thought that there was none in the three worlds
who, for his beauty, accomplishments, behaviour, and learning, deserved to be
her husband. Beholding her attain the age of puberty and, therefore, worthy of
being bestowed on a husband, her father knew no peace of mind, always thinking
of the person he should select. At that time, O son of Kunti, Riksha's son,
that bull amongst the Kurus, the mighty king Samvarana, was duly worshipping
Surya with offerings of Arghya and flower-garlands and scents, and with vows
and fasts and ascetic penances of various kinds. Indeed, Samvarana was
worshipping Surya constantly in all his glory, with devotion and humility and
piety. And beholding Samvarana conversant with all rules of virtue and
unequalled on earth for beauty, Surya regarded him as the fit husband for his
daughter, Tapati. And, O thou of Kuru's race, Vivaswat then resolved to bestow
his daughter on that best of kings, viz., Samvarana, the scion of a race of
world-wide fame. As Surya himself in the heavens filleth the firmament with his
splendour, so did king Samvarana on earth fill every region with the splendour
of his good achievements. And all men, O Partha, except Brahmanas, worshipped
Samvarana. Blest with good luck, king Samvarana excelled Soma in soothing the
hearts of friends and Surya in scorching the hearts of foes. And, O Kaurava,
Tapana (Surya) himself was resolved upon bestowing his daughter Tapati upon
king Samvarana, who was possessed of such virtues and accomplishments.
"Once on a time, O Partha, king Samvarana,
endued with beauty (of person) and immeasurable prowess, went on a hunting
expedition to the under-woods on the mountain-breast. While wandering in quest
of deer, the excellent steed the king rode, overcome, O Partha, with hunger,
thirst and fatigue, died on the mountains. Abandoning the steed, the king, O
Arjuna, began to wander about upon the mountain-breast on foot and in course of
his wandering the monarch saw a maiden of large eyes and unrivalled beauty,
That grinder of hostile host--that tiger among kings--himself without a
companion, beholding there that maiden without a companion, stood motionless
gazing at her steadfastly. For her beauty, the monarch for some moment believed
her to be (the goddess) Sri herself. Next he regarded her to be the embodiment
of the rays emanating from Surya. In splendour of her person she resembled a
flame of fire, though in benignity and loveliness she resembled a spotless
digit of the moon. And standing on the mountain-breast, the black-eyed maiden
appeared like a bright statue of gold. The mountain itself with its creepers
and plants, because of the beauty and attire of that damsel, seemed to be
converted into gold. The sight of that maiden inspired the monarch with a
contempt for all women that he had seen before. By beholding her, the king
regarded his eye-sight truly blessed. Nothing the king had seen from the day of
his birth could equal, he thought, the beauty of that girl. The king's heart
and eyes were captivated by that damsel, as if they were bound with a cord and
he remained rooted to that spot, deprived of his senses. The monarch thought
that the artificer of so much beauty had created it only after churning the
whole world of gods Asuras and human beings. Entertaining these various
thoughts, king Samvarana regarded that maiden as unrivalled in the three worlds
for wealth of beauty.
"And the monarch of pure descent, beholding
the beautiful maiden, was pierced with Kama's (Cupid's) shafts and lost his
peace of mind. Burnt with the strong flame of desire the king asked that
charming maiden, still innocent, though in her full youth, saying, 'Who art
thou and whose? Why also dost thou stay here? O thou of sweet smiles, why dost
thou wander alone in these solitary woods? Of every feature perfectly
faultless, and decked with every ornament, thou seemest to be the coveted
ornament of these ornaments themselves! Thou seemest not to be of celestial or
Asura or Yaksha or Rakshasa or Naga or Gandharva or human origin. O excellent lady,
the best of women that I have ever seen or heard of would not compare with thee
in beauty! O thou of handsome face, at sight of thee lovelier than the moon and
graced with eyes like lotus-petals, the god of desire is grinding me.'
"King Samvarana thus addressed that damsel
in the forest, who however, spoke not a word unto the monarch burning with
desire. Instead, like lightning in the clouds, that large-eyed maiden quickly
disappeared in the very sight of the monarch. The king then wandered through the
whole forest, like one out of his senses, in search of that girl of eyes like
lotus-petals. Failing to find her, that best of monarchs indulged in copious
lamentations and for a time stood motionless with grief.'"
 THE MAHABHARATA ADI PARVA ){kind=link}
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