← 1.31 Story of Kuśanābha: Vāyu disfigures the hundred daughters · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.33 Story of Kuśanābha: Gādhi’s birth and Viśvāmitra’s lineage →

Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 32: Story of Kuśanābha: Brahmadatta restores the daughters

Summary. Kuśanābha praises their restraint and arranges marriage to Brahmadatta, whose touch restores each sister as he takes her hand

Sequence

  1. The daughters bow and explain that Vāyu injured them when they told him to seek their father's permission (1.32.1–4)
  2. Kuśanābha praises their united restraint, calling patience an ornament of both women and men and a foundation of dharma → he consults his ministers about suitable marriages. Viśvāmitra introduces the man they will marry through a second story: the maharṣi Cūlī, an ūrdhvaretas (one who restrains his generative energy) is served devotedly by Somadā, a gandharva woman and daughter of Ūrmilā (1.32.5–13)
  3. pleased with her service, he offers her a reward (1.32.14–15)
  4. she praises Cūlī’s spiritual splendor and asks him for a righteous son endowed with brahmanical austerity, explaining that she has no husband → Cūlī grants her a mind-born son, Brahmadatta, who becomes King of Kāmpilyā (1.32.16–19)
  5. Kuśanābha chooses Brahmadatta for his daughters and summons him (1.32.20–21)
  6. as Brahmadatta takes each sister's hand in marriage, she is freed of her hunchback and affliction, and her beauty returns (1.32.22–23)
  7. Kuśanābha rejoices and sends the married company away with its teachers → Somadā happily welcomes her hundred daughters-in-law. (1.32.24–26)

Verses 1.32.1–26

1.32.1

tasya tad vacanaṃ śrutvā kuśanābhasya dhīmataḥ
śirobhiś caraṇau spṛṣṭvā kanyāśatam abhāṣata

Hearing those words of the wise Kuśanābha, the hundred maidens, touching his feet with their heads, spoke:

Words: tasya — his; tad vacanaṃ — those words; śrutvā — having heard; kuśanābhasya — of Kuśanābha; dhīmataḥ — the wise; śirobhiś — with (their) heads; caraṇau — the two feet; spṛṣṭvā — having touched; kanyāśatam — the hundred maidens; abhāṣata — spoke, said

1.32.2

vāyuḥ sarvātmako rājan pradharṣayitum icchati
aśubhaṃ mārgam āsthāya na dharmaṃ pratyavekṣate

“Vāyu, who pervades all, O king, wishes to violate us; taking to an unrighteous course, he has no regard for dharma.

Words: vāyuḥ — Vāyu; sarvātmako — pervading all; rājan — O king; pradharṣayitum — to assault, violate; icchati — wishes; aśubhaṃ — inauspicious, unrighteous; mārgam — path, course; āsthāya — having taken to, adopted; na — not; dharmaṃ — dharma; pratyavekṣate — regards, considers

1.32.3

pitṛmatyaḥ sma bhadraṃ te svacchande na vayaṃ sthitāḥ
pitaraṃ no vṛṇīṣva tvaṃ yadi no dāsyate tava

We are under a father's authority — blessings on you — we do not act at our own will; woo our father, if he will give us to you.

Words: pitṛmatyaḥ — under a father's authority, having a father; sma — indeed (particle); bhadraṃ — a blessing; te — to you; svacchande — at (our) own will; na — not; vayaṃ — we; sthitāḥ — stand, remain; pitaraṃ — father; no — our; vṛṇīṣva — woo, entreat, ask; tvaṃ — you; yadi — if; no — us; dāsyate — will give; tava — to you

1.32.4

tena pāpānubandhena vacanaṃ na pratīcchatā
evaṃ bruvantyaḥ sarvāḥ sma vāyunā nihatā bhṛṣam

By that one of persistent wickedness, who would not accept our words — as we were all speaking thus, we were sorely stricken by Vāyu.”

Words: tena — by that (one); pāpānubandhena — of persistent, attendant wickedness; vacanaṃ — words; na — not; pratīcchatā — accepting, heeding; evaṃ — thus; bruvantyaḥ — speaking (fem.); sarvāḥ — all; sma — indeed (particle); vāyunā — by Vāyu; nihatā — struck down, smitten; bhṛṣam — sorely, exceedingly

1.32.5

tāsāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā rājā paramadhārmikaḥ
pratyuvāca mahātejāḥ kanyāśatam anuttamam

Hearing those words of theirs, the exceedingly righteous king of great splendour replied to the peerless hundred maidens:

Words: tāsāṃ — their, of them; tadvacanaṃ — those words; śrutvā — having heard; rājā — the king; paramadhārmikaḥ — exceedingly righteous; pratyuvāca — replied; mahātejāḥ — of great splendour; kanyāśatam — the hundred maidens; anuttamam — peerless

1.32.6

kṣāntaṃ kṣamāvatāṃ putryaḥ kartavyaṃ sumahat kṛtam
aikamatyam upāgamya kulaṃ cāvekṣitaṃ mama

“Patience has been shown, my daughters; the great duty of the forbearing has been done; coming to a single accord, you have also had regard for my family.

Words: kṣāntaṃ — patience (has been shown), forbearance; kṣamāvatāṃ — of the patient, the forbearing; putryaḥ — O daughters; kartavyaṃ — the duty (to be done); sumahat — very great; kṛtam — done; aikamatyam — unanimity, single accord; upāgamya — having come to, attained; kulaṃ — family, lineage; cāvekṣitaṃ — and regarded, looked to; mama — my

1.32.7

alaṃkāro hi nārīṇāṃ kṣamā tu puruṣasya vā
duṣkaraṃ tac ca vaḥ kṣāntaṃ tridaśeṣu viśeṣataḥ

For patience is the ornament of women, and of a man as well; and that forbearance of yours is hard to achieve, especially toward the gods.

Words: alaṃkāro — ornament; hi — for, indeed; nārīṇāṃ — of women; kṣamā — patience, forbearance; tu — and, indeed; puruṣasya — of a man; vā — or, as well; duṣkaraṃ — hard to do; tac — that; ca — and; vaḥ — your; kṣāntaṃ — forbearance, patience; tridaśeṣu — toward the gods (the Thirty); viśeṣataḥ — especially, in particular

1.32.8

yādṛśīr vaḥ kṣamā putryaḥ sarvāsām aviśeṣataḥ
kṣamā dānaṃ kṣamā yajñaḥ kṣamā satyaṃ ca putrikāḥ

Such is the patience of you all, my daughters, without distinction. Patience is charity, patience is sacrifice, patience is truth, my little daughters;

Words: yādṛśīr — of such a kind, such as; vaḥ — your; kṣamā — patience; putryaḥ — O daughters; sarvāsām — of all; aviśeṣataḥ — without distinction, equally; kṣamā — patience (is); dānaṃ — charity, giving; kṣamā — patience (is); yajñaḥ — sacrifice; kṣamā — patience (is); satyaṃ — truth; ca — and; putrikāḥ — O little daughters

1.32.9

kṣamā yaśaḥ kṣamā dharmaḥ kṣamāyāṃ viṣṭhitaṃ jagat
visṛjya kanyāḥ kākutstha rājā tridaśavikramaḥ

patience is glory, patience is dharma; upon patience the world rests.” Having dismissed the maidens, O Kākutstha, the king, of god-like prowess,

Words: kṣamā — patience (is); yaśaḥ — glory, fame; kṣamā — patience (is); dharmaḥ — dharma; kṣamāyāṃ — on patience; viṣṭhitaṃ — rests, is established; jagat — the world; visṛjya — having dismissed, let go; kanyāḥ — the maidens; kākutstha — O Kākutstha; rājā — the king; tridaśavikramaḥ — of god-like prowess

1.32.10

mantrajño mantrayām āsa pradānaṃ saha mantribhiḥ
deśe kāle pradānasya sadṛśe pratipādanam

versed in counsel, took counsel with his ministers about their bestowal in marriage — the giving-away in a place and time befitting such a bestowal.

Words: mantrajño — versed in counsel; mantrayām āsa — took counsel, deliberated; pradānaṃ — the bestowal, giving (in marriage); saha — with; mantribhiḥ — with the ministers; deśe — in place; kāle — in time; pradānasya — of the bestowal; sadṛśe — befitting, suitable; pratipādanam — the giving-away, handing over

1.32.11

etasminn eva kāle tu cūlī nāma mahāmuniḥ
ūrdhvaretāḥ śubhācāro brāhmaṃ tapa upāgamat

At just this time a great sage named Cūlī — of upward-drawn seed, of pure conduct — was engaged in holy austerity.

Words: etasminn — at this; eva — very, just; kāle — time; tu — and; cūlī — Cūlī; nāma — by name; mahāmuniḥ — a great sage; ūrdhvaretāḥ — of upward-drawn seed, perfectly chaste; śubhācāro — of pure conduct; brāhmaṃ — holy, brahmanical; tapa — austerity, penance; upāgamat — engaged in, undertook

1.32.12

tapyantaṃ tam ṛṣiṃ tatra gandharvī paryupāsate
somadā nāma bhadraṃ te ūrmilā tanayā tadā

There, as that seer practised austerity, a gandharva woman waited upon him — Somadā by name, blessings on you, then the daughter of Ūrmilā.

Words: tapyantaṃ — practising austerity; tam — him; ṛṣiṃ — the seer; tatra — there; gandharvī — a gandharva woman; paryupāsate — attends upon, waits on; somadā — Somadā; nāma — by name; bhadraṃ — a blessing; te — to you; ūrmilā — of Ūrmilā; tanayā — daughter, offspring; tadā — then

1.32.13

sā ca taṃ praṇatā bhūtvā śuśrūṣaṇaparāyaṇā
uvāsa kāle dharmiṣṭhā tasyās tuṣṭo 'bhavad guruḥ

And she, becoming humble and wholly devoted to service, dwelt there in time, most dutiful; and the teacher was pleased with her.

Words: sā — she; ca — and; taṃ — him; praṇatā — humble, bowed down; bhūtvā — having become; śuśrūṣaṇaparāyaṇā — wholly devoted to service; uvāsa — dwelt; kāle — in time, in due course; dharmiṣṭhā — most dutiful, most righteous; tasyās — with her; tuṣṭo — pleased; 'bhavad — became; guruḥ — the teacher

1.32.14

sa ca tāṃ kālayogena provāca raghunandana
parituṣṭo 'smi bhadraṃ te kiṃ karomi tava priyam

And he, in the course of time, said to her, O delight of the Raghus: “I am well pleased — blessings on you — what may I do to please you?”

Words: sa — he; ca — and; tāṃ — to her; kālayogena — in the course of time; provāca — said, addressed; raghunandana — O delight of the Raghus; parituṣṭo 'smi — I am well pleased; bhadraṃ — a blessing; te — to you; kiṃ — what; karomi — shall I do; tava — your; priyam — pleasing (thing), favour

1.32.15

parituṣṭaṃ muniṃ jñātvā gandharvī madhurasvaram
uvāca paramaprītā vākyajñā vākyakovidam

Knowing the sage to be well pleased, the gandharva woman, exceedingly delighted and skilled in speech, spoke sweet-voiced to that master of words:

Words: parituṣṭaṃ — well pleased; muniṃ — the sage; jñātvā — having known; gandharvī — the gandharva woman; madhurasvaram — sweet-voiced, with sweet voice; uvāca — spoke; paramaprītā — exceedingly delighted; vākyajñā — skilled in speech (fem.); vākyakovidam — to (him) the master of words

1.32.16

lakṣmyā samudito brāhmyā brahmabhūto mahātapāḥ
brāhmeṇa tapasā yuktaṃ putram icchāmi dhārmikam

“Endowed with the splendour of Brahman, become Brahman-like, a great ascetic — from you I wish for a righteous son endowed with brahmanical power.

Words: lakṣmyā — with splendour, fortune; samudito — endowed, arisen; brāhmyā — brahmanical, of Brahman; brahmabhūto — become Brahman, Brahman-like; mahātapāḥ — a great ascetic; brāhmeṇa — with brahmanical; tapasā — austerity, spiritual power; yuktaṃ — endowed, joined; putram — a son; icchāmi — I wish for; dhārmikam — righteous

1.32.17

apatiś cāsmi bhadraṃ te bhāryā cāsmi na kasya cit
brāhmeṇopagatāyāś ca dātum arhasi me sutam

I have no husband — blessings on you — and I am no one's wife; and since I have come to you in a brahmanical (chaste) manner, you ought to grant me a son.”

Words: apatiś — husbandless; cāsmi — and I am; bhadraṃ — a blessing; te — to you; bhāryā — wife; cāsmi — and I am; na — not; kasya cit — of anyone; brāhmeṇopagatāyāś — and to (me) who have approached in a brahmanical way; ca — and; dātum — to give; arhasi — you ought; me — to me; sutam — a son

1.32.18

tasyāḥ prasanno brahmarṣir dadau putram anuttamam
brahmadatta iti khyātaṃ mānasaṃ cūlinaḥ sutam

Pleased with her, the brahmin-seer gave her a peerless son, known as Brahmadatta, a mind-born son of Cūlī.

Words: tasyāḥ — with her; prasanno — pleased, gracious; brahmarṣir — the brahmin-seer; dadau — gave; putram — a son; anuttamam — peerless; brahmadatta — Brahmadatta; iti — thus; khyātaṃ — known, named; mānasaṃ — mind-born, mental; cūlinaḥ — of Cūlī; sutam — son

1.32.19

sa rājā brahmadattas tu purīm adhyavasat tadā
kāmpilyāṃ parayā lakṣmyā devarājo yathā divam

And that King Brahmadatta then dwelt in the city Kāmpilyā in the highest splendour, as the king of the gods dwells in heaven.

Words: sa — that; rājā — king; brahmadattas — Brahmadatta; tu — and; purīm — city; adhyavasat — dwelt in, inhabited; tadā — then; kāmpilyāṃ — in Kāmpilyā; parayā — with the highest; lakṣmyā — splendour, fortune; devarājo — the king of the gods (Indra); yathā — as; divam — heaven

1.32.20

sa buddhiṃ kṛtavān rājā kuśanābhaḥ sudhārmikaḥ
brahmadattāya kākutstha dātuṃ kanyāśataṃ tadā

That most righteous King Kuśanābha then made up his mind, O Kākutstha, to give the hundred maidens to Brahmadatta.

Words: sa — that; buddhiṃ — a resolve, decision; kṛtavān — made, formed; rājā — the king; kuśanābhaḥ — Kuśanābha; sudhārmikaḥ — most righteous; brahmadattāya — to Brahmadatta; kākutstha — O Kākutstha; dātuṃ — to give; kanyāśataṃ — the hundred maidens; tadā — then

1.32.21

tam āhūya mahātejā brahmadattaṃ mahīpatiḥ
dadau kanyāśataṃ rājā suprītenāntarātmanā

Summoning that Brahmadatta, the king of the earth, of great splendour, gave him the hundred maidens with a well-pleased heart.

Words: tam — him; āhūya — having summoned, called; mahātejā — of great splendour; brahmadattaṃ — Brahmadatta; mahīpatiḥ — the lord of the earth; dadau — gave; kanyāśataṃ — the hundred maidens; rājā — the king; suprītenāntarātmanā — with a well-pleased heart

1.32.22

yathākramaṃ tataḥ pāṇiṃ jagrāha raghunandana
brahmadatto mahī pālas tāsāṃ devapatir yathā

Then, one after another, O delight of the Raghus, King Brahmadatta, the protector of the earth, took their hands in marriage, like the lord of the gods.

Words: yathākramaṃ — in due order, one after another; tataḥ — then; pāṇiṃ — the hand; jagrāha — took, grasped; raghunandana — O delight of the Raghus; brahmadatto — Brahmadatta; mahī pālas — protector of the earth; tāsāṃ — their, of them; devapatir — the lord of the gods (Indra); yathā — like, as

1.32.23

spṛṣṭamātre tataḥ pāṇau vikubjā vigatajvarāḥ
yuktāḥ paramayā lakṣmyā babhuḥ kanyāśataṃ tadā

Then, the moment their hands were touched, the hundred maidens, freed of their deformity and rid of their affliction, endowed with the highest beauty, shone forth.

Words: spṛṣṭamātre — the moment (the hand) was touched; tataḥ — then; pāṇau — on the hand (loc.); vikubjā — freed of crookedness, no longer hunchbacked; vigatajvarāḥ — rid of affliction, distress gone; yuktāḥ — endowed, joined; paramayā — the highest; lakṣmyā — beauty, splendour; babhuḥ — shone, appeared; kanyāśataṃ — the hundred maidens; tadā — then

1.32.24

sa dṛṣṭvā vāyunā muktāḥ kuśanābho mahīpatiḥ
babhūva paramaprīto harṣaṃ lebhe punaḥ punaḥ

Seeing them released from the affliction wrought by Vāyu, King Kuśanābha, lord of the earth, became exceedingly glad and rejoiced again and again.

Words: sa — he; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; vāyunā — by Vāyu; muktāḥ — released, freed; kuśanābho — Kuśanābha; mahīpatiḥ — the lord of the earth; babhūva — became; paramaprīto — exceedingly glad; harṣaṃ — joy; lebhe — obtained, felt; punaḥ punaḥ — again and again

1.32.25

kṛtodvāhaṃ tu rājānaṃ brahmadattaṃ mahīpatiḥ
sadāraṃ preṣayām āsa sopādhyāya gaṇaṃ tadā

When the marriage was done, the lord of the earth then sent off King Brahmadatta together with his wives and with his company of teachers.

Words: kṛtodvāhaṃ — having performed the marriage; tu — and; rājānaṃ — the king; brahmadattaṃ — Brahmadatta; mahīpatiḥ — the lord of the earth (Kuśanābha); sadāraṃ — together with his wives; preṣayām āsa — sent off, dispatched; sopādhyāya gaṇaṃ — with his company of teachers; tadā — then

1.32.26

somadāpi susaṃhṛṣṭā putrasya sadṛśīṃ kriyām
yathānyāyaṃ ca gandharvī snuṣās tāḥ pratyanandata

Somadā the gandharva woman too, greatly delighted, rejoiced at the rite befitting her son, duly performed, and welcomed those daughters-in-law with joy.

Words: somadāpi — Somadā too; susaṃhṛṣṭā — greatly delighted; putrasya — of her son; sadṛśīṃ — befitting, suitable; kriyām — the rite, ceremony; yathānyāyaṃ — according to rule, duly; ca — and; gandharvī — the gandharva woman; snuṣās — the daughters-in-law; tāḥ — those; pratyanandata — rejoiced at, welcomed with joy

← 1.31 Story of Kuśanābha: Vāyu disfigures the hundred daughters · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.33 Story of Kuśanābha: Gādhi’s birth and Viśvāmitra’s lineage →

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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