“Arjuna said, ‘You have addressed me (more than once) as Taapatya.
O Dharmic Gandharva, I therefore wish to know what the precise significance of
this word, as being sons of Kunti, we are, indeed, Kaunteyas. But who is Tapati
that we should be called Taapatyas?’
“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘Thus addressed, the
Gandharva related to Dhananjaya (Arjuna), the son of Kunti (Kaunteya in Sanskrit), the (following) story well-known in the three worlds.’
“The Gandharva said, ‘O Partha, 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 you
as Taapatya. That one in heaven who pervades by his light the whole sky (the Sun or Surya in Sanskrit)
had a daughter named Tapati equal to himself. Tapati, the daughter of the god
Vivaswat (Lord Surya), was the
younger sister of Savitri, and she was celebrated throughout the three worlds
and devoted to severe penances.
“There was no woman among Devas, Asuras, Yakshas,
Rakshasas, Apsaras, and Gandharvas, who was equal to her in beauty. Of perfect,
symmetrical and faultless features, of black and large eyes, and in beautiful garments,
the girl was chaste and of perfect conduct. O Bharata (Arjuna), seeing her Savitri (the
Sun) thought that there was none in the
three worlds for his beauty, accomplishments, behaviour, and learning, who deserved
to be her husband. Looking her attain the age of puberty and, therefore, worthy
of being given on a husband, her father (Lord Surya) knew no peace of mind, always thinking of the person he should select.
“At that time, O son of Kunti, Artharksha’s son, that
bull among the Kurus, the mighty king Samvarana, was duly worshipping (Lord) Surya with offerings
of Arghya, flower-garlands, scents, and with vows, fasts and Tapas of various
kinds. Indeed, Samvarana was worshipping (Lord) Surya constantly in all his glory, with devotion, humility and sanctity.
Looking (King) Samvarana knowledgeable
with all rules of Dharma and unequalled on earth for beauty, (Lord) Surya regarded him as the fit husband for
his daughter, Tapati.
“O you of Kuru’s race, Vivaswat (Lord Surya) then resolved to
give his daughter on that best of kings, viz., Samvarana, the descendant of a
race of world-wide fame. As (Lord) Surya
himself in the heavens filled the sky with his splendour, so did king Samvarana
on earth fill every region with the splendour of his good achievements. O
Partha (Arjuna), all men except
Brahmanas, worshipped Samvarana. Blessed with good luck, king Samvarana
excelled Soma (the Moon) in soothing
the hearts of friends and (Lord) Surya
in scorching the hearts of enemies. O Kaurava (Arjuna), Tapana (Lord Surya)
himself was resolved upon giving his daughter Tapati upon king Samvarana, who
was possessed of such virtues and accomplishments.
“O Partha, once on a time, king Samvarana, provided
with beauty (of person) and immeasurable capabilities, went on a hunting expedition to the
under-woods on the mountain. O Partha (Arjuna), while wandering in search of deer, the excellent horse the king (Samvarana) rode, overcome with hunger, thirst and tiredness,
died on the mountains. O Arjuna, abandoning the horse, the king began to wander
about upon the mountain on foot and in course of his wandering the monarch saw
a lady of large eyes and unrivalled beauty. That grinder of enemy armies, that
tiger among kings (King Samvarana), himself
without a companion, seeing there that lady without a companion, stood
motionless gazing at her fixedly. 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 (Lord)
Surya. In splendour of her person, she
resembled a flame of fire, though in tolerance and loveliness she resembled a
spotless digit of the moon. Standing on the mountain, the black-eyed lady
appeared like a bright statue of gold. The mountain itself with its creepers
and plants, because of the beauty and attire of that lady, seemed to be
converted into gold. The sight of that lady inspired the monarch with a feeling
of worthlessness for all women that he had seen before. By looking her, the
king (Samvarana) 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 lady, as if they were bound with a rope and he remained
rooted to that spot, deprived of his senses. The monarch thought that the craftsman
of so much beauty had created it only after churning the whole world of Devas,
Asuras and human beings. Entertaining these various thoughts, king Samvarana
regarded that lady as unrivalled in the three worlds for wealth of beauty.
“The monarch of pure descent, looking the beautiful lady,
was pierced with Kaamaa’s arrows and lost his peace of mind. Burnt with the
strong flame of desire the king asked that charming lady, still innocent, though
in her full youth, saying, ‘Who are you and whose? Why also do you stay here? O
you of sweet smiles, why do you wander alone in these isolated woods? Of every
feature perfectly faultless, and decorated with every ornament, you seem to be
the desired ornament of these ornaments themselves! You seem not to be of Deva
or Asura or Yaksha or Rakshasa or Naaga or Gandharva or human origin. O
excellent lady, the best of women that I have ever seen or heard of would not
compare with you in beauty! O you of beautiful face, at sight of you lovelier
than the moon and graced with eyes like lotus-petals, the Kaamadeva is grinding
me.’
“King
Samvarana thus addressed that lady in the forest, who however, spoke not a word
to the monarch burning with Kaamaa. Instead, like lightning in the clouds, that
large-eyed lady 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 abundant lamentations and for a time stood motionless with
grief.’”
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