Invincible by
Kshatriyas on earth, he will be the slayer of the foremost of Kshatriyas.
As regards thee, O blessed lady, this portion of the food will give thee
a son of great wisdom, an embodiment of tranquillity, endued with ascetic
penances, and the foremost of Brahmanas. Having said these words unto his
wife, the blessed Richika of Bhrigu's race, setting his heart on
penances, proceeded to the woods. About this time, king Gadhi, resolved
upon a pilgrimage to the holy waters, arrived with his queen at the
retreat, of Richika. Satyavati, upon this, O king, taking the two
portions of the sanctified food, cheerfully and in great haste,
represented the worlds of her lord unto her mother. The queen-mother, O
son of Kunti, gave the portion intended for herself unto her daughter,
and herself took from ignorance the portion intended for the latter. Upon
this, Satyavati, her body blazing with lustre, conceived a child of
terrible form intended to become the exterminator of the Kshatriyas.
Beholding a Brahmana child lying within her womb, that tiger among the
Bhrigus said unto his wife of celestial beauty these words: 'Thou hast
been deceived by the, mother, O blessed lady, in consequence of the
substitution of the sanctified morsels. Thy son will become a person of
cruel deeds and vindictive heart. Thy brother again (born of thy mother)
will be a Brahmana devoted to ascetic penances. Into the sanctified food
intended for thee had been placed the seed of the supreme and universal
Brahma, while into that intended for thy mother had been placed the sum
total of Kshatriya energy.
Pages:
1176
1177
1178
1179
1180
1181
1182
1183
1184
1185
1186
1187
1188
1189
1190
1191
1192
1193
1194
1195
1196
1197
1198
1199
1200