Valmiki Ramayana 1.32.21: Bala Kanda, Sarga 32, Shloka 21
कुशवंशवर्णनम् · The Line of Kuśa and the Disfigurement of Kuśanābha’s Daughters by Vāyu
माभूत्स कालो दुर्मेधः पितरं सत्यवादिनम् ।
नावमन्यस्व धर्मेण स्वयं वरमुपास्महे ॥२१॥
mābhūtsa kālo durmedhaḥ pitaraṃ satyavādinam |
nāvamanyasva dharmeṇa svayaṃ varamupāsmahe ||21||
पागल, मत मर जा। हमारे पिता सच बोलते हैं, उनकी बदनामी मत कर। हम धरम से हट के काम नहीं करते। जिससे हमारे पिता हमे शादी करायेंगे, हम वही अपना पति मानते हैं।
O wicked one, do not dishonour our father who always speaks the truth. He will choose the bridegrooms righteously. Do not invite death (father may be the cause of your death).
FAQs
The verse upholds kanyā-dharma, the righteous conduct of unmarried maidens. The daughters firmly reject Vayu's advances, citing their duty to honor their father's authority in choosing their husbands. This reflects the principles of satya (truth), pitr-bhakti (devotion to father), and preservation of virtue.
Vayu (the Wind-god), infatuated with the beauty of Kushanabha's daughters, approaches them with romantic intent. The maidens, devoted to their father and committed to virtue, firmly reject his advances. They warn him not to dishonor their truth-speaking father and declare that their father alone will choose their husbands.
The virtue of lajja (modesty) and pitr-bhakti (devotion to father) is emphasized. The daughters protect their chastity and honor their father's authority, demonstrating that a woman's virtue and her father's honor are interconnected. They prioritize familial duty over divine temptation.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Valmiki Ramayana in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
