← 1.32 Story of Kuśanābha: Brahmadatta restores the daughters · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.34 Story of Gaṅgā & Umā: Himavat’s two daughters →
Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 33: Story of Kuśanābha: Gādhi’s birth and Viśvāmitra’s lineage
Summary. Kuśanābha obtains Gādhi through sacrifice, Viśvāmitra identifies Gādhi as his father and recounts Satyavatī’s transformation into the river Kauśikī
Sequence
- After the daughters' marriage, the still-sonless Kuśanābha performs a rite for offspring (1.33.1)
- his father Kuśa appears during the sacrifice and promises him a righteous son named Gādhi, then returns to Brahmā's world (1.33.2–4)
- Gādhi is born → Viśvāmitra identifies him as his own father and explains that descent from Kuśa makes him a Kauśika (1.33.5–6)
- he describes his elder sister Satyavatī, wife of Ṛcīka, who followed her husband bodily to heaven and became the sacred river Kauśikī (1.33.7–9)
- affection for her leads him to dwell near the Himālaya → he left that region for his observance at Siddhāśrama, now successfully completed through Rāma's help. Viśvāmitra closes the family history and urges sleep so the journey will not be delayed (1.33.10–14)
- he describes the still trees, resting animals, dark quarters, star-filled sky, rising moon, and roaming creatures of the night (1.33.15–18)
- the ṛṣis praise his account → Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, filled with wonder, also praise him and settle to sleep. (1.33.19–20)
Verses 1.33.1–20
1.33.1
kṛtodvāhe gate tasmin brahmadatte ca rāghava
aputraḥ putralābhāya pautrīm iṣṭim akalpayat
When that Brahmadatta, his marriage accomplished, had departed, O Rāghava, Kuśanābha, being sonless, arranged an offspring-producing sacrifice to obtain a son.
Words: kṛtodvāhe — his marriage accomplished; gate tasmin brahmadatte — when that Brahmadatta had departed; ca — and; rāghava — O Rāghava; aputraḥ — sonless; putralābhāya — for the obtaining of a son; pautrīm — offspring-producing (for progeny); iṣṭim — a sacrifice, offering; akalpayat — arranged, prepared
1.33.2
iṣṭyāṃ tu vartamānāyāṃ kuśanābhaṃ mahīpatim
uvāca paramaprītaḥ kuśo brahmasutas tadā
As the sacrifice was proceeding, Kuśa, the son of Brahmā, then, exceedingly pleased, said to King Kuśanābha, lord of the earth:
Words: iṣṭyāṃ — in the sacrifice (loc.); tu — and; vartamānāyāṃ — proceeding, going on (loc. abs.); kuśanābhaṃ — Kuśanābha; mahīpatim — the lord of the earth; uvāca — said; paramaprītaḥ — exceedingly pleased; kuśo — Kuśa; brahmasutas — the son of Brahmā; tadā — then
1.33.3
putras te sadṛśaḥ putra bhaviṣyati sudhārmikaḥ
gādhiṃ prāpsyasi tena tvaṃ kīrtiṃ loke ca śāśvatīm
“A son like yourself, most righteous, shall be born to you, my son; you shall obtain Gādhi, and through him everlasting fame in the world.”
Words: putras — a son; te — to you; sadṛśaḥ — resembling (you), like; putra — O son; bhaviṣyati — will be, be born; sudhārmikaḥ — most righteous; gādhiṃ — Gādhi; prāpsyasi — you shall obtain; tena — through him; tvaṃ — you; kīrtiṃ — fame, glory; loke — in the world; ca — and; śāśvatīm — everlasting
1.33.4
evam uktvā kuśo rāma kuśanābhaṃ mahīpatim
jagāmākāśam āviśya brahmalokaṃ sanātanam
Having spoken thus to King Kuśanābha, O Rāma, Kuśa entered the sky and went to the eternal world of Brahmā.
Words: evam — thus; uktvā — having said; kuśo — Kuśa; rāma — O Rāma; kuśanābhaṃ — Kuśanābha; mahīpatim — the lord of the earth; jagāmākāśam — went, into the sky; āviśya — having entered; brahmalokaṃ — the world of Brahmā; sanātanam — eternal, everlasting
1.33.5
kasya cit tv atha kālasya kuśanābhasya dhīmataḥ
jajñe paramadharmiṣṭho gādhir ity eva nāmataḥ
Then, after some time, to the wise Kuśanābha was born a most righteous son, Gādhi by name.
Words: kasya cit — of some (time); tv — and; atha — then; kālasya — of time; kuśanābhasya — to Kuśanābha; dhīmataḥ — the wise; jajñe — was born; paramadharmiṣṭho — most righteous; gādhir — Gādhi; ity — thus; eva — indeed; nāmataḥ — by name
1.33.6
sa pitā mama kākutstha gādhiḥ paramadhārmikaḥ
kuśavaṃśaprasūto 'smi kauśiko raghunandana
That most righteous Gādhi was my father, O Kākutstha; I am born of the line of Kuśa, a Kauśika, O delight of the Raghus.
Words: sa — that; pitā — father; mama — my; kākutstha — O Kākutstha; gādhiḥ — Gādhi; paramadhārmikaḥ — most righteous; kuśavaṃśaprasūto 'smi — I am born of the line of Kuśa; kauśiko — a Kauśika (descendant of Kuśa); raghunandana — O delight of the Raghus
1.33.7
pūrvajā bhaginī cāpi mama rāghava suvratā
nāmnā satyavatī nāma ṛcīke pratipāditā
And I have an elder sister, O Rāghava, of firm vows, Satyavatī by name; she was given in marriage to Ṛcīka.
Words: pūrvajā — elder-born, elder; bhaginī — sister; cāpi — and also; mama — my; rāghava — O Rāghava; suvratā — of firm vows; nāmnā — by name; satyavatī — Satyavatī; nāma — by name; ṛcīke — to Ṛcīka; pratipāditā — given (in marriage), bestowed
1.33.8
saśarīrā gatā svargaṃ bhartāram anuvartinī
kauśikī paramodārā sā pravṛttā mahānadī
Following her husband, she went to heaven in her very body; and that most noble one flowed forth as the great river Kauśikī.
Words: saśarīrā — in her own body, bodily; gatā — went; svargaṃ — to heaven; bhartāram — husband; anuvartinī — following, faithful to; kauśikī — as the Kauśikī (river); paramodārā — most noble; sā — she; pravṛttā — flowed forth, arose; mahānadī — the great river
1.33.9
divyā puṇyodakā ramyā himavantam upāśritā
lokasya hitakāmārthaṃ pravṛttā bhaginī mama
Divine, of holy waters, lovely, resting against the Himālaya, my sister flowed forth for the welfare and good of the world.
Words: divyā — divine; puṇyodakā — of holy water; ramyā — lovely, delightful; himavantam — the Himālaya; upāśritā — resting on, leaning against; lokasya — of the world; hitakāmārthaṃ — for the sake of (its) welfare and good; pravṛttā — flowed forth, set in motion; bhaginī — sister; mama — my
1.33.10
tato 'haṃ himavatpārśve vasāmi niyataḥ sukham
bhaginyāḥ snehasaṃyuktaḥ kauśikyā raghunandana
Therefore I dwell contentedly and self-controlled on the flank of the Himālaya, bound by affection for my sister Kauśikī, O delight of the Raghus.
Words: tato — therefore, then; 'haṃ — I; himavatpārśve — on the flank of the Himālaya; vasāmi — I dwell; niyataḥ — self-controlled, restrained; sukham — happily, at ease; bhaginyāḥ — for (my) sister; snehasaṃyuktaḥ — bound by affection; kauśikyā — with Kauśikī; raghunandana — O delight of the Raghus
1.33.11
sā tu satyavatī puṇyā satye dharme pratiṣṭhitā
pativratā mahābhāgā kauśikī saritāṃ varā
And that holy Satyavatī, established in truth and dharma, devoted to her husband, greatly blessed, became Kauśikī, the best of rivers.
Words: sā — she, that; tu — and; satyavatī — Satyavatī; puṇyā — holy; satye — in truth; dharme — in dharma; pratiṣṭhitā — established, firmly set; pativratā — devoted to her husband; mahābhāgā — greatly blessed, illustrious; kauśikī — Kauśikī; saritāṃ — of rivers; varā — the best
1.33.12
ahaṃ hi niyamād rāma hitvā tāṃ samupāgataḥ
siddhāśramam anuprāpya siddho 'smi tava tejasā
For I, O Rāma, out of my discipline, left her and came here; and having reached Siddhāśrama, I have attained my end through your might.
Words: ahaṃ — I; hi — for, indeed; niyamād — out of discipline, from a vow; rāma — O Rāma; hitvā — having left, abandoned; tāṃ — her; samupāgataḥ — come, arrived; siddhāśramam — Siddhāśrama; anuprāpya — having reached, attained; siddho 'smi — I have succeeded, am accomplished; tava — your; tejasā — by (your) might, energy
1.33.13
eṣā rāma mamotpattiḥ svasya vaṃśasya kīrtitā
deśasya ca mahābāho yan māṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi
This, Rāma, is the account I have given of my own origin and lineage, and of the region, O mighty-armed one, about which you asked me.
Words: eṣā — this; rāma — O Rāma; mamotpattiḥ — my origin; svasya — of my own; vaṃśasya — lineage, family; kīrtitā — declared, related; deśasya — of the region; ca — and; mahābāho — O mighty-armed one; yan — which, in that; māṃ — me; tvaṃ — you; paripṛcchasi — you ask
1.33.14
gato 'rdharātraḥ kākutstha kathāḥ kathayato mama
nidrām abhyehi bhadraṃ te mā bhūd vighno 'dhvanīha naḥ
Midnight has passed, O Kākutstha, as I have been telling these tales; go to sleep — blessings on you — let there be no hindrance to our journey here.
Words: gato — gone, passed; 'rdharātraḥ — midnight; kākutstha — O Kākutstha; kathāḥ — tales, stories; kathayato — as (I) tell; mama — of me, my; nidrām — sleep; abhyehi — go to, approach; bhadraṃ — a blessing; te — to you; mā bhūd — let there not be; vighno — hindrance, obstacle; 'dhvanīha — here on the way; naḥ — for us, our
1.33.15
niṣpandās taravaḥ sarve nilīnā mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ
naiśena tamasā vyāptā diśaś ca raghunandana
All the trees are motionless, the beasts and birds have settled to rest, and the quarters are wrapped in the darkness of night, O delight of the Raghus.
Words: niṣpandās — motionless, still; taravaḥ — trees; sarve — all; nilīnā — hidden away, settled to rest; mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ — beasts and birds; naiśena — of the night, nocturnal; tamasā — with darkness; vyāptā — pervaded, wrapped; diśaś — the quarters, directions; ca — and; raghunandana — O delight of the Raghus
1.33.16
śanair viyujyate saṃdhyā nabho netrair ivāvṛtam
nakṣatratārāgahanaṃ jyotirbhir avabhāsate
Slowly the twilight fades; the sky, as if covered with eyes, dense with constellations and stars, shines with its lights.
Words: śanair — slowly, gradually; viyujyate — is disjoined, fades away; saṃdhyā — the twilight; nabho — the sky; netrair — with eyes; ivāvṛtam — as if covered; nakṣatratārāgahanaṃ — dense with constellations and stars; jyotirbhir — with lights, luminaries; avabhāsate — shines, glows
1.33.17
uttiṣṭhati ca śītāṃśuḥ śaśī lokatamonudaḥ
hlādayan prāṇināṃ loke manāṃsi prabhayā vibho
And the cool-rayed moon rises, dispeller of the world's darkness, gladdening with its light the hearts of living beings in the world, O lord.
Words: uttiṣṭhati — rises; ca — and; śītāṃśuḥ — the cool-rayed (moon); śaśī — the moon; lokatamonudaḥ — dispeller of the world's darkness; hlādayan — gladdening, delighting; prāṇināṃ — of living beings; loke — in the world; manāṃsi — the hearts, minds; prabhayā — with (its) light; vibho — O lord, mighty one
1.33.18
naiśāni sarvabhūtāni pracaranti tatas tataḥ
yakṣarākṣasasaṃghāś ca raudrāś ca piśitāśanāḥ
All the creatures of the night roam here and there, and the throngs of yakṣas and rākṣasas, fierce and flesh-eating.
Words: naiśāni — nocturnal, of the night; sarvabhūtāni — all creatures; pracaranti — roam, move about; tatas tataḥ — here and there; yakṣarākṣasasaṃghāś — throngs of yakṣas and rākṣasas; ca — and; raudrāś — fierce, dreadful; ca — and; piśitāśanāḥ — flesh-eating
1.33.19
evam uktvā mahātejā virarāma mahāmuniḥ
sādhu sādhv iti taṃ sarve munayo hy abhyapūjayan
Having spoken thus, the great sage of great splendour fell silent; and all the sages honoured him, crying “Well done, well done!”
Words: evam — thus; uktvā — having said; mahātejā — of great splendour; virarāma — ceased, fell silent; mahāmuniḥ — the great sage; sādhu — well (done); sādhv — well; iti — thus (saying); taṃ — him; sarve — all; munayo — the sages; hy — indeed; abhyapūjayan — honoured, worshipped
1.33.20
rāmo 'pi saha saumitriḥ kiṃ cid āgatavismayaḥ
praśasya muniśārdūlaṃ nidrāṃ samupasevate
Rāma too, together with Saumitri, somewhat wonder-struck, having praised the tiger among sages, gave himself to sleep.
Words: rāmo 'pi — Rāma too; saha — together with; saumitriḥ — Saumitri (Lakṣmaṇa); kiṃ cid — somewhat, a little; āgatavismayaḥ — filled with wonder, wonder-struck; praśasya — having praised; muniśārdūlaṃ — the tiger among sages; nidrāṃ — sleep; samupasevate — resorts to, gives himself to
← 1.32 Story of Kuśanābha: Brahmadatta restores the daughters · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.34 Story of Gaṅgā & Umā: Himavat’s two 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.
Plain text: /text/1/33.md · JSON: /data/1/33.json