even for such boons as are difficult of being obtained by men in this world, and obtaining which, thou mayst surpass in fame all the women in this world.’  At these words of his, Kunti said, ’Everything hath already been done in my behalf since thou, O chief of those that are versed in the Vedas, and my father also, have been pleased with me!  As regards the boons, I consider them as already obtained by me, O Brahmana!’ The Brahmana thereupon said, ’If, O gentle maid, thou dost not, O thou of sweet smiles, wish to obtain boons from me, do thou then take this mantra from me for invoking the celestials!  Any one amongst the celestials whom thou mayst invoke by uttering this mantra, will appear before thee and be under thy power.  Willing or not, by virtue of this mantra, that deity in gentle guise, and assuming the obedient attitude of slave, will become subject to thy power!’”

Vaisampayana continued, “Thus addressed, that faultless maiden could not, O king, from fear of a curse, refuse for the second time compliance with the wishes of that best of the twice-born ones.  Then, O king, that Brahmana imparted unto that girl of faultless limbs those mantras which are recited in the beginning of the Atharvan Veda.  And, O king, having imparted unto her those mantras, he said unto Kuntibhoja.  ’I have, O monarch, dwelt happily in thy house, always worshipped with due regard and gratified by thy daughter.  I shall now depart.’  And saying this, he vanished there and then.  And beholding that Brahmana vanish there and then, the king was struck with amazement.  And the monarch then treated his daughter Pritha with proper regard.”

SECTION CCCIV

Vaisampayana said, “When that foremost of Brahmanas had gone away on some other errand, the maiden began to ponder over the virtue of those mantras.  And she said to herself, ’Of what nature are those mantras that have been bestowed on me by that high-souled one?  I shall without delay test their power.’  And as she was thinking in this way, she suddenly perceived indications of the approach of her season.  And her season having arrived, while she was yet unmarried, she blushed in shame.  And it came to pass that as she was seated in her chamber on a rich bed, she beheld the solar orb rising in the east.  And both the mind and the eyes of that maiden of excellent waist became rivetted fast upon the solar orb.  And she gazed and gazed on that orb without being satiated with the beauty of the morning Sun.  And she suddenly became gifted with celestial sight.  And then she beheld that god of divine form accoutred in mail and adorned with ear-rings.  And at sight of the god, O lord of men, she became curious as to the (potency of the) mantras.  And thereupon that maiden resolved to invoke him.  And having recourse to Pranayama, she invoked the Maker of day.  And thus invoked