Smiling, he asked, 'O Kunti, what am I to give
thee?' And Kunti too smiling in her turn, replied, 'Thou must even give me
offspring.' Then the handsome Kunti was united (in intercourse) with the
god of justice in his spiritual form and obtained from him a son devoted
to the good of all creatures. And she brought his excellent child, who
lived to acquire a great fame, at the eighth Muhurta called Abhijit, of
the hour of noon of that very auspicious day of the seventh month
(Kartika), viz., the fifth of the lighted fortnight, when the star
Jyeshtha in conjunction with the moon was ascendant. And as soon as the
child was born, an incorporeal voice (from the skies) said, 'This child
shall be the best of men, the foremost of those that are virtuous. Endued
with great prowess and truthful in speech, he shall certainly be the ruler
of the earth. And this first child of Pandu shall be known by the name of
Yudhishthira. Possessed of prowess and honesty of disposition, he shall be
a famous king, known throughout the three worlds.'
"Pandu, having obtained that virtuous son, again addressed his wife and
said, 'The wise have declared that a Kshatriya must be endued with
physical strength, otherwise he is no Kshatriya.' Therefore, ask thou for
an offspring of superior strength.' Thus commanded by her lord, Kunti then
invoked Vayu. And the mighty god of wind, thus invoked, came unto her,
riding upon a deer, and said, 'What, O Kunti, am I to give thee? Tell me
what is in thy heart.
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