The Daughter of the Sun

King Saṃvaraṇa of the line of Puru saw Tapatī, the daughter of the Sun, on a mountain, and fell in love with her, and could not win her without her father's word. He sent away his army and stood on the mountain with his arms raised, worshipping the Sun, and in his mind he called for Vasiṣṭha, his priest.

On the twelfth day the seer came. By his inward sight he knew at once that the king's heart had been carried off by Tapatī, and to help him, while the king watched, Vasiṣṭha went up into the sky to see the Sun. He folded his hands before the thousand-rayed one and told him gladly, I am Vasiṣṭha. The Sun welcomed him and asked what he wished. Vasiṣṭha said, I ask you for your daughter Tapatī, the younger sister of Sāvitrī, for Saṃvaraṇa. He is a king of great fame who knows dharma and wealth, and he is a fitting husband for her.

The Sun agreed at once. Saṃvaraṇa is the best of kings, he said, as you are the best of seers, and Tapatī the best of women. What could there be but to give her? And he gave his faultless daughter to Vasiṣṭha for Saṃvaraṇa. The seer came back with her, and the king saw her coming with Vasiṣṭha and was overjoyed, and married her there on the mountain.

With Vasiṣṭha's leave the king stayed on the mountain with his wife, and left the city and the kingdom and the army to his minister. For twelve years he stayed there in the forests and beside the streams, and for twelve years no rain fell on his city or his kingdom. The people grew so starved and joyless that they were like ghosts, and the city was like the city of the dead. Then Vasiṣṭha came to the king and brought him back with Tapatī to his city, and as soon as the king entered it, rain fell as before, and the whole kingdom rejoiced. Their son was Kuru, after whom the land of the Kurus was named.