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 unboly. 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 !
Vaisa mpayana 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."
Thus ends the hundred and twenty-second section in the Sambhava. Parva of the Adi Parva.
SECTION CXXIII
(Sambhava Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "O Jana mejaya, 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 Durvasas had imparted to her some time before. Then the god, over-powered by her incantations, arrived at the spot where Kunti was seated in his car resplendent as the Sun. Smiling, he asked."O Kunti, what am to I 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 forth 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 Jeshtha 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 Yodhishthira. 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 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
