Shloka 27
Viśvāmitra-janma: Ṛcīka–Satyavatī–Gādhi and the Charu Exchange (विश्वामित्र-जन्म: ऋचीक–सत्यवती–गाधि वृत्तान्तः)
ऋतुस्नाता च साशथ्रत्थं त्वं च वृक्षमुदुम्बरम् । परिष्वजेथा: कल्याणि तत एवमवाप्स्यथ:
ṛtusnātā ca sāśvatthaṃ tvaṃ ca vṛkṣam udumbaram | pariṣvajethāḥ kalyāṇi tata evam avāpsyathaḥ ||
Bhīṣma dijo: «Dama auspiciosa, después de que tu madre se haya purificado con el baño posterior a la menstruación, que abrace el árbol aśvattha (pipal), y tú abraza el árbol udumbara (higuera de racimos). Así, ambas obtendréis el hijo deseado.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents a traditional, auspicious rite connected with ritual purity and the hope for progeny: after the mother’s post-menstrual bath, specific symbolic acts (embracing sacred trees) are prescribed as a means to obtain a desired son.
Bhīṣma is instructing an addressed woman (calling her ‘kalyāṇī’) about a prescribed observance: her mother should embrace the aśvattha tree and she should embrace the udumbara tree, with the stated result that they will gain the wished-for child.