O auspicious girl, women, specially they that are of
mean extraction, although they may with difficulty
be kept under restraint, become in consequence of
their unripe age, generally deformed in character.
But thou, O Pritha, art born in a royal race, and thy
beauty also is extraordinary. And then, O girl,
thou art endued with every accomplishment. Do
thou, therefore, O damsel, renouncing pride and haughtiness
and a sense of self-importance, wait upon and worship
the boon-giving Brahmana, and thereby attain, O Pritha,
to an auspicious state! By acting thus, O auspicious
and sinless girl, thou wilt surely attain to auspiciousness!
But if on the contrary, thou stirrest up the anger
of this best of the twice-born ones, my entire race
will be consumed by him!’”
“Kunti said, ’According to thy promise,
I will, O king, with concentrated mind, serve that
Brahmana. O foremost of kings, I do not say this
falsely. It is my nature to worship Brahmanas.
And, as in the present case, my doing so would be
agreeable to thee, even this would be highly conducive
to my welfare. Whether that worshipful one cometh
in the evening, or in morning, or at night or even
at midnight, he will have no reason to be angry with
me! O foremost of kings, to do good by serving
the twice-born ones, observing all thy commands, is
what I consider to be highly profitable to me, O best
of men! Do thou, therefore, O foremost of monarchs
rely on me! That best of Brahmanas, while residing
in thy house, shall never have cause for dissatisfaction,
I tell thee truly. I shall, O king, be always
attentive to that which is agreeable to this Brahmana,
and what is fraught also with good to thee. O
sinless one! I know full well that Brahmanas that
are eminently virtuous, when propitiated bestow salvation,
and when displeased, are capable of bringing about
destruction upon the offender. Therefore, I shall
please this foremost of Brahmanas. Thou wilt not,
O monarch, come to any grief from that best of regenerate
persons, owing to any act of mine. In consequence
of the transgressions of monarchs, Brahmanas, O foremost
of kings, became the cause of evil to them, as Chyavana
had become, in consequence of the act of Sukanya.
I will, therefore, O king, with great regularity,
wait upon that best of Brahmanas according to thy
instructions in that respect!’ And when she had
thus spoken at length, the king embraced and cheered
her, and instructed her in detail as to what should
be done by her. And the king said, ’Thou
shall, O gentle maid, act even thus, without fear,
for my good as also thy own, and for the good of thy
race also, O thou of faultless limbs!’ And having
said this the illustrious Kuntibhoja, who was devoted
to the Brahmanas, made over the girl Pritha to that
Brahmana, saying, ’This my daughter, O Brahmana,
is of tender age and brought up in luxury. If,
therefore, she transgresses at any time, do thou not
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