Vaisampayana said, "And that maiden of rigid vows, O mighty monarch, by
serving with a pure heart, that Brahmana of rigid vows, succeeded in
gratifying him. And, O foremost of kings, saying, 'I will come back in
the morning,' that best of Brahmanas sometimes came in the evening or in
night. Him, however, the maiden worshipped at all hours with sumptuous
food and drink and bed. And as day after day passed away, her attentions
to him, in respect of food and seat and bed, increased instead of
undergoing any diminution. And, O king, even when the Brahmana reproved
her, finding fault with any of her arrangements, or addressed her in
harsh words, Pritha did not do anything that was disagreeable to him.
And on many occasions the Brahmana came back after the appointed hour
had long passed away. And on many occasions (such as the depth of night)
when food was hard to procure, he said, 'Give me food!' But on all those
occasions saying, 'All is ready,'--Pritha held before him the fare. And
even like a disciple, daughter, or a sister, that blameless gem of a
girl with a devoted heart, O king, gratified that foremost of Brahmanas.
And that best of Brahmanas became well-pleased with her conduct and
ministrations. And he received those attentions of hers, valuing them
rightly. And, O Bharata, her father asked her every morning and evening
saying, 'O daughter, is the Brahmana satisfied with thy ministrations?'
And that illustrious maiden used to reply, 'Exceedingly well!' And
thereupon, the high-souled Kuntibhoja experienced the greatest delight.
And when after a full year that best of ascetics was unable to find any
fault whatever in Pritha, who was engaged in ministering unto him,
well-pleased he said unto her, 'O gentle maid, I have been well-pleased
with thy attentions, O beautiful girl! Do thou, O blessed girl, ask even
for such boons as are difficult of being obtained by men in this world,
and obtaining which, thou mayst surpass in fame all the women in this
world.' At these words of his, Kunti said, 'Everything hath already been
done in my behalf since thou, O chief of those that are versed in the
_Vedas_, and my father also, have been pleased with me! As regards the
boons, I consider them as already obtained by me, O Brahmana!' The
Brahmana thereupon said, 'If, O gentle maid, thou dost not, O thou of
sweet smiles, wish to obtain boons from me, do thou then take this
_mantra_ from me for invoking the celestials! Any one amongst the
celestials whom thou mayst invoke by uttering this _mantra_, will appear
before thee and be under thy power. Willing or not, by virtue of this
_mantra_, that deity in gentle guise, and assuming the obedient attitude
of slave, will become subject to thy power!'"
Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed, that faultless maiden could
not, O king, from fear of a curse, refuse for the second time compliance
with the wishes of that best of the twice-born ones. Then, O king, that
Brahmana imparted unto that girl of faultless limbs those _mantras_
which are recited in the beginning of the _Atharvan Veda_. And, O king,
having imparted unto her those _mantras_, he said unto Kuntibhoja. 'I
have, O monarch, dwelt happily in thy house, always worshipped with due
regard and gratified by thy daughter. I shall now depart.' And saying
this, he vanished there and then. And beholding that Brahmana vanish
there and then, the king was struck with amazement. And the monarch then
treated his daughter Pritha with proper regard."