And, O thou of
Bharata's race, the beautiful Gandhari gratified all the Kurus by her
behaviour and respectful attentions. And Gandhari, ever devoted to her
husband, gratified her superiors by her good conduct; and as she was
chaste, she never referred even by words to men other than her husband or
such superiors.'"
SECTION CXI
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana continued, 'There was amongst the Yadavas a chief named Sura.
He was the father of Vasudeva. And he had a daughter called Pritha, who
was unrivalled for beauty on earth. And, O thou of Bharata's race, Sura,
always truthful in speech, gave from friendship this his firstborn
daughter unto his childless cousin and friend, the illustrious Kuntibhoja--
the son of his paternal aunt--pursuant to a former promise. And Pritha in
the house of her adoptive father was engaged in looking after the duties
of hospitality to Brahmanas and other guests. Once she gratified by her
attentions the terrible Brahmana of rigid vows, who was known by the name
of Durvasa and was well-acquainted with the hidden truths of morality.
Gratified with her respectful attentions, the sage, anticipating by his
spiritual power the future (season of) distress (consequent upon the curse
to be pronounced upon Pandu for his unrighteous act of slaying a deer
while serving its mate) imparted to her a formula of invocation for
summoning any of the celestials she liked to give her children. And the
Rishi said, 'Those celestials that thou shall summon by this Mantra shall
certainly approach thee and give thee children.
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