The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section 218

Section CCXVIII. ( *Arjuna-vanavasa Parva continued.* ) Vaisampayana said, "Then that bull of the Bharatā race went to the regions of sacred water on the banks of the southern ocean, all adorned with the ascetics residing there. And there lay scattered five regions of sacred water around, where also dwelt many ascetics. But those five pieces of water themselves were shunned by all of them. And those sacred waters were called Agastya, and Saubhadra, and Paulomā of great holiness, and Kārandhama of great propitiousness yielding the fruits of a horse-sacrifice unto those that bathed there, and Bhāradwaja, that great washer of sins. And that foremost of the Kurus beholding those five sacred waters, and seeing them uninhabited, and ascertaining also that they were shunned by the virtuous ascetics dwelling around, asked those pious men with joined hands, saying, 'Why, O ascetics, are these five sacred waters shunned by the utterers of Brahmā?' And hearing him, the ascetics (that may happen to bathe in them.) It is for this, O son of the Kuru race, that these are shunned!'" Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing these words of the ascetics, that foremost of men endued with mighty arms, though dissuaded by them, went to behold those waters. And arrived at the excellent sacred water called Saubhadra called after a great Rishi, the brave oppressor of all foes suddenly plunged into it for taking a bath. And as soon as that tiger among men had plunged into the water, a great crocodile that was in it seized him by the leg. But the strong-armed Dhananjaya the son of Kunti,—that foremost of all men endued with might,—seized that struggling ranger of the water, and dragged it forcibly to the shore. But dragged by the renowned Arjuna to the land, that crocodile became (transformed into) a beautiful damsel decked in every ornament. And, O king, that charming damsel of celestial form seemed to shine for her beauty and complexion. And Dhananjaya the son of Kunti, beholding that strange sight, asked that damsel with a pleased hear, 'Who art thou, O beautiful one? What for hadst thou been a ranger of the waters? Why also didst thou commit such a dreadful sin?' The damsel replied, saying, 'I am, O mighty-armed one, an Apsarā sporting in the celestial woods. I am, O mighty one, Vargā by name, and ever dear unto the celestial treasurer (Kuvera). I have four other companions, all handsome and capable of going everywhere at will. Accompanied by them I was one day going to the abode of Kuvera. On the way we beheld a Brahmana of rigid vows, and exceedingly handsome, studying the Vedas in solitude. The whole forest (in which he was sitting) seemed to be covered by his ascetic splendour. He seemed to have illuminated the whole region like the Sun himself. And beholding his ascetic devotion of that nature and his wonderful beauty, we alighted in that region, in order to disturb his ascetic meditation. Myself and Sauraveyi and Samichi and Vuvudā and Latā, approached that Brahmana, O Bharata, at the same time. And we began to sing and smile and otherwise tempt that Brahmana. But, O hero, that Brahmana (youth) set not his heart even once upon us. His mind fixed on pure meditation, that youth of great energy suffered not his heart to waver. And, O thou bull of the Kshatriya race, the glance he cast upon us was one of wrath. And he said looking at us,—Becoming crocodiles, range ye the waters for a hundred years.—'" Thus ends the two hundred and eighteenth Section in the Arjuna-vanavāsa of the Adi Parva.