Episode 31
A Romantic Love Story of Samvarana with Tapati[i]
The
episode of Samvarana and Tapati is an interesting love story and many writers
have translated this story of Ved Vyasa into several Indian languages. The
story has lot of symbolism. In order to gain the hand of a lady of high
virtues, the mundane power/ authority/ handsomeness are just insufficient. One
has to elevate oneself to attain the pinnacle of perfection in penance. The
story also talks of the duties of the king (in modern parlance- the head of the
state) and the eventual happenings when he abdicates his duties. The love story
gives out a strong message that there are limits to ‘kāma’ and ‘kāma’ moderated
by dharma alone is acceptable in society. Let us read the story.
The Story
Tapati
was the daughter of god Surya, a celestial divinity that shines up the worlds
with his brilliant rays. With
exceptional beauty and unmatched feminine features, Tapati was a queen among
beautiful ladies and envy to any girl of any world. With broad eyes, sculpted
body and scintillating character, she had sizzled in the Universe of her times.
But
what a strange combination? Such an unmatched beauty
was also an ardent tapasvi (one indulges in meditation and tapas) and the
worlds eulogized and called her ‘Tapati’ (विश्रुता त्रिषु लोकेषु तपती तपसा युता[ii]). Searching a groom for her was a herculean task
and Surya could not locate a groom befitting her beauty and Tapas. He became
restless.
One
day Surya saw a young king of Kuru dynasty, Samvarana who was again a devotee
of god Surya. He was a man of exceptional intellect yet humble, a strong manly
manoeuvre yet a dharmic (Righteous character), and a king of gigantic empire
yet a person of pious dispensation. Just as Surya spreads
sweetness and light in the skies, he was spreading his glory in the earthly
universe. Surya thought that he was the best groom for his daughter.
Samvarana
was fond of hunting and on one day he was in a hunting spree in a wild forest.
Yonder in the forest beneath a gorgeous mountain, he located Tapati who just
looked like a sliced Sun slipped out from the sky. His eyes could not just
blink lest they might lose the glimpse of the divine beauty.
स हि तां तर्कयामास रूपतो नृपति: श्रियम्
पुनः संतर्कयामास रवे: भ्रष्टामिव प्रभाम्[iii] (meaning-
just on seeing her beauty, he initially thought that she was the goddess
Lakshmi. Then he started contemplating and concluded that she must be a sliced
disk of the very shining god, Surya.
The
very presence of the celestial beauty lightened the ambience of the forest and
every tree, bush, twine and twig looked golden; and for Samvarana all ladies on
earth looked inferior before the bright Tapati. In his life he never saw such
an enchanting damsel on the earth. Samvarana was bitten by the arrows of Cupid (मन्मथ शराः) and there was no way out except approaching her
without any shy.
The
nonchalant Tapati could sense the cupid-stricken king coming nearer to him. The
king came nearer to her and immediately expressed his eagerness to take her
hand in marriage. As if echoing the silence of the
forest, the lady looked at him with eyes wide shut and just disappeared into
thin air without answering the king. Beautiful ladies do not reveal
their minds so easily.
The
king who conquered the universe suddenly appeared himself in gloomy loneliness
bitten by the pangs of love. The king who could make
battalions of soldiers fall to the ground with one strike, just fell on the
ground bitten by the love bite of unknown angel[iv].
In
fact, he was fallen to the ground when he had fallen in love with her. When he
lifted his head, he could see the smiling beauty and the very smiles looked
smothering his tender heart.
Seeing
the pathetic plight of the king, she pitied at him and again appeared to
console him. But the king was already mad, and his very
brain was boiling in cranium. He just prostrated before her and begged
her mercy towards him.
प्रीति संयोग युक्ताभिः अद्भि: प्रह्लादयस्व मे
(meaning
– the fire has arisen out of the arrows of cupid and you please make it cool
with affectionate words and hugs). Then the king suggested that it was right to
marry under Gandharva method.
The
lady again smiled and told, ‘Oh king! I am a virgin daughter of the Sun and I
am not independent. Which lady will refuse marrying a king born in a great race
like you? Still you can please my father with
salutations, penance and fine etiquette for my sake. I shall be yours
the day he decides to place me in your hands’, saying like this she just
disappeared and mixed with the very rays of the Sun.
By
this time, the minister of Samvarana reached the place and found the king fallen
on the ground. With his help, the king rose up and started tapas praying for
the blessing of his Purohit, sage Vasishta. On the twelfth day, sage Vasishta
appeared before the king. With his divine vision he could see the pitiable
plight of the king. He did not want to waste time anymore. He just flew into
thin air to reach the world of the Sun. He prayed profusely and the Sun was
delighted. He was also pleased to present his precious daughter. Vasishta was
very happy and he reached the earth along with the bride.
रुरुचे साधिकं सुभ्रू: आपतन्ती नभ स्तलात्
सौदामिनीव विभ्रष्टा द्योतयन्ती दिश स्त्विषा[vi] (meaning
– descending from the divine world, she looked as though a lightening slipping
to the ground- thus making the entire area bright). The king married Tapati
with the blessings of sage Vasishta and the celestial Sun god.
Samvarana was so fascinated with the beauty of his newly wedded wife
that he just roamed with Tapati in forests, riverbeds, mountain plateaus,
seacoasts, bushes, and gardens for twelve long years like an Asura (demon). He
ordered his minister to rule the kingdom on his behalf in his absence.
It
was a surprise- there were no rains and famine gripped the entire kingdom. The
people suffered a lot and started indulging in all crimes to sustain life. The capital city looked like the very hell upon the earth.
Sensing the danger to the kingdom, sage Vasishta sent word for Samvarana and
got the pair back to the city. Once Samvarana reached his palace, the god Indra
poured out rain profusely and the joy of people knew no bounds.
Analysis of the story
It
is a romantic love story and the language used to describe Tapati was
exceptionally romantic. One can feel the romantic touch
with the array of idioms and literary litany employed by sage Vyasa. No
wonder a powerful king became slender and literally fell to the ground with
cupid-stricken arrows.
But
in this story, there are certain subtle things by ignoring which we just come
to a conclusion that it is one more romantic piece penned by sage Vyasa. While
describing Tapati, it is mentioned that she was an ardent Tapasvi and by virtue
of her Tapas she was known to the world with name Tapati. Her beauty, in effect, lies not only in physical features but
in meditation, and in austerity. A lady of that
stature cannot be conquered by lust but by elevating oneself to the pinnacle of
perfection in penance. Tapati advised the pathetic king to do the same
to win over her heart. He did tapas and sage Vasishta took care of disciple.
Who else can think of reaching the abode of the Sun other than Vasishta?
If
we observe the background of this story, we come across this episode when
Chitraratha was narrating the lineage of Arjuna after his own defeat in the
hands of the latter. Arjuna asked Chitraratha as to why he attacked Pandavas
even after knowing their intrinsic strength. Chitraratha tells that he attacked
them since they were moving in forest without Purohit in the front. Veda Vyasa hints that the muscle power (representing Samvarana)
alone always do not help in winning the world but it should be moderated and
facilitated by intellectual power (representing Vasishta with Brahma Jnana).
In
Maha Bharata times people were divided based on muscle
power, mental power, thigh power and leg power and all are supportive of one
another. Muscle power moderated by mental power is the necessity to
sustain the world on a righteous path.
We
have already discussed the real meaning of Purohit (should not be equated with
a Brahmin in a village) and the real meaning of Brahmin and their importance in
our episode 8 (Adherance to Bramhachaya and importance of Purohit –Engaging
conversation of Arjuna with Angaraparna).
At
the end of the love story, we observe a twist. Ved Vyasa writes that Samvarana
roamed with Tapati like a demon (asura) for twelve long years. It means he has
forgotten his basic duty of protecting the people. In
the absence of king, the first causality is ‘dharma’. Gods are pleased when
dharma is established in the planet. When Samvarana spent his time like
a demon, there was no dharma and god Indra deprived the country with drinking
water. The devasted nation was restored back to normalcy only upon the resumption
of duties by the king.
In
some other place of Maha Bharata, we come across a sloka stating that a king
should be beaten up like a mad dog if he abdicates his duty of protecting the
people. The sloka says:
अहं वै रक्षितेत्युक्त्वा यो न रक्षति भूमिपः
स संहत्या निहन्तव्य स्वेव सोन्माद आतुरहः (Anu Sasanika Parva
61.33)
Veda
Vyasa consistently reminds the duties of the king throughout Maha Bharata. When
Samvarana roamed with his lover for twelve long years, it is but natural that
the gods are angry at him.
The
love story has a happy ending with a strong message that there are limits to ‘kāma’
and ‘kāma’ moderated by dharma alone is acceptable in society. Incidentally the
story narrates the lineage of Pandavas. Pandavas were also called Tapatyas (tāpatyā) since they belong to the progeny of Tapati.
Points to ponder
- What are the duties of king as enshrined
by ancient Hindu society?
- What are the qualities one should
possess to marry a virtuous lady?
- Who establishes dharma on the planet?
What is the importance given to dharma in Hindu society?
Footnotes
punaḥ saṃtarkayāmāsa rave: bhraṣṭāmiva prabhām - Adi Parva 170.25
puṣpāyudhaṃ durādharṣaṃ pracaṇḍaśarakārmukam - Adi Parva 171. 17
saudāminīva vibhraṣṭā dyotayantī diśa stviṣā - Adi
Parva 172.30
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