and others have been begotten by me upon a Sudra woman.  Thy unfortunate queen Sudeshna, seeing me blind and old, insulted me by not coming herself but sending unto me, instead, her nurse.’  The king then pacified that best of Rishis and sent unto him his queen Sudeshna.  The Rishi by merely touching her person said to her, ’Thou shalt have five children named Anga, Vanga, Kalinga, Pundra and Suhma, who shall be like unto Surya (Sun) himself in glory.  And after their names as many countries shall be known on earth.  It is after their names that their dominions have come to be called Anga, Vanga, Kalinga, Pundra and Suhma.’

“It was thus that the line of Vali was perpetuated, in days of old, by a great Rishi.  And it was thus also that many mighty bowmen and great car-warriors wedded to virtue, sprung in the Kshatriya race from the seed of Brahmanas.  Hearing this, O mother, do as thou likest, as regards the matter in hand.’”

SECTION CV

(Sambhava Parva continued)

“Bhishma, continued, ’Listen, O mother, to me as I indicate the means by which the Bharata line may be perpetuated.  Let an accomplished Brahmana be invited by an offer of wealth, and let him raise offspring upon the wives of Vichitravirya.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ’Satyavati, then, smiling softly and in voice broken in bashfulness, addressed Bhishma saying, ’O Bharata of mighty arms, what thou sayest is true.  From my confidence in thee I shall now indicate the means of perpetuating our line.  Thou shall not be able to reject it, being conversant, as thou art, with the practices permitted in seasons of distress.  In our race, thou art Virtue, and thou art Truth, and thou art, too, our sole refuge.  Therefore hearing what I say truly, do what may be proper.

“My father was a virtuous man.  For virtue’s sake he had kept a (ferry) boat.  One day, in the prime of my youth, I went to ply that boat.  It so happened that the great and wise Rishi Parasara, that foremost of all virtuous men, came, and betook himself to my boat for crossing the Yamuna.  As I was rowing him across the river, the Rishi became excited with desire and began to address me in soft words.  The fear of my father was uppermost in my mind.  But the terror of the Rishi’s curse at last prevailed.  And having obtained from him a precious boon, I could not refuse his solicitations.  The Rishi by his energy brought me under his complete control, and gratified his desire then and there, having first enveloped the region in a thick fog.  Before this there was a revolting fishy odour in my body; but the Rishi dispelled it and gave me my present fragrance.  The Rishi also told me that by bringing forth his child in an island of the river, I would still continue (to be) a virgin.  And the child of Parasara so born of me in my maidenhood hath become a great Rishi endued with large ascetic powers and known by the name of Dwaipayana (the island-born).