Vaishampayana said: -
1. Having been thus addressed, the king (Pandu), learned in the precepts of religious spoke these words of virtuous import to that lady (his wife).
Pandu said: -
2. O Kunti, what you have said is true. Vyusitashwa of old did exactly as you said; he was like a celestial.
3. But I shall tell you the religious precepts which the illustrious Rishis, learned in the precepts of virtue, said in the Puranas.
4. O beautiful featured lady, O lady of sweet smiles, women were not formerly kept within the house. They used to go about freely and enjoyed as they liked.
5. O fortunate lady, O beautiful one, they had promiscuous intercourse form their maidenhood and they were not faithful to their husbands. But they were not regarded sinful, for it was the custom of the age.
6. That very usage of the olden time is up to date followed by birds and beasts and they are free from anger and passions (for this promiscuous intercourse).
7. O lady of tapering things, the practice, being sanctioned by presidents, is praised by great Rishis; it is still regarded with respect by the Northern Kurus.
8. O lady of sweet smiles, this eternal usage, very favourable to the women, had the sanction of antiquity; the present practice has been established only very lately. Hear, I shall narrate to you in detail who established it and why.
9. We have heard that there was a great Rishi, named Uddalaka. He had a son, known by the name of Svetaketu, who was also a Rishi.
10. O lotus eyed one, the present virtuous practice was established by that Svetaketu in anger. I shall tell you why he did it.
11. One day, in the time of yore, in the very presence of Shvetaketu’s father, a Brahmana came and taking his (Shvetaketu’s) mother by the hand said, “Let us go”.
12. Having seen his mother taken away as if by force, the son of the Rishi grew angry and became very much afflicted with sorrow.
13. Seeing him angry, his father told Swetaketu, “O child, do not be angry. This is an eternal usage.
14. The women of all the orders on earth are free. 0 son, men, in this matter as regards their respective orders, act as kine.”
15. The son of the Rishi, Swetaketu, disapproved of this usage and he established the following practice on earth as regards men and women.
16. O greatly illustrious lady, we have heard that the present practice among men and women, dates from that day but not among other animals.
Swetaketu said: -
17. The wife, not adhering to her husband, will be sinful from this date; she will commit as great and painful sin as the killing of an embryo.
18. The men who will go to other women neglecting a chaste and loving wife who has from her maidenhood observed a vow of purity, will commit the same sin.
19. The woman, who being commanded by her husband to raise offspring, will refuse to do it, will commit also the same sin.
Pandu said: -
20. O timid lady, it was thus established by force in olden time the present virtuous usage by Uddalaka’s son Shvetaketu.
21. O lady of the tapering thighs, we have heard that Madayanti, being appointed by (her husband) Saudasa, went to Rishi Vasishtha to raise up offspring.
22. That lady obtained from him a son, named Asmaka. She did this, moved by the desire of doing good to her husband.
23. O louts-eyed one, O timid girl, you know our birth, begotten by Krishna Dvaipayana, in order to expand the Kuru race.
24. O faultless one, seeing all these precedents, you should do my bidding which is not inconsistent with virtue.
25-26. O princess, O devoted wife, the men learned in the precepts of virtue, said that a wife in her season must seek her husband, though she may be free at other times. The wise have said that this was the ancient practice.
27. But, O princess, men, learned in the Vedas, have declared that whether the act be sinful or sinless, it is the duty of the wife to do what her husband commands.
28. O lady of faultless features, especially I who am deprived of the power of procreation, having yet become desirous of seeing son, should more to be obeyed by you.
29. O amiable girl, joining my palms furnished with rosy fingers like lotus-leaves, I place my hand on your head to propitiate you.
30. O lady of beautiful hair, you should raise accomplished sons at my command by the help of same Brahmanas possessed of great ascetic merits. O lady of beautiful hips, by your doing this, I shall go to the way reserved for those that are blessed with sons.
Vaishampayana said: -
31. Having been thus addressed by that subjugator of hostile cities, Pandu, the beautiful Kunti, ever engaged in doing good to her husband, thus replied:
32. O lord, I was engaged in my girlhood at my father’s house in attending upon all guests. I attentively served the Brahmanas of rigid vows.
33. I gratified with all attentions that Brahmana, known as Durvasa, who had all his passions under control and who was acquainted with all the mysteries of religion.
34. Pleased with the attention with which waited upon him, that illustrious (Brahmana) gave me a boon in the form of a Mantra. He told me.
35. “Any of the celestials, whom you will call by this (Mantra), will be obedient to you, whether he likes it or not.
36. O princes, by each of their favour, you shall have offspring.” O descendant of the Bharata race, this was told to me by him at my father’s house.
37. O king, the words, uttered by the Brahmana, can never be false; the time has come when they may yield fruits. Commanded by you, I can call the celestials.
38. By that Mantra to rise up good offspring. O royal sage, O foremost of truthful men, tell me which of the celestials I shall call. Know, I wait your commands in this matter.
Pandu said: -
39. O beautiful lady, O amiable one try to do it today in the proper form. Call Dharma (the god of justice), for he is the most virtuous in the world.
40. O beautiful lady, Dharma will ever be able to pollute us with sin and people will also consider that what we do is never sinful.
41. There is no doubt the son thus begotten will be virtuous among the Kurus. Begotten by Dharma, his mind will never be in sin.
42. Therefore, O lady of sweets smiles, keeping virtue before your eyes and observing all vows, call Dharma by the help of your solicitations and incantations.
Vaishampayana said: -
43. That best of women, (Kunti), having been thus addressed, said: “Be it so”. She then went round him (for seven times) and resolved to do his bidding.
Thus ends the hundred and twenty second chapter, the account of the raising up of Kunti’s children, in the Sambhava of the Adi Parva.