{"collection":"Hinduism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/hin/rama/ry019.htm","path":"hin/rama/ry019.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/hin/rama/ry019.htm","text":"Now when the high-souled monarch's rite,\n The As'vamedh, was finished quite,\n Their sacrificial dues obtained,\n The Gods their heavenly homes regained.\n The lofty-minded saints withdrew,\n Each to his place, with honour due,\n And kings and chieftains, one and all,\n Who came to grace the festival.\n And Das'aratha, ere they went,\n Addressed them thus benevolent:\n 'Now may you, each with joyful heart,\n To your own realms, O Kings, depart.\n Peace and good luck attend you there,\n And blessing, is my friendly prayer;\n Let cares of state each mind engage\n To guard his royal heritage.\n A monarch from his throne expelled\n No better than the dead is held.\n \n \n \n So he who cares for power and might\n Must guard his realm and royal right.\n Such care a meed in heaven will bring\n Better than rites and offering.\n Such care a king his country owes\n As man upon himself bestows,\n When for his body he provides\n Raiment and every need besides.\n For future days should kings foresee,\n And keep the present error-free.\n \n \n Thus did the king the kings exhort:\n They heard, and turned them from the court\n And, each to each in friendship bound,\n Went forth to all the realms around.\n The rites were o'er, the guests were sped:\n The train the best of Br\u00e1hmans led,\n In which the king with joyful soul,\n With his dear wives, and with the whole\n Of his imperial host and train\n Of cars and servants turned again,\n And, as a monarch dear to fame,\n Within his royal city came.\n \n \n Next, Rishyas'ring, well-honoured sage,\n And S'\u00e1nt\u00e1, sought their hermitage.\n The king himself, of prudent mind,\n Attended him, with troops behind.\n And all her men the town outpoured\n With Saint Vas'ishtha and their lord.\n High mounted on a car of state,\n O'ercanopied fair S'\u00e1nt\u00e1 sate,\n Drawn by white oxen, while a band\n Of servants marched on either hand.\n Great gifts of countless price she bore,\n With sheep and goats and gems in shore.\n Like Beauty's self the lady shone\n With all the jewels she had on,\n As, happy in her sweet content.\n Peerless amid the fair she went.\n Not Queen Paulom\u00ed's \u00a01b self could be\n More loving to her lord than she.\n She who had lived in happy ease,\n Honoured with all her heart could please,\n While dames and kinsfolk ever vied\n To see her wishes gratified,\n Soon as she knew her husband's will\n Again to seek the forest, still\n Was ready for the hermit's cot,\n Nor murmured at her altered lot.\n The king attended to the wild\n That hermit and his own dear child,\n And in the centre of a throng\n Of noble courtiers rode along.\n The sage's son had let prepare\n A lodge within the wood, and there\n While they lingered blithe and gay.\n Then, duly honoured, went their way.\n The glorious hermit Rishyas'ring\n Drew near and thus besought the king:\n \n \n \n 'Return, my honoured lord, I pray,\n Return, upon thy homeward way.'\n The monarch, with the waiting crowd,\n Lifted his voice and wept aloud,\n And with eyes dripping still to each\n Of his good queens he spake this speech:\n \n \n 'Kaus'aly\u00e1 and Sumitr\u00e1 dear,\n And thou, my sweet Kaikey\u00ed, hear.\n All upon S'\u00e1nt\u00e1 feast your gaze,\n The last time for a length of days.'\n To S'\u00e1nt\u00e1's arms the ladies leapt,\n And hung about her neck and wept,\n And cried, '0, happy be the life\n Of this great Br\u00e1hman and his wife.\n The Wind, the Fire, the Moon on high.\n The Earth, the Streams, the circling sky,\n Preserve thee in the wood, true spouse,\n Devoted to thy husband's vows.\n And O dear S'\u00e1nt\u00e1, ne'er neglect\n To pay the dues of meek respect\n To the great saint, thy husband's sire,\n With all observance and with fire.\n And, sweet one, pure of spot and blame,\n Forget not thou thy husband's claim;\n In every change, in good and ill,\n Let thy sweet words delight him still,\n And let thy worship constant be:\n Her lord is woman's deity.\n To learn thy welfare, dearest friend,\n The king will many a Br\u00e1hman send.\n Let happy thoughts thy spirit cheer.\n And be not troubled, daughter dear.'\n \n \n \n These soothing words the ladies said.\n And pressed their lips upon her head.\n Each gave with sighs her last adieu,\n Then at the king's command withdrew.\n The king around the hermit went\n With circling footsteps reverent,\n And placed at Rishyas'ring's command\n Some soldiers of his royal band.\n The Br\u00e1hman bowed in turn and cried,\n 'May fortune never leave thy side.\n O mighty King, with justice reign,\n And still thy people's love retain.'\n He spoke, and turned away his face,\n \u00a0\u00a0 And, as the hermit went,\n The monarch, rooted to the place,\n \u00a0\u00a0 Pursued with eyes intent.\n But when the sage had past from view\n King Das'aratha turned him too,\n Still fixing on his friend each thought.\n With such deep love his breast was fraught.\n Amid his people's loud acclaim\n Home to his royal seat he came,\n \u00a0\u00a0 And lived delighted there,\n Expecting when each queenly dame,\n Upholder of his ancient fame,\n \u00a0\u00a0 Her promised son should bear.\n The glorious sage his way pursued\n Till close before his eyes he viewed\n Sweet Champ\u00e1, Lomap\u00e1d's fair town,\n Wreathed with her Champacs'\u00a01 leafy crown.\n Soon as the saint's approach he knew,\n The king, to yield him honour due,\n Went forth to meet him with a band\n Of priests and nobles of the land:\n 'Hail, Sage,' he cried, 'O joy to me!\n What bliss it is, my lord, to see\n Thee with thy wife and all thy train\n Returning to my town again.\n Thy father, honoured Sage, is well,\n Who hither from his woodland cell\n Has sent full many a messenger\n For tidings both of thee and her.'\n Then joyfully, for due respect,\n The monarch bade the town be decked.\n The king and Rishyas'ring elate\n Entered the royal city's gate:\n \u00a0\u00a0 In front the chaplain rode.\n Then, loved and honoured with all care\n By monarch and by courtier, there\n \u00a0\u00a0 The glorious saint abode.\n \n \n \n \n \n29:1 This Canto will appear ridiculous to the European reader. But it should be remembered that the monkeys of an Indian forest, the 'bough-deer' as the poets call them, are very different animals from the 'turpissima bestia' that accompanies the itinerant organ-grinder or grins in the Zoological Gardens of London. Milton has made his hero, Satan, assume the forms of a cormorant, a toad, and a serpent, and I cannot see that this creation of semi-divine V\u00e1nars, or monkeys, is more ridiculous or undignified.\n29:1b The consort of Ladra, called also S'ach\u00ed and Indr\u00e1n\u00ed.","title":"BOOK I: Canto XVII.: Rishyas'ring's Return.","type":"page"}