{"collection":"Hinduism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/hin/rama/ry159.htm","path":"hin/rama/ry159.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/hin/rama/ry159.htm","text":"Ere yet the dawn had ushered in\n The day should see the march begin,\n Herald and bard who rightly knew\n Each nice degree of honour due,\n Their loud auspicious voices raised.\n And royal Bharat blessed and praised.\n With sticks of gold the drum they smote,\n Which thundered out its deafening note,\n Blew loud the sounding shell, and blent\n Each high and low-toned instrument.\n The mingled sound of drum and horn\n Through all the air was quickly borne,\n And as in Bharat's ear it rang,\n Gave the sad prince another pang.\n \u00a0 Then Bharat starting from repose,\n Stilled the glad sounds that round him rose,\n 'I am not king--no more mistake:'\n Then to S'atrughna thus he spake:\n 'O see what general wrongs succeed\n Sprung from Kaikey\u00ed's evil deed!\n The king my sire has died and thrown\n Fresh miseries on me alone.\n The royal bliss, on duty based.\n Which our just high-souled father graced,\n Wanders in doubt and sore distress\n Like a tossed vessel rudderless.\n And he who was our lordly stay\n Roams in the forest far away,\n Expelled by this my mother, who\n To duty's law is most untrue.'\n \u00a0 As royal Bharat thus gave vent\n To bitter grief in wild lament,\n Gazing upon his face the crowd\n Of pitying women wept aloud.\n His lamentation scarce was o'er,\n When Saint Vas'ishtha, skilled in lore\n Of royal duty, dear to fame,\n To join the great assembly came.\n Girt by disciples ever true\n Still nearer to that hall he drew,\n Resplendent, heavenly to behold,\n Adorned with wealth of gems and gold:\n E'en so a man in duty tried\n Draws near to meet his virtuous bride.\n He reached his golden seat o'erlaid\n With coverlet of rich brocade.\n There sat, in all the Vedas read,\n And called the messengers, and said:\n 'Go forth, let Br\u00e1hman, Warrior, peer,\n And every captain gather here:\n Let all attentive hither throng:\n Go, hasten: we delay too long.\n S'atrughna, glorious Bharat bring,\n The noble children of the king, \u00a01\n \n \n Yudh\u00e1jit \u00a01 and Sumantra, all\n The truthful and the virtuous call,'\n \u00a0\u00a0 He ended: soon a mighty sound\n Of thickening tumult rose around,\n As to the hall they bent their course\n With car, and elephant, and horse,\n The people all with glad acclaim\n Welcomed Prince Bharat as he came:\n E'en as they loved their king to greet,\n Or as the Gods Lord Indra \u00a02 meet.\n \u00a0\u00a0 The vast assembly shone as fair\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 With Bharat's kingly face\n \u00a0\u00a0 As Das'aratha's self were there\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 To glorify the place.\n \u00a0\u00a0 It gleamed like some unruffled lake\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Where monsters huge of mould\n \u00a0\u00a0 With many a snake their pastime take\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 O'er shells, sand, gems, and gold.\n \n \n \n \n189:1 The commentator says 'S'atrughna accompanied by the other sons of the king.'","title":"Book II: Canto LXXXI.: The Assembly.","type":"page"}