अर्जुन उवाच तापत्य इति यद् वाक्यमुक्तवानसि मामिह। तदहं ज्ञातुमिच्छामि तापत्यार्थं विनिश्चितम्॥
Arjuna said : You have addressed me as the descendant of Tapati. I wish to know what the precise signification of this word is.
तपती नाम का चैषा तापत्या यत्कृते वयम्। कौन्तेया हि वयं साधो तत्त्वमिच्छामि वेदितुम्॥
O blessed being! we are the sons of Kunti, therefore, we are Kaunteyas, but who is Tapati that we should be called Tapatyas. I desire to hear about it.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तः स गन्धर्वः कुन्तीपुत्रं धनंजयम्। विश्रुतां त्रिषु लोकेषु श्रावयामास वै कथाम्॥
Vaishampayana said : Having been addressed by the son of Kunti, Dhananjaya, that Gandharva narrated the story who is celebrated in the three worlds.
गन्धर्व उवाच हन्त तं कथयिष्यामि कथामेतां मनोरमाम्। यथावदखिलां पार्थ सर्वबुद्धिमतां वर॥
The Gandharva said : O Partha, o foremost of all intelligent men, I shall duly narrate to you in detail this interesting story.
उक्तवानस्मि येन त्वां तापत्य इति यद् वचः। तत् तेऽहं कथयिष्यामि शृणुष्वैकमनां भव॥
Here with attention what I say about the reason for which I address you as Tapatya.
य एष दिवि धिष्ण्येन नाकं व्याप्नोति तेजसा। एतस्य तपती नाम बभूव सदृशी सुता॥
He, who pervades the whole firmament by his light, had a daughter, named Tapati, equal to himself (in effulgence).
विवस्वतो वै देवस्य सावित्र्यवरजा विभो। विश्रुता त्रिषु लोकेषु तपती तपसा युता॥
That daughter of the Vivasvata (Tapati) was the younger sister of Savitri. She was celebrated in the three worlds and devoted to asceticism.
न देवी नासुरी चैव न यक्षी न च राक्षसी। नाप्सरा न च गन्धर्वी तथा रूपेण काचन॥
There was none equal to her in beauty amongst the Deva, the Aura, the Yaksha, the Rakshas, the Apsara and the Gandharva lAdies.
सुविभक्तानवद्याङ्गी स्वसितायतलोचना। स्वाचारा चैव साध्वी च सुवेषा चैव भामिनी॥
She was perfectly semetrical in body and faultless in features; she had black and large eyes; she was attired in beautiful robes; she was chaste and exceedingly well conducted.
न तस्याः सदृशं कंचित् त्रिषु लोकेषु भारत। भर्तारं सविता मेने रूपशीलगुणश्रुतैः॥
O descendant of Bharata, seeing her, Vivasvata thought, there was none who had beauty, accomplishments,, good behaviour and learning to be fit for her husband.
सम्प्राप्तयौवनां पश्यन् देयां दुहितरं तु ताम्। नोपलेभे ततः शान्तिं सम्प्रदानं विचिन्तयन्॥
Seeing that his daughter had attained the age of puberty and that she was worthy of being bestowed on a husband, he had no peace of mind, for he always thought on whom he should bestow her.
अथर्भपुत्र: कौन्तेय कुरूणामृषभो बली। सूर्यमाराधयामास नृपः संवरणस्तदा।॥
O son of Kunti, that best of the Kurus, the son of Riksha, the mighty king Samvarana, worshipped Surya
अर्घ्यमाल्योपहाराद्यैर्गश्च नियतः शुचिः। नियमैरुपवासैश्च तपाभिर्विविधैरपि।॥
With due offers of Arghya, garlands and scents, with being always pure and holy and with vows, fasts and asceticism of various kinds.
शुश्रूषुरनहंवादी शुचिः पौरवनन्दनः। अंशुमन्तं समुद्यन्तं पूजयामास भक्तिमान्॥
The descendant of Puru (Samvarana) worshipped the deity, effulgent in all his glory, with devotion, humanity and piety.
ततः कृतज्ञं धर्मज्ञं रूपेणासदृशं भुवि। तपत्याः सदृशं मेने सूर्यः संवरणं पतिम्॥
Thereupon Surya, seeing Samvarana, learned in the precepts of region and matchless in the world for his beauty, considered him to be the fittest husband for (his daughter) Tapati.
दातुमैच्छत् ततः कन्यां तस्मै संवरणाय ताम्। नृपोत्तमाय कौरव्य विश्रुताभिजनाय च॥
O descendant of Kuru, Surya then desired to bestow his daughter on that excellent king Samvarana of the Kuru race, who celebrated all over the world.
यथा हि दिवि दीप्तांशुः प्रभासयति तेजसा। तथा भुवि महीपालो दीप्त्या संवरणोऽभवत्॥
As Surya in the heavens fills the firmament with his splendour, so did king Samvarana fill region on the earth with the splendour of his good achievements.
यथार्चयन्ति चादित्यमुद्यन्तं ब्रह्मवादिनः। तथा संवरणं पार्थ ब्राह्मणावरजाः प्रजाः॥
O Partha, as men learned in the Vedas worship the sun manifests in all his glory, so did all men except the Brahmanas worship Samvarana.
स सोममति कान्तत्वादादित्यमति तेजसा। बभूव नृपतिः श्रीमान् सुहृदां दुर्हदामपि।॥
Blessed with good fortune, the king (Samvarana) excelled Soma (moon) in soothing the hearts of friends and Surya (sun) scorching the hearts of the enemies.
एवंगुणस्य नृपतेस्तथावृत्तस्य कौरव। तस्मै दातुं मनश्चक्रे तपतीं तपनः स्वयम्॥
O descendant of Kuru, Tapana himself resolved upon bestowing Tapati on the king (Samvarana) endued with such virtue and accomplishments.
स कदाचिदथो राजा श्रीमानमितविक्रमः। चचार मृगयां पार्थ पर्वतोपवने किल॥
O Partha, once a time that king, blessed with good fortune and endued with great prowess, went out to hunt in the woods on the mountains.
चरतो मृगयां तस्य क्षुत्पिपासासमन्वितः। ममार राज्ञः कौन्तेय गिरावप्रतिमो हयः॥
When thus hunting, the horse of that king of the Kuru race was overcome with hunger and thirst and he (horse) died on the mountains.
स मृताश्वश्चरन् पार्थ पद्भ्यामेव गिरौ नृपः। ददर्शासदृशीं लोके कन्यामायतलोचनाम्॥
O Partha, abandoning the dead horse, the king walked on the mountain and saw a maiden of large eyes and matchless beauty.
स एक एकामासाद्य कन्यां परबलार्दनः। तस्थौ नृपतिशार्दूलः पश्यन्नविचलेक्षणः॥
That chastiser of foes, that best of kings himself being alone and the maiden being also alone, stood motionless and he steadfastly gazed at her.
स हि तां तर्कयामास रूपतो नृपतिः श्रियम्। पुनः संतर्कयामास रवर्धष्टामिव प्रभाम्॥
The king regarded her for her beauty as the goddess Lakshmi. He regarded her beauty to be the embodiment of the rays emanating from the sun.
वपुषा वर्चसा चैव शिखामिव विभावसोः। प्रसन्नत्वेन कान्त्या च चन्द्ररेखामिवामलाम्॥
In splendour of body, she resembled a flame of fire and in benignity and loveliness she resembled the spotless disc of the moon.
गिरिपृष्ठे तु सा यस्मिन् स्थिता स्वसितलोचना। विभ्राजमाना शुशुभे प्रतिमेव हिरण्मयी॥
The black eyed maiden, standing on the mountain breast, looked like a bright statue of gold.
तस्या रूपेण स गिरिवेषण च विशेषतः। स सवृक्षक्षुपलतो हिरण्मय इवाभवत्॥
I consequence of the beauty and splendour of that maiden the mountain itself with its creepers and plants appeared as if it has been converted into gold.
अवमेने च तां दृष्ट्वा सर्वलोकेषु योषितः। अवाप्तं चात्मनो मेने स राजा चक्षुषः फलम्॥
The sight of that maiden inspired the king with a contempt for all the women of the world that he had seen before. Seeing her, the king considered his eyes blessed.
जन्मप्रभृति यत् किंचिद् दृष्टवान् स महीपतिः। रूपं न सदृशं तस्यास्तर्कयामास किंचन॥
Nothing that the king has seen from the day of his birth could equal, he argued, the beauty of that girl.
तया बद्धमनुश्चक्षुः पाशैर्गुणमयैस्तदा। न चचाल ततो देशाद् बुबुधे न च किंचन॥ अस्या नूनं विशालाक्ष्याः सदेवासुरमानुषम्। लोकं निर्मथ्य धात्रेदं रूपमाविष्कृतं कृतम्॥
(He thought) “The creator has created the beauty of this beautiful eyed maiden after churning the whole world of the Devas and the Asuras and the human beings." The king's heart and eyes were captivated by that maiden, as if they became bound in ropes; he remained rooted to the spot deprived of his senses.
एवं संतर्कयामास रूपद्रविणसम्पदा। कन्यामसदृशीं लोके नृपः संवरणस्तदा॥
Thus arguing, the king Samvarana considered that maiden as matchless in the wealth of her beauty in the three worlds.
तां च दृष्ट्वैव कल्याणी कल्याणाभिजनो नृपः। जगाम मनसा चिन्तां कामबाणेन पीडितः॥
The king of the noble birth, seeing that blessed beauty, was pierced by the arrows of the god of love.
दह्यमानः स तीवेण नृपतिर्मन्मथाग्निना। अप्रगल्भां प्रगल्भस्तां तदोवाच मनोहराम्॥
Having been brunt in the very scorching fire of Kama (desire), he (the king) thus spoke to that charming maiden, still innocent through in her full youth.
कासि कस्यासि रम्भोस किमर्थं चेह तिष्ठसि। कथं च निर्जनेऽरण्ये चरस्येका शुचिस्मिते॥
The Samvarana said : O lady of tapering things, who and whose are you? Why are you staying here? O lady of sweet smiles, why do you wander alone in these solitary woods?
त्वं हि सर्वानवद्याङ्गी सर्वाभरणभूषिता। विभूषणमिवैतेषां भूषणानामभीप्सितम्॥ न देवी नासुरां चैव न यक्षी न च राक्षसीम्। न च भोगवतीं मन्ये न गन्धर्वी न मानुषीम्॥
You are perfectly faultless in your every feature; decked in every ornament, you seem to be the coveted ornament of those ornaments themselves. You seem to be not a Devi or an Asuri, or a Lakshmi, or a Rakshasi; you are not a Nagini or a Gandharvi or a Manushi.
या हि दृष्टा मया काश्चिच्छ्रुता वापि वराङ्गनाः। न तासां सदृशीं मन्ये मत्वामहं मत्तकाशिनि॥
O excellent lady, the best of women that I have seen or heard of can not equal you in beauty.
दृष्ट्वैव चारुवदने चन्द्रात् कान्ततरं तव। वदनं पद्मपत्राक्षं मां मन्यातीव मन्मथः॥
O lady of beautiful feature, seeing your face which is lovelier than the moon and your eyes like the lotus leaves, I am oppressed by the god of love.
एवं तां स महीपालो बभाषे न तु सा तदा। कामार्तं निर्जनेऽरण्ये प्रत्यभाषत किंचन॥
The Gandharva said : The king, oppressed desire, thus addressed her in the solitary woods, but the did not speak a word in reply.
ततो लालप्यमानस्य पार्थिवस्यायतेक्षणा। सौदामिनीव चाभ्रेषु तत्रैवान्तरधीयत॥
When the king repeatedly asked her thus, the large-eyed maiden quickly disappeared in the very sight of the king like a flash of lightning.
तामन्वेष्टुं स नृपतिः परिचक्राम सर्वतः। वनं वनजपत्राक्षीं भ्रमन्नुन्मत्तवत् तदा।॥
The king then, like one who has loss his reason, wandered through the whole forest in search of that lotus eyed maiden.
अपश्यमानः स तु तां बहु तत्र विलप्य च। निश्चेष्टः पार्थिवश्रेष्ठो मुहूर्तं स व्यतिष्ठत॥
Having failed to find her, that best of kings gave vent to much lamentations and he remained motionless in grief for sometime.