Satyavati, said:--'O
daughter, as I am deserving of greater consideration from thee than thy
husband, do thou obey my words. The charu, duly consecrated with hymns,
which thy husband has given to thee, do thou give unto me and thyself
take the one that has been prescribed for me. O sweetly-smiling one of
blameless character, if thou hast any respect for my word, let us change
the trees respectively designed for us. Every one desires to possess an
excellent and stainless being for his own son. The glorious Richika too
must have acted from a similar motive in this matter, as will appear in
the end. For this reason, O beautiful girl, my heart inclines towards thy
charu, and thy tree, and thou too shouldst consider how to secure an
excellent brother for thyself.'--The mother and the daughter Satyavati
having acted in this way, they both, O Yudhishthira, became big with
child. And that great Rishi, the excellent descendant of Bhrigu, finding
his wife quick with child, was pleased at heart, and addressing her,
said,--'O excellent lady, thou hast not done well in exchanging the charu
as will soon become apparent. It is also clear that thou hast changed the
trees. I had placed the entire accumulated energy of Brahma in thy charu
and Kshatriya energy in the charu of thy mother. I had so ordered that
thou wouldst give birth to a Brahmana whose virtues would be famous
throughout the three worlds, and that she (thy mother) would give birth
to an excellent Kshatriya. But now, O excellent lady, that thou hast
reversed the order (of the charu) so, thy mother will give birth to an
excellent Brahmana and thou too, O excellent lady, will give birth to a
Kshatriya terrible in action. Thou hast not done will, O lady, by acting
thus out of affection for thy mother.'--Hearing this, O king the excellent
lady Satyavati, struck with sorrow, fell upon the ground like a beautiful
creeper cut in twain. Regaining her senses and bowing unto her lord with
head (bent), the daughter of Gadhi said to her husband, that foremost one
of Bhrigu's race,--'O regenerate Rishi, O thou that art foremost amongst
those versed in Brahma, do thou take pity on me, thy wife, who is thus
appeasing thee and so order that a Kshatriya son may not be born unto me.
Let my grandson be such a one as will be famous for his terrible
achievements, if it be thy desire, but not my son, O Brahmana. Do thou
confer this favour on me.'--'Be it so,'--said that man of austere penances
to