DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.638#0136
74 INDIAN MYTH AND LEGEND
...
Rishi, whom he had sent for, came to him, and the Rishi
ascended to the sun. Ere long he returned with Tapati,
the sun god having declared that Samvarana would be
a worthy husband for his daughter.
For twelve years the king lived with his fairy bride
in the mountain forests, and a regent ruled over the
kingdom.
But although the monarch enjoyed great bliss, living
the life of a Celestial, the people of the kingdom suffered
greatly. For twelve years no rain fell, " not even a drop
of dew came from the skies, and no corn was grown ".
The people were afflicted with famine; men grew reckless,
and deserted their wives and children; the capital became
like to a city of the dead.
Then a great Rishi brought Samvarana back to his
capital with his Celestial bride. And after that things
became as they were before. Rain fell in abundance and
corn was grown. "Revived by that foremost of monarchs
of virtuous soul, the capital and the country became glad
with exceeding joy."1 A son was born to the king, and
his name was Kuru.
There are many other uncatalogued Celestial beings
like Tapati in Indian fairyland. In the Atharva-veda
there are numerous named and nameless spirits of good
and evil, and throughout the Epics references are made to
semi-divine beings who haunt streams, lakes, forests, and
plains. A Rigveda hymn is addressed to the forest nymph
Aranyani. She echoes the voices of man and beast and
creates illusions:
She mimics kine that crop the grass,
She rumbles like a cart at even,
1 Like an Egyptian Pharaoh, the rajah is here a god among men. His presence was
necessary to ensure the success of rain-bringing ceremonies.
...
Rishi, whom he had sent for, came to him, and the Rishi
ascended to the sun. Ere long he returned with Tapati,
the sun god having declared that Samvarana would be
a worthy husband for his daughter.
For twelve years the king lived with his fairy bride
in the mountain forests, and a regent ruled over the
kingdom.
But although the monarch enjoyed great bliss, living
the life of a Celestial, the people of the kingdom suffered
greatly. For twelve years no rain fell, " not even a drop
of dew came from the skies, and no corn was grown ".
The people were afflicted with famine; men grew reckless,
and deserted their wives and children; the capital became
like to a city of the dead.
Then a great Rishi brought Samvarana back to his
capital with his Celestial bride. And after that things
became as they were before. Rain fell in abundance and
corn was grown. "Revived by that foremost of monarchs
of virtuous soul, the capital and the country became glad
with exceeding joy."1 A son was born to the king, and
his name was Kuru.
There are many other uncatalogued Celestial beings
like Tapati in Indian fairyland. In the Atharva-veda
there are numerous named and nameless spirits of good
and evil, and throughout the Epics references are made to
semi-divine beings who haunt streams, lakes, forests, and
plains. A Rigveda hymn is addressed to the forest nymph
Aranyani. She echoes the voices of man and beast and
creates illusions:
She mimics kine that crop the grass,
She rumbles like a cart at even,
1 Like an Egyptian Pharaoh, the rajah is here a god among men. His presence was
necessary to ensure the success of rain-bringing ceremonies.