“Vaisampayana continued, ’Thus addressed by Pandu, that subjugator of hostile cities, the handsome Kunti, ever attentive to what was agreeable and beneficial to her lord, then replied unto him, saying, ’In my girlhood, O lord, I was in my father’s house engaged in attending upon all guests.  I used to wait respectfully upon Brahmanas of rigid vows and great ascetic merit.  One day I gratified with my attentions that Brahmana whom people call Durvasa, of mind under full control and possessing knowledge of all the mysteries of religion.  Pleased with my services, that Brahmana gave me a boon in the form of a mantra (formula of invocation) for calling into my presence any one of the celestials I liked.  And the Rishi, addressing me, said, ’Anyone among the celestials whom thou callest by this shall, O girl, approach thee and be obedient to thy will, whether he liketh it or not.  And, O princess, thou shall also have offspring through his grace.’  O Bharata, that Brahmana told me this when I lived in my father’s house.  The words uttered by the Brahmana can never be false.  The time also hath come when they may yield fruit.  Commanded by thee, O royal sage, I can by that mantra summon any of the celestials, so that we may have good children.  O foremost of all truthful men, tell me which of the celestials I shall summon.  Know that, as regards this matter, I await your commands.’

“Hearing this, Pandu replied, ’O handsome one, strive duly this very day to gratify our wishes.  Fortunate one, summon thou the god of justice.  He is the most virtuous of the celestials.  The god of justice and virtue will never be able to pollute us with sin.  The world also, O beautiful princess, will then think that what we do can never be unholy.  The son also that we shall obtain from him shall in virtue be certainly the foremost among the Kurus.  Begotten by the god of justice and morality, he would never set his heart upon anything that is sinful or unholy.  Therefore, O thou of sweet smiles, steadily keeping virtue before thy eyes, and duly observing holy vows, summon thou the god of justice and virtue by the help of thy solicitations and incantations.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ’Then Kunti, that best of women, thus addressed by her lord, said, ‘So be it.’  And bowing down to him and reverently circumambulating his person, she resolved to do his bidding.’”

SECTION CXXIII

(Sambhava Parva continued)

“Vaisampayana said, ’O Janamejaya, when Gandhari’s conception had been a full year old, it was then that Kunti summoned the eternal god of justice to obtain offspring from him.  And she offered without loss of time, sacrifices unto the god and began to duly repeat the formula that Durvasa had imparted to her some time before.  Then the god, overpowered by her incantations, arrived at the spot where Kunti was seated in his car resplendent as the Sun.  Smiling, he asked, ’O Kunti,