the Rishi become guilty of slaying the embryo. And men too violating a chaste and loving wife who hath from her maidenhood observed the vow of purity become guilty of the same sin. The woman also who, being commanded by her husband to raise up offspring refuses to do his bidding, becometh equally sinful.
"'Thus, O timid one, was the existing usage established of old by Shetaketu the son of Uddalaka in defiance of antiquity. O thou of tapering thighs, it hath also been heard by us that Madayanti the wife of Saudasa, commanded by her husband to raise up offspring, went unto the Rishi Vashishta. And going unto him, the handsome Madayanti obtained a son named Asmaka. She did this, moved by the desire of doing good to her husband. O thou of eyes like lotus leaves, thou knowest, timid girl, how we ourselves, for the perpetuation of the Kuru race, were begotten by Krishna-Dwaipayana. O thou faultless one, beholding all these precedents, it behoveth thee to do my bidding, which is not inconsistent with virtue. O princess devoted to thy husband, it hath also been said by those acquainted with the rules of virtue that a wife when her season cometh must ever seek her husband, though at other times she deserveth liberty. The wise have declared this to be the ancient practice. But be the act sinful or sinless, those acquainted with the Vedas have declared that it is the duty of wives to do what their husbands bid them do. Especially, O thou of faultless features, I who am deprived of the power of procreation, having yet become desirous of beholding offspring, deserve the more to be obeyed by thee. O amiable one, joining my hands furnished with rosy fingers, and making of them a cup as of lotus leaves, I place them on my head to propitiate thee! O thou of fair locks, it behoveth thee to raise up offspring, at my command, by the instrumentality of some Brahmana possessed of high asectic merit! For then, owing to thee, O thou of fair hips, I may go the way that is reserved for those that are blessed with children.'"
Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed by Pandu—that subjugator of hostile cities—the handsome Kunti, ever
