ake (thus) to that most
righteous of the rulers of men, attended by his two wives, saying, 'O
lord of men! considering the (astrological) moment at which thou hast
proffered thy prayer to me, sixty thousand sons, O foremost of choice men
valorous and characterised by exceeding pride, will be born in one off
thy two wives (here). But they all, O ruler of the earth, shall perish
together. In the other wife, (however), will be born a single valiant
son, who will perpetuate thy race.' Having said this to him, the god
Rudra (Siva) vanished from sight at that very spot, and that same king
Sagara now came (back) to his own abode accompanied by his two wives,
exceedingly delighted at heart (for what had happened) then. And, O most
praiseworthy of the sons of Manu! (i.e., men), there the two lotus-eyed
wives of him--the princess of Vidarbha and the princess of Sivi--came
(erelong) to be with child. And afterwards, on the due day, the princess
of Vidarbha brought forth (something) of the shape of a gourd and the
princess of Sivi gave birth to a boy as beautiful as a god. Then the
ruler of the earth made up his mind to throw away the gourd,--when he
heard (proceeding) from the sky a speech (uttered) in a grave and solemn
voice, 'O king! do thou not be guilty of this hasty act; thou shouldst
not abandon thy sons. Take out the seeds from the gourd and let them be
preserved with care in steaming vessels partly filled with clarified
butter. Then thou wilt get, O scion of Bharata's race! sixty thousand
sons. O ruler of men! the great god (Siva) hath spoken that thy sons are
to be born in this manner. Let not therefore thy mind be turned away
therefrom.'"

SECTION CVII

"Lomasa said, 'O most righteous of kings! When he heard these words
(proceeding) from the sky, he had faith therein, and did all that he was
directed to do, O chief of the men of Bharata's race! Then the ruler of
men took separately each of the seeds and then placed these divisions (of
the gourd) in vessels filled with clarified butter. And intent on the
preservation of his sons, he provided a nurse for every (receptacle).
Then after a long time there arose sixty thousand exceedingly powerful
sons of that same king--gifted with unmeasured strength, they were born,
O ruler of earth! to that saint-like king, by Rudra's favour. And they
were terrible; and their acts were ruthless. And they were able to ascend
and roam about in the sky; and being numerous themselves, de