## Verse 1

तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा कुशनाभस्य धीमतः ।

शिरोभिः चरणौ स्पृष्ट्वा कन्या शतम् अभाषत ॥

Having heard the words of the wise Kushanabha, the hundred maidens touched his feet with their heads and spoke to him.

## Verse 2

वायुः सर्वात्मको राजन् प्रधर्षयितुम् इच्छति ।

अशुभं मार्गम् आस्थाय न धर्मं प्रत्यवेक्षते ॥

“O King, the all-pervading Vayu desired to dishonour us. Resorting to an improper course, he paid no regard to righteousness.”

## Verse 3

पितृमत्यः स्म भद्रं ते स्वच्छन्दे न वयं स्थिताः ।

पितरं नो वृणीष्व त्वं यदि नो दास्यते तव ॥

“We have a father, and we are not independent. May you be well. Ask our father for us, if he is willing to give us to you.”

## Verse 4

तेन पापानुबन्धेन वचनं न प्रतीच्छता ।

एवं ब्रुवन्त्यः सर्वाः स्म वायुना अभिहता भृशम् ॥

“Though we all spoke to him in this manner, that sinful Vayu did not heed our words and afflicted us severely.”

## Verse 5

तासां तु वचनं श्रुत्वा राजा परमधार्मिकः ।

प्रत्युवाच महातेजाः कन्या शतम् अनुत्तमम् ॥

Hearing the words of the maidens, the highly righteous and greatly radiant king replied to his hundred excellent daughters.

## Verse 6

क्षान्तं क्षमावतां पुत्र्यः कर्तव्यं सुमहत् कृतम् ।

ऐकमत्यम् उपागम्य कुलं च आवेक्षितं मम ॥

“O daughters, forgiveness is the duty of those who possess patience, and you have performed a great deed. By remaining united, you have preserved the honour of my family.”

## Verse 7

अलंकारो हि नारीणां क्षमा तु पुरुषस्य वा ।

दुष्करं तत् च वै क्षान्तं त्रिदशेषु विशेषतः ॥

“Forgiveness is indeed an ornament of women and also of men. Such forgiveness is difficult to attain, especially even among the gods.”

## Verse 8

यादृशीः वः क्षमा पुत्र्यः सर्वासाम् अविशेषतः ।

क्षमा दानं क्षमा सत्यं क्षमा यज्ञः च पुत्रिकाः ॥

“O daughters, the forgiveness possessed by all of you equally is extraordinary. Forgiveness is charity, forgiveness is truth, and forgiveness is sacrifice.”

## Verse 9

क्षमा यशः क्षमा धर्मः क्षमायां विष्ठितं जगत् ।

विसृज्य कन्याः काकुत्स्थ राजा त्रिदशविक्रमः ॥

“Forgiveness is glory, forgiveness is righteousness, and the entire world is established in forgiveness.” Having dismissed his daughters, the king whose valour equalled that of the gods proceeded further.

## Verse 10

मन्त्रज्ञो मन्त्रयामास प्रदानं सह मन्त्रिभिः ।

देशे काले च कर्तव्यं सदृशे प्रतिपादनम् ॥

The king, skilled in counsel, deliberated with his ministers about giving his daughters in marriage, considering the proper place, time, and a suitable bridegroom.

## Verse 11

एतस्मिन् एव काले तु चूली नाम महाद्युतिः ।

ऊर्ध्वरेताः शुभाचारो ब्राह्मं तप उपागमत् ॥

At that very time there was a greatly radiant sage named Chuli, of virtuous conduct, who practised strict Vedic austerities.

## Verse 12

तपस्यन्तम् ऋषिं तत्र गन्धर्वी पर्युपासते ।

सोमदा नाम भद्रं ते ऊर्मिला तनया तदा ॥

At that place, a Gandharva woman named Somada, daughter of Urmila, served the sage while he was engaged in austerities. May you be blessed.

## Verse 13

सा च तं प्रणता भूत्वा शुश्रूषणपरायणा ।

उवास काले धर्मिष्ठा तस्याः तुष्टो अभवत् गुरुः ॥

She remained there devoted to his service, humbly attending upon him with righteousness. After some time, the sage was pleased with her service.

## Verse 14

स च तां कालयोगेन प्रोवाच रघुनन्दन ।

परितुष्टोऽस्मि भद्रं ते किं करोमि तव प्रियम् ॥

“O delight of the Raghu dynasty, when the proper time came, the sage said to her: ‘I am completely pleased with you. May you be blessed. What may I do for your happiness?’”

## Verse 15

परितुष्टं मुनिं ज्ञात्वा गन्धर्वी मधुरस्वरम् ।

उवाच परमप्रीता वाक्यज्ञा वाक्यकोविदम् ॥

Knowing that the sage was pleased, the Gandharva woman, greatly delighted and skilled in speech, addressed the eloquent sage in a sweet voice.

## Verse 16

लक्ष्म्या समुदितो ब्राह्म्या ब्रह्मभूतो महातपाः ।

ब्राह्मेण तपसा युक्तं पुत्रम् इच्छामि धार्मिकम् ॥

“O great ascetic, endowed with the splendour of Brahman and established in Brahman, I desire a righteous son endowed with the power of Vedic austerity.”

## Verse 17

अपतिः चास्मि भद्रं ते भार्या चास्मि न कस्यचित् ।

ब्राह्मेण उपगतायाः च दातुम् अर्हसि मे सुतम् ॥

“I am unmarried and am the wife of no one. May you be blessed. Having come to you for refuge, you ought to grant me a son through the power of your austerity.”

## Verse 18

तस्याः प्रसन्नो ब्रह्मर्षिर् ददौ ब्राह्मम् अनुत्तमम् ।

ब्रह्मदत्त इति ख्यातं मानसंचूलिनः सुतम् ॥

The Brahmarshi, being pleased with her, bestowed upon her an excellent son born through his spiritual power. He was known as Brahmadatta, the mental son of Chuli.

## Verse 19

स राजा ब्रह्मदत्तस्तु पुरीम् अध्यवसत् तदा ।

काम्पिल्यां परया लक्ष्म्या देवराजो यथा दिवम् ॥

King Brahmadatta then dwelt in the city of Kampilya, endowed with supreme splendour, just as Indra dwells in heaven.

## Verse 20

स बुद्धिं कृतवान् राजा कुशनाभः सुधार्मिकः ।

ब्रह्मदत्ताय काकुत्स्थ दातुं कन्या शतं तदा ॥

Then the highly righteous King Kushanabha, O Rama of the Kakutstha dynasty, decided to give his hundred daughters in marriage to Brahmadatta.

## Verse 21

तम् आहूय महातेजा ब्रह्मदत्तं महीपतिः ।

ददौ कन्या शतं राजा सुप्रीतेन अन्तरात्मना ॥

The greatly radiant King Kushanabha invited King Brahmadatta and, with a deeply pleased heart, gave his hundred daughters to him in marriage.

## Verse 22

यथाक्रमं ततः पाणिं जग्राह रघुनन्दन ।

ब्रह्मदत्तो महीपालः तासां देवपतिर् यथा ॥

Then, O delight of the Raghu dynasty, King Brahmadatta took the hand of each maiden in succession, according to the marriage rite, like the lord of the gods.

## Verse 23

स्पृष्टमात्रे ततः पाणौ विकुब्जा विगतज्वराः ।

युक्ताः परमया लक्ष्म्या बभौ कन्या शतं तदा ॥

As soon as he touched their hands, the hundred maidens were freed from their deformity and distress. Endowed with supreme beauty, they shone brilliantly.

## Verse 24

स दृष्ट्वा वायुना मुक्ताः कुशनाभो महीपतिः ।

बभूव परमप्रीतो हर्षं लेभे पुनः पुनः ॥

Seeing that his daughters had been freed from the effect of Vayu, King Kushanabha became exceedingly delighted and experienced joy again and again.

## Verse 25

कृतोद्वाहं तु राजानं ब्रह्मदत्तं महीपतिः ।

सदारं प्रेषयामास सोपाध्यायगणं तदा ॥

After the marriage had been completed, King Kushanabha sent King Brahmadatta away together with his wives and the assembly of teachers.

## Verse 26

सोमदाऽपि सुसंहृष्टा पुत्रस्य सदृशीं क्रियाम् ।

यथान्यायं च गन्धर्वी स्नुषास्ताः प्रत्यनन्दत ॥

स्पृष्ट्वा स्पृष्ट्वा च ताः कन्याः कुशनाभं प्रशस्य च ॥

Somada, the Gandharva woman, was greatly delighted on seeing her son and his worthy conduct. According to the proper custom, she welcomed and blessed those daughters-in-law, repeatedly embracing and touching them, and praised Kushanabha.

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे त्रयस्त्रिंशः सर्गः ।

Thus ends the thirty-third Sarga of the Bala Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana, the original epic.