Individual verses with meanings
33rd sarga , bAla kAnDam
Hari Om.
Let us begin the thirty third sarga of bAla kAnDam with offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
The hundred daughters touched the feet of their respected father kuSanAbha and spoke thus. “O father, vAyu threw dharma (morality) to the winds and attempted to outrage our modesty. We submitted to him that we are not independent to decide about our marriage and that he should consult with you and obtain your approval to marry us.
Even as we reasoned thus, disregarding our words vAyu assaulted and disfigured us”. Listening the words of the daughters, the pious king said “Only those who cultivate forbearance can forgive. By standing united, oh my beloved daughters, you have enhanced the fame of our dynasty. Forbearance is dharma, it (forbearance) is sacrifice, it is charity, it is fame and it is the truth. Indeed, the entire universe is supported by forbearance”.
क्षमा दानं क्षमा यज्ञः क्षमा सत्यं हि पुत्रिका:।।1.33.8।।
क्षमा यश: क्षमा धर्म: क्षमया निष्ठितं जगत्।
The learned and mighty king then sent away his daughters into their palace and started consultation with his ministers to look for an appropriate groom for his daughters in an appropriate time and place.
During the same time, O Rama, there lived a celibate and austere brAhmin by name chUli who was performing penance for lord brahma. During the time he was performing the penance there was a gandharvi (nymph) named sOmada who was the daughter of UrmiLa and serving the Rshi chUli. She lived a religious life and with great devotion served the master. Over a period of time, the Rshi, her spiritual guide was pleased. He blessed her so and asked what favor she would wish to have from him.
Having recognized that the master was pleased with her service, the sweet spoken and articulate gandharvi praised his penance and said “O master, with your devoted penance you have become resplendent and begun to look verily like lord brahma. I desire to have a son from you who has all the austere qualities. Lord, I am without a husband and nor am I a wife to someone. You are capable of bestowing a son upon me by sheer power of your penance.” Pleased at the prayer the Rshi willed for a son through the power of his penance and blessed sOmada with the son who was famously known as brahmadatta. The son became the king of kAmpilya and lived there just like indra lived in the heavens.
The king kuSanAbha made up his mind to offer his princesses to the king brahmadatta. He invited brahmadatta to his place and offered his hundred daughters to him in marriage. Brahmadatta gracefully agreed to the king’s submission and accepted the hands of the princesses in wedding. As king brahmadatta took the hand of each princess in his hand, by his mere touch, the maidens were relieved of both their hunch back as well as misery and shone auspiciously. Seeing his daughters re-assume their beautiful selves at the touch of brahmadatta, the king kuSanAbha was thrilled and experienced repeated bouts of delight. He along with his queen, performed the wedding of king brahmadatta with the hundred princesses and sent them off to the kingdom of kAmpilya. sOmada, mother of brahmadatta was mighty pleased with the righteous action of her son and reveled in the middle of her daughters in law.
Here we conclude the thirty third sarga of the bAla kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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