01.160
Library:King Samvarana sees Tapati
arjuna uvāca॥
Arjuna said.
tāpatya iti yad vākyam uktavān asi mām iha। tad ahaṃ jñātum icchāmi tāpatya-artha-viniścayam ॥1-160-1॥
I wish to know the determination of the meaning of Tāpatya regarding the statement you have made to me here.
tapatī nāma kā caiṣā tāpatyā yatkṛte vayam। kaunteyā hi vayaṃ sādho tattvamicchāmi veditum ॥1-160-2॥
This is Tapatī by name, the daughter of Tapati, for whose sake we are here. O sons of Kunti, indeed, O noble one, I wish to know the truth.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
evam-uktaḥ sa gandharvaḥ kuntī-putraṃ dhanañjayam। viśrutāṃ triṣu lokeṣu śrāvayāmāsa vai kathām ॥1-160-3॥
Thus addressed, the Gandharva narrated to Kunti's son Dhananjaya the story renowned in the three worlds.
gandharva uvāca॥
The Gandharva said.
hanta te kathayiṣyāmi kathāmetāṃ manoramām। yathāvadakhilāṃ pārtha dharmyāṃ dharmabhṛtāṃ vara ॥1-160-4॥
Indeed, O Pārtha, best of the upholders of dharma, I shall narrate to you this delightful and righteous story in its entirety and as it should be told.
uktavānasmi yena tvāṃ tāpatya iti yadvacaḥ। tatte'haṃ kathayiṣyāmi śṛṇuṣvaikamanā mama ॥1-160-5॥
I am the one who told you those words regarding the son; now I will narrate that to you, so listen to me with full attention.
ya eṣa divi dhiṣṇyena nākaṃ vyāpnoti tejasā। etasya tapatī nāma babhūvāsadṛśī sutā ॥1-160-6॥
He who pervades heaven by his brilliant seat—his daughter, named Tapatī, was born, unlike any other.
vivasvato vai kaunteya sāvitr-yavarajā vibho। viśrutā triṣu lokeṣu tapatī tapasā yutā ॥1-160-7॥
O son of Kunti, Tapatī, the daughter of Savitṛ and Vivasvat, O mighty one, is renowned in the three worlds for her austerity.
na devī nāsurī caiva na yakṣī na ca rākṣasī। nāpsarā na ca gandharvī tathārūpeṇa kācana ॥1-160-8॥
She was not a goddess, nor a demoness, nor a female yakṣa, nor a female rākṣasa; she was not an apsaras, nor a female gandharva—there was no one of such a form.
su-vibhaktā-anavadya-aṅgī sva-sita-āyata-locanā। sva-ācārā ca eva sādhvī ca su-veṣā ca eva bhāminī ॥1-160-9॥
She is a radiant woman, with well-proportioned and flawless limbs, large white eyes, of good conduct, virtuous, and well-dressed.
na tasyāḥ sadṛśaṃ kañcit triṣu lokeṣu bhārata। bhartāraṃ savitā mene rūpa-śīla-kula-śrutaiḥ ॥1-160-10॥
O Bhārata, Savitā considered that there was no one in the three worlds equal to her in form, character, family, and learning, as a husband.
samprāptayauvanāṃ paśyandeyāṃ duhitaraṃ tu tām। nopalebhe tataḥ śāntiṃ sampradānaṃ vicintayan ॥1-160-11॥
Seeing his daughter, now of marriageable age and worthy to be given, he found no peace and kept pondering over her marriage.
artharkṣaputraḥ kaunteya kurūṇāmṛṣabho balī। sūryamārādhayāmāsa nṛpaḥ saṁvaraṇaḥ sadā ॥1-160-12॥
O son of Kunti, King Saṁvaraṇa, the powerful leader of the Kurus and son of Ṛkṣa named Artha, always worshipped the Sun.
arghyamālyopahāraiś ca śaśvac ca nṛpatir yataḥ। niyamair upavāsaiś ca tapobhir vividhair api ॥1-160-13॥
The king always offered water, garlands, and gifts, and also engaged in various observances, fastings, and austerities.
śuśrūṣur anahaṃvādī śuciḥ pauravanandanaḥ। aṃśumantaṃ samudyantaṃ pūjayāmāsa bhaktimān ॥1-160-14॥
The devoted descendant of Paurava, who was eager to serve, humble, and pure, worshipped the rising Aṃśumant.
tataḥ kṛtajñaṃ dharmajñaṃ rūpeṇāsadṛśaṃ bhuvi। tapatyāḥ sadṛśaṃ mene sūryaḥ saṃvaraṇaṃ patim ॥1-160-15॥
Then the Sun thought that Saṃvaraṇa, who was grateful and knew dharma, though unmatched in form on earth, was a worthy husband for Tapati.
dātumaicchat tataḥ kanyāṃ tasmai saṃvaraṇāya tām। nṛpottamāya kauravya viśrutābhijanāya vai ॥1-160-16॥
Then he wished to give her, the maiden, to Saṃvaraṇa, O Kauravya, to that best of kings, indeed, for his renowned and noble lineage.
yathā hi divi dīptāṃśuḥ prabhāsayati tejasā। tathā bhuvi mahīpālo dīptyā saṃvaraṇo'bhavat ॥1-160-17॥
Just as the one with shining rays illuminates the sky with brilliance, so did King Saṃvaraṇa become radiant on earth.
yathārcayanti cādit yamudyantaṃ brahmavādinaḥ। tathā saṃvaraṇaṃ pārtha brāhmaṇāvarajāḥ prajāḥ ॥1-160-18॥
O Pārtha, just as the knowers of Brahman worship the rising Sun, so too do the descendants of Brāhmaṇas worship Saṃvaraṇa, along with the people.
sa somamati kāntatvād ādityamati tejasā। babhūva nṛpatiḥ śrīmān suhṛdāṃ durhṛdām api ॥1-160-19॥
He, possessing a mind as gentle as the Moon in loveliness and as brilliant as the Sun, became a prosperous king, cherished by friends and even respected by enemies.
evaṅ-guṇasya nṛpates tathā-vṛttasya kaurava। tasmai dātuṃ manaś cakre tapatīṃ tapanaḥ svayam ॥1-160-20॥
O Kaurava, seeing such qualities and conduct in the king, the Sun himself resolved in his mind to give Tapatī to him.
sa kadācid atho rājā śrīmān uruyaśā bhuvi। cacāra mṛgayāṃ pārtha parvatopavane kila ॥1-160-21॥
Once, O son of Pritha, the prosperous and greatly renowned king wandered for hunting in the mountain forest.
carato mṛgayāṃ tasya kṣutpipāsāśramānvitaḥ। mamāra rājñaḥ kaunteya girāvapratimo hayaḥ ॥1-160-22॥
O Kaunteya, while he was wandering in pursuit of animals, the king's unrivaled horse, overcome by hunger, thirst, and fatigue, died on the mountain.
sa mṛtāśvaś caran pārtha padbhyām eva girau nṛpaḥ। dadarśāsadṛśīṃ loke kanyām āyata-locanām ॥1-160-23॥
Pārtha, whose horses had died, was walking on foot on the mountain when the king saw a maiden with large eyes, unique in the world.
sa eka ekām āsādya kanyāṃ tām arimardanaḥ। tasthau nṛpatiśārdūlaḥ paśyan navicalekṣaṇaḥ ॥1-160-24॥
He, the destroyer of enemies and tiger among kings, having approached the maiden, stood gazing at her with unwavering eyes.
sa hi tāṃ tarkayāmāsa rūpato nṛpatiḥ śriyam। punaḥ santarkayāmāsa raverbhraṣṭāmiva prabhām ॥1-160-25॥
The king indeed considered her, by her form, as if she were the very embodiment of splendor. Again, he reflected, as if she were radiance fallen from the sun.
giriprasthe tu sā yasmin sthitā svasitalocanā। sa savṛkṣakṣupalato hiraṇmaya ivābhavat ॥1-160-26॥
But on the mountain plateau where she stood with her cool eyes, that place, with its trees, shrubs, and creepers, appeared as if it had become golden.
avamene ca tāṃ dṛṣṭvā sarvapraāṇabhṛtāṃ vapuḥ। avāptaṃ cātmanaḥ mene sa rājā cakṣuṣaḥ phalam ॥1-160-27॥
Having seen her, the king disregarded her, thinking that he had obtained the ultimate object of sight, the form of all living beings.
janmaprabhṛti yatkiñcid dṛṣṭavān sa mahīpatiḥ। rūpaṃ na sadṛśaṃ tasyās tarkayāmāsa kiñcana॥1-160-28॥
From the time of his birth, whatever the king had seen, he thought that nothing was comparable to her beauty in any way.
tayā baddhamanaścakṣuḥ pāśairguṇamayaistadā। na cacāla tato deśādbubudhe na ca kiñcana॥1-160-29॥
At that time, with his mind and eyes bound by her fetters made of guṇas, he did not move from that place, nor did he perceive anything.
asyā nūnaṃ viśālākṣyāḥ sadevāsuramānuṣam। lokaṃ nirmathya dhātredaṃ rūpam āviṣkṛtaṃ kṛtam ॥1-160-30॥
Indeed, this form of the large-eyed woman, having churned the world of gods, asuras, and humans, has been manifested and made by the Creator.
evaṃ sa tarkayāmāsa rūpadraviṇasampadā। kanyāmasadṛśīṃ loke nṛpaḥ saṃvaraṇastadā ॥1-160-31॥
Thus, King Saṃvaraṇa then thought that, in form, wealth, and prosperity, there was no maiden in the world equal to her.
tāṃ ca dṛṣṭvaiva kalyāṇīṃ kalyāṇābhijano nṛpaḥ। jagāma manasā cintāṃ kāmamārgaṇapīḍitaḥ ॥1-160-32॥
The king, who was of noble lineage, upon seeing that auspicious woman, immediately fell into deep thought, his mind afflicted by the arrow of desire.
dahyamānaḥ sa tīvreṇa nṛpatir manmathāgninā। apragalbhāṃ pragalbhaḥ sa tām uvāca yaśasvinīm ॥1-160-33॥
Burning with the intense fire of love, the king, though she was unbold, being bold himself, spoke to the illustrious woman.
kāsi kasyāsi rambhoru kimarthaṃ ceha tiṣṭhasi। kathaṃ ca nirjane'raṇye carasye kā śucismite ॥1-160-34॥
Who are you? Whose daughter are you, O lady with thighs like plantain stems? For what reason do you stand here? How is it that you wander alone in this lonely forest, O pure-smiling one?
tvaṃ hi sarvānavadyāṅgī sarvābharaṇabhūṣitā। vibhūṣaṇam iva eteṣāṃ bhūṣaṇānām abhīpsitam ॥1-160-35॥
You, truly possessing flawless limbs and adorned with every ornament, are like the most desired ornament among all ornaments for them.
na devīṃ nāsurīṃ caiva na yakṣīṃ na ca rākṣasīm। na ca bhogavatīṃ manye na gandharvīṃ na mānuṣīm ॥1-160-36॥
I do not think she is a goddess, demoness, yakṣī, rākṣasī, serpent-woman, gandharvī, or a human woman.
yā hi dṛṣṭā mayā kāścit śrutā vā api varāṅganāḥ। na tāsāṃ sadṛśīṃ manye tvām aham matta-kāśini ॥1-160-37॥
O intoxicated-eyed one, among all the excellent women I have seen or heard of, I do not think any is equal to you.
evaṃ tāṃ sa mahīpālo babhāṣe na tu sā tadā। kāmārtaṃ nirjane'raṇye pratyabhāṣata kiñcana ॥1-160-38॥
Thus the king spoke to her, but at that time she did not reply anything to the one afflicted by desire in the lonely forest.
tato lālapyamānasya pārthivasyāyatekṣaṇā। saudāminīva sābhreṣu tatraivāntaradhīyata ॥1-160-39॥
Then, as the king was being mourned, the wide-eyed woman vanished there itself like lightning among the clouds.
tāmanvicchans nṛpatiḥ paricakrāma tattadā। vanaṃ vanajapatrākṣīṃ bhramannunmattavattadā ॥1-160-40॥
The king, seeking her, wandered about the forest at that time, like one mad, searching for the lotus-eyed lady.
apaśyamānaḥ sa tu tāṃ bahu tatra vilapya ca। niśceṣṭaḥ kauravaśreṣṭho muhūrtaṃ sa vyatiṣṭhata ॥1-160-41॥
Unable to see her, he, the best of the Kauravas, lamented much there and stood motionless for a moment.
