May 7 - Sargas 33 and 34 of Balakanda.
The story takes and interesting turn here.
King Kushanabha heard from his daughters how they had informed Vayu that they were under their father's care and he had better approach their father about marrying them. They also mentioned how they had refrained from punishing Vayu by their tapas power; but how Vayu had in turn cursed and afflicted them and reduced them to this sorry state of ugliness and deformity of bodies.
King Kushanabha spoke some important words here:
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क्षान्तं क्षमवतां पुत्र्यः कर्तव्यं सुमहत् कृतम्।
ऐक्यमत्यमुपागम्य कुलं चावेक्षितं मम ॥
क्षमा यशः क्षमा धर्मः क्षमया विष्ठितं जमत् ।
विसृज्य कन्याः काकुत्स्थ राजा त्रिदशविक्रमः ॥
Oh dear daughters, I am most glad that you have displayed great forbearance - a quality of those who can forgive. You have all been unanimous in taking this wise course and being cognizant of the glory of our dynasty.
Indeed forgiveness is the essence of glory, the essence of righteousness, this world is sustained by forgiveness.
Having said these comforting words, the king gave the princesses leave and then huddled together with his ministers and counsellors on how to go forward from this tricky situation.
We see the adjective for the king Kushanabha: tridashavikramah meaning one who ruled the three worlds with his might. So the poet is telling us that might is glorious only when forbearance And forgiveness are present in the mighty.
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एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु चूली नाम महामुनिः।
ऊर्ध्वरेताः शुभाचारो ब्राह्मं तप उपागमत् ॥
तप्यन्तं तमृषिं तत्र गन्धर्वी पर्युपासते ।
सोमदा नाम भद्रं ते उर्मिलातनया तदा ॥
At the same time, a great rishi by name Chuli was observing brahmacharya and engaged in intense tapas.
A gandharva woman by name Somada, daughter of Urmila, stayed there and served him with dedication and devotion.
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After some time, the rishi expressed gratitude and asked Somada what boon she would like from him. She replied with due respect and decorum that she had been unmarried and had served him with true devotion. She knew that the rishi shone with the brilliance of a true ascetic and possessed the same qualities as Brahma. If he deemed it right, would he kindly bestow her with a son, with prosperity and austerity befitting a son of such a rishi. The rishi happily acceded and the gandharva woman begot a worthy son who was named Brahmadatta (meaning born out of the grace of Brahma).
The boy grew up to rule a prosperous kingdom called Kampilya very well, much like Indra ruled heaven.
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तमाहूय महातेजा ब्रह्यदत्तं महीपतिः।
ददौ कन्याशतं राजा सुप्रीतेनान्तरात्मना ॥
स्पृष्टमात्रे तदा पाणौ विकुब्जा विगतज्वराः।
युक्ताः परमया लक्ष्म्या बभुः कन्याः शतं तदा ॥
सोमदापि सुसंहृष्टा पुत्रस्य सदृशीं क्रियाम्।
यथान्यायं च गन्धर्वी स्नुषास्ताः प्रत्यनन्दत ॥
After due consideration, Kushanabha decided to offer his hundred daughters in marriage to king Brahmadutta. Brahmadutta also gladly consented and married the hundred princesses with due ceremony. The moment Brahmadutta touched them, by the Brahmic powers in him, the princesses - all hundred of them, were rid of their deformities and diseases and shone with prosperity and their original beauty. His gandharvi mother Somada was also pleased with the righteous action of her son and received the princesses with great affection.
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Now we hear something that brings us back to sage Vishwamitra.
At this juncture, much like Dasharatha had done as we saw ealy in the story, king Kushanabha performed the yajna to get a son and successor to the throne. His father, King Kusha, son of Brahma, visited him from heaven and told king Kushanabha that he is destined to beget a worthy son who shall be named Gadhi. He shall bring eternal fame to him and the dynasty.
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कस्यचित्वथ कालस्य कुशनाभस्य धीमतः।
जज्ञे परमधर्मिष्ठो गाधिरित्येव नामतः ॥
स पिता मम काकुत्स्थ गाधिः परमधार्मिकः ।
कुशवंशप्रसूतोऽस्मि कौशिको रघुनन्दन ॥
In due course a son called Gadhi was born. Gadhi became a most righteous king. O Rama, know that Gadhi is my father! Born as I am in the dynasty of Kusha, I am called Kaushika.
***
Vishwamitra continues that he has an elder sister by name Kaushiki. She was named Satyavati also. She married a god Richika.
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सशरीरा गता स्वर्गं भर्तारमनुवर्तिनी ।
कौशिकी परमोदारा सा प्रवृत्ता महानदी ॥
दिव्या पुण्योदका रम्या हिमवन्तमुपाश्रिता।
लोकस्य हितकार्यार्थं प्रवृत्ता भगिनी मम ॥
ततोऽहं हिमवत्पार्श्वे वसामि निरतः सुखम्।
भगिन्यां स्नेहसंयुक्तः कौशिक्यां रघुनन्दन ॥
My sister proceeded to heaven in her material body following her husband. In due course, owing to her immense compassion for humanity, she became a great river. Divine, with sacred waters, most beautiful, Kaushiki is now ensconced in Himalayas and she flows down from there engaged in conferring welfare on the people of the land.
O Rama, I have therefore settled on the slopes of Himalaya, happily engaged in my austerities and enjoying the affection and grace of my elder sister Kaushiki.
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This most amazing story is greeted with fervour and devotion by all - the rishis, Sri Rama and Lakshmana. Vishwamitra also mentions that he went to Siddhashrama only for the express purpose of that yajna (and we can also guess - to rope in Sri Rama for the destruction of rakshasas!).
Now sage Vishmamitra says it is late in the night and they should all go to sleep. Poet Valmiki describes the night and the feelings of Sri Rama beautifully.
इति तैर्मुनिशार्दूलैः प्रशस्तः कुशिकात्मजः।
निद्रामुपागच्छ्रीमानस्तंगत इवांशुमान् ॥
रामोऽपि सहसौमित्रिः किञ्चिदागतविस्मयः।
प्रशस्य मुनिशार्दूलं निद्रां समुपसेवते ॥
The rishis present, themselves full of the glory of tapas, respectfully praised sage Vishwamitra for his heritage. With a smile on his face, the sage went to sleep, as beautifully as the setting sun.
Sri Rama too, somewhat struck by the story, along with Lakshmana, went to sleep, offering his respects to sage Vishwamitra.
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
