ब्रह्मयोनिर्महानासीत् कुशो नाम महातपाः। अक्लिष्टव्रतधर्मज्ञः सज्जनप्रतिपूजकः॥
Once upon a time there was a mighty son of Brahmā, of high austerities, named Kusa. And he was cognizant of duty, and ever engaged in observing vows and honouring good men.
स महात्मा कुलीनायां युक्तायां सुमहाबलान्। वैदां जनयामास चतुरः सदृशान् सुतान्॥ कुशाम्बं कुशनाभं च असूर्तरजसं वसुम्। दीप्तियुक्तान् महोत्साहान् क्षत्रधर्मचिकीर्षया॥ तानुवाच कुशः पुत्रान् धर्मिष्ठान् सत्यवादिनः। क्रियतां पालनं पुत्रा धर्मं प्राप्स्यथ पुष्कलम्॥
That high-souled one beget on Vaidarbha, sprung from a respectable line and endowed with all noble qualities, four sons like to himself, and possessed of extraordinary prowess-Kuśămba, and Kušanābha, and Asūrtarajas, and Vasu, resplendent and breathing exhaustless spirits. And with the desire of enhancing Kșetrya merit, Kuśa said to his truthful and virtuous sons"You sons! do you engage in the task of governing, and thereby acquire immense merit.'
कुशाम्बस्तु महातेजाः कुशस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा चत्वारो लोकसत्तमाः। निवेशं चक्रिरे सर्वे पुराणां नृवरास्तदा ॥ कौशाम्बीमकरोत् पुरीम्। कुशनाभस्तु धर्मात्मा पुरं चक्रे महोदयम्॥ असूर्तरजसो नाम धर्मारण्यं महामतिः। चक्रे पुरवरं राजा वसुनाम गिरिव्रजम्॥
Hearing Kuśa's words, those four foremost of men and best of sons addressed themselves to founding seats for their government. And the highly energetic Kuśāmba founded the city of Kausambi; and the righteous Kusanabha, the metropolis of Mahodaya; and the magnanimous Asūrtarajas, Dharmāraṇya; and king Vasu, Girivraja, best of capitals.
एषा वसुमती नाम वसोस्तस्य महात्मनः। एते शैलवराः पञ्च प्रकाशन्ते समन्ततः॥ सुमागधी नदी रम्या मागधान् विश्रुता ययौ। पञ्चानां शैलमुख्यानां मध्ये मालेव शोभते॥
This city (otherwise) called Vasumatī belongs to the high-souled Vasu. And the river known by the name of Sumāgadhi flows through the Māgadhas. And in the midst of the five foremost of hills, it looks like a garland.
सैषा हि मागधी राम वसोस्तस्य महात्मनः। पूर्वाभिचरिता राम सुक्षेत्रा सस्यमालिनी॥
And this Mägadhi, O Råma, belongs to the high-souled Vasu, taking, O Rāma, an easterly course, and flowing through fertile fields furnished with corn.
कुशनाभस्तु राजर्षिः राजर्षिः कन्याशतमनुत्तमम्। जनयामास धर्मात्मा घृताच्यां रघुनन्दन॥
O descendant of Raghu, the Rājarși Kusanābha beget an hundred godly daughters on Ghrtaci.
तास्तु यौवनशालिन्यो रूपवत्यः स्वलंकृताः। उद्यानभूमिमागम्य प्रावृषीव शतदाः॥ गायन्त्यो नृत्यमानाश्च वादयन्त्यस्तु राघव। आमोदं परमं जग्मुर्वराभरणभूषिताः॥ अथ ताश्चारुसर्वाङ्गयो रूपेणाप्रतिमा भुवि। उद्यानभूमिमागम्य तारा इव धनान्तरे॥ ताः सर्वा गुणसम्पन्ना रूपयौवनसंयुताः। दृष्ट्वा सर्वात्मको वायुरिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥
And it came to pass that they endowed with youth, beautiful and like to the lighting in the rainy season, decked in excellent ornaments, coming to their garden were merrily singing and dancing and playing on musical instruments, O Rāghava! And as they perfect in every limb, and unparalleled on earth in beauty, and endowed with all qualities, and furnished with youth and grace, were in the garden, like to stars embossed among clouds, that life of all (the air, beheld them and said.)12-13-14-15
अहं वः कामये सर्वा भार्या मम भविष्यथ । मानुषस्त्यज्यतां भावो दीर्घमायुरवाप्स्यथ ॥
I seek for you: do you become my wives. Do you renounce this human guise, and attain long lives.
चलं हि यौवनं नित्यं मानुषेषु विशेषतः। अक्षयं यौवनं प्राप्ता अमर्यश्च भविष्यथ ॥
Youth verily is unstable, specially with the human beings: do you attaining unfading youth, become immortal!
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा वायोरक्लिष्टकर्मणः। अपहास्य ततो वाक्यं कन्याशतमथाब्रवीत्॥
Hearing this speech of the Air of ever fresh energy, the damsels ridiculing it, said.
अन्तश्चरसि भूतानां सर्वेषां सुरसत्तम। प्रभावज्ञाश्च ते सर्वाः किमर्थमवमन्यसे ॥
You range the hearts of all creatures, O foremost of celestials, and we also know your influence. Wherefore, then, do you dishonour us?
कुशनाभसुता देव समस्ताः सुरसत्तम। स्थानाच्च्यावयितुं देवं रक्षामस्तु तपो वयम्॥
O foremost of celestials, we are the daughters of Kušanābha O divine one. And god as you are, we can dislodge you from your place; but we refrain from doing so, lest thereby we lose our ascetic merit.
मा भूत्स कालो दुर्मेधः पितरं सत्यवादिनम्। अवमन्य स्वधर्मेण स्वयं वरमुपास्महे ॥
May, O foolish one, that time never come, when disregarding our truthful sire, we following our inclination, shall resort to self choice.
पिता हि प्रभुरस्माकं दैवतं परमं च सः। यस्य नो दास्यति पिता स नो भर्ता भविष्यति॥
Our father verily is our lord an prime god. Of him even shall we become the wives to whom our father give us away.
तासां तु वचनं श्रुत्वा हरिः परमकोपनः। प्रविश्य सर्वगात्राणि बभञ्ज भगवान् प्रभुः॥ ताः कन्या वायुना भग्ना विविशुनृपतेर्गृहम्। प्रविश्य च सुसम्भ्रान्ताः सलज्जाः सास्रलोचनाः॥
At these words of theirs, that lord and adorable one, the Air, exceedingly enraged, then entered into their bodies, and brake all their limbs. Their bodies being thus broken by Air, those damsels, exceedingly agitated and overwhelmed with shame, with tears in their eyes entered the residence of the king.
स च ता दयिता भग्नाः कन्या परमशोभनाः। दृष्ट्वा दीनास्तदा राजा सम्भ्रान्त इदमब्रवीत्॥
And finding his supremely beautiful and favourite daughters with their limbs broken, and woebegone, the king bewildered, spoke.
किमिदं कथ्यतां पुत्र्यः को धर्ममवमन्यते। कुब्जाः केन कृताः सर्वाश्चेष्टन्त्यो नाभिभाषथ।। एवं राजा विनिःश्वस्य समाधि संदधे ततः॥
You daughters, what is this? Who is it that thus disregards virtue? By whom have you all come by this crooked form? And why demonstrating your grief, do you not answer me?' Having said this, the king heaved a deep sigh and became eager to hear all about it.