Summary
Daughters of Kushanaabha report about the Air-God's mischief. Pleased at their behavior Kushanaabha thinks and arranges for their marriage with Brahmadatta, a saintly king. After the marriage, by the touch of hand of Brahmadatta the girls are rid of their misshapen bodies and they again become great beauties.
Chapter [Sarga] 33 in Detail
On hearing that sentence of scholarly Kushanaabha those hundred girls touched his feet with their foreheads and spoke to him. [1-33-1]
“‘The all-pervasive [to become diffused throughout every part of the world] Air-God desired to dishonor us, oh, king, resorting to improper approach and overlooking virtuous conduct. [1-33-2]
“‘Our father is there and we are not independent, you be safe, hence oh, Air-God, you may request our father to know whether he gives us to you or not.' Thus we have told the Air-God, but... [1-33-3]
“‘Though we all have spoken to him thus, that Air-God who is bound by venality [greed] refused to take notice of our words and he has harmed us a lot.' Thus those girls informed their father. [1-33-4]
On listening their words that highly virtuous and highly resplendent [shining brilliantly] king spoke to the hundred girls with unsurpassed [that cannot be exceeded] virtue. [1-33-5]
“‘Forgiving is the duty of imperturbable [marked by extreme calm, impassivity, and steadiness] and you have done it. Excellent. Oh, daughters, coursing [traversing] through your unity my family's prestige is also kept up. [1-33-6]
“‘Forgiveness is an adornment [to enhance the appearance of] to women, as a matter of fact, even for men, and this matter called 'forgiving' that which is there, it is an impracticable affair. That too, in respect of divinities. And the kind of forgiveness you all possess uniformly, that is further laudable [worthy of praise]. [1-33-7, 8a]
Grace is altruism [devotion to the welfare of others], grace is ritualism [excessive devotion to religion], oh, my daughters, grace is glory, grace is virtue, and this universe is verily [in truth] abiding in graciousness alone for grace itself is the truth, isn't it!' Thus king Kushanaabha said to his daughters and sent them away. [1-33-8b, 9a]
"On leaving those girls, oh, Rama, that king whose valor [personal bravery] matches that of Gods and who is an expert in thinking strategies started to think with his ministers on the topics like, as to how his daughters are to be espoused [married] to, to which country they are to be sent, at which time marriage shall happen, and to which matching bridegroom the marriage is to be proposed, and so on." Thus Vishvamitra continued his narration. [1-33-9b, 10]
During that time a great-resplendent [shining brilliantly] sage named Cuulii is there, who is propitious [auspicious] in his demeanor [behavior toward others] and who holds his semen upward, and who has achieved high ascetic practice strictly according to Vedic canons. [1-33-11]
"While that sage is in the practice of asceticism a celestial female served him at the place of his asceticism, safety be with you oh, Rama, she is Somada by her name, the daughter of Urmila. [1-33-12]
"Even she is obedient in his respect, and dedicating herself in ministering to him she stayed there righteously. After some time that sage Cuulii has become satisfied with her service. [1-33-13]
"When her service is fructified [to bear fruit], oh, Rama, that sage benevolently spoke to her saying, 'I am perfectly pleased with your service, let good betide [to happen to] you, what cherish [wish] of yours I have to fulfill.' [1-33-14]
"Perceiving that the sage is contented that female celestial Somada who is aware of making good sentences is highly delighted and spoke with her melodious voice to that pedantic [learned] sage. [1-33-15]
“‘Vedic splendor is flourishing in you when you have become one with Brahma, oh, supreme ascetic, I may please be endowed with a righteous son whose ascetic spirituality may embody [incarnate] the spirituality enunciated [proclaimed] in Veda-s. [1-33-16]
“‘I am unmarried and nobody's wife, safe you be, and as I took shelter under your kindness it will be apt of you to endow me a son with your faculty of asceticism.' So said Somada to sage Cuulii. [1-33-17]
"That Brahma-sage Cuulina benignantly [favorably] bestowed [gifted] her with a unique and Brahma-like son who is renowned as Brahmadatta, as well as his own brainchild. [1-33-18]
"King Brahmadatta endued with superb grandeur ruled from a city called Kaampilya as with Indra ruling the heaven. [1-33-19]
"The most righteous king Kushanaabha then made up his mind, oh, Rama of Kakutstha, to espouse his hundred daughters to Brahmadatta. [1-33-20]
"Inviting Brahmadatta that great-resplendent lord of the land, namely the king Kushanaabha, married his hundred daughters to him, pleasing highly in his heart of hearts. [1-33-21]
"As with the tradition of marriage king Brahmadatta who vies with lord of Gods, namely Indra, in succession took the palm of each of the hundred girls into his palm. [1-33-22]
"By mere touch of hand of Brahmadatta alone, their misshape and desperation [loss of hope] are evanished [vanished], and all of those hundred maidens beamed bright as they are retouched with utmost elegance. [1-33-23]
"On seeing his daughters getting release from the effect of Air-God, Kushanaabha became highly joyful, and he took great delight time and again as and when he looked at them. [1-33-24]
"Later when the marriage is complete king Kushanaabha bade farewell to king Brahmadatta along with his wives, his own hundred daughters, and along with the groups of religious teachers. [1-33-25]
"Somada, the celestial female and the mother of Brahmadatta, is gladdened to see her son Brahmadatta, for the worthwhile deed done by him in removing the blemish caused by the Air-God to the girls, or in bringing those worthwhile girls as her daughter-in-laws. She is further gladdened while her feet are traditionally and repeatedly touched by a hundred daughter-in-laws in succession, coupled with her own raising of each of the daughter-in-law to embrace for a hundred times. Thus Somada has gone on caressing [to treat with tokens of fondness, affection, or kindness] each of her hundred daughter-in-laws, and in doing so she is gladdened to do so over and over again, she is gladdened. She thus praised Kushanaabha for giving his gemlike daughters as her daughter-in-laws and blessed the daughter-in-laws. [1-33-26]
Thus, this is the 33rd chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate
