The queen bore the
embryo in her womb for a long time. When she saw that she did not bring
forth anything, she tore open her womb by a piece of stone. It was then
that at the twelfth year (of the conception) was born Asmaka, that bull
amongst men, that royal sage who founded (the city of) Paudanya.'"
SECTION CLXXX
(Chaitraratha Parva continued)
"The Gandharva continued, 'Then, O Partha, Adrisyanti, who had been
residing in Vasishtha's asylum, brought forth (when the time came) a son
who was the perpetuator of Saktri's race and who was a second Saktri in
everything. O foremost of Bharatas, that best of Munis, the illustrious
Vasishtha himself performed the usual after-birth ceremonies of his
grandson. And, because the Rishi Vasishtha had resolved on self-
destruction but had abstained therefrom as soon as he knew of the
existence of that child, that child, when born, was called Parasara (the
vivifier of the dead). The virtuous Parasara, from the day of his birth,
knew Vasishtha for his father and behaved towards the Muni as such. One
day, O son of Kunti, the child addressed Vasishtha, that first of Brahmana
sages, as father, in the presence of his mother Adrisyanti. Adrisyanti,
hearing the very intelligible sound father sweetly uttered by her son,
addressed him with tearful eyes and said, 'O child, do not address this
thy grandfather as father? Thy father, O son, has been devoured by a
Rakshasa in a different forest. O innocent one, he is not thy father whom
thou regardest so.
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