(Chaitraratha Parva continued)
"'The Gandharva continued, "Saying this, Tapati of faultless features,
ascended the skies. The monarch thereupon again fell down on the earth.
His ministers and followers searching for him throughout the forest at
length came upon him lying on that solitary spot, and beholding that
excellent king, that mighty bowman, thus lying forsaken on the ground like
a rainbow dropped from the firmament, his minister-in-chief became like
one burnt by a flame of fire. Advancing hastily with affection and respect,
the minister raised that best of monarchs lying prostrate on the ground
and deprived of his senses by desire. Old in wisdom as in age, old in
achievements as in policy, the minister, after having raised the prostrate
monarch, became easy (in mind). Addressing the king in sweet words that
were also for his good, he said, 'Blest be thou, O sinless one! Fear not,
O tiger among kings!' The minister thought that the monarch, that great
feller of hostile ranks in battle, had been lying on the ground overcome
with hunger, thirst, and fatigue. The old man then sprinkled over the
crownless head of the monarch water that was cold and rendered fragrant
with lotus-petals. Slowly regaining his consciousness, the mighty monarch
sent away all his attendants with the exception of his minister only.
After those attendants had retired at his command, the king sat upon the
mountain-breast. Having purified himself duly, the king sat upon that
chief of mountains, and began, with joined palms and upturned face, to
worship Surya. King Samvarana, that smiter of all foes, thought also of
his chief priest Vasishtha, that best of Rishis. The king continued to sit
there day and night without intermission. The Brahmana sage Vasishtha came
there on the twelfth day: that great Rishi of soul under perfect command
knew at once by his ascetic power that the monarch had lost his senses in
consequence of Tapati. And that virtuous and best of Munis, as soon as he
knew this, desirous of benefiting the monarch who was ever observant of
vows, addressed him and gave him every assurance. The illustrious Rishi,
in the very sight of that monarch, ascended upward to interview Surya,
himself possessed of the splendour of that luminary. The Brahmana then
approached with joined hands the god of a thousand rays and introduced
himself cheerfully unto him, saying, 'I am Vasishtha.' Then Vivaswat of
great energy said unto that best of Rishis, 'Welcome art thou, O great
Rishi! Tell me what is in thy mind. O thou of great good fortune, whatever
thou demandest of me, O foremost of eloquent men, I will confer on thee,
however difficult it may be for me!' Thus addressed by Surya, the Rishi of
great ascetic merit, bowing unto the god of light, replied, saying, 'O
Vibhavasu, this thy daughter, Tapati, the younger sister of Savitri, I ask
of thee for Samvarana! That monarch is of mighty achievements, conversant
with virtue, and of high soul. O firmament-ranger, Samvarana will make a
worthy husband for thy daughter.' Thus addressed by the Rishi Vibhakara,
resolved upon bestowing his daughter upon Samvarana, saluted the Rishi,
and replied unto him, saying, 'Oh, Samvarana is the best of monarchs, thou
art the best of Rishis, Tapati is the best of women. What should we do,
therefore, but bestow her on Samvarana?' With these words, the god Tapana,
made over his daughter, Tapati, of every feature perfectly faultless, unto
the illustrious Vasishtha to bestow her upon Samvarana. And the great
Rishi then accepted the girl, Tapati, and taking leave of Surya, came back
to the spot, where that bull amongst the Kurus, of celestial achievements,
was. King Samvarana, possessed by love and with his heart fixed on Tapati,
beholding that celestial maiden of sweet smiles led by Vasishtha, became
exceedingly glad. And Tapati of fair eyebrows came down from the firmament
like lightning from the clouds, dazzling the ten points of the heavens.
And the illustrious Rishi Vasishtha of pure soul approached the monarch
after the latter's twelve nights' vow was over. It was thus that king
Samvarana obtained a wife after having worshipped with ascetic
penances the propitious lord Vivaswat, by the help of
Vasishtha's (ascetic power). And Samvarana, that bull among men with due
rites took Tapati's hand on that mountain-breast which was resorted to by
the celestials and the Gandharvas. The royal sage, with the permission of
Vasishtha, desired to sport with his wife on that mountain. And the king
caused Vasishtha to be proclaimed his regent in his capital and kingdom,
in the woods and gardens. And bidding farewell unto the monarch, Vasishtha
left him and went away. Samvarana, who sported on that mountain like a
celestial, sported with his wife in the woods and the under-woods on that
mountain for twelve full years. And, O best of the Bharatas, the god of a
thousand eyes poured no rain for twelve years on the capital and on the
kingdom of that monarch. Then, O chastiser of enemies, when that season of
drought broke out, the people of that kingdom, as also the trees and lower
animals began to die fast. And during the continuance of that dreadful
drought, not even a drop of dew fell from the skies and no corn grew. And
the inhabitants in despair, and afflicted with the fear of hunger, left
their homes and fled away in all directions. And the famished people of
the capital and the country began to abandon their wives and children and
grew reckless of one another. The people being afflicted with hunger,
without a morsel of food and reduced to skeletons, the capital looked very
much like the city of the king of the dead, full of only ghostly beings.
On beholding the capital reduced to such a state, the illustrious and
virtuous and best of Rishis, Vasishtha was resolved upon applying a remedy
and brought back unto the city that tiger among kings, Samvarana, along
with his wife, after the latter had passed so long a period in solitude
and seclusion. After the king had entered his capital, things became as
before, for, when that tiger among kings came back to his own, the god of
a thousand eyes, the slayer of Asuras, poured rain in abundance and caused
corn to grow. Revivified by the foremost of virtuous souls the capital and
the country became animated with extreme joy. The monarch, with his wife,
Tapati, once more performed sacrifices for twelve years, like the lord
Indra (god of rain) performing sacrifices with his wife, Sachi."
"'The Gandharva continued, "This, O Partha, is the history of Tapati of
old, the daughter of Vivaswat. It is for her that thou art (called)
Tapatya. King Samvarana begot upon Tapati a son named Kuru, who was the
foremost of ascetics. Born in the race of Kuru, thou art, O Arjuna, to be
called Tapatya."'"