Kuśa, a noble and virtuous king, had four illustrious sons: Kuśāmba, Kuśanābha, Asūrtarajas, and Vasu. Each was radiant with energy, steadfast in valor, and deeply committed to the duties of their warrior lineage. Seeing their righteousness and truthfulness, Kuśa gathered his sons and addressed them with fatherly wisdom. “My sons, rule your realms well. By upholding righteousness in your governance, you will gain great merit.” Heeding their father’s counsel, the four princes, foremost among men, set out to establish their own cities, each becoming a founder of a new realm. Kuśāmba, resplendent in his splendor, founded the city of Kauśāmbī. Kuśanābha, whose soul was rooted in righteousness, established Mahodaya. Asūrtarajas, a noble king, built the city of Dharmāraṇya, while Vasu, a ruler of great renown, founded the excellent city of Girivraja. “O Rāma,” the narrative continues, “here lies the land of the great soul Vasu, surrounded by five radiant mountains that shine in all directions.” Amidst these mountains flows the delightful river Sumāgadhī, famed among the Māgadhas. Like a garland, she graces the landscape, nourishing the land and making it fertile and prosperous. “This, O Rāma, is the Māgadhī river of Vasu, long cherished for her abundance and bounty.” In time, Kuśanābha, the royal sage, married the celestial nymph Ghṛtācī and begot a hundred incomparable daughters. Each maiden was adorned with youth and beauty, their splendor likened to a hundred rivers swelling in the rainy season. Dressed in fine ornaments, they entered the garden grounds, singing, dancing, and playing instruments, reveling in supreme delight. Their beauty was unmatched on earth, and as they moved through the gardens, they shone like stars among the clouds. As these virtuous and radiant maidens enjoyed themselves, the wind-god, lord of all beings, beheld them and was filled with desire. He addressed them, “I wish you all to become my wives. Abandon your human form, and you shall gain long life. Youth is fleeting among mortals, but with me, you will have unfading youth and immortality.” Hearing the wind-god’s words, the hundred maidens laughed gently and replied, “O best of the gods, you pervade all beings, and all are aware of your power. Why, then, do you disregard us? We are the daughters of Kuśanābha, and we practice austerity to remain steadfast in our dharma. May such a time never come when you would dishonor our truthful father. We seek a husband through him, for our father is our lord and highest deity; to whomever he gives us, that one will be our husband.” Their refusal enraged the wind-god. In his wrath, he entered their bodies and, with his immense power, broke their forms, reducing them to the size of a finger. Terrified and agitated, their modesty intact but their bodies twisted, the maidens returned to their father’s palace, their eyes brimming with tears. Seeing his beloved daughters so afflicted, the king was deeply troubled and asked, “What has happened, my daughters? Who has disregarded righteousness and brought you to this state? Who has made you crooked? You move about but do not speak.” Sighing deeply, he composed himself and awaited their answer. The hundred maidens, deeply respectful, touched their father’s feet and spoke, “O king, the wind, who pervades all, sought to violate us, acting unrighteously. We are under our father’s authority and not free to choose for ourselves. If you give us to him, then we are his, but he did not accept our words and, bound by sin, struck us harshly with his power.” Hearing this, the king, supremely righteous and radiant, comforted his daughters. “Patience is the highest duty of those who are forbearing, my daughters. You have acted together and preserved our lineage. Adornment is for women, but patience is the ornament of men; yet such forbearance is rare even among the gods. Patience, my daughters, is charity, truth, and sacrifice. Patience is fame and righteousness—the world itself rests upon patience.” With these words, the mighty king let his daughters go, praising their virtue. Desiring to restore his daughters and fulfill their destinies, the king consulted with his ministers, carefully considering the right place, time, and worthy recipient for their marriage. At that time, a radiant sage named Cūlī, steadfast in celibacy and virtue, was engaged in intense Brahmanical austerity. Serving him was a Gandharva maiden named Somadā, daughter of Ūrmilā. She devoted herself to him with humility and righteousness, and in time, her service pleased the sage. Noticing her devotion, the sage addressed her kindly, “I am pleased with you, Somadā. May good be yours. Tell me, what boon shall I grant you?” Delighted, the Gandharva maiden, skilled in speech, responded in a gentle and sweet voice.