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 dit : «Dame de bon augure, après que ta mère aura accompli le bain de purification après les menstrues, qu’elle enlace l’aśvattha (pipal), et toi, enlace l’udumbara (figuier en grappes). Ainsi, vous obtiendrez toutes deux le fils désiré.»
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.