(3) Achilles - By this story, we are reminded of Achilles who was dipped into the deathly river Styx by his mother Thetis to make him impenetrable, but for his ankle by which she held him upside down in the river. And it is in the ankle that Paris shot his mortal arrow. The hero was invulnerable, but for one weak spot in his body, is a standard mythic image.

(4) Samson - In the same way, Samson had his hair. No one remarks on the fact that Karn's skin-armor was only to protect his chest and presumably his head (by the ear-rings). He is never hit in other exposed parts of his body. Even Kevin McGrath does not look into this in his recent research work on Karn (EJ Brill, Leiden).

Where Men Gave Birth to Their Son
It is not only always women who give birth to children, In Hindu mythology a few men have also given birth to their children. Who are those?

(1) Yuvanaashwa > Maandhaataa
A King of Soorya Vansh. Ikshwaaku >> Puranjaya >> Yuvanaashwa. He was childless, so he was living in Muni's Aashram. Once some Muni pitied on him and did a Yagya for him to get a son. In the night Muni slept after keeping Yagya Water pitcher in the sacred fire place. Raajaa got thirsty in the night, so he did not wake up Muni and drank water himself from that pitcher. In the morning Muni asked - "Who drank this water? Whoever has drank this water he will get pregnant." Raajaa said - "I have drank it unknowingly." And he got pregnant after drinking that water. When the time came the child came out bursting his right eye. As he was born, Muni asked - "How he will survive?" Indra appeared and said - "I will feed him." And he gave his index finger in his mouth. He suckled on his finger and in one day he became a grownup man. He was named Maandhaataa and was crowned as the king.

(2) Vane > Prithu
Manu > Uttaanpaad > Dhruv > Shishti > Ripu > Chaakshuah > Manu > Kuru > Ang > Vane. Braahman killed Vane because he was not looking after affairs of his kingdom very well. But then because of fear of agitation in public they thought they should have a king, so they churned his right arm to get a son. A man appeared out of that churning with weapons and golden crown. He was named Prithu on whose name this planet was named as Prithvi.

Kings Who got Children from Rishi

(1) Raajaa Saudaas (Kalmaashpaad)
Saudaas was in the lineage of Ikshwaaku and Sagar. Ikshwaaku >> Sagar >> Sudaas > Saudaas. He got his son - Ashmak, from Maharshi Vashishth.
[Vishnu Puraan, 4/4]   [Bhaagvat Puraan, 9/5]   [MBH, 3-youth/7] 

He was cursed by Shakti, Vashishth's son, to be a Raakshas. During this period he killed a Braahman engaged with his wife under his Raakshas nature. His wife gave him Shaap - "You will also die when you will be engaged with your wife. She will have a son from the same Rishi Vashishth whose sons you have eaten and the same son will carry you family forward." So when he got freed from Shaap of Shakti, he approached his wife since he had forgotten about the Braahman woman's Shaap. But his wife remembered it, so she reminded about it. Although he repented for it but it was of no use. That is why he asked Muni Vashishth to produce a son upon his wife Madayantee, which he did. His son's name was Ashmak who inhabited Paudanya city.
[MBH, 3-youth/8]

(2) Raajaa Vichitraveerya
He was the son of Shaantanu and Satyavatee. He himself did not invite any Rishi to have his sons, but as he died leaving his two widows - Ambikaa and Ambaalikaa, without any child his mother Satyavatee invited Rishi Vyaas to produce sons from his widows. Kuru >> Shaantanu > Vichitraveerya. His two widows got their children - Dhritraashtra and Paandu, from Maharshi Ved Vyaas Jee.
[MBH, 1-Beginning/7]

(3) Raajaa Bali
Bali was born in Yayaati's lineage. Yayaati > Anu >> Mahaamanaa > Usheenar and Titikshu. Titikshu > Rushdrath > Hem > Sutapaa > Bali. Bali's wife had six sons from Deerghtamaa Muni - Ang, Vang, Kaling, Suhm, Paundra, and Aandhra; they had the names of their kingdoms on their names.
[Bhaagvat Puraan, 9/14]   [ Vishnu Puraan, 4/12]

(4) A Yavan king 
A Yavan King didn't have a son, so he pleased Gaargya Muni and Gaargya Muni produced a son from his wife, named Kaalyavan. He was the same Kaalyavan who went to kill Krishn, Krishn took him to a cave where Raajaa Muchukund was sleeping. Kaalyavan thought that it was Krishn who slept there to hide Himself, so he kicked him with his foot. Muchukund woke up and as he looked at Kaalyavan, he got burned to ashes.
[Vishnu Puraan, 5/8]

(5) Raajaa Ratheetar
Ratheetar was the grandson of Ambareesh. Ambareesh had 3 sons Viroop, Ketumaan and Shambu. Ratheetar was Viroop's son. He had no child of his own so he requested Angiraa Rishi to give him sons. Angiraa produced several sons from his wife equipped with Brahm Tej. Although his children should have had the same Gotra as of Ratheetar's but they were called Aangiras.
[Bhaagvat Puraan, 9/3]

Which Women Got the Children Without Husband?

(1) Anasooyaa
It is said that Satee Anasooyaa once left her husband in a huff saying - "I will n ot live with this ascetic." and sought the refuge of Shiv. She lived without food and slept on wooden logs for 300 years to please Shiv. Shiv got pleased and blessed her - "You will get a son and you will not need husband for him, simply through the grace of Rudra. He will be celebrated all over the world and will bear the name on you."

(2) Kuntee
Kuntee had 4 sons by the grace of Soorya, Dharm Raaj, Vaayu Dev and Indra - Karn, Yudhishthir, Bheem and Arjun.

(3) Maadree
Maadree had a twins, Nakul and Sahadev, by the grace of Ashwinee Kumaar.

(4) Anjanee
Anajnee also had a son by the grace of Vaayu Dev, incarnation of Shiv, Hanumaan as her son.

(5) Gonikaa
She was an unmarried woman and was doing Tap to get a son so that she can teach him Yog. Shesh Naag Jee heard her prayers and was born to her as Patanjali.

Who Were Born from Rivers?
Gangaa and Saraswatee rivers have borne some children for some kings, let us see who were they?

(1) Tanshu from Saraswatee River
Matinaar, son of Riksh, who was born in the lineage of Puru (Yayaati's son) was Saraswatee River's son. In fact Matinaar had performed a 12-year Yagya on the banks of Saraswatee River. On the conclusion of the Yagya, Saraswatee came in person before him and chose him as her husband and had a son named Tanshu from Matinaar.

(2) Saaraswat Rishi from Saraswatee River
Seeing his Tap power Indra got frightened, so he sent a beautiful Apsaraa, Alambooshaa, to tempt him. At that time Dadheechi was doing his daily activities on the bank of Saraswatee River. Seeing that beautiful damsel, Rishi's semen fell into Saraswatee River's water. Saraswatee did not waste it and kept in her womb. She started caring for it. When the time came she gave birth to a boy. She took him to Rishi and told him everything as how his semen fell into her water and she kept it in her womb, and now she has given birth to his son. Now she has brought him to Dadheechi and said - "This is your son. He is faultless, please accept him. Rishi got very pleased to see him, and to show his gratitude to Saraswatee he gave her a Var that all celestials will be very pleased if the oblations would be given with her water. He named him after her name as Saaraswat and said - "This child be very powerful and will be capable to create new creation." Saraswatee got very happy to hear this and went back with her child.

(3) Bheeshm from Gangaa River
Bheeshm, or Devavrat, was Gangaa's son from Paurav King Shaantanu. [MBH, 1-Beginning/3] says that first Gangaa went to Shaantanu's father Prateep, but Prateep accepted her as his daughter-in-law, so she came to the King Shaantanu. Since Shaantanu was already directed, when Gangaa came to him he readily accepted her as his wife.

(4) Kaarttikeya from Gangaa River
Shiv's son Kaartikeya is also Gangaa's son, because Gangaa kept Shiv's semen in her womb for some time.

(5) Shrutaayu from Parnasaa River
Shrutaayu was the son of Varun Dev and Parnasaa River. His mother requested Varun Dev that her son should be unslayable on Earth. Varun Dev said - "I give him a Var which is very beneficial to him - that is this celestial Gadaa (mace), by which he will not be killed by anybody on Earth. No man can have immortality. Whoever has taken birth must die, that is why you don't worry." Varun gave him then an Abhimantrit Gadaa. Thus he became invincible on Earth. But Varun warned him "Don't hurl it at anybody who is not engaged in fight. If it is hurled at such a person, it will come back to you and hit you yourself." So it showed that when the hour of his death would be there, he would do that. He got killed on the 14th day of Mahaabhaarat war when Arjun was going to kill Jayadrath.

Who Were Born From Deer, Cow, Parrot, Fish Etc
In Indian mythology some people were born from animals and birds (deer, parrot, fish etc), who are they?

(1) Satyavatee - Born From a Fish
The first name of such people who are born from various animals, comes to our mind is of Satyavatee, wife of Raajaa Shaantanu. She was born from a fish that is why she smelt like a fish and was called "Matsyagandhaa". Later by the boon of Muni Paraashar she had a good smell which spread for a Yojan. Shaantanu came to her smelling only that smell.
[MBH, G-0-Prolog/13]

(2) Makaradhwaj - Born From a Fish
The second name comes to our mind is of Makaradhwaj, Hanumaan's son. He was also born from fish. When Hanumaan had burnt Lankaa and took a dip in the sea to put out his tail's fire and to get refreshed, a drop of his sweat fell in the sea and a fish drank that water and gave birth to Makaradhwaj.

(3) Rishi Rishyashring - Born From a Deer
Rishi Rishyashring was also the son of Muni Vibhaandak and a deer. Raajaa Rompaad invited him to get rains in his kingdom by cheating.

(4) Shuk Dev Jee - Born From a Parrot
Ved Vyaas' son Shuk Dev Jee was born from a Parrot.

(5) Somshravaa - Born From a Snake
There comes a mention of this Muni, son of Shrutashravaa, where his father Shrutshravaaa tells Janamejaya that his son Somshravaa,  born from a she-snake, will help him to perform the Yagya.
MBH, G-0-Prolog/4

(6) Vaishravan - Born From a Cow
MBH, Stories-Raam-1 says that Vaishravan was the son of Maharshi Pulastya and was born from a cow.
While  Vaalmeeki Raamaayan, 7/1 describes the lineage like this - Brahmaa Jee - Pulastya - Paulastya (Vishravaa) - Vaishravan (Kuber) and Raavan, Kumbhakarn and Vibheeshan; and in this version, Vaishravan was not the son of cow

(7) Shringee - Born from a Cow
MBH says that Shameek Muni, on whose shoulder Raajaa Pareekshit put the dead snake, had a son named Shringee who was born from a cow.
MBH, G-0-Prolog/10

(8) Hanumaan - Born from a Monkey
Everybody knows that Hanumaan was born from a she-monkey Anjanaa Devee

Who Were Born From Pots
In Indian mythology there are three children who are born from pots and thus are known as Kumbhaj.

(1) Agastya Rishi
Agastya Rishi was born from a pot. Once Mitra and Varun were going somewhere that they saw Urvashee and their semen fell. They kept it in a pot and from that two Rishi - Agastya and Vashishth Jee. That is why he is called Kumbhaj (Pot-born) also.

(2) Vashishth
After the curse of Nimi, Vashishth Jee, the son of Brahmaa, left his body. He was born again as the son of Varun from a pot. Once Mitra and Varun were going somewhere that they saw Urvashee and their semen fell. They kept it in a pot and from that two Rishi - Agastya and Vashishth Jee. That is why he is called Kumbhaj (Pot-born) also.

(3) Drone
Drone was also born from a pot. he was the son of Mahsrshi Bharadwaaj. Once Bharadwaaj Jee saw Apsaraa Ghritaachee and his semen fell. He kept it in a pitcher or pot and from that fluid was born Drone. He was the same Drone who was the teacher of Kaurav and Paandav.
[MBH, G-0-Prolog/13]

Who Were Born as Animals on Prithvi
Some kings are known to be born as animals on Prithvi --

(1) Raajaa Jadbharat
He was born as a deer.

(2) Raajaa Nahush
He was born as a python.

(3) Raajaa Nrig
He was born as a chameleon.

(4) Dharm Sharmaa
His story comes in Padm Puraan, 2/15. This man also got attached to a baby parrot and when he was killed, he got so sad that he died in his grief and was born as a parrot. In this matter his story is more like Jadbharat's story.