Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/140

106 accepted by thee! And in this manner appoint thou whatsoever thou seest is good and proper.

Sauti continued, "Meanwhile, moved by the desire of offspring, the good daughter of Daksha, the vow-observing, amiable, and fortunate Vinata, her ascetic penances over, having purified herself with a bath in that season when connubial intercourse might prove fruitful, approached her lord. And Kasyapa spake unto her, 'Respected one, the sacrifice commenced by me hath borne fruit: what hath been desired by thee shall come to pass. Two heroic sons shall be born unto thee, the lords of the three worlds. And by the ascetic penances of the Valakhilyas and by virtue of the desire with which I had commenced my sacrifice, those sons shall be of exceeding good fortune and worshipped of the three worlds.' And the worshipful Kasyapa spake unto her again, 'Bear thou these auspicious seeds with great care. These two shall be the lords of all winged creatures. And the heroic rangers of the sky shall be respected of the worlds, and capable of assuming at will any form.'

"And the Prajapati, gratified with all that took place, then addressed him of a hundred sacrifices, saying, 'Thou shalt have two brothers of great energy and prowess, who shall be to thee even as thy help-mates. And from them no injury shall result unto thee. Let thy sorrow cease; thou shalt continue as the lord of all. By thee also let not the utters of Brahma (the Veda) be ever again slighted. Nor by thee also let the very wrathful ones whose words are even as the thunder-bolt be ever again insulted.' And Indra, thus addressed, went to heaven, his fears dispelled. And Vinata also, her purpose fulfilled, was exceeding glad. And she gave birth to two sons, Aruna and Gadura. And Aruna of undeveloped body became the fore-runner of the Sun. And Gadura was vested with the lordship of the birds. O thou of the race of Bhrigu, hearken now to the mighty achievement of Gadura!"

And so ends the thirty-first Section in the Astika of the Adi Parva.