बालकांड
त्रयत्रिंशस्सर्गः

तस्त तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा कुशनाभस्य धीमतः ।
शिरोभि श्चरणौ स्पृष्ट्या कन्या शतमभाषत ॥

Hearing those words of the great Kusanabha , the hundred daughters then spoke as follows after paying obeisance by bowing with their heads .

वायुसर्वात्मको राजन् प्रधर्षयितुमिच्छति ।
अशुभं मार्गमास्थाय न धर्मं प्रत्यवेक्षते ॥
पितृमत्यः स्म भद्रं ते स्वच्छंदे न वयं स्थिताः ।
पितरं नो वृणीष्व त्वं यदि नो दास्यते तव ॥

Oh King ! The Lord of Vayu , who enters all beings acted wrongly following an inappropriate way . We told him that ' We are bound by our parents and not independent ones. So ask our father if he would offer us to you'

तेन पापानुबंधेन वचनं न प्रतीच्छता ।
एवं ब्रुवंत्य स्सर्वाः स्म वायुना निहता भृशम्॥

While we were saying this , that sinful one without hearing our words wounded all of us severely .

तासां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा राजा परम धार्मिकः ।
प्रत्युवाच महातेजः कन्या शतमनुत्तमम् ॥

That great king who follows the right path then spoke to those hundred daughters who are the best.

क्षांतं क्षमावतां पुत्र्यः कर्तव्यं सुमहत्कृतं।
इकमत्यं उपागम्य कुलं चावेक्षितं मम ॥
अलंकारो हि नारीणां क्षमा तु पुरुषस्य वा।
दुष्करं तच्च यत् क्षांतं त्रिदशेषु विशेषतः ।
यादृशी वः क्षमा पुत्र्यः सर्वासामविशेषतः ॥

" Oh daughters ! You have done that which only persons capable of forgiveness can do. All of you acting unitedly held up the dignity of our family. Whether it is for men or women 'capacity to forgive' is an attribute of beauty. Having the ability to forgive is rare. The ability you have displayed is difficult even for Gods".

क्षमा दानं क्षमा यज्ञः क्षमा सत्यं हिपुत्रिका ।
क्षमा यशः क्षमा धर्मः क्षमया निष्ठितं जगत् ॥

'Oh Daughters ! Forbearance is like a gift, it is like a sacrifice, it is like truth, it is like fame, it is like the righteous conduct. Through Forbearance only the world is moving' .

विश्रुज्य कन्याः काकुत् स्थ राजा त्रिदशविक्रमः ।
मंत्रज्ञो मंत्रयामास प्रदानं सह मंत्रिभिः ।
देशकालौ प्रदानस्य सदृशे प्रतिपादनम् ॥

So saying the that scion of Kakutstha left the his daughters and consulted with his ministers in detail about the getting his daughters married as appropriate to the time and place.

एतस्मिन्नेव कालेतु चूळी नाम महामुनिः ।
ऊर्थ्वरेताः शुभाचारो ब्राह्मं तप उपागमत् ॥
तप्यंतं तं ऋषिं तत्र गंधर्वी पर्युपासते ।
सोमदा नाम भद्रं ते ऊर्मिळा तनया तदा ॥

'At the same time there was a venerable sage by name Chuli who is ever in control of his desires. He is a follower of virtuous conduct. He was always doing penance with the object of knowing Brahman the ultimate. Somada , a Gandharva woman and daughter of Urmila was serving him while he was doing penance'.

साच तं प्रणता भूत्वा शुश्रूषण परायणा ।
उवास काले धर्मिष्टा तस्यास्तुष्टोsभवद्गुरुः ॥

Somada was always immersed in attending on him and paying obeisance. After some time the venerable sage was pleased with services of that lady who is a follower of righteous conduct.

स च तां कालयोगेन प्रोवाच रघुनंदन ।
परितुष्टोस्मि भद्रं ते किं करोमि तव प्रियम् ॥

'Oh Raghunandana ! With the effect of time the sage told her ,' I am pleased with your services. Bless you. You may ask what ever you desire'.

परितुष्टं मुनिं ज्ञात्वा गंधर्वी मधुरस्वरा ।
उवाच परमप्रीता वाक्यज्ञा वाक्यकोविदम् ॥
लक्ष्म्या समुदितो ब्राह्म्य ब्रह्मभूतो महातपाः ।
ब्राह्मेणतपसा युक्तं पुत्त्रमिच्छामि धार्मिक ॥

'Realizing that the venerable sage was pleased , the lady who is extremely good in talking spoke sweetly to the sage who knows the meanings of all words. ' Oh venerable Sage ! Performing penance you have attained the glow of Brahma himself and you have become equal of Brahman himself. oh Righteous one ! you give me a son who has the knowledge of Brahman !"

अपतिश्चास्मि भद्रं ते भार्या चास्मि न कस्यचित् ।
ब्राह्मेणोपगतायाश्च दातुमर्हसि मे सुतम् ॥

'I am one without a husband. I will not be wife to anybody in future also. May you be blessed . May you bless me with a son with your powers which equal Brahman !'

तस्याः प्रसन्नो ब्रह्मर्षिः ददौ पुत्त्रमनुत्तमम् ।
ब्रह्मदत्त इति ख्यातं मानसं चूळिनस्सुतम् ॥

' Then the pleased venerable sage blessed her witha son. He was known as the one conceived in the mind of 'Chuli' and became famous with the name Brahmadatta'.

स राजा सौमदेयस्तु पुरीमध्यावसत् तदा ।
कांपिल्यां परया लक्ष्म्या देवराजो यथा दिवं ॥
स बुद्धिं कृतवान् राजा कुशनाभस्सुधार्मिकः ।
ब्रह्मदत्ताय काकुत् स्थ दातुं कन्याशतं तदा ॥
त माहूय महातेजा ब्रह्मदत्तं महीपतिः ।
ददौ कन्याशतं राजा सुप्रीतेनांतरात्मना ॥

'Then that son of Somada was ruling the city of Kampilya like Indra was ruling over Aamaravati. O Rama then the wise Kusanabha decided to marry his hundred daughters to Brahmadatta. Then the king invited the righteous Brahmadatta and gave away is hundred daughters in marriage'.

यथाक्रमं ततः पाणिन् जग्राह रघुनंदन ।
ब्रह्मदत्तो महीपालः तासां देवपतिर्यथा ॥
स्पृष्टमात्रे ततः पाणौ विकुब्जा विगतज्वराः ।
युक्ताः परमया लक्ष्म्या बभुः कन्याशतं तदा ॥

'Oh Raghunandana ! that Brahmadatta shining with the splendor of Indra received the brides hands in proper order. By mere touch of hands the deformity of the women disappeared along with their mental afflictions. They in turn shone with unmatched beauty'.

स दृष्ट्वा वायुना मुक्ताः कुशनाभो महीपतिः ।
बभूव परमप्रीतो हर्षं लेभे पुनः पुनः ॥

'Seeing them free from the afflictions of the Lord Vayu, the king was very pleased. His happiness knew no bounds'.

कृतोद्वाहं तु राजानं ब्रह्मदत्तं महीपतिः ।
सदारं प्रेषयामस सोपाध्यायगणं तदा ॥

'That king having given away his daughters in marriage to that king Brahmadatta , bid adieu to him sending along his wives and an entourage of priests etc'

सोमदाsपि सुसंहृष्टा पुत्रस्य सदृशीं क्रियाम् ।
यथान्यायं च गंधर्वी स्नुषास्ताः प्रत्यनंदत ।
स्पृष्ट्वा स्पृष्ट्वा च ताः कन्याः कुशनाभं प्रशस्य च ॥

Mother Somada too was very pleased with the marriage and the fact that the deformity of the daughter-in-laws too disappeared. That Gandharva woman was very pleased and praised Kusanabha too !

इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये
बालकांडे त्रयत्रिंशस्सर्गः ॥
समाप्तं ॥

Thus ends the sarga thirty three of Balakanda
||om tat sat ||

|| Om tat sat ||