Mahabharata 1.162

1.162.1

gandharva uvāca |
evamuktvā tatastūrṇaṃ jagāmordhvamaninditā |
sa tu rājā punarbhūmau tatraiva nipapāta ha || 1 ||

"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.

1.162.2

amātyaḥ sānuyātrastu taṃ dadarśa mahāvane |
kṣitau nipatitaṃ kāle śakradhvajamivocchritam || 2 ||

1.162.3

taṃ hi dṛṣṭvā maheṣvāsaṃ niraśvaṃ patitaṃ kṣitau |
babhūva so'sya sacivaḥ saṃpradīpta ivāgninā || 3 ||

1.162.4

tvarayā copasaṃgamya snehādāgatasaṃbhramaḥ |
taṃ samutthāpayāmāsa nṛpatiṃ kāmamohitam || 4 ||

1.162.5

bhūtalādbhūmipāleśaṃ piteva patitaṃ sutam |
prajñayā vayasā caiva vṛddhaḥ kīrtyā damena ca || 5 ||

1.162.6

amātyastaṃ samutthāpya babhūva vigatajvaraḥ |
uvāca cainaṃ kalyāṇyā vācā madhurayotthitam |
mā bhairmanujaśārdūla bhadraṃ cāstu tavānagha || 6 ||

1.162.7

kṣutpipāsāpariśrāntaṃ tarkayāmāsa taṃ nṛpam |
patitaṃ pātanaṃ saṃkhye śātravāṇāṃ mahītale || 7 ||

1.162.8

vāriṇātha suśītena śirastasyābhyaṣecayat |
aspṛśanmukuṭaṃ rājñaḥ puṇḍarīkasugandhinā || 8 ||

1.162.9

tataḥ pratyāgataprāṇastadbalaṃ balavānnṛpaḥ |
sarvaṃ visarjayāmāsa tamekaṃ sacivaṃ vinā || 9 ||

1.162.10

tatastasyājñayā rājño vipratasthe mahadbalam |
sa tu rājā giriprasthe tasminpunarupāviśat || 10 ||

1.162.11

tatastasmingirivare śucirbhūtvā kṛtāñjaliḥ |
ārirādhayiṣuḥ sūryaṃ tasthāvūrdhvabhujaḥ kṣitau || 11 ||

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!

1.162.12

jagāma manasā caiva vasiṣṭhamṛṣisattamam |
purohitamamitraghnastadā saṃvaraṇo nṛpaḥ || 12 ||

1.162.13

naktaṃdinamathaikasthe sthite tasmiñjanādhipe |
athājagāma viprarṣistadā dvādaśame'hani || 13 ||

1.162.14

sa viditvaiva nṛpatiṃ tapatyā hṛtamānasam |
divyena vidhinā jñātvā bhāvitātmā mahānṛṣiḥ || 14 ||

1.162.15

tathā tu niyatātmānaṃ sa taṃ nṛpatisattamam |
ābabhāṣe sa dharmātmā tasyaivārthacikīrṣayā || 15 ||

1.162.16

sa tasya manujendrasya paśyato bhagavānṛṣiḥ |
ūrdhvamācakrame draṣṭuṃ bhāskaraṃ bhāskaradyutiḥ || 16 ||

1.162.17

sahasrāṃśuṃ tato vipraḥ kṛtāñjalirupasthitaḥ |
vasiṣṭho'hamiti prītyā sa cātmānaṃ nyavedayat || 17 ||

1.162.18

tamuvāca mahātejā vivasvānmunisattamam |
maharṣe svāgataṃ te'stu kathayasva yathecchasi || 18 ||