Sexual Life in Ancient India: A Study in the Comparative History of Indian Culture v1.c6.149.2

v1.c6.149.2

Since beings are always shadowed by suffering, it is a sorrow to have only one son.¹ When I had carefully picked myself out these hundred wives of equal birth with me, I took them home that I might have sons. And now they have no children! One son has come into being with trouble and care, this my Jantu, by the exertion of all. What sorrow could now be greater! The vigorous age has now departed from me and my wives. Their life and mine rests on this one little son of mine. Is there now a work that were such as to give me a hundred sons, whether through a great, or a small deed, or one hard to carry out?' The sacrificial priest spoke: 'There is such a work whereby thou wouldst have a hundred sons. If thou canst do it, then I will speak, Somaka.' Somaka spoke: 'Be it possible or impossible, that by which I get a hundred sons, it is already done. Know that, O glorious one; tell it unto me!' The sacrificial priest spoke: 'Sacrifice Jantu, O king, in a sacrifice carried out by me, then thou wilt speedily have a hundred splendid sons for thine own. If his retina is offered up in the fire, and his mothers smell the smoke, they will bear sons mighty and strong as heroes. But their son will come into being again in his own (bodily) mother. And on his left side he will bear a golden birthmark.' Somaka spoke: 'Brahman, even as this must be carried out, so indeed do thou carry it out. In my longing for sons I will obey all thy words.' Then for Somaka he sacrificed this Jantu.