{"collection":"Hinduism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/hin/rama/ry360.htm","path":"hin/rama/ry360.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/hin/rama/ry360.htm","text":"While from his shelter in the boughs\n The V\u00e1nar looked on R\u00e1ma's spouse\n He heard the gathered giants raise\n The solemn hymn of prayer and praise.--\n Priests skilled in rite and ritual, who\n The Vedas and their branches \u00a01b knew.\n Then, as loud strains of music broke\n His sleep, the giant monarch woke.\n Swift to his heart the thought returned\n Of the fair queen for whom he burned;\n Nor could the amorous fiend control\n The passion that absorbed his soul.\n In all his brightest garb arrayed\n He hastened to that lovely shade.\n Where glowed each choicest flower and fruit.\n And the sweet birds were never mute.\n And tall deer bent their heads to drink\n On the fair streamlet's grassy brink.\n Near that As'oka grove he drew,--\n A hundred dames his retinue.\n Like Indra with the thousand eyes\n Girt with the beauties of the skies.\n Some walked beside their lord to hold\n The chouries, fans, and lamps of gold.\n And others purest water bore\n In golden urns, and paced before.\n Some carried, piled on golden plates.\n Delicious food of dainty cates;\n Some wine in massive bowls whereon\n The fairest gems resplendent shone.\n Some by the monarch's side displayed,\n Wrought like a swan, a silken shade:\n Another beauty walked behind,\n The sceptre to her care assigned.\n Around the monarch gleamed the crowd\n As lightnings flash about a cloud.\n And each made music as she went\n With zone and tinkling ornament.\n Attended thus in royal state\n The monarch reached the garden gate,\n While gold and silver torches, fed\n With scented oil a soft light shed. \u00a02b\n \n \n He, while the flame of fierce desire\n Burnt in his eyes like kindled fire,\n Seemed Love incarnate in his pride,\n His bow and arrows laid aside. \u00a01\n His robe, from spot and blemish free\n Like Amrit foamy from the sea, \u00a02\n Hung down in many a loosened fold\n Inwrought with flowers and bright with gold.\n The V\u00e1nar from his station viewed,\n Amazed, the wondrous multitude,\n Where, in the centre of that ring\n Of noblest women, stood the king,\n As stands the full moon fair to view,\n Girt by his starry retinue.\n \n \n \n \n405:1b The six Angas or subordinate branches of the Vedas are 1. Siksh\u00e1, the science of proper articulation and pronunciation: 2. Chhandas,metre: 3. Vyakarana, linguistic analysis or grammar: 4. Nirukta, explanation of difficult Vedic words: 5. Jyotisha, Astronomy, or rather the Vedic Calendar: 6. Kalpa, ceremonial.\n405:2b There appears to be some confusion, of time here. It was already morning when Hanum\u00e1n entered the grove, and the torches would be needless.","title":"BOOK V: Canto XVIII.: R\u00e1van.","type":"page"}