Sexual Life in Ancient India: A Study in the Comparative History of Indian Culture v1.c5.280

v1.c5.280

father. Then the great penitent, endowed with godlike knowledge, knew how it was with her, and the holy one joyfully spoke: “The union, O kindly one, which to-day thou didst carry out with a man in secret without regard for me, does no harm to law and virtue. For the Gandharva marriage is deemed the best for the Kshattriya man, which is made in secret between two lovers without holy words, as the tradition teaches us. Filled with righteousness, and lofty-souled is Dushyanta, best among men, to whom thou hast drawn nigh as to thy husband, the lover, O Çakuntalā.¹ From thee a noble-souled son will be born into the world, who will rule over this whole sea-girdled earth.” She now begged the holy man for a blessing for her husband, which, too, was granted her.