The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section 175

Section CLXXV. ( Chaitra-ratha Parva continued. )

"The Gandharva continued, 'Saying this, Tapati of faultless features ascended the skies. The monarch, upon this, again fell down on the earth. His mistakes and followers searching for him throughout the forest at last came upon him lying in 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. And advancing hastily with affection and respect, the minister raised the best of monarchs lying prostrate on the ground deprived of his senses by desire, like a father raising the fallen form of his son. Old in wisdom as in age, in achievements as in politics, the minister, after having raised the prostrate monarch, became easy. And addressing the king in sweet words that were also for his good, said,—Blest be thou, O sinless one! Fear not, O thou tiger among kings!—The minister thought that the monarch had been lying on the ground overcome with hunger, thirst, and fatigue,—he who was the great feller of hostile ranks in battle. The old man then sprinkled the crownless head of the monarch with water that was cold and rendered fragrant with lotus leaves. Slowly regaining his consciousness, the mighty monarch sent away all his attendants with the exception of his minister alone. And after those attendants had retired at his command, the king sat upon the mountain breast. Purifying himself duly, the king sat upon that chief of mountains, and with joined hands and upturned face, began to worship the Sun. And king Samvarana, the smiter of all foes, also thought of his chief priest Vashishta—that best of Rishis. And after the king had staid thus on the same spot day and night without intermission, the Brahmana sage Vashishta came there on the twelfth day. And the 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 Minus, as soon as he knew this, desirous of benefiting the monarch ever observant bull among men—with due rites took Tapati's hand on that mountain breast which was resorted to by the celestials and the Gandharvas. And the royal sage, with the permission of Vashishta, desired to sport with his wife on that mountain. And the king caused Vashishta to be proclaimed his regent in his capital and kingdom, in the woods and gardens. And bidding farewell unto the monarch, Vashishta left him and went away. And Samvarana sported on that mountain like a celestial. And the monarch sported with his wife in the woods and the under-woods on that mountain for full twelve years. And, O thou best of the Bharatas, the god of a thousand eyes poured no rain for twelve years in the capital and kingdom of that monarch. Then, O thou oppressor of all enemies, when that season of drought commenced, 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 was grown. And the inhabitants in despair, 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. And 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 filled only with ghostly beings. And beholding the capital reduced to such a state, the illustrious and virtuous and best of Rishis—Vashishta—resolved upon applying a remedy. And the Rishi brought back into the city that tiger among kings—Samvarana—along with his wife, after he had passed so long a period in solitude and seclusion. And 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. And revivified by that foremost of monarchs of virtuous soul, the capital and the country became glad with exceeding joy. And the monarch with his wife Tapati once more performed sacrifices for twelve years, like the lord Indra performing sacrifices with his wife Shachi.'

"The Gandharva continued, 'This, O Partha, is the history of Tapati of old, the daughter of Vivaswam! And it is for her that thou art Tāpatya! King Samvarana begat 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 Tāpatya!'"

Thus ends the hundred and seventy-fifth Section in the Chaitra-ratha of the Adi Parva.