Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II. THE MARRIAGE OF ill.v KI, SISTER OF KANS, TO VASUDEV, SON OF SURSEN. AT THE MARRIAGE PROCESSION A VOICE FROM HEAVEN ANNOUNCES THE DESTRUCTION OF KANS BY THE EIGHTH SON OE THE BRIDE. HEREUPON KANS IS ABOUT TO SLAY HIS SISTER, BUT FOREGOES HIS PURPOSES ON VASUDEvs PROMISING TO GIVE INTO HIS HANDS EVERY SON THAT IS BORN TO HIM. IN THIS MANNER KANS DESTROYS SIX OF DEVAKfs SONS, WHEN THE THOUSAND-HEADED SERPENT, SUPPORTER OF VISHNU, BECOMES INCARNATE IN THE SEVENTH CHILD. Having narrated so much of the history, the saintly Shukadev said to king Parikshit, O great king Kans, indeed began to rule thus lawlessly in Mathura, and Ugrasen to undergo affliction. Devak, who was father's brother to Kans, when his daughter, Devaki, was of an age for espousal, inquired of Kans to whom he should give the damsel. Kans replied, ' Give her to Vasudev, the son of Siirsen.' Immediately on hearing these words, Devak, having summoned a Brahmin, and having fixed on a fortunate moment, sent the marriage gifts to the house of Sursen. Then truly Sursen also, with great pomp, prepared the marriage procession, and, accompanied by the princes of every land, came to Mathura, to the marriage of Vasudev. Having heard that the procession drew near the city, Ugrasen, Devak and Kans, taking with them their army, advanced and conducted the procession into the city. Receiving their guests with high courtesy, they assigned to them the lodgings for the bridegroom and his train. Having given them to eat and to drink, they conducted all the bridal procession under the marriage pavilion, and caused them to be seated; and, according to the rites prescribed in the Vedas, Kans bestowed on Vasudev the virgin in marriage. And in her dowry he gave fifteen thousand horses, four thousand elephants, eighte...