(Chaitraratha Parva continued)
"'The Gandharva continued, "When that maiden disappeared, that feller of
hostile ranks deprived of his senses by Kama (concupiscence) himself fell
down on the earth. And as the monarch fell down, that maiden of sweet
smiles and prominent and round hips appeared again before him, and smiling
sweetly, said unto that perpetuator of Kuru's race these honeyed words,
'Rise, rise, O chastiser of foes! Blest be thou; it behoveth thee not, O
tiger among kings, to lose thy reason, a celebrated man as thou art in the
world.' Addressed in these honeyed words, the king opened his eyes and saw
before him that selfsame girl of swelling hips. The monarch who was
burning with the flame of desire then addressed that black-eyed damsel in
accents, weak with emotion, and said, 'Blest be thou O excellent woman of
black eyes! As I am burning with desire and paying thee court, O, accept
me! My life is ebbing away. O thou of large eyes, for thy sake it is, O
thou of the splendour of the filaments of the lotus, that Kama is
incessantly piercing me with his keen shafts without stopping for a
moment! O amiable and cheerful girl, I have been bitten by Kama who is
even like a venomous viper. O thou of swelling and large hips, have mercy
on me! O thou of handsome and faultless features, O thou of face like unto
the lotus-petal or the moon, O thou of voice sweet as that of singing
Kinnaras, my life now depends on thee! Without thee, O timid one, I am
unable to live! O thou of eyes like lotus-petals, Kama is piercing me
incessantly! O large-eyed girl, be merciful unto me! It becometh thee not,
O black-eyed maid, to cast me off; O handsome girl, it behoveth thee to
relieve me from such affliction by giving me thy love! At first sight thou
hast attracted my heart. My mind wandereth! Beholding thee I like not to
cast my eyes on any other woman! Be merciful! I am thy obedient slave--thy
adorer! O, accept me! O beautiful lady, O large-eyed girl at the sight of
thee, the god of desire hath entered my heart, and is piercing me with his
shafts! O thou of lotus-eyes, the flame of desire burneth within me! O,
extinguish that flame with the water of thy love poured on it! O beautiful
lady, by becoming mine, pacify thou the irrepressible god of desire that
hath appeared here armed with his deadly bow and arrows and that is
piercing me incessantly with those keen shafts of his! O thou of the
fairest complexion, wed me according to the Gandharva form, for, O thou of
tapering hips, of all forms of marriage the Gandharva hath been said to be
the best.'"
"'The Gandharva continued, "Hearing those words of the monarch, Tapati made
answer, 'O king, I am not the mistress of my own self! Be it known that I
am a maiden under the control of my father. If thou really entertainest an
affection for me, demand me of my father. Thou sayest, O king, that thy
heart hath been robbed by me. But thou also hast, at first sight, robbed
me of my heart; I am not the mistress of my body, and therefore, O best of
kings, I do not approach thee; women are never independent. What girl is
there in the three worlds that would not desire thee for her husband, as
thou art kind unto all thy dependents and as thou art born in a pure race?
Therefore, when the opportunity comes, ask my father Aditya for my hand
with worship, ascetic penances, and vows. If my father bestoweth me upon
thee, then, O king, I shall ever be thy obedient wife. My name is Tapati
and I am the younger sister of Savitri, and the daughter, O bull amongst
Kshatriyas of Savitri, of (Sun) the illuminator of the universe."'"