Bala Kanda, Sarga 33

Meaning

Hearing the aforesaid question of the celebrated and wise Kuśanābha, all the hundred maidens touched his feet with their heads and replied as follows : (1)

Meaning

“Resorting to the evil path, the all-pervading wind-god, Your Majesty, sought to violate us and did not respect our righteous conduct. (2)

Meaning

“We said to him, ‘May good betide you, we are dependent on our father and as such are not masters of our own will. Ask you us of our father; we shall certainly accept you as our husband if he gives us away to you.’ Pleading thus we were hit hard (deformed) by him of wicked intent, who did not heed our remonstrance.” (3-4)

Meaning

“The act of forbearance done by you, which can be done only by those given to forgiveness, my daughters, was extremely noble on your part. And the fact that the honour of my race was vindicated by you by resorting to unanimity on this point was also a unique achievement on your part. (5-6)

Meaning

“For forbearance is the ornament indeed of womankind as well as of man. And such forbearance particularly with reference to gods as exists in you all without distinction, O my daughters, is difficult to practise. Forbearance is really charity, forbearance is devotion to truth, and forbearance constitutes all sacrifices, my beloved daughters ! (7-8)

Meaning

(Hearing their complaint, the king, for his part, who was exceedingly pious and exceptionally glorious, replied as follows to his hundred daughters, excelled by none :) “Forbearance is fame, forbearance is piety; nay, the entire creation is established in forbearance, crystallized in the form of the earth.” Having sent away the girls to the gynaeceum, O scion of Kakutstha, the king (Kuśanābha), who possessed the prowess of gods and was adept in deliberation, discussed the question of their marriage with his counsellors since it was necessary to give them away to a worthy man at the proper place and time. (9-10)

Meaning

At this very time a Brahmacārī (lit., one who has turned the flow of his generative fluid upwards and never allowed it to escape), Cūlī by name, who was exceptionally glorious and given to virtuous conduct, actually embarked upon a course of austerities* (in the form of meditation) directed towards the realization of Brahmā. (11)

Meaning

At that very place, during the period of his askesis, may good betide you, a Gandharva girl, Somadā by name, daughter of Ūrmilā, waited upon the Ṛṣi in the hope of securing his goodwill, while he was busy practising his austerities. (12)

Meaning

Bending low before him and devoted to his service, that most pious girl waited upon him at the right time whenever her presence was needed by him. The venerable sage got pleased with her. (13)

Meaning

And when the propitious hour came, the sage, O scion of Raghu, said to the girl, ‘I am highly pleased with your innocent services, may all be well with you ! What service can I do to you?’ (14)

Meaning

Supremely delighted to know the sage much gratified, the eloquent Gandharva girl spoke as follows in a sweet voice to the seer, who was a master of speech : (15)

Meaning

“A great ascetic illumined with Brahmic (spiritual) splendour, you have become one with the Infinite. Hence I seek from you a pious son, rich in askesis (in the form of meditation) directed towards the realization of Brahma, the Absolute. (16)

Meaning

“As for myself, I am unmarried nor shall I be the wife of any. Therefore, let your grace descend on me. Be pleased to grant me a son by dint of your Brahmic (spiritual) glory, since I have sought refuge in you.” (17)

Meaning

Full of delight, the Brāhmaṇa sage Cūlina (a variant of Cūlī) conferred on her a mind-born son, rich in askesis (in the form of meditation) directed towards the realization of Brahma, excelled by none and known by the name of ‘Brahmadatta’. (18)

Meaning

Invested with supreme (royal) splendour, the said Brahmadatta for his part lived at that time as king in the city of Kāmpilyā (built by Kampila) as Indra (the ruler of gods) does in paradise. (19)

Meaning

The aforesaid Kuśanābha, a most pious king, at that time made up his mind, O scion of Kakutstha, to give away all his hundred daughters to Brahmadatta. (20)

Meaning

Calling the said Brahmadatta, the exceptionally glorious king (Kuśanābha), the ruler of the earth, gave away with a most cheerful mind all the hundred girls to him. (21)

Meaning

At the time of marriage, O scion of Raghu, King Brahmadatta, who shone like Indra (the ruler of gods), married them one after another by taking their hands in his in order of seniority. (22)

Meaning

The moment their hands were touched by Brahmadatta in the course of the wedding, the girls got cured of their deformity and were rid of their agony. Invested with supreme splendour all the hundred girls shone brightly at that time. (23)

Meaning

King Kuśanābha was highly pleased to see them freed from morbid affection of the windy humour in their body and experienced joy again and again. (24)

Meaning

King Kuśanābha then sent away King Brahmadatta, the delighter of his subjects, alongwith his wedded wives and the host of his family-priests, as soon as he was actually married. (25)

Meaning

Seeing the union of her son worthy of her, Somadā, the Gandharva damsel, too joyfully greeted her son as well as her aforesaid daughters-in-law, one after another, in order of seniority and, embracing the said brides again and again and applauding Kuśanābha for his hospitality and rich dowry, she departed from there. (26)