← 1.30 Departure for Mithilā and the camp beside the Śoṇā · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.32 Story of Kuśanābha: Brahmadatta restores the daughters →
Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 31: Story of Kuśanābha: Vāyu disfigures the hundred daughters
Summary. Vāyu proposes marriage, the sisters insist on their father’s consent and Vāyu enters their limbs and leaves them hunchbacked
Sequence
- Viśvāmitra recounts that Kuśa, descended from Brahmā, had four sons through a Vidarbha princess and directed them to undertake royal duties (1.31.1–2)
- they founded four cities: Kuśāmba established Kauśāmbī, Kuśanābha Mahodaya, Ādhūrtarajasa Dharmāraṇya, and Vasu Girivraja (1.31.3–5)
- Viśvāmitra identifies the surrounding country with Vasu, its five mountains, and the river Sumāgadhī, flowing like a garland through fertile fields (1.31.6–8)
- he turns to Kuśanābha's hundred daughters by Ghṛtācī → adorned and youthful, they sing, dance, and play instruments in a garden, shining like lightning or stars among clouds. (1.31.9–12)
- Vāyu sees them and asks all of them to become his wives, offering to replace their human condition with long life (1.31.13–14)
- they acknowledge his power but reject his approach → they say they could curse him but will preserve their austerity, and insist that he respect their father → they say they await a svayaṃvara and will accept the husband their father gives them (1.31.15–19)
- furious, Vāyu enters their limbs and bends them, leaving all the sisters hunchbacked (1.31.20–22)
- the sisters return to the palace → alarmed, Kuśanābha asks who has done this to them as they writhe without speaking. (1.31.21–22)
Verses 1.31.1–22
1.31.1
brahmayonir mahān āsīt kuśo nāma mahātapāḥ
vaidarbhyāṃ janayām āsa caturaḥ sadṛśān sutān
There was a great one, sprung from Brahmā, named Kuśa, a great ascetic; upon a princess of Vidarbha he begot four sons, each like himself.
Words: brahmayonir — sprung from Brahmā; mahān — great; āsīt — there was; kuśo — Kuśa; nāma — by name; mahātapāḥ — a great ascetic; vaidarbhyāṃ — upon a princess of Vidarbha (Vaidarbhī); janayām āsa — begot, engendered; caturaḥ — four; sadṛśān — resembling (him), like; sutān — sons
1.31.2
kuśāmbaṃ kuśanābhaṃ ca ādhūrta rajasaṃ vasum
dīptiyuktān mahotsāhān kṣatradharmacikīrṣayā
tān uvāca kuśaḥ putrān dharmiṣṭhān satyavādinaḥ
Kuśāmba, Kuśanābha, Ādhūrtarajasa, and Vasu — endowed with radiance and of great energy — those sons, most righteous and truthful, Kuśa addressed, wishing them to take up the kṣatriya's duty:
Words: kuśāmbaṃ — Kuśāmba; kuśanābhaṃ — Kuśanābha; ca — and; ādhūrta rajasaṃ — Ādhūrtarajasa; vasum — Vasu; dīptiyuktān — endowed with radiance; mahotsāhān — of great energy; kṣatradharmacikīrṣayā — out of a wish to practise the kṣatriya's duty; tān — those; uvāca — spoke to, addressed; kuśaḥ — Kuśa; putrān — sons; dharmiṣṭhān — most righteous; satyavādinaḥ — truthful, truth-speaking
1.31.3
kuśasya vacanaṃ śrutvā catvāro lokasaṃmatāḥ
niveśaṃ cakrire sarve purāṇāṃ nṛvarās tadā
Hearing Kuśa's words, the four, esteemed by the world, best of men, then all undertook the founding of cities.
Words: kuśasya — of Kuśa; vacanaṃ — words; śrutvā — having heard; catvāro — the four; lokasaṃmatāḥ — esteemed by the world; niveśaṃ — settlement, founding (of a city); cakrire — they made, undertook; sarve — all; purāṇāṃ — of cities; nṛvarās — best of men; tadā — then
1.31.4
kuśāmbas tu mahātejāḥ kauśāmbīm akarot purīm
kuśanābhas tu dharmātmā paraṃ cakre mahodayam
Kuśāmba of great splendour made the city Kauśāmbī; and the righteous Kuśanābha built the excellent Mahodaya.
Words: kuśāmbas — Kuśāmba; tu — and; mahātejāḥ — of great splendour; kauśāmbīm — Kauśāmbī; akarot — made; purīm — city; kuśanābhas — Kuśanābha; tu — and; dharmātmā — the righteous-souled; paraṃ — excellent, supreme; cakre — made, built; mahodayam — Mahodaya
1.31.5
ādhūrtarajaso rāma dharmāraṇyaṃ mahīpatiḥ
cakre puravaraṃ rājā vasuś cakre girivrajam
Ādhūrtarajasa, O Rāma, the lord of the earth, made the excellent city Dharmāraṇya; and King Vasu made Girivraja.
Words: ādhūrtarajaso — Ādhūrtarajasa; rāma — O Rāma; dharmāraṇyaṃ — Dharmāraṇya; mahīpatiḥ — the lord of the earth; cakre — made; puravaraṃ — the excellent city; rājā — the king; vasuś — Vasu; cakre — made; girivrajam — Girivraja
1.31.6
eṣā vasumatī rāma vasos tasya mahātmanaḥ
ete śailavarāḥ pañca prakāśante samantataḥ
This is Vasumatī, Rāma, the city of that great-souled Vasu; these five excellent mountains shine round about it.
Words: eṣā — this; vasumatī — Vasumatī; rāma — O Rāma; vasos — of Vasu; tasya — that; mahātmanaḥ — the great-souled; ete — these; śailavarāḥ — excellent mountains; pañca — five; prakāśante — shine, appear; samantataḥ — on all sides, round about
1.31.7
sumāgadhī nadī ramyā māgadhān viśrutāyayau
pañcānāṃ śailamukhyānāṃ madhye māleva śobhate
The lovely river Sumāgadhī, renowned, flowed forth into the lands of the Magadhas; amid the five chief mountains it glistens like a garland.
Words: sumāgadhī — Sumāgadhī; nadī — river; ramyā — lovely, delightful; māgadhān — into the Magadha lands; viśrutāyayau — renowned, (she) flowed forth; pañcānāṃ — of the five; śailamukhyānāṃ — of the chief mountains; madhye — in the midst; māleva — like a garland; śobhate — shines, is resplendent
1.31.8
saiṣā hi māgadhī rāma vasos tasya mahātmanaḥ
pūrvābhicaritā rāma sukṣetrā sasyamālinī
This indeed is the Māgadhī, Rāma, the river of that great-souled Vasu, coursing of old through his realm, its fields fertile, garlanded with crops.
Words: saiṣā — this very; hi — indeed; māgadhī — the Māgadhī (river); rāma — O Rāma; vasos — of Vasu; tasya — that; mahātmanaḥ — the great-souled; pūrvābhicaritā — coursing of old (through his region); rāma — O Rāma; sukṣetrā — with fertile fields; sasyamālinī — garlanded with crops
1.31.9
kuśanābhas tu rājarṣiḥ kanyāśatam anuttamam
janayām āsa dharmātmā ghṛtācyāṃ raghunandana
The royal seer Kuśanābha, righteous of soul, begot a peerless hundred daughters upon Ghṛtācī, O delight of the Raghus.
Words: kuśanābhas — Kuśanābha; tu — and; rājarṣiḥ — the royal seer; kanyāśatam — a hundred daughters; anuttamam — peerless; janayām āsa — begot, engendered; dharmātmā — righteous of soul; ghṛtācyāṃ — upon Ghṛtācī; raghunandana — O delight of the Raghus
1.31.10
tās tu yauvanaśālinyo rūpavatyaḥ svalaṃkṛtāḥ
udyānabhūmim āgamya prāvṛṣīva śatahradāḥ
And they, graced with youth, beautiful and well-adorned, coming to the garden-ground, were like flashes of lightning in the rainy season.
Words: tās — they; tu — and; yauvanaśālinyo — graced with youth; rūpavatyaḥ — beautiful, shapely; svalaṃkṛtāḥ — well-adorned; udyānabhūmim — the garden-ground; āgamya — having come to; prāvṛṣīva — as in the rainy season; śatahradāḥ — flashes of lightning
1.31.11
gāyantyo nṛtyamānāś ca vādayantyaś ca rāghava
āmodaṃ paramaṃ jagmur varābharaṇabhūṣitāḥ
Singing and dancing and playing music, O Rāghava, adorned with excellent ornaments, they came to the highest delight.
Words: gāyantyo — singing; nṛtyamānāś — dancing; ca — and; vādayantyaś — playing (instruments); ca — and; rāghava — O Rāghava; āmodaṃ — delight, joy; paramaṃ — supreme, highest; jagmur — they came to, attained; varābharaṇabhūṣitāḥ — adorned with excellent ornaments
1.31.12
atha tāś cārusarvāṅgyo rūpeṇāpratimā bhuvi
udyānabhūmim āgamya tārā iva ghanāntare
Then those maidens, lovely in every limb, unmatched in beauty on earth, having come to the garden-ground, (shone) like stars amid the clouds.
Words: atha — then; tāś — those; cārusarvāṅgyo — lovely in every limb; rūpeṇāpratimā — unmatched in beauty; bhuvi — on earth; udyānabhūmim — the garden-ground; āgamya — having come to; tārā — stars; iva — like; ghanāntare — amid the clouds
1.31.13
tāḥ sarvaguṇasaṃpannā rūpayauvanasaṃyutāḥ
dṛṣṭvā sarvātmako vāyur idaṃ vacanam abravīt
Seeing them, endowed with every excellence and possessed of beauty and youth, Vāyu, who dwells within all, spoke these words:
Words: tāḥ — them; sarvaguṇasaṃpannā — endowed with every virtue; rūpayauvanasaṃyutāḥ — possessed of beauty and youth; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; sarvātmako — pervading all, the soul of all; vāyur — Vāyu (the wind-god); idaṃ — this; vacanam — words; abravīt — spoke
1.31.14
ahaṃ vaḥ kāmaye sarvā bhāryā mama bhaviṣyatha
mānuṣas tyajyatāṃ bhāvo dīrgham āyur avāpsyatha
“I desire you all; you shall become my wives. Let your human condition be cast off, and you shall gain long life.”
Words: ahaṃ — I; vaḥ — you (pl.); kāmaye — I desire, love; sarvā — all; bhāryā — wives; mama — my; bhaviṣyatha — you shall become; mānuṣas — human; tyajyatāṃ — let it be cast off; bhāvo — state, condition; dīrgham — long; āyur — life, lifespan; avāpsyatha — you shall obtain, gain
1.31.15
tasya tad vacanaṃ śrutvā vāyor akliṣṭakarmaṇaḥ
apahāsya tato vākyaṃ kanyāśatam athābravīt
Hearing those words of Vāyu, of untiring deeds, the hundred maidens, laughing his speech aside, then said:
Words: tasya — his; tad vacanaṃ — those words; śrutvā — having heard; vāyor — of Vāyu; akliṣṭakarmaṇaḥ — of untiring, effortless deeds; apahāsya — having laughed aside, ridiculed; tato — then; vākyaṃ — the speech, words; kanyāśatam — the hundred maidens; athābravīt — then said
1.31.16
antaś carasi bhūtānāṃ sarveṣāṃ tvaṃ surottama
prabhāvajñāś ca te sarvāḥ kim asmān avamanyase
“You move within all beings, O best of gods; and we all know your power. Why do you slight us?
Words: antaś — within; carasi — you move, range; bhūtānāṃ — of beings; sarveṣāṃ — of all; tvaṃ — you; surottama — O best of gods; prabhāvajñāś — knowing (your) power; ca — and; te — your; sarvāḥ — all (we); kim — why; asmān — us; avamanyase — you slight, despise
1.31.17
kuśanābhasutāḥ sarvāḥ samarthās tvāṃ surottama
sthānāc cyāvayituṃ devaṃ rakṣāmas tu tapo vayam
We, all the daughters of Kuśanābha, are able, O best of gods, to hurl you, a god, from your station; but we keep guard over our austerity.
Words: kuśanābhasutāḥ — the daughters of Kuśanābha; sarvāḥ — all; samarthās — able, capable; tvāṃ — you; surottama — O best of gods; sthānāc — from (your) station; cyāvayituṃ — to cause to fall, dislodge; devaṃ — the god; rakṣāmas — we protect, guard; tu — but; tapo — austerity; vayam — we
1.31.18
mā bhūt sa kālo durmedhaḥ pitaraṃ satyavādinam
nāvamanyasva dharmeṇa svayaṃvaram upāsmahe
May that time never come, O dull-witted one! Do not, in defiance of dharma, insult our truth-speaking father; by his will we await the rite of self-choice.
Words: mā bhūt — may (it) never be; sa — that; kālo — time, occasion; durmedhaḥ — O dull-witted one; pitaraṃ — father; satyavādinam — truth-speaking; nāvamanyasva — do not slight, disregard; dharmeṇa — by dharma, righteously; svayaṃvaram — the self-choice (marriage rite); upāsmahe — we abide by, await
1.31.19
pitā hi prabhur asmākaṃ daivataṃ paramaṃ hi saḥ
yasya no dāsyati pitā sa no bhartā bhaviṣyati
For our father is our lord, and he is our highest deity; to whomever our father gives us, he shall become our husband.”
Words: pitā — father; hi — for, indeed; prabhur — lord, master; asmākaṃ — our; daivataṃ — deity, divinity; paramaṃ — highest, supreme; hi — indeed; saḥ — he; yasya — to whom; no — us; dāsyati — will give; pitā — father; sa — he; no — our; bhartā — husband, supporter; bhaviṣyati — will become
1.31.20
tāsāṃ tad vacanaṃ śrutvā vāyuḥ paramakopanaḥ
praviśya sarvagātrāṇi babhañja bhagavān prabhuḥ
Hearing those words of theirs, Vāyu, exceedingly enraged, the mighty lord, entered into all their limbs and bent them.
Words: tāsāṃ — their, of them; tad vacanaṃ — those words; śrutvā — having heard; vāyuḥ — Vāyu; paramakopanaḥ — exceedingly enraged; praviśya — having entered; sarvagātrāṇi — all (their) limbs; babhañja — broke, bent; bhagavān — the lord, venerable one; prabhuḥ — the mighty, master
1.31.21
tāḥ kanyā vāyunā bhagnā viviśur nṛpater gṛham
dṛṣṭvā bhagnās tadā rājā saṃbhrānta idam abravīt
Those maidens, bent double by Vāyu, entered the king's palace; and seeing them thus deformed, the king, alarmed, spoke thus:
Words: tāḥ — those; kanyā — maidens; vāyunā — by Vāyu; bhagnā — bent, deformed; viviśur — entered; nṛpater — of the king; gṛham — house, palace; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; bhagnās — (them) deformed; tadā — then; rājā — the king; saṃbhrānta — alarmed, agitated; idam — this; abravīt — said
1.31.22
kim idaṃ kathyatāṃ putryaḥ ko dharmam avamanyate
kubjāḥ kena kṛtāḥ sarvā veṣṭantyo nābhibhāṣatha
“What is this? Speak, my daughters! Who is it that spurns dharma? By whom have you all been made crooked? You writhe, yet you do not speak.”
Words: kim — what; idaṃ — this; kathyatāṃ — let it be told, speak; putryaḥ — O daughters; ko — who; dharmam — dharma; avamanyate — spurns, disregards; kubjāḥ — hunchbacked, crooked; kena — by whom; kṛtāḥ — made; sarvā — all; veṣṭantyo — writhing, twisting; nābhibhāṣatha — you do not speak
← 1.30 Departure for Mithilā and the camp beside the Śoṇā · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.32 Story of Kuśanābha: Brahmadatta restores the daughters →
Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.
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