ling her repeatedly, 'I shall send
thee, for thy escort, my troops of four classes. Indeed, it is even thus
that I shall take thee to my capital, O thou of sweet smiles!"

"Vaisampayana continued, 'O Janamejaya, having promised so unto her, the
king went away. And as he retraced his way homewards, he began to think
of Kasyapa. And he asked himself, 'What will the illustrious ascetic say,
after he has known all?' Thinking of this, he entered his capital.

"The moment the king had left, Kanwa arrived at his abode. But Sakuntala,
from a sense of shame, did not go out to receive her father. That great
ascetic, however, possessed of spiritual knowledge, knew all. Indeed
beholding everything with his spiritual eye, the illustrious one was
pleased, and addressing her, said, 'Amiable one, what hath been done by
thee today in secret, without, having waited for me--viz., intercourse
with a man--hath not been destructive of thy virtue. Indeed, union
according to the Gandharva form, of a wishful woman with a man of sensual
desire, without mantras of any kind, it is said, is the best for
Kshatriyas. That best of men, Dushmanta, is also high-souled and
virtuous. Thou hast, O Sakuntala, accepted him for thy husband. The son
that shall be born of thee shall be mighty and illustrious in this world.
And he shall have sway over the sea. And the forces of that illustrious
king of kings, while he goeth out against his foes shall be irresistible.'

"Sakuntala then approached her fatigued father and washed his feet. And
taking down the load he had with him and placing the fruits in proper
order, she told him, 'It behoveth thee to give thy grace to that
Dushmanta whom I have accepted for my husband, as well as his ministers!'

"Kanwa replied, 'O thou of the fairest complexion, for thy sake I am
inclined to bless him. But receive from me, O blessed one, the boon that
thou desirest.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Sakuntala, thereupon, moved by desire of
benefiting Dushmanta, asked the boon that the Paurava monarchs might ever
be virtuous and never deprived of their thrones.'"

SECTION LXXIV

(Sambhava Parva continued)

"Vaisampayana said, 'After Dushmanta had left the asylum having made
those promises unto Sakuntala, the latter of tapering thighs brought
forth a boy of immeasurable energy. And when the child was three years
old, he became in splendour like the blazing fire. And, O Janamejaya, he
was possessed of beauty and magnanimity a