O best of gods, I pray to thee to give me a
thousand horses, all endued with the speed of the wind and with
complexion as effulgent as the moon's, but each having one ear black.' The
god Varuna, the son of Aditi, said to that excellent scion of Bhrigu's
race,--'Be it so. Wheresoever thou shalt seek, the horses shalt arise (in
thy presence).'--As soon as Richika thought of them, there arose from the
waters of Ganga thousand high-mettled horses, as lustrous in complexion
as the moon. Not far from Kanyakubja, the sacred bank of Ganga is still
famous among men as Aswatirtha in consequence of the appearance of those
horses at that place. Then Richika, that best of ascetics, pleased in
mind, gave those thousand excellent horses unto Gadhi as the
marriage-dower. King Gadhi, filled with wonder and fearing to be cursed,
gave his daughter, bedecked with jewels, unto that son of Bhrigu. That
foremost of regenerate Rishis accepted her hand in marriage according to
the prescribed rites. The princess too was well-pleased at finding
herself the wife of that Brahmana. That foremost of regenerate Rishis, O
Bharata, was well pleased with her conduct and expressed a wish to grant
her boon. The princess, O excellent king, related this to her mother. The
mother addressed the daughter that stood before her with down-cast eyes,
saving,--'It behoves thee, O my daughter, to secure a favour for me also
from thy husband. That sage of austere penances is capable of granting a
boon to me, the boon, viz. of the birth of a son to me.'--Then, O king,
returning quickly to her husband Richika, the princess related to him all
that had been desired by her mother. Richika said,--'By my favour, O
blessed one, she will soon give birth to a son possessed of every virtue.
May thy request be fulfilled. Of thee too shall be born a mighty and
glorious son who, endued with virtue, shall perpetuate my race. Truly do
I say this unto thee! When you two shall bathe in your season, she shall
embrace a peepul tree, and thou, O excellent lady, shalt likewise embrace
a fig tree, and by so doing shall ye attain the object of your desire. O
sweetly-smiling lady, both she and you shall have to partake of these two
sacrificial offerings (charu)[8] consecrated with hymns, and then shall ye
obtain sons (as desired).'--At this, Satyavati, delighted at heart, told
her mother all that had been said by Richika as also of the two balls of
charu. Then the mother, addressing her daughter