What is the story of Kusha's daughter Hema, and how does her marriage reflect the customs of that time?

 

Kusha , Champika and their daughter Hema

Kusha, the eldest son of Shri Ram and Mata Sita was married to Princess Champika, daughter of Maharaja Bhurikirti. Rishi Agastya after their marriage prophesized to Shri Ram that Champika won't be having any sons but daughters and when Shri Ram had left for Vaikuntha, Kusha would get a second wife named Kumudvati and get sons.

Kusha and Champika started their marital life and they had nine daughters together. Once Shri Ram organised a grand Swayamvara for Hema, beautiful and illustrious daughter of Kusha and Champika. Many Kings were invited in the Swayamvara along with Prince Chitrangad of Avanti.

Chitrangada fell in love with beautiful and illustratious Hema and wished to marry her. He hypnotized everyone in the Swayamvara while Shri Ram and other elders were away and took Hema on his chariot and left but he didn't go to Avanti and stopped midway as he considered it wrong to take her away like this. But it was too late, the royal house found it insulting and Lava and others attacked him in which Lava got unconsious. Then Kusha came and defeated Chitrangad and his father Ugrabahu and took them to Shri Ram. Shri Ram forgave them due to friendly relationship with Avanti and the good behaviour of the father and son in the past. It's not properly written but it's hinted that Hema was married off to Chitrangad as usually happened in such situations.

Shri Ram gave Kusha his famous golden arm- bracelet after this victory which was originally gifted to him by Rishi Agastya and years later this very bracelet became the reason of the union of Kusha and his love Kumudvati and the birth of meritorious, handsome and intelligent Atithi, the scion of Raghu and worthy grandson of Shri Ram.

Ananda Ramayana is considered a late source although it's writer is called Maharishi Valmiki. The source mentions history of sons of Lord Ram and his siblings.

Source- Ananda Ramayana

What happened to Raghu Vansh after Lava and Kusha?

Mahadevi Kumudvati

Devi Champika

Kusha , son of Lord Ram and Goddess Sita had married Champika, Princess of Eastern Lands and daughter of Maharaj Bhurikirti. Champika had chosen him in a Swayamvar. Kusha and Champika had nine daughters.

Maharaja Atithi

When Shri Ram left for Vaikuntha, deity of Ayodhya requested Kusha to come to Ayodhya and rebuild it. Kusha eventually came and rebuilt the city to its former glory. Once when he was on a pleasure tour in Sarayu river, he lost a golden bracelet gifted by his dear father. Soon, Naga King Kumud along with his beautiful sister Kumudvati came out of the river and requested Kusha to accept the bracelet along with his sister. Kusha gladly accepted her hand in marriage and they got married immediately and gods blessed the union. They soon got a son whom they named Atithi.

When Kusha died fighting a demon named Durjaya who fatally injured him, Kumudvati immediately lost her life like how moonshine follows the moon.

The ministers appointed atithi as the new king as Kusha had wished. Atithi is said to be an extremely intelligent, handsome and passionate King and he instead of killing his rival kings, put them on the Thrones as vassals thus being a highly strategic and diplomatic King.

The love stories of Aja and Indumati , Shri Ram and Mata Sita and Kusha and Kumudvati are heart warming in Raghuvansh. In Ananda Ramayana, Kumudvati and Kusha had 8 sons and 1 daughter and Atithi was their eldest son.

Source- Raghuvansh by Kalidas

Who was Atithi, the son of Kusha and Kumudvati, and what role did he play in Ayodhya's lineage?

Atithi was son of Kusha and his Chief Queen Kumudvati. He succeeded at the throne of Ayodhya after death of his father Kusha. He had married a Princess of Nishadha Kingdom (somewhere in Himalayan plateau) and also named his son and successor Nishada in her honour.

Kumudvati

Kumudvati was second wife of Kusha but his Chief Queen. She was a Naga Princess and sister of Naga King Kumud. She had eight sons and the eldest son was Atithi. She also had one daughter with Kusha named Champakmalini.

Kusha’s first wife was Champika, daughter of King Bhurikirti of Eastern lands. She gave birth to nine daughters and one of them was named Hema, who became Queen of Avanti.

Atithi was handsome, patient, wise, charitable and a good administrator. He was known for his charity and making the kings he defeated as his vassals.

Source- Ananda Ramayana and Raghuvansh by Kalidas