Sexual Life in Ancient India: A Study in the Comparative History of Indian Culture v1.c6.80.2

v1.c6.80.2

he teaches her that wives are still sexually free except at the time after their period, and, that they must be wholly obedient to their husband, whether he demand right or wrong of them; and he ends by beseeching her not to deprive him of the well-being in the beyond which belongs to those endowed with sons. Then she consents, tells of the magic given her by Durvāsas, and asks which god she shall now call up.² He names Dharma, the god of right and virtue, for then of a surety, he thinks, no stain will lie on the matter, and a pious son will be his. She offered up the bali gift, and murmured her cabbalistic prayer. Then came the god in a heavenly chariot shining as the sun, and laughingly spoke : “ Kuntī, what shall I give thee ? ” She answered, though he laughed at her : “ Give me a son.” He united with her in a shape formed by his magic powers, and so she received that Yudhishṭhira, the friend to all beings. When he had been born, Pāṇḍu spoke : “ It is said that what is greatest in the Kshattriya is strength, therefore do thou choose for thyself a son marked out by his strength.” So she called the god of the wind. And to his question she answered with a shame-faced laugh : “ Grant me a son, a strong, a great one, a shatterer of the pride of all !” So came the warrior-giant, the man of might, Bhīma or Bhīmasena to life, who directly after birth fell from his mother’s lap onto a rock, and crushed it with his limbs.