वैशंपायन उवाच
सा तु कन्या महाराज ब्राह्मणं संशितव्रतम् ॥
तोषयाम् आस शुद्धेन मनसा संशितव्रता ॥
प्रातर् आयास्य इत्य् उक्त्वा कदा चिद् द्विजसत्तमः ॥
तत आयाति राजेन्द्र साये रात्राव् अथो पुनः ॥
तं च सर्वासु वेलासु भक्ष्यभोज्यप्रतिश्रयैः ॥
पूजयाम् आस सा कन्या वर्धमानैस् तु सर्वदा ॥
अन्नादिसमुदाचारः शय्यासनकृतस् तथा ॥
दिवसे दिवसे तस्य वर्धते न तु हीयते ॥
निर्भर्त्सनापवादैश् च तथैवाप्रियया गिरा ॥
ब्राह्मणस्य पृथा राजन् न चकाराप्रियं तदा ॥
व्यस्ते काले पुनश् चैति न चैति बहुशो द्विजः ॥
दुर्लभ्यम् अपि चैवान्नं दीयताम् इति सो ऽब्रवीत् ॥
कृतम् एव च तत् सर्वं पृथा तस्मै न्यवेदयत् ॥
शिष्यवत् पुत्रवच् चैव स्वसृवच् च सुसंयता ॥
यथोपजोषं राजेन्द्र द्विजातिप्रवरस्य सा ॥
प्रीतिम् उत्पादयाम् आस कन्या यत्नैर् अनिन्दिता ॥
तस्यास् तु शीलवृत्तेन तुतोष द्विजसत्तमः ॥
अवधानेन भूयो ऽस्य परं यत्नम् अथाकरोत् ॥
तां प्रभाते च साये च पिता पप्रच्छ भारत ॥
अपि तुष्यति ते पुत्रि ब्राह्मणः परिचर्यया ॥
तं सा परमम् इत्य् एव प्रत्युवाच यशस्विनी ॥
ततः प्रीतिम् अवापाग्र्यां कुन्तिभोजो महामनाः ॥
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
sā tu kanyā mahārāja brāhmaṇaṃ saṃśitavratam ||
toṣayām āsa śuddhena manasā saṃśitavratā ||
prātar āyāsya ity uktvā kadā cid dvijasattamaḥ ||
tata āyāti rājendra sāye rātrāv atho punaḥ ||
taṃ ca sarvāsu velāsu bhakṣyabhojyapratiśrayaiḥ ||
pūjayām āsa sā kanyā vardhamānais tu sarvadā ||
annādisamudācāraḥ śayyāsanakṛtas tathā ||
divase divase tasya vardhate na tu hīyate ||
nirbhartsanāpavādaiś ca tathaivāpriyayā girā ||
brāhmaṇasya pṛthā rājan na cakārāpriyaṃ tadā ||
vyaste kāle punaś caiti na caiti bahuśo dvijaḥ ||
durlabhyam api caivānnaṃ dīyatām iti so 'bravīt ||
kṛtam eva ca tat sarvaṃ pṛthā tasmai nyavedayat ||
śiṣyavat putravac caiva svasṛvac ca susaṃyatā ||
yathopajoṣaṃ rājendra dvijātipravarasya sā ||
prītim utpādayām āsa kanyā yatnair aninditā ||
tasyās tu śīlavṛttena tutoṣa dvijasattamaḥ ||
avadhānena bhūyo 'sya paraṃ yatnam athākarot ||
tāṃ prabhāte ca sāye ca pitā papraccha bhārata ||
api tuṣyati te putri brāhmaṇaḥ paricaryayā ||
taṃ sā paramam ity eva pratyuvāca yaśasvinī ||
tataḥ prītim avāpāgryāṃ kuntibhojo mahāmanāḥ ||
The young Kunti, with a pure mind, satisfied the brahmin of severe vows. Sometimes the best of the twice-born, having said, "I will come in the morning," would come in the evening or at night. At every hour she honored him with food, refreshments, and lodging, ever increasing his honors. The food, seat, and bed provided for him grew day by day and never diminished. Despite the brahmin's reproaches, accusations, and unpleasant words, Pritha never did anything unpleasant to him. Sometimes he would arrive at an unusual hour, or often not come at all, and then demand that even hard-to-obtain food be given to him; and the self-controlled Pritha, like a disciple, a daughter, and a sister, would report that everything was already done. The faultless maiden, through her efforts, won the affection of the best of the twice-born. Pleased with her character and attentiveness, he tested her efforts still further. Morning and evening the father would ask her, "Daughter, is the brahmin pleased with your service?" The illustrious one would answer, "Utterly," and the magnanimous Kuntibhoja would be filled with great joy.
ffcc8f0dc3c7 · published Jul 16, 2026, 5:33:40 PM UTC
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The trial lasts a year and shows itself in the guest's unpredictability. Pritha does not merely endure it -- she increases her care; thus service becomes a settled quality of character.