{"collection":"Hinduism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/hin/rama/ry126.htm","path":"hin/rama/ry126.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/hin/rama/ry126.htm","text":"When those who forth with R\u00e1ma went\n Back to the town their steps had bent,\n It seemed that death had touched and chilled\n Those hearts which piercing sorrow filled.\n Each to his several mansion came,\n And girt by children and his dame,\n From his sad eyes the water shed\n That o'er his cheek in torrents spread.\n All joy was fled: oppressed with cares\n No bustling trader showed his wares.\n Each shop had lost its brilliant look,\n Each householder forbore to cook.\n No hand with joy its earnings told,\n None cared to win a wealth of gold,\n And scarce the youthful mother smiled\n To see her first, her new-born child.\n In every house a woman wailed,\n And her returning lord assailed\n With keen taunt piercing like the steel\n That bids the tusked monster kneel;\n 'What now to them is wedded dame,\n What house and home and dearest aim,\n Or son, or bliss, or gathered store,\n Whose eyes on R\u00e1ma look no more!\n There is but one in all the earth,\n One man alone of real worth,\n Lakshman, who follows, true and good,\n R\u00e1ma, with S\u00edt\u00e1, through the wood,\n Made holy for all time we deem\n Each pool and fountain, lake and stream,\n If great Kakutstha's son shall choose\n Their water for his bath to use.\n Each forest, dark with lovely trees,\n Shall yearn Kakutstha's son to please;\n Each mountain peak and woody hill,\n Each mighty flood and mazy rill,\n Each rocky height, each shady grove\n Where the blest feet of R\u00e1ma rove,\n Shall gladly welcome with the best\n Of all they have their honoured guest.\n The trees that clustering blossoms bear,\n And bright-hued buds to gem their hair,\n The heart of R\u00e1ma shall delight,\n And cheer him on the breezy height.\n For him the upland slopes will show\n The fairest roots and fruit that grow,\n And all their wealth before him fling\n Ere the due hour of ripening.\n For him each earth-upholding hill\n Its crystal water shall distil,\n And all its floods shall be displayed\n In many a thousand-hued cascade.\n Where R\u00e1ma stands is naught to fear,\n No danger comes if he be near;\n For all who live on him depend,\n The world's support, and lord, and friend.\n Ere in too distant wilds he stray,\n Let us to R\u00e1ma speed away,\n For rich reward on those will wait\n Who serve a prince of soul so great.\n We will attend on S\u00edt\u00e1 there;\n Be Raghu's son your special care.'\n The city dames, with grief distressed,\n Thus once again their lords addressed:\n 'R\u00e1ma shall be your guard and guide,\n And S\u00edt\u00e1 will for us provide.\n For who would care to linger here,\n Where all is sad and dark and drear?\n Who, mid the mourners, hope for bliss\n ln a poor soulless town like this?\n If Queen Kaikey\u00ed's treacherous sin,\n Our lord expelled, the kingdom win,\n We heed not sons or golden store,\n Our life itself we prize no more.\n If she, seduced by lust of sway,\n Her lord and son could cast away,\n Whom would she leave unharmed, the base\n Defiler of her royal race?\n We swear it by our children dear,\n We will not dwell as servants here;\n If Queen Kaikey\u00ed live to reign,\n We will not in her realm remain.\n Bowed down by her oppressive hand,\n The helpless, lordless, godless land,\n Cursed for Kaikey\u00ed's guilt will fall,\n And swift destruction seize it all.\n \n \n For, R\u00e1ma forced from home to fly,\n The king his sire will surely die,\n And when the king has breathed his last\n Ruin will doubtless follow fast.\n Sad, robbed of merits, drug the cup\n And drink the poisoned mixture up,\n Or share the exiled R\u00e1ma's lot,\n Or seek some land that knows her not.\n No reason, but a false pretence\n Drove R\u00e1ma, Sit\u00e1, Lakshman hence,\n And we to Bharat have been given\n Like cattle to the shambles driven.\n \n \n While in each house the women, pained\n At loss of R\u00e1ma, still complained,\n Sank to his rest the Lord of Day,\n And night through all the sky held sway\n The tires of worship all were cold,\n No text was hummed, no tale was told,\n And shades of midnight gloom came down\n Eveloping the mournful town.\n Still, sick at heart, the women shed,\n As for a son or husband fled,\n For R\u00e1ma tears, disquieted:\n \n \n No child was loved as he.\n And all Ayodhy\u00e1, where the feast,\n Music, and song, and dance had ceased,\n \u00a0\u00a0 And merriment and glee,\n Where every merchant's store was closed\n That erst its glittering wares exposed,\n Was like a dried up sea.","title":"Book II: Canto XLVIII.: The Women's Lament.","type":"page"}