कुण्डलाहरण पर्व — पृथा द्वारा द्विज की सेवा

Kunti said: "O king of kings, agreeably to your promise, I will, by restraining my senses, wait upon and minister to that Brahmana. I am speaking no falsehood (in this respect).

To worship the Brahmanas is my habit. And as this is agreeable to you, it will lead to my highest good.

He will never have any cause to be angry with me whether the worshipful one comes in the morning or in the evening or during the night or at midnight.

O king of kings, O best of men, it is highly beneficial to me to worship the twice-born ones, to carry out your commands and to do good to you.

O foremost of kings, rest assured of it. I am telling you truly that the best of Brahmanas dwelling in your house will not in any way be dissatisfied..

I will pay (particular) attention to what is agreeable to this Brahmana and to what is beneficial to you. Therefore O king, give up your mental anxiety.

The Brahmanas, O lord of the earth, are highly fortunate and when pleased are capable of bestowing salvation. But if displeased, they become (instruments) for destruction.

I, who am well aware of this, will propitiate this foremost of Brahmanas, And O king, you will never, for any act of mine, experience any trouble from that most exalted of Brahmanas.

O foremost of kings, owing to the faults of the kings, the twice-born ones become the instruments of their misfortune as formerly Chyavana had become on account of the acts of Sukanya.

Agreeably to your instructions with regard to this Brahmana, I will serve him with great regularity, O king of kings."

And when she said thus repeatedly, the king encouraged and embraced her and then instructed her minutely as to what she ought to do.

“O gentle and blameless girl, you will act in this way, without any fear, for my welfare, for your good and for the welfare of the race."

The King said : Saying this, the highly-renowned Kuntibhoja, devoted to the Brahmanas, made over his daughter Pritha to that twice-born one.

(Saying), “O Brahmana, this is my daughter (Pritha) of tender years and reared in luxury. If she commits any fault, do not mind it.

The highly renowned Brahmanas do not get angry with old men, ascetics and children, even if they repeatedly offend them.

The twice-born ones again ought to pardon even a very serious offence; and the best of Brahmanas should accept that worship which is offered to the best of one's ability and exertion.

And that Brahmana having said “be it so," the king with a merry mind placed at his disposal a suite of apartments white as the swan or the ray of the moon.

And in the fire-room the king placed a resplendent seat especially made for him and also all sorts of food and other articles of the same good quality.

And driving away her idleness and pride, the princess began to exert herself with the utmost care for the service of the Brahmana.

And going to the Brahmana there in the fire-room) the chaste Pritha, observant of purity, duly ministering to him as if he were a god, pleased him highly.