Chapter 15

“The blessed Krishna said, ‘Bowing my head with great joy unto that massof energy and effulgence, I said these words unto the great Deity, with aheart filled with gladness,–Firmness in virtue, the slaughter of foes inbattle, the highest fame, the greatest might, devotion to Yoga, thyadjacence, and hundreds upon hundreds of children, these are the boons Isolicit of thee,–So be it,–said Sankara repeating the words I haduttered. After this, the mother of the universe, the upholders of allthings, who cleanses, all things, viz., the spouse of Sarva, that vastreceptacle of penances said with a restrained soul these words untome,–‘The puissant Mahadeva has granted thee, O sinless one, a son whoshall be named Samva. Do thou take from me also eight boons which thouchoosest. I shall certainly grant them to thee.–Bowing unto her with abend of my head, I said unto her, O son of Pandu,–I solicit from theenon-anger against the Brahmanas, grace of my father, a hundred sons, thehighest enjoyments, love for my family, the grace of my mother, theattainment of tranquillity and peace, and cleverness in every act!’

“Uma said, ‘It shall be even so, O thou that art possessed of prowess andpuissance equal to that of a celestial. I never say what is untrue. Thoushalt have sixteen thousand wives. Thy love for them and theirs also forthee shall be unlimited. From all thy kinsmen also, thou shalt receivethe highest affection. Thy body too shall be most beautiful. Seventhousand guests will daily feed at thy palace.’

“Vasudeva continued, ‘Having thus granted me boons both the god and thegoddess, O Bharata, disappeared there and then with their Ganas, O elderbrother of Bhima. All those wonderful facts I related fully, O best ofkings, to that Brahmana of great energy, viz., Upamanyu (from whom I hadobtained the Diksha before adoring Mahadeva). Bowing down unto the greatGod, Upamanyu said these words to me.’

“Upamanyu said, ‘There is no deity like Sarva. There is no end or refugelike Sarva. There is none that can give so many or such high boons. Thereis none that equal him in battle.'”