Bal Kanda
Narration
Chapter Thirty-Two
Describing the four sons of Brahma’s son Kuśa, identifying the land along the Kāśikā river as Vasu’s region, and narrating how Kuśanābha’s hundred daughters were deformed by the anger of the Wind-god.
Viśvāmitra said, “O Śrī Rāma, in ancient times, there was a great ascetic king named Kuśa. He was a direct son of Brahmā. Every vow and resolution of his was fulfilled without any difficulty. He knew dharma, honored the noble, and was a great man. A princess of Vidarbha, born in a noble lineage, was his wife.
From her womb, that noble king had four sons who were all like himself. Their names were: Kuśāmba, Kuśanābha, Asūtarajas, and Vasu. All of them were radiant and full of great enthusiasm.
King Kuśa, wishing to uphold the kṣatriya duty of protecting the people, said to his righteous and truthful sons, ‘My sons, protect the subjects. By this, you will gain the complete fruit of dharma.’
Hearing their father’s words, all four princes—ornaments of the world—built separate cities for themselves.
The mighty Kuśāmba built Kauśāmbī, known today as Kosam.
The righteous Kuśanābha built a city named Mahodayā.
The intelligent Asūtarajas founded the excellent city Dharmāraṇya.
And King Vasu established the city Girivraja.
The capital built by the noble Vasu became famous as Vasumatī. Around it stood five beautiful mountains.
The charming Son river, flowing from the southwest, enters the land of Magadha; for this reason, it became known as Sumāgadhī. Like a garland strung between those five mountains, it flows beautifully. This river, famous as Māgadhī, is connected with that great King Vasu.
O Rāma, flowing from the southwest toward the northeast and south, its banks are filled with fertile fields. Always adorned with green crops, it looks like strings of fresh grain.
Rāghava, the righteous Kuśanābha had a hundred excellent daughters from the apsarā Ghṛtācī. All were beautiful and graceful. As they grew, their beauty and youth blossomed even more.
One day, dressed in fine garments and ornaments, these princesses went to the royal garden. Like clusters of lightning seen in the rainy season, they shone brilliantly. Wearing lovely jewels, they sang, played instruments, and danced joyfully. Their limbs were charming, and no beauty on earth could compare with theirs.
In the garden, they looked like stars partially hidden behind clouds. Seeing these young maidens—perfect in qualities, beauty, and youth—the Wind-god spoke to them:
‘O beautiful ones, I desire to take you all as my beloveds. Become my wives. Give up your human state and accept me. Then, like celestial maidens, you will gain long life. Youth in a human body never lasts; it fades every moment. By uniting with me, you will attain unfading youth and immortality.’
Hearing this, the hundred maidens laughed scornfully and said:
‘Lord of the winds, you dwell within all beings as the life-breath; you know everyone’s thoughts. Surely you already know that none of us feel any attachment toward you. We know your excellence, yet we do not love you. Why then do you insult us with such improper words?
We are daughters of King Kuśanābha. Even though you are a god, we could curse you and cast you down from your divine position, but we will not, for we maintain our tapas.
May such a time never come when we disobey our truthful father and, driven by desire, choose husbands on our own. Our father holds authority over us. Whoever he gives us to—he will be our husband.’
Hearing their words, the Wind-god became extremely angry. Entering their bodies, he twisted all their limbs, bending their forms. Their bodies curved like tight knots, making them hunchbacked. Terrified, they became distressed.
Thus deformed by the Wind-god, the maidens entered the palace. Filled with shame and sorrow, tears streamed from their eyes. Seeing his beloved daughters in such a pitiable condition, King Kuśanābha was shocked.
He said, ‘My daughters, what has happened? Tell me, who has violated dharma? Who made you crooked like this and caused such suffering, while you remain silent?’ The king sighed deeply and waited for their reply.
King Kuśanābha praises the patience and forgiveness of his daughters. Brahmadatta’s birth and the marriage of Kuśanābha’s daughters to him.
Hearing their father’s words, the hundred daughters bowed to his feet and said:
‘O King, the ever-roaming Wind-god approached us on an unrighteous path. He sought to violate us. He had no regard for dharma. We said, “O Deva, our father is alive. We are not free. Go to him and ask for us. If he gives us to you, we will be yours.”
But his mind was bound by sin. Ignoring our words, he harmed us greatly and pained us without any fault of ours.’
Hearing this, the righteous and radiant king replied:
‘Daughters, only the truly noble can forgive—and you too have shown such forgiveness. You upheld the honor of our lineage and did not allow desire into your hearts. This is a great deed.
For both women and men, forgiveness is the true ornament. The level of patience you all have shown is difficult even for gods. Forgiveness is charity, forgiveness is truth, forgiveness is sacrifice, forgiveness is fame, forgiveness is dharma.
Upon forgiveness this entire world stands.’
After speaking thus, the king allowed them to return to the inner chambers and began consulting with his ministers about their marriage—deciding where, when, and with whom they should be given.
At that time, a great ascetic named Cūli, a celibate muni observing severe Vedic austerities, lived nearby. A gandharva maiden named Somadā, daughter of Ūrmilā, served him with devotion, seeking his grace. Because she served him faithfully, the sage was pleased.
One day, Cūli said to her:
‘O blessed one, I am greatly pleased with you. Tell me—what favor shall I grant you?’
Knowing he was pleased, and skilled in speech, she replied sweetly:
‘O sage, you are filled with Brahman’s radiance. I desire a son endowed with Brahmanic strength and Vedic austerity. I have no husband, nor will I take one. I serve only you. Please grant me a son through your spiritual power.’
Pleased with her service, the sage granted her a son born of his mental resolve—a mind-born son named Brahmadatta.
During this time, when King Kuśanābha was considering his daughters’ marriage, Brahmadatta, endowed with great fortune, lived in Kāmpilya just as Indra dwells in Amarāvatī.
Then the righteous King Kuśanābha decided to give his hundred daughters in marriage to Brahmadatta. He summoned the king and happily gave all his daughters to him.
Brahmadatta accepted each princess in marriage. At the moment their hands touched his during the wedding ritual, all the maidens were instantly freed from their deformity and became healthy, radiant, and beautiful again. The Wind-god, who had afflicted them with disease, released them.
Seeing this, King Kuśanābha rejoiced greatly. After the wedding, Brahmadatta returned home with his brides and priests. Gandharvī Somadā embraced each princess lovingly, honored King Kuśanābha, and departed.
Chapter Thirty-Four
The birth of Gādhi, the glory of the Kauśikī river, and Viśvāmitra ending the story and describing midnight before sleeping.
After Brahmadatta departed, the childless King Kuśanābha performed a putreṣṭi yajña to obtain a worthy son. During the sacrifice, the generous Brahma-born King Kuśa appeared and said to Kuśanābha:
‘My son, you will get a son as righteous as yourself. He will be named Gādhi. Through him, you will gain everlasting fame.’
Saying this, Kuśa ascended into the sky and returned to Brahmaloka. After some time, a righteous son named Gādhi was born to King Kuśanābha.
“O Rāma,” said Viśvāmitra, “that righteous King Gādhi was my father. Since I was born in the line of Kuśa, I am known as Kauśika.
I had an elder sister named Satyavatī, dedicated to noble vows. She was married to the sage Ṛcīka. Following her husband, she ascended bodily to heaven. She became the divine river Kauśikī, flowing upon this earth for the welfare of the world.
Because of my deep love for my sister, I live happily near the Himalayas on her banks with discipline. She is pure, established in truth, and a blessed, devoted woman—now present as the sacred river Kauśikī.
I left her side only to perfect the vows connected with the yajña, and came to Siddhāśrama, near modern-day Buxar. Now, O mighty Rāma, through your power I have attained that perfection.
In answering your question, I have described the land along the Kṣemā-bhadrā river and narrated my own lineage.”
Then Viśvāmitra said, “Half the night has passed while I was speaking. Now sleep for a while. Excessive wakefulness may hinder our journey.
The trees stand still without a single leaf moving. Birds and animals have retreated to their shelters. Darkness has covered all directions. Twilight has gone. The sky is filled with stars and constellations, shining like Indra’s thousand radiant eyes.
The cool-rayed moon is rising, gladdening the minds of beings. Spirits, yakṣas, rākṣasas, and fearsome piśācas wander about at night.”
Having said this, the great sage fell silent. All the sages praised Viśvāmitra, saying, “The Kuśa lineage has always been devoted to great dharma. The Kuśa dynasty’s sages have been brilliant like Brahmā himself. Among them, O Viśvāmitra, you are the greatest.”
Pleased by their praise, Viśvāmitra fell asleep like the setting sun. Hearing the story, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa also admired the sage and then went to sleep.