बालकांड
द्वात्रिंशस्सर्गः

ब्रह्मयोनिर्महानासीत् कुशो नाम महातपाः ।
अक्लिष्टव्रत धर्मज्ञः सज्जन प्रतिपूजकः ॥

Born out of wish of Brahma, there was a great soul by name Kusa known for his great penance . He is one who knows all rites in performing difficult rituals . He was also worshipping all great persons.

समहात्मा कुलीनायां युक्तायां सुगुणोल्बणान् ।
वैदर्भ्यां जनयामास चतुर स्सदृशान् सुतान् ॥
कुशांबं कुशनाभं च अधूर्त रजसं वसुम् ।
दीप्तियुक्तान् महोत्साहान् क्षत्रधर्मचिकीर्षया॥

That great soul had four sons through his wife Vaidarbhi who is from a great lineage and endowed with all excellences. The four sons named Kusaambu, Kusanaabha, Adhurta Rajasa and Vasu are adorned with good character and are accomplished in all respects as befits the parents.

तानुवाच कुशः पुत्रान् धर्मिष्टान् सत्यवादिनः ।
क्रियतां पालनं पुत्त्रा धर्मं प्राप्स्यत पुष्कलम् ॥
कुशस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा चत्वारो लोकसम्मताः ।
निवेशं चक्रिरे सर्वे पुराणां नृपरास्तदा ॥

'Then Kusa told the sons who were followers of truth and right conduct as follows." O Sons ! Rule the kingdom always following the righteous path". Hearing those words of Kusa the four sons who are loved by the people built four cities to set up their residence'.

कुशांबस्तु महातेजाः कौशांबीम् अकरोत् पुरीम्।
कुशनाभस्तु धर्मात्मा पुरं चक्रे महोदयम् ॥
अधूर्त रजसो राम धर्मारण्यं महीपतिः ।
चक्रे पुरवरं राजा वसुश्चक्रे गिरिव्रजम् ॥
एषावसुमती राम वसोस्तस्य महात्मनः ।
एते शैलवराः पंच प्रकाशंते समंततः ॥

'The great Kusambu built a city by name "Kausambi", the righteous Kuasanabha built a city by name "Mahodaya", then Adhurta Rajasa built a city by name "Dharmaranyam" and Vasu built "Girivraja". O Rama ! This is the land ruled by Vasu. Five mountains are shining around this place'.

सुमागधी नदी रम्या मगधान् विश्रुता ययौ ।
पंचानां शैलमुख्यानां मध्ये मालेव शोभते ॥
सैषा हि मागधी राम वसोस्तस्य महात्मनः ।
पुर्वाभिचरिता राम सुक्षेत्रा सस्यमालिनी ॥

' A river by name "Sumagadhi", flowing around the beautiful city of Magadha between the five mountains, shines like a garland. This river of Magadha flowing from east to west renders all the lands fertile and full of riches'.

कुशनाभस्तु राजर्षिः कन्याशतमनुत्तमम् ।
जनयामास धर्मात्मा घृताच्यां रघुनंदन ॥

'O Scion of Raghu ! Kusanabha who is known as Rajarshi got hundred very good daughters through his wife by name "Ghrutachi"

तास्तुयौवनशालिन्यो रूपवत्यः स्वलंकृताः ।
उद्यानभूमि मागम्य प्रावृषीव शतह्रदाः ॥
गायंत्यो नृत्यमानाश्च वादयंत्यश्च सर्वशः ।
आमोदं परमं जग्मुः वराभरण भूषिताः ॥
अथ ताश्चारुसर्वांग्यो रूपेणा प्रतिमाभुवि ।
उद्यानभूमि मागम्य तारा इव घनांतरे ॥

' All of them rich with form and youth dressed them selves and came to the garden shining with the brightness of a lightning in the rainy season. Having decorated them selves with jewels of excellence, they were enjoying themselves with songs and dances and were delighted. The beautiful ladies enriched with beautiful form came to that garden and were shining like the stars in the middle of clouds'.

ताः सर्वगुणसंपन्ना रूपयौव्वन संयुताः ।
दृष्ट्वा सर्वात्मको वायुः इदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥
अहं वयः कामये सर्वा भार्या मम भविष्यथ ।
चलं हि यौवनं प्राप्ता अमर्यश्च भविष्यथ ।
मानुषस्त्वजतां भावो दीर्घमायुरवाप्स्यथ ॥
चलं हि यौवनं नित्यं मानुषेशु विशेषतः ।
अक्षय्यं यौवनं प्राप्ता अमर्यश्च भविष्यथ ॥

'Seeing them endowed with beautiful form and youth and all other excellences Vayu, the wind God spoke them as follows. " I want you all. All of you become my wives. The youth you have is temporary. You can become free of death. Leave the human form. And attain long life. The transient youth is a definite part of human life. You can attain eternal youth and be free of death"

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा वायोरक्लिष्ट कर्मणः ।
अपहास्य ततो वाक्यं कन्या शतमथाsब्रवीत् ॥
अंतश्चरति भूतानां सर्वेषाम् त्वं सुरोत्तम ।
प्रभावज्ञः स्म ते सर्वाः किमस्मानवमन्यसे ॥
कुशनाभसुताः सर्वाः समर्थास्त्वां सुरोत्तम ।
स्थानात् च्यावयितुं देवं रक्षामस्तु तपोवयम् ॥

Hearing those words of Vayu who can accomplish difficult tasks , the hundred daughters spoke as follows." O best Sura's ! You move about in all beings as life form. We know your powers. Why are you insulting us. We are daughters of Kusanabha. O best of Suras ! We have the capability to remove you from your position. But to save the riches of our penance we will not do that"

माभूत् स कालो दुर्मेथः पितरं सत्यवादिनम् ।
नावमन्यस्व धर्मेण स्वयंवरमुपास्महे ॥
पिताहि प्रभुरस्माकं दैवतं परमं हि नः ।
यस्य नो दास्यति पिता स नो भर्ता भविष्यति ॥

"Oh Person of wrong thoughts! Our father is a follower of truth. You cannot insult him. You should not fall prey to death because of him. Our father is everything. He is also our God. Who ever he decides only will be our husband."

तासां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा वायुः परमकोपनः।
प्रविश्य सर्वगात्राणि बभंज भगवान् प्रभुः ॥

'Hearing their words Vayu became very angry. Then he moved about their bodies and made them deformed`.

ताः कन्या वायुना भग्ना विविशुः नृपतेर्गृहम् ।
प्रापतन् भुवि संभ्रांताः स लज्जाः साश्रुलोचनाः ॥
स च ता दयिता दीनाः कन्याः परमशोभनाः ।
दृष्ट्वा भग्ना स्तदा राजा संभ्रांत इदमब्रवीत् ॥

Those daughters having been thus deformed by Vayu and totally distraught reached the royal palace. Ashamed and with eyes full of tears they started weeping lying on the floor. Seeing his beautiful daughters thus deformed and in a pitiable condition the king was surprised and spoke to them as follows.

किमिदं कथ्यतां पुत्र्यः को धर्म मवमन्यते ।
कुब्जाः केन कृताः सर्वाः वेष्ट्यंतो नाभिभाषथ ।
एवं राजा विनिश्वस्य समाधिं संदधे ततः ॥

"Dear daughters ! What is this ? Who insulted the righteous ? who has deformed you ? Why are you distraught rolling on the floor without talking ? Having said this and deeply sighing the king became deeply contemplative'.

इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामयणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये
बालकांडे द्वात्रिंश स्सर्गः ॥
समाप्तं ॥
|| Thus ends the thirty second Sarga of Balakanda in Valmiki Ramayana ||

|| Om tat sat ||