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
stirest 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 take that to heart! Illustrious Brahmanas
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