(Chaitraratha Parva continued)

"The Gandharva continued, 'Saying this, Tapati of faultless features,
ascended the skies. The monarch thereupon again fell down on the earth.
His ministers and followers searching for him throughout the forest at
length came upon him lying on 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. Advancing hastily with affection and
respect, the minister raised that best of monarchs lying prostrate on the
ground and deprived of his senses by desire. Old in wisdom as in age, old
in achievements as in policy, the minister, after having raised the
prostrate monarch, became easy (in mind). Addressing the king in sweet
words that were also for his good, he said, 'Blest be thou, O sinless
one! Fear not, O tiger among kings!' The minister thought that the
monarch, that great feller of hostile ranks in battle, had been lying on
the ground overcome with hunger, thirst, and fatigue. The old man then
sprinkled over the crownless head of the monarch water that was cold and
rendered fragrant with lotus-petals. Slowly regaining his consciousness,
the mighty monarch sent away all his attendants with the exception of his
minister only. After those attendants had retired at his command, the
king sat upon the mountain-breast. Having purified himself duly, the king
sat upon that chief of mountains, and began, with joined palms and
upturned face, to worship Surya. King Samvarana, that smiter of all foes,
thought also of his chief priest Vasishtha, that best of Rishis. The king
continued to sit there day and night without intermission. The Brahmana
sage Vasishtha came there on the twelfth day: that 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 Munis, as soon as he knew this, desirous of benefiting the monarch who
was ever observant of vows, addressed him and gave him every assurance.
The illustrious Rishi, in the very sight of that monarch, ascended upward
to interview Surya, himself possessed of the splendour of that luminary.
The Brahmana then approached with joined hands the god of a thousand rays
and introduced himself cheerfully unto him, saying, 'I am Vasishtha.'
Then Vivaswat of great energy said unto that best of Rishis, 'Welcome art
thou, O great Rishi! Tell me what is in thy mind. O thou of great good
fortune, whatever thou demandest of me, O foremost of eloquent men, I
will confer on thee, however difficult it may be for me!' Thus addressed
by Surya, the Rishi of great ascetic merit, bowing unto the god of light,
replied, saying, 'O Vibhavasu, this thy daughter, Tapati, the younger
sister of Savitri, I ask of thee for Samvarana! That monarch is of mighty
achievements, conversant with virtue, and of high soul. O
firmament-ranger, Samvarana will make a worthy husband for thy daughter.'
Thus addressed by the Rishi Vibhakara, resolved upon bestowing his
daughter upon Samvarana, saluted the Rishi, and replied unto him, saying,
'Oh, Samvarana is the best of monarchs, thou art the best of Rishis,
Tapati is the best of women. What should we do, therefore, but bestow her
on Samvarana?' With these words, the god Tapana, made over his daughter,
Tapati, of every feature perfectly faultless, unto the illustrious
Vasishtha to bestow her upon Samvarana. And the great Rishi then accepted
the girl, Tapati, and taking leave of Surya, came back to the spot, where
that bull amongst the Kurus, of celestial achievements, was. King
Samvarana, possessed by love and with his heart fixed on Tapati,
beholding that celestial maiden of sweet smiles led by Vasishtha, became
exceedingly glad. And Tapati of fair eyebrows came down from the
firmament like lightning from the clouds, dazzling the ten points of the
heavens. And the illustrious Rishi Vasishtha of pure soul approached the
monarch after the latter's twelve nights' vow was over. It was thus that
king Samvarana obtained a wife after having worshipped with like the full
moon. And that mighty bowman, that foremost one in Kuru's race having his
curiosity greatly excited by what he heard of Vasishtha's ascetic power,
asked the Gandharva, saying, 'I desire to hear of the Rishi whom thou
hast mentioned as Vasishtha. O, tell me in full about him! O chief of the
Gandharvas, tell me who this illustrious Rishi was that was the priest of
our forefathers.' The Gandharva replied, 'Vasishtha is Brahma's spiritual
(lit, mind-born) son and Arundhati's husband. Ever difficult of being
conquered by the very immortals, Desire and Wrath, conquered by
Vasishtha's ascetic penances, used to shampoo his feet. Though his wrath
was excited by Viswamitra's offence, that high-souled Rishi did not yet
exterminate Kusikas (the tribe whose king Viswamitra was). Afflicted at
the loss of his sons, he did not, as though powerless, though really
otherwise, do any dreadful act destructive of Viswamitra, Like the ocean
transgressing not its continents, Vasishtha transgressed not (the laws
of) Yama by bringing back his children from the domains of the king of
the dead. It was by obtaining that illustrious one who had conquered his
own self that Ikshvaku and other great monarchs acquired the whole earth.
And, O prince of Kuru's race, it was by obtaining Vasishtha, that best of
Rishis as their priest, that those monarchs performed many grand
sacrifices. And, O best of the Pandavas, that regenerate Rishi assisted
these monarchs in the performance of their sacrifices like Vrihaspati
assisting the immortals. Therefore, look ye for some accomplished and
desirable Brahmana conversant with the Vedas and in whose heart virtue
prevails, to appoint as your priest. A Kshatriya of good lineage,
desirous of extending his dominions by conquering the earth, should, O
Partha, first appoint a priest. He who is desirous of conquering the
earth should have a Brahmana before him. Therefore, O Arjuna, let some
accomplished and learned Brahmana, who has his senses under complete
control and who is conversant with religion, profit and pleasure, be your
priest.'"



Section CLXXVII

(Chaitraratha Parva continued)

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing this, Arjuna said, 'O Gandharva, whence
arose the hostility between Viswamitra and Vasishtha both of whom dwelt
in a celestial hermitage? O, tell us all about it.'

"The Gandharva replied, 'O Partha, the story of Vasishtha is regarded as
a Purana (legend) in all the three worlds. Listen to me as I recite it
fully. There was, in Kanyakuvja, O bull of Bharata's race, a great king
of worldwide fame named Gadhi, the son of Kusika. The virtuous Gadhi had
a son named Viswamitra, that grinder of foes, possessing a large army and
many animals and vehicles. And Viswamitra, accompanied by his ministers,
used to roam in quest of deer through the deep woods and over picturesque
marascetic penances the propitious lord Vivaswat, by the help of
Vasishtha's (ascetic power). And Samvarana, that bull among men with due
rites took Tapati's hand on that mountain-breast which was resorted to by
the celestials and the Gandharvas. The royal sage, with the permission of
Vasishtha, desired to sport with his wife on that mountain. And the king
caused Vasishtha, to be proclaimed his regent in his capital and kingdom,
in the woods and gardens. And bidding farewell unto the monarch,
Vasishtha left him and went away. Samvarana, who sported on that mountain
like a celestial, sported with his wife in the woods and the under-woods
on that mountain for twelve full years. And, O best of the Bharatas, the
god of a thousand eyes poured no rain for twelve years on the capital and
on the kingdom of that monarch. Then, O chastiser of enemies, when that
season of drought broke out, 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 grew. And the inhabitants in despair, and 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. 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, full
of only ghostly beings. On beholding 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 unto the city that tiger among
kings, Samvarana, along with his wife, after the latter had passed so
long a period in solitude 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 god of a thousand eyes, the slayer of Asuras, poured
rain in abundance and caused corn to grow. Revivified by the foremost of
virtuous souls the capital and the country became animated with extreme
joy. The monarch, with his wife, Tapati, once more performed sacrifices
for twelve years, like the lord Indra (god of rain) performing sacrifices
with his wife, Sachi.'

"The Gandharva continued, 'This, O Partha, is the history of Tapati of
old, the daughter of Vivaswat. It is for her that thou art (called)
Tapatya. King Samvarana begot 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 Tapatya.'"