SECTION CCXVIII
(Arjuna-vanavasa Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Then that bull of Bharata's race went to the sacred
waters on the banks of the southern ocean, all adorned with the ascetics
residing there. And there lay scattered five such regions where also
dwelt many ascetics. But those five waters themselves were shunned by all
of them. Those sacred waters were called Agastya, and Saubhadra and
Pauloma of great holiness, and Karandhama of great propitiousness
yielding the fruits of a Ashvamedha-Yajna unto those that bathed there,
and Bharadwaja, that great washer of sins. That foremost one among the
Kurus, beholding those five sacred waters, and finding them uninhabited,
and ascertaining also that they were shunned by the virtuous ascetics
dwelling around, asked those pious men with joined hands, saying, 'Why O
ascetics, are these five sacred waters shunned by utterers of Brahma?'
Hearing him, the ascetics replied, 'There dwell in these waters five
large crocodiles which take away the ascetics that may happen to bathe in
them. It is for this, O son of Kuru's race, that these waters are
shunned.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of the ascetics, that
foremost of men endued with mighty arms, though dissuaded by them went to
behold those waters. Arrived at the excellent sacred water called
Saubhadra after a great Rishi, the brave scorcher of all foes suddenly
plunged into it to have a bath. As soon as that tiger among men had
plunged into the water a great crocodile (that was in it) seized him by
the leg. But the strong-armed Dhananjaya the son of Kunti, that foremost
of all men endued with might, seized that struggling ranger of the water
and dragged it forcibly to the shore. But dragged by the renowned Arjuna
to the land, that crocodile became (transformed into) a beautiful damsel
bedecked with ornament. O king, that charming damsel of celestial form
seemed to shine for her beauty and complexion. Dhananjaya, the son of
Kunti, beholding that strange sight, asked that damsel with a pleased
heart, 'Who are thou, O beautiful one? Why hast you been a ranger of the
waters? Why also didst you commit such a dreadful sin?' The damsel
replied, saying, 'I am, O mighty-armed one, an Apsara that sported in the
celestial woods. I am, O mighty one, Varga by name, and ever dear unto
the celestial treasurer (Kuvera). I have four other companions, all
handsome and capable of going everywhere at will. Accompanied by them I
was one day going to the abode of Kuvera. On the way we beheld a Brahmana
of rigid vows, and exceedingly handsome, studying the Vedas in solitude.
The whole forest (in which he was sitting) seemed to be covered with his
ascetic splendour. He seemed to have illuminated the whole region like
the Sun himself. Beholding his ascetic devotion of that nature and his
wonderful beauty, we alighted in that region, in order to disturb his
meditations. Myself and Saurabheyi and Samichi and Vudvuda and Lata,
approached that Brahmana, O Bharata, at the same time. We began to sing
and smile and otherwise tempt that Brahmana. But, O hero, that Brahmana
(youth) set not his heart even once upon us. His mind fixed on pure
meditation, that youth of great energy suffered not his heart to waver, O
bull among Kshatriyas, the glance he cast upon us was one of wrath. And
he said, staring at us, 'Becoming crocodiles, range the the waters for a
hundred years.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 1 : UPA-PARVA 218 ---------------------
