{"collection":"Hinduism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/hin/rama/ry119.htm","path":"hin/rama/ry119.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/hin/rama/ry119.htm","text":"The lion chief with hands upraised\n Was born from eyes that fondly gazed.\n But then the ladies' bower was rent\n With cries of weeping and lament:\n 'Where goes he now, our lord, the sure\n Protector of the friendless poor,\n In whom the wretched and the weak\n Defence and aid were wont to seek?\n All words of wrath he turned aside,\n And ne'er, when cursed, in ire replied.\n He shared his people's woe, and stilled\n The troubled breast which rage had filled.\n Our chief, on lofty thoughts intent,\n In glorious fame preeminent:\n As on his own dear mother, thus\n He ever looked on each of us.\n Where goes he now? His sire's behest,\n By Queen Kaikey\u00ed's guile distressed,\n Has banished to the forest hence\n Him who was all the world's defence.\n Ah, senseless King, to drive away\n The hope of men, their guard and stay,\n To banish to the distant wood\n R\u00e1ma the duteous, true, and good!'\n The royal dames, like cows bereaved\n Of their young calves, thus sadly grieved.\n The monarch heard them as they wailed,\n And by the fire of grief assailed\n For his dear son, he bowed his head,\n And all his sense and memory fled.\n \u00a0\u00a0 Then were no fires of worship fed,\n Thick darkness o'er the sun was spread.\n The cows their thirsty calves denied,\n And elephants flung their food aside.\n \n \n \n Tris'anku, \u00a01 Jupiter looked dread,\n And Mercury and Mars the red,\n In direful opposition met,\n The glory of the moon beset.\n The lunar stars withheld their light,\n The planets were no longer bright,\n But meteors with their horrid glare,\n And dire Vis'\u00e1kh\u00e1s \u00a02 lit the air.\n As troubled Ocean heaves and raves\n When Doom's wild tempest sweeps the waves,\n Thus all Ayodhy\u00e1 reeled and bent\n When R\u00e1ma to the forest went.\n And chilling grief and dark despair\n Fell suddenly on all men there.\n Their wonted pastime all forgot,\n Nor thought of food, or touched it not.\n Crowds in the royal street were seen\n With weeping eye and troubled mien:\n No more a people gay and glad,\n Each head and heart was sick and sad.\n No more the cool wind softly blew,\n The moon no more was fair to view,\n No more the sun with genial glow\n Cherished the world now plunged in woe.\n Sons, brothers, husbands, wedded wives\n Forgot the ties that joined their lives;\n No thought for kith and kin was spared,\n But all for only R\u00e1ma cared.\n And R\u00e1ma's friends who loved him best,\n Their minds disordered and distressed.\n By the great burthen of their woes\n Turned not to slumber or repose.\n \u00a0\u00a0 Like Earth with all her hills bereft\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Of Indra's guiding care.\n \u00a0\u00a0 Ayodhy\u00e1 in her sorrow left\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 By him, the high souled heir.\n \u00a0\u00a0 Was bowed by fear and sorrow's force,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And shook with many a throe,\n \u00a0\u00a0 While warrior, elephant, and horse\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sent up the cry of woe.\n \n \n \n \n \n143:1 'Thirty centuries have passed since he began this memorable journey. Every step of it is known and is annually traversed by thousands: hero worship is not extinct. What can Faith do! How strong are the ties of religion when entwined with the legends of a country! How many a cart creeps creaking and weary along the road from Ayodhy\u00e1 to Chitrak\u00fat. It is this that gives the R\u00e1m\u00e1yan a strange interest, the story still lives.' Calcutta Review: Vol. XXIII.","title":"Book II: Canto XLI.: The Citizens' Lament.","type":"page"}