SECTION CCCIII
Vaisampayana said, "And that maiden of rigid vows. O mighty monarch, by
serving with a pure heart, that Brahmana of rigid vows, succeeded in
gratifying him. And, O foremost of kings, saying, 'I will come back in
the morning,' that best of Brahmanas sometimes came in the evening or in
night. Him, however, the maiden worshipped at all hours with sumptuous
food and drink and bed. And as day after day passed away, her attentions
to him, in respect of food and seat and bed, increased instead of
undergoing any diminution. And, O king, even when the Brahmana reproved
her, finding fault with any of her arrangements, or addressed her in
harsh words, Pritha did not do anything that was disagreeable to him. And
on many occasions the Brahmana came back after the appointed hour had
long passed away. And on many occasions (such as the depth of night) when
food was hard to procure, he said, 'Give me food!' But on all those
occasions saying, 'All is ready,'--Pritha held before him the fare. And
even like a disciple, daughter, or a sister, that blameless gem of a girl
with a devoted heart, O king, gratified that foremost of Brahmanas. And
that best of Brahmanas became well-pleased with her conduct and
ministrations. And he received those attentions of hers, valuing them
rightly. And, O Bharata, her father asked her every morning and evening
saying, "O daughter, is the Brahmana satisfied with your ministrations?
And that illustrious maiden used to reply, 'Exceedingly well!' And
thereupon, the high-souled Kuntibhoja experienced the greatest delight.
And when after a full year that best of ascetics was unable to find any
fault whatever in Pritha, who was engaged in ministering unto him,
well-pleased he said unto her, 'O gentle maid, I have been well-pleased
with your attentions, O beautiful girl! Do thou, O blessed girl, ask even
for such boons as are difficult of being obtained by men in this world,
and obtaining which, you mayst surpass in fame all the women in this
world'. At these words of his, Kunti said, 'Everything hath already been
done in my behalf since thou, O chief of those that are versed in the
Vedas, and my father also, have been pleased with me! As regards the
boons, I consider them as already obtained by me, O Brahmana!' The
Brahmana thereupon said, 'If, O gentle maid, you dost not, O you of
sweet smiles, wish to obtain boons from me, do you then take this mantra
from me for invoking the celestials! Any one amongst the celestials whom
thou mayst invoke by uttering this mantra, will appear before you and be
under your power. Willing or not, by virtue of this mantra, that deity in
gentle guise, and assuming the obedient attitude of slave, will become
subject to your power!'"
Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed, that faultless maiden could-not,
O king, from fear of a curse, refuse tor the second time compliance with
the wishes of that best of the twice-born ones. Then, O king, that
Brahmana imparted unto that girl of faultless limbs those mantras which
are recited in the beginning of the Atharvan Veda. And, O king, having
imparted unto her those mantras, he said unto Kuntibhoja. 'I have, O
monarch, dwelt happily in your house, always worshipped with due regard
and gratified by your daughter. I shall now depart.' And saying this, he
vanished there and then. And beholding that Brahmana vanish there and
then, the king was struck with amazement. And the monarch then treated
his daughter Pritha with proper regard."
--------------------END OF PARVA 3 : UPA-PARVA 303 ---------------------
