god then repaired to heaven.  Indeed the Rishis had been filled with wonder at the sight of the god and upon beholding the chaste Arundhati herself unspent and still possessed of the hue of health and so capable of bearing hunger and thirst.  Even thus the pure-souled Arundhati, in days of old, obtained the highest success, like thee, O highly blessed lady, for my sake, O damsel of rigid vows!  Thou, however, O amiable maiden, hast practised severer penances!  Gratified with thy vows, I shall also grant thee this special boon, O auspicious one, a boon that is superior to what was granted to Arundhati.  Through the power of the high-souled god who had granted that boon to Arundhati and through the energy of thyself, O amiable one, I shall duly grant thee another boon now, that the person who will reside in this tirtha for only one night and bathe here with soul fixed (on meditation), will, after casting off his body obtain many regions of blessedness that are difficult of acquisition (by other means)!  Having said these words unto the cleansed Sruvavati, the thousand-eyed Shakra of great energy then went back to heaven.  After the wielder of the thunderbolt, O king, had departed, a shower of celestial flowers of sweet fragrance fell there, O chief of Bharata’s race!  Celestial kettle-drums also, of loud sound, were beaten there.  Auspicious and perfumed breezes also blew there, O monarch!  The auspicious Sruvavati then, casting off her body, became the spouse of Indra.  Obtaining the status through austere penances, she began to pass her time, sporting with him for ever and ever.”

Janamejaya said, “Who was the mother of Sruvavati, and how was that fair damsel reared?  I desire to hear this, O Brahmana, for the curiosity I feel is great.”

Vaishampayana said, “The vital seed of the regenerate and high-souled Rishi Bharadwaja fell, upon beholding the large-eyed Apsara Ghritachi as the latter was passing at one time.  That foremost of ascetics thereupon held it in his hand.  It was then kept in a cup made of the leaves of a tree.  In that cup was born the girl Sruvavati.  Having performed the usual post-genital rites, the great ascetic Bharadwaja, endued with wealth of penances, gave her a name.  The name the righteous-souled Rishi gave her in the presence of the gods and Rishis was Sruvavati.  Keeping the girl in his hermitage, Bharadwaja repaired to the forests of Himavat.  That foremost one among the Yadus, Baladeva of great dignity, having bathed in that tirtha and given away much wealth unto many foremost of Brahmanas, then proceeded, with soul well-fixed on meditation, to the tirtha of Sakta.”

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