Chapter 216
“Vaisampayana said, ‘When that spreader of the renown of Kuru’s race, thestrong-armed Arjuna, set out (for the forest), Brahmanas conversant withthe Vedas walked behind that illustrious hero to a certain distance.
Followed by Brahmanas conversant with the Vedas and their branches anddevoted to the contemplation of the Supreme Spirit, by persons skilled inmusic, by ascetics devoted to the Deity, by reciters of Puranas, bynarrators of sacred stories by devotees leading celibate lives, byVanaprasthas, by Brahmanas sweetly reciting celestial histories, and byvarious other classes of persons of sweet speeches, Arjuna journeyed likeIndra followed by the Maruts. And, O thou of Bharata’s race, that bullamong the Bharatas saw, as he journeyed, many delightful and picturesqueforests, lakes, rivers, seas, provinces, and waters. At length, onarriving at the source of the Ganges the mighty hero thought of settlingthere.
“Listen now, O Janamejaya, to a wonderful feat which that foremost of thesons of Pandu, of high soul, did, while living there. When that son ofKunti, O Bharata, and the Brahmanas who had followed him, took up theirresidence in that region, the latter performed innumerable Agnihotras(sacrificial rites by igniting the sacred fire). And, O king, inconsequence of those learned vow-observing, and illustrious Brahmanas,who never deviated from the right path, daily establishing and ignitingwith mantras on the banks of that sacred stream, after the performance oftheir ablutions, fires for their sacrifices, and pouring libations ofclarified butter into the same, and worshipping those fires withofferings of flowers, that region itself where the Ganges entered theplains became exceedingly beautiful. One day that bull amongst thePandavas, while residing in that region in the midst of those Brahmanas,descended (as usual) into the Ganges to perform his ablutions. After hisablutions had been over, and after he had offered oblations of water untohis deceased ancestors, he was about to get up from the stream to performhis sacrificial rites before the fire, when the mighty-armed hero, Oking, was dragged into the bottom of the water by Ulupi, the daughter ofthe king of the Nagas, urged by the god of desire. And it so happenedthat the son of Pandu was carried into the beautiful mansion of Kauravya,the king of the Nagas. Arjuna saw there a sacrificial fire ignited forhimself. Beholding that fire, Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti performed hissacrificial rites with devotion. And Agni was much gratified with Arjunafor the fearlessness with which that hero had poured libations into hismanifest form. After he had thus performed his rites before the fire, theson of Kunti, beholding the daughter of the king of the Nagas, addressedher smilingly and said, ‘O handsome girl, what an act of rashness hastthou done. O timid one! Whose is this beautiful region, who art thou andwhose daughter?’
“Hearing these words of Arjuna, Ulupi answered, ‘There is a Naga of thename of Kauravya, born in the line of Airavata. I am, O prince, thedaughter of that Kauravya, and my name is Ulupi. O tiger among men,beholding thee descend into the stream to perform thy ablutions, I wasdeprived of reason by the god of desire. O sinless one, I am stillunmarried. Afflicted as I am by the god of desire on account of thee, Othou of Kuru’s race, gratify me today by giving thyself up to me.’
“Arjuna replied, ‘Commanded by king Yudhishthira, O amiable one, I amundergoing the vow of Brahmacharin for twelve years. I am not free to actin any way I like. But, O ranger of the waters, I am still willing to dothy pleasure (if I can). I have never spoken an untruth in my life. Tellme, therefore, O Naga maid, how I may act so that, while doing thypleasure, I may not be guilty of any untruth or breach of duty.’
“Ulupi answered, ‘I know, O son of Pandu, why thou wanderest over theearth, and why thou hast been commanded to lead the life of aBrahmacharin by the superior. Even this was the understanding to whichall of you had been pledged, viz., that amongst you all owning Drupada’sdaughter as your common wife, he who would from ignorance enter the roomwhere one of you would be sitting with her, should lead the life of aBrahmacharin in the woods for twelve years. The exile of any one amongstyou, therefore, is only for the sake of Draupadi. Thou art but observingthe duty arising from that vow. Thy virtue cannot sustain any diminution(by acceding to my solicitation). Then again, O thou of large eyes, it isa duty to relieve the distressed. Thy virtue suffereth no diminution byrelieving me. Oh, if (by this act), O Arjuna, thy virtue doth suffer asmall diminution, thou wilt acquire great merit by saving my life. Knowme for thy worshipper, O Partha! Therefore, yield thyself up to me! Eventhis, O lord, is the opinion of the wise (viz., that one should accept awoman that wooeth). If thou do not act in this way, know that I willdestroy myself. O thou of mighty arms, earn great merit by saving mylife. I seek thy shelter, O best of men! Thou protectest always, O son ofKunti, the afflicted and the masterless. I seek thy protection, weepingin sorrow. I woo thee, being filled with desire. Therefore, do what isagreeable to me. It behoveth thee to gratify my wish by yielding thy selfup to me.’
“Vaisampayana said, ‘Thus addressed by the daughter of the king of theNagas, the son of Kunti did everything she desired, making virtue hismotive. The mighty Arjuna, spending the night in the mansion of the Nagarose with the sun in the morning. Accompanied by Ulupi he came back fromthe palace of Kauravya to the region where the Ganges entereth theplains. The chaste Ulupi, taking her leave there, returned to her ownabode. And, O Bharata, she granted unto Arjuna a boon making himinvincible in water, saying, ‘Every amphibious creature shall, withoutdoubt, be vanquishable by thee.'”
