“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘Hearing this, Arjuna said, ‘O Gandharva (Angaraparna), from where arose the enemity between (Rishi) Vishwamitra and (Rishi) Vasishtha both of whom stayed in a divine ashrama?
O, tell us all about it.’
“The Gandharva replied, ‘O Paartha (Arjuna), the story of Vasishtha is regarded as a Purana (literally meaning
ancient in English) in all the three
worlds. Listen to me as I recite it fully. O bull of Bharata's race (Arjuna), in Kanyakubja, there was a great king of
worldwide fame named Gaadhi, the son of Kushika. The virtuous (Dharmic) Gaadhi had a son named Vishwamitra, that
grinder of enemies, possessing a large army and many animals and vehicles. Vishwamitra,
accompanied by his ministers, used to roam in quest of deer through the deep forest
and over attractive marascetic Tapas the favourable lord Vivaswat (Lord
Surya), by the help of Vasishtha’s (Tapas
power).
“Samvarana, that bull among men with due rites took Tapati’s hand on
that mountain which was resorted to by Devas and Gandharvas. The Rajarishi (Samvarana), with the permission of Vasishtha, desired
to sport with his wife on that mountain. The king caused (Rishi) Vasishtha, to be proclaimed his administrator
in his capital and kingdom, in the forest and gardens. Bidding farewell to the
monarch (Samvarana), Vasishtha left
him and went away. Samvarana, who sported on that mountain like a Deva, sported
with his wife in the woods and the under-woods on that mountain for twelve full
years.
“O best of the Bharatas (Arjuna), the Deva of a thousand eyes (Lord Indra) poured no rain for twelve years on the capital and on the kingdom of
that monarch. O punisher of enemies, then when that season of drought broke
out, the people of that kingdom, as also the trees and lower animals began to
die fast. During the continuance of that dreadful drought, not even a drop of
dew fell from the skies and no corn grew. The inhabitants in despair, and pained
with the fear of hunger, left their homes and fled away in all directions. The famine-hit
people of the capital and the country began to leave their wives and children
and grew reckless of one another. The people being pained with hunger, without
a small piece 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 looking 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 to the city that tiger among kings, Samvarana, along with his wife
(Tapati), after the latter had
passed so long a period in isolation 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 Deva of a thousand eyes (Lord Indra), the slayer of Asuras, poured rain in
abundance and caused corn to grow. Given new life by the foremost of Dharmaatma
(Samvarana), the capital and the
country became animated with extreme joy. The monarch, with his wife, Tapati,
once more performed yagnas for twelve years, like the Lord Indra performing yagnas with his wife, Sachi.’
“The Gandharva continued, ‘This, O Paartha, is the ancient history of
Tapati, the daughter of Vivaswat (Lord Surya). It is for her that you are (called) Taapatya. King Samvarana fathered upon Tapati a son named Kuru, who
was the foremost of (Raja) Rishis. O
Arjuna, born in the Kuru kula, you are to be called Tapatya.’”
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