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The Birth of Karna
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vite me to your marriage and entertain me sumptuously! I assure you, I shall not tease you on that occasion. God be with you, my child.” He stroked her softly on the head as she knelt before him, and disappeared.
Long after Durvasa's departure, one fine morning, Kunti and her companions were playing in the garden. The general suspicion had been that she was in possession of something very precious which she would hide from everybody—even from her foster-father. Now, therefore, her companions had an opportunity to tease her. "What secret treasure have you landed ?" they would ask inquisitively. "Oh," she would pooh-pooh coyly, "there is no secrecy about it. It is the birthright of every woman, you see.”
"You mean you have chosen your future lord?” "I mean nothing of the sort. Let us talk of something else."
"No," they persisted. "What is 'woman's birthright'? You must explain the phrase."
"I will, I will, but not today. You shall know all about it on an auspicious day.” “Say, tomorrow,” squealed Malati, the simple daughter of the Senani (Commander-in-Chief), while her companions rebuked her severely for her naive credulity.
"Yes, I promise,” said Kunti, heaving a sigh of relief. "Who is your favourite god, Malati? Mine is the Sun.'
"Sister, why are you fond of him?" asked Malati innocently. "Does he not burn everything that comes his way? At the moment, he is scorching my neck. I like the Moon."
"No god is greater than the Sun. Everything at his touch springs to life. He sets the tone for all Creation! Now you
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