The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section CLXXIV

SECTION CLXXIV

(Chaitra-ratha Parva continued)

"The Qandharva continued, 'When that maiden disappeared, that feller of hostile ranks deprived of his senses by Kama (concupiscence), himself fell down, on the earth. And as the monarch fell down, that maiden of sweet smiles and prominent and round hips appeared again before him, and smiling sweetly, said unto that perpetuator of Kuru's race these honeyed words, Rise, rise, O chastiser of foes ! Blest be thou ; it behoveth thee not, O tiger among kings, to lose thy reason, celebrated as thou art in the world ! Addressed in these- honeyed words, the king opened his eyes and saw before him that self same girl of swelling hips. The monarch who was burning with the flame of desire then addressed that black-eyed damsel in accents weak with emotion, and said, Blest be thou O excellent woman of black eyes ! As I am burning with desire and paying thee court, O, accept me! My life is ebbing away. O thou of large eyes, for thy sake it is, O thou of the splendour of the filaments of the lotus, that Kama is incessantly piercing me with his keen shafts without stopping for a moment ! O amiable and cheerful girl, I have been bitten by Kama who is even like a venomous viper ! O thou of swelling and large hips, have mercy on me ! O thou of handsome and faultless features, O thou of face like unto the lotus-petal or the moon, O thou of voice sweet as that af singing Kinnaraa, my life now depends on thee I Without thee, O timid one, I am unable to live ! O thou of eyes like lotus-petals, Kama is piercing me incessantly ! O large-eyed girl, be merciful unto me ! It becometh thee not, O black-eyed maid, to cast me off ; O handsome girl, it behoveth thee to relieve me from such affliction by giving me thy love ! At first sight thou hast attracted my heart. My mind wandereth ! Beholding thee I like not to cast my eyes on any other woman ! Be merciful ! I am thy obedient slave thy adorer ! O, accept me ! O beautiful lady, O large-eyed girl at the sight of thee, the god of desire hath entered my heart, and is piercing me with his shafts ! O thou of lotus-eyes, the flame of desire burneth within me ! O, extinguish that flame with the water of thy love poured on it ! O beautiful lady, by becoming mine, pacify thou the irrepressible god of desire that hath appeared here armed with his deadly bow and arrows and that is piercing me incessantly with those keen shafts of his ! O thou of the fairest complexion, wed me according to the Oandharva form, for, O thou of tapering hips, of all forms of marriage the Oandharvas hath been said to be the best I' "The Qandharva continued, 'Hearing those words of the monarch. Tapati, answered, O king I am not the mistress of my own selt ! Know that I am a maiden under the control of my father ! If thou .really entertaineth an affection for me. demand me of my father ! Thou sayest, O king, that thy heart hath been robbed by me. But thou also hast, at first sight, robbed me of my heart ; I am not the mistress of my body, therefore, O best of kings, I do nut approach thee ; women are never independent. What girl is there in the three worlds that would not desire thee for her husband, as thou art kind unto all thy dependents and as thou art born in a pure race ? Therefore, when .the opportunity comes, ask my father Aditya for my hand with worship, ascetic penances, and vows ! If my father bestoweth me upon thee, then, O king I shall ever be thy obedient wife ! My name is Tapati, and I am the younger sister of Savitri, and the daughter, O bull amongst Kshatriyas of Savitri, (Sun) the illuminator of the universe !" Thus ends the hundred and seventy-fourth section in the Chaitraratha Parva of the Adi Parva.