{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_57265/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_57265","id":"gutenberg_57265","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/57265","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Epic poetry, Sanskrit -- Translations into English","Folklore -- India","Rama (Hindu deity) -- Fiction","Valmiki -- Adaptations"],"text":"Produced by James Simmons.\n\nThis file was produced from page images at the Internet Archive.\n\n\n\n\nTranscriber's Note\n\n\nThis book was transcribed from scans of several different copies of the\noriginal found at the Internet Archive. The typesetters of the original\nbook represented the letter a (with a macron above) as a (with\ncircumflex above) when italicized, but this etext uses the macron\nthroughout. Words in italics in this etext were italicized in the\noriginal book. I have corrected obvious misspellings (for example in one\nplace the word \"spices\" was used when \"spies\" was clearly meant) but\nI've left variant spellings alone.\n\n\n\n\n THE RAMAYANA\n\n\n Translated into English Prose from the original Sanskrit of Valmiki\n\n\n BALAKANDAM.\n\n\n EDITED AND PUBLISHED BY\n\n MANMATHA NATH DUTT, M. A.\n\n Rector, Keshub Academy.\n\n\n\n\nprinted by Girish Chandra Chackravarti, Deva Press, 65/2, Beadon Street.\n CALCUTTA. 1891\n\n [All rights reserved.]\n\n FOR THE COMPLETE SET, IN ADVANCE. INCLUDING POSTAGE.\n\n In India Rs. 16.\n\n In Europe L 2.\n\n\n\n\nTHE RAMAYANA IN AN ENGLISH GARB.\n\n\nThe immortal Epic of Valmiki is undoubtedly one of the gems of\nliterature,--indeed, some considering it as the Kohinur of the literary\nregion, which has for centuries, and from a time reaching to the dim and\nfar past been shedding unparalleled and undying halo upon the domain\npresided over by \"the vision and the faculty divine.\" The burthen of the\nbard's song is the perpetual contest between good and evil,that is\neverywhere going on in this mysteriously-ordered world of ours,and which\nseemingly sometimes ending in the victory of the former,and at others in\nthat of the latter,vitally and spiritually results in the utter\noverthrow and confusion of evil and in the triumph and final conquest of\ngood. Rama sprung from the bright loins of the effulgent luminary of\nday, and bringing his life and being from a long and illustrious\nancestry of sovereigns, Rama taking birth among the sons of men for\nchastising and repressing rampant Iniquity and Injustice, typifies the\nspirit of good that obtains in this world,--Ravana, that grim and\nterrible Ten-headed one, a Rakshasa by virtue of birth, and worthy to be\nthe chief and foremost of Rakshasas by virtue of his many misdeeds and\nimpieties, who challenges and keeps in awe the whole host of the\ncelestials--\"to whom the Sun did not shine too hot, and about whom the\nWind did not dare to breathe,\" represents the spirit of unrighteousness\nand evil. Lakshmana, disregrading the pomp and splendours of princely\nlife, to follow his beloved brother Rama into the forest, and cheerfully\nundergoing there a world of trials and privations, and daily and nightly\nkeeping watch and ward over his brother and his spouse in their\ncottage,--and Bharata, stoutly and persistently declining, despite the\nexhortations of the elders and the spiritual guides, to govern the\nkingdom during Rama's absence in the forest, and holding the royal\numbrella over his brother's sandals,are personations of the _ne plus\nultra_ of fraternal love, and consummate and perfect ideals of their\nkind. The righteous Bibhishana, who for Rama's cause forsook his royal\nbrother, and set small store by the splendours of royalty, who suffered\nno earthly considerations to interfere with his entire and absolute\ndevotion to his friend, embodies in his person the sterling virtues\ngoing under the precious name of friendship. The ever-devoted Hanumana\nglorying in the appellation of Rama's servant,--ever-prompt at the beck\nand call of his master to lay down his life--is the grandest and\nloftiest conception of the faithful servant that is to be found in all\nliterature. Shall we say aught of Rama and Sita, or keep silence over\nthemes too sacred for babblement and frofane mouthing? The kingdom is\nastir and alive with the jubilations of the populace at the prospect of\nRama's coronation; pennons by thousands are streaming like meteors in\nthe air at the tops of stately edifices; and drums and _panavas_ and\nother musical instruments are sounding forth the auspicious anouncement.\nThe royal household swims in a sea of bliss surging and heaving on all\nsides. Delight and Joy move about and laugh and talk under the names of\nDacaratha and Kaucalya. Anon a thunder-clap bursts in the midst of the\nMerry-making, and converts delight into dole, the sounds of laughter and\nhilarity into loud wails and lamentations issuing from hearts knowing no\nconsolation. All is lost! Rama is to be banished into the woods for\nfourteen years. He cheerfully makes up his mind and repairs to the\nforest in consonance with his father's promise. Sita steps forth--a\ndivinity clad in flesh--Sita would follow the fortunes of her lord. She\nconsiders it as the height of undutifulness to remain behind, continuing\nto enjoy the pleasures of the palace, while her beloved Rama is leading\na life of toils and privations in the remote woods. The daughter as well\nas the daughter-in-law of kings, brought up in the lap of luxury and\namidst the soft ministrations of those pleasures that pertain to a royal\nhousehold, Sita, the idol of every one's love and regard, boldly and\nwith alacrity faces all the toils and terrors of a forest-life, in\npreferance to remaining in Dacaratha's residence, bereft of the company\nof her sweet lord.\n\nAll these and various other characters that figure on the fascinating\nand enchanting boards of Valmiki, have been developed fully and\nelaborately, and with and perfect consistency of portraiture through the\nlength of his gigantic poem of Ramayana. Ravana standing before us in\nstupendous proportions as the personation of terror and wrong-doing,\nbefore whom the human spirit trembles as Sita in the Asoka wood; the\nlotus-eyed Rama self-forgetful and heroic, and possessed of the highest\nperfections that can adorn humanity, and through the extremes of misery\nand misfortune ever abiding by righteousness and truth; Sita the best\nand fairest of her sex, the embodiment of all loveliness and grace\nphysical and mental, she who rose from the sacrificial fire of\ninspiration--a goddess in all her manifold perfections and unsurpassed\nexellences, whose name carries in the very mention a world of pathos;\nthe faithful Lakshmana, aye cleaving to his brother on the perilous edge\nof raging battle, and in the dreary forest leading a life lorn and\ndesolate,--these and others whom we forbear reluctantly to name, have\nbeen pourtrayed to the life; they are quick with the Promethean spark\nand occupy prominent positions in that ideal world brought into being by\nthose mighty intellectual wizards--the poets; and are the perennial\nfountains of our joy and sorrow, never suffering the good and the\nbeautiful to degenerate into cant and commonplace in our minds. Oh! the\nprivilege of genius.\n\nThe influence exercised by the Ramayana upon the Hindus reaching down to\nthe lowest strata of the society, is literally and in actual fact\nimmense. Truly of the Ramayana it can be said in Baconian language that\nit has come home to the business and bosoms of all men. If there is one\ntest which more than another distinguishes the true from the false in\nArt, it is the circumstance of a work influencing or not influencing\nlife: a work that assimilates itself with the mental constitution of a\nnation, lending energy to impulse, contributing to clearness of thought,\nand ennobling and spiritualis- ing the higher emotions and aspirations,\nmust by the very reason of its doing so, be true; while that which fails\nin doing so, is not the real and genuine thing and can well be spared.\nThe Ramayana has become a household-word in Hindu Society, and\nexpressions embodying the memories of incidents celebrated in the epic,\npass current amongst all ranks of the people, being mouthed alike by\nhigh and low, by prince and peasantry the aristocracy and the nobility\nof the land, by merchants and mechanics, by cultivators ploughing the\nfield, and by shepherds keeping the flock, by princesses and high-born\ndames in towering edifices, and the women of the peasantry plying their\ndaily tasks, religionists and politicians and men of letters,--in short\nby the community universally. Such absolute and all-commanding and\ncomprehensive sway and influence of literature is perhaps unknown in the\nWest, with the single exception of the Bible. _Rama's regime_ embodies\nthe popular conception of administrative perfection--the ideal of a\nmonarchy. Ravana is remembered not only in consequence of the prominent\npart he plays in the Ramayana, but also on account of his famous advice\nto Rama immediately before his death,--namely that the execution of evil\nprojects should be deferred, but that good ones should be promptly\nexecuted,--a very sage counsel doubtless, answering partially to\nMacbeth's observation on hearing of Macduff's escape:\n\n \"----------From this moment\n\n The very firstlings of my heart shall be\n\n The firstlings of my hand------\"\n\n\"The vow concerning the bow-breaking,\" applied sarcastically to a case\nof contumacy, \"The war between Rama and Ravana is matched by that war\nalone,\" \"Ravana's family.\" \"Ravana hath been ruined by domestic\ndisclosure,\" \"Lanka hath met with destruction in consequence of excess\nof pride,\" \"That won't render the Ramayana incorrect,\"--these are some\nof the adages universally current in Hindu society, mixing constantly\ninto common talk. Does not this unequivocally and unmistakably prove\nthat the influence of Valmiki has entered into the pith and marrow of\nthe nation, and vitally sways its intellectual and emotional tendencies?\n\nSita has become the grand exemplar to Hindu women as the embodiment of\npurity, chastity, and wifely fidelity. She has furnished Hindu ladies\nwith the highest and noblest conception of their duties in their various\nand manifold relations in life. Her empire is both wide and deep over\nthe hearts of her sex, performing for their eternal behoof spiritual\nservices of incalculable worth. She should be looked upon as one of the\ngreatest teachers of her kind--as a teacher in that highest and best\nsense in which Christ and Chaitanya, Nanat and Socrates are called\nteachers. Ah, who can say how many women have turned away in the budding\nprime of youth from the primrose path of dalliance, and have in\npreferance followed virtue, who alone is truly fair,--how many stirred\nand influenced by the example of her matchless self-sacrifice have\nfirmly made up their minds to tread in her foot-steps? In like manner it\nmay be said of almost all the principal characters of the Ramayana, that\nthey have more or less deeply influenced the thoughts and sentiments of\nthe people.\n\nFurther, the Ramayana has been all along a reservoir upon which\nsubsequent writers have drawn ceaselessly. Indeed most of the succeeding\npoems owe to the Mahabharata and the Ramayana for their subjects. Not to\nmention writers of less note, even Kalidasa's self has dunk deep of that\nfountain. Bhababhuti not less celebrated has composed a poem treating of\nthe latter part of Rama's life and saturated with a pathos which perhaps\nno other pen has surpassed.\n\nTo the antiquary and the student of oriental literature and manners, a\nknowledge of the Ramayana is simply indispensable. Together with the\nMahabharata with which it is joined in popular parlance, and with which\nit goes hand in hand in compass and variety of information, but to which\nits superiority is pronounced in point of epic excellence and\nconsistency and uniformity of execution, the Ramayana constitutes the\ngreat repository of wisdom and learning, the manners and customs of the\nancient Hindus. Indeed, the adage current in our socity with regard to\nthe Mahabharata, \"What is not in _Bharat_ (Mahabharat), is not in\n_Bharat_ (India)\" applies to Ihe Ramayana as well. In it, cosmogony and\ntheogony, the genealogies of kings and princes,--of human and\nextra-human beings, of _Ashuras_ and _Danavas_, of _Yakshas_ and\n_Gandharvas_, and _Shiddhas_ and _Charanas_; folklore and anecdotes and\nlegends, and stories half- mythical and half-historical; descriptions of\ncities existing at a period long anterior to the age of Troy and\nMemphis, and the chronicles of kings that reigned before Priam and\nBusiris,--all these with others too numerous to enumerate, have been\nwoven into the mighty web and woof of the magic drapery evolved by the\nso potent art of Valmiki.\n\nNor is the poem less interesting in a political point of view. It can\nhardly be questioned that all progress to be real and intrinsic must be\ndeveloped out of the inherent tendencies of a nation--the feelings and\nsentiments and idiosyncracies into which it is born as well as those\nwhich have been stamped on its life and mind by the stress and\nexigencies of circumstances, social and political. For a nation,\ntherefore, to govern another with such an object as that with which\nEngland has taken upon herself the Government of this country--namely,\nthe progress and advancement of the children of the soil--a close and\nwide study of its laws, and institutions manners and customs, modes of\nthought and emotional proclivities becomes a thing of paramount\ninterest. It is clear, hence, that to our rulers an acquaintance with\nsuch works as the Mahabharata and Ramayana is most important for wise\nand beneficient adminstration. Nor can it avail one to advance the\nseemingly unanswerable objection that treating of as they do a state of\nsociety divided from the real present by a huge and abyssmal gulf of\ntime, such works can by no means serve as useful and faithful guides to\nthe life and manners of Hindu society existing at this day. \"In India,\"\nas Professor Monier Williams justly remarks, \"the lapse of centuries is\npowerless in effecting radical changes in the foundation and\nconstitution of Hindu society.\" The conservative character of the Hindu\nnation is proverbial. In India usages and observances, the rituals\nprescribed by the scriptures and the customs sanctioned by hoary age,\nare clung to with a tenacity that is proof against time and innovation;\nand those who think that England has materially swayed and influnced the\nsocial life of the people, labour, we make bold to say, under a\nlamentable delusion.\n\nHaving regard alike to the surpassing and matchless excellence of the\npoem itself both in its dramatic and lyric character, the extreme\ninterest it possesses for antiquaries and students of oriental\nliterature, and the importance with which its study is fraught\npolitically to Englishmen, it is most desirable that the Ramayana should\nbe presented before the public in an English garb. In consequence of its\nbeing composed originally in Sanskrit, it literally remains a sealed\nbook to the majority of students. Few are the persons that can devote\ntheir time and energies to master Sanskrit--a language which of all\nlanguages existing on earth, is, in consequence of its highly complex\nand complicated grammar, as well as the indefiniteness which\ncharacterises it on account of its possessing countless synonyms, most\ndifficult to master by a foreigner. Nay, we can perhaps safely go so far\nas to assert that very few amongst those Western scholars who have\ndevoted their lives to the study of Sanskrit literature, have been able\nto enter into the spirit of that part of its vocabulary in which are\ncouched those peculiarly Hindu ideas and sentiments that constitute the\nunique genius of the people. To translate, therefore, such a work as the\nRamayana from the dead and indefinite Sanskrit into the living and real\nEnglish, is, like unearthening a fossil and inspiring it with life; or\nrather like transferring a light from a bushel in which it has been\nhidden, to a mountain- top,--so that men may behold it and the\nsurrounding objects by help of its grateful rays. Surely, to render a\nwork from a dead tongue into a living language and specially such a\nlanguage as English with all its resources, is literally taking it from\nits narrow and circumscribed sphere of influence, and placing it before\nthe world at large--in fact, making it the common property and heritage\nof all mankind. The utility, therefore, we flatter ourselves, of this\npresent literary undertaking, will recomend itself to all thinking-minds\nwithout any further elaboration on our part. Indeed, it would argue no\ncommon hardihood in him who despite common sense and reason, would\nendevour to maintain that the Epic of Valmiki published in an English\ngarb (always provided that the execution do not fall far short of the\nrequirements) would prove valueless as a contribution to the case of\nliterature and culture.\n\nIn translating the Ramayana into English, we are concerned with a work\ncomposed by an illustrious ascetic passing his days in a hermitage in\ndevout contemplation and the practice of rigid austerities and\nself-denial. It behoves us, therefore, to approach the task in a\nbecoming spirit, with minds duly prepared and fitted. Let us,\naccordingly, begin by invoking Him whose presence can convert the\nfoulest and the most unclean spot, pure and clean, \"like the icicle that\nhangs on Dian's temple,\" or the hearts and aspirations of the Vestal\nVirgins, or pious saints ever engaged in meditating the Most High. May\nHe in His infinite and eternal grace vouchsafe to purge our minds of all\nignoble feelings and motives,--may He enable is to find delight in duty\nand doing His will! May our energies never flag while carrying the\nburden we have taken on our shoulders! May He enlighten our\nunderstanding to interpret aright and convey in clear and adequate\nlanguage the great thoughts and sentiments of the sublime bard,--so that\nthe English Ramayana being read by all the subjects of a Monarch on\nwhose dominions the sun never sets, it may contribute to their constant\nprofit and delight.\n\n\n\n\n THE RAMAYANA IN AN ENGLISH GARB. ..................................\n BALAKANDAM. .......................................................\n SECTION I. ......................................................\n SECTION II. .....................................................\n SECTION III. ....................................................\n SECTION IV. .....................................................\n SECTION V. ......................................................\n SECTION VI. .....................................................\n SECTION VII. ....................................................\n SECTION VIII. ...................................................\n SECTION IX. .....................................................\n SECTION X. ......................................................\n SECTION XI. .....................................................\n SECTION XII. ....................................................\n SECTION XIII. ...................................................\n SECTION XIV. ....................................................\n SECTION XV. .....................................................\n SECTION XVI. ....................................................\n SECTION XVII. ...................................................\n SECTION XVIII. ..................................................\n SECTION XIX. ....................................................\n SECTION XX. .....................................................\n SECTION XXI. ....................................................\n SECTION XXII. ...................................................\n SECTION XXIII. ..................................................\n SECTION XXIV. ...................................................\n SECTION XXV. ....................................................\n SECTION XXVI. ...................................................\n SECTION XXVII. ..................................................\n SECTION XXVIII. .................................................\n SECTION XXIX. ...................................................\n SECTION XXX. ....................................................\n SECTION XXXI. ...................................................\n SECTION XXXN. ...................................................\n SECTION XXXIII. .................................................\n SECTION XXXIV. ..................................................\n SECTION XXXV. ...................................................\n SECTION XXXVI. ..................................................\n SECTION XXXVII. .................................................\n SECTION XXXVIII. ................................................\n SECTION XXXIX. ..................................................\n SECTION XL. .....................................................\n SECTION XLI. ....................................................\n SECTION XLII. ...................................................\n SECTION XLIV. ...................................................\n SECTION XLV. ....................................................\n SECTION XLVI. ...................................................\n SECTION XLVII. ..................................................\n SECTION XLVIII. .................................................\n SECTION XLIX. ...................................................\n SECTION L. ......................................................\n SECTION LI. .....................................................\n SECTION LII. ....................................................\n SECTION LIII. ...................................................\n SECTION LIV. ....................................................\n SECTION LVI. ....................................................\n SECTION LVII. ...................................................\n SECTION LVIII. ..................................................\n SECTION LIX. ....................................................\n SECTION LX. .....................................................\n SECTION LXI. ....................................................\n SECTION LXII. ...................................................\n SECTION LXIII. ..................................................\n SECTION LXIV. ...................................................\n SECTION LXV. ....................................................\n SECTION LXVI. ...................................................\n SECTION LXVII. ..................................................\n SECTION LXVIII. .................................................\n SECTION LXIX. ...................................................\n SECTION LXX. ....................................................\n SECTION LXXI. ...................................................\n SECTION LXXII. ..................................................\n SECTION LXXII. ..................................................\n SECTION LXXIV. ..................................................\n SECTION LXXV. ...................................................\n SECTION LXXVI. ..................................................\n SECTION LXXVII. .................................................\n AYODHYAKANDAM .....................................................\n SECTION I. ......................................................\n SECTION II. .....................................................\n SECTION III. ....................................................\n SECTION IV. .....................................................\n SECTION V. ......................................................\n SECTION VI. .....................................................\n SECTION VII. ....................................................\n SECTION VIII. ...................................................\n SECTION IX. .....................................................\n SECTION X. ......................................................\n SECTION XI. .....................................................\n SECTION XII. ....................................................\n SECTION XIII. ...................................................\n SECTION XIV. ....................................................\n SECTION XV. .....................................................\n SECTION XVI. ....................................................\n SECTION XVII. ...................................................\n SECTION XVIII. ..................................................\n SECTION XIX. ....................................................\n SECTION XX. .....................................................\n SECTION XXI. ....................................................\n SECTION XXII. ...................................................\n SECTION XXIII. ..................................................\n SECTION XXIV. ...................................................\n SECTION XXV. ....................................................\n SECTION XXVI. ...................................................\n SECTION XXVII. ..................................................\n SECTION XXVIII. .................................................\n SECTION XXIX. ...................................................\n SECTION XXX. ....................................................\n SECTION XXXI. ...................................................\n SECTION XXXII. ..................................................\n SECTION XXXIII. .................................................\n SECTION XXXIV. ..................................................\n SECTION XXXV. ...................................................\n SECTION XXXVI. ..................................................\n SECTION XXXVII. .................................................\n SECTION XXXVIII. ................................................\n SECTION XXXIX. ..................................................\n SECTION XL. .....................................................\n SECTION XLI. ....................................................\n SECTION XLII. ...................................................\n SECTION XLIII. ..................................................\n SECTION XLIV. ...................................................\n SECTION XLV. ....................................................\n SECTION XLVI. ...................................................\n SECTION XLVII. ..................................................\n SECTION XLVIII. .................................................\n SECTION XLIX. ...................................................\n SECTION L. ......................................................\n SECTION LI. .....................................................\n SECTION LII. ....................................................\n SECTION LIII. ...................................................\n SECTION LIV. ....................................................\n SECTION LV. .....................................................\n SECTION LVI. ....................................................\n SECTION LVII. ...................................................\n SECTION LVIII. ..................................................\n SECTION LIX. ....................................................\n SECTION LX. .....................................................\n SECTION LXI. ....................................................\n SECTION LXII. ...................................................\n SECTION LXIII. ..................................................\n SECTION LXIV. ...................................................\n SECTION LXV. ....................................................\n SECTION LXVI. ...................................................\n SECTION LXVII. ..................................................\n SECTION LXVIII. .................................................\n SECTION LXIX. ...................................................\n SECTION LXX. ....................................................\n SECTION LXXI. ...................................................\n SECTION LXXII. ..................................................\n SECTION LXXIII. .................................................\n SECTION LXXIV. ..................................................\n SECTION LXXV. ...................................................\n SECTION LXXVI. ..................................................\n SECTION LXXVII. .................................................\n SECTION LXXVIII. ................................................\n SECTION LXXIX. ..................................................\n SECTION LXXX. ...................................................\n SECTION LXXXI. ..................................................\n SECTION LXXXII. .................................................\n SECTION LXXXIII. ................................................\n SECTION LXXXIV. .................................................\n SECTION LXXXV. ..................................................\n SECTION LXXXVI. .................................................\n SECTION LXXXVII. ................................................\n SECTION LXXXVIII. ...............................................\n SECTION LXXXIX. .................................................\n SECTION LXXXX. ..................................................\n SECTION LXXXXI. .................................................\n SECTION LXXXXII. ................................................\n SECTION LXXXXIII. ...............................................\n SECTION LXXXXIV. ................................................\n SECTION LXXXXV. .................................................\n SECTION LXXXXVI. ................................................\n SECTION LXXXXVII. ...............................................\n SECTION LXXXXVIII. ..............................................\n SECTION LXXXXIX. ................................................\n SECTION C. ......................................................\n SECTION CI. .....................................................\n SECTION CII. ....................................................\n SECTION CIII. ...................................................\n SECTION CIV. ....................................................\n SECTION CV. .....................................................\n SECTION CVI. ....................................................\n SECTION CVII. ...................................................\n SECTION CVIII. ..................................................\n SECTION CIX. ....................................................\n SECTION CX. .....................................................\n SECTION CXI. ....................................................\n SECTION CXII. ...................................................\n SECTION CXIII. ..................................................\n SECTION CXIV. ...................................................\n SECTION CXV. ....................................................\n SECTION CXVI. ...................................................\n SECTION CXVII. ..................................................\n SECTION CXVIII. .................................................\n\n\n\n\nBALAKANDAM.\n\n\n\nSECTION I.\n\n\nThe ascetic Valmiki asked that best of sages and foremost of those\nconversant with words, ever engaged in austerities and Vaidika studies,\nNarada saying,--\"Who at present in this world is alike crowned with\nqualities, and endued with prowess, knowing duty, and grateful, and\ntruthful, and firm in vow,--who is qualified by virtue of his character,\nand who is ever studious of the welfare of all creatures? Who is\nlearned, hath studied society, and knoweth the art of pleasing his\nsubjects? And who alone is ever lovely to behold? Who hath subdued his\nheart, and controlled his anger, is endowed with personal grace, and\ndevoid of malice; and whom, enraged in battle, do even the gods, fear?\nGreat is my curiosity to hear of such a person. Thou canst, O\n_Maharshi_[1] tell me of a man of this description.\" Hearing Valmiki's\nwords, Narada, cognizant of the three worlds, said with alacrity,--\"Do\nthou listen! Rare as are the qualities mentioned by thee, I will, O\nsage, having duly considered, describe unto thee a person endued with\nthem. There is one sprung from the line of Ikshwaku, known by the name\nof Rama. He is of subdued soul and exceeding prowess; effulgent; endowed\nwith patience; having senses under control; intelligent; learned in\nmorality; eloquent; crowned with grace; the slayer of foes;\nbroad-shouldered; possessed of mighty arms, a conch-shaped neck, fleshy\njaws, and a broad chest; a powerful bowman; the repressor of foes;\nhaving plump shoulder-blades; of arms reaching down unto his knees; with\na beautiful head, and a graceful forehead; and endowed with excellent\nmight; having symmetrical limbs; and of a cool hue; and possessed of\nprowess; and having a well- developed chest; with expansive eyes;\ncrowned with auspiciousness and favourable marks; knowing duty; firm in\npromise; aye engaged in the good of his subjects; of accomplished\nrenown; furnished with knowledge; pure in body and spirit; modest\ntowards superiors; versed in self-knowledge; like unto Prajapati\nhimself; blest with prosperity; protecting all; the destroyer of\nenemies, and supporter of all living beings; and the stay of order,\npractising all the duties of his class; and preserving those cleaving\nunto him; versed in the profundities of the Vedas and the Vedangas;\naccomplished in archery; gifted with a good memory; ascertaining with\nrapidity the truth of things; the darling of all; unreproved; of\nunvanquished spirit; discerning; proficient in every branch of learning;\never resorted to by the good even as the ocean is, by the rivers; worthy\nof being honored; having an equal regard for all; and capable of filling\nthe heart with ever-new sensations. Crowned with every grace; he\nenhanceth the joys of Kaucalya; being like unto the sea in gravity, and\nunto the Himavat in patience. In prowess, he is like unto Vishnu, and\nboasteth of the personal attractions of the Moon. In anger he resembleth\nthe fire raging at the dissolution of all; and in forgiveness, he is\nlike unto the Earth. In giving away, he is like unto (Kuvera) the\nBestower of riches, and in truth, he is like another Dharma.\n\n\"Desirous of doing that which would be acceptable to subject, king\nDacaratha, from fulness of affection, wished to instal as his associate\nin the kingdom his beloved and meritorious eldest son, Rama, of\ninfallible prowess, and endued with sterling virtues, and ever intent on\nthe welfare of the people. Beholding the provisions for the\ninstallation, that lady the king's consort, Kaikeyi, who had previously\nbeen promised two boons, even asked for these, _viz_., the exile of\nRama, and the installation of Bharata. Bound by the ties of duty in\nconsequence of that promise of his, king Dacaratha banished his favorite\nson Rama. In pursuance of his father's promise, and with the view of\ncompassing the pleasure of Kaikeyi, that heroic one, commanded by his\nsire, wended into the forest. And on the eve of his departure for the\nforest, that enhancer of Sumitra's joy and favorite of his brother\n(Rama), his dear brother Lakshmana, endowed with humility, displaying\nbrotherliness, followed him out of affection. And as Rohini followeth\nthe moon, Rama's beloved spouse, sprung in Janaka's line--like unto an\nembodiment of Divine power-- dear (unto Rama) as life itself, and\nengaged in acts of good, and furnished with every auspicious mark, and\nthe best of wives, followed Rama. Having been followed far by his father\nDacaratha along with the citizens, Rama met with the virtuous and\nbeloved king of the Nishadas; and then in company with Guha,\nLakshmana,and Sita, dismissed his charioteer on the banks of the Ganges\nat Sringaverapura. Then wending from one wood to another, and having\ncrossed many broad rivers, they, in accordance with Bharadwaja's\ndirections, arrived at the Chitrakuta; and constructing a romantic\nabode, the three began to live there as they listed. And they spent\ntheir days in delight, even like gods and Gandharbhas. And when Rama had\nreached the Chitrakuta, king Dacaratha, distressed on account of his\nson, went to heaven, bewailing the latter. And when Dacaratha had\nascended heaven, the mighty Bharata, although pressed by the Brahmanas\nheaded by Vasistha, to rule the kingdom, did not wish for dominion. And\nthat hero went after Rama into the forest, with the view of propitiating\nthat worshipful one. And having come to the high- souled Rama, with\ntruth for his prowess, he besought his brother, with every mark of\nrespect. And Rama said unto Bharata these words,--\"Thou too, O thou\nconversant with duty, art king.\" And the exceedingly generous,\nillustrious and mighty Rama of a cheerful countenance did not wish for\nthe kingdom, in consonance with his father's injunction. And having made\nover unto Bharata, as his substitute on the throne, his own sandals,\nBharata's elder brother repeatedly forbade him. And then Bharata,finding\nhis desire not obtained,touched Rama's feet, and began to rule at\nNandigrama, expecting the return of Rama. And when the auspicious\nBharata, firm in promise and of subdued sense, had gone away, Rama again\nperceiving there the influx of citizens and others, eagerly entered\nDandaka. And having entered that mighty forest, the lotus-eyed Rama slew\nthe Rakshasa, Viradha, and saw Sarabhanga, Suitikshna, Agastya and\nAgastya's brother. And he then, directed by Agastya, gladly possessed\nhimself of Indra's bow, the inexhaustible arrows, the scimitar, and the\nquiver. And while Rama was dwelling there with the rangers of woods, the\nsages came to him in a body for the destruction of the Asuras and\nRakshasas. Thereupon in the presence of those ascetics like unto flaming\nfire, inhabiting the Dandaka forest, he promised to slay those Rakshasas\nin battle. And it was while he was living there that, that dweller of\nJanasthana, the Rakshasi Surpanakha, capable of assuming any form at\nwill, was disfigured. And it was while living there in the society of\nthe inhabitants of Janasthana, that Rama slew in battle the Rakshasas\nKhara and Tricira and Dushana, together with their followers, who all\nhad been stirred up by the words of Surpanakha. And fourteen thousand\nRikshasas were slain in that battle. And learning of the destruction of\nhis relatives, Ravana wrought into frenzy by anger, sought the aid of a\nRakshasa named Maricha. And although strongly dissuaded by\nMaricha,saying \"Thou ought not to enter into hostilities with that\npowerful one. Do thou, therefore, O Ravana, excuse me!\" Yet,\ndisregarding those words of his, Ravana, urged on by Fate, went into\nthat asylum in company with Maricha. And that one (Maricha) commanding\nillusions, having drawn far the king's sons (Rama and Lakshmana) he\n(Ravana) carried away Rama's wife, slaying the vulture Jatayu. And\nbeholding the vulture slain and learning of the carrying off of\nMithila's daughter, the descendant of Raghu, deprived of sense, bewailed\nin grief. And having with unassuaged sorrow burnt the vulture Jatayu, as\nhe was searching for Sita in that wood, he fell in with a Rakshasa,\nKavandha by name, of a dreadful and deformed shape. Having slain him,\nthe mighty-armed one burnt his body,--and thereupon he went to heaven.\nAnd the Rakshasa addressed Rama, saying, \"Do thou, O descendant of\nRaghu, repair unto the female ascetic, Savari, conversant with all\nsystems of morality.\" Reparing to Savari, that destroyer of foes, gifted\nwith exceeding energy, Rama, the son of Dacaratha, highly honored by\nSavari, met with Hanuman on the banks of the Pampa. Then, agreeably to\nHanuman's advice, the exceedingly powerful Rama saw Sugriva and detailed\nunto him all, specially touching Sita. Then the monkey Sugriva, having\nheard all from Rama, was well pleased with Rama and in the presence of\nfire, made friends with him. Then the king of monkeys, out of\nfriendship, mournfully related unto him all about his hostilities with\nVali. And then Rama vowed that he would slay Vali. Thereupon the monkey\ndescribed unto Raghava the prowess of Vali, and he feared lest Rama\nshould not prove a match for Vali. And with the view of convincing\nRaghava (as to Vali's might), Sugriva showed unto him the huge corpse of\nDundabhi, resembling a large hill. And looking at the skeleton, Rama\nendued with exceeding prowess, smiling the while, with his toe cast it\noff at the distance of full ninety miles. And with a single mighty shaft\nhe pierced seven palmyra palms, a hill, and the sixth nether world,\ncarrying conviction into Sugriva. Thus convinced, the mighty monkey well\npleased went with Rama towards the cave called Kishkinda. And having\narrived there, that best of monkeys Sugriva of a tawney and golden hue,\nset up loud roars. And at those mighty sounds, out came the lord of\nmonkeys and having obtained Tara's consent, came before Sugriva for\nbattle. Then Raghava killed Vali on the spot with a single shaft. And,\nin compliance with Sugriva's request, having slain Vali in battle,\nRaghava conferred the kingdon on Sugriva. Then that best of monkeys\nhaving summoned all the various monkeys, sent them in various directions\nit search of Janaka's daughter. Then at the suggestion of the vulture\nSampati, the mighty Hanuman crossed the salt sea extending for a hundred\n_yojanas_. And arriving at the city of Lanka, ruled by Ravana, he found\nSita in the midst of an Asoka wood, absorbed in thought. And then having\nshown her the sign, he related unto her all about the friendship between\nRama and Sugriva, and having cheered Videha's daughter, he smashed the\ngate of the palace. Then having slain five generals, and seven\ncounsellors' sons, and grinded the heroic Aksha, he was bound fast (by\nthe arms of Indrajit). Then knowing that in virtue of the grand-sire's\nboon, he was free, he forgave those Rakshasas that were leading him (to\nRavana). Then having burnt down the city of Lanka, with the exception of\nthe place occupied by Mithila's daughter, the mighty one returned, with\nthe intention of delivering the glad tidings unto Rama. And that one of\nimmeasurable soul having come before the high souled Rama, and circled\nhim, addressed him, saying,--\"I have truly seen Sita.\" Then accompanied\nby Sugriva, Rama repaired to the shore of the mighty ocean, and with\nshafts resembling the sun, vexed the deep. Then that lord of rivers--the\nOcean--showed himself. And agreeably to the advice of the Ocean, Nala\nconstructed a bridge (over the water). By that bridge Rama went to the\ncity of Lanka,--and slew Ravana in battle. And having recovered Sita,\nRama experienced high shame (in consequence of Sita's having lived so\nlong in Ravana's place), and used harsh language towards Sita in the\npresence of all. Incapable of hearing it, the chaste Sita entered\nflaming fire. Thereupon assured by Agni as to the sinlessness of Sita,\nRama became exceedingly pleased, and was honored by all the deities. And\nat the great act of Rama's, the three worlds with all that was mobile\nand immobile in them, as well as the sages and gods, were well pleased\nwith the mighty-souled Raghava. Then installing that foremost of\nRakshasas, Bibhisana, on the throne of Lanka, Rama was perfectly easy,\nand rejoiced exceedingly. Then Rama, obtaining a boon from the\ncelestials, revived the monkeys fallen in battle, and surrounded by\nfriends, set out for Ayodhya on the car Pushpaka. And repairing to\nBharadwaja's hermitage, Rama, having truth for his prowess, despatched\nHanuman to Bharata. Then talking over past affairs, accompanied with\nSugriva, Rama, mounted on the Pushpaka, departed for Nandigrama. Having\narrived at Nandigrama, the sinless Rama sheared himself of his matted\nlocks along with his brothers, and, laving regained Sita, got back his\nkingdom. And Dacaratha's son, the auspicious Rama, lord of Ayodha, hath\nbeen ruling those happy subjects of his, even like a father. (During his\nreign) his subjects will enjoy happiness, and contentment, and become\nhale, and grow in righteousness, and be devoid of mental disquietude and\ndisease, and free from the fear of famine. And no person is to witness\nhis son's death, and women will be ever chaste, and never bear\nwidowhood. And no fear of conflagration (will exercise people), nor\ncreatures be drowned in water. And no danger will come from the wind,\n--nor any suffer from fever. And no fear will come from hunger, Or from\nthieves. And cities and provinces will be filled with corn and wealth.\nAnd all will live happily as at the Golden age, And having performed\nwith countless gold an hundred horse sacrifices, and bestowed with due\nrites _ayutas_ and _kotis_[2] of kine on learned persons, and countless\nwealth on famous Brahmanas, Raghava will establish an hundred royal\nfamilies, and will employ each of the four castes in its own duties. And\nhaving reigned for ten thousand and as many hundred years, Rama will\ndepart for the regions of Braha. He that readeth this sacred,\nsin-destroying, merit-bestowing history of Rama like unto the Veda\nitself, becometh cleansed from all sin. And the man that readeth this\nRamayana conferring length of days, after death, is honored in heaven,\nalong with his sons, and grandsons, and relations. If a Brahmana readeth\nit, he attaineth excellence in speech; if a Kshatriya, he acquireth\nlordship over landed possessions; if a Vaisya, abundance of wealth in\ntrade; and if a Sudra, greatness.\"\n\n [1] Lit, a great saint. The word, however, signifies one belonging to\n a particular order of saints.--T.\n\n [2] _Ayuta_ is ten thousand; and _koti_ is ten millions.--T\n\n\n\nSECTION II.\n\n\nHearing those words of Narada, that one of virtuous soul, skilled in\nspeech, together with his disciples, worships that mighty sage. And\nhaving received due honors, the celestial asking for and receiving\npermission (to depart), went to the etherial regions. And when Narada\nhad left for the celestial regions, that holy person went to the banks\nof the Tamasa hard by the Jahnavi. And having arrived at the banks of\nthat river, the pious one, observing a holy spot devoid of mud, spoke\ninto his disciple standing by, saying,--\"O Bharadwiya, behold this holy\nspot devoid of mud. And it is beautiful, and contains pleasant waters,\neven like the minds of good men. Do thou, child, put down thy pitcher,\nand give me my bark. I will bathe even in this Tamasa, the best of holy\nspots.\" Thus accosted by the high- souled Valmiki, Bharadwaja ever\nintent upon serving his spiritual guide, presented the sage his bark.\nAnd that one of subdued senses, having received his bark from his\ndisciple, began to range around, surveying that extensive forest. In the\nvicinity of the wood, that worshipful one espied a pair of Kraunchas,\nemitting melodious notes, and ranging around in perfect peace of mind.\nAt this juncture, a wicked-minded fowler, singling out the male without\nany cause of hostility, slew him in the very presence of the holy man.\nAnd observing him struggling on the earth, bathed in blood his help-mate\nbegan to bewail in piteous accents, at the prospect of her separation\nfrom her copper-crested oviparous husband, engaged in sport with\nextended plumage. Finding the oviparous one thus brought down by the\nfowler, the piety of that pious and righteous-souled Rishi was excited\nexceedingly. Then considering it to be an unrighteous deed, with a heart\nmoved with pity, that twice-born one, beholding the weeping Kraunchi,\nspoke these words,--\"O fowler, since thou hast slain one of a pair of\nKraunchas, thou shalt never attain prosperity!\" Having uttered this, he\nthought within himself, \"What is this that I have said, afflicted with\ngrief for the bird?\" Revolving thus in his mind, that highly-wise one\nand best of sages addressed his disciple, saying,--\"This speech that I\nhave uttered is of equal feet and accents; and is capable of being\nchaunted according to measure to stringed accompaniment. Let it\ntherefore go forth as a _sloka_ as it has come out of my sorrow!\" When\nthe sage had spoken thus, his disciple, well pleased, assented to his\nexcellent speech; and thereat that pious person was gratified. Then\nhaving duly performed his ablutions at that holy spot, the reverend sage\nretraced his steps, pondering over the incidents touching the _sloka_.\nAnd his disciple also, accomplished in learning, and of I meek\ndemeanour, followed Valmiki, carrying on his back a pitcher filled with\nwater.\n\nHaving entered the hermitage along with his disciple, that one knowing\nduty, while apparently engaged in diverse kinds of talk, revolved in his\nmind the circumstances connected with the verses. And it came to pass\nthat desirous of seeing the best of sages, there arrived that lord and\ncreator of all, the effulgent Brahma, furnished with four countenances.\nBeholding him, Valmiki rose up suddenly and, wondering greatly, humbly\nand silently stood before him with folded hands. And duly bending low in\nreverence Valmiki offered that deity water to wash his feet, and other\nthings for reception. And having sat down on a highly-honored seat, that\nworshipful one enquired after the welfare of that sage Valmiki knowing\nno deterioration; and then asked him to be seated. And having been\nseated in the presence of the Grand-sire of all, Valmiki, his mind\nrunning upon the self-same subject, became plunged in thought. \"What a\nsin hath been committed by that wicked-minded one, incited by hostile\nfeeling, when he without cause slew that sweetly-singing Krauncha!\" And\nthereupon, again lamenting that female Krauncha, he, in grief of heart,\nmentally recited those verses. Then smiling, Brahmft spoke unto that\nexcellent sage,--\"Those verses of thine which thou hast composed shall\nattain celebrity: no doubt need be entertained on this head. It is\nbecause I had intended so, that those verses had come out of thy lips.\nDo thou now, O best of saints, compose the entire history of Rama. Do\nthou relate unto the world the history of the righteous-souled and\nintelligent Rama crowned with qualities. And do thou, and thou hast\nheard it from Narada, relate all that is known, and all that is unknown\nto thee, O wise one, concerning Rama, and Lakshmana, and Videha's\ndaughter, and all the Rakshasas. And even what is not known to Narada,\nshall be unfolded unto thee. And no words of thine in this poem shall\ncontain an untruth. Do thou, therefore, compose into verses this\ndelightful story of Rama. And as long as the mountains and the seas\nexist on earth, thy history of Ramayana will spread among men. And as\nlong as this story of Ramayana shall retain currency, thou shalt reside\nboth in this world and in mine.\" Having said this, the worshipful Brahma\ndisappeared there. And thereat the sage and his disciples marvelled\ngreatly. And his disciples sang those verses again and again; and,\nmomentarily experiencing pleasure, said unto him with exceeding\nwonder,--\"Those verses, composed of equal accents, and furnished with\nfour parts, have been sung by the mighty saint, have, in virtue of\nfrequent repetition, been associated with a world of pathos, and have\nattained the eminence of a _sloka_. And now it is the intention of that\nillustrious and self centered sage to compose the entire Ramayana in\nthis metre.\"\n\nThe great ascetic Valmiki of gracious appearance and unparalleled renown\nhas composed hundreds of verses in melodious measure, couching the\nsignificance of the history of Rama's line. Listen to the annals of the\nforemost of Raghu's race, and the destruction of the Ten-headed one\ncomposed by the ascetic, with _Samasas_, _Sandhis_, _Prakritas_, and\n_Pratayas_; and lucid with sweet and equally-accented words.\n\n\n\nSECTION III.\n\n\nHaving heard the entire history of the intelligent Rama, capable of\nconferring religious merit and the two other cognate objects, as well as\nemancipation, Valmiki again sought to get insight into it. And, seating\nhimself facing the east on a cushion of _kusa_ grass, and sipping water\naccording to the ordinance, he addressed himself to the contemplation of\nthe subject through _yoga_. And by virtue of his _yoga_ powers, he\nclearly observed before him Rama, and Lakshmana, and Sita, and Dacaratha\ntogether with his wives in his kingdom, laughing, and talking, and\nacting, and bearing themselves as in real life. And he saw into all that\nwas endured by Rama firm in promise, with his wife for the third. And\nlike an _emblic myrobalan_ on his palm, that righteous-souled one, by\nvirtue of his yoga, perceived all that had happened as well as all that\nwould happen in future. And having truly seen everything by virtue of\nhis contemplation, that magnanimous one set about recording the charming\nRama's history. And agreeably to what had been related by the\nmighty-souled Narada, that worshipful saint composed the history of\nRagu's line, conferring profit and pleasure, and impregnated with\nqualities fraught with them, and, like unto the ocean, abounding in\nriches, and captivating ear and mind. And Rama's birth, and mighty\nprowess, and kindness to all, and popularity, and forbearance, and good-\nness, and truthfulness, and the wonderful converse he had with\nViswamitra; and the nuptials of Janaki; and the snapping of the bow; and\nthe hostilities of Rama with Rama (Parasurama); and the noble qualities\nof Dacaratha's son; and Rama's installation; and the enmity of Kaikeyi;\nand the obstacle in the way of the installation; and the exile of Rama;\nand the king's grief, lamentations, and departure for the other regions;\nand the grief of the subjects, and their dismissal by Rama to Ayodhya;\nand the tidings of the lord of Nishadas; and the charioteer's return;\nand the crossing of the Ganges; and Rama's interview with Bharadwaja;\nand his arrival at Chitrakuta in consonance with Bharadwaja's\ninjunction; and Rama's building a mansion there and sojourn; and\nBharata's arrival, and his propitiation of Rama; and Rama's offering\noblations to the manes of his father; and the installation of the\nsandals; and Bharata's dwelling at Nandigrama; Rama's removal to Dandaka\nand destruction of Viradha; Rama's interview with Sarabhanga and meeting\nwith Sutikshna; and Sita's companionship with Anusuya, and the latter's\npainting the former; and Rama's interview with Agastya, and his\nobtaining the bow from him; and the story of Surpanakha and her\ndisfigurement; and the slaughter of Khara Tricira; and the exertions of\nRavana; the destruction of Maricha, and the carrying away of Vaidehi;\nRaghava's lamentations, and the death of the king of vultures; Rama's\nencounter with Kavandha, (a headless demon) and his view of Pampa;\nRama's interview with Savari, and his subsistence there on fruits and\nroots; Rama's lamentations, at Pampa, and meeting with Hanuman; the\nformer's sojourn to the Rishyamukha, and interview with Sugriva; Rama's\nraising the confidence of Sugriva, and his friendship with the latter;\nand the encounter between Vali and Sugriva; the destruction of Vali, the\nestablishment of Sugriva on the throne; and Tara's lamentation; the\nunderstanding between Rama and Sugriva as to the time for commencing the\nmarch; Rama's stay during the rainy season; and the ire of the lion of\nRaghu's race; the levying of forces; and the despatch of envoys in\ndifferent directions; and the assignment by Sugriva of different\nquarters to the monkeys; the making over of his ring by Rama to Hanuman;\nJambubana's discovery of the cave; the fasting of the monkeys on the\nshore of the ocean; Hanuman's interview with Sampati; Hanuman's\nascension of the mountain, and his bounding over the main; and his sight\nof the Mainaka at the injunction of Ocean; the ring of Rakshasis;\nHanuman's meeting with the Rakshasa Chyagraha; Hanuman's destruction of\nSinhikaya; and Hanuman's sight of Lanka, and his entrance by night into\nLanka; his ascertaining of conduct in times of helplessness; his journey\nto the tavern; and his sight of the inner apartments; and his sight of\nRavana and of his car Pushpaka; his walk to the Asoka wood, and sight\nthere of Sita; his presentation of the ring to Sita and converse with\nher; and the roaring of the Rakshasis; and dreaming of the dream by\nTrijata; Sita's handing a gem to Hanuman; and the breaking down of\ntrees; and the flight of the Rakshasis, and slaughter of the slaves; and\nthe wind-god's Son being taken captive; and his terrible roars while\nburning down Lanka; and his bounding back over the ocean; and the\nforcible possession of honey; and Hanuman's consoling Raghava, and\nhanding him the gem; Rama's interview with Ocean; and Nala's\nconstructing the bridge, the army's crossing of the ocean; and the\nnightly seige of Lanka; and Rama's interview with Bibhishana; the\ncommunication as to the means of destruction; and the destruction of\nKumbhakarna and Meghananda; and the destruction of Ravana, and the\nrecovery of Sita in enemy's city; and the sprinkling of Bibhishana, and\nthe sight of Pushpaka; Rama's return towards Ayodhya, and meeting with\nBharadwaja; despatch of Hanuman; and Rama's meeting with Bharata; and\nthe installation of Rama; and the dismissal of all the forces; and\nRama's pleasing his subjects, and renunciation of Sita,--all else\nbesides concerning Rama on earth, that hath not yet taken place,--have\nbeen dealt with by the worshipful sage in the last book.\n\n\n\nSECTION IV.\n\n\nWhen Rama had obtained his kingdom, that worshipful sage Valmiki,\ncomposed the entire history [of that hero] in excellent metre and\nfraught with high meaning, saint recited twenty-four thousand _slokas_;\nand it consists of five hundred sections, and is divided into six\n_Kandas_ with the Uttara. And having composed it, including as well fut\nincidents to happen afterwards, that lord reflected as to who should\npublish the same before assemblies. And as that great sage of purified\nsoul was thus pondering, in came Kusi and Lava, in the guise of the sons\nof ascetics, and touched his feet. And he found those illustrious\nprinces, the brothers Kusi and Lava, knowing morality, and living in a\nhermitage, and endowed with sweet voices,--apt at taking in the meaning\nof poetry. And finding them of a retentive endowment, and initiated into\nVedic studies, that lord taught them how to interpret the Vedas, and\nthat vow-observing one taught them the great Ramayana in full, treating\nof Sita's life, and the destruction of Paulastya. And those sweet voiced\nbrothers, resembling Gandharbas in grace, accomplished in music and\ndancing, and cognizant of _Sthana_ and _Murchhana_, began to chant this\npoem delightful in recitation and in singing, set in three measures, and\nseven notes, and sung according to time to the accompaniment of stringed\ninstruments, and fraught with the sentiments of love, pathos,\nrisibility, the irascible, the terrible, and the heroic. And knowing the\ncharacteristics that go to make up the Drama, and gifted with\nmellifluous voices, those blameless princes, coming from Rama's body,\nand resembling him, even as the reflection of the solar or the lunar\ndisc resembles that disc, got by heart that excellent and moral story in\nits entirety; and those princes versed in the Fine arts, with a\nconcentrated mind chanted it as they had learnt it, in the assemblies of\nascetics and Brahmanas and good men.\n\nOnce upon a time, those high souled and pious ones, furnished with every\nauspicious mark, chanted this poem in an assembly of ascetics of\npurified souls. Having heard this music, all the ascetics were seized\nwith surprise, and with eyes flooded with tears, exclaimed, \"Well done!\nWell done!\" And well pleased, those saints cherishing Duty, praised the\npraiseworthy Kusa and Lava as they sang, saying--\"Ah! what charming\nmusic! What sweetness of the verses! All this happened long ago, yet it\nseems as if we saw it before us.\" And unified with the theme, both of\nthem singing together sweetly, and at a high pitch, by means of _saraja_\nand the other notes, they entranced the audience. And the two thus went\non sweetly singing at a high pitch, praised by those mighty sages\npriding in their asceticism. Some one in the assembly pleased with them\npresented them with a water-pitcher; and some one of high fame, being\ndelighted, made them a present of a bark garment; and some one gave them\na dark deer skin;--and some holy thread,--and some, a _kamandalu_[3] and\nsome great saint conferred on them a _maunja_[4] made girdle; and some\nperson granted them a _vrishi_,[5] and some, a _kaupina_.[6] And then\nsome ascetic, well-pleased, gave them an axe; and some, a red cloth; and\nsome, a thread for tying up their matted locks; and some gladly gave a\ntwine for binding faggots with,-- and some, ascetic presented them with\na sacrificial pot; and some, a quantity of fire-wood; and some, a seat\nmade of _adumvari_[7]. And some exclaimed, \"Swasti;\" and some joyfully\ncried,--\"May ye be long-lived!\" And all those ascetics of truthful\nspeech conferred on them blessings. And the sages said,--\"Wonderful is\nthe story! And, O ye accomplished in all kinds of music! beautifully\nhave ye chanted and finished this poem, charming ear and heart, and\nconferring long life and prosperity,--which will afford themes to\npoets.\" And admired everywhere, on one occasion those singers were seen\nby Bharata's elder brother, in a street of Ayodhya, sparsely scattered\nwith stalls. And having had the brothers Kusa and Lava brought under his\nroof, that destroyer of enemies, Rama, accorded those ones worthy of\nhonor, a respectful reception. And having seated himself on a throne of\nexcellent gold, in the midst of his brothers and counsellors, that lord,\nRama, beholding both the brothers, handsome and of modest demeanour,\nspoke unto Lakshmana, Bharata and Satrughna, saying,--\"Do ye listen to\nthe story, fraught with excellent sense and composed in excellent\nmeasure, as sung by these ones endowed with the divine afflatus.\" And\nthen he ordered the singers to begin. Thereupon causing the down of the\naudience to stand on end, and ravishing their minds and hearts, they\nbegan to sing melodiously and distinctly and in as high a pitch as they\ncould command, and in strains rivalling the notes of a Vina. And that\nsong of theirs enchanted the ear of that assembly. And Rama\nsaid,--\"Although these Kusa and Lava, of rigid penances, look like\nascetics, yet they bear on their persons the signs of royalty. And,\nbesides, the story conduces to my fame. Do ye, therefore, listen to that\nhistory fraught with great worth!\" And then commanded by Rama, they\nbegan to chaunt according to the _Marga_ mode, and Rama seated in the\nmidst of his court, was drawn to the music, anxious for the perpetuation\nof his history.\n\n [3] An earthen or wooden water pot used by an ascetic.\n\n [4] A kind of grass.\n\n [5] The seat of an ascetic.\n\n [6] A small piece of cloth worn by ascetics.\n\n [7] The glomerous fig tree.\n\n\n\nSECTION V.\n\n\nThis great story of Ramayana treats of those victorious kings commencing\nwith Prajapati, and having Ikshwaku for their founder, who ruled the\nentire earth as no other kings had done so before them, and in whose\nline Sagara was born--Sagara who dug the ocean, and whom, while out in\nprogress, his sixty-thousand sons followed. We shall now chaunt the\nentire history of that dynasty from the beginning. Do ye, with minds\nfree from ill will, listen to that story conferring merit, profit and\npleasure.\n\nThere is on the banks of the Sarayu a great and flourishing country\ncalled Kosala abounding in corn and wealth, in which the inhabitants\npassed their days pleasantly. And the capital of that country was\nAyodhya famed among men which was founded by Manu himself--that foremost\nof men. And that beautiful and mighty city was twelve _yojanas_ in\nlength and ten in breadth; and was intersected outside with spacious\nroads laid out orderly. And scattered with blown blossoms, and regularly\nsprinkled with water, the well- arranged broad high-ways looked\nbeautiful. And that one bringing prosperity unto mighty kingdoms, King\nDacaratha, lived in that city, like unto the lord of the deities\ninhabiting the celestial regions. And the city was furnished with doors\nand gates, and well-arranged rows of shops. And it contained all kinds\nof instruments and arms, and was inhabited by all classes of artizans.\nAnd that graceful and matchlessly brilliant city abounded in eulogists\nand genealogists. And it was crowned with stately edifices with flags,\nand guarded by hundreds of _Sataghnis_[8]. And the mighty city contained\ntheatres for females, and gardens, and mango-groves; and was enclosed by\na wall. And encircled by a deep moat, the city was accessible neither to\nfriend nor foe. And it abounded with elephants and horses, and kine and\ncamels and asses. And it was thronged with neighbouring kings come to\npay tribute, and inhabited by merchants from various countries, and\nadorned with mountain-like palaces glittering with gems, and filled with\nsporting-places for females, and like unto Indra's Amaravati. And the\ncity was wonderful to behold, gleaming with gold-burnished ornaments,\nand inhabited by troops of courtezans, and abounding in all kinds of\ngems, and graced with royal places. And it abounded in paddy and rice,\nand its water was sweet as the juice of the sugar-cane. And it resounded\nwith the sounds of _Dundubhis_ and _Mridangas_ and _Vinas_ and\n_Panavas_. And that foremost spot of all the earth was like unto an\naerial car obtained in heaven by the _Siddhas_, through force of ascetic\nausterities, and thronged with the best specimens of humanity. And that\ncity was filled by king Dacaratha with thousands of such Maharathas[9]\nlight-handed and accomplished in fight, as could by force of arms or\nsharpened shafts slaughter infuriated lions and tigers and boars roaming\nin the forest; yet as would not pierce with arrows persons lorn or\nabandoned or hiding or fugitive. And it abounded mostly in excellent\nBrahmanas, lighting the sacrificial fire, and crowned with qualities,\nand versed in the Vedas and the Vedangas, and giving away thousands, and\never abiding by truth, and high-souled, and resembling mighty ascetic.\n\n [8] A weapon commonly described as a stone set round with iron\n spikes.--T.\n\n [9] A warrior coping with ten thousand persons, and protecting both\n his charioteer and steeds.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION VI.\n\n\nAnd in that city of Ayodhya resided king Dacaratha versed in the Vedas,\ncommanding all resources, far-sighted, of mighty prowess, dear to the\ninhabitants both rural and urban, an _Athiratha_[10] in the Ikshwaku\nline, performing sacrifices, engaged in the performance of\nduties,self-controled like unto a _Maharshi_, a royal saint famed in the\nthree worlds, possessed of strength, the destroyer of foes, having\nfriends, of subdued senses, comparable unto Sakra and Vaisravana by\nvirtue of accumulated riches and other possessions, and protecting\npeople even as the highly energetic Manu protected them. And as Indra\nrules Amaravati, that one firm in promise, and following duty, profit,\nand pleasure, ruled that best of cities. And in that excellent city, the\nmen were happy and righteous-souled, and widely-read, and each contented\nwith his possessions, and devoid of covetuousness, and speaking the\ntruth. And in that prime of cities, there was none who had not at his\ncommand a plenteous supply of the good things, and there was no\nhouseholder who was not well off in horses and kine, and corn and\nwealth. And one could see nowhere in Ayodhya persons given up to lust,\nor unsightly, or crooked-minded, or unlettered, or atheistical. And all\nthe men and all the women were of excellent character, and subdued\nsenses and a happy frame of mind, and both in respect of occupation and\nconduct spotless like unto _Maharshis_. And all wore ear-rings and\ntiaras and garlands, and abundantly enjoyed the good things of life. And\nall were clean, daubing their limbs, and perfuming their persons, and\nfeeding on pure food, and giving away, and wearing _Angadas_ and\n_Nishkas_[11] and hand-ornaments, and repressing passions And there were\nnot in Ayodhya persons not lighting the sacrificial fire, or not\nperforming sacrifices, or mean-minded, or thieving, or engaged in\nimproper occupations, or of impure descent. And the Brahmanas of subdued\nsenses were always engaged in the performance of their own duties,\ngiving away in charity, and studying, and receiving gifts with\ndiscrimination. And none of them was atheistical or untruthful or\nslenderly-read or detracting or incompetent or illiterate. And there was\nno Brahmana who was not versed in the Vedas and Vedangas, or not\nobserving vows, or not giving away by thousands, or poor-spirited, or of\ninsane mind, or afflicted. And no man and no woman was seen devoid of\ngrace or beauty, or lacking in reverence for their monarch. And the four\norders with Brahmanas at their head contained persons serving gods and\nguests, and endowed with gratitude, and munificent, and heroic, and\npossessing prowess. And the men were long-lived; and ever abode by duty\nand truth; and lived in that best of cities, always surrounded by sons\nand grandsons and wives. The Kshatriyas were obedient unto the\nBrahmanas, and the Vaicyas followed the Kshatriyas, and the Sudras,\noccupied with their proper vocations, ministered unto the three other\norders. And that city was ably governed by that lord of Ikshwaku's line,\neven as that foremost of men, the intelligent Manu, had governed it\nbefore him. And as a mountain-cavern abounds with lions, it was filled\nwith warriors resembling flaming fire, of straight ways, unforbearing,\nand of accomplished learning. And the city abounded with excellent\nhorses sprung in Kamvoja, and Vahlika, and Vanayu, and the banks of the\nSindhu, and like unto that best of horse, Hari's charge; and with fierce\nelephants sprung on the Vindha mountain, and the Himavat, filled with\njuice, and of exceeding strength, and resembling hills; and with\nBhadra,[12] Mandra, and Mriga elephants; and those sprung from the\nmixture of the three, and from the mixture of Bhadra and Mandra, and\nfrom Bhadra and Mriga, and from Mriga and Mandra,--superior like unto\nAiravata, and coming from Mahapadma, Anjana, and Vamana breeds; fierce,\nand looking like hills. And that city was over two _yojanas_; and truly\nit was called Ayodhya.[13] And repressing enemies, that city was\ngoverned by the great and the exceedingly powerful king Dacaratha, even\nas the Moon sways the stars. And that lord of earth resembling Sakra\ngoverned that city of Ayodhya bearing a true name, furnished with strong\ngates and bolts, and auspicious, and graced with excellent edifices, and\nteeming with thousands.\n\n [10] A warrior fighting ten thousand Maharathas.--T.\n\n [11] A bracelet worn upon the upper arm.--T.\n\n [12] Those elephants whose limbs are contracted are Bhadras; those\n whose bodies are fat, slack, and contracted are Mandras; and those\n whose bodies are lean and large are Mrigas.--T.\n\n [13] Lit, incapable of being conquered.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION VII.\n\n\nThat high-souled one of Ikswaku's line had competent counsellors,\ncapable of administering business, of diving into the motives of others,\nand ever intent upon the good of the monarch. And that heroic king had\neight famous counsellors, pure and devoted to the royal\nservice,--_viz._, Dhrishti, and Vijaya, and Surashtra, and\nRashtravardhana, and Akopa, and Dharmapala, and Sumantra the eighth,\nconversant with profit. And he had two family priests after his heart;\n_viz_, those foremost of saints, Vasistha and Vamadeva. And he had other\ncounsellors besides; _viz_., Suyajna,and Javali, and Kacyapa, and\nGautama, and the long-lived Markandeya, and the regenerate Katyayana.\nEver associated in counsel with these Brahmarshis, his priests and\ncounsellors serving the dynasty from father to son, learned yet modest,\nand bashful, and conversant with policy, and of subdued-senses, and\nauspicious, and high-souled, and accomplished in the art of arms, and of\nhigh renown, cautious, and acting according to their word, and\npossessing energy, forgiveness and fame, and ever preluding their speech\nwith a smile, and never committing themselves a lie either from anger or\ninterest or desire, and ever employing spies noting what was doing or\ndone in the midst of their own or a hostile party. And they were adepts\nin intercourse with people, and well-tried in friendship by the monarch.\nAnd they were ever busy in replenishing the exchequer and in levying\ntroops. And they did not cherish ill will even towards enemies, when\ninnocent. And they were heroic, and ever high-spirited, following\npolicy, and protecting those citizens that were pure, and not bearing\nill will towards Brahmanas and Kshatriyas, and filling the treasury, by\ninflicting punishments according to the offences of the persons guilty.\nAnd during the time when those pure ones of one mind presided over the\njustice of the kingdom, there was neither in the city nor the provinces\nany that was a liar, or wicked, or going after others' wives. And peace\nreigned all around the city and the provinces. And the ministers wore\nexcellent raiment, and ornaments, and were engaged in observing pure\nvows, and ever kept their eye of policy open, in the interests of the\nmonarch. And the king considered them as crowned with virtues; and they\nwere famed on account of their prowess, concluding unerringly in\nconsequence of their intelligence of other countries. And in all climes\nand times they could manifest their noble qualities; and they were\ncognizant of war and peace, and possessed of goodness, passion and\nignorance. And they could keep their counsel, and judge of things\nfinely, and were well-versed in the art of policy, and ever fair-spoken.\nSurrounded by such counsellors endowed with various qualities, the\nfaultless king Dacaratha ruled the earth, gathering intelligence by\nmeans of spies, and righteously protecting the subjects, and preserving\nthe people, and not sacrificing his duties,--famed over the three\nworlds. And munificent, and firm in promise in battle, that best of men\nruled there this earth. Nor did he ever meet with a foe that was either\nhis equal or superior. And possessed of friends, and having obedient\ncommanders, and extricating his thorns by his might, that king ruled the\nearth, even as the lord of celestials ruleth heaven. And surrounded by\nthose counsellors studious of his welfare, and bearing affection towards\nhim, and clever, and competent, that king, by virtue of his prowess in\nsubduing others, resembled the Sun surrounded by his rays.\n\n\n\nSECTION VIII.\n\n\nAnd although engaged in austerities with the view of having sons born to\nhim, the powerful and high-souled king, had no son capable of\nperpetuating his line. And mentally turning the matter over, the\nhigh-souled one thought, \"Why do I not celebrate a horse-sacrifice with\nthe intention obtaining a son?\" And that highly-energetic, pious and\nintelligent monarch, in consultation with all his counsellors of sedate\nminds, having made up his mind to celebrate the sacrifice, said unto\nthat best of counsellors, Sumantra,--\"Do thou speedily summon my\nspiritual guides, along with the family priests.\" Thereupon, going out\nspeedily, Sumantra of swift movements called together all the spiritual\nguides, as well as others versed in the Vedic ritual; _viz_., Suyajna,\nand Vamadeva, and Javali, and Kacyapa, and Vasistha, and other principal\ntwice-born ones. And having paid homage unto them, the virtuous king\nDacaratha then spoke unto them these sweet words, consistent with duty\nand interest, --\"Ever pining on account of a son, I know no happiness,--\ntherefore it is my intention that I should celebrate a horse sacrifice.\nI intend to celebrate it according to the ordinance. Do ye, therefore,\nconsider how I may attain my object.\" Thereat, the Brahmanas with\nVasistha at their head, exclaiming ing \"Well! Well!\" approved the words\nthat had fallen from the lips of the monarch. And exceedingly pleased,\nthey spoke unto Dacaratha saying,--\"Do thou order the necessary\narticles, loose the horse, and prepare the sacrificial ground on the\nnorth bank of the Sarayu. And, O king, since with the intention of\nobtaining offspring thou purposest so piously, thou wilt surely obtain\nsons after thy heart.\" And hearing these words of the regenerate ones,\nthe king was highly gratified. And with eyes expanded in delight, he\nspoke unto his ministers,--\"Do ye procure the necessary sacrificial\narticles, according to the injunction of my spiritual preceptors; and\nloose a horse protected by a competent person, and followed by one of\nthe chief family priests; and do ye prepare the sacrifical ground on the\nnorth bank of the Sarayu; and do ye in due order and according to the\nordinance perform the rites required to secure an uninterrupted\ncompletion to the ceremony. This ceremony is incapable of being\ncelebrated by every king. Particular care should be taken that the\nsacrifice is not defective on account of any serious omission; inasmuch\nas with learned Brahma-Rakshasas ever on the look-out to espy\nshortcomings in the ceremony, the performer thereof speedily perishes,\nshould anything take place not consonant to the Ordinance. And do ye\npossessed of ability so arrange, that this sacrifice may be completed in\nharmony with the ritual.\" Thus addressed with due respect, the\ncounsellors listened to the words of the monarch, and said, \"So be it.\"\n\nThen taking the permission of that best of kings, those regenerate ones\nknowing duty, having blessed the monarch, returned to their respective\nquarters. And dismissing those Brahmanas, the king spoke unto his\nminister, saying, --\"Do ye, even as the family priests have ordered,\narrange for the sacrifice!\" Having said this, that mighty-minded and\nbest of men dismissed his ministers, and himself entered into the inner\napartment. And coming there, that lord of men said unto his favourite\nwives,--\"Do ye know it for certain that in order to obtain a son I am\ngoing to petform a sacrifice.\" And hearing those sweet words, the\ncountenances of those shining dames looked resplendent, like lotuses\nafter the cold season is over.\n\n\n\nSECTION IX.\n\n\nHearing all about it, the king's charioteer addressed the monarch in\nprivate, saying,--\"Do thou listen to what is related in ancient history,\nand to what I have heard myself! This horse-sacrifice is enjoined by the\nfamily priests; and I have myself heard the following story celebrated\nin ancient chronicle. And what the worshipful Sanat Kumara had said\nformerly in the presence of the saints, applies, O king, the case of thy\nhaving a son. \"Kacyapa hath a son known by the name of Bibhandaka. He\nwill get a son called Rhishyasringa. And he will grow up and pass his\ndays in the woods. And that foremost of Brahmanas will not know aught\nelse save following his father. And, O king, it is rumoured abroad, and\nalso always said by the Vipras, that that high-souled one will practise\nthe two modes[14] of Brahmacharya life. And he will spend some time in\nserving the sacrificial fire and his famous sire. At this time, the\npowerful Romapada of exceeding strength will be famed as king of the\nAngas. And in consequence of some default on bif part, there will occur\nin his kingdom a terrible and dreadful drouth, capable of striking\nterror into all. And filled with grief on account of this drouth, the\nking will call about him Veda-accomplished Brahmanas, and speak unto\nthem, saying,--\"Ye are conversant with the Vedic ritual and the social\nduties. Do ye, therefore, tell me how to expiate for this evil.\" And\nthus accosted by the king, those excellent Brahmanas versed in the\nVedas, will say unto that ruler of earth,--\"Do thou, O monarch, by all\nmeans, bring Bibhandaka's son. And having, O king, brought that Brahmana\nversed in the Vedas, Bibhandaka's son Rhishyasringa, and duly honored\nhim, do thou, O monarch with a concentrated mind, bestow upon him thy\ndaughter Santa, according to the ordinance.\" And hearing those words of\ntheirs, the king will begin to think as to how he can bring over that\none endowed with energy. Then in consultation with his counsellors, the\nprudent king having come to a conclusion, will, honoring them duly,\ndesire his priest and his courtiers to set out in quest of\nRhishyasriuga. Thereupon hearing the king's words, with aggrieved\nhearts, and with heads hanging down, they will beseech the monarch,\nsaying,--\"Afraid of the saint, Bibhandaka, we shall not be able to\nrepair thither.\" Anon hitting upon the appropriate means, they say,--'We\nwill search for the Vipra, and no blame shall attach unto us.'--\n\nThus by help of courtezans, the saint's son was brought by the lord of\nthe Angas. And then the god (Indra) poured down showers; and the king\nconferred on him Santa. And now thy son-in-law Rhishyasringa will help\nthee in obtaining a son. Now I have related unto thee what Sanat Kumara\nhad communicated.\" Thereupon king Dacaratha, well pleased, spoke unto\nSumantra,--\"Do thou now tell me by what means Rhishyasringa was brought\nover (by the lord of the Angas).\"\n\n [14] Those that assume the staff and the _kamandalu_ are reckoned the\n first order; while those that continue to live with their wives\n are considered as next in worth--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION X.\n\n\nThus asked by the king, Sumantra said these words,-- \"I will relate unto\nthee how the counsellors brought Rhishyasringa. Do thou listen with thy\ncounsellors! The priest together with the counsellors spoke unto\nRomapada, saying,-- 'The means that we have hit upon can never fail of\neffect.' Rhishyasringa hath been brought up in woods; and is engaged in\nausterities and the study of the Vedas; and is ignorant of the pleasure\nthat ensueth from contact with women. By help of things agreeably\nministering unto the senses, and ravishing the soul, we shall bring him\nto the city. Do thou, therefore, arrange for them! Let courtezans of\ncomely presence, clad in ornaments, repair thither. And if well treated,\nthey will by various means bring him hither.' Hearing this, the king\nsaid unto the priest,--'So be it!' and laid the charge upon him,--who,\nhowever, made it over to the courtiers. And the latter acted\naccordingly.\n\nAnd in accordance with the instructions, the courtesans entered that\ngreat forest; and remaining at some distance from the hermitage,\nendeavoured to meet with the sober son of the saint ever dwelling in the\nwoods. And satisfied with serving his sire, he never strayed from the\nhermitage; and consequently had never seen men and women, or any other\ncreatures living in cities and towns. And it came to pass that on one\noccasion, walking about at will, Bibhandaka's son came to that spot and\nbeheld the courtezans. And excellently attired, and singing in sweet\nvoices, the women said unto the saint's son,--'Who art thou? And what\ndost thou, O Brahmana? We wish to learn all this. And why is it that\nthou rangest alone this far-off forest? Beholding these beautiful\ndamsels never seen before, he from delight hastened to inform them of\nhis lineage, 'My father is Bibhandaka; and I am his son, having sprung\nfrom his loins. My name is Rhishyasringa; and my occupation is known the\nworld over. And this auspicious hermitage hard by belongs to us; and\nthere I shall receive you all in due form.' Hearing the words of the\nsaint's son, they all consented, and the women went to behold that\nasylum. And when they had come there, the saint's son received them\nhospitably, saying,--'Here is _Arghya_,' 'Here is water for washing the\nfeet,' 'Here are fruits and roots.' And thereupon they readily received\nhis hospitality. And actuated by the fear of the saint, Bibhandaka, they\nbent their minds upon departing soon. And they said,--'Do thou also, O\ntwice-born one, receive from us these excellent fruits! And, good betide\nthee, O Vipra, do not tarry!' And thereupon, embracing him joyfully,\nthey gave unto him sweetmeats and various kinds of savoury viands. And\ntasting those things, that one of exceeding energy took them for fruits,\nnever tasted before by the dwellers of the forest. Then, having accosted\nhim, the women, feigning the observance of some vow, went away, inspired\nwith the fear of his father. And when they had gone, that twice-born\none, Kacyapa's son, became sad, and from grief of heart went this way\nand that. And the next day his mind momentarily running upon it, the\ngraceful son of Bibhandaka, endowed with prowess, came to that spot\nwhere he had encountered the comely courtezans, adorned with ornaments.\nAnd as soon as they observed him coming, they came forward, and\nsaid,--Do thou, O Brahmana, come unto our hermitage! There are in that\nasylum diverse kinds of fruits and roots; and there thou wilt surely\nfeed thy fill. Thereupon, hearing those words of theirs capable of\ninfluencing the heart, he became bent upon going,--and the women brought\nhim away. And when that high-souled Vipra had been brought over, the\ngood, Indra, suddenly poured forth plenteous showers, enlivening the\nspirits of men. And when the ascetic had arrived, with showers, the king\napproached him in humble guise, bending his head to the ground. And he\noffered him _Arghya_,in due form, and with a collected mind; and asked\nfor his favor, so that wrath could not influence the Vipra. And taking\nhim into the inner apartments, and in due form conferring upon him in\nsober mood his daughter Santa, the king became happy. Thus the highly\npowerful Rishyasringa together with his wife Santa, began to live there,\nrespectfully ministered unto in regard to every desire.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XI.\n\n\nAnd he said again,--\"O foremost of monarchs, do thou listen to me as I\nrelate how that intelligent Sanat Kumara, best of deities, spoke. 'In\nthe line of Ikshwaku will be born a righteous king, named Dacaratha,\nfair of form, and firm in promise. And that king will contract\nfriendship with the ruler of the Angas. And the latter will have a\nhighly pious daughter, Santa by name. And the (old) king of the Angas\nwill have a son, named Romapada. And repairing unto him, the highly\nfamous king Dacaratha will speak unto Romapada, --O righteous-souled one\nI am without issue. Let Santa's husband, desired by thee, take charge of\nthis sacrifice of mine, to be celebrated with the object of my obtaining\na son to perpetuate the race.--Hearing these words of the king, and\nhaving pondered well, he will make over unto him Rhishyasringa of\nsubdued senses, together with Santa and his children. And taking that\nVipra, that king, his mind free from anxiety, with a glad heart, will\nprepare for that sacrifice. And king Dacaratha, knowing duty and\ndesirous of fame, with the intention of obtaining offspring and heaven,\nwith joined hands, will appoint that best of Brahmanas, Rhishyasringa,\nto conduct the ceremony. And that bringer of good will attain his object\nat the hands of that foremost of Brahmanas; and four sons will be born\nto him of immeasurable prowess, bringing fame unto the family, and known\nby all.' Thus spoke formerly in the divine age, that worshipful and\nforemost of deities, Sanat Kumara. Therefore, do thou, O best of men,\nrepairing thither, accompanied with thy forces and equipage, thyself, O\nmighty king, bring Rhishyasringa over with due honors.\" And hearing\nSumantra's words, Dacaratha was exceedingly delighted. After hearing\nthese words, and permitted by Vasishtha, he, accompanied with the\nladies, and his courtiers, set out for the place where that twice-born\none was. And gradually passing by woods and fells, he arrived at the\nplace where that foremost of ascetics was. And coming before that best\nof regenerate ones, he saw that sage's son near Romapada, like unto\nflaming fire. Then the king received him respectfully, and with a\ndelighted mind, on account of the friendship he bore him. And he\ncommunicated unto the intelligent son of the saint, the fact of their\nintimacy, and then the latter paid homage unto Dacaratha. Having passed\nseven or eight days with Romapada, receiving high honors, that foremost\nof men, Dayaratha spoke unto Romapada, saying,--\"Let thy daughter, O\nking, together with her husband, O lord of men, repair unto my city. I\nam going to be engaged in a mighty enterprise.\" Hearing this as to the\njourney of that intelligent one, the king said unto that Vipra,--\"Do\nthou repair with thy wife!\" Thereupon the saint's son, promising to go,\nsaid unto the king,--\"So be it!\" And then with the king's permission, he\nset out with his wife. And Dacaratha and the puissant Romapada clasping\neach other by the palm, and embracing each other in affection, attained\nexcess of joy. Then Raghu's son, bidding farewell unto his friend, set\nout. And he despatched swift messengers to the citizens, saying,--\"Let\nthe entire city be embellished; let it be perfumed with _dhupa_, and\nwatered and decked with pennons.\" And hearing of the king's approach,\nthe citizens joyfully did every thing as they had been commanded. Then\nthe monarch, with that foremost of Brahmanas before him, entered the\ndecorated city, to the blares of conchs and drums. And behold irlg that\nBrahmana entering the city, duly honored by the prime of men,\nsubservient unto Indra, like unto Kacyapa's son entering the celestial\nregions, honored of the thousand-eyed lord of the celestials, ail the\ncitizens rejoiced exceedingly. Then taking him into the inner apartment,\nand paying him homage according to the ordinance, the king considered\nhimself as having gained his object, in consequence of the presence of\nthat Brahmana. And all the inmates of the inner apartment, seeing the\nlarge-eyed Santa thus arrived with her husband, experienced excess of\njoy. Then honored by them and the king in especial, she happily spent\nthere some time along with that twice-born one.\n\n\n\nSECTION XII.\n\n\nThen after a long while, when the charming spring had appeared on the\nearth, the king conceived the desire of celebrating the sacrifice. Then\nbowing down the head unto that Vipra effulgent like a celestial, he\nappointed him to undertake the ceremony, for the purpose of obtaining\noffspring to perpetuate his line. Then that Brahmana said unto that lord\nof the earth, the king,--\"So be it! Do thou order the necessary\nprovisions, loose the horse, and prepare a sacrificial ground on the\nnorth bank of the Sarayu.\" Then the king spoke unto Sumantra,\nsaying,--\"O Sumantra, do thou summon speedily Brahmanas versed in the\nVedas and priests professing the Vedanta philosophy--Suyajna, and\nVamadeva, and Javali, and Kacyapa, and the priest Vasistha, together\nwith other excellent twice-born ones.\" Thereupon Sumantra endowed with\nactivity, bestirring himself, summoned all those versed in the Vedas.\nThen, honoring them duly, the virtuous king Dacaratha spoke unto them\nthese amiable words, consistent with duty and interest,--\"Aggrieved on\naccount of a son, I have no happiness on earth,--and therefore, I have\nintended to celebrate a horse-sacrifice. And by the grass of the saint's\nson, I shall obtain my desire.\" Thereupon the Brahmanas with Vasishtha\nat their head honored the words that fell from the king's lips,\nsaying,--\"Well.\" And the Brahmanas headed by Rhishyasringa addressed the\nking, saying,--\"Do thou arrange for the provisions, loose the horse, and\nprepare the sacrificial ground on the north bank of the Sarayu! And\nsince thou purposest so virtuously in obtaining offspring, thou shalt\nobtain four sons of immeasurable prowess.\" And hearing those words of\nthe regenerate ones, the king was exceedingly delighted. All cheerfully\nhe spoke these auspicious words to his courtier,-- \"In accordance with\nthe directions of my spiritual guides, do ye speedily procure these\nprovisions,--loose the horse well protected, and followed by a\npriest,--and prepare the sacrificial ground on the north bank of the\nSarayu. And do ye perform the ceremonies capable of securing the rites\nfrom disturbance. Surely every king is competent to perform this\nsacrifice. Yet care must be taken that no default occurs in it. For\nflaws in this foremost of sacrifices are watched by learned\nBrahma-Rakshasas. And should it come to be celebrated in violation of\nthe ordinance, the performer thereof shall meet with instant\ndestruction. And do ye so order that this sacrifice of mine may be\ncompleted according to the prescribed ritual.\" Thereupon honoring those\nwords of the king, the ministers did as ordered. And having eulogized\nthe king knowing duty, the twice-born ones, with the Monarch's leave,\ndeparted for their respective quarters. And when the Vipras had gone,\nthe mighty- minded lord of men dismissing his counsellors, entered the\ninner apartment.\n\n\n\nSECTION XIII.\n\n\nAnd when after a full one year, spring had again appeared on the face of\nthe earth, the puissant king, intent upon getting offspring through the\nhorse-sacrifice, saught Vasishtha's side. And having saluted Vasishtha\nand duly paid him homage, he humbly spoke unto that best of twice-born\nones, with the intention of having offspring. \"Do thou, O Brahmana,\nundertake to perform this sacrifice of mine, according to the ordinance,\nO foremost of ascetics! And do thou order so that no impediment may\nhappen to the sacrifice! Thou art my kind friend, and prime and mighty\nspiritual guide. Engaged in it, thou wilt have to bear the entire burden\nof the ceremony.\" Thereupon that best of Brahmanas said,--\"So be it! I\nwill do all that thou askest.\" He then said unto old Brahmanas well-up\nin sacrificial affairs, and experienced car-makers, and highly pious\naged people, and servants, carrying on the ceremonial operations till\nthe end, and artists, and carpenters, and diggers, and astrologers, and\nartizans, and dancers, and conductors of theatres, and pure and learned\npersons variously versed in knowledge,--\"Do ye, in obedience to the\nroyal mandate, engage in the sacrificial work! And fetch bricks by\nthousands! Do ye raise structures for the kings, commanding every\nconvenience! And do ye rear goodly and comfortable buildings by hundreds\nfor the Brahmanas, replenished with various meats and drinks. Ye should\nprovide spacious apartments for the citizens and the dwellers of\nprovinces,--and separate quarters for the princes, coming from foreign\nparts; and stables for horses, and dressing- rooms,--and wide apartments\nfor native and foreign warriors. And dwellings filled with diverse kinds\nof viands, and commanding everything desirable,--and mansions for the\nlower orders of the citizens, exceedingly beautiful to behold. And meats\nshould be duly dispensed with respect, and not in the indifference of\nfestive occasions,--so that all may regard themselves as honorably\nentertained. None should be disregarded out of lust or passion. Those\npersons, and artizans, that will labor eagerly in the sacrifice should\nby turns, be especially entertained; and servants, who, being\nentertained with gifts, do every thing completely, and omit nothing. And\ndo ye, with hearts mollified by love, act so, that all our friends be\nwell pleased with us.\"\n\nThen they approached Vasishtha, saying,--\"Everything hath been performed\nproperly, without anything being left out. And what thou sayest shall be\nperformed, and nothing omitted.\" Then summoning Sumantra, Vasishtha said\nthese words,--\"Do thou invite all those kings that are pious,-- and\nBrahmanas, and Kshatriyas and Sudras, by thousands. And do thou with due\nhonors bring people from all countries. And, with proper honor thyself\nbring the righteous, truthful, and heroic Janaka, lord of Mithila. And\nit is because he is our old friend that I first mention him. Then do\nthou thyself bring the amiable and ever fair-spoken lord of Kasi, of\nexecellent character, resembling a celestial. Then do thou bring hither\nalong with his son, the highly-pious, old king of Kekaya, who is the\nfather in-law of this best of monarchs! Then do thou bring with due\nhonors the puissant king of Kocala, and that mighty archer, the\nillustrious Romapada, the friend of that lion of a king, and that\nforemost of men--the heroic, and highly generous lord of Magadha, versed\nin all branches of learning. And in accordance with the mandate of the\nking, do thou invite the foremost monarchs! And do thou summon the kings\nof the East, of the Sindhu and Sauvira countries, and of Saurashtra, and\nof the South! And do thou speedily bring those monarchs that are\nattached unto us, together with their friends and followers. Do thou in\nobedience to the mandate of the monarch, bring over these, despatching\ndignified emissaries!\"\n\nHaving heard those words of Vasishtha, Sumantra speedily ordered\nfaithful persons anent the bringing over of the kings. And the virtuous\nSumantra, in accordance with the injunction of the ascetic, himself\nspeedily set out for the purpose of bringing the monarchs. And then the\nservants came and informed the intelligent Vasishtha as to the articles\nthat had been got ready for the sacrifice. Then well- pleased that best\nof twice-born ones, the ascetic Vasishtha, said unto them,--\"Do not give\naway disrespectfully or lightly. A gift bestowed with disrespect,\nindubitably destroyeth the giver.\"\n\nThen for several days, kings began to pour into Dacaratha's city daily\nand nightly, bringing with them various kinds of gems. Thereupon\nVasishtha well-pleased said unto the king,--\"O best of men, obeying thy\nmandate the kings have come here; and I too, according to merit, have\nreceived those excellent kings with respect. And ev thing hath been\ncarefully made ready for the sacrifice the persons concerned. Do thou,\ntherefore, repair to ill sacrificial ground, for performing the\nsacrifice. And, 9 foremost of monarclis, it behoveth thee to view the.\nplatffc filled with all desirable objects, and looking as if preparedly\nimagination herself.\"\n\nThen in accordance with the injunctions of both Vasishtha and\nRhishyasringa, the king came to the sacrificial spot on a day presided\nover by an auspicious star. Then, with Rhishyasringa at their head,\nVasishtha and the other principal Brahmanas wending to the sacrificial\nground, began the ceremony, according to the ordinance; and in due form.\nAnd the auspicious king, in company with his wives, was initiated into\nthe ceremony.\n\n\n\nSECTION XIV.\n\n\nAnd after the expiry of full one year, when the sacrifcial horse had\nreturned, the sacrifice of the king commenced on the north bank of the\nSarayu. And with Rhishyasringa at their head, the principal twice born\nones began the proceedings in that mighty horse-sacrifice of that\nhigh-souled monarch. And the priests, each duly and according to the\nordinance performing his proper part, engaged in the ceremony in\nconsonance with the scriptures. And the regenerate ones, having\nperformed the _pravargya_ as well as the _upasada_ according to the\nordinance, duly completed the additional ceremonies. Then, worshipping\nthe deities with glad hearts, those foremost of ascetics duly performed\nthe morning ablutions and the other prescribed rites. The oblations of\nclarified butter first having been offered unto Indra, according to the\nritual, the king with a purified heart performed his ablutions. And then\nthe mid-day ablutions took place in proper sequence. And those foremost\nof Brahmanas, in due form, and according to the ordinance, officiated at\nthe third bath of that high-souled monarch. And the priests presided\nover by Rhishyasringa, invoked Sakra and the other deities, reciting\nmeasured _mantras_. And the sacrificial priests, chaunting sweet _Samas_\nand soft mantras, duly invoking the dwellers of the celestial regions,\noffered each his share of the oblations. And no part of the ceremony was\nperformed improperly, or left out,-- and every thing was satisfactorily\ncelebrated with _mantras_. And on that day no Brahmana ever felt tired,\nor hungry; and there was none that was not learned, or that was not\nfollowed by an hundred persons. And Brahmanas, and Sudras having among\nthem ascetics, and Sramanas, and the aged, and the infirm, and women,\nand children, were continually fed. And although they ate their fill,\nyet they knew no repletion. And \"Give food, and clothes of various\nkind\"--(was heard all around). And those employed in the task gave away\nprofusely. And every day food dressed properly in due form was to be\nseen in countless heaps resembling hills. And men and women coming from\nvarious countries to the sacrifice of that high-souled one were\nexcellently entertained with meats and drinks. And the foremost\nregenerate ones said,--\"The viands have been prepared in the prescribed\nform, and they taste excellent. We have been gratified. Good betide\nthee!\" All this was heard by that descendant of Raghu. And persons\nadorned with ornaments distributed the victuals among the Brahmanas, and\nthey were assisted by others beaming jewelled pendants. And in the\ninterval between the completion of one bath and the beginning of the\nnext, mild and eloquent Vipras, desirous of victory, engaged in various\ndisputations. And every day in that sacrifice, skilful Brahmanas,\nengaged in the ceremony, did every thing, according to the ritual. And\nthere was no twice-born one that was not versed in the Vedas and the\nVedangas, or that did not observe vows, or that was not profoundly\nlearned,--nor did any assist at the sacrifice that could not argue ably.\nAnd when the time came for planting the _Yupas_, persons cognizant of\narts and sacrificial rites, prepared six _Yupas_ of _Vilwa_, as many of\ncatechu, and as many of _Palasa_, and one of _Sleshmataka_, and two of\n_Devadaru_ well-made and measuring two outstretched arms. Persons versed\nin the arts and science of sacrifice constructed these _Yupas_. And at\nthe time of throwing up the _Yupas_, for embellishing the sacrifice,\nthese one and twenty _Yupas_, each measuring one and twenty _Aratnis_,\nhaving eight angles, and smooth-faced were decked out in one and twenty\npieces of cloth, and were firmly planted with due ceremonies by\nartizans. And being wrapped up in cloths, and worshipped with flowers,\nthey looked like the seven Rishis appearing in the welkin. And an\nadequate number of bricks was also duly made (for the ceremony.) And\nBrahmanas accomplished in the arts constructed the sacrificial\nfire-place with those bricks. And that fire-place of that lion among\nkings, set by skilful Brahmanas, consisting on three sides of eighteen\nbricks, looked like the golden-winged Garura. And for the purpose of\nsacrificing them unto the respective deities were collected beasts and\nreptiles, and birds, and horses, and aquatic animals. And the priests\nsacrificed all these in proper form. And to these _Yupas_ were bound\nthree hundred beasts, as well as the foremost of the best horses\nbelonging to king Dacaratha. Then Kaucalya, having performed the\npreliminary rites, with three strokes slew that horse, experiencing\ngreat glee. And with the view of reaping merit Kaucalya, with an\nundisturbed heart passed one night with that horse furnished with wings.\nAnd the _Hotas_ and _Adhwaryus_, and the _Uagatas_ joined the king's\n_Vavata_ along with his _Mahishi_ and _Parivriti_[15] And priests of\nsubdued senses, well-up in sacrificial rites, began to offer oblations\nwith the fat of the winged-horse, according to the ordinance. And that\nlord of men, desirous of removing his sins, at the proper time smelt the\nodour of the smoke arising from the fat, agreeably to the scriptures.\nAnd then sixteen sacrificial priests in the prescribed form offered the\nvarious parts of the horse unto the fire. It is customary in other\nsacrifices to offer the oblations by means of a _Plaksha_ bough; but in\nthe horse-sacrifice a cane is used instead. The horse-sacrifice,\naccording to the Kalpa Sutras and the Brahmanas, extend over three days.\nThere after, on the first day was the _Chatushtoma_ celebrated; and on\nthe second the _Uktha_,-- and on the third the _Atiratra_. And then the\n_Jyotishtoma_, and then _Ayushtoma_, and the _Atiratra_ and the\n_Abhijit_, and the _Viswajit_, and the _Aptoryama_--all these various\ngreat sacrifices were celebrated with due rites. And in this mighty\nhorse-sacrifice founded of yore by Sayambhu, that perpetuator of his\nline, the king, bestowed the Eastern quarter on his chief sacrificial\npriest, the Western on his _Adhwaryu_, the Southern on Brahma, and the\nNorthern on the _Udgath_, as _Dakshinas_. And having completed that\nsacrifice, that perpetuator of his race, and foremost of men, the king,\nconferred on the priests the earth; and having conferred it, that\nauspicious descendant of Iskhaku experienced high delight. And then the\npriests spoke unto that monarch, who had all his sins purged off,\nsaying,--\"Thou alone art worthy to protect the entire world. We do not\nwant the earth; nor can we rule it, being, O lord of Earth, constantly\nengaged in Vaidika studies. Do thou, therefore, confer upon us something\ninstead, as the price thereof. Do thou confer upon us gems, or gold, or\nkine, or anything else, for, O foremost of monarchs, we do not want\nEarth.\" Thus addressed by the Brahmanas versed in the Veda, that best of\nkings bestowed upon them ten lacs of kine, and ten _Kotis_ of gold, and\nforty of silver. Then those priests in a body, accepting the wealth,\nbrought it unto the ascetic Rhishyasringa and the intelligent Vasishtha.\nThen having receieived each his share, those foremost of regenerate ones\nwere exceedingly pleased, and said,--\"We have been highly gratified.\"\nThen unto those Brahmanas that had come there, the king with due regard\ngave _Kotis_ of gold. And unto a certain poor twice-born one that asked\nfor gifts, the descendant of Raghu gave an excellent ornament from his\nown arm. And, when the regenerate ones were thus properly gratified,\nthat one cherishing the Brahmanas, with senses intoxicated by excess of\njoy, reverentially bowed unto them. And thereupon the Brahmanas uttered\nvarious blessings upon that generous king, bending low to the earth.\nThen having celebrated that excellent and sin-destroying sacrifice,\nbringing heaven, and incapable of being celebrated by foremost monarchs,\nking Dacaratha, well pleased, spoke unto Rhisyasinga, saying,--\"0 thou\nof excellent vows, it behoveth thee to do that whereby my line may\nincrease.\" Thereupon the best of Brahmanas said,--\"Be it so! Unto thee,\nO king, will be born four sons,--perpetuators of their race.\" Hearing\nthese sweet words of his, that foremost of monarchs bended low unto him\nwith controlled faculties, and experienced the excess of joy. And then\nthat high-souled one again spoke unto Rhishyasringa.\n\n [15] The Kshetriya kings could marry wives from among Kshetriyas,\n Vaishyas and Sudras. The Kshetriya wife is called _Mahishee_, the\n Vaishya wife _Vavata_ and the Sudra wife _Parivriti_.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XV.\n\n\nThen that one of capacious intelligence, versed in the Vedas, having\npondered for a time, and regained his senses, returned unto the king\nthis excellent answer,--\"On thy behalf, and with the view of obtaining\nsons for thee, I will by help of _mantras_ laid down in the Atharva\nVeda, duly celebrate the famous ceremony, capable of crowning thee with\noffspring.\" And then with the view of obtaining sons (for the king),\nthat effulgent one set about the son-conferring ceremony; and in\naccordance with the ordinance, and with _mantras_, offered oblations\nunto the sacrificial fire. And the deities, with the _Gandharbas_, and\nthe _Siddhas_, and the principal saints, assembled there duly, with the\nobject of each obtaining his share of the offerings. And having duly\nassembled there, the deities addressed these words unto Brahma, the lord\nof creatures,--\"O thou possessed of the six attributes, through thy\ngrace, a Rakshasa named Ravana oppresses us all by his prowess,--nor can\nwe baffle him. And, O lord, as thou hast well-pleased conferred on him a\nboon, we always suffer him in deference to it. And the wicked-minded one\nharasseth the three worlds furnished with prosperity, and beareth\nill-will unto them. And blinded by the boon he hath received, that\nirrepressible one intends to bring down the lord himself of the\ncelestials, and the Yakshas, and the Gandharbas, and the Brahmanas, and\nthe Asuras. And the Sun doth not burn him, or the Wind blow about him;\nand at sight of him, that one engarlanded with billows, the Ocean, dares\nnot stir. Therefore, great is the fear that afflicteth us, coming from\nthat Rakshasa of dreadful appearance. And O lord, it behoves thee to\ndevise some means for destroying him.\" Thus addressed by the deities in\na body, he said,--\"Alas! I have, however, decided on the means of\ndestroying that wicked-souled one. He had asked,--'May I be incapable of\nbeing slain by _Gandharbas_, and _Yakshas_, and gods, and\n_Rakshasas_!'--whereat I said,-- 'Be it so!' Through disdain, the\nRakshasa did not at that time mention men. Therefore, by men alone he is\ncapable of being slain; nor can his end be compassed by any other\nmeans.\" Hearing this welcome speech uttered by Brahma, the deities and\nthe Maharshis became exceedingly delighted. At this juncture, that lord\nof the universe, the highly- effulgent Vishnu, clad in yellow apparel,\nand bearing in his hands the conch, the discus, and the mace, and\nadorned with burnished _Keyuras_[16] arrived there, riding Vinata's son;\nlike the Sun riding the clouds. And worshipped by the foremost of the\ncelestials, he drew near Brahma, and sat down a collected mind. And\nbending low before him, the deities spake unto him, saying,--\"O Vishnu,\nfor the benefit of the worlds, we shall appoint thee to some work. Do\nthou, O lord, dividing thyself into four, O Vishnu, become born as sons\nin the three wives, resembling Modesty, Auspiciousness, and Fame,--of\nAyodhya's lord, king Dacaratha, cognisant of Duty, and munificent, and\npossessing energy, and like unto a Maharshi. Do thou, O Vishnu, becoming\nman, slay in battle this thorn of the worlds; the pampered Ravana,\nincapable of being slain by the gods; for the foolish Rakshasha, by\nvirtue of sublimated prowess, baffles the deities, and the _Gandharbas_,\nand the _Siddhas_, and the foremost of saints. And by him bereft of the\nsense of right and wrong, have saints and _Gandharbas_ and _Apsaras_\nsporting in the groves of Nandana, been wantonly slain. It is to compass\nhis death that accompanied by the ascetics, we have come hither: it is\nfor this that the _Siddhas_ and the _Gandharbas_ and the _Yakshas_ have\ntaken refuge in Thee! Thou O God, art the prime way of us all, O\nrepressor of foes! Do thou, for bringing destruction unto the enemies of\nthe gods, turn thy thoughts to being born as man.\" Thus besought that\nforemost of gods and chief of celestials, Vishnu, worshipped of all\ncreatures, addressed the assembled deities, following Duty, with the\nGrand-sire at their head, saying,-- \"Do ye renounce fear! For your\nbehoof, slaying in battle the wily and irrepressible Ravana, dreadful\nunto the saints and the celestials, together with his sons, and\ngrandsons, and friends, and counsellors, and relatives, and\nacquaintances, I will abide among mortals, ruling this earth for ten\nthousand and as many hundred years.\" Having thus conferred a boon upon\nthe gods, the god Vishnu of subdued soul fell to thinking as to the\nplace where he would be born among men. Then that one of eyes resembling\nlotus-petals, dividing self into four parts, chose even king Dacaratha\nfor his father. Thereat the celestials and the saints and the\n_Gandharbas_ and the _Rudras_ and the _Apsaras_ hymned the Slayer of\nMadhu in excellent hymns:\n\n\"Do thou utterly uproot the haughty Ravana of fierce prowess and\nenhanced insolence--that foe of the lord of celestials, who is the\noccasion of the tears of the three worlds,[17] and dreadful unto\nascetics; Slaying that one of terrible prowess, who distresses the three\nworlds, with his forces and friends, do thou, O foremost of gods, thy\nfever of heart removed, repair unto the celestial regions protected by\nthee and purged of all its faults and sins.\"\n\n [16] A bracelet worn on the upper arm.--T.\n\n [17] Lit. the thorns of pious ascetics.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XVI.\n\n\nThus besought by the foremost of the celestials, that[18] searcher of\nhearts, Vishnu, although cognizant of the means whereby Ravana was to be\ndestroyed, spake unto the gods these amiable words,--\"What, ye gods, is\nthe means of compassing the destruction of that lord of the Rakshasas,\nby adopting which I could slay that thorn of the ascetics?\" Thus\naddressed, the deities answered Vishnu, incapable of deterioration,\nsaying,--\"Assuming the form of a human being, do thou in battle slay\nRavana! He, O repressor of foes, had for a long course of time performed\nrigid austerities; and thereat, that creator of all, the first-create\nBrahma was well pleased. And propitiated by his penances, the Master\nconferred a boon on the Rakshasa to the effect that, save man, no fear\nshould come to him from the various beings. And in the matter of that\nboon-bestowing, man had formerly been disregarded by (Ravana). And\npuffed up with pride in consequence of the boon he received from the\nGrand-sire, he commits ravages upon the three worlds and carries away\nthe fair sex by violence. Therefore, O subduer of enemies, we have even\nfixed upon man for bringing about his death.\" Hearing this speech of the\ncelestials, Vishnu of subdued soul chose even king Dacaratha for his\nfather. And at that time, eagerly wishing to have sons, that destroyer\nof enemies, the effulgent king Dacaratha, who was sonless, was\ncelebrating the sacrifice that conferreth male offspring. Then, having\nascertained the course to follow, Vishnu, having greeted the Grand-sire,\nvanished there, worshipped by the deities and the Maharshis.\n\nAnd then himself bearing in his hands a capacious vessel made of\nburnished gold, with a silver cover,--dear like unto a spouse, and\nresembling the divine Creative energy, filled with celestial\n_Payasa_,[19], from out the sacrificial fire of Dacaratha initiated into\nthe ceremony, there arose a mighty being, of unparalleled prowess, high\nenergy, and huge strength, black, and wearing a crimson apparel, with a\nred face, uttering the blares of a trumpet, and having a body covered\nwith leonine hair, having whiskers and an excellent head of hair,\nfurnished with auspicious marks, and adorned with celestial ornaments,\nand resembling a mountain-peak, and bearing the prowess of a flaming\ntiger, and like unto the Sun or tongues of flaming fire. And with his\neyes fixed upon Dacaratha, he addressed the king, saying,--\"O monarch,\ntake thou me as a person commisioned by _Prajapati_.\" Hearing him speak\nthus, Dacaratha, with joined hands, said,--'Lord, art thou welcome? What\ncan I do for thee?\" Thereupon, that person despatched by _Prajapati_\nagain spake thus,--\"O king, having adored the deities, thou hast to-day\nobtained this. Do thou foremost of kings, accept this excellent and\ndivinly-prepared Payasa, conferring sons, health, and affluence,--which\nthou art to give unto thy worthy consorts, saying,--_Partake it_.\nThrough them thou wilt, O monarch, obtain sons,--for obtaining whom thou\nhast performed this sacrifice.\" Thereupon, saying,--\"So be it,\" the lord\nof men delightedly placed that divinely-bestowed golden vessel filled\nwith the celestial _Payasa_ upon his head. And having saluted that\nwonderful being of gracious presence, he in excess of joy began to go\nround him again and again. Then Dacaratha, having received that\ndivinely-prepared _Payasa_, waxed exceeding glad; like unto a pauper\nattaining plenty. Then that highly effulgent being of a wonderful form,\nhaving performed that mission of his, vanished even there. And\nDacaratha's inner apartment, being graced with the rays of joy, looked\nlike unto the welkin flooded with the lovely beams of the autumnal moon.\nThen entering the inner apaitment, he spake unto Kausalya,\nsaying,--\"Take thou this _Payasa_; for this will make thee bear a son.\"\nHaving said this,the king offered unto her a portion of this _Payasa_.\nThen he conferred upon Sumitra a fourth of it. Then in order that she\nmight have a son, king Dacaratha made over unto Kaikeyi an equal portion\nof what remained. And then having reflected, the mighty-minded one gave\nunto Sumitra the remaining portion of the _Payasa_ resembling ambrosia.\nThus the king dispensed the _Payasa_ unto each and all of his wives. And\nthose foremost wives of the king, having received that _Payasa_, became\nexceedingly delighted, and considered themselves as highly honored. Then\nthose excellent consorts of the lord of earth, having separately\npartaken of that choice _Payasa_, shortly bore offspring, resmbling fire\nor the Sun. And the king, beholding those wives of his bearing children,\nobtained his desire and became delighted; even as that foremost of the\ncelestials, Indra, while being worshipped by the _Siddhas_ and the\nascetics.\n\n [18] Nara means a multitude, and Ayana, dwelling-place. He whose\n dwelling-place is a multitude, is Narayana. Metaphorically, the\n word means evidently, the _Searcher of hearts_.--T.\n\n [19] A preparation of milk, and sugar.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XVII.\n\n\nWhen Vishnu had accepted the sonship of that high- souled king, the\nself-create Lord addressed the celestials, saying,--\"For assisting the\nheroic Vishnu firm in promise, always seeking the welfare of us all, do\nye create powerful beings, assuming shapes at will, cognizant of\nillusions, heroic, furnished with the celerity of the wind, versed in\nmorality, possessing intelligence, like unto Vishnu in prowess,\nunslayable, knowing the ways and means (of war and peace) gifted with\nexcellent bodies, capable of resisting all weapons, and resembling\nimmortals. And from forth the bodies of the foremost _Apsaris_, and\n_Gandharbis_, and _Yakskis_, and _Panagis_, and _Rikshis_[20] and\n_Vidhyddharis_, and _Kinnaris_, and _Vanaris_[21] do ye produce sons\nwearing the shapes of monkeys. Formerly I had created that foremost of\nbears, Jambuvana, who suddenly came out of my mouth as I was yawning.\"\nHearing this mandate of Him possessed of the six attributes, they began\nto produce sons endowed with monkey- forms. And high-souled ascetics,\nand _Siddhas_, and _Vidhadharas_, and _Uragas_, and _Charanas_,\ngenerated heroic sons,-- rangers of woods. And Indra begat as his son\nthat foremost of monkeys, Vali, resembling the Mahendra hill, and that\nbest of those imparting heat, the Sun, Sugriva. And Vrihaspati begat the\nmighty ape named Tara, the most excellent and intelligent of the prime\nmonkeys. And the Bestower of riches begat as his son the graceful ape\nGandhamadana. And Vicwakarma begat that mighty monkey named Nala; and\nAgni begat as his son the powerful and graceful Nila in effulgence like\nunto the fire, who surpassed even his sire in energy, prowess, and\nrenown. And the beautiful Acwins, endowed with the wealth of loveliness,\nbegat Maindra and Dwivida. And Varuna begat the monkey named Sushena;\nand Paryyanya begat Sarava, possessed of great strength. And the Wind\ngod begat the graceful monkey named Hanuman, endeued with a frame hard\nas adamant; in fleetness like unto Vinata's offspring; and the most\nintelligent as well as the most powerful amongst all the principal\nmonkeys. Thus produced, there suddenly came into being by thousands,\nmighty bears, and monkeys, and _Gopuchchhas_,[22] of immeasurable\nstrength, and heroic, and powerful, assuming shapes at will, endowed\nwith bodies resembling elephants of hills,--even those who would engage\nin compassing the destruction of the Ten-headed one. And the sons of the\ndeities retained distinctly the respective hues, forms, and prowess,\nthat characterized their several sires. And those that sprang from the\nGolangulas,[23] possessed even more than the might of the gods.\nLikewise, on _Rikshis_ and _Kinnaris_ were gladly begot thousands upon\nthousands of monkeys, by gods, and _Maharshis_, and _Gandarbas_, and\n_Tarkshyas_, and famous _Yakshas_, and _Nagas_, and _Kimpurushas_,[24]\nand _Siddhas_ and _Vidyadharas_, and _Uragas_. And upon the principal\n_Apsaris_, and the _Vidyadharis_, and the daughters of the _Nagas_, and\nthe _Gandarbis_ were begot by the _Charanas_ as sons, heroic monkeys of\ngigantic bodies, ranging the forests and living on fruits and roots. And\nall these monkeys were endowed with strength; and could assume shapes\nand repair everywhere, at will. And they were like unto lions and\ntigers, both in pride and in prowess. And they faught with crags and\nhurled hills. And they faught with nails and teeth,--and were\naccomplished in all weapons. And they could move the largest hills; and\ncrush the fixed trees; and with their impetus, vex that lord of\nrivers--the Ocean. And they could with their kicks rend the Earth, and\nswim over the mighty main. And they could penetrate into the\nwelkin,--and capture the clouds. And they could subdue mad elephants\nranging the forest. And with their roars, they could bring down birds\nsinging. Thus came into being _Kotis_ of high-souled leaders of\nmonkey-herds, assuming forms at will. And these became the leaders of\nthe principal monkey-herds; and they, in their turn, generated heroic\nmonkeys, the foremost of the leaders of herds.\n\nSome of these monkeys began to dwell on the top of the Rikshavana\nmountain; while others inhabited various other mountains and forests.\nAnd all the leaders of monkey- herds stayed with those\nbrothers,--Sugriva, the son of the Sun-god and Vali, that of Sakra,--and\nalso with Nala, and Nila, and Hanuman, and other leaders of\nmonkey-herds. And endowed with the might of Garura, and accomplished in\nfight, they ranged around, pounding lions, and tigers, and mighty\n_Uragas_. And the mighty-armed Vali of great prowess and redoubtable\nstrength protected by virtue of the energy of his arms _Rikshas_, and\n_Gopuchchhas_, and monkeys. And this earth, furnished with mountains,\nand forests, and oceans, began to teem with those heroic lords of\nleaders of monkey- herds, inhabiting different places, bearing\ncharacteristic marks, resembling masses of clouds, or mountain-peaks,\npossessed of mighty strength, and of terrible bodies and visages,--in\norder that they might assist Rama.\n\n [20] She-bears.--T.\n\n [21] She-monkeys.--T.\n\n [22] Cow-tailed monkeys--T.\n\n [23] Cow-tailed monkeys.--T.\n\n [24] Being half-man and half-beast.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XVIII.\n\n\nWhen the horse-sacrifice of the high-souled Dacaratha had been\ncompleted, the immortals, accepting each his share, returned whence they\nhad come. And the monarch, having observed all the rules of initiation,\nentered the palace with his equipage and retinue. And the lords of the\nearth, having been received suitably by the king, with glad hearts set\nout for their own countries, saluting that foremost of ascetics\n(Rhishyasringa). And clad in bright apparel, the delighted forces\nbelonging to those graceful kings repairing to their own homes, looked\nexceedingly beautiful. When the lords of the earth had gone away, the\ngraceful king Dacaratha re-entered his palace, with the foremost of\nregenerate ones at his head. And followed by the intelligent monarch\nwith his retinue, Rhishyasringa, having been duly honored, set out with\nSanta. Having thus dismissed them all, the king, his object attained,\nbegan to dwell there happily, expecting sons.\n\nAnd then when tbe six seasons had rolled away after the completion of\nthe sacrifice, in the twelfth month, on the ninth lunar day, under the\ninfluence of the Punarvasu asterism, when the Sun, the Moon, _Saturn_,\n_Jupiter_, and _Venus_ were at _Arius_, _Capricorn_, _Libra_, _Cancer_,\nand _Pisces_, --and when Jupiter had arisen with the Moon at Cancer,\nKaucalya gave birth to that lord of the universe, bowed unto by all the\nworlds, Rama, the descendant of Ikshwaku, furnished with excellent\nmarks,--the one half of Vishnu,-- exceedingly righteous, with rosy eyes,\nand mighty arms, and crimson nether lip, and endowed with a voice like\nthe sound of a kettledrum. Then on having given birth to that son of\nimmeasurable prowess, Kaucalya looked resplendent, like Aditi on having\nbrought forth that foremost of celestials--the wielder of the\nthunder-bolt. And then was born of Kaikeyi, Bharata, having truth for\nprowess, endowed with all the virtues, and the very fourth part of\nVishnu. And then Sumitra gave birth unto Lakshmana and Satrughna,\nheroic, and skilled in all weapons, and endowed with the half of Vishnu.\nAnd Bharata of purged intelligence was born under the asterism _Pushya_,\nwhen the Sun had entered _Pisces_; while the two sons of Sumitra were\nborn when the Sun arose in Cancer, under the asterism of _Aslesha_.[25]\n\nAnd thus were separately born four high-souled sons unto the king,\ncrowned with qualities, and graceful, and in loveliness resembling the\nconstellations _Prosthapada_[26] Thereat the _Gandharbas_ began to\nchaunt sweetly, and the _Apsaras_ to dance. And the celestial\nkettledrums sounded; and there showered down blossoms from the sky. And\nhigh festivities were commenced by the multitude in Ayodhya. And the\nspacious highways became filled with players and dancers, glittering\nwith all kinds of gems, and resounding with the music of singers and\nperformers on instruments. And the king bestowed gifts upon bards and\ngenealogists and penegyrists, and he also gave kine by thousands to\nBrahmanas.\n\nAnd when the eleventh day had gone by, the king performed the Naming\nceremony of his sons. And experiencing great delight, Vasishtha\nconferred the names. And the high- souled eldest one was called Rama;\nand Kaikeyi's son was called Bharata; and Sumitra's son was called\nLakshmana,-- and the last was named Satrughna. And the king fed the\nBrahmanas as well as the inhabitants rural and urban; and he bestowed\nheaps of jewels upon Brahmanas. Thus did he celebrate the natal rites of\nthe princes. And among all those princes, the eldest, Rama, like unto\nKetu,[27] and the special delight of his father, became the object of\ngeneral regard, even as the self-create Himself. And all of them were\nversed in the Vedas, and heroic, and intent upon the welfare of others.\nAnd all were accomplished in knowledge; and endowed with virtues. And\namong them all, the exceedingly puissant Rama, having truth for prowess,\nwas the desire of every one, and spotless like unto the Moon\nhimself.[28] He could ride on elephants and horses, and was an adept in\nmanaging cars. And he was ever engaged in the study of arms, and aye\noccupied in ministering unto his sire. And even from early youth, that\nenhancer of auspiciousness, Lakshmana, was ever attached unto his eldest\nbrother Rama, that delight of all. And like unto another life of Rama,\nLakshmana furnished with auspiciousness was in everything attentive to\nRama's wishes, even at the neglect of his own person. And that foremost\nof persons did not even attain sleep without Rama's company,--nor did he\npartake any sweetmeat that was offered, unless Rama partook it with him.\nAnd when mounted on horse-back, Raghava went a-hunting, Lakshmana went\nat his back bow in hand, protecting him. And that younger brother of\nLakshmana, Satrughna, likewise became ever dearer unto Bharata than life\nitself.\n\nAnd on account of those exalted and well-beloved sons of his, Dacaratha\nexperienced the excess of joy, like unto the Grand-sire on account of\nthe celestials. And when they came to be furnished with knowledge, and\ncrowned with virtues, and endowed with bashfulness and fame, and to\nattain wisdom in everything, and to be far-sighted,Dacaratha, the father\nof such powerful and flamingly effulgent sens, became delighted even\nlike that lord of worlds--Brahma. And those best of men, ever engaged in\nthe study of the Vedas, were accomplished in the art of archery--and\nalways intent upon ministering unto their father.\n\nAnd once upon a time, when the virtuous king Dacaratha, surrounded by\nhis priests and friends, was reflecting about the nuptials of his sons,\nunto that high-souled one engaged in thought in the midst of his\ncounsellors came the mighty ascetic Viswamitra. And desirous of seeing\nthe king, he said unto the warders,--\"Do ye speedily announce that I,\nGadhi's son, sprung in the Kucika line, have come!\" Hearing those words\nof his, they urged on by them, all hurriedly began to run towards the\nroyal chambers. And coming to the royal apartments, they communicated to\nIkshwaku's descendant the arrival of the ascetic Viswamitra. Hearing\nthose words of theirs, Dacaratha surrounded by his priests, went out\ndelightedly to meet him, like Vasava going out to meet Vrihashpati.[29]\nAnd having come unto that ascetic observing vows and of flaming energy,\nthe monarch with a cheerful countenance offered him the _Arghya_. And\nthere- upon, having accepted the king's _Arghya_ in accordance with the\nordinance, he enquired of the lord of men as to his continued prosperity\nand peace. And the exceedingly virtuous descendant of Kucika asked the\nking concerning the welfare of the exchequer, and the provinces; and the\npeace of his friends and acquaintances. \"And are thy captains\nsubmissive: and hast thou vanquished thy foes? And hast thou performed\nwell the human and the divine rites?\" And approaching Vasishtha and the\nother anchorites, that foremost of ascetics of exalted piety duly asked\nthem touching their welfare. And having been properly received by the\nmonarch, they with glad hearts entered the royal residence, and sat them\ndown according to precedence. Then gladly worshipping the mighty\nascetic, Viswamitra, the exceedingly generous king, well-pleased,\naddressed him, saying,--\"Like unto the obtaining of ambrosia, like unto\na shower in a land suffering from drouth, like unto the birth of sons of\nworthy wives to him without issue, like unto the recovery of a lost\nthing, yea,--like unto the dawning of a mighty joy, I consider this thy\narrival. illustrious ascetic, thou art well come. What is even that\nwhich is nearest to thy heart. What shall I do for thee, experiencing\nsincere pleasure? Thou, O Brahmana, art worthy of my best services. By\nluck it is that, O bestower of honor, I have gained thee. To-day my\nbirth hath been crowned with fruit--to day hath my life attained its\nobject. And truly yesternight hath been succeeded by an auspicious\nmorning, since I have beheld thee. Having first attained exceeding\neffulgence by virtue of austerities performed for obtaining the title of\n_Rajarshi_, thou hast afterwards obtained the status of a _Brahmarshi_.\nThou art worthy of manifold homage from me. This thy exceedingly holy\narrival appeareth wonderful. O lord, by beholding thee, surely my body\nhath been rendered pure. Tell me, what is it that thou wouldst\nhave,--and what is the purpose of thy coming? I wish that I may be\nobliged by doing thy will. And, O thou of excellent vows, thou ought not\nto hesitate. I will every way accomplish thy will for thou art my god. O\nregnerate one, surely great prosperity cometh to me in consequence of\nthy coming, in as much as it shall be the means of bringing me entire\nand excellent merit, O Brahmana!\" Hearing this soul-soothing,\near-charming, and free-humble speech that was uttered, that illustrious\nprime of ascetics crowned with virtues, and furnished with all\nperfections, experienced exceeding delight.\n\n [25] The ninth lunar mansion.--T.\n\n [26] Otherwise called _Uttarabhadrapada_ and _Purvabhadrapada_.--T.\n\n [27] The ninth of the planets.--T.\n\n [28] The Moon is a male in Sanskrit.--T.\n\n [29] The text has _Brahmanam_. Vrihashpati is the Brahma of the\n gods--_Vrhashpatir devanam Brahma_,--according to Sruti--T\n\n\n\nSECTION XIX.\n\n\nHearing those astonishing words of that lion-like king, the\nhighly-energetic Viswamitra with his down standing on end, said,--\"O\nforemost of kings, sprung from an illustrious line, and having Vasishtha\nfor thy guide, these words become thee alone on earth and no one else.\nDo thou, O best of kings, ascertain thy course in respect of the matter\nI bear in my heart; and do thou prove firm in promise! For celebrating a\nsacrifice, I, O foremost of men, abide by some prescribed course. And it\ncomes to pass that two Rakshasas assuming shapes at will, have become\nbent upon disturbing the ceremony. And in that sacrifice which I have\ndetermined to bring to a completion, and which is on the eve of being\ncompleted, both these Rakshasas, Maricha and Suvihu, accomplished in\narms and possessed of prowess, shower flesh and gore upon the altar. And\non that ceremony being thus disturbed and my purpose thus frustrated, I\nconsidered my labors as all lost, and, therefore, have left my country\nin dejection. And, O monarch, I cannot bring myself to vent my wrath;\nfor such is the nature of that business, that it is not proper for one\nengaged in it to utter a curse. Therefore, O foremost of monarchs, it\nbehoves thee to grant me thy eldest son, the heroic Rama of genuine\nprowess, with the side-locks. By virtue of his own divine energy, he,\nbeing protected by me, is capable of even destroying those Rakshasas\ndisturbing the ceremony. And I will, without doubt,confer upon him\nmanifold blessings,--by means of which he will secure the golden\nopinions of the three worlds. And encountering Rama,they will by no\nmeans be able to stand him, nor is there any other who dares to slay\nthem. And puffed up with energy, they have become ensnared at the hands\nof Kala,[30] --and, O best of monarchs, they are no match for Rama. Nor,\nking, ought thou to indulge in paternal affection. For ten nights only\nRama is to remain there, with the object of slaying those foes to my\nsacrifice, those Rakshasas disturbing the rites. I tell thee, do thou\nconsider the Rakshasas as already slain. I know full well Rama of\nsterling prowess,--as also the highly-energetic Vasishtha and the other\nascetics present here. And if thou, O king, set thy heart upon acquiring\nreligious merit and high fame on earth, do thou then grant me Rama! And,\nO Kakutstha,[31] if thy counsellors together with the Brahmanas having\nVasishtha at their head, consent, do thou then dismiss Rama! Even this\nis my wish,--and he also hath come of age. Do thou, therefore, part with\nthy son, the lotus-eyed Rama, for the ten days of the sacrifice! Do thou\nact so, O descendant of Raghu, that the time appointed for the ceremony\nmay not be overpassed. Good betide thee! Let not thy mind indulge in\ngrief!\"\n\nHaving said these words consistent with virtue and interest, the\nmighty-minded and highly-powerful Viswamitra paused. And hearing the\nauspicious words of Viswamitra, that foremost of kings shook with a\nmighty sorrow, and became bewildered. Then, having regained his sense,\nhe rose up and became cast down through apprehension. Having heard the\nwords of the ascetic, capable of rending the mind and heart, the\nbigh-souled king of men became stricken with grief and shook on his\nseat.\n\n [30] Yama, the god of death.\n\n [31] From _Kakud_, an emblem of royalty and _Stha_, residing,--meaning\n a prince, the grandson of Ikshwaku.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XX.\n\n\nHearing the words of Viswamitra, that best of monarchs remained\ninsensible for a time,--and then regaining his sense, spake thus,--\"My\nlotus-eyed Rama is not yet turned of sixteen; and I do not perceive his\nfitness to cope with Rakshasas in battle. I am the lord of this\n_Akshaukini_[32] of forces. Marching with this, will I engage with the\nnight- rangers. And these servants of mine are valiant, and warlike, and\naccomplished in weapons, and capable of fighting the\nRakshasas,--therefore, it behoveth thee not to take Rama. And myself bow\nin hand, stationed at the van of the array, will battle with the rangers\nof the night as long as life is spared unto me. And then well protected,\nthy sacrifice will hold an unimpeded course. Therefore, I will repair\nthither,--and it behoveth thee not to take Rama. And youthful, and\nunaccomplished, and not knowing what constitutes strength and what not,\nand not equipped with the energy of science,--and unskilful in fight, he\nis not a match for Rakshasas,--they being deceitful warriors. Bereft of\nRama, O best of ascetics, I cannot live for a moment. Therefore, it\nbehoveth thee not to take him. If, O Brahmana, it is thy intention to\ntake Rama, then, O thou of excellent vows, do thou also take me along\nwith the _Chaturanga_[33] forces! O Kucika's son, I am sixty thousand\nyears old; and (at this age) I have obtained Rama after undergoing\nextreme troubles,--it therefore becometh thee not to take Rama. And\namong the four sons of mine, I find my highest delight in Rama, my\nfirst-born, and the most virtuous of them all,--therefore, it behoveth\nthee not to take Rama. What is the prowess of the Rakshasas? And whose\nsons are they? And who, pray, are they? And what are the proportions of\ntheir bodies? And who protecteth them, O foremost of ascetics? And by\nwhat means shall either Rama, or my forces, or, O Brahmana, I myself be\nable to slay in fight those deceitful warriors--the Rakshasas? Do thou\ntell me, adorable one, inflated as they are by virtue of their prowess,\nhow can I stand them in fight?\" Hearing that speech of his, Viswatmitra\nsaid,--\"There is a Rakshasa named Ravana, sprung from the line of\nPulastya. Having obtained a boon from Brahma, he boldly opposeth himself\nto the three worlds, being possessed of great strength, and prowess, and\nbacked by innumerable Rakshasas. And, O mighty monarch, I also hear that\nthat lord of the Rakshasas is the very brother of Vacravana and the son\nof the ascetic Vicravan. And when that one possessed of mighty strength\ndoes not stoop to disturb the sacrifice himself, those powerful\nRakshasas, Marich and Suvahu, being incited by him, disturb the rites.\"\nThe ascetic having spoken thus, the king then answered him,--\"I am\nincapable of standing that wicked-souled one in fight. Therefore, do\nthou, O thou versed in morality, extend thy favor unto my son! Of\nslender fortune as I am, thou art my guide and my god. Even the\ncelestials and the _Danavas_ and the _Gandharbas_ and the Birds and the\nSnakes are incapable of bearing Ravana in battle--what then is man? He\ndepriveth in conflict even the puissant of their prowess. I cannot fight\neither with him or with his forces. And, O foremost of ascetics, whether\nthou art accompanied with my son or my forces, thou wilt not be able to\nstand him. And how can I, O Brahmana, make over unto thee my son, of\ntender years, resembling an immortal, who is ignorant of warfare? I will\nnot part with my son. The sons of Sunda and Upasunda resemble Kala\nhimself in battle,--and it is they who are disturbing thy sacrifice.\nTherefore I will not part with my son. And Maricha and Suvahu are\npossessed of prowess, and accomplished in weapons. But with my friends I\nwill repair to encounter one of them. If thou do not consent to this, I\nbeseech thee with my friends, (do thou desist!)\" Hearing these words of\nthe lord of men, a mighty ire took possession of that foremost of\nregenerate ones, Kucika's son; and the fire of the Maharshi's wrath\nflamed up even like unto a fire fed by fuel and clarified butter.\n\n [32] A complete army consisting of 1,09,350 foot, 65,610 horse, 21,870\n chariots, and 21,870 elephants.--T.\n\n [33] An army consisting of foot, horse, elephants, and cars.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXI.\n\n\nHearing those words of Dacaratha, composed of letters faltering with\naffection, Kucika's son, stirred up with anger, answered the monarch,\nsaying,--\"Having promised me first, thou endeavourest to renounce that\npromise of thine. This surely is unworthy of a descendant of Raghu,--\nand this can bring destruction upon the dynasty. If, king, in acting\nthus, thou hast acted properly, I will then repair to the place whence I\nhad come. O Kakuthstha's descendant false in promise, do thou attain\nhappiness, being surrounded by thy friends.\" And when the intelligent\nVicwamitra was exercised with wrath, the entire earth began to tremble,\nand the gods even were inspired with awe. And knowing that the entire\nuniverse was in trepidation, that mighty saint, the sedate Vasishtha of\nexcellent vows, said these words unto the king,--\"Born in the line of\nIkshwaku, thou art the very second self of virtue. And endowed with\npatience, and auspicious, and observing excellent vows, thou ought not\nto renounce virtue. The descendant of Raghu is famed over the three\nworlds as righteous-souled. Do thou maintain thy habit of adhering to\npromise; for it doth not behove thee to act unrighteously. If having\npromised,--'I will do so,' thou dost not act up to thy word, the merit\nthou hast achieved by digging tanks and by performing sacrifices shall\ncome to naught,--therefore do thou renounce Rama! Accomplished or not\naccomplished in weapons, the Rakshasas cannot bear him protected by\nKucika's son, like ambrosia, by flaming fire. This one is Virtue\nincarnate: this one is the foremost of those possessing prowess. This\none surpasseth all others in learning, and is the refuge of asceticism.\nThis one is cognizant of all the weapons that exist in the three worlds\nfurnished with mobile and imobile things; but others do not know\nhim,--nor yet shall know him hereafter. And neither the gods, nor the\nsaints, nor the immortals, nor the Rakshasas, nor the foremost of\nGandharbas and Yakshas, nor the Kinnaras, nor the mighty Serpents can\nknow him. And formerly while the descendant of Kucika was ruling bis\nkingdom, Siva conferred upon him the highly famous sons of Kricacwa in\nthe shape of all weapons. And those sons of Kricacwa were the offspring\nof Prajapati's daughters. They were endowed with various forms, and were\neffulgent and dreadful. And Daksha's daughters of elegant waists, Jaya\nand Suprabha, brought forth an hundred exceedingly effulgent weapons.\nAnd by virtue of her boon, Jaya obtained fifty sons of immeasurable\nstrength and endued with the power of becoming invisible for the purpose\nof slaughtering the hosts of the Asuras. And Suprabha also brought forth\nfifty sons named _Sanharas_, incapable of being borne, and infallible,\nand powerful. Kucika's son is adequately conversant with all those\nweapons. And that one knowing duty is also capable of creating wonderful\nweapons. And, O descendant of Raghu, there is nothing present, past, or\nfuture which is not known by that foremost of ascetics of high soul, and\ncognizant of morality. Such is the prowess of that highly famous\nVicwamitra possessed of mighty energy. Therefore, O king, it behoveth\nthee not to hesitate in the matter of Rama's going. The descendant of\nKucika is himself capable of repressing the Rakshasas; and it is in\norder to thy son's welfare that coming unto thee, he asketh for him of\nthee.\" At this speech of the ascetic, that foremost of Raghus, the king,\nwell- pleased, became exceedingly delighted. And that famous one,\nrelishing the journey of Rama, began to reflect in his mind about\nconsigning him unto Kucika's son.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXII.\n\n\nUpon Vasishtha's representing this, king Dacaratha himself with a\ncomplacent countenance, summoned unto him Rama and Lakshmana. And when\nthe auspicious rites had been performed by both Rama's father and\nmother, and when the priest Vasishtha had uttered mantras, king\nDacaratha, smelling his son's crown, with a glad heart, made him over\nunto the descendant of Kucika. Then there blew a Breeze free from dust\nand of delicious feel, on witnessing the lotus-eyed Rama at the hands of\nVicwamitra. And as the high-souled one was about to set out, blossoms\nbegan to shower down copiously, accompanied with the sounds of celestial\nkettle-drums and the loud blares of conchs. Vicwamitra went first, and\nnext the highly famous Rama with the side-locks, holding the bow. And\nhim followed Sumitra's son. And equipped with quivers, and with bows in\nhand, gracing the ten cardinal points and resembling three-hooded\nserpents, they followed the high-souled Vicwamitra, like the two\nstalwart Aswins following the Grand-sire. And those effulgent ones of\nfaultless limbs went in the wake of the ascetic, illumining him with\ntheir grace. And like unto those sons of his, Skanda and Bisakha\nfollowing the incomprehensible deity, Sthanu, those youthful brothers of\ncomely persons and faultless limbs, Rama and Lakshmana, highly\neffulgent, carrying bows in hand, adorned with ornaments, and equipped\nwith scimitars, with their fingers encased in _Guana_ skin, flamingly\nfollowed Kucika's son, beautifying him with their splendour. And having\nproceeded over half a _Yojana_, and arriving at the right bank of the\nSarayu, Vicwamitra addressed these sweet words unto Rama,--\"O Rama! do\nthou, O child, take of this water: let no delay occur. Do thou receive\nthe _mantras_ Vala and Ativala,--and thou wilt not feel fatigue or fever\nor undergo any change of look, and whether asleep or heedless, the\nRakshasas will not be able to surprise thee. And, O Rama, the might of\nthy arms will be unequalled in this world,--nay, in all the three\nworlds. There shall be none--thy equal. Do thou, O Raghava, recite Vala\nand Ativala, O child! And, O sinless one, when thou hast secured these\ntwo kinds of knowledge, none in this world will equal thee in good\nfortune, or in talent, or in philosophic wisdom or in subtle\napprehension, or in the capacity of answering a controversialist; for\nVala and Ativala are the nurses of all knowledge. And, O Rama, O\nforemost of men, if thou recitest Vala and Ativala on the way. neither\nhunger nor thirst will exercise thee, O descendant of Raghu! And if thou\nrecitest these, thou wilt attain fame on earth. Those sciences fraught\nwith energy are the daughters of the Grandsire. I intend to confer them\nupon thee, O Kakutstha; and, O lord of earth, they are worthy to be\nconferred upon thee as thou art possessed of various virtues. Thou need\nnot entertain any doubt about it. And if thou learn them like unto the\nexercise of asceticism they will prove of manifold good unto thee.\"\nThereat Rama with a cheerful countenance sipping water, with a purified\nbody received those sciences from the _Maharshi_ of subdued soul. And\nfurnished with the sciences, Rama of dreadful prowess appeared\nresplendent, even like the adorable autumnal Sun invested with a\nthousand rays. Then Rama having rendered unto Kucika's son all the\nduties appertaining to a spiritual guide, the three happily spent that\nnight on the banks of the Sarayu. And although those excellent sons of\nDacaratha lay down on an unbeseeming bed of grass, yet in consequence of\nthe sweet converse of Kucika's son, the night seemed to pass pleasantly\naway.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXIII.\n\n\nAnd when the night had passed away, the mighty ascetic spoke unto\nKakutstha, lying down on a bed of leaves, --\"O Rama, the best son of\nKaucalya, the first Sandhya[34] should now be performed. Do thou, O\nforemost of men, arise! Thou shouldst perform the purificatory rites and\ncontemplate the gods.\" Hearing those proper words of the ascetic, those\nforemost of men, endowed with heroism, bathed, and, offering _Arghya_,\nbegan to recite the Gayatri.[35] And having performed these daily\nduties, those exceedingly powerful ones, greeting Vicwamitra having\nasceticism for wealth, stood before him, with the object of starting on\ntheir journey. And as those ones endowed with exceeding prowess were\nproceeding, at the shining confluence of the Sarayu and the Ganga they\nbeheld a noble river flowing in three branches. And there lay a holy\nhermitage, belonging to ascetics of subdued souls, where they had been\ncarrying on their high austerities for thousands of years. Beholding\nthat sacred asylum, those descendants of Raghu, exceedingly delighted,\nspake unto the high-souled Vicwamitra, these words,--\"Whose is this\nsacred hermitage? And what man liveth here? O worshipful one, we are\ndesirous of hearing this. Surely, great is our curiosity.\" At those\nwords of theirs, that foremost of ascetics, smiling, said,--\"Hear, O\nRama, as to whom the asylum belonged in time past. Kandarpa, called Kama\nby the wise, was once incarnate (on earth.) And it came to pass that as\nthat lord of the deities, Sthanu, having performed here his austerities\nin accordance with the prescribed restrictions, was wending his way in\ncompany with the Maruts, that fool-hardy wight dared disturb the\nequanimity of his mind. Thereupon, descendant of Raghu, uttering a roar,\nthe high-souled Rudra eyed him steadfastly. And thereat all the limbs of\nthat perverse-hearted one became blasted. On his body being consumed by\nthat high- souled one, Kama was deprived of his person in consequence of\nthe ire of that foremost among the deities; and, O Raghava, from that\ntime forth, he hath become known as Ananga.[36] And the place where he\nwas deprived of his body is the lovely land of Anga. This sacred\nhermitage belongs to Siva; and these ascetics engaged in pious acts, O\nhero, have been from father to son his disciples. And no sin toucheth\nthem. Here, O Rama, in the midst of the sacred streams, will we spend\nthe night, O thou of gracious presence, crossing over on the morrow. Let\nus then, having purified ourselves, enter the holy hermitage! It is\nhighly desirable for us to sojourn here,--here will we happily spend the\nnight, having bathed, and recited the _mantras_, and offered oblation\nunto the sacrificial fire, O best of men!\"\n\nAs they were conversing thus, the ascetics were highly delighted on\ndiscovering them by means of their far-reaching spiritual vision,--and\nthey rejoiced greatly. Then giving Kucika's son water to wash his feet\nand _Arghya_, and extending unto him also the rites of hospitality, they\nnext entertained Rama and Lakshmana. And having experienced their\nhospitality, they (the guests) delighted them with their talk. And then\nthe saints with collected minds recited their evening prayers. And\nhaving been shown their destined place of rest along with ascetics of\nexcellent vows, they happily passed that night in that hermitage\naffording every comfort. And that foremost of ascetics, the righteous-\nsouled son of Kucika, by means of his excellent converse, charmed the\nprepossessing sons of the monarch.\n\n [34] Brahmanas have to perform their daily devotions thrice,--in the\n morning, at noon, and in the evening.--T.\n\n [35] The solar hymn of the Veda--T.\n\n [36] Lit. the bodiless.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXIV.\n\n\nThen next morning which happened to be fine, those repressors of their\nfoes, with Vicwamitra who had performed morning rites at their head,\ncame to the banks of the river.[37] And those high-souled ascetics\nobserving vows, having brought an elegant bark addressed Vicwamitra,\nsaying,--\"Do thou ascend the bark with the princes at thy head! May thy\njourney be auspicious: let no delay occur!\" Thereupon saying,--\"So be\nit!\", and having paid homage unto those ascetics, Vicwamitra set about\ncrossing that river with them, which had replenished the ocean.[38] And\nit came to pass that while thus engaged, they heard a sound augmented by\nthe dashing of the waves.[39] And having come to the middle of the\nstream, the highly energetic Rama with his younger brother, became\ncurious to ascertain the cause of that sound. And reaching the middle of\nthe river, Rama asked that best of ascetics,--\"What is this loud uproar\nthat seemeth to come riving the water?\" Hearing Raghava's words dictated\nby curiosity, that righteous-souled one spake, unfolding the true cause\nof the noise,--\"O Rama, there is in the Kailaca mountain an exceedingly\nbeautiful pool, created mentally by Brahma, O foremost of men,--and\nhence this watery expanse goeth by the name of _Manasa Pool_, And the\nstream that issues from that liquid lapse, flows through Ayodhya: the\nsacred Sarayu issues from that pool of Brahma. And as the Sarayu meets\nthe Jahnavi, this tremendous uproar is heard, being produced by the\nclashing of the waters. Do thou, O Rama, bow down to them with a\nconcentrated mind.\" Thereupon, both of these exceedingly righteous ones,\nbowed down unto those streams; and betaking themselves to the right\nbank, began to proceed with fleet vigour. And beholding a dreadful\ntrackless forest, that son of the foremost of men, Ikshhwaku's\ndescendant, asked that best of ascetics, saying,-- \"Ah! deep is this\nforest abounding in crickets; and filled with terrible ferocious\nbeasts,and various birds possessed of shocking voices and screaming\nfrightfully; and graced by lions, and tigers, and boars, and elephants;\nand crowded with _Dhavas_[40] and _Acwas_ and _Karnas_[41] and\n_Kukubhas_ and _Vilmas_[42] and _Tindukas_[43] and _Patalas_[44] and\n_Badaris_.[45] Whence is this dreadful forest?\" Him answered thus the\nmighty asetic Vicwamitra endowed with high energy,--\"Do thou listen, O\nKakutshtha, as to whom belongeth this dreadful forest! Here were\nformerly, O foremost of men, two flourishing provinces, named Malada,\nand Karusha, built by celestial architects. In days of yore, O Rama, on\nthe occasion of the destruction of Vritra, the thousand-eyed one came to\nhave hunger, to be besmeared with excreta, and to slay a Brahmana. And\nwhen Indra had been thus besmeared, the deities, and the saints having\nasceticism for wealth, washed him here, and cleansed his person from the\ndirt. And the deities, having renounced here the filth that had clung\nunto the person of the mighty Indra, as well as his hunger, attained\nexceeding delight. And thereat Indra becoming purified, attained his\nformer brightness, and became devoid of hunger. And mightily pleased\nwith this region, he conferred on it an excellent boon, saying,--\"Since\nthese two places have held excreta from my body, they going by the names\nof Malada and Karusha, shall attain exceeding prosperity and fame among\nmen.\" And beholding the land thus honored by the intelligent Sacra, the\ndeities said unto the subduer of Paka,--'Well!\" \"Well!\" And, O repressor\nof foes, these two places, Malada and Karusha, enjoyed prosperity for a\nlong lime and were blessed with corn and wealth. Then after a space of\ntime, was born a Yakshini capable of assuming forms at will, and endowed\nwith the strength of a thousand elephants. Her name, good betide thee!\nwas Taraka, and she was the spouse of the intelligent Sunda--she whose\nson is the Rakshasa, Maricha possessed of the prowess of Sacra; having\nround arms, with a huge head, a capacious mouth and a cyclopean body.\nAnd that Rakshasa of dreadful form daily frightens people. And, O\ndescendant of Raghu, Taraka of wicked deeds, daily commits havoc upon\nthese countries, Malada and Karusha . And now at the distance of over\nhalf a Yojana, she stayeth, obstructing the way. And since this forest\nbelongeth unto Taraka, thou shouldst repair thither and, resorting to\nthe might of thy own arms, slay this one of wicked deeds. And by my\ndirection, do thou again rid this region of its thorn; for no one dareth\nto approach such a place, infested, O Rama, by the dreadful and\nunbearable Yakshini. And now I have related unto thee all about this\nfearful forest. And to this day that Yakshini hath not desisted from\ncommitting ravages right and left.\"\n\n [37] Ganges.--T.\n\n [38] The legend is that when the saint Agastya had sucked up the ocean,\n the Ganges replenished it.--T.\n\n [39] The text has _Susrava_--he heard. Another reading is _Tatas\n Susruvatus Sabdam_--then they heard a sound,--which I adopt.--T.\n\n [40] Grislea Tomentosa.--T.\n\n [41] Cassia fistula.--T.\n\n [42] AEgle marmalos.--T.\n\n [43] Diospyros glutinosa.--T.\n\n [44] Bignonia suave-olens.--T.\n\n [45] Jujube.--T\n\n\n\nSECTION XXV.\n\n\nHearing this excellent speech of that ascetic of immeasurable energy,\nthat foremost of men answered him in these happy words,--\"O best of\nascetics, I have heard that the Yaksha race is endowed with but small\nprowess. How can then that one of the weaker sex possess the strength of\na thousand elephants?\" Hearing this speech that was uttered by Raghava\nof immeasurable energy, Vicwamitra, delighting with his amiable words\nthat subduer of foes, Rama, and Lakshmana, said,--\"Do thou listen as to\nthe means whereby attaining terrible strength, that one belonging to the\nweaker sex hath come to possess strength and prowess by virtue of a\nboon. In former times there was a mighty and exceedingly powerful\nYaksha, named Suketu. And he had no issue. And he was of pure practices,\nand used to perform rigid austerities. And, O Rama, the Grand-sire, well\npleased with that lord of Yakshas, conferred upon him a gem of a\ndaughter, by name Taraka. And the Grand-sire endowed her with the\nstrength of a thousand elephants; yet that illustrious one did not\nbestow a son on that Yaksha. And when she had grown, and attained youth\nand beauty, he gave that famous damsel unto Jambha's son, Sunda, for\nwife. And after a length of time, that Yakshi gave birth to a son, named\nMaricha, possessed of irrepressible energy--him who became a Rakshasa in\nconsequence of a curse. And, O Rama, when Sunda had been destroyed,\nTaraka along with her son, set her heart upon afflicting that excellent\nsaint Agastya. And enraged with Agastya, she rushed at him with a roar,\nintending to devour him. And on seeing her thus rushing, that worshipful\nsaint, Agastya, said unto Maricha, \"Do thou become a Rakshasa!\", and, in\nexceeding wrath, he also cursed Taraka. \"And, O mighty Yakshi, ince in\nfrightful guise with a frightful face thou hast desired to eat up a\nhuman being, do thou immediately leave this (thy original) shape, and\nbecome of a terrible form!\" Thus cursed by Agastya, Taraka, overwhelmed\nwith rage, lays waste this fair region, where Agastya carrieth on his\nausterities. Do thou, O descendant of Raghu, for the welfare of\nBrahmanas and kine, slay this exceedingly terrible Yakshi of wicked ways\nand vile prowess! Nor, O son of Raghu, doth any one in the three worlds,\nsave, thee, dare to slay this Yakshi joined with a curse. Nor shouldst\nthou, best of men, shrink from slaying a woman; for even this should be\naccomplished by a prince in the interests of the four orders. And\nwhether an act be cruel or otherwise, slightly or highly sinful, it\nshould for protecting the subjects, be performed by a ruler. Of those\nengaged in the onerous task of government, even this is the eternal rule\nof conduct. Do thou, O Kukutstha, slay this impious one; for she knoweth\nno righteousness! We hear, O king, that in days of yore, Sakra slew\nVirochana's daughter, Manthara, who had intented to distroy the earth.\nAnd formerly, O Rama, Vishnu destroyed Kavya's mother, the devoted wife\nof Bhrigu, who had set her heart upon making the world, devoid of Indra.\nBy these as well as innumerable princes--foremost of men--have wicked\nwomen been slain. Therefore, O king, renouncing antipathy, do thou, by\nmy command, slay this one!\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXVI.\n\n\nHearing those bold words of the ascetic, the son of that foremost of\nmen, Raghava firm in his vows, with clasped hands answered,--\"In\naccordance with the desire of my sire, and in order to glorify it, I\nought fearlessly to do even as Kucika's son sayeth. And havingbeen\ndesired to that end while at Ayodhya by that high-souled one, my father\nDacaratha, in the midst of the spiritual guides, I ought not to pass by\nthy words. Therefore, commanded by that upholder of the Veda, I,\nagreeably to my father's mandate, will, without doubt, bring about that\nwelcome event--the death of Taraka. And in the interests of Brahmanas,\nkine, and celestials, I am ready to act as desired by thee of\nimmeasurable energy.\" Having said this, that repressor of foes, with\nclenched fist, twanged his bow-string, filling the ten cardinal points\nwith the sounds. And at those sounds, the dwellers in Taraka's forest\nwere filled with perturbation,--and Taraka also amazed at those sounds,\nbecame exceedingly wroth. And, rendered almost insensible by anger, that\nRakshasi furiously rushed in amain towards the spot whence had come the\nreport. And beholding that frightful one of hideous visage and colossal\nproportions, transported with rage, Raghu's descendant spake unto\nLakshmana,--\"Behold, O Lakshmana, the terrible and hideous body of\nyonder Yakshini! The sight of her striketh terror into the hearts of\neven the brave. Mark! - This irrepressible one, possessing all the\nresources of illusion, will I oppose, and deprive her of ears and nose.\nBut I dare not slay her, she being protected by virtue of her\nfcminineness. I intend only to oppose her course, and de- prive her of\nher prowess.\" As Rama was speaking thus, Taraka, deprived of sense\nthrough ire, uttering roars, with uplifted arms rushed against him. And\nthereat the Brahmarshi, Vicwamitra, uttering a roar, upbraided her, and\nsaid,-- \"_Swasti!_\"[46] May victory attend the descendants of Raghu!\"\nAnd raising thick clouds of dust, Taraka instantly bewildered both the\ndescendants of Raghu. And then by help of illusion, she began to pour\nupon them a mighty shower of crags. And thereat Raghu's descendant was\nwroth. And resisting that mighty shower of crags by vollies of shafts,\nRaghava with arrows cut off her hands. And with the fore-parts of her\narms lopped off, as she was roaring before them, Sumitra's son waxing\nworth deprived her of her ears and nose. Therupon that one capable of\nassuming forms at will, began to assume various shapes; and to vanish\nfrom sight, bewildering her antagonists with her illusory displays. And\nterribly ranging the field, the Yakshi showered crags upon her\nantagonists. And beholding them enveloped on all sides by that craggy\ndown-pour, the auspicious son of Gadhi spake these words,--\"O Rama,\nrenounce thy antipathy. This one of wicked ways is exceedingly impious.\nAnd this sacrifice-disturbing Yakshi will, by virtue of her power of\nillusion, come to increase more and more in energy. Do thou, therefore,\nagainst the arrival of dusk, slay her! The Rakshasas are incapable of\nbeing controlled when evening sets in.\" Thus addressed, Rama, displaying\nhis skill in aiming by sounds, enveloped with arrows that Yakshi\nshowering crags. Being thus hemmed in with a network cf shafts, she\npossessed of the powers of illusion, rushed against Kakutstha and\nLakshmana, uttering terrible roars. And as that Yakshi, in prowess like\nunto a thunder-bolt, was rushing on, Rama pierced her chest with\narrows,--and thereat she dropped down and died. And upon seeing that\ngrim-visaged one slain, the lord of the celestials together with the\ncelestials themselves honoring Kakutstha, exclaimed \"Well!\", \"Well!\" And\nexceedingly pleased, the thousand -eyed Purandara, together with the\ndelighted deities,said unto Vicwamitra,--\"O ascetic, O Kucika's son,\ngood betide thee! all the Maruts with Indra at their head, have been\ngratified with this act (of Rama's). Do thou therefore show affection\nunto Raghava! Do thou, O Brahmana, confer upon Raghu's descendant the\nsons of Prajapati Kricacwa, of true prowess, and charged with ascetic\nenergy. And ever following thee, he, O Brahmana, is fit to receive them\nof thee. And this son of the king is to accomplish a mighty task in the\ninterest of the celestials.\" Saying this, the deities, having paid\nhomage unto Vicwamitra, joyfully entered the celestial regions.\n\nAnd now came evening on, when that best of ascetics, gratified at the\ndestruction of Taraki, smelt Rami's crown and said these words,--\"Here O\nRama of gracious presence, shall we pass the night; and morrow morning\nwend unto that hermitage of mine.\" Hearing Vicwamitra's words,\nDacatatha's son, glad at heart, happily passed that night in the forest\nof Taraka. And being thus freed from all disturbances from that day\nforth that forest appeared charming, even like unto the forest of\nChaitraratha. Having thus slain the Yaksha's daughter, Rama, eulogized\nby celestials and Siddhas spent there that night with the saint, being\nawakened by the latter at the break of day.\n\n [46] A particle of benediction, indeclinable.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXVII.\n\n\nHaving passed that night, the illustrious Vicwamitra, smiling\ncomplacently sweetly spake unto Raghava, saying,-- Pleased am I with\nthee. Good betide thee, O highly famous prince! With supreme pleasure,\ndo I confer upon thee all the weapons by means of which subduing such\nantagonists as celestials and _Asuras_ backed on earth by Gandharbas and\nUragas, thou wilt in battle be crowned with victory. And all those\ncelestial weapons, good betide thee, I will confer upon thee. And I will\nconfer upon thee, O Raghava, the celestial and mighty Dandachakra,[47]\nand Dharmachakra, and also Kalachakra. And O foremost of men, I will\nconfer upon thee the fierce Vishnu Chakra,--and Indra Chakra, and the\nVajra, and Siva's Sulavata, and the weapon Brahmaciras, and Aishika, O\nmighty-armed descendant of Raghu! And, O best of men, I will, O king's\nson, bestow upon thee the matchless Brahma weapon, and, O Kakutstha, the\ntwo excellent maces, the flaming Modaki and Cikhari. And, O Rama, I will\nconfer upon thee Dharmapaca,[48] and Kalapaca, and the excellent\nVarunapaca. And, O descendant of Raghu, I will bestow upon thee the two\n_Ashanis_,--Sushka and Ardra, and the Pinaka weapon, and the Narayana,\nand the Agneya weapon called Sikhara, and the Vayavya, called Prathama,\nO sinless one! And, O Raghava, I will confer upon thee the weapon called\nHayaciras, and the Krauncha weapon, and,0 Kakutstha, a couple of darts,\nAnd I will confer upon the Kankala, and the dreadful Mashaia, and\nKapala, and Kinkini--all those that are intended for slaughtering\nRakshasas. And, O mighty-armed one, son of the best of men, I will\nconfer upon thee the mighty weapon Vidyadhara, and that excellent\nscimitar named Nandana, and the favorite Gandharba weapon, Mohana, and\nPraswapana, and Pasamana, and Saumya, O Raghava! And O best of men, do\nthou accept Varshana, and Soshana, and Santapana, and Vilapana, and\nMadana hard to repress, beloved of Kandarpa, and that favorite Gandharba\nweapon, Manava, and the favorite Pichasa weapon, O highly famous prince.\nAnd do thou, O mighty- armed Rama, speedily accept the Tamasa, O best of\nmen, and the exceedingly powerful Saumana,and the irrepressible Samvarta\nand Maushala, O son of the king, and the Satya weapon, and the supreme\nMayamaya, and the Saura. Tejaprabha, capable of depriving foes of\nenergy, and the Soma, and the Sisira, and the Tashtra, and the terrible\nDaruna belonging unto Bhaga, and Sileshu, and Madana-- all assuming\nforms at will, and endowed with exceeding prowess, and highly exalted.\"\nThen with his face turned towards the east, that foremost of ascetics\nhaving purified himself, gladly conferred the _mantras_ upon Rama. And\nthe Vipra also bestowed upon Raghava those weapons, of which even he\ncelestials are incapable of holding all. As that intelligent ascetic,\nVicwamitra, recited _mantras_, all those invaluable weapons appeared\nbefore that descendant of Raghu. And, with clasped hands, they\nwell-pleased, addressed Rama, --\"These, O highly generous one, are thy\nservants, O Raghava. And whatever thou wishest, good betide thee, shall\nby all means be accomplished by us.\" Thus addressed by those highly\npowerful weapons, Kakutstha Rama, with a delighted soul, accepting them,\ntouched them with his hand, and said,--\"Do ye appear before me as I\nremember you!\" Then the exceedingly energetic Rama, well pleased, paying\neverence unto the mighty ascetic, Vicwamitra, prepared to set out.\n\n [47] Chakra means discus. These enumerations specify different kinds of\n the discus.--T.\n\n [48] Paca means noose--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXVIII.\n\n\nHaving accepted those weapons with purity, Kakutstha while proceeding,\nwith a complacent countenance spake these words unto Viswamitra,--\"O\nadorable one, I have received these weapons, incapable of being\nrepressed even by the celestials themselves. Now, O best of ascetics, I\nwould acquire a knowledge of withdrawing them.\" Upon Kakutstha's\nrepresenting this, Vicwamitra of high austerities, endowed with\npatience, of excellent vows, and pure in spirit, communicated unto him\nthe _mantras_ for restraining the weapons. \"Do thou, 0 Rama, accept\nSatyavat, and Sataykirti, and Dhrishta, and Rabhasa, and Pratiharatara,\nand Paranmukha, and Avanmukha, and Lakshya, and Alakshya, and\nDrihanabha, and Sunabha, Dacaksha, and Satavaktra, and Dacacirsha, and\nSatodara, and Padranabha, and Mahanabha, and Indunabha, and Swanabha,\nand Jyotisha, and Sakuna, and Nairashya, and Vimala, and Yaugandhara,\nand Vindra, and the two Daityapramathanas, and Suchivahu, and Mahavahu,\nand Nishkali, and Virucha, and Archimali, and Dhritimali, and Vrittiman,\nand Ruchira, and Pitrya, and Saumansa, and Vidhuta, and Makara, and\nKaravira, and Rati, and Dhana, and Dhanya, O Raghava, and Kamarupa, and\nKamaruchi,and Moha, and Avarana,and Jrimbhaka and Sarpanatha, and\nPanthana, and Varuna,--these sons of Kricaswa, O Rama, effulgent, and\nassuming shapes at will. And, good betide thee, O descendant of Raghu,\nthou art worthy to receive these weapons.\" Thereupon, Kakutstha with a\nheart overflowing with delight, said,--\"So be it!\" And those weapons\nwere furnished with celestial and shining persons, and endowed with\nvisible shapes, and capable of conferring happiness. And some of them\nwere like (live) coals; and some comparable unto smoke; and some were\nlike unto the Sun or the Moon. And with folded hands, they spake unto\nRama in honied accents,--O chief of men, here we are! Do thou command as\nto what we are to do on thy behalf.\" Then the descendant of Raghu\nanswered, saying,--\"Repair whithersoever ye will! Recurring to my\nmemory, do ye in time of need, render me assistance!\" Thereupon paying\nhomage unto Rama, and having gone round him, they replied unto\nKakutstha,--\"Be it so!\" and returned whence they had come. And having\nlearnt all about those weapons, Raghava, while proceeding spake sweetly\nunto that mighty ascetic, Vicwamitra,--\"What is yonder wood hard by the\nhill, appearing like clouds? Great is my curiosity. It is pleasing unto\nthe sight, and abounds in beasts, and is exceedingly romantic, and is\nadorned with various birds singing sweetly. Now, O foremost of ascetics,\nwe have come out of a wilderness capable of making one's hair stand on\nend. And from the pleasantness attaching to this place, I have come to a\nconclusion. Tell me, O reverend sir, whose hermitage is this? where, O\neminent ascetic, is that hermitage where dwell those wicked-minded\nwretches of impious deeds, given to slaughtering Brahmanas, who disturb\nthy sacrifice? Where, O adorable one, is that spot, repairing unto\nwhich, O Brahmana, I am to protect thy sacrificial rites, and to slay\nthe Rakshasas? All this, O foremost of ascetics, I desire to hear, O\nlord.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXIX.\n\n\nHearing those words of Rama of measureless prowess, vho had asked the\nquestion, the highly energetic Vicwamitra answered, saying,--\"Here, O\nmighty-armed Rama, Vishnu of mighty asceticism worshipped of all the\ndeities, for years upon years, and hundreds of _Yugas_, dwelt for\ncarrying on his austerities and _Yoga_. This, O Rama, was formerly the\nhermitage of the high-souled Vamana. And this is famed as Siddhacrama,\nin consequence of that one of potent asceticism having attained fruition\nthere. And it came to pass that at this time Virochana's son, king Vali,\nhaving vanquished the celestials with Indra and the Maruts, established\nthat dominion of his, famous in the three worlds. And that mighty chief\nof the Asuras celebrated a sacrifice. And as Vali was performing that\nsacrifice, the deities with Agni at their head, coming unto Vishnu\nhimself at this asylum, addressed him, saying.--\"Virochana's son, Vali,\nO Vishnu, is celebrating a sacrifice. Do thou, before the ceremoney is\nfinished, accomplish thy own end. He duly conferreth upon such as repair\nunto him from various quarters all those things that they ask for. And\ndo thou thyself, O Vishuu, aided by thy power of illusion, assuming a\nDwarf-form, accomplish the welfare (of the celestials.)\" In the\nmeantime, O Rama, the wonderful Kasyapa resembling fire in splendour,\nand flaming in energy, having in company with, and with the assistance\nof, the divine Aditi, O Rama, accomplished his vow, lasting for hundred\nyears, began to hymn the destroyer of Madhu ready to confer boons. \"By\nmeans of warm austerities, do I behold thee composed of penances, a mass\nof mortifications, and endowed with a form and a soul of austerities.\nAnd in thy person, O lord, do I behold this entire universe. And in Thee\nwithout beginning, and incapable of being pointed out, do I take\nrefuge!\" Thereupon exceedingly pleased, Hari spake unto Kacyapa, with\nhis sins purged off saying,--\"Do thou mention the boon! Good betide\nthee. Methinks thou deservest a boon.\" Hearing these words of his,\nMarichi's son, Kacyapa, said,--\"Aditi, the gods and I myself, crave of\nthee this,--and, O bestower of boons, it behoveth thee well pleased to\nconfer on us this boon, O thou of excellent vows! Do thou, O sinless\none, become born as my son in Aditi, O adorable deity! Do thou become\nthe younger brother of Sakra, O destroyer of Asuras. It behoveth thee to\nhelp the celestials afflicted with grief. And this place through thy\ngrace will attain the name of Siddhacrama. The work, O lord of the\ncelestials, hath been accomplished. Do thou now, O thou of the six\nattributes, ascend from hence!\" And accordingly Vishnu of mighty energy\ntook his birth in Aditi. And assuming the form of a dwarf, he presented\nhimself before Virochana's son. And then asking for as much earth as\ncould be covered by three footsteps, that one ever engaged in the\nwelfare of all creatures, with the object of compassing the good of all,\nstood occupying the worlds. And having by his power restrained Vali,\nthat one of exceeding energy, again conferred the three worlds upon the\nmighty Indra,--and made them subject to his control. Formerly he used to\ndwell in this asylum capable of removing fatigue. And through reverence\nfor the Dwarf, I reside here. And this hermitage is infested by\nRakshasas disturbing rites. And, O most puissant of men, here thou\nshouldst slay those ones of wicked ways. To-day, O Rama, will I repair\nunto this supremely excellent Siddhacrama. And this asylum, child, is as\nmuch thine as mine.\" Saying this, taking Rama and Lakshmana, the mighty\nascetic, experiencing exceeding delight, entered that asylum, and\nappeared graceful, like the Moon emerged from mist in conjunction with\nthe Punarvasu stars. And beholding Vicwamitra, the ascetics inhabiting\nSiddhacrama, suddenly rising in joy, worshipped that intelligent\none,--and extended unto the princes the rites of hospitality. And then\nhaving reposed for while, those unreproved princes, the descendants of\nRaghu, with clasped hands, addressed that foremost of ascetics,--\"Be\nthou even to-day initiated unto the ceremony. Good betide thee, O best\nof ascetics! Let this Siddhacrama verily attain fruition,--and let thy\nwords be verified!\" Thus addressed, that mighty saint of exceeding\nenergy, with his mind subdued, and senses under restraint, caused\nhimself to be initiated into the ceremony. And like unto the\nKumaras,[49] Rama and Lakshamana, having passed the night pleasantly,\nrose in the morning; and having finished their morning worship, and with\npurity and self-restraint recited the prime _mantras_, paid their\nobeisance unto the sacrificial fire and the sacrificer, Vicwamitra, who\nwas seated.\n\n [49] Skanda and Visakha.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXX.\n\n\nThen those princes, repressors of foes, cognizant of place, and time,\nand words, thus spake unto Kucika's son agreeably to time and place,\nsaying,--\"O adorable one do thou tell us as to the time when we should\noppose those rangers of the night! Let not that hour pass away!\" Upon\nthe two Kakutsthas' saying this, and finding them prompt for the\nencounter, those ascetics well-pleased, fell to extolling the sons of\nthe king. \"For six nights from to-day, ye should protect us. This\nascetic hath been initiated into the sacrifice, and must therefore,\nobserve taciturnity.\" Hearing these words of theirs, those illustrious\nprinces, renouncing sleep, began to guard the hermitage six days and\nnights; and those heroic and mighty archers with their armours on\nprotected that best of ascetics and subduer of enemies. And when time\nhad thus gone by and the sixth day had arrived, Rama said unto Sumitra's\nson,--\"Being well equipped, be thou vigilant!\" When Rama, manifesting\nemotion, and being eager for encounter, had said this, the priests and\nspiritual guides lit up the altar. And along with Vicwamitra and the\nfamily priests, they lit up the altar furnished with Kuca, and Kaca, and\nladles, and faggots, and flowers. And as reciting _mantras_, they were\nabout to duly engage in that sacrifice, there arose a mighty and\ndreadful uproar in the sky. And as in the rains, masses of clouds appear\nenveloping the firmament,[50] the Rakshasas, displaying illusions in\nthat wise, began to rush onward. And Maricha and Suvahu together with\ntheir followers coming in dreadful forms, began to shower down blood\nupon the altar. And on seeing the altar deluged with gore, Rama suddenly\nrushed forward, and beheld them in the sky. And suddenly seeing them\nrushing in amain, the lotus-eyed Rama fixing his gaze at Lakshmana,\nsaid,--\"Behold, O Lakshmana, by means of a _Manava_ weapon, I shall,\nwithout doubt, drive away the wicked, flesh-eating Rakshasas, even as\nthe wind driveth away clouds before it. Surely I cannot bring myself to\nslay such as these.\" Saying this, that descendant of Raghu, Rama, in\nvehemence fixing on his bow an exceedingly mighty and\ngloriously-dazzling Manava weapon, discharged it in great wrath at\nMaricha's chest. And wounded by that foremost of Manava weapons, Maricha\ncarried off a sheer hundred Yojanas, dropped in the midst of the ocean.\nAnd finding Maricha senseless, and whirling, and afflicted by the might\nof the weapon, and overcome, Rama addressed Lakshmana, saying,--\"Behold,\nO Lakshmana, this Manava weapon first used by Manu, depriving him of his\nsenses, hath carried him off,--and yet hath not taken his life! But\nthese shameless, wicked, and blood-drinking Rakshasas, addicted to\nwrong-doing, these disturbers of sacrifices, will I slaughter.\" Having\nsaid this, anon showing unto Lakshmana his lightness of hand, Raghu's\ndescendant took out a mighty Agneya weapon, and discharged it at the\nbreast of Suvahu. Thereat being pierced with that shaft, he fell down\nupon the ground. Then taking a Vayavaya weapon, the illustrious and\nexceedingly generous Raghava, bringing delight unto those ascetics, slew\nthe rest. And having destroyed all those Rakshasas disturbing\nsacrifices, Raghu's descendant was honored by the saints, even as Indra\nin days of yore, after having vanquished the Asuras. And when the\nsacrifice had been completed, the mighty ascetic Vicwamitra, beholding\nall sides cleared of Rakshasas, spake unto Kakutstha, saying,--\"O\nmighty-armed one, I have obtained my desire; and thou hast executed thy\npreceptor's mandate. And, O illustrious hero, thou hast truly made this\na Siddhacrama.\" Having thus extolled Rama, he took Rama and Lakshmana,\nto perform his evening devotions.\n\n [50] The text reads, _gamanam avaryya_--obstructing passage. Evidently\n the reading is vicious--it should run _gaganam\n avaryya_--enveloping the firmament.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXI.\n\n\nThose heroes, Rama and Lakshmana, their interest secured, with glad\nhearts passed that night there. And when the night had passed away and\nthe morning come, they together appeared before the saint, Vicwamitra,\nand the rest. And having saluted that foremost of ascetics resembling\nflaming fire, they of honied speech spake unto him words exceedingly\nlofty.--\"These servants of thine, O best of ascetics, have come before\nthee. Do thou command, O chief of anchorets, what command of thine are\nwe to execute?\" Thus addressed by them, the Maharshis with Vicwamitra at\ntheir head spake unto Rama, saying,--\"A highly meritorious sacrifice, O\nforemost of men, is to be celebrated by Mithila's lord, Janaka. Thither\nshall we repair. And thou, O great among men, must accompany us, and\nthere behold a wonderful jewel of a bow. And formerly this bow of\nimmeasurable energy, and dreadful, and exceedingly effulgent at the\nsacrifice, had been conferred in court by the celestials (on king\nDevarata). And neither gods nor Gandharbas, neither Asuras nor Rakshasas\nnor men, can fix the string upon it. And desirous of being acquainted\nwith the prowess of this bow, many kings and princes came; but they in\nspite of their mighty strength, failed in stringing it. There,\nKakutstha, thou wilt behold that bow belonging to the high-souled king\nof Mithila,--as well as his exceedingly wonderful sacrifice. That rare\nbow, O foremost of men, furnished with an excellent device for griping\nit, had been solicited by Mithila's lord as the fruit of his sacrifice;\nand the celestials conferred it upon him. And now, O descendant of\nRaghu, in the residence of king, the bow is worshipped like a deity with\n_aguru_, _dhupa_, and various other incenses.\" This having been said,\nthat foremost of ascetics, in company with Kakutstha and the saints,\ndeparted. And on the eve of setting out, he addressed the sylvan\ndeities, saying,--\"Luck! I will, with my desire obtained, go from forth\nthis Siddhacrama unto the Himavat mountain on the north of the Jahnavi.\"\nHaving said this, that tiger-like ascetic, Kucika's son, along with\nother anchorets having asceticism for their wealth, set out in a\nnortherly direction. And as that best of ascetics proceeded, he was\nfollowed by Brahmanas upholding the Veda, carrying the sacrificial\nnecessaries on an hundred cars. And birds and beasts dwelling in\nSiddhacrama followed the high-souled Vicwamitra having asceticism for\nwealth. And then followed by the body of devotees he dismissed the\nbirds. And having proceded a longway, when the sun was sloping down, the\nascetics rested on the banks of the Sona. And when the maker of day had\nset, having bathed and offered oblations unto the fire, those ascetics\nof immeasurable energy, placing Vicwamitra in their front, sat them\ndown. And Rama also together with Sumitra's son, having paid homage unto\nthose ascetics, sat him down before the intelligent Vicwamitra. Then\nRama of exceeding energy, influenced by curiosity, asked that foremost\nof ascetics, Vicwamitra, having asceticism for his wealth, saying,--\"O\nworshipful one, what country is this, graced with luxuriant woods? I am\ndesirous of hearing this. Good betide thee, it behoveth thee to tell me\nthis truly.\" Thus addressed by Rama, that one of high austerities and\nexcellent vows began in the midst of the saints to describe the\noppulence of that region.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXN.\n\n\nOnce upon a time there was a mighty son of Brahma, of high austerities,\nnamed Kuca. And he was cognizant of duty, and ever engaged in observing\nvows and honoring good men. And that high-souled one begat on Vaidarbhi,\nsprung from a respectable line, and endowed with all noble qualities,\nfour sons like unto himself, and possessed of extraordinary\nprowess--Kucyamva, and Kucanabha, and Asurtarajas, and Vasu, resplendent\nand breathing exhaustless spirits. And with the deisre of enhancing\nKshetrya merit, Kuca said unto his truthful and virtuous sons,--'Ye\nsons! do ye engage in the task of governing,--and thereby acquire\nimmense merit.' Hearing Kuja's words, those four foremost of men and\nbest of sons addressed themselves to founding seats for their\ngovernment. And the highly energetic Kucamva founded the city of\nKaucamvi; and the righteous Kucanabha, the metropolis of Mahodaya; and\nthe magnanimous Asurtarajas, Dharmaranya; and king Vasu, Girivraja, best\nof capitals. This city with these five mighty mountains shining around\n(otherwise) called Vasumati belongs to the high-souled Vasu. And the\nriver known by the name of Sumagadhi flows through the Magadhas. And in\nthe midst of the five foremost of hills, it looks like a garland. And\nthis Magadhi, O Rama, belongs unto the high- souled Vasu, taking, O\nRama, an easterly course, and flowing through fertile fields furnished\nwith corn. And, O descendant of Raghu, the virtuous-souled Rajarshi\nKucanabha begat an hundred peerless daughters on Ghritachi. And it came\nto pass that they endowed with youth, beautiful, and like unto the\nlightning in the rainy season, decked in excellent ornaments, coming to\ntheir garden, were merrily singing and dancing and playing on musical\ninstruments, O Raghava! And as they perfect in every limb, and\nunparalleled on earth in beauty, and endowed with all qualities, and\nfurnished with youth and grace, were in the garden, like unto stars\nembosomed among clouds, that life of all, the air, beheld them and\nsaid,-- \"I seek for ye: do ye become my wives. Do ye renounce this human\nguise, and attain long lives. Youth verily is unstable, specially with\nthe human beings: do ye attaining unfading youth, become immortal:\"\nHearing this speech of the Air of ever fresh energy, the damsels\nridiculing it, said,--\"Thou rangest the hearts of all creatures, O\nforemost of celestials, and we also know thy influence. Wherefore, then,\ndost thou dishonor us? O foremost of celestials, we are the daughters of\nKucanabha, O divine one. And god as thou art, we can dislodge thee from\nthy place; but we refrain from doing so, lest thereby we lose our\nascetic merit. May, O foolish one, that time never come, when\ndisregarding our truthful sire, we following our inclination, shall\nresort to self choice. Our father verily is our lord and prime god. Of\nhim even shall we become the wives unto whom our father giveth us away.\"\nAt these words of theirs, that lord and adorable one, the Air,\nexceedingly enraged, then entered into their bodies, and broke all their\nlimbs. Their bodies being thus broken by Air, those damsels, exceedingly\nagitated and overwhelmed with shame, with tears in their eyes entered\nthe residence of the king. And finding his supremely beautiful and\nfavorite daughters with their limbs broken, and woe- begone, the king\nbewildered, spake,--'Ye daughters, what is this? Who is it that thus\ndisregards virtue? By whom have ye all come by this crooked form? And\nwhy demonstrating your grief, do ye not answer me?' Having said this,\nthe king heaved a deep sigh and became eager to hear all about it.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXIII.\n\n\nHearing those words of the intelligent Kucanabha, his hundred daughters\ntouching his feet with their heads, said, --'O king, that life of all,\nthe Air, was desirous of overcoming us, having recourse to an improper\nway; nor did he regard morality.--We have a father, good betide thee;\nand have no will of our own. Do thou ask our father about it, if he\nconsent conferring us on thee.--But that wicked wight did not listen to\nour words; and as we were saying this, were we roughly handled by him.'\nHearing those words of theirs, the highly pious and puissant king\naddressed his hundred beautiful daughters, saying,--'Ye have displayed a\nsignal example of that forgiveness which is fit to be followed by the\nforbearing; and that ye have unanimously regarded the honor of my house,\nalso conduces to your praise. Alike to men and women, forbearance is an\nornament. And difficult it is for one to exercise that forbearance,\nspecially in respect of the celestials. And may every descendant of mine\npossess forbearance like unto yours! Forbearance is charity; forbearance\nis truth; forbearance, O daughters, is sacrifice; forbearance is fame;\nforbearance is virtue,--yea,the universe is established in forbearance.\nThen dismissing his daughters, the king endowed with the prowess of\ncelestials,and versed in counsel, began to consult with his counsellors\nabout the bestowal of his daughters in respect of time and place and\nperson and equality of lineage. And it came to pass that at this time an\nascetic named Chuli, highly effulgent, with his vital fluid under\ncontrol, and of pure practices, was performing Brahmya austerities. And\nas the saint was engaged in austerities, good betide thee, Urmila's\ndaughter named Somada--a Gandharbi--ministered unto him. And in all\nhumility that virtuous one for a definite period was engaged in\nministering unto him. And thereat, her spiritual guide was gratified\nwith her. And, O descendant of Raghu, once he said unto her,--'I am\ngratified good betide thee! What good shall I render thee? Thereupon,\nconcluding that the ascetic was gratified, the Gandharbi, cognizant of\nwords, exceedingly delighted, sweetly addressed that one versed in\nspeech,--'Thou art furnished with the Brahmya fire, art like Brahma\nhimself, and of mighty austerities. I desire of thee a righteous son\nendowed with the Brahmya ascetic virtues. I am without a husband, good\nbetide thee, and I am no one's wife. Upon me who am thy servant, thou\nshouldst confer such a son by help of Brahmya means.' Thereupon, well\npleased with her, the Brahmarshi Chulina conferred upon her an excellent\nBrahmya mind-begotten son, named Brahmadatta. And that king,\nBrahmadatta, founded the flourishing city of Kampilya,even as the\nsovereign of the celestials founded the celestial regions. And, O\nKakutstha, the righteous king Kucanabha finally decided on conferring\nhis hundred daughters upon Brahmadatta. And inviting Brahmadatta that\nhighly energetic lord of earth, with a glad heart conferred his hundred\ndaughters upon him. And, O descendant of Raghu, king Brahmadatta\nresembling the lord himself of the celestials, by turns received their\nhands in marriage. And as soon as he touched them, the hundred daughters\nwere cured of their crookedness, and became free from anguish, and were\nendowed with pre-eminent beauty, And upon beholding them delivered from\n(the tyranny of) the Air, the monarch Kucanabha became exceedingly\ndelighted, and rejoiced again and again. And he dismissed the newly\nmarried lord of earth, king Brahmadatta, in company with his consorts\nand the priests. And the Gandharbi Somada rejoiced exceedingly at the\ncompletion of the nuptials of her son; and embracing her\ndaughters-in-law again and again, and extolling her son, she expressed\nthe fulness of her joy.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXIV.\n\n\n'And, O Raghava, when Brahmadatta was married, that sonless one,\n(Kucanabha), with the intention of obtaining male offspring, took in\nhand a son-conferring sacrifice. And when the sacrifice had commenced,\nthat son of Brahma, the exceedingly noble Kuca, spake unto king\nKucanabha, saying, 'O son, there will be born unto thee a virtuous son\nlike to thyself: thou wilt obtain even Gadhi,--and through him enduring\nfame in this world.' Having said this unto king Kucanabha, Kuca, O Rama,\nentering the welkin, went to the eternal regions of Brahma. Then after\nsometime, an eminently virtuous son, named Gadhi, was born to the\nintelligent Kucanabha. O Kakutstha, even that highly pious Gadhi is my\nsire. And, O descendant of Raghu I, called Kaucika, am sprung from\nKuca's line. And, O Raghava, I had a sister of noble vows born before\nme. And her name was Satyavati; and she was bestowed upon Richika. And\nfollowing her lord, she ascended heaven in her own proper person. And my\nhighly generous sister, Kauciki, hath finally assumed the form of a\nmighty river. And in order to compass the welfare of all creatures, my\nsister is now a noble and charming river of sacred waters, issuing from\nthe Himavat mountains. And thenceforth, out of affection for my sister,\nKauciki, I ever dwell happily in the vicinity of the Himavat, O Raghava.\nAnd that virtuous Kauciki, Satyavati, as well established in religion as\ntruth, and chaste, and eminently pious, is now the foremost of streams.\nAnd, O Rama it is only for the purpose of completing my sacrifice that\nleaving her behind, I have come to Siddhacrama. And now by virtue of thy\nenergy, have I attained fruition. Now, O Rama, I have narrated unto thee\nthe circumstances connected with the history of my line and myself, as\nalso of this place, O mighty-armed one,--which thou hadst asked me to\nrelate. But, O Kakutstha, while I was speaking, half the night hath been\nspent. Do thou now sleep, good betide thee,--so that thou mayst not feel\nany difficulty while on the journey. The trees stand motionless, and the\nbeasts and birds are silent, and, O descendant of Raghu, all sides have\nbecome enveloped in nocturnal gloom. The midnight is gradually passing\naway; and the firmament thick-studded with stars resembling eyes, is\nillumined up with their light. And that dispeller of darkness, the\nmild-beaming moon, is rising, gladdening the hearts of all creatures\nwith his splendour. And night-ranging beings--terrible carnivorous\nYakshas and Rakshasas-- walk hither and thither.\" Having said this, the\nmighty ascetic of exceeding energy paused. And those ascetics honoring\nhim, said,--\"Excellent! Excellent! This line belonging to the Kucikas is\never exalted and devoted to virtue, And those foremost of men sprung in\nthe Kuca race are high-souled and like unto Brahmarshis--and specially\nthou, O illustrious Vicwamitra, art so. And that best of streams,\nKauciki, hath added lustre unto thy line.\" and the auspicious son of\nKucika having been extolled by those delighted ascetics--the foremost of\ntheir order--slept, like unto the sun, when setting. And Rama too along\nwith Sumitra's son having in admiration praised that best of ascetics,\nenjoyed the luxury of slumber.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXV.\n\n\nHaving in company with the ascetics passed the remainder of the night on\nthe banks of the Sona, Vicwamitra, when the day broke, spake,--\"O Rama,\nthe night hath passed away, and the morn hath come. The hour for\nperforming the prior devotions hath arrived. Arise! arise! good betide\nthee! Do thou prepare for going.\" Hearing these words of his, Rama,\nhaving finished his morning devotions and rites, and ready for departure\nsaid,--\"This is the Sona, of excellent waters, fathomless, and studded\nwith islets. O Brahmana, by which way shall we cross?\" Thus addressed by\nRama, Vicwamitra replied,--\"Even this path hath been fixed upon by\nme,--that, namely, which the Maharsais go.\" And having proceeded far,\nwhen the day had been half spent they beheld that foremost of streams,\nthe Jahnavi, worshipped by ascetics. And having beheld that river\nfurnished with sacred waters, and frequented by swans and cranes, the\nascetics who accompanied Raghava were exceedingly delighted. And they\ntook up their quarters on the banks of the river. And then having bathed\nand duly offered oblations of water unto the gods and the manes of their\nancestors, and performed Agnihotra[51] sacrifices, and partaken of\nclarified butter like unto nectar, those high-souled and auspicious\nones, with glad hearts, sat down, surrounding Vicwamitra. And the\ndescendants of Raghu also sat down, occupying prominent places as\nbefitted their rank. Then Rama with a heart surcharged with cheerfulness\nspake unto Vicwamitra, saying,--\"O adorable one, I desire to hear how\nthe Ganga flowing in three directions and embracing the three worlds,\nfalls into the lord of streams and rivers.\" Influenced by Rama's speech,\nthe mighty ascetic Vicwamitra entered upon the history of the Ganga's\norigin and progress, O Rama, that great mine of ore, Himavat is the\nforemost of mountains. Unto him were born two daughters, unparalleled on\nearth in loveliness. And, O Rama, their mother of dainty waist, the\namiable daughter of Meru, named Mena, was the beloved wife of\nHimavat--she of whom was born Ganga the elder daughter of Himavat; and,\nO Raghava, a second daughter was also born unto him, named Uma. And it\ncame to pass that once upon a time, the deities, with the view of\naccomplishing some work appertaining to them as divine beings, in a body\nbesought that foremost of mountains for that river flowing in three\ndirections, Ganga. Thereupon, desirous of the welfare of the three\nworlds, Himavat in obedience to duty, conferred upon them his daughter\nflowing everywhere at will, and sanctifying all creatures. Thereat in\nthe interests of the three worlds, accepting her, those having the\nwelfare of the three worlds at heart, went away with Ganga, considering\nthemselves as having attained their desire. The other daughter of the\nmountain, O descendant of Raghu, adopting a stern vow, began to carry on\nausterities, having asceticism for her wealth. And that best of\nmountains bestowed upon Rudra of unequalled form his daughter Uma,\nfurnished with fiery asceticism, and worshipped of the worlds. And\nthese, O Raghava, are the daughters of that king of mountains,\nworshipped of all, _viz_., Ganga, the foremost of streams, and the\ndivine Uma. Now, O best of those endowed with motion, have I related\nunto thee how that sin-destroying one flowing with her waters in three\ndiverse directions, first, O child, went to the firmament and then\nascended the celestial regions.\"\n\n [51] Sacrifice with burnt offering--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXVI.\n\n\nWhen the ascetic had spoken thus, both the heroes, Rama and Lakshmana,\nsaluting that first of anchorets, said,-- \"O Brahmana, thou hast\ndelivered this noble narration fraught with morality. Now it behoves\nthee to speak about the elder daughter of the mountain-king. Thou art\nextensively conversant with everything relative to men or gods. Why is\nit that that purifier of the worlds laveth three directions? And why is\nthat foremost of streams, Ganga, famous as wending in three ways? And, O\nthou cognizant of morality, what are her performances in the three\nworlds?\" Thereat Vicwamitra having asceticism for his wealth, began to\nrelate unto Kakutstha that history in detail in the midst of the\nascetics. \"In days of yore, O Rama, the blue-throated one of mighty\nasceticism, having entered into matrimony, commenced upon knowing the\ngoddess. And as that intelligent blue-throated god, Mahadeva, was thus\nengaged in sport, a devine hundred years passed away; and yet, O Rama,\nchastiser of foes, no son was born of her. Thereat all the gods with the\nGrand sire at their head became exceedingly anxious. \"Who will be able\nto bear the offspring of this union?\" And thereupon the celestials\nrepairing unto Mahadeva, thus addressed him, saluting low,--'O god of\ngods, O mighty deity, ever engaged in the welfare of all, it behoveth\nthee to be propitious at the humble salutations of the celestials. The\nworlds, O foremost of celestials, are incapable of bearing thy energy.\nTherefore, for the welfare of the three worlds, do thou, being furnished\nwith Brahma asceticism, in company with the goddess practise\nausterities, and rein in thy energy by thy native indomitableness. Do\nthou preserve these worlds; for it becometh thee not to destroy all.'\nHearing the words of the deities, the great god of the worlds said unto\nthem,--'So be it!' And addressing them again he said,--'Ye gods, by my\nown energy I will assisted by Uma bear my virile vigour,--therefore let\nthe creation find rest! But tell me, ye foremost of celestials, who will\nsustain my potent virility rushing out from its receptacle?' Being thus\naddressed, the gods answered him having the bull for his mark,--'The\nearth will to-day bear thy vital flow.' Thus assured, the mighty lord of\nthe celestials let go his vital fluid; and thereat the earth containing\nmountains and forests was overspread with the energy. Then the gods\nspake unto the Fire, saying,--'Do thou in company with the Wind enter\ninto this fierce and mighty energy!' And when the Wind had entered into\nit, it was developed into a white hill, and a forest of glossy reeds,\nresembling fire or the Sun. And here sprang from Fire Kartikeya of\nmighty energy. And there- upon the celestials and the saints, with\ngratified hearts, began to pay enthusiastic adorations unto Uma aud\nSiva. Then the Mountain's daughter, O Rama, addressed the celestials,\ncursing them with eyes reddened in wrath,--'While in association with\nMahadeva for obtaining sons, I was broken in upon by ye,--for this, ye\nshall not be able yourselves to beget offspring on your wives. And from\nthis day forth, your wives shall remain without issue.' Having thus\nspokeu unto the celestials, she cursed the Earth also, saying,--'O\nEarth, thou shalt have various forms, and many shall lord it over thee!\nNor, stained because of my ire, shalt thou experience the pleasure that\nis felt on obtaining a son, O thou of wicked understanding, O thou that\ndost not wish me a son!' Witnessing the gods thus distressed, the lord\nof the celestials set out in the direction presided over by Varuna.[52]\nAnd having repaired to the north side of that mountain,[53] Maheswara\nalong with the goddess became engaged in austerities on the peak\nHimavatprabhava. I have now related unto thee, O Rama, the spread of the\nMountain's daughter, (Ganga). Do thou how together with Lakshmana listen\nto the narration of Bhagirathi's potency.\"\n\n [52] The West.--T.\n\n [53] The Himalaya.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXVII.\n\n\nAnd on that celestial being engaged in austerities, the deities with\nIndra and Agni at their head, desirous of gaining over the\ngeneralissimo, appeared before the Grandsire. And, O Rama, the gods with\nAgni at their head, bowing unto him, addressed that possessor of the six\nattributes, the Grand-sire, saying,--'0 God, that adorable one who had\nformerly consigned unto us the generalissimo, resorting to high\nasceticism, is practising austerities with Uma. Do thou now, O thou\nconversant with resources, so order as is advisable in the interests of\nthe worlds! Verily thou art our prime way.' Hearing the words of the\ndeities, the Grandsire of all creatures, consoling them with soft words,\nspoke unto them, saying,--'Even as the Mountain's daughter hath said,\nsons will not be born unto ye of your own wives. Her word is infallible\nof a certainty: there is no doubt about it. This is the celestial\nGanga--she on whom Hutasana[54] will beget a son--the foe-subduing\ngeneralissimo of the celestials. And the elder daughter of the Mountain\nwill consider that son as brought forth by Uma; and Uma also will,\nwithout doubt, look upon him with regard.' Hearing these words of his, O\ndescendant of Raghu, the gods bowing unto the Grand-sire, paid him\nhomage. Then, O Rama, repairing unto the Kailaca mountain teeming with\nmetals, the deities commissioned Agni with the view of having a son\n(born unto him.) 'Do thou, O god, accomplish this work of the deities! O\nthou of mighty energy, do thou discharge thy energy into that daughter\nof the mountain, Ganga.' Thereupon giving his promise unto the gods,\nPavaka[55] approached Ganga, saying,-- 'Do thou, O Goddess, bear an\nembryo; for even this is the desire of the deities.' Hearing this\nspeech, she assumed a divine appearance. And beholding her mightiness,\nAgni was shrunk up on all sides. And then Pavaka from all sides\ndischarged his energy into her,--and thereat all her streams became\nsurcharged with it, O descendant of Raghu. And unto him staying at the\nhead of all the deities, Ganga spoke, saying,--'O god, I am incapable of\nsustaining this new- sprung energy of thine: I am burning with that\nfire, and my consciousness fails me.' Thereupon that partaker of the\noblations offered unto the gods, said unto Ganga,--'Do thou bring forth\nthy embryo on the side of this Himavat!' Hearing Agni's words, Ganga of\nmighty energy cast her exceedingly effulgent embryo on her streams, O\nsinless one. And as it came out of her, it wore the splendour of molten\ngold; and in consequence of its fiery virtue, objects near and objects\nfar were converted into gold and silver of unsurpassed sheen,--while\nthose that were more distant were turned into copper and iron. And her\nexcreta were turned into lead. In this wise, various metals began to\nincrease on earth. And as soon as the embryo was brought forth, the\nwoods adjoining the mountain, being overspread with that energy, were\nturned into gold. And from that day, O descendant of Raghu, gold of\neffulgence like unto that of fire, became known as Jatarupa, O foremost\nof men! And when the son was born, the deities with Indra and the Maruts\nenjoined ipon the Kirtika stars to suckle him. 'Surely he shall be son\ninto us all'--concluding thus, they as soon as he was born, by turns\nbegan to dispense milk unto him. Then the celestials called him\nKartikeya, saying,--'Without doubt, this son shall become famed over the\nthree worlds.' And hearing those words of theirs,the Kirtikas bathed the\noffspring that had issued from her womb, flaming like fire, and with\nauspicious marks. And, O Kakutstha, since Kartikeya had issued from\n(Ganga's) womb, the celestials called that effulgent and mighty-armed\none, Skanda.[56] And then the teats of the Kritikas were filled with\nmilk; and thereupon assuming six mouths, he began to suck milk from the\nteats of those six. And having drunk the milk, that lord although then\npossessed of a tender frame, by virtue of his inborn prowess in one day\nvanquished the Danava forces. And him possessed of mighty effulgence,\nthe celestials assembled with Agni as their leader sprinkled with water,\nby way of installing him as their generalissimo. He who, O Kakutstha, on\nthe earth revereth Kartikeya, is blessed, and attaineth righteousness,\nand being long-lived and obtaining sons and grand-sons, repaireth to the\nregions of Skanda.\"\n\n [54] Fire.--T.\n\n [55] Fire.--T.\n\n [56] _Skanna_ means _issuing from_.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXVIII.\n\n\nHaving said those words unto Rama, composed of melodious letters,\nKaucika again spoke unto Kakutstha, saying, --\"Formerly there was a\nking--lord of Ayodhya named Sagara. And it came to pass that righteous\none, though eagerly wishing for children, was without issue. And\nVidharbha's daughter, O Rama, named Kecini, was the elder wife of\nSagara. And she was virtuous and truthful. And the second wife of Sagara\nwas called Sumati, who was the daughter of Arishtanemi and the sister of\nSuparna.[57] And with those wives of his,that mighty king, coming to the\nHimavat, began to practise austerities on the mountain Bhriguprasravana.\nAnd when a full hundred years had been numbered, the ascetic that had\nbeen adored by means of these austerities, Brighu, best of those endowed\nwith truth,conferred a boon upon Sagara, saying, --'O sinless one, thou\nshalt obtain glorious offspring; and, O foremost of men, thou shalt\nattain unparalleled renown among men. And, O child, one of thy consorts\nshall bring forth a son who will perpetuate thy race; and the other give\nbirth to sixty thousand sons.' As that best of men was saying this,\nthose daughters of kings, exceedingly delighted, propitiating him,\naddressed him with clasped hands, --'Who of us, O Brahmana, shall\nproduce a single son, and who many? This, O Brahmana, we wish to hear.\nMay thy word prove true!' Hearing this, the highly pious Bhrigu said\nthese pregnant words,--'Do ye unfold your minds. Who wishes for what\nboon,--between a single perpetuator of the line, and innumerable sons,\npossessed of mighty strength, and furnished with fame, and endowed with\nhigh spirits?' Hearing the ascetic's words, O descendant of Raghu,\nKecini in the presence of the monarch chose, O Rama, a single son to\nperpetuate the line; and Suparna's sister, Sumati, sixty thousand sons,\nhigh spirited and furnished with fame. And then, O son of Raghu, having\ngone round the saint and bowed down the head, the king went to his own\ncapital, accompanied by his consorts. And after a length of time, the\nelder, Kecini, bore a son unto Sagara, known by the name of Asamanja.\nAnd Sumati, O foremost of men, brought forth a gourd. And when it burst\nopen, out came from it sixty thousand sons. And the nurses fostered them\nby keeping them in jars filled with clarified butter. And after a great\nlength of time, they attained to youth. And after a long lapse of time,\nSagara's sixty thousand sons attained to youth and beauty. And O\nforemost of men,[58] the eldest son of Sagara, taking those children,\nwould, O descendant of Raghu, often cast them into the Sarayu, and in\nmirth behold them sinking in the waters. Being thus evil-disposed, and\ninjuring honest folks, and engaged in doing wrong unto the citizens, he\nwas banished by his father from the city. And Asamanja had a son\npossessed of prowess, named Ansuman. And he was beloved of all men and\nfair-spoken towards every one.\n\n\"And, O foremost of men, it came to pass that after a long time had gone\nby, that lord of earth Sagara made up his mind, saying,--'I will\nsacrifice.' And having determined jpon it, that one versed in the Vedas\nset about it, in company with his priests.\"\n\n [57] Garura.--T.\n\n [58] The text has _Narasresthas_, put for Asamanja. Evidently this is\n an error. I make it a vocative.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXIX.\n\n\nWhen Vicwamitra had ended, hearing his words, Rama exceedingly pleased,\nspoke unto that ascetic resembling flaming fire, saying,--\"I am anxious\nto hear in detail, good betide thee, how, O Brahmana, my ancestor\narranged for the sacrifice.\" Hearing those words of his, Vicwamitra,\nsmiling, eagerly spoke unto Kakutstha, saying,--\"Do thou, O Rama,\nhearken unto the story of the high-souled Sagara's sacrifice. Sankara's\nfather-in-law is the far-famed Himavat. And approaching each other, the\nHimavat and the Vindhya beheld each other. And on the region lying\nbetween them took place, O foremost of men, that sacrifice of Sagara's.\nAnd that country, O best of men, is excellent as a sacrificial ground.\nAnd, O Kakutstha, equipped with a powerful bow, that mighty car-warrior,\nliving under Sagara's sway, Ancumat, O child, followed the horse, for\nthe purpose of protecting it. And it came to pass that with the\nintention of disturbing the sacrifice of that monarch, on a certain day\nVasava, assuming the form of a Rakshasi, stole away the sacrificial\nhorse.[59] And, O Kakutstha, on the horse of that high-souled one being\nstolen, the priests said unto the king engaged in the ceremony,--'On\nthis auspicious day, hath the sacrificial horse been stolen by violence.\nDo thou, O Kakutstha, slay him that steals the horse,--and bring it\nback. Otherwise the sacrifice will be defective, bringing us misfortune.\nTherefore, do thou, O king, act so, that the sacrifice may not be marred\nwith defects.' Hearing the words of the priests, the king addressed his\nsixty thousand sons in the midst of his court, saying,--'Being, as this\ngreat sacrifice is, presided over by eminently pious Brahmanas\nsanctified by mantras, I do not, ye foremost of men, ye sons, see how\nRakshasas may find entrance into it. Therefore, repair ye, and seek for\nthe horse, ye sons. Good betide you! Do ye search the entire earth\nengarlanded with oceans; and do ye search _Yoyana_ after _Yoyana_, ye\nsons. And do ye delve the earth till ye light upon the horse, by my\ncommand following the track of that stealer of the horse. I have been\ninitiated into this sacrifice with my grand-sons and priests.' And\nthereat the mighty princes, enjoined by their father, breathing high\nspirits, began to range the earth, O Rama. Then they each fell to\ndelving the bowels of the earth for the space of a _Yoyana_ in length\nand breadth, with their hands resembling thunder-bolts in feel, and with\ndarts like unto thunder-bolts, and with gigantic ploughshares. And being\nthus riven, the earth, O descendant of Raghu, began to send forth loud\ncries.\n\nO Raghava, O thou hard to repress, there arose an uproar from serpents,\nand Asuras, and Rakshasas, and other creatures, that were being\nslaughtered. And, O descendant of Raghu, they excavated the earth, O\nRama, for sixty thousand _Yoyanas_,--yea, as if they had intended to\nreach the lowest depths underground. Thus, O foremost of kings, those\nsons of the monarch dug all around Jamvudwipa, filled with mountains.\nThereat, the gods together with the Gandharbas, and Asuras, and\nPannagas, in trepidation appeared before the Grand-sire. And\npropitiating that high-souled one, they with melancholy countenances and\nin exceeding agitation, spoke these words unto the Grand-sire,--'O\nadorable one, the entire earth is being excavated by the sons of Sagara;\nand many are the high souled ones as well as the aquatic animals that\nare being slain in consequence.--This one is the disturber of our\nsacrifice, and by him hath the sacrificial horse been stolen,--saying\nthis, Sagara's sons are committing havoc upon all creatures.\"\n\n [59] The Bengali edition reads this sloka differently.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XL.\n\n\nHearing the speech of the celestials, that possessor of the six\nattributes, the Grand-sire, spoke unto them exceedingly frightened and\ndeprived of their senses on beholding the prowess of Sagara's sons like\nunto the Destroyer himself,--'This entire Earth belongeth unto the\nintelligent Vasudeva, she being his consort. And that adorable one is\nindeed her lord. And assuming the form of Kapila, he unceasingly\nsustaineth the Earth. And the sons of king Sagara will be consumed by\nthe fire of his wrath. The pre-ordained excavation of the Earth, as well\nas the destruction of Sagara's sons, had been foreseen by the\nfar-sighted.' Hearing the words of the Grand-sire, those repressors of\ntheir foes, the three and thirty[60] celestials, being exceedingly\nrejoiced, went back to their respective quarters. And as the sons of\nSagara were riving the Earth, there arose a mighty noise, like unto the\nbursting of thunder. Then, having riven the entire Earth and ranged it\nall around, the sons of Sagara together (returned to their father) and\nspake unto him, saying --'By us hath the Earth been extensively\nsurveyed, and have powerful deities and Danavas, Rakshasas, Picachas,\nUragai and Pannagas been slain; and yet do we find neither the horse nor\nthe stealer thereof. What are we to do now? Good betide thee, do thou\nconsider it well.' Hearing those words of his sons, that foremost of\nkings, getting into a wrath, said, O descendant of Raghu,--'Do ye yet\nagain, good betide ye, delve the earth, and having got at the stealer of\nthe horse, cease.' Receiving this mandate of their sire, the sixty-\nthousand sons of the high-souled Sagara rushed towards the depths of the\nearth. And as they were engaged in excavating, they beheld the elephant\nof the quarter resembling a hill, named Virupaksha, holding the earth.\nAnd, O son of Raghu, that mighty elephant, Virupaksha, held on his head\nthe entire earth with its mountains and forests. And, O Kakutstha, when\non sacred days the mighty elephant, from fatigue, shaketh his head, then\ntakes place the earthquake. Thereupon, O Rama, going round that mighty\nelephant, and honoring him duly, they went on piercing the underearth.\nAnd having pierced the East, they pierced the South,--and in the\nSouthern quarter also they beheld a mighty elephant--the high-souled\nMahapadma, resembling a huge hill, holding the earth on his head. And\nthereat they marvelled greatly. And having gone round him, the sixty-\nthousand sons of the high-souled Sagara began to penetrate into the\nWestern region. And in the Western quarter also those highly powerful\nones beheld the elephant of that quarter named Saumanasa, resembling a\nmighty mountain. And having gone round him, and asked him as to his\nwelfare, they delving on, arrived at the Northern region. And on the\nNorth likewise, O foremost of the Raghus, they beheld Bhadra, white as\nsnow, holding this earth on his goodly person. And having felt as well\nas gone round him, those sixty thousand sons of Sagara went on\npenetrating the depths of the earth. Then repairing to the famous North-\neastern region, Sagara's sons becoming enraged, began to dig the earth.\nAnd there those high-souled, exceedingly powerful and vehement ones\nbeheld the eternal Vasudeva in the guise of Kapila. And there also,\nexperiencing exceeding delight, O descendant of Raghu, they found his\nhorse, browsing hard by. And knowing him to be the destroyer of the\nsacrifice, they bearing spades, and ploughs, and innumerable trees and\ncrags, with eyes reddened with ire, furiously rushed against him,\nexclaiming,--'Stay! Stay! And thou it is that hast stolen our\nsacrificial horse. O thou of wicked understanding, know that thou hast\nfallen into the hands of the sons of Sagara.' Hearing this speech of\ntheirs, Kapila, O descendant of Raghu, overwhelmed with rage uttered a\ntremendous roar. And then, O Kakutstha, the sons of Sagara were reduced\nto ashes by the high-souled and incomparable Kapila.\"\n\n [60] The eight _Vasus_, eleven _Rudras_, twelve _Adityas_ and two\n _Acwins_.--T\n\n\n\nSECTION XLI.\n\n\nSeeing the delay on the part of his sons, King Sagara, O son of Raghu,\naddressed his grandson, flaming in his native energy, saying,--Thou art\nheroic and accomplished and like unto thy uncles. Do thou enquire into\nthe circumstances that have befallen thy uncles, as also about the way\nby which the horse hath escaped. And as there are stong and mighty\ncreatures inhabiting the Earth's interior, with the view of resisting\nthem, do thou take thy bow along with thy scimitar. And honoring those\nthat deserve to be honored and slaying such as disturb thee, do thou,\nhaving attained thy end, come back, becoming the instrument for the\ncompletion of my sacrifice.' Thus duly enjoined by the high-souled\nSagara, Ancumat endowed with fleet vigor, taking his bow as well as his\nscimitar, set out. And commanded by the monarch, O best of men, he found\nthe underground way that had been carved out by those high-souled ones.\nAnd he found an exceedingly powerful elephant belonging to the cardinal\npoint, worshipped by deities, and Danavas, and Rakshasas, and goblins,\nand birds, and Uragas. And having gone round him, and asked him as to\nhis welfare, he enquired after his uncles and the stealer of the horse.\nHearing this, the mighty-minded elephant of that quarter answered--'O\nson of Asamanja, having attained thy object, thou wilt speedily return\nwith the horse.' And hearing those words of his, Ancumat by turns duly\nasked the same question of all the elephants belonging to the cardinal\npoints. And being honored by those guardians of the cardinal points,\nknowing words as well as their application in regard to time, place, and\nperson, he was asked by them, saying,--'Do thou come with the horse!'\nHearing those words of theirs, that one of fleet vigor repaired unto the\nspot where the sons of Sagara, his uncles, had been reduced to a heap of\nashes. And (arriving there), Asamanja's son, smitten with grief, and\nbeing exceedingly afflicted at their destruction, bewailed in heaviness\nof heart. And exercised by grief and sorrow, that foremost of men espied\nthere the sacrificial horse straying near. And desirous of offering\noblations of water unto those princes, that highly powerful one in need\nof water, did not find any watery expanse in the neighbourhood. And it\ncame to pass, O Rama, that surveying wide, he descried the maternal\nuncle unto the princes, Suparna, the lord of birds, resembling the Wind.\nAnd thereupon Vinata's son possessed of mighty strength spoke unto him,\nsaying,--'Do not lament, O foremost of men. The destruction of these was\nfor the welfare of all. These highly powerful ones had been consumed by\nthe peerless Kapila,--therefore, thou ought not to offer water unto them\nin consonance with social usuage. Ganga, O foremost of men, is the elder\ndaughter of Himavat. In her (streams) do thou perform the watery rites\nof thy uncles, O mighty-armed one: let that purifier of the worlds lave\nthese, reduced to a heap of ashes. And on these ashes being watered by\nGanga, dear unto all, the sixty thousand sons of Sagara will repair unto\nthe celestial regions. Do thou, O highly pious one, go back, taking this\nhorse, O foremost of men; and do thou complete the sacrifice of thy\ngrand-father, O hero.' Hearing Suparna's speech, the exceedingly\npowerful Ancumat of mighty asceticism speedily taking the horse,\nretraced his steps. Then coming to the king who had been initiated into\nthe ceremony, he, O descendant of Raghu, faithfully communicated unto\nhim the words of Suparna, Hearing this sorrowful intelligence, the king\nduly finished the sacrifice agreeably to the scriptures. And having seen\nthe completion of the sacrifice, that lord of earth entered his capital;\nbut the king could not see how to bring Ganga on earth. And without\nbeing able to ascertain it, the mighty monarch after a long course of\ntime, and having reigned for thirty thousand years, ascended heaven.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLII.\n\n\nWhen Sagara had bowed unto the influence of Time, the subjects selected\nthe righteous Ancumat for their king. And, O descendant of Raghu,\nAncumat proved a great ruler. And his sbn, the celebrated Dilipa, was\nalso a great king. And, O Raghu's son, consigning unto Dilipa his\nkingdom, Ancumat entered upon rigid austerities on the romantic summit\nof the Himavat. And having for the space of thirty-two hundreds of\nthousands years carried on austeries in the woods, that highly famous\none, crowned with the wealth of aceticism, attained the celestial\nregions. And the exceedingly powerful Dilipa, hearing of the destruction\nof his grand-fathers, was stricken with grief; yet he could not\nascertain his course about it. And he constantly thought as to how Ganga\ncould be brought down, how to perform their watery rites, and how to\ndeliver them. And as that pious one furnished with self- knowledge was\nalways meditating upon this, an eminently virtuous son was born unto him\nnamed Bhagiratha. And performing numerous sacrifices, the mighty king\nDilipa reigned for thirty thousand years. And without having arrived at\nany definite decision in regard to their deliverance, the king, O\npuissant one, being attacked with an ailment, breathed his last. And\nhaving sprinkled his son Bhagiratha in the way of installing him in the\nkingdom, that prime of men, the king, by virtue of his own acts,\nrepaired to the region of Indra. And, O descendant of Raghu, that royal\nsaint Bhagiratha was possessed of righteousness, And being without\nissue, and desiring to obtain it, the mighty monarch consigned his\nkingdom and his subjects to the care of his counsellors, and engaged in\nbringing down Ganga. And, O Raghu's descendant, restraining his senses,\nand eating once a month, and surrounding himself with five fires, and\nwith arms upraised, he for a long lapse of time performed austerities at\nGokarna. And as he was performing his terrible austerities, a thousand\nyears rolled away. And thereat that possessor of the six attributes and\nlord of all creatures, Brahma, was well-pleased with that high-souled\nmonarch. And presenting himself together with the celestials, the\nGrand-sire thus spoke unto the high-souled Bhagiratha engaged in\nausterities,--'0 Bhagiratha, O mighty monarch, pleased am I with thee, O\nlord of men, on account of thy ardent austerities; do thou, O thou of\nexcellent vows, ask for the boon thou wouldst have.' Thereupon that\ngreat car-warrior, the highly powerful and mighty-armed Bhagiratha, with\nclasped hands, said unto the Grand-sire of all creatures,--'If, adorable\none, thou art pleased with me, if thou wouldst grant me the fruit of my\nasceticism, may Sagara's sons receive water at my hands; and on the\nashes of those high-souled ones being laved by the waters of Ganga, may\nmy great-grand-fathers without fail repair unto heaven! And, O divine\none, I beseech thee, may our line never languish for want of offspring.\nMay, O God, this prime boon light upon Ikshwaku's race!' When the king\nhad said this, the Grand-sire addressed him these sweet and auspicious\nwords composed of melting letters,--'O mighty car-warrior Bhagiratha,\nhigh is this thy aim. Be it so, good betide thee, thou enhancer of the\nIkshwaku line. This Haimavati Ganga, Himavat's elder daughter, even her\nto hold, O king, do thou employ Hara; for Ganga's fall, O king, Earth\nwill not be able to sustain. And to hold her, O king, find I none save\nthe weilder of the Trident.\" Having thus addressed the monarch, and\ngreeted Ganga, the creator of the worlds repaired to heaven with the\ncelestials.\n\nWhen that god of gods had gone away, Bhagiratha, O Rama, pressing the\nearth with his thumb, spent a year in adoring Siva. And when the year\nwas complete, Uma's lord, Pacupati, worshipped of all the worlds, spake\nunto the king, saying,--'O foremost of men, I am well-pleased with thee:\nI will do what will be for thy welfare. I will hold the Mountain's\ndaughter on my head.' Then, O Rama, that one bowed unto by all\ncreatures, the elder daughter of Himavat, assuming an exceedingly mighty\nshape, with irresistible impetus precipitated herself from the welkin\nupon Siva's gracious head. And that divine one, Ganga, exceedingly\ndifficult to sustain, thought,--'I will enter the nether regions,\ncarrying off Sankara by my streams.' Knowing her proud intention, the\nadorable Hara waxed wroth; and the three-eyed deity set his heart upon\nenveloping her. And, O Rama, as that sacred one plunged upon Rudra's\nholy head of tangled locks, resembling Himavat, she could by no means\nreach the earth, despite all her endeavours; nor did she obtain egress\nfrom under the matted locks. And she wandered there for many a year. And\nfinding Ganga in this plight, Bhagiratha became again engaged in high\nausterities. And thereupon Siva, O descendant of Raghu, was exceedingly\ngratified; and cast Ganga off in the direction of the Vindu lake. And as\nshe was let off, seven streams branched out from her. And the three\nstreams of the excellent Ganga of auspicious waters went in an easterly\ndirection; while the Suchakshu, the Sita, and that mighty river the\nSindhu flowed on the auspicious west. And the seventh followed\nBhagiratha's car. And that royal saint, the exceedingly puissant\nBhagiratha, mounted on a superb car, went before; and Ganga followed\nhim. And she descended from the welkin upon Sankara's head, thence\nalighting upon the earth; and there her waters flowed with thundering\nsounds. And earth looked beautiful with swarms of fallen and falling\nfishes, and tortoises, and porpoises. And then celestials and saints and\nGandharbas, and Yakshas and Siddhas mounted on excellent elephants and\nhorses and cars resembling cities, looked on Ganga descending upon the\nearth. And the celestials stationed on cars were struck with surprise;\nand all creatures marvelled at the excellent descent of Ganga. And eager\nto witness the spectacle, celestial hosts of immeasurable energy came\nthere. And in consequence of the celestials coming thither, and the\neffulgence of their ornaments, the firmament free from clouds, shone as\nif with an hundred suns. And the sky was graced with fast-fleeting\nporposies and serpents and fishes resembling playing lightning; and the\nwelkin scattered with pale foam-flakes by thousands, appeared as if it\nwas scattered with autumnal clouds swarming with cranes. And the river\nproceeded sometimes rapidly, and sometimes awry, and sometimes in\nvolumes, and sometimes sloping, and sometimes ascending, and sometimes\nlanguidly; and sometimes water clashed with water; and sometimes\nascending an upland, it descended into a dell. And the pellucid and pure\nwater first descending upon Sankara's head, and thence on to the earth,\nappeared exceedingly beautiful. And there the saints and the Gandharbas,\nas well as the inhabitants of the earth, touched the sacred water\nflowing from Bhaba's body. And those that had fallen from the sky unto\nthe earth in consequence of some curse or other, having bathed there,\nand thereby having their sins washed and removed by that sanctifying\nwater, again ascended the sky and entered their respective regions. And\nthrough the agency of that shining water, all beings, feeling delight,\nrejoiced, and having bathed in Ganga, became cleansed from sin. And\nstationed on an excellent car that mighty king, the royal saint\nBhagiratha, went first, and Ganga went at his back. And the gods, and\nthe saints, and the Daityas, and the Danavas, and the Rakshasas, and the\nforemost of Gandharbas and Yakshas, and the Kinnaras, and the mighty\nUragas, and the Serpents, and the Apsaras, O Rama and the acquatic\nanimals in a body following Bhagiratha's car, with glad hearts went in\nthe wake of Ganga. And withersoever king Bhagiratha went, the famous\nGanga, foremost of streams, capable of destroying all sins, went. And\nGanga flooded the sacrificial ground of the high-souled Jahnu, of\nwonderful deeds, as he was performing a sacrifice. Thereat, O Raghava,\nreading her insolence, Jahnu, waxing wroth, drank up all her wonderful\nwaters. Thereupon, the deities, and the Gandharbas, and the saints,\nstruck with amazement, fell to worshipping that foremost of men, the\nhigh-souled Jahnu and brought Ganga into the daughtership of that high\nsouled one. And that highly energetic lord, being propitiated, let Ganga\noff through his ears. Therefore it is that Ganga goes by the name of\nJahnu's daughter Jahnavi. Then Ganga again began to follow Bhagiratha's\ncar. And having reached the ocean, that foremost of streams, with the\nobject of accomplishing his work, entered into the subterranean regions.\nAnd having carefully brought Ganga, that royal saint, Bhagiratha, having\nhis senses bewildered beheld his grand-fathers reduced to ashes. And the\nexcellent waters of Ganga overflowed that heap of ashes; and thereupon,\nO best of the Raghus, they, their sins purged, attained heaven.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLIV.\n\n\nWhen having arrived at the Ocean, the king wending in Ganges wake,\nentered underneath the Earth, at that spot where those (sons of Sagara)\nhad been reduced to ashes. And, O Rama, on the ashes being washed by the\nwaters of Ganga, Brahma, the lord of all creatures thus spoke unto the\nmonarch,--'O most puissant of men, the sixty three thousand sons of the\nhigh-souled Sagara have been delivered--and they have ascended heaven\nlike unto celestials themselves. And, O lord of earth, as long as the\nwaters of the ocean shall endure in the world, Sagara's sons shall\nreside in heaven like unto celestials. And this Ganga shall become thy\neldest daughter; and she shall attain celebrity among all, being called\nafter thy name. And Ganga is called both Tripathaga and Bhagirathi. And\nshe is known as Tripathaga, in consequence of her proceeding in three\ndirections. Do thou now, O lord of men, here offer oblations of water\nunto thy grand sires,--and thereby, O king, make good thy promise. And,\nO king, that foremost of righteous ones, thy ancestor of exceeding\nrenown, had failed to atain his desire. And, O child, Ancumat likewise\nunparalleled in the worlds in energy had failed in realising his\ncherished promise of bringing down Ganga. And then again that royal\nsaint, crowned with qualities, of austerities like unto mine, ever\nabiding by his Kshatriya duties, even Dilipa's self--thy exceedingly\npuissant sire--O eminently righteous one--had failed in bringing down\nGanga according to his cherished resolve, O sinless one. And now, O\nforemost of men, that promise having been fulfilled by thee, thou shalt\nattain signal glory in the world by the common consent of all. And, O\nvanquisher of thy foes, having brought about Ganga's descension, thou\nshalt from this act of thine also attain the regions of Brahma. Do thou,\nO best of men, lave thyself in these waters incapable of being rendered\nworthless. O prime of men,--and thereby become purified, and attain\nsanctity. And do thou perform the watery rites of thy grand-sires. May\nluck be thine, I shall now repair to my own regions: do thou depart, O\nking.' Having said this, the illustrious lord of the celestials-- the\nGrand-sire of all creatures--went unto the celestial regions. And the\nroyal saint king Bhagiratha also of high fame having performed his\nablutions and purified himself, and duly and in proper order offered\noblations of water unto the sons of Sagara, entered his capital. And\nattaining exceeding prosperity, that foremost of men ruled his kingdom;\nand, O descendant of Raghu, having him as their sovereign, the people\nrejoiced greatly; and with their griefs removed, and prosperity secured,\nthey lived in peace of mind. Thus, O Rama, have I detailed unto thee the\nhistory of Ganga. Auspiciousness mayst thou obtain! Good betide thee,\nthe evening draweth nigh. He that reciteth this story conferring\nprosperity, fame, long life, and heaven unto Vipras, Kshatriyas, and\nothers, attaineth the good graces of his ancestors and the celestials;\nand, O Kakutstha, he that listeneth to the sacred history of Ganges\ndescent, conferring length of days, attaineth all his desires, and all\nhis sins are destroyed, and his life and fame increase.'\n\n\n\nSECTION XLV.\n\n\nHearing the words of Vicwamitra, Raghava, together with Lakshmana, was\nstruck with amazement,--and spoke unto Vicwamitra, saying,--\"O Brahmana,\nwonderful is the story that thou hast recited unto us, _viz_; that of\nGanga's sacred descension and the replenishing of the Ocean. And, O\nafflicter of foes, as we had been reflecting upon all this at length,\nthe night hath passed away as if it were a moment. And the live-long\nnight hath passed away as I in company with Sumitra's son, was pondering\nover Vicwamitra's auspicious speech.\" Then in the morning which happened\nto be bright, that subduer of his foes, Raghu's descendant, addressed\nthe ascetic Vicwamitra, who had finished his devotion,--\"The auspicious\nnight is past,--and we shall (again) listen to thy wonderful narrations.\nLet us now cross over this sacred stream--foremost of rivers--wending in\nthree ways. And learning that thou hast arrived at this place, the pious\nascetics have speedily come hither, and have also brought this barque\nwith a spacious carpet.\" Hearing those words of the high-souled Raghava,\nKaucika crossed over the crowds of ascetics; and on reaching the north\nbank, he paid homage unto the saints. And when they had landed on the\nbanks of tlie Ganga, they beheld a city named Vicala. And thereupon\nspeedily that foremost of ascetics in company with Raghava, went towards\nVicala,--beautiful and elegant like unto the celestial regions. Then the\nhighly wise Rama, with folded hands, asked that mighty ascetic\nVicwamitra concerning the excellent city of Vicala,-\"0 mighty ascetic,\nwhat royal line resideth in yonder large city? I desire to hear this,\ngood betide thee; and great is my curiosity.\" Hearing those words of\nRama, that foremost of ascetics began to relate the history of Vicala,\nsaying,--\"Do thou listen, O Rama, to what I had heard from Sakra\nrelating this history; and, O descendant of Raghu, do thou listen to all\nthat befell in this city. Formerly in the Krita age, O Rama, Diti's\nhighly powerful sons, as well as those of Aditi, possessed of prowess,\nand virtuous and pious-- high-souled ones both--O foremost of men, fell\nto reflecting,--'How can we become exempt from decrepitude and disease,\nand immortal.' And as they reflected, it struck them,--'By churning the\nocean of milk, we must obtain ambrosia.' Then deciding upon churning\n(the ocean), those ones of immeasurable energy making Vasuki the cord,\nand the Mandara (hill), the stick, began to churn the deep. And after a\nthousand years had gone by, the hoods (of the serpent) serving as the\nchurning cord, began to vomit virulent venom and to bite at the crags,\nwith their fangs. And thereat there came out powerful poison like unto\nfire; and in consequence the entire universe with celestials, and\nAsuras, and men, began to burn. And thereupon, intending to seek refuge,\nthey appeared before that mighty god, Sankara, or Pacupati, or\nRudra,--hymning him,--'Save us.' 'Save us.' When that master, the lord\nof the celestials, was being thus addressed by the deities, there\nappeared before them Hari bearing the conch and the discus. And smiling\nHari said unto the trident-bearing Rudra,--'O chief of the celestials,\nsince thou art the foremost of the gods, this that hath come out of the\nocean churned by the celestials, is thine. Remaining here, O lord, do\nthou receive the first offering in the form of this poison.' Having said\nthis, that best of celestials vanished there. Witnessing the dismay of\nthe celestials, and hearing also the words of Sarngin, Siva took in that\ndreadful poison as if it were nectar; and then leaving the deities, the\nworshipful Hara went away. And then, O descendant of Raghu, as the\ncelestials resumed the churning, that foremost of hills serving as the\ncord, entered the subterranean regions. Thereupon the gods and the\nGandharbas fell to extolling the slayer of Madhu, saying,--'Thou art the\nway of all beings, of the celestials in especial. Do thou, O\nmighty-armed one, protect us, and recover the mountain.' Having heard\nthis, Hrishikesa, or Hari, assuming the form of a tortoise, stood in the\nsea, supporting the hill on his back; and that Soul of all, Kecava best\nof male beings, taking hold of the top of the hill by his hand, began to\nchurn the deep, stationed in the midst of the celestials. And after a\nthousand years had rolled on, arose a male being impregnated with the\nAyurveda,[61] of exceedingly righteous soul, called Dhanwantari, bearing\nin his hands a stick, and a Kamandalu. And there arose also, from the\ncream of the churning waters, those magnificent dames the shining\nApsaras. And, O foremost of men, as they had emerged from water, they\nare called _Apsaras_.[62] And there sprang sixty _Kotis_ of shining\nApsaras. And, O Kakutstha, the female attendants of those are\nnumberless. And neither the deities nor the Danavas would accept\nthem,--and in consequence of this non-acceptance, they are known as\nwomen belonging to all. And then, O Raghu's descendant, arose the\neminently pious daughter of Varuna, Varuni, who fell to looking for\nacceptance. And Diti's sons, O Rama, did not accept the daughter of\nVaruna,--and Aditi's sons, O hero, accepted that one of blameless limbs.\nAnd hence Diti's sons go by the name of Asuras; and Aditi's by that of\nSuras. And the celestials became exceeding glad, on having accepted\nVaruni. And, O foremost of men, next arose Uchhaicrava--best of horses,\nand also Kaustubha; and next, the excellent ambrosia. And,0 Rama,\ntremendous was the carnage for the porsession thereof (ambrosia); and\nAditi's and Diti's sons fought together. And the Asuras assembled\ntogether with the Rakshasas; and, O hero, mighty was the battle that was\nfought, striking terror into the three worlds. And when a great havoc\nhad been committed, the highly powerful Vishnu, assuming a captivating\nform speedily stole away the ambrosia. And those that came forward\nbefore that best of male beings, Vishnu, knowing no deterioration, were\ncrushed in conflict by Vishnu in a different form. And in that\nexceedingly dreadful battle between the sons of Diti and Aditi, those\nheroic ones, _viz_., Aditi's heroic sons slaughtered those of Diti. And\nhaving slaughtered the sons of Diti and regained his kingdom, Purandara,\nhappily began to rule the worlds, containing saints and Charanas.\"\n\n [61] Science of Medicine.--T.\n\n [62] Ap means water.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XLVI.\n\n\nAnd on those sons of her being slain, Diti afflicted with great grief,\nthus addressed her husband, Maricha's son, Kacyapa,--'O adorable one,\nthy high-souled sons have slain mine. I now wish for a son, who,\nobtained through long austerities, will be able to slay Sakra. And I\nwill engage in austerities: it behoves thee to grant me such an\nembryo,--such a slayer of Sakra it behoves thee to promise me.' Hearing\nthose words of hers, Maricha's son, Kacyapa of exceeding energy answered\nthe deeply aggrieved Diti, saying,--'Be it so.' Good betide thee, do\nthou become pure, O ascetic. If thou remain pure, when a full thousand\nyears shall be complete, thou wilt give birth unto a son who will slay\nSakra in battle. And through me, thou wilt give birth to a son that will\ndestroy the three worlds.' Having said this, that highly energetic one\nrubbed her person with his palm. And having rubbed her, he\nsaid,--'Luck!' and then went away to carry on austerities. And when he\nhad gone, Diti, O foremost of men, becoming exceedingly delighted, went\nunto Kucaplava[63] and began to practise rigid mortifications. And, O\nforemost of men, as she was practising austerities, the thousand-eyed\ndeity most dutifully ministered unto her. And the thousand-eyed one\nprovided for her fire, and _Kusa_, and faggots, and water, and fruits,\nand roots, and other things that she wanted. And at all times, Sakra\nserved Diti by rubbing her person, and removing her fatigue. And when\nten years only were wanting to complete the thousand years, Diti, O\ndescendant of Raghu, being exceedingly delighted, thus spoke unto the\nthousand-eyed one,--'O best of those endowed with prowess, of me engaged\nin austerities, ten years only remain (to complete the period.) And\nafter that time, good betide thee, thou wilt behold thy brother. I will,\nO son, bind him unto thee in affection, whom I had besought for to\ncompass thy destruction,--so that, the fever of thy heart removed, thou\nwilt with him enjoy the victory of the three worlds. On thy high-souled\nsire having been besought by me, he, O foremost of celestials, granted\nme the boon that after a thousand years, I shall obtain a son.' And it\ncame to pass that having said this, the sun being in his meridian, the\nworshipful Diti with her feet placed at that part of the bed which\nshould contain her head, was overpowered by sleep. And thereupon seeing\nher resting her feet at the place where she should place her head,--and\nconsequently unclean, Sakra was exceedingly delighted, and smiled. And,\nO Rama, Purandara entered into her womb, and that highly self-controlled\none severed the embryo in seven parts. And the embryo being pierced by\nthe thunder-bolt of an hundred knots, cried at the top of its voice, and\nthereat Diti awoke. 'Do not cry, do not cry,'--exclaimed Sakra: and even\nwhile it was crying, the mighty-minded Vasava continued piercing it 'Do\nnot slay it; do not slay it,' said Diti. Thereupon, in consideration of\nthe honor of his mother, Sakra went out.\n\nThen he with clasped palms accosted Diti, saying,--'O worshipful one,\nthou didst sleep with thy feet placed where thy head should have lain,\nand hast therefore become impure. And finding this opportunity, I\nsevered in seven pieces that would be slayer of mine in battle. Do thou,\nO worshipful one excuse me.\n\n [63] An asylum on the cast, otherwise called Beshalaksha.--T*\n\n\n\nSECTION XLVII.\n\n\nWhen the embryo had been sundered in seven, Diti exceedingly aggrieved\nhumbly spoke unto the irrepressible thousand-eyed deity, saying,--'By my\nfault it is that the embryo hath been sundered in seven. O chief of the\ncelestials, herein thou art guilty of no transgression, O destroyer of\nVala, And since calamity hath befallen the embryo, I wish to do thee a\ngood turn. Let the seven parts become the guardians of the seven Maruts.\nAnd, O son, let my sons having noble forms, becoming famous as Marutas\nrange the Vataskandha regions in heaven. And let one range Brahma's\nregions, and another Indra's, and the highly illustrious third also\nrange around, being known as Divya Vayu.[64] And, O best of celestials,\nby thy command, let the four remaining sons of mine known by the name\nwhich thou hast mentioned, range about in appointed periods.' Hearing\nher words, that destroyer of Vala; the thousand-eyed Purandara, with\nclasped palms said,--'All this that thou hast said must come to pass;\nthere is no doubt about it. Good betide thee, thy sons endowed with\ncelestial forms, shall range about. And it hath been heard by us that\nhaving thus ascertained in that hermitage, the mother and the son, O\nRama, went to heaven, their desire obtained. Even this, O Kakutstha, is\nthe place where formerly the mighty Indra sojourned, and where he\nattended upon Diti of accomplished ascetic success. And, O most powerful\nof men, Ikshwaku had an exceedingly righteous son born unto him of\nAlamvusha, known by the name of Vicala. And here stood a palace, built\nby him, called Vicala. And Vicala's son, O Rama, was the mighty\nHemachandra. And after Hemachandra comes the celebrated Suchandra. And,\nO Rama, the son of Suchandra was Dhumraswa. And then was born Srinjaya,\nson unto Dhumraswa. And Srinjaya's son was the powerful Sahadeva. And\nSahadeva's son was the pre-eminently pious Kucacwa. And Kucacwa's son\nwas the puissant Somadatta. And now, O Kakutstha, Somadatta's son the\neffulgent and invincible and renowned Sumati resideth in this city. And\nby the grace of Ikshwaku, all the sovereigns of Vicala are long-lived,\nand high- souled, and puissant, and pious. And here will we happily\nspend a night; and on the morning of the morrow thou wilt, O foremost of\nmen., behold Janaka.' And having heard that the illustrious Vicwamitra\nhad come, that best of kings, the effulgent Sumati, appeared before him.\nAnd having paid Vicwamitra high homage together with his priests and\nfriends, and with clasped hands enquired after the former's welfare, he\naddressed Vicwamitra, saying,-- \"Blessed are we, and obliged are we,\nwhose domains, O ascetic, have been graced with thy presence. Surely\nnone is more blessed than I am.\"\n\n [64] Etherial air.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XLVIII.\n\n\nHaving met together, they enquired after each other's welfare. And then\nSumati spoke unto the mighty ascetic, saying,--\"Good betide thee,\nboasting of the prowess of celestials of elephantine or leonine gait,\nheroic resembling tigers or bulls, possessed of expansive eyes like\nlotus-petals, bearing scimitars and bows and quivers, like unto the\nAcwinis in grace, endowed with youth, like unto celestials fancy-led,\ndescended from etherial regions to the earth beneath, whose sons, O\nascetic, are these boys, and what for have they come hither, and why\nalso is it that they journey on foot? And adoring all directions, like\nunto the Sun or the Moon adorning the firmament, and resembling each\nother in personal proportions, and expressions, and gestures, and\nequipped with excellent weapons, and war-like, how have these paragons\ncf men come into this impracticable way? I wish to hear all this related\ntruly.\" Having heard his words, Vicwamitra faithfully related all about\nit. Hearing Vicwamitra's words, the king was extremely surprised and\nhaving those sons of Dacaratha as his all-worthy guests, received with\nbecoming respect those highly powerful ones deserving of hospitality.\nAnd meeting with such splendid reception from Sumati, those descendants\nof Raghu spent there a night, and the next day set out for Mithila. And\nbeholding Janaka's beauteous city, the ascetics exclaiming,\n--'Excellent, excellent' fell to admiring Mithila. And in a grove at\nMithila, Raghava saw an ancient, lonely, and romantic asylum, and asked\nthat foremost of ascetics, saying,--\"What is this that looketh like an\nasylum, though without any ascetics? I wish to hear, O worshipful one,\nto whom this asylum belonged in time past.\" Hearing this speech\naddressed by Raghu's descendant, that one versed in speech, the highly\nenergetic and mighty saint, Vicwamitra, answered,--\"Ah! Do thou listen.\nI will tell thee through the wrath of what high-souled one this\nhermitage came to be cursed. O foremost of men, this excellent asylum\nhonored by ths celestials themselves, formerly belonged to the high-\nsouled Gautama. And here, O illustrious prince, in days of yore Gautama\nin company with Ahalya carried on austerities for a long series of\nyears. And perceiving occasion, Sachi's lord, the thousand-eyed deity,\nassuming the form of that ascetic thus addressed Ahalya,--'0 exceedingly\nbeautiful one, those bent upon sport, do not stay for the menstrual\nseason. And, O graceful one, I desire to enjoy thy company (on the\ninstant). Thereupon, out of curiosity, that one of perverse\nunderstanding consented to the proposals of the chief of the celestials.\nThen, having attained her object, she spoke unto that foremost of the\ncelestials, saying.--'O best of the immortals, I have obtained my\ndesire, --do thou speedily go from his place, O lord. Do thou, O lord of\nthe celestials, from a sense of repectibility preserve thyself and me\nalso.' Indra too smiling, said unto Ahalya,--'O thou of shapely hips,\npleased am I. Now I repair unto my own place.' Having known her thus,\nIndra, Rama, exceedingly apprehensive of Gautama, then hurriedly sallied\nout of the thatched cottage. Just at this time, Indra saw that mighty\nascetic Gautama entering--that foremost of anchorets, incapable of being\nrepressed by the deities and the Danavas, and equipped with ascetic\nenergy, having bathed in the waters of holy spots, and flaming like\nfire, carrying faggots and _kusa_ grass. And seeing him, the countenance\nof the lord of the celestials turned pale. And seeing the wicked\nthousand-eyed deity in the guise of an ascetic, the well-behaved\nanchoret fired with rage said,-- 'And since, O thou of wicked\nunderstanding assuming my form, thou hast done this foul deed, thou\nshalt lose thy scrotum.' And soon as the high-souled Gautama had said\nthis in ire, the scrotum of the thousand-eyed one dropped to the earth.\nAnd having seen Sakra in this plight, he cursed his wife also,--'For a\nthousand years thou shalt live here feeding upon air, without food,\ntormented with repentance and thou shalt remain in this hermitage unseen\nof any. And when the irrepressible son of Dacaratha Rama, shall come to\nthis deep wood, thou shalt be cleansed of thy sin. And, O wicked one,\nministering unto him the rites of hospitality, with a mind free from\nignorance and covetousness, thou shalt in thy own form with joy regain\nmy side.' Having said this to that wicked woman the highly energetic\nGautama of rigid austerities, forsaking this hermitage, began to carry\non penances on the romantic summit of the Himavat, inhabited by Siddhas\nand Charanas.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLIX.\n\n\n\"And having been deprived of his scrotum, Sakra with eyes tremulous with\nfear, addressed the celestials with Agni at their head, as well as the\nSiddhas and the Gandharbas and the Charanas, saying,--'I have\naccomplished the work of the celestials by stirring the ire of the high-\nsouled Gautama, and thereby disturbing his austerities. And in doing so,\nI have been deprived of my scrotum; and Ahalya also hath been put down.\nAnd I have deprived him of his ascetic energy by causing him to utter a\nmighty curse,--and, therefore, ye celestials, and saints, and Charanas,\nye should restore my scrotum unto me who have served the gods.' Hearing\nSatakratu's[65] words, the deities along with the Maruts led by Agni,\npresented themselves before the divine Pitris.[66] And then Agni\naddressed the latter, saying,--'This ram is possessed of a scrotum;\nwhile Sakra hath been deprived of his. Do ye taking the scrotum of the\nram furnish Sakra with it. And although deprived of the scrotum, the ram\nwill be able to grant consummate satisfaction unto ye. And on those that\nwill offer such a ram for your entertainment, ye will bestow undying and\nprofuse merit.' Hearing Agni's speech, the assembled Pitris, rooting up\nthe scrotum of the ram, joined it unto the person of the thousand-eyed\ndeity. Thence- forth, Kakutstha, the divine Pitris together feast upon\nscrotumless rams, for their scrotum had been joined unto the person of\nIndra. And thenceforth, O Raghava, Indra also through the high-souled\nGautama's ascetic energy, hath been bearing the scrotum of a ram.\nTherefore, O highly powerful one, do thou enter the hermitage of that\npious one, and deliver the dignified and divinely fair Ahalya.' On\nhearing Vicwamitra's words, Raghava in company with Lakshmana, placing\nVicwamitra in their front, entered the asylum; and they beheld that\nmagnificent dame flaming in ascetic energy; and incapable of being gazed\nat too near even by the celestials and the Asuras; as if created by the\nDeity to be the divinely charming Woman; like a flame hid in smoke; or\nthe brightness of the full moon clouded and dimmed in mist; or the solar\nsplendour incapable of being beheld on account of clouds. And by virtue\nof Gautama's word, she had been incapable of being seen by any in the\nthree worlds, till the sight of Rama. And now the curse having come to\nan end, she could be perceived by them. And the two descendants of Raghu\nthen took hold of her feet; but remembering Gautama's words, she on her\npart took hold of theirs. And with a collected mind she gave them water\nfor their feet as well as _Arghya_, and extended unto them the rites of\nhospitality. And the Kakutsthas accepted the homage thus rendered\naccording to the ordinance. And blossoms began to shower copiously to\nthe sounds of kettledrums; and the Gandharbas and the Apsaras began to\nrejoice greatly. And exclaiming, 'Excellent, excellent,' the celestials\nhonored Ahalya, as with a person purified by penance, she again came\nunder Gautama's governance. And the highly energetic Gautama also happy\non his union with Ahalya, honored Rama highly, and that one of mighty\nmortifications then became engaged in austerities. And having duly\nreceived signal honors from the great ascetic Gautama, Rama set out for\nMithila.\n\n [65] Lit. the performer of an hundred sacrifices, one of the\n appellations of Indra.\n\n [66] The ancestors.\n\n\n\nSECTION L.\n\n\nThen proceeding north-east Rama in company with Sumitra's son, placing\nVicwamitra at their head, appeared before the sacrificial ground. And\nRama and Lakshmana said unto that puissant ascetic,--\"Great is the pomp\nand splendour of the high-souled Janaka's sacrifice. And, O pious one,\nmany thousand of Brahmanas inhabiting various regions, and well-read in\nthe Vedas (have come to this sacrifice); and the abodes of ascetics are\nthronged with hundreds of cars. Do thou, O Brahmana, arrange for some\nplace where we may put up.\" Hearing Rama's words, the mighty ascetic\nVicwamitra selected for their abode a well-watered spot free from bustle\nand tumult. And hearing of Vicwamitra's arrival, the best of monarchs\nwithout blame, placing the priests Satananda before him, as well as the\nhigh-souled family priests, speedily taking the _arghya_, at once went\nout in humble guise, and offered it unto Vicwamitra according to the\nordinance. Having accepted that homage of the high-souled Janaka, the\nascetic enquired after the king's welfare, and the uninterrupted\nperformance of his sacrifice. And the king together with his priests,\nhaving enquired of the ascetics as to their welfare, cheerfully embraced\nthem all in a proper way. Then he with clasped hands, spoke unto that\nforemost of anchorets, saying,--\"O worshipful one, do thou along with\nthese eminent ascetics, take thy seat.\" Hearing Janaka's words, the\nmighty ascetic sat him down. And the king also, in company with his\npriests and counsellors sat down around in order of rank. And then the\nmonarch looking into Vicwamitra's face, said.--\"To-day by the grace of\nthe gods, hath my sacrifice been crowned with success--to-day have I\nreaped the fruit of my saciifice by beholding thy worshipful self.\nBlessed and obliged am I whose sacrificial ground, O Brahmana, hath been\ngraced by thee along with these ascetics. Twelve days, O Brahmarshi,\nhave been fixed for the period of initiation by the sages. On the expiry\nof that term, thou wilt, O Kaucika, behold the celestials come unto the\nsacrifice for claiming their respective shares.\" Having said this, the\nking with a cheerful countenance, with folded hands, again intently\nasked that foremost of ascetics,-- \"These youths, good betide thee, like\nunto celestials in prowess, of the gait of lions or elephants, heroic,\nand resembling tigers or bulls, of expansive eyes like unto\nlotus-petals, bearing scimitars, quivers and bows, graceful like unto\nthe Acwins, endowed with youth, resembling immortals fancy-led from\nheaven unto the earth--whose sons, O ascetic, are they and what for have\nthey come, and why again have they come afoot? And bearing excellent\narms, whose sons, O mighty anchoret, are these heroic ones, who grace\nthis place even as the sun and the moon do the welkin, and resemble each\nother in bodily proportions, expression, and gestures; wearing\nside-locks and of warlike mien? This I would hear truly related.\"\nHearing this speech of the high-souled Janaka, that ascetic of\nimmeasurable soul related all about Dacaratha's sons,--their sojourn in\nSiddhacrama, and the slaughter there of the Rakshasas,their undaunted\njourney, the sight of Vicala, the encounter with Ahalya and Gautama,\nRama's curiosity about the mighty bow, and visit there for beholding the\nsame. Having related all this unto the high-souled Janaka that one\nendowed with exceeding energy, the mighty ascetic Vicwamitra, paused.\n\n\n\nSECTION LI.\n\n\nHearing the narration of the intelligent Vicwamitra, Gautama's eldest\nson, the exceedingly energetic Satatnanda of rigid austerities, highly\neffulgent by virtue of his asceticism, with his down standing on end\nwondered greatly at the sight of Rama. And seeing the king's sons seated\nat their ease, he said unto that foremost of ascetics, Vicwamitra, -- \"O\nmost powerful of anchorets, by thee was my illustrious mother, grown old\nin asceticism, shown unto the king's son. Did my famous and exalted\nmother entertain with the produce of the woods Rama worthy of every\none's homage? And, O highly energetic one, hath that old story relative\nto my mother having been wronged by that celestial, been communicated\nunto Rama? And, O Kaucika, good betide thee, hath my mother, in\nconsequence of beholding Rama, been united with my revered sire? And, O\nson of Kucika, hath the highly energetic Rama come hither, after having\nbeen rendered homage by my high- souled revered sire? And, O Kucika's\nson, was my revered sire of quiescent soul, saluted by Rama when he\narrived there?\" Hearing those words of his, the mighty ascetic\nVicwamitra, skilled in speech, replied unto Satananda, cognizant of\nwords, saying,--\"O best of ascetics, nothing necessary was omitted by\nme,--but everything hath been done. And the ascetic's wife hath been\nunited with him, even as Renuka with Bhrigu's son.\"[67] Hearing the\nspeech of the intelligent Vicwamitra, the exceedingly energetic\nSatananda said unto Rama,--\"Art thou well come, O chief of men? It is by\nour luck that, O descendant of Raghu thou hast come unto us, headed by\nthe respected Maharshi Vicwamitra. This highly energetic Vicwamitra,\nthis Brahmarshi is of prowess measureless; and deeds inconceivable, by\nvirtue of his asceticism. Him thou knowest as the prime way. O Rama,\nthere existeth on this earth not one that is more fortunate than\nthyself. Thy protector is even Kucika's descendant, by whom mighty\nausterities have been performed. Do thou listen as I faithfully describe\nunto thee the ascetic power of the high-souled Kaucika. Do thou listen\nunto me relating this. This righteous one was for a long time a king,\nsubduing his enemies, cognizant of morality, acomplished, and intent\nupon the welfare of his subjects. And there was a king named Kuca, the\nson of Prajapati. And Kuca's son was the powerful and pious Kucanabha.\nAnd Kucanabha's son was Gadhi. And Gadhi's son is the highly energetic\nand mighty ascetic Vicwamitra who ruled the earth. And that king reigned\nfor thousands of years. And it came to pass that once with his four-fold\nforces marshalled, he set out for ranging the earth. And the king went\non by turns ranging cities and kingdoms, rivers and mountains and\nasylums. And at length that foremost of conquerers, the mighty\nVicwamitra, came upon Vasishtha's asylum furnished with various\nblossoming plants and trees; abounding in animals; inhabited by Siddhas\nand Charanas; graced by celestials and Danavas and Gandharbas and\nKinnaras; and filled with mild deer; frequented by the feathered tribes;\ncrowded with Brahmarshis; with Devarshis inhabiting it; aye teeming with\nhigh-souled ones of accomplished ascetic success and resembling fire;\nlike another region of Brahma; graceful; and adorned on all sides with\nhigh-soulded saints and Valakhilyas and Vaikhanasas resembling Brahma,\nfeeding on water or air, or living on withered leaves, or subsisting on\nfruits and roots, and self- controlled, and free from faults, and of\nvanquished senses, and engaged in reciting _mantras_ and performing\nhomas.\n\n [67] Jamadagni, father of Parusurama.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION LII.\n\n\nUpon seeing that foremost of those reciting _mantras_, the highly\npowerful and heroic Vicwamitra, exceedingly delighted, bowed unto him in\nhumility. And having enquired as to the pleasantness of Vicwamitra's\njourney, the high- souled and adorable Vasishtha ordered a seat for the\nformer. And on the intelligent Vicwamitra having been seated, that best\nof ascetics properly entertained him with fruits and roots. And having\naccepted Vasishtha's hospitality, that foremost of monarchs, the\nexceedingly energetic Vicwamitra, then enquired of Vasishtha as to the\nwelfare of his asceticism, his _Agnihotras_, and his disciples, and his\ntrees. Thereupon Vasishtha communicated the welfare of all unto that\nbest of kings. Then Brahma's son, Vasishtha, of fierce austerities, the\nbest of those reciting mantras, asked Vicwamitra, seated at his ease,\nsaying,--'0 king, is it well with thee? And, O king, dost thou rule thy\nsubjects, pleasing them consistently with royal duties? And, O virtuous\none, are thy retainers maintained on salaries from the kingdom? Do they\nabide by thy mandates? And, O destroyer of foes, hast thou vanquished\nthy enemies? And, O repressor of foes, is it well with thee as to, O\nmost powerful of men, thy forces, exchequer, and friends, and, O sinless\none, sons and grand- sons?' Thereupon, the highly powerful king,\nVicwamitra, with humility communicated unto Vasishtha his complete\nwelfare. And having conversed for a long time, those virtuous ones,\nexperiencing exceeding joy, ministered unto each other's delight. Then,\nO descendant of Raghu, after the conversation had ended, the adorable\nVasishtha, smiling, addressed Vicwamitra, saying,--'O highly powerful\none, I desire to properly entertain thee of immeasurable power, as well\nas thy forces,--do thou, therefore, accept my hospitality. Do thou\nreceive the hospitality which I extend unto thee. O king, thou art the\nforemost of guests, and art worthy of assiduous homage.' Being thus\naddressed by Vasishtha, that mighty ascetic, king Vicwamitra,\nsaid,--'Even by this word of thine relative to receiving me, hast thou\nin fact done so. And, O worshipful one, even with the fruits and roots\nthat are in thy asylum, with the water for washing my feet, and\nsipping,--yea, with the sight of thy revered self, have I been, O\nprofoundly wise one, excellently entertained by thee, who art thyself\nworthy of homage. I bow unto thee. I will go now. Do thou regard me with\na friendly eye.' As the king was speaking thus, the righteous-souled and\ngenerous Vasishtlia again and again pressed him to accept his\nhospitality. Then Gadhi's son answered Vasishtha, --'Very well. O potent\nascetic,--let that be which findeth favor in thy sight.' This having\nbeen said by him, Vasishtha, the best of those reciting _mantras_,\njoyfully called his sacrificial dappled cow, whose sins had been washed\naway,--'O Savala! do thou come soon; and hear my words. I intend to\nentertain this royal saint together with his forces. Do thou enable me\nto entertain him, by yeilding excellent viands. And, O divine one, O\nthou that conferrest everything that is desired, do thou grant everyone\nwhatever he asketh among edibles impregnated with the six tastes. And do\nthou, O Savala, speedily create sapid viands to be chewed, sucked,\nlicked or drunk'.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LIII.\n\n\nThus addressed by Vasishtha, that bestower of all that was desired,\nSavala, O destroyer of thy foes, brought forth everything that was\ndesired by everyone. And she produced sugarcanes, and honey, and fried\nrice, and excellent _Maireyas_,[68] and costly drinks,and various\nviands, and heaps of warm rice resembling hills, and other kinds of\nedibles, and soups, and _Dadhikulyas_,[69] together with silver plates\nby thousands filled with meats of diverse tastes. And, O Rama, that army\nof Vicwamitra consisting of cheerful and stout men being superbly\nentertained by Vasishtha, became exceedingly gratified. And the royal\nsaint, Vicwamitra himself, together with the priests and Brahmanas and\nthe inmates of the inner apartment, was also heartily filled. And being\nhospitably entertained with his courtiers and counsellors and retainers,\nhe, exceedingly delighted, spoke unto Vasishtha, saying, --'Received and\nexcellently entertained have I been by thee,0 Brahmana, who thyself art\nworthy of being honored. Do thou, O thou conversant with speech, listen\nto me. I will tell thee a word. Do thou bestow on me Savala for an\nhundred thousand kine. O worshipful one, varily this one is a jewel; and\nas it is the function of kings to acquire jewels, do thou confer on me\nSavala; for, O twice-born one, this one by right belongs unto me.' Thus\naddressed by Vicwamitra the righteous and adorable Vasishtha--best of\nascetics--replied unto that lord of earth,--'O king, neither for an\nhundred thousand nor for an hundred _koti_ of kine, nor yet for heaps of\nsilver, will I part with Savala. O subduer of enemies, this one deserves\nnot to be separated from my side. Even like unto the fame of the mighty,\nthis Savala is ever joined with me. My oblations to the gods and the\nPitris as well as my subsistence itself are established even in her. And\nmy _Agnihotras_,[70] _Vali_,[71] and _Homa_[72] depend uper her; and, O\nroyal saint, my _Svahakaras_ and _Vashatkaras_[73] as well as my various\nlore depend upon her. All this is so: there is no doubt about it. Verily\nshe is my all; and in her do I find my delight. And many are the\nreasons, O king, why I cannot give unto thee Savala.' Thus addressed by\nVasishtha, that one versed in speech, Vicwamitra, eagerly rejoined,-- 'I\nshall confer upon thee fourteen thousand elephants decked in gold chains\nand gold neck-ornaments and hooks; and I will confer upon thee eight\nhundred golden cars furnished with bells and each yoked with four white\nhorses; and, O thou of auspicious vows, I will confer upon thee one\nthousand and ten high-mettled horses of noble breeds; and I will confer\nupon thee a _koti_ of youthful and variegated kine,--do thou grant unto\nme Savala. And as much of gems and gold, O best of regenerate ones, as\nthou wilt ask for, shall I bestow upon thee: do thou grant me Savala.'\nThus besought by the intelligent Vicwamitra, that adorable one replied,\nsaying,--'O king, Savala I will not by any means give. This is verily my\njewel: this is verily my riches: this is verily my all: this is verily\nmy subsistence. And this is my _Darsa_[74] and this my _Paurnamasa_,[75]\nand this my various sacrifices with _dakshinas_;[76] and, O king, this\nmy various rites. This, O king, is without doubt, the root of all my\nrites. And what need of dilating? This one bestowing everything that is\ndesired will I not part with.\"'\n\n [68] A kind of wine prepared from molasses.--T.\n\n [69] A preparation of milk and rice.--T.\n\n [70] Maintainance of the perpetual fire.--T.\n\n [71] Offerings to the spirits of air.--T.\n\n [72] Burnt offerings.--T.\n\n [73] Sacrifices performed with the exclamation of _Swaha_ and _Vashat_\n respectively.-- T.\n\n [74] Bi-monthly sacrifice, performed at change of the moon by persons\n maintaining a perpetual fire.--T.\n\n [75] A ceremony performed at the full of the moon by persons\n maintaining a perpetual fire.--T.\n\n [76] Gifts to Brahmanas on occasions of sacrifice.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION LIV.\n\n\n\"When the ascetic Vasishtha would not part with the cow of plenty then\nVicwamitra, O Rama, forced Savala away. And, O Rama, carried away by\nthat high- souled king, Savala, stricken with grief and afflicted with\nsorrow, bethought herself, weeping,--'Have I been forsaken by the\nhigh-souled Vasistha that the royal retainers carry me off thus\naggrieved? What wrong have I done unto that mighty ascetic of\nconcentrated spirit, that, knowing me to be faultless, that righteous\none leaveth her that was devoted unto his service?' Revolving this in\nher mind and sighing again and again, she darted unto where the pre-\neminently energetic Vasishtha was; and defeating those servants (of the\nking), she with the speed of the wind, appeared at the feet of that\nhigh-souled one. And weeping Savala having the voice of clouds, standing\nbefore Vasishtha, spoke in distressful accents,--'O Brahma's son,\nwherefore have I been forsaken by thee,--that the servants of the king\nwere carrying me from off thy presence?' Thus addressed the Brahmarshi\nsaid these words unto that one aggrieved,and of heart afflicted with\nsorrow, and like unto a sister,--'0 Savala, not that I forsake thee; nor\nhast thou done me any wrong. But this mighty king proud of his prowess\nhath been carrying thee away. Surely, my strength is not equal to his.\nMore specially, he is a king,a powerful king,--more particularly,this\nday he should not be slain by me (inasmuch as he is my guest): he is a\nKshatriya and lord of earth. And he is foremost in might by virtue of\npossessing this entire Akshauhtni abounding in elephants and horses and\ncars and standards, and pennons on elephants.' Thus addressed by\nVasishtha, that one cognizant of words humbly said in reply unto that\nBrahmarshi of incomparable power,--'The might of the Kshatriyas is not\ngreat,--the Brahmanas are more mighty than they. O Brahmana, superhuman\nis the power of the Brahmanas, excelling that of the Kshatriyas. Thy\npower is immeasurable; and the exceedingly energetic Vicwamitra is not\nas powerful as thyself. Thy energy is unequalled. O highly energetic\none, do thou command me bursting with Brahma forces: the pride, power\nand endeavours of that wicked one will I bring down.' Thus accosted by\nher, the highly famous Vasishtha, O Rama, said,--'Create thou forces\ncapable of crushing the forces of the enemy.' Hearing those words of\nhis, Suravi created (an army). And, O king, Pahlavas by hundreds brought\ninto being by her lowing, begin even in Vicwamitra's sight to commit\nhavoc upon his forces. Thereat, exceedingly angered, with eyes expanded\nin ire, that king commenced to slay the Pahlavas with various weapons.\nAnd beholding the Pahlavas by hundreds afflicted by Vicwamitra, she\nagain created grim-visaged Sakas mixed with Yavanas. And the field\nbecame thronged with the Sakas mixed with Yavanas, of dazzling\nsplendour,exceedingly fierce resembling golden filaments, bearing sharp\nscimitars and adzes, and clad in yellow apparel. And that entire host\n(of Vicwamitra) was being consumed by them like unto flaming fires. Then\nthe exceedingly powerful Vicwamitra hurled weapons at them; and with\nthese the Yavanas, Kamvoyas and Varvaras[77] became sore afflicted.\"\n\n [77] Barbarians.--T.\n\nSECTION LV.\n\n\"And beholding them sore harassed, and overwhelmed by Vicwamitra's\nweapons, Vasishtha directed (Savali) saying,--'O cow of plenty, do thou\ncreate (fresh troops), through thy _Yoga_ power.' And from her roar,\nthere came into being Kamvojas, resembling the Sun. And from her udders\nsprang Varvaras, arms in hand; and from her mysterious parts, Yavanas;\nfrom her anus, Sakas; and from the pores of her skin, those\nbarbarians,--Haritas and Kiratas. And, O descendant of Raghu, anon\nVicwamitra's entire host consisting of foot, and elephant, and horse,\nand car, was exterminated by them. And seeing the army annihilated by\nthe high- souled Vasishtha, the hundred sons of Vicwamitra, equipped\nwith various weapons, rushed in high ire against that best of\n_mantra_-reciting ones. Thereupon, uttering a roar, that mighty ascetic\nconsumed them quite. And in a moment, Vicwamitra's sons together with\nhorse and car and foot were reduced to ashes by the high-souled\nVasishtha. And witnessing them all destroyed, together with the army,\nthe illustrious Vicwamitra, covered with shame, became plunged in\nthought; and like unto a tideless ocean or a fangless snake, he\ninstantly became shorn of his effulgence, like unto the sun overwhelmed\nby Rahu.[78] And deprived of his forces and sons, he appeared like a\nbird bereft of its wings; and losing his entire army and with it the\nhigh spirits that it had inspired him with, his heart died within him.\nThen entrusting one of his (remaining) sons with the sovereignty,\nsaying,--'Do thou rule the earth agreeably to the duties of the\nKshatriya,' he went into the forest. And repairing to the side of the\nHimavat inhabited by Kinnaras and Serpents, that one of mighty\nasceticism began to perform austerities with the view of propitiating\nMahadeva. And on a certain occasion that lord of the celestials,\nVrishadwaja,[79] intending to confer a boon, appeared before the mighty\nascetic Vicwamitra,--'What for, O king, art thou performing penance? Do\nthou unfold what thou hast to say. I am for conferring a boon: do thou\nexpress what boon thou wouldst obtain.' Thus addressed by that god, that\nperformer of mighty austerities, Vicwamitra, bowing down unto him,\naddressed him, saying,--'If, O mighty god, thou art pleased (with me),\ndo thou confer upon me the science of archery with all its mysteries and\n_mantras_, as well as its virtues of helping from far and near. And, O\nsinless one, may all those weapons that are with the celestials and the\n_Danavas_ and the _Maharshis_ and the Gandharbas and the Yakshas, and\nthe Rakshas, shine on me! May this my desire be granted me through thy\ngrace, O god of gods! There- upon, saying,--'Be it so'--the lord of the\ncelestials vanished. And obtaining the arms from the lord of the\ncelestials, the mighty Vicwamitra, naturally haughty became swelled with\ninsolence. And surcharged with energy, like unto the sea during the\nequinox, he considered, O Rama, as if that foremost of saints,\nVasishtha, was already slain. And repairing to Vasishtha's asylum, the\nking began to discharge weapons, capable of burning down the hermitage.\nAnd beholding those weapons discharged by the intelligent Vicwamitra,\nthe ascetics, overtaken by fear, by hundreds began to fly. And\nVasishtha's disciples as well as the animals and birds inhabiting there,\nfled in all directions by thousands. And for a time the hermitage of the\nhigh-souled Vasishtha was bare of living beings, and still like unto a\nwilderness, though Vasishtha cried again and again,--'Do not fear.\nTo-day will I slay Gadhi's son, even as the sun (destroys) mist.' Having\nsaid this,that best of _mantra_-reciting ones, Vasishtha, in high wrath,\naddressed Vicwamitra, saying,--'Since, O fool, thou hast destroyed this\nhermitage that had been prospering for a long time, thou of execrable\nways shalt not live long.' Saying this, he, transported with wrath, and\nlike unto the smoking flame at universal dissolution, speedily upraised\na staff resembling another mace of Yama itself.\"\n\n [78] A Daitya with the tail of a dragon, whose head was severed from\n his body by Vishnu; but being immortal, the head and tail retained\n their separate existence, and being transfered to the stellar\n sphere, became the author of eclipses.--T.\n\n [79] An appellation of Siva; meaning, who hath the bull for his\n vehicle.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION LVI.\n\n\nThus addressed by Vasishtha, the mighty Vicwamitra, aiming a fiery\nweapon, said,--'Stay! Stay!' The worshipful Vasishtha also on his part,\nraising a Brahma staff resembling another staff of Kala, exclaimed in\nwrath,--'Wretch of a Kshatriya! here am I,--do thou display the might\nthou ait master of. To-day, O Gadhi's son, will I humble thy pride of\narms. Thou disgrace of thy race, where is thy Kshatriya might, and where\nmy high Brahma energy? Do thou behold my superhuman Brahma energy.' And\neven as water allayeth the fierceness of a flame, the Brahma staff\nquenched the energy of the powerful fiery weapon discharged by Gadhi's\nson. Then Gadhi's son, waxing wroth, discharged Varuna and Raudra and\nAindra and Pasupata and Aishika weapons. And, Manava, and Mohana, and\nGandharba, and Swapana, and Jrimbhana, and Mohana, and Santapana, and\nVilapana, and Soshana, and DSruna, and Vajra hard to baffle, and\nBrahmapaca, and Kalapaca and Varunapaca, and Pinaka (favorite of Siva),\nand the two _Asanis_, wet and dry, and the Danda weapon, and Paicacha,\nani the Krauncha weapon, and Dharmachakra, and Kalachakra, and\nVishuchakra and Vayavya, and Mathana, and the Haraciras weapon, and the\ntwin Saktis, hurled he, and Kankala, and Mushala, and the mighty weapon\nVidyadhara, and the terrible Kala weapon, and the dreadful Trisula\nweapon, and Kapala, and Kankana,--all these weapons hurled he\n(Vicwamitra), at that best of _mantra_-reciting ones, O descendant of\nRaghu. And it was wonderful to behold. But Brahma's son baffled all\nthose by means of his staff. And on those (weapons) being resisted, the\nson of Gadhi hurled a Brahma weapon. And on that weapon being\ndischarged, the deities with Agni at their head, and the Devarshis, and\nthe Gandharbas, and the mighty Serpents, became afflicted with fear. And\non that Brahma weapon being discharged, all the three worlds became\nexceedingly alarmed. And, O Raghu's descendant, Vasishtha by virtue of\nhis Brahma energy completely baffled that terrible Brahma weapon. And\nwhen the high-souled Vasishtha had baffled the Brahma weapon, his form\nbecame fierce and terrible, capable of striking terror into the three\nworlds. And from the pores of his body, resembling a smoking flame,\ndarted out scintillations of fire. And resembling another staff of Yama,\nthe Brahma staff raised by Vasishtha's arm flamed like unto the\nsmokeless fire at the universal dissolution. Then the ascetics in a body\nfell to eulogizing that best of _mantra_-reciting ones, Vasishtha,\nsaying,-- 'Thy might, O Brahmana, is infallible. Do thou rein in (the\nBrahma) energy, by thy own. O Brahmana, Vicwamitra of mighty strergth\nhath been subdued by thee. Infallible is thy extraordinary might. Let\nthe creatures now be relieved from their distress.' Thus addressed, that\nhighly energetic one of rigid austerities, became pacified. And\nVicwamitra, being put down, heaving a sigh, said,--'Fie upon the\nKshatriya might: the strength begot of Brahma energy, is might indeed.\nBy one Brahma staff hath all my weapons been put to the rout. Beholding\nthis, I with a placid mind and senses will engage in mighty\nausterities,--which shall earn for me Brahmanahood.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LVII.\n\n\n\"Then with his heart burning, in consequence of the remembrance of his\nhumiliation, and having made enemies with that high-souled one,\nVicwamitra of mighty asceticism sighing, and sighing, went towards the\nsouth, in company with his queen, and became engaged in dreadful\nausterities, O Raghava. And subsisting on fruits and roots, and\nrestraining his senses, he performed the most rigid austerities. And\nfour sons engaged in observing truth and duty-- Havishpanda,\nMadhushpanda, Drihanetra, and Maharatha[80] were born unto him. And when\na thousand years had been completed, the Grand-sire of all, Brahma,\naddressed the ascetic, Vicwamitra in sweet words , saying,--'O son of\nKucika, the regions of the Rajarshis have been won by thee through thy\nausterities. And on account of this thy asceticism, we recognize thee as\na Rajarshi.' Having said this, the highly energetic prime Lord of all\ncreature went to the celestial regions in company with the celestials.\n\nHearing this, Vicwamitra hanging down his head from shame and possessed\nby a mighty sorrow, said, in piteous accents, --'I have performed rigid\nausterities,--yet the deities and the saints recognise me only as a\nRajarshi. I do not consider the fruit of my asceticism as gained.'\nAscertaining this in his mind, that righteous and highly composed one of\nhigh austerities, O Kakuststha, again engaged in penances. And, O\nRaghava, it came to pass that at this time, that enhancer of Ikshwaku's\nline, the celebrated and truthful Trisanku of subdued sense made up his\nmind, saying,--'I will perform a sacrifice, and in body win the prime\nway of the celestials.' And summoning Vasishtha, he unfolded his mind\ninto him. And on the high-souled Vasishtha saying,--'I am incapable of\ndoing this,' and disregarded by the latter, the King went towards the\nsouthern quarter. And with the view of securing success to his\nendeavours, the king repaired where Vasishtha's sons had for a long time\nbeen performing austerities. And the highly energetic Trisanku saw the\nhundred exceedingly effulgent sons of Vasishtha engaged in austerities\nwith fixed faculties. And approaching all those high-souled sons of his\nspiritual guide, and paying them reverence he, hanging down his head\nfrom shame, with clasped hands, addressed those mighty spirits, saying\n--'I seek protection of ye; and I take refuge in ye capable of\nconferring it. Disregarded have I been, good betide ye, by the\nhigh-souled Vasishtha. I have set my heart upon celebrating a mighty\nsacrifice: it behoveth ye to command me. And, with the view of\npropitiating ye, I, lowly bowing down my head, beseech the sons of my\nspiritual guide,--Brahmanas ever staying by asceticism,--do ye with\ncollected minds officiate in this sacrifice, so that success may be\nsecured unto me; and that in body I may attain the regions of the\ncelestials. Disregarded by the ascetic Vasishtha, other way find I none,\nye anchorets, except the sons of my spiritual guide. To the Ikshwakus,\ntheir preceptor is their prime way. Therefore after him (Vasishtha),\neven ye are the objects of my adoration.\n\n [80] Some texts have _Mahodara_.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION LVIII.\n\n\n\"Hearing Trisanku's speech, the hundred sons of the saint, O Rama,\nexcited by wrath, said these words unto the king,--'Disregarded hast\nthou been, O thou of perverse understanding, by our truth-telling\nsire,--why, then, having passed him by, do thou seek for others' help?\nTo the Ikshwakus, their spiritual guide is their prime way; nor art thou\ncapable of setting at naught the words of that truth- telling one. That\nworshipful saint said, that he was incapable (of accomplishing\nthis),--how can we then undertake that sacrifice? Thou art ignorant, O\nforemost of men. Do thou speedily retrace thy steps. And, O king, that\nadorable one is competent to officiate at the sacrifice itself of the\nthree worlds, how can we then contribute to his dishonor?' Hearing those\nwords of theirs, that king, with accents tremulous with passion, again\naddressed them, saying, --'Disregarded by that worshipful one as well as\nby the sons of my spiritual guide, I will go after another way,--so\npeace be unto ye, ascetics.' The saint's sons, on their part, hearing\nthat speech couching a fierce intent, cursed him in exceeding wrath,\nsaying,--Thou shalt come by Chandala-hood.' Having said this, those\nhigh-souled ones entered each into his dwelling. And when the night had\ngone by, the king came by Chandalahood. And clad in a blue garb, blue\nand rough of person, having a short head of hair, wearing a garland\ncomposed of materials culled from a cemetery, his body bedaubed with\nashes from the same quarter, he was decked out with iron ornaments. And,\nO Rama, beholding him in the guise of a Chandala, his counsellors as\nwell as followers, renouncing him, fled in a body. And, Kakutstha,\nmaintaining himself in patience, the monarch burning day and night, all\nalone went unto the ascetic Vicwamitra. And beholding the disappointed\nking in the guise of a Chandala, the ascetic O Rama, was touched with\npity. And from commiseration, that pre-eminently pious and exceedingly\nenergetic one said unto that king frightful to behold, saying,--'Good\nbetide thee, O heroic lord of Ayodhya, thou hast fallen into\nChandala-hood through a curse, what is the purpose of thy coming, O\nhighly powerful prince?' Hearing him, the king conversant with words,\nfallen into Chandala-hood, with folded hands, said unto that one versed\nin speech,--Disregarded had I been by my spiritual guide as well as his\nsons. And far from attaining my desire,I came by this calamity. O thou\nof placid presence, I had desired to repair unto heaven in body. By me\nhave an hundred sacrifices been performed,--but yet do I not obtain the\nfruit thereof. I have never before told an untruth; and I swear by my\nKshatriya morality, that albeit fallen on evil days, I will never do so\nin future, O gentle one. And sacrifices I have celebrated many,--and I\nhave ruled my people in righteousness; and I have pleased my preceptors\nby my character and conduct. But, O best of ascetics, now endeavouring\nto do my duty and intending to perform a sacrifice, I have failed in\nenlisting the good graces of my spiritual guides. Therefore do I\nconsider Destiny as supreme; and action as nothing. Destiny overtaketh\nall: Destiny is the prime way. Therefore it behoveth thee to grant thy\nfavor unto me extremely distressed, who crave thy favor, and, good\nbetide thee, whose endeavours have been baffled by Destiny. Other way\nwill I wend none; nor is there any other refuge for me. It behoveth thee\nto meet Destiny with exertion'.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LIX.\n\n\n\"When the king had spoken thus, Kucika's son, moved with pity, said\nthese sweet words unto the king who had undergone Chandala-hood,--'O\ndescendant of Ikshwaku, hast thou had a pleasant journey? I know thee\nwell, O highly virtuous one. Refuge will I grant thee,--so fear not, O\nbest of monarchs. I shall summon all the pious Maharshis, who shall\nassist at the sacrifice, O king,--and then thou wilt be able to\naccomplish thy purpose easily. And should the guise thou hast come by in\nvirtue of thy preceptor's curse, cling to thee yet, thou wilt bodily\nrepair unto heaven in this form. And since appearing before Kucika's\nson, thou hast taken his refuge, I consider heaven, O lord of men, as if\nwithin thy grasp.' Having said this, that exceedingly energetic one\nordered his highly virtuous and profoundly wise sons to provide the\nsacrificial necessaries. And summoning his disciples, he said,--'Do ye\nby my command bring hither all the saints together with Vasishtha's\nsons; and our friends and their disciples and the family priests\nvariously versed in lore. Aud should any summoned by my mandate, say\naught, do ye fully represent unto me the expression of slight.' Hearing\nhis speech, they set out in different directions; and Brahmavadis[81]\nbegan to pour in from various countries. And the disciples (of\nVicwamitra) returning, fully communicated unto that ascetic of flaming\nenergy the words of the Brahmavadis, saying,--'Hearing thy message, the\nregenerate ones resident in every part will come hither,--and some have\nalready arrived-- all save Mahodaya and the hundred sons of Vasishtha.\nDo thou, foremost of ascetics, listen to the words that they said with\naccents tremulous with emotion,--How can celestials and saints partake\nof offerings in the court of him that in addition to being a Chandala,\nhath for his priest a Kshatriya? And how can high-souled Brahmanas,\npatronized by Vicwamitra, attain to heaven, having partaken of a\nChandala's fare?--These cruel words, O powerful ascetic, did Vasishtha's\nsons together with Mahodaya, utter with reddened eyes.' Hearing those\nwords of theirs, that foremost of ascetics, with eyes reddened in anger,\nwrathfully cried,--'Since blameless as I am, those wicked-minded ones\ncensure me practising fierce austerities, they shall, without doubt, be\nreduced to ashes. And this very day bound by the noose of Kala, meeting\nwith destruction at the hands of Vivaswata's son,[82] they shall for\nseven hundred births range these worlds, procuring dead men's clothes,\nalways feeding on dogs'flesh, going by the name of Mushtikas, void of\nabhorrence, and of frightful, distorted forms and foul practices. And\nwicked Mahodaya also hath blamed me although undeserving of blame;\ntherefore, reproved of all, he shall undergo Nishadahood. And becoming\ncruel and engaged in taking life, he shall through my ire fare\nwretchedly for a long lapse of time.' Having uttered this in the\nassembly of saints, that mighty ascetic, the highly powerful Vicwamitra\nof fierce asceticism paused.\"\n\n [81] A Brahmavadi is one who maintains that all things are Spirit.-- T.\n\n [82] Yama.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION LX.\n\n\nAnd knowing (by virtue of his _Yoga_ power) Vasishtha's sons together\nwith Mahodaya as destroyed in consequence of his ascetic energy, the\nhighly powerful Vicwamitra said in the midst of the saints,--'This\ndescendant of Ikshwaku, the famous Trisanku, is virtuous and munificent\nand hath taken refuge in me, with the view of attaining the celestial\nregions in his own person. Therefore do thou engage with me in the\nsacrifice, so that he may bodily repair unto heaven.' Hearing\nVicwamitra's words, the pious Maharshis readily spoke in harmony with\nduty, saying,--This descendant of Kucika is a highly irascible\nascetic,--therefore what he saith should, without doubt, be performed.\nThe worshipful one is like unto fire, and, if angered, may curse us.\nTherefore, let us engage in this sacrifice, so that Ikshwaku's\ndescendant through the potency of Vicwamitra may repair unto heaven in\nperson. Then let us engage in this sacrifice.' Saying this, the sages\nentered upon the ceremony; and in that sacrifice the highly energetic\nVicwamitra acted as the priest. And Ritwijas versed in _mantras_\nperformed every thing in order with _mantras_, in accordance with\nscripture and prescription. Then after a long time, Vicwamitra of mighty\nausterities invoked thither all the celestials for receiving their\nrespective shares; but the deities did not come to receive them.\nThereupon, getting into a wrath, the mighty ascetic Vicwamitra, lifting\nup a ladle, wrathfully spoke unto Trisanku, --'O lord of men, do thou\nwitness the prowess of my self- earned asceticism. I shall by dint of my\nasceticism take thee bodily unto heaven. And, O king, do thou in person\nrepair unto heaven hard to attain. Something yet remains in me of the\nself-earned fruit of my asceticism; and, O king, through the energy of\nthat asceticism, do thou repair unto heaven in person.' And on the\nascetic saying this, Kakutstha, that lord of men bodily ascended heaven\nin the very sight of the anchorets. And beholding Trisanku risen to\nheaven, the subduer of Paka[83] together with all the celestials\nsaid,--'O Trisanku, turn thee back. Thou hast not earned abode in\nheaven. O fool, thou hast been blighted by the curse of thy spiritual\nguide. Do thou therefore drop down headlong.' The great Indra having\nspoken thus, Trisanku fell down, crying unto the ascetic Vicwamitra,--\n'Save me, save me.' Thereupon, hearing his distressful cries, Kaucika\nwaxed mightily wroth, and exclaimed,--'Stay, stay.' And in the midst of\nthe ascetics, like unto another Prajapati, he created other seven\nRishis[84] on the Southern way; and also, overwhelmed with wrath created\nanother set of stars. And collied[85] with passion, that illustrious one\nin the midst of the ascetics created another system of stars in the\nsouthern direction. And, saying,--'I will create another Indra, or the\nworld (that I create) shall be without an Indra.' And in anger, he went\nthe length of creating celestials. Thereupon, in trepidation, the saints\nand the celestials and the Asuras humbly addressed the high- souled\nVicwamitra thus,--'This king, O highly exalted one, hath been visited\nwith the curse of his preceptor,--therefore, O ascetic, he deserves not\nto ascend heaven in person.' Hearing those words of theirs, that best of\nanchorets, Kaucika, in company with the celestials, said these pregnant\nwords,-- 'Good betide ye, I have vowed unto this king, Trisanku's bodily\nascension unto heaven,--therefore, I dare not falsify my vow. Let\nTrisanku evermore dwell in heaven in person, and let these stars created\nby me verily endure as long as the worlds. This it behoveth ye, ye gods,\nto ordain. Thus addressed, the deities answered that best of ascetics,\nsaying,--'So be it, good betide thee! All these innumerable stars, O\nforemost of anchorets, shall remain in the firmament outside the path of\nVaicwanara;[86] and shining in their splendour, Trisanku shall dwell\nwith bended head, like unto an immortal. And all these luminous bodies\nshall follow that best of kings, illustrious and successful, as if he\nhad attained heaven itself.' And the virtuous and exceedingly energetic\nVicwamitra, thus assured by the celestials, said in the midst of the\nsaints,-- 'Ye gods, excellent well.' Then, after the sacrifice had\nconcluded, the high-souled celestials and the saints of ascetic wealth\nwent to their respective regions, O foremost of men.\"\n\n [83] Indra.-- T.\n\n [84] Ursa major.--T.\n\n [85] \"And passion having my best judgment collied.\"--T. _Othello._\n\n [86] The Zodiac-- T.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXI.\n\n\n\"And, O puissant one, seeing those saints gone, the highly energetic\nVicwamitra addressed those inhabitants of the forest, saying,--'A mighty\ndisturbance hath happened in regard to the southern quarter: let us\ntherefore repairing to another region, carry on austerities. Ye\nhigh-souled ones, in the west there are extensive tracts; and there in\nPushkara will we peaceably carry on our austerities. That asylum is\nreally pleasant.' Having said this, that exceedingly energetic and\nmighty Muni[87] began to perform terrible austerities subsisting on\nfruits and roots. And it came to pass that at this time that mighty lord\nof Ayodhya, Amvarisha, prepared for celebrating a sacrifice. And as he\nwas sacrificing, Indra stole away his sacrificial beast. And on the\nbeast being stolen, the priest said unto the king,--'O king, the beast\nhath been stolen (away); and it hath been lost through thy dereliction.\nAnd, O lord of men, his own fault destroyeth the king that faileth to\nprotect (the subjects). And, O best of men, even this is the expiation:\ndo thou, while the ceremony lasts, speedily bring back the beast, or\nbring a man (in its stead).' Hearing the priest's words, that highly\nintelligent king began to range various countries and provinces, cities,\nforests, and holy asylums, searching for the beast, with a thousand kine\n(as the price thereof). And, O child, it came to pass that arriving at\nBhrigutunga,[88] he beheld Richika seated, there in company with his\nwife and sons, O descendant of Raghu. And bowing unto that Brahmarshi\nflaming in asceticism, and propitiating him; the exceedingly energetic\nroyal saint of unparalleled effulgence having enquired as to his\ncomplete welfare, addressed Richika,saying,--'O highly pious one, O\nBhrigu's son, if, in order that I may have a substitute for my\nsacrificial beast, thou sell thy son, my desire I shall attain. I have\nranged every country; but the beast I do not find. Therefore, it\nbehoveth thee to part with one of thy sons for price.' Thus addressed\nthe exceedingly energetic Richika replied,--'O best of men, my\nfirst-born I will in no wise dispose of.' Hearing the words of the\nhigh-souled Richika, their mother spoke unto that foremost of men,\nAmvarisha, saying,--'The worshipful son of Bhrigu hath said that his\nfirst-born cannot be disposed of,--do thou, O lord, also know that the\nyoungest, Sunaka, is my favorite. Therefore my youngest son will I not\ngive unto thee. O foremost of men, the eldest sons are generally the\nbest beloved of their fathers; and the youngest, of their\nmothers,--therefore the youngest I would retain.' And when the ascetic\nas well as his wife had spoken thus, the second son, Sunasepha, O Rama,\nhimself said,-- 'My father would not sell the eldest; nor my mother the\nyoungest,--therefore I consider even the second as disposable. Do thou\nthen, O prince, take me.' When that one versed in the Veda had ended,\nthat lord of men, O mighty- armed descendant of Raghu, taking possession\nof Sunasepha, by paying kotis of kine, and heaps of jewels, and gold and\nsilver by hundreds and thousands, went away exceedingly delighted. And\nthat royal saint, the exceedingly energetic and highly famous Amvarisha,\nplacing Sunasepha on his car, speedily set out.\"\n\n [87] Ascetic.--T.\n\n [88] A mountain peak.-- T.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXII.\n\n\n\"And, O foremost of men, taking Sunasepha, that illustrious king at noon\nrested in Pushkara, O descendant of Raghu. And having arrived at the\nexcellent Pushkara, as the king was resting, the famous Sunasepha with\nan aggrieved heart saw his maternal uncle Vicwamitra in company with\nsome saints engaged in asceticism. Thereupon, with a woe- begone\ncountenance, and sore afflicted with fatigue and thirst, he, O Rama,\nflung himself into (Vicwamitra's) lap, and said--'I have neither father,\nnor mother, nor relatives, nor friends anywhere. It therefore behoves\nthee, O gentle one, to save me in the interests of virtue, O foremost of\nascetics. And, O best of men, thou art the protector of all, and their\nrefuge. May the king have his desire and may I at the same time,\nattaining long life, and undcteriorating, gain heaven, having performed\nmeritorious austerities! Do thou with a delighted heart become a lord\nunto me that am without one. And, O righteous one, even as a father\nrescueth a son, do thou deliver me from this peril.' Hearing his words,\nVicwamitra of mighty austerities, pacifying him by every means, spoke\nunto his sons, saying,--'That in view of which fathers beget\nwell-wishing sons--the compassing of welfare in the next world--is at\nhand. This youthful son of the ascetic craveth my protection. Do ye, ye\nsons, accomplish my desire by saving his life. Ye are all of virtuous\ndeeds, ye are all engaged in the observance of righteousness,--do ye\nconfer satisfaction upon Agni by one of ye becoming the (sacrificial)\nbeast of the lord of men. Thus Sunasepha will obtain protection, the\nsacrifice will be freed from hinderance, the deities will be\npropitiated, and finally my word will be made good.' Hearing the\nascetic's words, his sons, Madhuchchhanda and others, O foremost of men,\nhaughtily and tauntingly answered,--'O lord, how, neglecting thy own\nsons, thou desirest to deliver that of another? This we consider as\nheinous, even like unto eating one's own flesh.' Hearing this speech of\nhis sons, that best of anchorets, with eyes reddened with anger, said,--\n'Disregarding my words, ye have uttered this audacious and shocking\nspeech, disclaimed by morality, and capable of causing one's hair to\nstand on end. Therefore, becoming Mushtikas, and living on dogs' flesh,\ndo ye all, even like Vasishtha's sons, inhabit the earth for a thousand\nyears.' Having cursed his sons, that best of ascetics then, by all means\ncheering up the distressed Sunasepha as to his protection, addressed\nhim, saying,--'Do thou donning on a zone made of Kuca, and wearing a\ngarland of red flowers, and bedaubing thy person with red sandal paste,\nhymn Agni with _mantras_, approaching the Vaishnava sacrificial stake;\nand, O ascetic's son, (at the same time) chaunt these two verses in that\nsacrifice of Amvarisha. Then thou wilt attain success.' Thereupon, with\na concentrated mind securing those two verses, Sunasepha speedily\npresented himself before that leonine monarch, saying,--'O lion of a\nking, O thou endued with high intelligence, let us without delay repair\nhence. And, O foremost of monarchs, do thou engage in the sacrifice and\ncommence upon the initiation.' Hearing those words of the ascetic's son,\nthe king, filled with delight, readily at once repaired to the\nsacrificial ground. And with the consent of his court, the king fastened\nSunasepha with a Kuca cord, and investing him with a crimson apparel,\ntethered him to the stake as the (sacrificial) beast. And, being bound\n(to the stake), the ascetic's son first of all duly hymned Agni, and\nnext those deities, Indra and his younger brother. Thereupon, gratified\nwith the excellent eulogy, the thousand-eyed Vasava conferred upon\nSunasepha long life. And, O foremost of men, that king also, having\ncompleted the sacrifice, obtained the manifold fruit thereof through the\ngrace of the thousand-eyed deity, O Rama. And, O best of men, the\nrighteous Vicwamitra of mighty asceticism again carried on austerities\nat Pushkara for ten hundred years.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXIII.\n\n\nAnd when the thousand years had been completed and the mighty ascetic\nhad accomplished his vow, the celestials in a body desirous of\nconferring upon him the fruit thereof, appeared before him. And the\nexceedingly effulgent Brahma. addressed him in soothing words;\nsaying,--'Thou art henceforth a saint, good unto thee,--and (this\neminence) thou hast attained through thy own laudable exertions.' Having\nspoken thus unto him, the lord of celestials returned to heaven. And\nVicwamitra of mighty energy became again engaged in rigid austerities.\nAnd, O foremost of men, it came to pass that after a long lapse of time\nthat prime of Apsaras, Menaka, was at that time performing her ablutions\nin Pushkara, and she was observed by Kucika's son, like unto lightning\namong clouds. And coming under the control of _Kandarpa_,[89] the\nanchoret spoke unto her, saying,--'O Apsari, hath thy journey been a\npleasant one t Do thou abide in my asylum. Do thou favor me; for, good\nbetide thee, I have been rendered senseless by Madana.'[90] Thus\naddressed, that one of shapely hips began to dwell there. And mighty was\nthe hinderance that befell Vicwamitra as regarded his asceticism, as\nshe, O Raghava, staying in that asylum of his, pleasantly spent five and\nfive years, O gentle one. And after this period had gone by, overwhelmed\nwith shame and afflicted with anxiety and grief, the mighty ascetic\nVicwamitra impatiently thought, O son of Raghu, that all this mighty\nloss of austerities was the work of the celestials. And deprived of his\nsenses by lust, the decade had passed away imperceptibly as if it were\none day and night; and this impediment stood in the way of his\nausterities. And heaving a sigh, that best of ascetics burned in\nrepentance. And with sweet words, renouncing the terrible and trembling\nMenaka standing wuh clasped hands, Kucika's son, Vicwamitra, O Rama,\nwent to the northern mountains. And practising the Brahmacharyya mode of\nlite with the intention of subduing lust, that highly famous one engaged\nin arduous austerities on the banks of the Kauciki. And as he was thus\nengaged in profound austerities on the northern mountain, a thousand\nyears, O Rama passed away. Then taking counsel together, the celestials\nand the saints appeared before (Brahma), saying,--'Let Kucika's son\nobtain the title of Maharshi.' Hearing the words of the celestials, the\nGrand-sire of all addressed the ascetic Vicwamitra, in these sweet\nwords,--O mighty saint, hast thou had a pleasant journey? Satisfied with\nthy fierce austerities, O Kaucika, I confer upon thee the eminence of\nthe foremost saintship.' Hearing Brahma's speech, the anchoret\nVicwamitra bowing down thus answered the Grand- sire with clasped\nhands,--'The incomparable title of Brahmarshi is to be won by one by\nperforming sterling works. And since thou hast not addressed me (by that\ntitle) it appears that I have not yet succeeded in subduing my\nsenses.'[91] Thereupon Brahma said unto him,--'Do thou exert thyself\nuntil thou conquer thy senses? Saying this, Brahma went to heaven. And\nwhen the celestials had gone, the mighty ascetic, Vicwamitra, with\nupraised arms, and without any support, and subsisting on air, began to\nperform penances. And in summer, the ascetic surrounded himself with\nfive fires, and in rains remained in an uncovered place, and in winter\nday and night stood submerged in water. Thus passed by a thousand years\nof terrible penances. And on the mighty ascetic Vicwamitra being engaged\nin austerities, great was the agitation that exercised the celestials\nand Vasav, in particular. And Sakra together with the Maruts spoke unto\nRambha these words, fraught with weal unto himself, and woe unto\nKaucika'.\"\n\n [89] Cupid.-- T.\n\n [90] Cupid.-- T.\n\n [91] The text is very faulty. The literal meaning would be, \"since thou\n hast not I have subdued my senses\" which would be absurd. I have\n therefore rendered the passage freely.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXIV.\n\n\n\"'O Rambha, this mighty service thou wilt have to perform in the\ninterest of the celestials!--even to take Kaucika with the witchery of\nlove.' Thus addressed by the intelligent thousand-eyed deity, the\nApsari, O Rama, with clasped palms, thus bashfully answered the chief of\nthe celestials,-- 'O lord of the celestials, this mighty ascetic,\nVicwamitra, is a terrible person; and, without doubt, he will, O divine\none, waxing wroth, curse me. And O god, even this is ay fear, and\ntherefore it behoveth thee to favor me.' Thus apprehensively addressed\nby her in fear, the thousand-eyed one answered that damsel trembling and\nstaying with clasped hands,--'Never fear, O Rambha, good unto thee! Do\nthou perform my bidding. Assuming the form of a coel, captivating the\nheart, I will in this spring crowned with graceful trees, stay by thy\nside in company with Kandarpa. And do thou adding unto thy beauty,\ndiverse blandishments bewitch this ascetic, Kucika's son, O gentle one?'\nHearing Indra's words, that comely damsel of luminous smiles,\nheightening her charms exceedingly, inspired Vicwamitra with desire. And\nhe listened to the mellifluous strains of the coel; and with a delighted\nheart, he beheld the fair one. Anon, listening to the warbling of the\ncoel and her own incomparable singing, as well as beholding Rambha, the\nascetic began to entertain doubts. And knowing for certain that it was\nthe thousand-eyed deity who had devised all that, that foremost of\nanchorets, Kucika's son, overwhelmed with anger, cursed Rambha,\nsaying,-- 'Since, O Rambha, thou endeavourest to seduce me who is bent\nupon subduing his anger and lust, thou shalt, O luckless one, remain as\na stone for ten thousand years. And a highly energetic Brahmana equipped\nwith ascetic energy, will, O Rambha, deliver thee, stained because of my\nire.' Thus said that exceedingly energetic and mighty ascetic\nVicwamitra, and was filled with remorse unable to contain his anger of\nheart. And in consequence of his mighty curse, Rambha was turned into a\nstone. Hearing the curse of the mighty saint, both Kandarpa and Indra\nleft the place. And, O Rama, on account of his anger, and his sense\nremaining still unsubdued he found no rest from deterioration of ascetic\nmerit. And coming by decrease of ascetic merit, he thought within\nhimself,--'No more shall I suffer anger to exercise me, --nor will I\never say anything to any. And I shall not breathe for an hundred years;\nand controlling my sense, I shall dry up my body. And so long as I do\nnot attain Brahmanahood as earned by my austerities, I shall suspending\nmy breath and abstaining from food, stay for a long lapse of time. And\nengaged in austerities, my form will not undergo any deterioration.'\nThat foremost of ascetics bound himself by this unparalleled vow to lead\na life of such self-denial.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXV.\n\n\n\"And forsaking the northern direction, the mighty _Muni_, O Rama,\nbetaking himself to the Eastern quarter, became engaged in dreadful\nausterities. And adopting the high vow of taciturnity for a thousand\nyears, he, O Rama began to perform the most signal and arduous\nausterities. And when the thousaud years had been complete, many an\nimpediment tried the mighty _Muni_ staying like the trunk of a tree, yet\ncould not anger enter his heart; and firmly determined to shut out\nanger, he, O Rama, kept his asceticism from deterioration. And, O\nforemost of the Raghus, when his vow of a thousand years had been\nobserved, that one of mighty vows became desirous of feeding on boiled\nrice. And it came to pass O best of the Raghus that at this time Indra\nassuming the guise of a regenerate one, asked for the rice. Thereupon he\ngave it away unto the Vipra; and when the rice had been thus exhausted,\nthat worshipful one of mighty austerities went without food. Nor,\nabiding by the vow of reticence, did he say aught unto the Vipra. And he\nthen again resumed his dumb guise, restraining his breath at the same\ntime. And that puissant ascetic did not breathe for a thousand years.\nAnd as he restrained his breath, vapours began to issue out of his head.\nAnd, at this, the three worlds being on fire became as if afflicted with\nfear. And bewildered on account of the energy of his asceticism, and\nshorn of their brightness, and afflicted with anguish, the Devarshis and\nthe Gandharbas and the Pannagas and the Uragas and the Rakshasas in a\nbody addressed the _Pitamaha_,[92] saying,--'O divine one, various were\nthe means by which we endeavoured to affect the mighty _Muni_ Vicwamitra\nwith covetuousness and lust; but for all that he increaseth in\nasceticism. Nor do we perceive in him ever so little of anger or lust.\nAnd if thou do not confer upon him what his mind desireth to have, he\nwill annihilate the thre worlds with all that is mobile and immobile in\nthem. And the ten cardinal points are disconsolate: and nothing can be\ndiscovered therein. And the seas are vexed, and the mountains riven. And\nthe earth shaketh, and the winds keep steadily blowing. And, O Brahmana,\nwe do not know how to remedy, this. And every one is inactive like an\ninfidel. And the three worlds look as if stupified, with their minds\nexceedingly exercised. And by virtue of that mighty saint's energy, the\nsun itself hath been deprived of his splendour.\n\nTherefore, god, against the mighty _Muni_ bending his mind upon\ndestruction, and consuming the three entire worlds like unto the fire\nraging at the universal dissolution, that exalted one of exceeding\neffulgence resembling a flame, should be pacified. Even should he desire\nthe dominion of the celestial regions, do thou grant him his wish.[93]\nThen the celestials with Pilamaha at their head, addressed the\nhigh-souled Vicwamitra in sweet-words, saying,--'welcome, O Brahmarshi!\nwell pleased have we been with thy penances. And, O son of Kucika, in\nconsideration of thy fiery asceticism, thou hast obtained Brahmana-hood.\nAnd, O Brahmana, I will in company with the Maruts confer on thee long\nlife. Hail unto thee! Do thou accept this, good betide thee. Go thou, O\ngentle one, as thou likest? Hearing Pitamaha's speech, the mighty\nascetic, bowing down unto the celestials, said in delight,--'If\nBrahmana-hood hath really been obtained by me together with length of\ndays, let _Omkara_ and _Vashatkara_ and the Vedas crown me; and let, ye\ngods, that foremost of those versed in Kshatra Veda as well as of those\ncognizant of the Brahmaveda, even Brahma's son, Vasishtha, recognize me.\nHaving granted this prime desire of mine, do ye go away, ye gods.' Then\npacified by the celestials, that best of reciters, the Brahmarshi\nVasishtha, made friends (with Vicwamitra), saying,--'So be it.' 'Thou\nart a Brahmarshi. There is no doubt about this. And every thing hath\nbeen compassed in thy behalf,'--having said this, the deities went to\ntheir respective regions. And that Brahmarshi, the righteous Vicwamitra\nalso, having attained excellent Brahmana-hood, paid his homage unto that\nbest of reciters, Vasishtha; and having secured his end, began to range\nthe entire world, staying in asceticism. In this wise, O Rama, was\nBrahmanya actually obtained by the high-souled one. This, O Rama, is the\nforemost of ascetics,--this one is Asceticism incarnate. This one ever\nabideth by duty; and he is the stay of ascetic energy.\"\n\nHaving said this, that best of regenerate persons paused. Hearing\nSatananda's narration delivered in the presence of Rama and Lakshmana,\nJanaka with clasped hands addressed the son of Kucika, saying,--'Blessed\nand favored am I, that thou, O Kaucika, accompanied with Kakutstha, hast\narrived at my sacrifice, O puissant anchoret. Purified am I, O Brahmana,\nby thy very sight, O mighty _Muni_. And from thy sight have I received\nvarious qualities. O Brahmana, thy mighty austerities have been related\nin detail; and myself as well as the high-souled Rama have listened to\nthe narration relative to thy formidable ascetic energy; and the\nassembled courtiers have heard of thy various perfections. Immeasurable\nis thy asceticism; and immeasurable thy power; and ever immeasurable thy\nqualities, O Kucika's son. I never, O lord, am tired of listening to\nthat wonderful narration. Now, O foremost of ascetics, the hour for\nperforming the daily devotions hath arrived, and the solar disc hangeth\naslope. To-morrow morning, O highly energetic one, thou wilt see me\nagain. Welcome, best of reciters. It behoveth thee to favor me.\" Thus\naddressed, that best of ascetics, extolling that powerful one, well\npleased, dismissed the delighted Janaka. Thus accosted, Mithila's lord,\nVaideha, in company with his priests and friends, went round that\nforemost of ascetics. And the righteous Vicwamitra also together with\nRama and Lakshmana, having been honored by the high-souled ones, took up\ntheir quarters there.\n\n [92] _Lit_. grand-father. Here, a name of Brahma meaning, _the great\n father of all._--T\n\n [93] Some texts read _matam_, for _manas_--meaning the same.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXVI.\n\n\nThe next morning, which happened to be bright, the lord of men, having\nperformed his daily devotions, welcomed Vicwamitra and Raghava. And\nhaving, in accordance with the scriptures, paid homage unto the former\nas well as the two high-souled Raghavas, that virtuous one said,--\"Hail,\nO worshipful sir! What shall I do unto thee, O sinless one?\" Do thou\ncommand. Surely, I deserve to be commanded by thee. Thus addressed by\nthe high-souled Janaka, that first of ascetics endowed with a righteous\nsoul, well versed in speech, answered, --\"These sons of\nDacaratha--Kshatriyas--famed among men, are eager to behold that best of\nbows, that lies with thee. Do thou show it unto them, may it be well\nwith thee! Having obtained a sight of that bow, the king's sons, their\ndesires crowned with success, will return as they list.\" Thus accosted,\nJanaka replied unto the mighty _Muni_, saying,--\"Listen to why the bow\nlieth here. There was a king known by the name of Devarata. He was the\nelder brother of Nimi. And, O worshipful one, this bow was consigned\nunto the hands of that high-souled one as a trust. Formerly with the\nview of destroying Daksha's sacrifice, the puissant (Siva), drawing this\nbow, sportively spoke unto the celestials in ire, saying,-- 'Since, ye\ngods, ye deny me the shares (of this sacrifice), which I lay claim to, I\nwill with my bow even sever those beads of yours.' Thereat, O powerful\nascetic, with agitated hearts, the deities fell to propitiating that\nlord of the celestials,--and Bhava was pleased with them. And\nwell-pleased with them, he conferred this upon those high-souled ones.\nAnd even this is that jewel of a bow belonging to the high-souled god of\ngods, and which was ultimately, O lord, consigned as a trust unto our\nancestor. And as I was ploughing the mead, arose a damsel,--and as I\nobtained her while hallowing the field (for sacrifice), she hath come to\nbe known by the name of Sita. And arising from the earth, she grew as my\ndaughter. And unsprung from the usual source, she was then established\nhere as my daughter, whose hand must be obtained by bending the bow. And\nO foremost of ascetics, many a king, coming here, had saught to obtain\nmy growing daughter arisen from the earth. But, O worshipful one, in\nconsideration of her being one whose dower must be prowess in bending\nthe bow. I would not bestow my daughter upon those lords of earth\nseeking for the damsel. Thereupon O puissant anchoret, all the kings in\na body began to flock to Mithila, desirous of being acquainted with the\nstrength of the bow. And on their being curious (as to the bow), I\nshowed it unto them; but they could neither hold nor wield it. And, O\nmighty _Muni_, finding those powerful kings to be but endowed with small\nprowess, I parsed them by. Hear what then befell, O thou of ascetic\nwealth. Then, O powerful anchoret, in high ire, the kings, doubtful as\nto their strength in stringing the bow, laid siege to Mithila. And those\npotent princes, conceiving themselves as frustrated by me, began to\nharass the city of Mithila, waxing wondrous wroth. And when a year had\nbeen completed, my defensive resources were entirely exhausted,--and at\nthis, I was exceedingly aggrieved. Then I sought to propitiate the\ndeities; and well- pleased, the celestials granted me a _Chaturanga_\narmy. At length those wicked kings, meeting with slaughter, broke and\nfled in all directions, together with their adherents, bereft of vigor,\nand confidence in their strength. And, O puissant ascetic, this highly\neffulgent bow will I show unto Rama and Lakshmana, O thou of excellent\nvows. And, if, O ascetic, Rama succeeds in fixing string to it, I will\nconfer upon Dacaratha's son my daughter Sita, unsprung from the usual\nsource.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXVII.\n\n\nHearing Janaka' s words, the mighty _Muni_ Vicwamitra said unto the\nking,--\"Do thou show the bow unto Rama.\" Thereupon the king Janaka\ncommanded his ministers, saying,--\"Do ye bring the wonderful bow\nfurnished with unguents and garlands.\" Commanded by Janaka, the\nministers entered the city; and placing the bow in their front, those,\nendowed with immeasurable energy, came out And deposited in a case on a\ncart borne upon eight wheels, it was with difficulty drawn along by five\nthousand stalwart persons of well-developed frames. And having brought\nthat case of iron, wherein lay that bow, the royal counsellors spoke\nunto Janaka resembling an immortal, saying,--\"Here is the best of bows,\nO king, worshipped of all sovereigns. O foremost of kings, O lord of\nMithila, if you think it worth showing (shew it).\" Hearing their speech,\nthe king with clasped palms said unto the high-souled Vicwamitra well as\nRama and Lakshmana,--\"This best of bows, O Brahmana, hath always been\nworshipped by the Janakas; as also by mighty kings incapable (of\nwielding and stringing it.) And neither the celestials, nor the Asuras,\nnor the Rakshasas, nor the Gandharbas nor the Yakshas, nor the Kinnaras,\nnor the mighty Uragas,--how shall men fare?--have succeeded in stringing\nor stretching it, or fixing the arrow to it, or pulling its string, or\nwielding it. This foremost of bows hath been brought here, O chief of\nascetics. Do thou, O exalted one, show it unto these sons of the king.\"\nHearing Janaka,s words, the righteous Vicwamitra said unto Raghava,--\"O\nRama, do thou, my child, behold the bow.\" At the words of the Maharshi,\nRama, opening the case, wherein lieth the bow took a sight of it and\nsaid,--\"This divine bow will I touch with my hand,-- and shall I also\nstrive to wield and draw it?\" Thereat both the king and the ascetic\nsaid,--\"Excellent well.\" At the words of the anchoret, in the sight of\ncountless thousands of spectators, the righteous son of Raghu with\nexceeding ease took hold of the bow by the middle, and fixed the string\nupon it,--and having fixed the string, drew it. And that foremost of men\nenjoying high fame, snapped the bow in the middle. And mighty was the\nsound that was heard on the occasion, like unto the bursting of a\nthunder-clap: and the earth trembled terribly, as it doth in the\nvicinity of a mountain splitting; and overwhelmed by the noise, all\nrolled head over heels,with the exception of that best of ascetics, the\nking, and the two Raghavas. And on the people being reassured, the king\nconversant with speech, his apprehension removed, with folded hands\naddressed that puissant ascetic, saying,--\"O worshipful one, I have\nbeheld the prowess of Dacaratha's son. This is verily wonderful and\ninconceivable; and I did not think this was possible. And my daughter,\nSita, being united with her lord, Dacaratha's son, Rama, will shed\nlustre on Janaka's line. And my promise _viz_., that I will confer Sita\nupon him that will bend the bow, hath been fulfilled, O son of Kucika.\nAnd this Sita, this my daughter, dearer unto me than life will I confer\nupon Rama. And, O Brahmana, by thy permission let my counsellors\nspeedily post hence, O Kaucika, good betide thee unto Ayodhya, in cars;\nand with humble speech bring the king unto my capital. And let them\ncommunicate unto him all about the bestowal of Sita upon Rama, in\nconsequence of his having bent the bow. And let them acquaint the\nmonarch with the welfare of the Kakutsthas protected by the ascetic; and\nlet them, speedily posting here, bring the delighted king.\" And\nthereupon Kucika's son said,--\"So be it.\" And the righteous king,\nsummoning his counsellors, despatched them to Ayodhya with his letter,\nto communicate all duly unto the king, and bring him thither.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXVIII.\n\n\nThus commissioned by Janaka, the envoys, having spent three nights on\nthe way, entered the city of Ayodhya, with their conveyance afflicted\nwith fatigue. And in accordance with the royal commission, entering the\nking's residence, they saw the aged king Dacaratha, resembling a\ncelestial. And freed from apprehension, the envoys with clasped hands\naddressed the monarch in sweetly humble accents, saying,--\"O mighty\nmonarch, Mithila's lord king Janaka, in company with his priests, in\nsweet and affectionate words, repeatedly enquires after the complete\nwelfare of thyself along with thy priests and servants. And having\nenquired after thy complete welfare, Mithila's lord, Vaideha, by\npermission of Kaucika addresses thee thus,--'Thou knowest the vow I had\nmade formerly--_viz_, to confer my daughter upon him that would bend the\nbow,-- and the kings, in consequence of their having been deprived of\nprowess, and being baffled, have come to entertain spite against me. And\nthat daughter of mine, O king, hath been won by thy son arrived here at\nwill, headed by Vicwamitra. And, O mighty-armed one, that divine,\njewelled bow hath been snapped in the middle by the high-souled Rama in\nthe midst of a large assembly. And upon that high-souled one should I\nconfer Sita, having prowess assigned for her dower, And in this wise\nwill I free myself from my vow; and this thou shouldst permit. And, O\nmighty king, do thou, good betide thee, come speedily, headed by thy\npriests. It behoveth thee to see the Raghavas; and, O foremost of kings,\nto see me delivered from this vow. And do thou attain the joy incident\nto the nuptials of both thy sons,'--thus spoke sweetly the lord of\nVideha, permitted by Vicwamitra and staying by the opinions of\nSatananda.\" Hearing the words of the envoys, the king, exceedingly\nrejoiced, addressed Vasishtha and Vamadeva, as well as his counsellors,\nsaying,-- \"Protected by Kucika's son, that enhancer of Kaucalya's joy\nstayeth in Videha in company with his brother Lakshmana. And the\nhigh-souled Janaka hath witnessed the prowess of Kakutstha; and he\nwisheth to bestow his daughter upon Raghava. If this alliance with the\nhigh-souled Janaka is relished by ye, we shall speedily repair to his\ncapital. Let there be no waste of time.\" Thereupon, the counsellors\nalong with the Maharshis said,--\"Excellent!' And the king highly\ndelighted, said unto the counsellors,--\"Our journey commenceth on the\nmorrow.\" And excellently ministered unto, the counsellors of that\nforemost of monarchs (Janaka), endowed with every excellent quality,\nspent that night in joy.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXIX.\n\n\nThen when the night had been spent, king Dacaratha accompanied with his\npriests and adherents, well pleased spoke unto Sumantra,\nsaying,--\"To-day let the officers in charge of the treasury, taking\nplenty of excellent wealth, and furnished with various gems, go in\nadvance under proper escort. And let the four-fold forces sally out with\nspeed. And at my command let horses and conveyances and elegant vehicles\nmarch out. And let Vasishtha and Vamadeva and Javali and Kacyapa and\nMarkandeya endowed with long life and the saint Katyayana--let these\nregenerate ones go forward. And do thou also yoke my car. Let not the\nproper time pass away; for the envoys urge speed upon me.\" At these\nwords of the king, the four-fold forces together with the saints went in\nthe wake of the monarch. And after bar- ing passed four days on the way,\nthey arrived at Videha.\n\nAnd hearing of Dacaratha's arrival, the auspicious king Janaka\nexperienced great delight, and having obtained the aged king Dacaratha,\nhe honored him duly.[94] And that best one (Janaka) spoke words unto\nthat delighted chief of men. \"Hath thy journey been a pleasant one, O\nbest of men? By luck have I obtained thee, O descendant of Raghu. Do\nthou experience the joy earned by the prowess of thy sons. And by luck\nit is that I have obtained the highly energetic and worshipful saint\nVashistha accompanied by the foremost regenerate ones, like him of an\nhundred sacrifices, by the celestials. By luck it is that I have\novercome the obstacle; by luck it is that my race hath attained\nrenown,in consequence of alliance with those endowed with prowess, the\nexceedingly potent Raghavas. O lord of men, to-morrow morning, after the\ncompletion of the sacrifice, do thou perform the nuptials, in company\nwith the foremost of the saints.\" Hearing his speech in the midst of the\nsaints, that best of those conversant with words, the lord of men,\nreplied unto the monarch, saying,--\"A gift should be accepted,--this I\nheard formerly. And what thou sayest, O thou cognizant of duty, will we\naccomplish.\" Hearing these words of the truthful (king), chiming in with\nmorality and conducive to fame, the lord of Videha was filled with\nadmiration. Then the ascetics experiencing great delight, passed the\nnight happily in each other's company. And the king, overjoyed on\nbeholding his sons, the Raghavas--passed (the night) in exceeding\ndelight, splendidly entertained of Janaka. And the exceedingly energetic\nJanaka also, versed in men and things, having in accordance with the\nordinance completed the sacrifice and performed all the preliminary\nrites relative to the nuptials of his daughters, reposed for the night.\n\n [94] The text: _And hearing of Dasaratha's arrival, the auspicious king\n Janaka honored him duly; and having obtained the aged monarch\n Dasaratha, he being delighted experienced the excess of joy_.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXX.\n\n\nThen next morning Janaka skilled in speech, having in company with the\nMaharshis performed his daily duties, addressed the priest Satananda,\nsaying,--\"My highly energetic, puissant and eminently righteous brother\nknown by the name of Kusadhwaja dwelleth in the auspicious city,\nSankacya, whose ramparts are ranged round with pointed weapons, and\nwhich is laved by the river Ikshumati, and which resembles the celestial\nregions or the aerial car, Pushpaka. I wish to see him, and he is in\ncharge of my sacrifice. And that highly energetic one will partake with\nme the joy of this occasion.\" This having been said unto Satananda, some\ncompetent persons presented themselves; and Janaka commanded them (to\nset out) for Sankacya. And commanded by the monarch, off they went,\nmounting on fleet coursers, with the view of bringing over that best\namong men, like Vishnu at the mandate of Indra. And arriving at\nSankacya, they presented themselves before Kucadhwaja, and faithfully\ndelivered unto him the intention of Janaka. And hearing the tidings\nconveyed by those foremost of envoys endowed with great fleetness,\nKucadhwaja set out at the mandate of the monarch. And on coming to\nVideha, he appeared before the high-souled Janaka addicted to\nrighteousness. And saluting Satananda as well as the eminently virtuous\nJanaka, he sat down on an excellent and superb seat worthy of a king.\nAnd having been seated, both the heroic brothers of immeasurable\nsplendour addressed that foremost of counsellors, Sudamana,\nsaying,--\"Go, foremost of counsellors, and speedily bring over the\nirrepressible Ikshwaku of immeasurable splendour along with his sons and\nministers.\" Thereupon, repairing to the camp he saw that enhancer of the\nrace of the Raghus, and saluting him with bended head, addressed\nhim,--\"O heroic lord of Ayodhya, Vaideha, the master of Mithila, hath\nwished to see thee along with thy priests.\" Hearing the words of that\nbest of counsellors, the king accompanied by the saints and his\nadherents came to Janaka. And in company with his counsellors, and\npreists and adherents, the king-foremost of those skilled in\nspeech--spoke unto Vaideha, saying,--\"O mighty king, tbow knowest that\nthe worshipful saint Vasishtha is the spiritual guide of our race; and\nin every ceremony that we undertake, he it is who serves the function of\na spokesman. And permitted by Vicwamitra along with all the Maharshis,\neven this one of a righteous soul will relate my genealogy.\" And on\nDacaratha resuming silence, the worshipful saint Vasishtha, versed in\nspeech, spoke unto Vaideha in company with his priests, saying--\"The\nperpetual, everlasting, and undeteriorating Brahma sprang from the\nUnmanifest (Brahma). From him sprang Maricha; and Kacyapa is son unto\nMaricha. And from Kacyapa sprung Vivaswat; and Manu is son unto\nVivasvvat.[95] This Manu is otherwise called Prajipati; and Ikshwaku is\nManu's son. And this Ikshwaku, thou must understand, was the first king\nof Ayodhya And Ikshwaku's son, it is well known, was the graceful\nKukshi. And Kukshi's son was the graceful Vikukshi.[96] And Vikukshi's\nson was the exceedingly energetic and powerful Vana. And Vana's son was\nthe highly energetic and powerful Anaranya. From Anaranya sprang Prithu;\nand from Prithu, Trisanku. And Trisanku's son was the highly famous\nDhundumara. And from Dhundumara sprung the Maharatha, Yuvanacya. And\nfrom Yuvanacya sprung Mandhata, lord of earth. And Mandhata's son was\nthe graceful Susandhi. And Susandhi's two sons were Dhruvasandhi and\nPrasenajit. And from Dhruvasandhi sprung the famous Bharata. And from\nBharata sprung Asita; to fight whom were born as hostile kings, those\nheroes, the Haihayas, the Talajanghas, and the Sasavindas. And engaged\nin conflict with them, that king fled (from his kingdom); and repairing\nto the Himavat in company with his two consorts, the feeble Asita there\npaid his debt to Nature. The story runs that his two wives were in the\nfamily-way; and that with the intention of destroying the embryo of the\nother, one of them administered poison unto the former mixed in her\nfood. And it came to pass that at this time, Bhrigu's son, the ascetic\nChyavana, had become addicted to the romantic Himavat-- foremost of\nmountains. And here one of these exalted dames with eyes resembling\nlotus-petals, saluting Bhrigu's son shining like a celestial, desired of\nhim an excellent son. And drawing near unto that sage, Kalindi saluted\nhim. And that Vipra said unto her, who was desiring of having a son born\nof her,--\"In thy womb, O exalted one, will be speedily born an excellent\nson mixed up with poison, highly powerful, and exceedingly energetic,\nand possessed of mighty strength, and graceful. Therefore, do thou not\ngrieve, O thou of lotus-eyes.\" And having paid reverence unto Chyavana,\nthat chaste and worshipful princess, although bereft of her husband,\ngave birth to a son. And since intending to destroy her foetus she that\nwas co-wife with her had administered poison unto her, _Sagara_[97] was\nborn together with the poison.\n\nAnd Sagara's son was Asamanja,and Asamanja's Ancumat. And Dilipa was son\nunto Ancumat, and Bhagiratha unto Dilipa. And from Bhagiratha sprang\nKakutstha, and from Kakutstha, Raghu. And Raghu's son was the puissant\nPravridha, feeding on human flesh; and he came finally to be known by\nthe name of Kalmashapada.[98] And from him sprung Sankhana. And\nSudarcana was Sankhana's, and Agnivarna was Sudarcana's son. And\nSighraga was Agnivarna's, and Maru was Sighraga's son. And Maru's son\nwas Pracucruka, and from Pracucruka sprung Amvarisha. And Amvarisha's\nson was Nahusha, lord of earth. And Nahusha's son was Yayati, and\nYayati's was Nabhaga. And Nabhaga's son was Aja, and from Aja sprung\nDacaratha. And from this Dacaratha have come the brothers Rama and\nLakshmana. And it is in the interests of Rama and Lakshmana belonging to\nthe heroic and truthful and pious Sovereigns sprung in the Ikshwaku\nline, and possessing purity of race even from the time of their founder,\nthat, O king, we solicit the hands of thy daughters. And, O foremost of\nmen, it behoveth thee to confer like brides upon like bridegrooms.\"\n\n [95] The Bengal Text reads: _From Maricha sprang Angiras; and his son\n was Prachetas; and Manu is Prachetas' son_.--T.\n\n [96] The Bengal Text: _From Ikshwaku sprung Vikukshi_.--T\n\n [97] _Gara, poison. Sagara_ means, _with poison_, i. e. here, _one born\n with poison_.--T.\n\n [98] He incurred Vasishtha's curse, and was turned into Rakshasa. He\n took up water, intending to clear scores with Vasishtha; but at\n the request of his wife, desisted, pouring down the water at his\n own feet. Hence the name of Kalmashapada.-- T.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXI.\n\n\nWhen Vasishtha had spoken thus, Janaka with clasped hands answered unto\nhim, saying,--\"It behoveth thee to listen unto our genealogy as related\nby myself. In the matter of disposal of daughters, O foremost of\nanchorets, one's own line should be described by one boasting of a noble\nancestry. Do thou then, O mighty-minded one, listen to the same. There\nwas a king famed over the three worlds by his own acts--Nimi--eminently\npious and the foremost of those endowed with strength. And his son was\nnamed Mithi, and Mithi's son was Janaka. And from this king Janaka have\nwe derived that word as applied to every one of us. And from Janaka\nsprang Udavasu; and Udavasu's son was the pious-souled Nandivardhana.\nAnd Nandivardhan's son was the heroic Suketu. And Suketu's son was the\nmighty and righteous Devarata. And the Rajarshi Devarata's son was\nVrihadratha. And Vrihadratha's son was the heroic and puissant Mahavira.\nAnd Mahavira's son was Sudhriti, endowed with fortitude and having truth\nfor prowess. And Sudhriti's son was the pious-spirited and eminently\nrighteous Dhritaketu. And the Rajarshi Dhritaketu's son was Haryyacya.\nAnd Haryyacya's son was Maru; and Maru's son was Pratindhaka. And\nPratindhaka's son was the righteous king Kirtiratha. And Kirtiratha* s\nson was Devamirha, and Devamirha's, Vibudha, and Vibudha's Mahidhraka.\nAnd Mahidhraka's son was king Kirtiratha endowed with great strength.\nAnd the Rajarshi Kirtiratha had Moharoma born unto him; and Moharoma,\nthe virtuous Sarnaroma. And the Rajarshi Sarnaroma had Hraswaroma born\nunto him. And this high-souled king conversant with morality had two\nsons: the elder, myself, the younger, even my brother, the heroic\nKucadhwaja. And installing in the kingdom myself, who was the elder son,\nand consigning unto my care Kucadhwaja, our father sought the forest.\nAnd on my aged sire ascending heaven, I righteously ruled the kingdom\nand cherished my brother Kucadhwaja resembling a celestial, with the eye\nof affection. And it came to pass that on one occasion a certain\npowerful king named Sudhanwa came from the city of Sankacya before\nMithila intending to lay seige to it. And he sent word unto me,\nsaying,--'Do thou give me the all-excellent bow of Siva, as well as thy\ndaughter, the lotus-eyed Sita'. And in consequence of my not granting\nhim either, king Sudhanwa, O Brahmarshi, entered into hostilities with\nme; but he was both defeated and slain by me in the encounter. And, O\nforemost of ascetics, slaying king Sudhanwa, I installed in Sankacya my\nheroic brother Kucadhwaja. This one, O mighty anchoret, is my younger\nbrother, and I am his elder. O powerful ascetic, well pleased will I\nconfer on thee these as thy daughters-in-law,--Sita on Rama, good betide\nthee, and Urmila on Lakshmana. And, I take oath thrice that, without\ndoubt, I will with a glad heart confer upon thee, O potent ascetic, as\nthy daughters- in-law my second daughter Urmila and also Sita resembling\nthe daughter of a celestial, having prowess assigned for her dower. Do\nthou now, O king, perform the ceremony _Godana_ of the nuptials of Rama\nand Lakshmana; and also perform their ancestral rites, good unto thee;\nand then complete the marriage ceremony. To-day the star Magha is on the\nascendant. On the third day, my master, when the Phalguna will be on\nnorth, do thou, O monarch, perform the marriage ceremony. Do thou now,\nhowever, dispense gifts for invoking blessings upon Rama and Lakshmana.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXII.\n\n\nWhen Vaideha had spoken thus, the mighty ascetic Vicwamitra in company\nwith Vasishtha addressed that heroic king, saying,--\"O puissant one, the\nlines of the Ikshwakus and the Vaidehas are exceedingly noble and\nincomparable. No other race can by any means compare with them. And, O\nmonarch, this youthful union of Rama and Lakshmana with Sita! and Urmila\nis fit by all means; and it is worthy of their wealth of grace. Now do\nthou, O foremost of men, listen to my words. This youthful brother of\nthine, king Kucadhwaja, O thou versed in morality, this pious-souled\none, O king, hath, O prime of men, a couple of daughters, unparalleled\non earth in beauty, whom we would ask for, to become wives unto the\nprince Bharata and the intelligent Satrughna; as we, O king, ask for\nthine own daughters in the interests of those high-souled ones (Rama and\nLakshmana). And these sons of Dacaratha are endeued with youth and\nbeauty, resembling the Lokapalas, and possessed of the prowess of\ncelestials. Therefore do thou, O foremost of sovereigns, by this\nalliance with both the brothers, bind the Ikshwaku race. And in this may\nthy mind never waver!\" Hearing Vicwamitra's words embodying' the\nsentiments of Vasishtha, Janaka with clasped hands addressed both the\npotent ascetics, saying,--\"I consider my line as blessed; since such\npuissant ascetics wish for such a desirable alliance. Whatever ye wish,\neven that shall be done, good betide ye. Let these daughters of\nKucadhwaja together become the wives of Satrughna and Bharata. On the\nsame day, O mighty Muni, let the four highly powerful princes espouse\nthe hands of the four princesses. The learned consider bridal celebrated\non the day succeeding those on which the Phalgunis are on the\nascendant,--and having for its presiding deity Bhaga--as the most\nauspicious.\" Having said these amiable words, king Janaka arose, and\nwith clasped hands addressed both the foremost of ascetics, saying,--\"I\nhave reaped high religious merit (by these nuptials), and I also am your\ndisciple. And do ye, ye anchorets, occupy these best of thrones,\n(belonging to us). And even as this kingdom is unto Dacaratha, is\nAyodhya unto myself. Do ye not therefore entertain any doubts as to your\nlordship. Do ye therefore do as it behoveth ye.\" And as Vaideha Janaka\nwas speaking thus, Raghu's son, king Dacaratha, well pleased answered\nthat monarch, saying, --\"Countless are the excellences that pertain to\nye brothers, lords of Mithila\"; and saints and sovereigns are ever\nhonored by ye,[99] auspiciousness be yours. Good betide ye, I will\nrepair unto my own quarters, there to duly perform the Sraddha\nceremonies.\" Then having greeted that king of men, the illustrious\nDacaratha, placing those foremost of ascetics in his front, went away.\nAnd reaching his quarters, the king performed the Sraddha according to\nthe ordinance, arose the next morning, and completed _Godana_ ceremony\nin consonance with the time. And to Brahmanas the monarch severally gave\naway kine by hundreds and by thousands, for the welfare of his sons. And\nthat puissant one gave away unto the regenerate ones four hundred\nthousands of kine furnished with horns plated with gold, and each having\nher calf,--together with bell-metal vessels for milking them. And that\ndescendant of Raghu addicted to his sons made presents of various other\nvaluables unto the Brahmanas, on behalf of his sons. And having given\naway kine, the king surrounded by his sons looked like unto the amiable\nPrajapati[100] surrounded by the Lokapalas.\n\n [99] The commentator here seems to be in fault. He explains,-- \"By you\n have your royal ancestors been honored.\" Evidently an error. I\n differ from him. The particle _cha (and)_ makes the point clear.--\n T.\n\n[100] The Bengal text--_Like Prajapati himself_.-- T.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXII.\n\n\nAnd it came to pass that the day on which the king made excellent\npresents of kine, the heroic Yudhajit, son unto the lord of the Kekayas\nand maternal uncle unto Bharata, presented himself before Dacaratha. And\nhaving seen the king and enquired after his welfare, he said unto\nhim,--\"The lord of the Kekayas hath from affection enquired after thy\nwelfare, saying,--'They of whose peace thou art anxious, are at present\nwell.' And, O foremost of kings, desirous of seeing my nephew (Bharata)\nthat lord of earth repaired to Ayodhya, O descendant of Raghu. And\nlearning at Ayodhya that thy sons for the purpose of marriage had, O\nmonarch, come to Mithila with thyself, I have speedily hied hither, with\nthe intention of seeing my sister's son.\"\n\nThen king Dacaratha, on having that dear guest with him, rendered unto\nhim all the respect that he deserved. Then having passed the night in\ncompany with his high-souled sons, that one versed in men and things\narose in the morning, and having disposed of his daily duties,\napproached the entrance of the sacrificial ground, headed by the saints.\nThen at an auspicious moment called Vijaya, Rama with Vasishtha as well\nas other Maharshis at his head, and accompanied by his brothers adorned\nwith various ornaments, who had all performed the rites relative to\ntheir nuptials, (approached the entrance of the sacrificial ground).\nThen the worshipful Vasishtha, coming unto Vaideha, spake as\nfollows,--\"King Dacaratha, O foremost of sovereigns--that chief among\nthe best of men--accompanied with his sons, who have performed all the\nrites relative to their nuptials, stayeth the orders of the bestower (of\nthe bride); for the meeting of the giver and the receiver is\nindispensable to every transaction (of this nature). Do thou therefore\nmaintain thy merit by accomplishing this excellent nuptial ceremony.\"\nThus addressed by the high-souled Vasishtha, that exceedingly generous\nand energetic one versed in morality answered, saying,--\"Who acts as my\nwarder there? And whose commands doth he stay? And what need of\nexercising judgment in entering one's own house? As this kingdom is\nmine, so it is verily thine. O foremost of anchorets, my daughters\nresembling flames of fire, having performed all the rites relative to\nthe incoming nuptials, are at the foot of the dais; and, sitting beside\nthe dais, I myself had been expecting thee every moment. Do thou perform\neverything without let. What need of delaying further?\" Hearing those\nwords uttered by Janaka, Dacaratha entered in together with his sons and\nthe body of saints. Then unto the king of the Videhas, Vasishtha spake\nas follows,--\"O saint, do thou, O pious one, in company with the saints\nperform, O master, the nuptial ceremonies of Rama charming unto all.\"\nThereupon, saying,--\"So be it\" unto Janaka, the worshipful saint\nVasishtha of mighty austerities with Vicwamitra and the pious Satananda\nin his front, constructed a dais agreeably to the scriptures, decking it\nout with fragrant flowers all around, and golden ladles, and variegated\nwater- pots, and platters with ears of barley, and censers filled with\n_Dkupa_, and conchs, and sacrificial spoons, and vessels furnished with\n_Arghyas_, and those containing fried paddy, and sanctified _Akshatas_.\nAnd over the dais, Vasishtha with due _mantras_ and rites spread an\nawning consisting of _Darvas_ of equal proportions. And with prescribed\nrites and _mantras_ placing fire upon the dais, the highly energetic one\ncommenced upon offering oblations. Then bringing Sita adorned with\nvarious ornaments near the fire, and placing her before Raghava, king\nJanaka addressed the enhancer of Kaucalya's joy, saying,--\"This Sita, my\ndaughter, do thou accept, good betide thee, as thy partner in the\nobservance of every duty: do thou take her hand by thine. May she be of\nexalted piety, and devoted to her husband; ever following thee like thy\nshadow!\" saying this, the king sprinkled Rama's palm with water\nsanctified with _mantras_; with the celestials and saints\nexclaiming,--\"Excellent! Excellent!\" And the celestial kettle-drums\nsounded, and blossoms began to shower down copiously. Having thus given\naway his daughter Sita, with water and _mantras_, king Janaka\noverflowing with delight, said,--\"Come forward, O Lakshmana, good unto\nthee. Receive thou Urmila ready to be bestowed by me upon thee. Do thou\naccept her hand: let there be no delay about it.\" Having addressed\nLakshmana thus, Janaka spake unto Bharata, saying,--\"Do thou, O\ndescendant of Raghu, take Mandavya's hand by thine own.\" And the\nrighteous lord of Mithila spake also unto Satrughna, saying,--\"Do thou,\nO thou of mighty arms, take Srutakirti's hand by thine own. May ye all\nbe good, and vowed unto excellent life! and be, ye Kakutsthas, ye united\nwith your wives. Let there be no delay about it.\" Hearing Janaka's\nspeech, those four perpetuators of Raghu's line, staying by Vasishtha's\nopinions, taking the hands of the four brides with their owil, went\nround the sacrificial fire, and the dais, and the king, and the\nhigh-souled saints; and in company with their wives, agreeably to\ndirection entered into matrimony in accordance with the ordinance. And\nthere was a mighty shower of shining blossoms from the firmament\naccompanied with the sounds of celestial kettle-drums, and choiring and\ninstrumental music. And the Apsaras danced and the Gandharbas sang\nmelodiously, at the bridal of the foremost of the Raghus. And this\nseemed wonderful to witness. And to the blowing of trumpets, those\nexceedingly puissant ones, thrice going round the fire, in company with\ntheir wives went to the encampment. And the king,having seen that all\nthe auspicious ceremonies were performed, went in their wake,\naccompanied by the sages and his adherents.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXIV.\n\n\nThen when the night had passed away, the mighty _Muni_ Vicwamitra,\nhaving greeted the monarch, set out for the Northern mountains. And when\nVicwamitra had gone away, king Dacaratha, greeting Mitbila's lord,\nVaideha, actively prepared for setting out for his own capital. And then\nthe king of the Videhas gave a dower consisting of various things. And\nMithila's lord gave many hundred thousands of kine, and excellent woolen\nstuffs, and _Kotis_ of common cloths; and elephants, and horses, and\ncars, and foot men, as well as an hundred damsels adorned, endowed with\nelegance, to form goodly waiting-maids. And well- pleased the king gave\nas a noble dower gold and silver and pearls and coral. And having given\ndivers kinds of articles, that king, the lord of Mithila, bidding adieu\nto the monarch (Dacaratha), re-entered his own capital. And the master\nof Ayodhya accompanied with his high-souled sons, and headed by the\nsaints in a body, started on the journey, followed by his army and\nattendants. And as that tiger-like one was on his way, in company with\nRaghava and the saints, the fowls began to utter frightful cries all\naround, and the beasts on earth to stream in a Southern direction. And\nbeholding them, that tiger like monarch asked Vasishtha, saying,--\n\"Those birds of fierce aspects emit frightful cries and beasts stream in\na Southerly direction. What is this? My heart trembleth and my mind is\nnot at ease.\" Hearing the speech of king Dacaratha, that mighty saint\nspake sweetly, saying, \"Hear what would be the result of it. These fowls\nof the air by their cries presage some dreadful impending evil; but\nthese beasts betoken peace restored. Therefore do thou renounce\nanxiety.\" And as they were thus conversing, there blew a strong wind,\nshaking all the earth, and breaking down the trees. And a deep gloom\nenveloped the sun; and no quarter could be discovered. And enveloped in\nashes, that host became stupified. And at that dreadful hour, Vasishtha\nand the other saints and the king with his sons alone retained their\nsenses, all else were deprived of their senses, and the army was\nenveloped with ashes. And the king saw that repressor of kings, the\ndecendant of Bhrigu, Jamadagni's son, dreadful to behold, wearing a head\nof matted locks, irrepresible like unto Kailaca, and unbearable like\nunto the fire at the universal dissolution, flaming fn energy, incapable\nof being looked at by the unrighteous, with his axe on his shoulder,\nequipped with a bow like unto the lightning, and fierce arrows, looking\nlike Siva the slayer of Tripura. And beholding him of dreadful\nappearance like unto flaming fire, the Vipras headed by Vicwamitra,\nengaged in reciting _mantras_ and offering oblations unto the fire,--\nthose saints assembled together--began to converse with each other.,\nsaying,--\"Is this one, enraged because of the slaughter of his sire,\nintent upon exterminating the Kshatriyas? Formerly, having slaughtered\nthe Kshatriyas, he pacified his ire and mental ferment,--therefore, to\nannihilate the Kshatriyas once again can never be his endeavour.\" Having\nsaid this, the saints offered _Arghya_ unto Bhrigu's son of dreadful\nappearance; and addressed him in soothing words, saying,--\"O Rama! O\nRama.\" Accepting that homage rendered unto him by the saints, that\npuissant one, Jamadagni's son, Rama, addressed Rama, the son of\nDacaratha.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXV.\n\n\n\"O Rama, son of Dacaratha, I have, O hero, heard of thy wonderful\nprowess; and I have also heard all about thy breaking of the bow. And\nhaving heard of that wonderful and inconceivable breaking of the bow, I\nhave bent my steps hither, taking another auspicious bow. Do thou\nstretch it, fix the arrow upon this mighty and dreadful bow, belonging\nto Jamadagni; and thus display thy prowess. Then, having witnessed thy\nmight in stretching the bow, I shall offer thee combat, laying under\ncontribution our utmost strength.\" Hearing his words, king Dacaratha\nwith a blank countenance, and clasped hands, said,--\"Thou hast quenched\nthy ire against the Kshatriyas; and, moreover, thou art a Brahmana\nboasting of high austerities. It therefore behoveth thee to dispel the\nfears of my sons who are boys. Thou bringest thy life from the race of\nthe Bhargavas engaged in observing vows, and studying the Veda; and thou\nhast renounced arms vowing in the presence of the thousand-eyed one. And\nembracing a life of righteousness, thou didst confer the earth upon\nKacyapa; and repaired to the forest, making the Mahendra hill thy home.\nO mighty _Muni_, thou hast come here to compass the destruction of my\nall; but if Rama be slain, we shall never live.\" Thus addressed by\nDacaratha, the powerful son of Jamadagni, disregarding his words, thus\naddressed Rama,--\"These two foremost of bows, extraordinary, and\nworshipped of all the worlds, and stout, and powerful, surpassingly\nexcellent, were constructed with care by Vicwakarma. And, one of these,\nO foremost of men, for the destruction of Tripura, the celestials gave\nunto Tramvaka, desirous of encounter,--even that which, O Kakutstha,\nthou hast snapped. And this second, which is irrepressible, was given to\nVishnu, by the chiefs of the celestials. And, O Rama, this bow belonging\nunto Vishnu, capable of conquering hostile cities, is, O Kakutstha,\nequal in energy unto the bow belonging unto Rudra. Once on a time the\ndeities, with the object of ascertaining the respective prowess of\nVishnu and the blue-throated one, asked the great father, about it.\nThereupon the great father,foremost of those abiding by truth --reading\nthe intention of the deities, fomented a quarrel between them. And upon\nthat quarrel breaking out among the deities, there took place a mighty\ncontest capable of making one's hair stand on end, between Vishnu and\nthe blue-throated one, each burning to beat the other down. Then on\nVishnu uttering a roar, Siva's bow of dreadful prowess became flaccid.\nAnd thereupon the three-eyed Mahadeva became moveless. And upon the\nassembled gods with the saints and the Charanas beseeching those two\nforemost of celestials, they became pacified. And upon beholding that\nbow of Siva rendered flaccid by Vishnu's prowess, the deities with the\nsaints acknowledged Vishnu as the more powerful. And the enraged Rudra\nof high fame made over the bow along with its shafts unto the hands of\nthe Rajarshi, Devarata of Videha. And, O Rama, this bow belonging to\nVishnu, capable of conquering hostile cities, Vishnu consigned to\nBhrigu's son, Richika, as a worthy trust. And the exceedingly energetic\nRichika made over the divine bow unto his son of immeasurable prowess,\nmy sire the high-souled son of Jamadagni. And once on a time, on my sire\nsurcharged with ascetic energy, renouncing the bow, Arjuna, under the\ninfluence of unrighteous sentiment, compassed the death of my father.\nThereupon, learning of the lamentable and untoward slaughter of my sire,\nI from ire, annihilated the Kshatriyas, springing up afresh by numbers,\nthen bringing under sway the whole earth, I, O Rama, on the sacrifice\nbeing over, conferred it upon the righteous Kacyapa as Dakshina. Having\nmade this gift, I was dwelling in the Mahendra hill equipped with\nascetic energy, when, hearing of thy snapping of the bow, I have\nspeedily come hither. Do thou now, O Rama, agreeably to the cannon of\nthe Kshatriya morality, take this excellent and mighty bow of Vishnu,\nthat had belonged to my father and grand-father. And do thou set upon\nthis best of bows an arrow capable of conquering hostile cities. And, O\nKakutstha, if thou succeed, I shall then offer thee combat.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXVI.\n\n\nHearing Jamadagni's words, the son of Dacaratha, in consideration of the\npresence of his father, said these words in subdued tone,--\"O Bhrigu's\nson, I have heard of the deeds thou hast performed, resolved on avenging\nthy sire. O Brahmana, I acknowledge that. But, O Bhargava, thou\ninsultest me abiding by the Kshatriya duties, as pusillanimous or devoid\nof prowess. Do thou to-day witness my energy and vigor.\" Saying this,\nthe enraged Raghava, endowed with fleet vigor, took up Bhrigu's noble\nbow, together with the shaft, from his hand. And fixing the string upon\nit he set the arrow. And then Rama enraged addressed Jamadagni's son,\nRama, saying,--\"Thou art a Brahmana and through Vicwamitra, art worthy\nof my homage. Therefore it is, O Rama,that I cannot let go this\nlife-destroying shaft. Which of these shall I reduce to aught, O\nRama,--thy aerial course, or the merit thou hast attained through thy\nasceticism of ascending unto certain incomparable regions? This\ncelestial arrow sprung from Vishnu, capable of conquering hostile towns,\nnever hiteth fruitless, with energy destroying the pride of prowess of\nfoes.\" And with the object of beholding Rama holding that foremost of\nweapons, there assembled in a body the celestials and the saints, with\nthe great father at their head. And the Gandharbas and the Apsaras and\nthe Siddhas and the Charanas and the Kinnaras and the Yakshas and the\nRakshasas and the Nagas assembled to behold that mighty wonder. And on\nBhargava's energy having passed into Rama bearing that best of bows,\nJamadagni's son became bereft of prowess, and Rama (Paracurama) kept\nsteadily eying Rama. And rendered inert in consequence of his energy\nhaving been dispelled by Rama's own, Jamadagna mildly addressed Rama of\neyes like lotus petals, saying,--\"When formerly I gave away the earth\nunto Kacyapas he said unto me,--Thou must no longer stay in my\ndominions. And in consonance with the words of my spiritual guide, ever\nsince that time I have never spent a night on earth. Even this had been\npromised by me, O Kakutstha. Therefore, O hero, it behoveth thee not to\ndestroy my course, O descendant of Raghu. With the speed of the mind\nshall I now wend my way to the Mahendra, best of hills. And, O Rama, the\nregions I have conquered by my asceticism do thou destroy with that\nforemost of arrows: let there be no delay about it. Even from thy\nhandling of this bow I know thee to be the chief of the celestials even\nthat eternal one, the slayer of Madhu. Hail to thee, O vanquisher of\nfoes! And all these celestials assembled are beholding thee, of\nunparalleled deeds, and without an antagonist in fight.--And, O\nKakutstha, neither ought I to be ashamed (because of this discomfiture);\nI have been baffled by the lord himself of the three worlds. And it\nbehoveth, O Rama to disengage this peerless shaft (from the bow), O\nthou--of noble vows; and on thy shooting the shaft, I shall repair to\nthat foremost of mountains, the Mahendra. When Jamadagni's son, Rama,\nhad said this, the puissant and graceful son of Dacaratha shot that\nexcellent arrow. And witnessing the destruction by Rama of his regions\nearned by his own austerities, Jamadagni's son speedily started for that\nbest of mountains, the Mahendra. And then all the quarters became\ncleared of gloom; and the celestials and saints fell to extol Rama when\nhe had shot the arrow. And that lord, Jamadagni's son Rama, having gone\nround Rama, the son of Dacaratha, and honored (by all), set out (for his\nown quarters).\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXVII.\n\n\n\"When Rama had departed, Dacaratha's son the illustrious Rama, of serene\nsoul, made over the bow unto the hands of Varuna of immeasurable\nstrength. Then saluting the saints headed by Vasishtha, Rama, the\ndescendant of Raghu, seeing his father stupified, addressed him,\nsaying-- \"Now that Jamadagni's son Rama hath gone away, let the\nfour-fold forces maintained by thee as their lord, march in the\ndirection of Ayodhya.\" Hearing Rama's words, king Dacaratha embraced his\nson with his arms, and smelt Raghava's crown; and hearing that Rama had\ngone, the monarch became exceedingly delighted,--and considered himself\nand his son as having attained a second birth. And he urged on his army,\nand speedily arrived at the city, graced round with standards bearing\npennons, and lovely to behold, and resounding with the sounds of\ntrumpets, with its high-ways watered, and beauteous, and sprinkled\naround with flowers, crowded with citizens looking cheerful on account\nof the king's approach, bearing auspicious articles in their hands, and\nbeautified with the vast concourse of people. And receivced by the\ncitizens as well as the regenerate ones inhabiting the city coming\nforward a long way, and followed by his graceful sons, the handsome\nMajesty of ilustrious name, entered his own dear residence, like unto\nthe Himavat. And entertained by his own relatives with all objects of\nenjoyment, the monarch rejoiced exceedingly. And Kaucalya and Sumitra\nand the slender waisted Kaikeyi, together with other wives of the king,\nwere busy, receiving the brides, with the necessary ceremonies. And the\nroyal spouses received the exalted Sita and the famous Urmila and both\nthe daughters of Kucadhwaja, graced with silken apparel, with _homas_\nperformed and blessings invoked, on their behalf. And having paid\nreverence at the abodes of the gods, and rendered homage unto those that\ndeserved the same, the daughters of the kings, well pleased, in private,\ntook joy with their husbands. And having attained brides, and arms, with\nwealth and friends, those foremost of men, engaged in ministering unto\ntheir father.\n\nAnd once on a time that descendant of Raghu, king Dacaratha addressed\nBharata, saying,--\"O son, this son of the king of the Kekayas thy uncle,\nYudhajit stayeth here, that hero, having come to take thee over.\" And\nhearing these words of Dacaratha, Kaikeyi's son, Bharata, prepared for\nthe journey, together with Satrughna. And having greeted his father, and\nRama of unflagging energy, and his mothers, that foremost of men, the\nheroic (Bharata) departed with Satrughna. And having Bharata as well as\nSatrughna, the heroic Yudhajit, with a delighted heart, entered his own\ncity; and his father rejoiced exceedingly. And on Bharata having\ndeparted, Rama and the exceedingly mighty Lakshmana, tended their sire\nresembling a celestial. And paying the utmost regard to the command of\nhis father, Rama discharged all the duties of the city, having for his\nobject the pleasure or welfare (of the citizens). And needfully\nrendering every service to his mothers, he on proper occasions observed\nthe duties pertaining to his superiors. And Dacaratha was exceedingly\ndelighted; as also the Brahmanas, and the traders, and the inhabitants\ngenerally, at the conduct and behaviour of Rama. And Rama having truth\nfor prowess, by virtue of his excellence appeared unto every one the\nmost meritorious of (Dacaratha's son's) like unto the self create\nHimself unto all being. And in the company of Sita, the wise Rama,\nbending his mind to Sita with his heart dedicated unto her, passed many\na season in delight. And Rama's beloved Sita, as having been bestowed\nupon him by his sire, by her loveliness, and her perfections as much as\nby her loveliness, went on enhancing his joy. And her lord came to\nexcercise a double influence on her heart. And by her own heart, the\ndaughter of Janaka, Mithila's lord, resembling a goddess in grace, and\nlike unto Sree (goddess of wealth) herself in loveliness, completely\nread his inmost sentiments. And experiencing delight, Rama, receiving\nthe Rajarshi's daughter, exercising her own will--the excellent\nprincess-- looked graceful, even like the lord Vishnu the chief of\ncelestials on being joined with Sree.\n\n\n\n\nAYODHYAKANDAM\n\n\n\nSECTION I.\n\n\nWhen Bharata set out for the home of his maternal uncle, he\naffectionately took with him the sinless Satrughna ever repressing his\npassions.[101] And there he abode with his brother, being ministered\nunto in every respect and tended by his maternal uncle, Acwapati, with\nall the fondness of a father.[102] Albeit thus staying, with every\nministration extended towards them as much as they could wish, yet those\nheroic brothers failed not to remember the aged long Dacaratha. And the\npuissant king also on his part remembered his sons away from home,\nBharata and Satrughna, resembling the mighty Indra and Varuna. All those\nfour chiefs of men were dear unto him even as four hands issuing from\nhis own body. Yet among them all, the highly energetic Rama was the\nfavorite of his sire. He was the foremost of all in every virtue, like\nunto Sayambhu's[103] self in the esteem of creation. Solicited by the\ncelestials wishing for the destruction of Ravana, he, who is the eternal\nVishnu, was born as Rama in the world of men. And with that son of\nimmeasurable energy, Kaucalya looked graceful, even as Aditi, with that\nforemost of the celestials, the weilder of the thunder-bolt. He was\nfurnished with grace, and possessed of prowess; and he did not seek for\ndefects in others in the midst of virtues. That son of Kaucalya was\nincomparable on earth and in worth fully equal to Dacaratha himself. He\nwas aye of quiescent soul; and always preluded his speech with an\namiable phrase; and although he might be addressed in a harsh manner,\nyet he returned no corresponding reply. He was gratified even with a\nsolitary instance of benefit; and from freedom of soul did not remember\nan hundred injuries. In the intervals of martial exercises, he always\ndiscoursed with persons of character, or wise men, or the aged, or the\nvirtuous. He was intelligent, and sweet-speeched, and spoke first (to\nvisitors,) and used grateful words, and was possessed of prowesss,\nwithal not proud of his mighty native virtue. He never spoke an untruth;\nand he was learned; and he rendered homage unto the aged. He felt kindly\ntowards the subjects; and the subjects on their part held him in dear\nregard. He was kind to the poor; and he had conquered his anger; and he\nregarded the Brahmanas; and he commisserated the wretched; and was\nversed in morality; and always chastised the wicked; and was pure in\nspirit; and possessed the thoughts and sentiments of his race; and\nregarded highly his own Kshatriya duties; and considered that heaven was\nto be attained through the glory acquired by performing them. He was\nnever engaged in forbidden practices; and never relished improper talk;\nand argued in chain even like the lord of speech himself. And he was\nfree from ailment; and of young years; and endued with eloquence; and of\nan excellent person; and versed in season and place; and discerned\ncharacter,--the one honest person ever created. Endowed with supreme\nexcellence, that son of the monarch was by virtue of his merit dear unto\nthe subjects like their life ranging externally. He had performed his\nablutions after having mastered all learning; and was properly versed in\nthe Vedas with their branches. In all weapons either inspired with\n_mantras_ or otherwise, Bharata's eldest brother was superior even to\nhis father. And he was the spring of all good; and was saintly; and of\nundisturbed souls; and truth-telling; and candid; and humble towards the\naged twice-born ones congnizant of virtue and interest. He was\ncongnizant of virtue, profit, and interest; had an excellent memory; and\nwas possessed of genius. He was an adept and was well versed in social\nusages and customs. He was lowly; and of close counsel; and used to keep\nunto himself his purposes; and was resourceful. Neither his pleasure nor\nhis displeasure went for naught. He knew the season of amassing riches,\nand of giving them away. And he was ardently reverential; and his wisdom\nnever wavered; and he accepted no improper present; and he used no rough\nspeech. He knew no idleness; and was vigilant; and had a knowledge of\nhis own as well as of others' failings. He was conversant with the\nscriptures; and was grateful; and could read the hearts of others. He\nhad sagacity to perceive the seasons for duly showing favor or disfavor.\nHe understood all about the reception of the righteous, the maintenance\nof family, and the occasion for chastising evil-doers; and he was an\nexpert in collecting dues (from the people); and knew the manner\nprescribed (by the authorities) for expending money. He had attained\nproficiency in all the scriptures and literary works composed in both\nSanskrit and Prakrit. He sought pleasure wdthout sacrificing either\ninterest or morality; and he was never dilatory in duty. He understood\nthe arts of those who entertained others. He knew the various heads on\nwhich wealth was to be expended. He was skilful in riding and training\nup horses and elephants. He was the foremost of those accomplished in\narchery; and was acknowledged among men as an _Atiratha_.[104] He led\nhis forces in the direction of the foe; and he slew his enemies; and was\naccomplished in marshalling the troops. He was incapable of being\nrepressed in fight even by the enraged gods and Asuras. He was not given\nto carping, and had subdued his anger, and he was never elated, or\nmalicious. He did not disregard any creature; he was no slave to the\ntimes. That son of the monarch was furnished with such qualities. And he\nwas liked by the subjects as well as by the three worlds. In forgiveness\nhe was like unto the Earth; and in intelligence like unto Vrihaspati;\nand in prowess like unto the Sachi's lord. Furnished with such qualities\nacceptable to the people as well as gratifying unto his father, Rama\nlooked beautiful like the effulgent Sun surrounded by his rays. And the\nEarth desired for her lord even him (Rama) possessing an excellent\ncharacter and of prow'ess incapable of being repressed--like unto\nLokanatha[105] himself.\n\nAnd finding his son crowmed wdth so many incomparable qualities,that\nsubduer of his enemies, king Dacaratha, thought within himself. The\nlong-lived aged monarch reflected, saying,--\"How can Rama become king, I\nliving; and how can this delight be mine?\" And this supreme desire\nrolled in his heart,--\"When shall I behold my beloved son installed[106]\nin the kingdom? Surely he always wisheth for the prosperity of the\npeople; and he showeth kindness to all creatures. And like unto the\nshowering rain-cloudy he is dearer unto the people than myself. He is\nlike unto Yama and Sakra in prowess, and unto Vrihaspati in\nintelligence; and in forbearance, unto a mountain,--yea, he is far more\nqualified than myself. Therefore in this age, beholding my son\nestablished in (the dominion of) this entire earth, I shall repair unto\nheaven.\" Seeing him (Rama) thus crowned with all these various as well\nas other sterling and immeasurable virtues rare among other princes, the\nking then took counsel with his ministers, and made up his mind to\nconfer upon Rama the dignity of heir-apparent. And that intelligent\n(king) mentioned (unto his minister) the dreadful evils portended by\nappearances and phenomena in heaven and the air and on the earth; and\nalso pointed out the circumstance of decrepitude having taken possession\nof his person. He therefore gave them to understand that the\ninstallation of the high souled Rama of countenance resembling the full\nmoon would dispell his grief, at the same time that it would be\nuniversally hailed by the people. Therefore, influenced by his affection\n(for his subject,) and with the view of compassing his own as well as\ntheir welfare, the righteous monarch urged expedition (upon his\ncounsellors;) and that lord of earth brought together the prime and\nnoble from the Various regions and countries of the earth. Like unto\nPrajapati's self before all creatures, the king appeared before them,\nwho had been received respectfully, and had, as befitted their ranks,\nvarious ornaments conferred upon and quarters assigned unto them. But\nthat lord of men did not, on account of haste,bring over either Janaka\nor the king of the Kekayas, concluding that a little while after they\nwould receive the glad tidings.\n\nThen when the king--that captor of hostile capitals--had sat down there,\nbegan to pour in all the princes popular with their subjects--all save\n(the two afore-mentioned rulers.) Facing and eying the monarch, those\nkings sat them down on different seats pointed out by the former.\nSurrounded by those prime and noble of the various provinces, and all\nthose lowly rulers, who had been received honorably and who generally\nresided at Ayodhya, the sovereign appeared like unto the adorable\nthousand-eyed (one) surrounded by the immortals.\n\n[101] The adjectival epithet is _nityasatrughnah_. In rendering it I\n follow the commentator, who is presumably learned in the peculiar\n associations of the literature. But the literal meaning may do as\n well: ever vanquishing his foes--T.\n\n[102] Lit. with the fondness shown to a son.--T.\n\n[103] Brahma.--T.\n\n[104] He who alone vanquishes an innumerable host of warriors is called\n an _Atiratha_.--T\n\n[105] Vishnu.--T\n\n[106] The Sanskrit _abhishikta_ literally means sprinkled. But such a\n rendering would sound outlandish.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION II.\n\n\nThen facing his whole court, that lord of earth, the king, resounding\nall sides as if with thunder, in a mighty voice, echoing, and solemn,\nand like unto the sounds of a kettle-drum, spake words fraught with\nwelfare, and capable of creating high rapture,and worthy of the\nattention of all. And in tones overflowing with royal signs; and\nmellifluous; and peerless; and surcharged with the sentiment of\nsurprise, the monarch addressed the princes, saying,--\"It is known to ye\nthat the (people of this) spacious empire now governed by me was\ngoverned like unto children by those sovereigns that were my\npredecessors. Now it is my intention to bring welfare unto this entire\nearth worthy of being rendered happy, which had been governed by all\nthose sovereigns, Ikshwaku and the rest. Following the path trod by my\npredecessors, I have, heedless of my own happiness, to the best of my\npower, always protected the people. And under the shade of the white\numbrella, I effecting the good of the entire community, have brought\ndecrepitude upon my body. Having attained an age extending over many\nthousands of years, and lived for a long period, desire rest for this\ndecrepit frame. Bearing in the interests of the people the heavy burden\nof duty incapable of being borne by even those that have controlled\ntheir senses, and requiring (in the bearer) right royal qualities, I\nhave become fatigued. I therefore wish for rest, after in the interests\nof the subjects installing my son, with the permission of all these\nexcellent twice-born ones around me. My worthy son, like unto Purandara\nhimself in prowess--Rama, the conquerer of hostile cities, hath been\nborn, endowed with all my virtues. Him, like unto the moon while in\nconjunction with the Pushya constellation--the foremost of those\nmaintaining righteousness, the chief of men, will I, in the morning with\na delighted heart, install as the heir-apparent to the throne. And that\nauspicious elder brother of Lakshmana[107] will make a fit ruler for\nye,--yea, the very three worlds might consider themselves as having a\nlord, by possessing him. Through his agency I shall this day bring about\nthe welfare of the world; and shall renounce my toil by reposing in him\nthe task of government. If what I have devised be meet, and also\nrecommend itself to ye, do ye accord approval to it,-- proposing what I\nam to do besides this, together with the how of effecting it. If I have\nthought thus solely because I find delight in it, do ye look about any\nother way to welfare. For different is the thought of the dispassionate;\nand by friction becomes far more efficacious.\"[108]\n\nAs the king had said this, the princes, exceedingly delighted, seconded\nhim even as peacocks dance at sight of a mighty mass of clouds showering\ndown rain. Then there arose a pleasant resonance (from the assembly of\nthe potentates;) and next from the vast concourse inspired with high\nrapture arose an echo generated by their voices, which seemed to shake\nthe earth. Then being in complete possession of the views of that one\n(the king) versed in morality and interest, the Brahmanas and the\nprincipal personages of the army, in company with the citizens and the\ninhabitants of the provinces, took counsel together, and became\nunanimous,--and, having again revolved the matter individually in their\nmind, spake unto the aged king Dacaratha, saying,-- \"O. king, being many\nthousand years old, thou last become aged. Do thou then install Rama as\nthe heir-apparent to the throne. We wish to behold the exceedingly\nStrong and mighty-armed hero among the Raghus, riding a huge elephant,\nhis countenance underneath an umbrella.\" Hearing those welcome words .of\ntheirs, the monarch, as if not knowing their minds, asked them,\nsaying,--\"Ye have wished for Raghava, soon as ye have heard my speech.\nThis, ye kings, raiseth my doubts. Do ye, therefore, speak out your\nminds truly. Why, while I am righteously governing the earth, do ye wish\nto see the highly powerful Rama as the heir- apparent?\" And those\nhigh-souled ones together with the citizens and the inhabitants of the\nprovinces said unto him, --\"O king, many are the virtues of thy son,\nhaving for their object the welfare of the people. To-day we will\nrecount unto thee in detail the merits making even enemies happy of the\nmeritorious and intelligent (Rama) resembling a celestial. O monarch,\nfurnished with the choicest qualities, Rama having truth for prowess is\nlike unto Sakra's self; and he towereth above Ikshwaku and all. Rama is\nthe one excellent person among men; and is true and devoted to truth.\nAnd in very Rama is established morality with prosperity. Touching the\ngood of the subjects, he is like unto the moon, and in the quality of\nforgiveness, he is like unto the Earth; in intelligence like unto\nVrihaspati; and in prowess like Sachi's lord. He is cognizant of duty,\nand true in promise,-- and honest; and not given to detraction. He is\nforgiving, and soothing, and sweet-speeched and grateful, and of subdued\nsenses. He is pliable to entreaties and staid, and of agreeable\ncarriage, and uncalumniating. Raghava speaketh everyone fair, and is of\ntruthful speech. He minstereth unto variously-versed aged Brahmanas. It\nis for this that in this world his fame and renown and energy go on\nincreasing. He hath mastered all the weapons that are extant among the\ngods, the Asuras, and human beings. He hath performed his ablutions\nafter having acquired learning; and knoweth the Vedas with their\nbranches. And Bharata's elder brother is a proficient in music. He is\nthe home of the good, and is saintly, and hath conquered his grief, and\nis magnanimous. He is lowly unto those twice born ones that are worthy\nand are conversant with morality and interest. And when in company with\nSumitra's son he wendeth to the fight with the view of protecting a city\nor a province, he cometh not back without conquering the foe. And even\nas a father enquireth after the welfare of his sons, he, returning from\nthe field on horse or elephant, exhaustively and consecutively enquireth\nafter the weal of the citizens, concerning their sons, or their\n(sacrificial) fire, or their wives, or their servants, or their\ndisciples. And that tiger- like Rama always asketh the Brahmanas,--'Do\nyour disciples tend you' and the Kshatriyas--'Do your disciples always\nremain mailed?' When calamity befalleth the people, he experienced\nexcess of sorrow; and on their festal occasions, he rejoiceth ever like\ntheir own father. He speaketh the truth, and is a mighty bowman. He\nministereth unto the aged, and hath controlled his senses. He. preludes\nhis speech with a smile, and is established in righteousness with his\nwhole soul. He entirely bringeth about good, and he taketh no delight in\nbandying words after a quarrel. In reasoning in chain, he is like unto\nthe lord of speech himself. His eye-brows are graceful; and his eyes\nexpansive and coppery; and he is like unto the very Vishnu. Like Kama he\nis charming unto all by virtue of his heroism, prowess and might. He is\never engaged in protecting the people: and the desire for the good\nthings of the world cannot perturb his mind. He is capable of bearing\nthe burden even of the three worlds,--what then is this Earth? Neither\nhis pleasure nor his displeasure even goeth for naught. He slayeth those\nthat deserve to be slain; but he is never enraged with those that ought\nnot to be slain (i.e. the unoffending),--with whom, he is pleased, he\nbestows wealth upon. In virtue of his self-control and other qualities;\ndear unto the subjects and capable of exciting the delight of mankind,\nRama shineth even like the effulgent Sun surrounded by his rays. And\neven that Rama, crowned with such qualities and having truth for his\nprowess,--like unto a Lokapala, the Earth wisheth to have for her lord.\nBy our good luck it is that thy son hath acquired competence in the task\nof administration; and also by thy good luck it is that Raghava hath\nbeen born endowed with sonly qualities, like unto Maricha's son Kacyapa.\nThe gods, and the Asuras, and men, with the Gandharvas, and the Uragas,\nand the inhabitants rural and urban, pray for the strength, health, and\nlong life of self-knowing Rama. And whether inmates or outsiders,\ncitizens or natives of provinces, everyone speaks high of him. Women,\nold and young, in both the morning and evening, with intent minds, bow\ndown unto all the gods on behalf of the intelligent Rama. Let their\ndesire, O worshipful one, be fulfiled, through thy grace. And we would\nbehold the son of the foremost of monarchs, the foe-destroying Rama\ndark-blue like a lotus,--installed as the heir-apparent to the kingdom.\nTherefore, O bestower of boons, it behoveth thee, for the sake of our\nwell-being, with a delighted mind to speedily instal thy son furnished\nwith noble qualities resembling the god of gods, and ever intent upon\nthe welfare of the entire community.\"\n\n[107] There is an alliterative beauty here in the original _Lakshmivan\n Lakshmanagraja_; which of course is impossible to be retained in\n the translation.--T.\n\n[108] This is Mill's principle of free and equal discussion so lucidly\n upheld in his _Liberty_. The meaning in the text is obscurely\n expressed. _The thought of the disspassionate is different from\n that of the passionate; and truth comes out from the friction of\n the two opposite forces_.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION III.\n\n\nAnd when they had raised unto their heads their clasped hands resembling\nlotuses, the king responding unto them addressed them in welcome words\nfraught with their good; \"Exceedingly pleased am I, and incomparable\nalso is my influence,--because ye wish to behold my dear first born\ninstalled as heir-apparent.\" Having greeted them thus, the king in their\nhearing spoke unto Vasishtha, Vamadeva, and other Brahmanas\nsaying,--\"This is the holy month of Chaitra; and the groves look\nbeautiful with blossoms. Do ye now prepare for the installation of\nRama.\" When the king paused, there arose a mighty tumult from the\nmultitude. And when it subsided, that lord of men, the king, addressed\nthat foremost of ascetics, Vasishtha saying,--\"It behovcth thee, O\nworshipful Sir, to order for things, necessary for the installation of\nRama.\" Hearing those words of the monarch, Vasishtha--chief of\nanchorets--ordered the counsellors staying before the king with clasped\nhands, saying,--\"Do ye early in the morning in the Agnihautric ball of\nthe monarch provide and store up- gold, and gems, and articles for\nworship, and _Sarvaushadhi_[109] and white garlands, and fried paddy,\nand honey and clarified butter in separate vessels, and cloths fresh\nfrom the loom, and a car, every kind of weapons, and the fourfold\nforces, and an elephant with auspicious marks, and a couple of chowris,\nand a sceptre and an umbrella, pale colored, and an hundred furnished\ngolden pitchers of water, and a bull with horns plated in gold, and an\nentire tiger-skin, together with all othet necessary articles. And do ye\nembellish all the door-ways of the inner apartment as well as those of\nthe entire city with garlands, with sandal paste and fragrant _Dhupa_.\nDo ye on the morning of the morrow bestow upon the principal Brahmanas\ngoodly and refined rice mixed with curds and milk.--so that hundreds of\nthousands may be fed, and gratified, bestowing on them at the same time\nclarified butter and curds, and fried paddy, and moire than sufficient\n_Dakshinas_. To-morrow as soon as the sun will rise, the\n_Swastivachana_[110] will be finished. Do ye invite the Brahmanas, and\nprepare seats (for them). And do ye set up flags, and water the high\nways, and let courtezans whose profession is music, adorning themselves\nstay in the second apartment of the king's residence. In the abodes of\nthe gods and under the Chaitya[111] trees, should be separately placed\nfragrant blossoms, together with boiled rice and other edibles, and with\n_Dakshinas_. And let the warriors properly arrayed, enter the courtyard\nof the monarch which is welling up with festal glee mailed, and\naccoutred with leather fences and long swords.\" Having issued these\norders, those two Vipras entered upon their work (as priests;) and did\nwhat remained to be done after making that known unto the lord of the\nearth. When everything had been got ready those foremost of the twice-\nborn ones gladly and well-pleased presented themselves before the master\nof the earth, and said unto him, \"Everything as ordered has been done.\"\nThen unto Sumantra, the effulgent monarch spake, saying,--\"Do thou\nspeedily bring the virtuous Rama hither.\" Thereupon saying, \"so be it,\"\nSumantra at the mandate of the king brought thither in a car Rama the\nforemost of car-warriors. The kings of the North, and the South and the\nEast and the West, together with the _Mlechas_ and the Arya princes,\nwith those inhabiting mountains and forests were then paying homage unto\nhim (Dacaratha) even as the celestials do unto Vasava. Stationed in his\npalace, the royal saint Dacaratha in the midst of those princes, like\nVasava in the midst of the Maruts, saw his son, resembling the king of\nthe Gandharvas, approach, gladdening the subjects like a shower, when\nthey were oppressed with the heat of summer--even Rama of redoubtable\nprowess among men, long armed, and of mighty strength, and bearing the\ngait of a mad elephant, \"with a countenance fair as the moon, of\npresence prepossessing to a degree, and captivating men's sight and\nhearts by reason of his beauty generosity and other qualities. And as he\nwas approaching, the lord of men eyed him steadily, without experiencing\nsatiety.\n\nMaking Raghava descend from that excellent car, Sumantra followed him\nwith clasped hands as he proceeded to the presence of his father.\nAccompanied with Sumantra, Raghava, the descendant of the Raghus, for\nthe purpose of beholding the monarch, began with rapid steps, to ascend\nthe palace resembling a peak of the Kailasa hill. Rama humbly\napproaching his father with clasped hands, and announcing his name bowed\nlow and worshipped his father's feet. Thereupon seeing Rama at his side\nwith clasped hands, and in lowly guise, the king took hold of Rama's\nclasped hands, and drawing his beloved son, embraced the latter. Then\nthe king desired Rama to sit upon a seat prepared expressly for him,\nexcellent, and flaming and garnished with gold and gems. Raghava shed\nlustre on that noble seat, as the unclouded sun at his rising lighteth\nup the _Sumeru_ hill with his rays. That entire assembly looked\nbeautiful in his presence, like the cloudless, autumnal sky crested with\nstars and planets, in the presence of the moon. The king experienced\ndelight, beholding his dearly beloved son, like unto his own image,\nrichly adorned, reflected on mirror. And even as Kacyapa addresseth\nIndra of the celestials, the king--the best of those possessing sons--\naddressed his son, well seated, in these words, saying. \"Born of my\neldest wife worthy of myself, thou crowned with the best qualities, art\nmy worthy son, O Rama dear unto me. Thou hast by thy virtues drawn unto\nthyself the hearts of the people, therefore do thou during the\nconjunction of the moon with the Pushya constellation, receive the\noffice of heir-apparent. Thou art by nature crowned with virtues.\nNotwithstanding thy great virtues, I will, 0 son, from affection tell\nthee what is for thy profit. Practicing greater humility, do thou\nconstantly restrain thy senses. Do thou renounce the ills that come\nthrough anger and lust. Replenishing thy exchequer and arsenal do thou,\nacquainting thyself with the state of things personally and otherwise,\nadminister justice and thereby enlist the affection of the courtiers and\nother subjects; for the friends of him that swayeth the earth, pleasing\nthe people to his satisfaction, rejoice even as did the immortals on\nobtaining ambrosia. Therefore, do thou, O son, disciplining thyself thus\naddress thee to thy task.\" Hearing this, Rama's well wishers, ever doing\nhis pleasure, speedily going out, acquainted Kaucalya with everything.\nThereupon that foremost of her sex Kaucalya ordered gold and kine and\nvarious kinds of gems to be given to the tellers of the glad tidings.\nThen Raghava, having been honored by the multitude and saluted the\nsovereign, ascended a car, and repaired unto his shining residence. And\nthe citizens, hearing those words of the monarch, as if fraught with\nsome speedy good fortune unto them, made their obeisance unto that lord\nof men, and repairing to their homes, with delighted minds, worshipped\nthe gods.\n\n[109] Consists of Mura Valerian and such like drugs.--T.\n\n[110] A religious rite, preparatory to any important ceremony, in which\n the Brahmanas strew boiled rice on the ground, and invoke the\n blessings of the gods on the rites about to commence.--T.\n\n[111] The religious fig.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION IV.\n\n\nWhen the citizens had gone away, the king versed in the time and place\nof ceremonies, after deliberating with his counsellors fixed the time\n(of the installation.) And his conclusion was even this: \"To-morrow the\nPushya will be in; and to-morrow should my son, Rama of eyes like\nlotus-leaves be installed as heir-apparent.\" Then entering the inner\napartment king Dacaratha said unto the charioteer Sumantra,-- \"Do thou\nagain bring Rama hither.\" In response to those words, the charioteer\nagain speedily went unto Rama's residence,for bringing him thither. His\nfresh approach having been announced unto Rama by the warders, the\nlatter, filled with apprehension, became anxious. And bringing Sumantra\nin, Rama with eagerness said \"Tell me fully the reason of this thy fresh\nvisit.\" Thereupon, the charioteer told him,-- \"The sovereign wisheth to\nbehold thee. Thou hast known the occasion; and now decide whether thou\nwilt go thither or not.\" Hearing the charioteer's speech, Rama also in\nhaste repaired unto the king's palace, with the view of again beholding\nthe lord of men. And on hearing of Rama's arrival, king Dacaratha made\nhim enter his own chamber, with the view of communicating unto him\nsomething exceedingly agreeable. Aud immediately on entering his\nfather's residence, the graceful Raghava seeing his father from a\ndistance, bent low with clasped hands. Thereupon raising Rama as he was\nbending down, and embracing him, and pointing out a seat, the protector\nof the earth again spake unto him,-- \"O Rama, enjoying at my will the\ngood things of life, I have grown old; and have attained great age. I\nhave worshipped the deities by celebrating hundreds of sacrifices with\nnumerous _Dakshinas_ and gifts of boiled rice; and incomparable on\nearth, thou hast been born unto me for a son after my heart. I have\ngiven whatever bad been wanted (by others); I have finished my studies,\nO foremost of men. I have, O hero, acted and enjoyed. I have been\nemancipated from my obligations unto the celestials and saints, and the\n_Pitris_, and the Vipras, and myself.[112] And naught now remaineth to\nbe done by me save thy installation. Therefore it behoveth thee to do\neven what I say unto thee. To-day the subjects in a body have expressed\ntheir desire of having thee for their sovereign. Therefore, O son, I\nshall install thee as the heir-apparent. O Raghava, to-night I have\ndreamt inauspicious dreams. Stars with tremendous sounds, shoot by day,\naccompanied with thunder-claps. The astrologers say that the star of my\nlife hath been invaded by those terrible planets, the Sun, Mars, and\nRahu. It generally happens that when such signs manifest themselves, the\nking cometh by a terrible calamity, and may meet with death itself.\nTherefore, O Raghava, my thoughts change, be thou installed (in the\nkingdom), for fickle is the mind of all creatures. To-day, before\nmeeting Pushya, the moon, has entered the Punarvasu asterism; and the\nastrologers say that to-morrow it will certainly be in conjunction with\nPushya. My heart urgeth me to instal thee during the Pushya conjunction,\nso Oh! afflicter of foes, I shall instal thee to-morrow as heir-\napparent. Therefore do thou along with my daughter-in-law commencing\nfrom sun-set, serving the prescribed restrictions, and lying down on a\nbed of Kuca grass, spend the night in fast. And let thy friends\nvigilantly protect thee all around, for many are the impediments that\nhappen in affairs like this. In my opinion, during the interval that\nBharata is away from the city, should thy installation be effected most\nopportunely; even though thy brother Bharata ever stayeth entirely by\nthe course of the honest; he followeth his elder brother; and is\nrighteous-souled; tender-hearted; and of subdued senses. But in my\nopinion, the hearts of men are inconstant,--and, O Raghava, the hearts\neven of the virtuous change by the action of the natural impulses.\"\nHaving been thus addressed in the matter of his coming installation in\nthe next day, Rama, with the king's permission embodied in \"Go thou,\"\ngreeting his father, repaired unto his quarters. And entering his\nresidence in the interests of the installation ordered by the monarch,\nhe immediately issued out, and went to the inner apartment of his\nmother. There, Rama found his mother in the temple, clad in silk,\nadoring the gods, and silently praying for his royal luck. There,\nhearing of the welcome installation of Rama, had already come Sumitra,\nand Lakshmana and Sita summoned (by Kaucalya). Hearing of the\ninstallation of his son in the office of heir apparent during the\ninfluence of the Pushya, at that time, tended by Sumitra and Siti and\nLakshmana, there stood Kaucalya, meditating the (triune) person\nJanarddana, through suspension of breath. Rama, approaching and saluting\nher engaged in auspicious observance, addressed her in excellent words,\ncheering her up,--\"O mother, by my father have I been appointed to the\ntask of governing the people. And, agreeably to the desire of my father,\nto morrow will take place my installation. To-night Sita will fast along\nwith me. The priests have said thus; and this also hath been declared by\nmy father. Do thou therefore even to-day provide those necessary\nauspicious things that will be required for myself and Vaidehi on the\noccasion of the coming installation.\"\n\nHearing of that for which she had ever wished, Kaucalya, her voice\nchoking with the vapour begot of delight, addressed Rama,\nsaying,--\"Rama, my child, be thou long lived; and may thy enemies find\ndestruction! Furnished with this good fortune, do thou gladden Sumitra's\nas well as my own relatives. Oh! thou wast born under an auspicious\nstar: thou hast. O son, by thy virtues gratified thy sire Dacaratha. Ah!\nnot unfruitful has proved my disinterested observance of vow unto the\nlotus-eyed Person; for this royal fortune of the Ikshwaku race shall\nrest upon thee.\"\n\nHaving been thus addressed by his mother, Rama looking at his brother\n(Lakshmana), seated in humble guise with clasped hands, with smile spake\nunto him, saying,--\"O Lakshmana, do thou together with me rule this\nearth. Thou art my second self; and this good fortune hath taken\npossession of thee (as well). Do thou, O Sumitra's son, enjoy every\ndesirable thing and the privileges pertaining to royalty. My life and\nthis kingdom I covet for thy sake alone.\" Having said this unto\nLakshmana, and paid reverence unto his mother, Rama with their\npermission went with Sita to his own quarters.\n\n[112] Sacrifice, study, son, gift, enjoyment are the five means of\n clearing the debts one owes to the celestials, the saints the\n pitris, the vipras and self.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION V.\n\n\nHaving given his directions unto Rama as to his incoming installation on\nthe morrow, the king, summoning his priest, Vasishtha spake unto him,\nsaying,--\"O thou, having asceticism for thy wealth, go, unto Kakutstha,\nand for his welfare and obtaining the kingdom, make him fast along with\ntny daughter-in-law.\" Thereupon, saying, \"So be it,\" that best of those\nversed in the Veda, the worshipful Vasistha conversant wdth _mantras_,\nthat one practicing excellent vows, mounting a Brahma car, himself went\nunto the residence of Rama cognizant of _mantras_, for the purpose of\nmaking him fast. And that foremost of ascetics, having readied Rama's\nsable hued residence resembling a mass of clouds, passed through three\nseveral apartments, mounted on the car. With the view of honoring the\nsaint worthy of honor, Rama swiftly issued out of his abode. And nearing\nthe car of that intelligent one, Rama, personally taking him by the\nhand, made him descend. Finding Rama so humble and dear, the priest\naddressed him, gratifying and delighting him with words that were\nacceptable,--\"O Rama thy father hath been well pleased with thee; since\nthou achievest the kingdom (through him). Do thou to-day fast with Sita.\nAnd in the morning, the king, thy father Dacaratha, will, well-pleased\ninstall thee as heir-apparent like Nahusha installing Yayati.\" Having\nsaid this, that pure spirited one, observing vows with _mantras_, made\nRama fast along with Sita. Then having been duly worshipped by Rama, and\ntaken Kakutstha's permission, the spiritual preceptor of the king, went\naway from Rama's residence. Rama, having passed sometime with\nsweet-speeched friends, and been honored by them, with their permission\nentered his apartment. At that time Rama's residence was filled with\njoyous men and women; and it was like unto a lake containing lotuses and\ngraced with maddened birds.\n\n(On the other hand) Vasishtha, issuing from the palace of Rama like unto\nthe king's palace itself, found the street filled with people. On all\nsides, Ayodhya's high-ways were crowded with groups of men full of\ncuriosity. The tumult that arose in the high-ways in consequence of the\nconcourse and noise, was like the roaring of the ocean. The streets were\ncleared and washed and hung with garlands; and that day Ayodhya had her\ndwellings furnished with upraised flagstaffs. In the city of Ayodhya men\nwith women and children eagerly expected the rising of the sun (next\nday), and Rama's installation; and the people burnt to behold in Ayodhya\nthe august festivity, that was like unto an ornament unto the subjects,\nand that enhanced the joy of the people. Dividing the crowd thronging\nthe high-way, the priest slowly proceeded to the royal family. And\nascending the palace like unto a peak of the Himavat, he met with the\nlord of men, like Vrihaspati meeting with Sakra. Seeing him come, the\nking rising up from his royal seat, asked Vasishtha whether his\nintention had been carried out, whereupon Vasishtha answered that it\nhad. The courtiers who had all along sat with Dacaratha, rose from the\nseats, for worshipping the priest. Then with the permission of his\nspiritual guide, leaving that assembly of men, the monarch entered his\ninner apartment like a lion entering his den. Even as the moon\nillumineth the firmament crowded with stars, the handsome king entered\nhis mansion, like unto the abode of the mighty Indra, and thronged with\nfemales excellently attired,--gracing it (by his presence).\n\n\n\nSECTION VI.\n\n\nWhen the priest had gone away, Rama, having bathed and with a collected\nmind, began to adore Narayana, in company with his wife having expansive\neyes. Then raising the vessel of clarified butter unto his head (by way\nof paying reverence), he in accordance with the ordinance began to offer\noblations unto the flaming fire on behalf of that mighty deity. Then,\nhaving partaken of the remaining quantity of the clarified butter, Rama\nprayed for his own welfare, and meditated on the god Narayana. The son\nof the best of men with a collected mind, and restraining his speech lay\ndown on a _kuca_ bed together with Vaidehi within the graceful dwelling\nof Vishnu.\n\nWhen a single watch only remained of the night, Rama awoke, and made his\nresidence well decorated. Now he hearing the melodious utterances of\ngenealogists and panegyrists and Brahmanas versed in the _Puranas_, Rama\nfinished devotions for the prior twilight, and with an intent mind began\nto recite (_Savatri_)[113] And clad in a clear silk dress, he with\nbended head hymned the destroyer of Madhu, and made the regenerate ones\nperform the _Swastivachana_ ceremony. Already resounding with the blares\nof trumpets, Ayodhya became filled with the sweet and solemn tones of\nthe expression \"Holy day\" uttered by them. The denizens of Ayodhya,\nhearing that Raghava had fasted with Vaidehi, rejoiced exceedingly.\n\nThen the citizens, hearing of the installation of Rama, and seeing that\nthe night had departed, fell to adorning the city. Standards with\npennons were beautifully reared up in the abodes of the gods resembling\na peak, enveloped with white clouds, and at the crossing, and on\nhigh-ways; and over the chaitya tree; and edifices; and over the\nwarehouses of merchants abounding in goods and the goodly and prosperous\nmansions of householders; and over all the council-houses; and\nconspicuous trees. The multitude then heard the music, soothing unto the\near and heart, of stage managers, dancers and singers chanting. The\npeople began to talk with each other anent the installation of Rama; and\nthe time for his installation having arrived, on terraces and houses,\nand doorways boys playing in bodies, conversed with each other\nconcerning the installation of Rama. On the occasion of the investiture\nof Rama, the goodly high-ways were adorned with garlands,and scented\nwith _dhupa_ incense--by the citizens. And fearing lest Rama should come\nout over night (to behold the beautified capital), the inhabitants of\nthe city, by way of ornamentation as with the view of beholding Rama\nhimself, had by the road side reared up lamp-stands in the form of\n(branched) trees. Eagerly expecting the investiture of Rama as the heir\napparent, all having thus ornamented the city and assembling themselves\non terraces and in council-halls, talking with each other, extolled the\nlord of men, saying,--\"Ah high-souled is this king--the perpetuator of\nthe Ikshwaku race; for, knowing himself as old, he will install Rama in\nthe kingdom. Obliged we have been, since good Rama capable of reading\ncharacter, will be the lord of earth, and our protector. He is of a\nheart devoid of arrogance, and is learned; and righteous-souled; and\naffectionate to his brothers. Raghava loveth us even as he doth bis own\nbrothers. May the sinless and pious king Dacaratha live long; for it is\nthrough his grace that we shall behold Rama installed. The inhabitants\nof the provinces, who having heard the tidings, had come from various\nregions, heard the citizens conversing thus. Desirous of beholding the\ninstallation of Rama, they coming into the city from various directions,\nfilled Rama's city. As the vast concourse entered (the city), there was\nheard an uproar like unto the roaring of the heaving ocean during the\nfullness of the moon. Then that city resembling the regions of Indra,\nbeing filled on all sides with tumult raised by the dwellers of the\nprovinces who had come to behold (the installation), resembled the ocean\nwhen its waters are agitated by the aquatic animals inhabiting it.\n\n[113] The celebrated hymn to the sun, the most sacred thing in all the\n Vedas.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION VII.\n\n\nA woman, brought up with Kaikeyi, who formerly served as a maid-servant,\nthe family of her maternal uncle, at her own will, ascended the palace\nresembling the moon. Manthara beheld from the palace the high-ways of\nAyodhya well watered all round, and strewn with lotuses, and adorned\nwith standards bearing gay pennons; with thoroughfares and roads leading\nalong undulating lands; sprinkled with sandal water, and crowded with\nmen who had performed their ablutions; and echoing with the accents of\nregenerate ones bearing garlands and sweetmeats in their hands; and\nhaving the doorways of the temples painted white; and resounding with\nthe sounds of musical instruments; and filled with many folks; and\nsinging with Veda chantings; and with its horses and elephants\ndelighted, and cows and bulls emitting roars; and with standards\ndisplaying flags erected by the exhilarated citizens. Upon seeing\nAyodhya (in such excitement) Manthara was seized with exceeding\nsurprise, Manthara, seeing a nurse hard by clad in white silk, with her\neyes expanded with delight, asked her, saying,--\"What for Rama's mother\nalthough close-fisted, is cheerfully and with the greatest possible\nalacrity dispensing wealth unto the people? And what for is the general\noverflow of joy? And what doth the delighted monarch purpose to do?\"\nThereupon bursting with very great delight, the nurse communicated unto\nthe hump-backed woman the high fortune awaiting Rama,\nsaying,--\"To-morrow under Pushya, king Dacaratha will install the\nsinless Raghava having his anger under control, as heir-apparent to the\nthrone.\" Hearing the words of the nurse, the hump-backed one, speedily\ngrowing angry, descended from the edifice resembling a summit of the\nKailaca hill. Burning in ire, the sin-seeking Manthara addressed\nKaikeyi, lying down, saying,--\"Up, ye senseless one! What for art thou\ndown? A great danger approacheth thee. Thou understandeth not that a\nmighty grief overfloweth thee. Thou boastest of good fortune while\nmisfortune is thine in the shape of luck. Thy good fortune is surely\nunstable like the tide of a river during summer. Thus addressed by the\nsin-seeking hump-backed (hag) in exceedingly harsh language, Kaikeyi\nbecame afflicted with great grief. And Kaikeyi said unto the hump-backed\none,--\"Is any evil present, O Manthara? I do not find thee with\ncountenance fallen and sore distressed with grief.\" The hump-backed\nManthara, skilled in speech, who really sought Kaikeyi's welfare,\nhearing the latter' s sweet-accented words, displaying sorrow greater\nthan Kaikeyi's own, lamenting, and enlisting Kaikeyi's feelings against\nRama, uttered words inflamed with anger, saying,--\"O worshipful one, an\nenduring and terrible destruction is imminent unto thee. King Dacaratha\nwill install Rama as heir-apparent. I have been sunk in a fathomless\nfear; and am afflicted with grief and heaviness. And as if burning in\nfire I, seeking, thy welfare, have come unto thee. For, O Kaikeyi, great\nwaxeth my grief on witnessing thy sorrow; and my advancement progresseth\nalong with thine. There is no doubt about this. Born in a race of king\nthou art the queen of this lord of earth. Why dost not thou then realise\nthe sternness of royal morality. Thy maintainer speaketh most morally;\nbut is crafty for all that: he speaketh blandly, but hath a crooked\nheart. Him thou takest as of blessed condition; and therefore art\ngulled. Speaking unto thee soft words bare of substance, he will, his\nheart on the alert, to-day compass the welfare of Kaucalya. Having sent\nBharata unto the home of thy relatives, that wicked- minded one will\nestablish Rama in his ancestral kingdom rid of its thorn. Thou,0 girl,\nin consideration of thy welfare, hast like unto a mother taken unto thy\nlap a venomous snake in the form of thy husband. Even what is done by an\nenemy or a serpent left alone, is being done by Dacaratha of wicked ways\nand false soothing speech, unto thee and thy own son. And, O girl,\ndeserving as thou art of happiness, the king having established Rama in\nthe kingdom; thou wilt be annihilated along with thy own. The time hath\ncome, O Kaikayi,--do thou on the spur enter upon that which would turn\nto thy advantage. And, O thou, influenced by surprise, do thou deliver\nthyself, me and Bharata also.\"\n\nHearing Manthara's words, that one of graceful countenance filled with\ndelight, and looking like the autumnal moon-light, rose up from her bed.\nInspired with exceeding joy, Kaikeyi, struck with surprise, made unto\nthe hump-backed woman a present of an excellent and elegant ornament.\nAnd having given her the ornament, that paragon among the fair Kaikeyi\njoyfully, addressed Manthara, saying,--\"O Manthara! highly welcome is\nthe news that thou hast communicated unto me. And surely thou hast told\nme what is dear unto my heart, what shall I do for thee? Difference find\nI none between Rama and Bharata. Therefore delighted am I that the king\npurposeth installing Rama in the kingdom. There is no other ambrosial\nspeech that is excellent and acceptable unto me, compared with the\ninstallation of Rama. Therefore do thou ask of me whatever reward dost\nthou want and I shall give thee.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION VIII.\n\n\nManthara, making Kaikeyi the object of her wrath, threw off the noble\nornament, and spoke these words, in anger and grief,--\"Thou senseless\ngirl, wherefore dost thou display thy joy on such an unfit occasion.\nThou dost not see that thou art in the bosom of an ocean of grief. Being\ngrieved at heart do I laugh at thee inwardly, O worshipful lady, because\nthou having met with signal calamity, rejoicest even in what should be\nlamented. I lament thee for thy perversion of sense. What sensible woman\ncan rejoice in the advancement of a co-wife's son, like unto death\nitself? From Bharata proceeds Rama's fear concerning the kingdom to\nwhich both have an equal claim. Thinking of this, I am pressed down with\nsorrow, because fear proceeds from the person who fears much. The mighty\narmed Lakshmana hath for certain in all ways taken refuge in Rama; and\nSatrughna like unto Lakshmana hath taken refuge in the Kakutstha,\nBharata. With reference to gradation of birth, the probability is in\nfavor of Bharata's attempting the kingdom; yet by reason (of Rama's\nbeing the elder) of the two, Bharata hath been thrown off. Anticipating\nthe peril that might spring unto thy son from Rama, learned and versed\nin the functions of the Kshatriya, and of quick decision, I tremble.\nSurely Kaucalya is of blessed fortune, for to-morrow under Pushya the\nforemost of the twice- born ones will install her son as the mighty\nheir-apparent unto the empire. Thou wilt, with clasped hands, serve as a\nslave the illustrious Kaucalya, mistress of the world, and brimming over\nwith joy, with all her foes discomfitted. Thus along with us thou wilt\nattend her commands, and thy son also will await the pleasure of Rama.\nAnd Rama's wives[114] together with their hand-maids will be filled with\ndelight; and in consequence of Bharata's name, thy daughters in-law will\nbe afflicted with sorrow.\"\n\nSeeing Manthara dead set against Rama, and speaking in this wise, the\nnoble Kaikeyi praised the virtues of Rama. \"Rama is cognizant of\nmorality, and filled with perfections, and accomplished, and grateful,\nand endowed with truth, and pure. And as he is the eldest son of the\nking, he deserveth the kingdom as heir-apparent. That long-lived one\nshall maintain his brothers and his retainers even like a father. Why\nthen, O hump-backed one, do thou grieve, hearing Rama's installation.\nAnd for certain, that foremost of men, Bharata also, an hundred years\nafter Rama, will attain the kingdom bequeathed by his father and\ngrand-father. O Manthara, thou burnest (with grief) in this auspicious\ntime. Our good fortune will come (after this in the shape of Bharata's\ninstallation); why then dost thou grieve. Surely Rama is dearer unto me\nthan Bharata; and he also loveth me more than he doth Kaucalya. And if\nthe kingdom be Rama's it will be also Bharata's at the same time. Rama\nregardeth his brothers even as his own self.\"\n\nHearing Kaikeyi's words, Manthara exceedingly aggrieved, sighing hot and\nhard, thus addressed Kaikeyi, saying,-- \"Regarding that to be evil which\nis thy good, thou dost not through thy want of understanding know that\nthou art going to be drowned in a sea of grief and peril. Raghava will\nbecome king, and after Raghava his son,--so that, O Kaikeyi, Bharata\nwill come to be at once cut off from the royal line. O emotional one,\nsurely all the sons of the king do not obtain the kingdom. And if all\nwere placed on the throne, mighty would be the disturbance therefrom.\nTherefore it is that kings, O Kaikeyi, lay the task of Government on the\neldest son if worthy, or else upon a younger most meritorious. This thy\nson, O affectionate one, cast off from the royal race, and deprived of\nhappiness, will fare like one forlorn. Thou dost not understand that it\nis for thee that I am taking such pains; and it is evident that thou\ndost not understand that I have come to thee for thy good. Thou art\nconferring on me rewards on the advancement of thy co-wife. For certain,\nRama having attained the kingdom without let, will send Bharata either\nto a distant land, or to the other world. Bharata is a mere boy, and by\nthee it is that he hath been sent unto his maternal uncle's mansion.\nEven in immobile objects attachment grows by virtue of nearness.\nSatrughna also ever following Bharata hath gone with him. He is attached\nunto Bharata as Lakshmana is attached unto Rama. It is heard that once\nupon a time the woodmen had intended to cut down a tree; but it was\nrelieved from the high peril because of the proximity of prickly shrubs\naround it. Sumitra's son protects Rama and Raghava protects Lakshmana.\nTheir fraternal love like that of the Aswins is celebrated in the world.\nTherefore Rama will never do any wrong unto Lakshmana; but he will do\nwrong unto Bharata, there is no doubt about this. Therefore let that son\nof Raghu be sent unto the woods from the palace. This pleaseth me; and\nthis also is for thy supreme welfare; and in this wise also will be\nrealised the good of thy relations. But if Bharata can get at his\nancestral kingdom by just means, that would also be welcome to thy\nkindred. That boy deserving of happiness is the natural enemy of Rama.\nHow can he live under the prosperous Rama being deprived of all wealth?\nTherefore it behoveth thee to save Bharata about to be overcome by Rama,\nlike a lion pursuing the leader of an elephant herd in a forest. Thy\nco-wife, Rama's mother, had formerly through pride and good fortune been\nslighted by thee. Why will not she upon thee wreak her revenge now? When\nRama will obtain the earth furnished with many oceans and mountains,\nthen, O proud dame, thou rendered forlorn, wilt along with Bharata,\nsustain sorry discomfiture. And when Rama will obtain the earth, Bharata\nwill certainly meet with destruction, therefore do thou ponder as to how\nthou canst place thy son on the throne, and banish thy enemy.\"\n\n[114] Historically Rama had but one wife. Manthara here anticipated that\n Rama would marry many wives like his father after the\n installation.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION IX.\n\n\nThus addressed, Kaikeyi, with her countenance flaming in wrath, sighing\nhot and hard, spoke unto Manthara, saying,-- \"Even this very day will I\nspeedily send Rama into the forest and without delay install Bharata in\nthe royal heir- apparentship. Do thou now see by what means I can effect\nthis. Bharata must obtain the kingdom and never Rama.\" Thus addressed by\nthe noble one, the. wicked-minded Manthara, envious of Rama's interest,\nthus spoke unto Kaikeyi,--\"Ah! O Kaikeyi, consider: Listen to my words,\ntelling thee how thy son alone will obtain the kingdom. Dost thou not\nremember, O Kaikeyi, or concealest although remembering, wishing to hear\nfrom me of the means for thy welfare which thou thyself hadst before\ncommunicated unto me? If, O dalliance loving damsel, it is thy wish to\nhear it as told by me, listen thou, I will tell it thee. And having\nheard it, do thou act accordingly.\" Hearing Manthara's words, Kaikeyi\nraised herself a little from her tastefully spread bed, and said,--\"Do\nthou tell me the means. By what means, O Manthara, Bharata will gain the\nkingdom, and in no wise Rama.\" Thus addressed by the worshipful one, the\nwicked- minded Manthara,--envying Rama's interest, thus spoke unto\nKaikeyi:--\"Formerly during the wars of the gods and Asuras, thy husband\ntaking thee along, went with the royal saints for the purpose of\nassisting the king of the celestials. O Kaikeyi, in Dandaka, situated\ntowards the south, there is the city known by the name of Vaijayanta,\nwhere dwelt Timidhvaja, otherwise called Samvara, --possessed of an\nhundred conjurations, and a mighty Asura. That unreproved one gave\nbattle unto Sakra accompanied by the celestials. And in that mighty\nconflict the Rakshasas during the night used to drag by main force\npersons asleep having their bodies cut all over, and kill them. Then\nKing Dacaratha warred with the Asuras most heroically. And that mighty\narmed one, O worshipful lady, losing his senses in consequence of wounds\nreceived from weapons, was removed from the field by thee. In that\nimminent danger, thy husband, sadly cut by weapons, was preserved by\nthee. Thereupon gratified, he, O, thou of gracious presence, granted\nthee two boons. Whereupon thou didst say,--'I shall receive from my lord\nthe boon whenever I shall wish.' Thereupon that high-souled one\nsaid,--'So be it.' I did not know anything about this, O respected one;\nand it was thou who didst formerly communicate this (unto me). And it is\nbecause I bear affection unto thee that I have not forgotten it. Now do\nthou forcibly make the monarch desist from installing Rama; and ask thy\nhusband for these two boons,--the installation of Bharata, and the exile\nof Rama into the woods for fourteen years. On Rama having been banished\ninto the woods for fourteen years, thy son securing the affections of\nsubjects, will be firmly established (on the throne). Entering the\nanger-chamber to day, do thou, O daughter of Acwapati, clad in soiled\ngarment, lie down on the uncovered floor. Do not look at him, nor speak\nto him aught. Do thou on beholding the lord of the earth, over-whelmed\nwith grief, weep only. Thou hast always been the favorite wife of thy\nhusband. Of this I have not the least doubt. For thy sake the monarch\ncan enter into a flame. He can never anger thee, nor can he eye thee\nwhen angered. For compassing thy pleasure the king can renounce life\nitself. Therefore the monarch can never set aside thy word. O senseless\nlady, do thou now reflect upon the strength of thy good fortune. King\nDacaratba will offer thee rubies and pearls and gold and gems of various\nkinds; but do not thou bend thy heart to them. Do thou, exalted dame,\nbring into Dacaratha's recollection the two boons which he had granted\nthee at the time of the war between the gods and Asuras, and thou shalt\nnot fail to achieve thy objects. And when that descendant of Raghu,\nraising thee will go to bestow the boons, do thou then binding him fast\nby oath, unfold unto the monarch the boons,saying,-- 'Send Rama unto the\nforest for nine and five years, and let Bharata, becoming on earth the\nforemost of monarchs, carry on the Government.' And Rama having been\nbanished for fourteen years, thy son growing (in the interval) firm and\nfast, will remain (on the throne) during the rest of his life. Do thou,\ntherefore, O worshipful one, demand even the banishment of Rama; for by\nthis it is, O damsel, all interests will be secured unto thy son. Thus\nbanished Rama will no longer maintain possession of the hearts of the\npeople; and thy Bharata with his foes put out, will be the king. By the\ntime that Rama returns from the forest, thy son, thy prudent son along\nwith his friends, securing the hearts of the people externally and\ninternally, will have been firmly established on the throne. Now is the\ntime, I apprehend. Renouncing fear, do thou forcibly make the monarch\nremove from his mind his intention of installing Rama.\"\n\nHaving been thus made to accept that for good which was really evil,\nKaikeyi, desirous of obtaining the boons, was filled with delight. And\nat the words of the hump-backed woman, that exceedingly beautiful\nKaikeyi experienced the height of pride, and betook herself to this\nwrong course, like a mare attached to her young, (springing up after\nit). And she said to Manthara,--\"O excellent wench, O speaker of things\nfair, thy wisdom I do not dishonor. In ascertaining the propriety or\notherwise of actions, thou art the very first of hump- backed women on\nearth. And ever intent on my interest, thou seekest my welfare. I had\nnot, O hump-backed one, (ere this) apprehended the endeavours of the\nking. O hump- backed one, there are many deformed, crooked and unsightly\nwomen (on earth); but thou alone down, lookest beautiful like a lotus\nbent by the breeze. Thy breast weighed down by thy hump, is high near\nthe shoulders; and beneath is thy belly graced with a goodly navel,\nwhich hath grown lean from shame (on holding the attitude of thy bust.)\nThy buttocks are spacious; and thy breasts are firm. Thy countenance is\nlike the bright moon, Ah! O Manthara,how lovely dost thou look! Thy hips\nare smooth, and is decked with chains; and thy thighs and legs are of\nlarge proportions. O Manthara, O thou clad in linen garment, O graceful\ndamsel, with thy pair of spacious humps, thou goest before me like a\nshe- crane. In thy heart reside all those thousand-conjurations\nbelonging to that lord of the Asuras, Samvara; and besides thousands\nthere are many more. Intelligence and policy and conjurations reside in\nthy elevated hump resembling the nave of a chariot- wheel. When Bharata\nhath been installed and Rama gone to the woods, I will, O hump-backed\none, furnish thy hump with a garland made, O beautiful one, of well\nmelted gold. And when I shall have attained my object and be happy, I\nwill smear thy hump with sandal paste. O hump-backed one, I will prepare\nfor thy face an excellent _tilaka_ of gold; as well as other ornaments.\nWearing elegant apparel, thou wilt go about like a very goddess. With an\nincomparable countenance challenging the moon himself, thou wilt attain\npre-eminence, defying thy foes. Even as thou servest me, other\nhump-backed women adorned with every ornament will serve thy feet.\"\n\nThus praised by Kaikeyi, as she was lying down on a white bed, like unto\nfire upon the sacrificial dais, Manthara addressed her, saying,--\"O\nblessed one, when water has flown out, it is not proper to set up a\ndyke. Arise. Do thy welfare. Show thyself unto the king.\" Puffed up with\nthe pride of good fortune, that noble lady of expansive eyes thus\nencouraged (by Manthara), went with her to the anger- chamber. (Having\nentered the chamber), that exalted lady put off her pearl neck-lace\npriced at many hundreds and thousands of gold, together with other\nelegant, beautiful and rich ornaments. Then sitting down upon the\nground, Kaikeyi, comparable unto gold, under the influence of Manthara's\nwords, spoke unto her, saying--\"Do thou, hump-backed one, tell the\nmonarch, that I am dead at this place. On Raghava having gone to the\nforest, Bharata will obtain the earth. I do not require gold, or gems,\nor repasts; this will be the end of my existence if Rama be installed.\"\n\nAgain the hump-backed woman addressed Bharata's mother in exceedingly\ncruel language fraught with good unto Bharata and evil unto Rama,--\"If\nRaghava attaineth the kingdom, thou wilt surely grieve along with thy\nson. Therefore, O blessed one, do thou strive so that thy son Bharata be\ninstalled.\"\n\nThus momentarily pierced by the wordy shafts shot by Manthara, the queen\nexceedingly surprised, laying her hand on her bosom, wrathfully broke\nout,--\"Either beholding me gone unto the regions of Death, thou wilt\napprize the king of it, or Raghava repairing unto the forest for a long\ntime, Bharata will attain his desire. If Raghava doth not repair hence\ninto the forest, I will not desire beds, nor garlands, nor sandal paste,\nnor colyrium, nor meat, nor drinks, nor life.\" Having said these cruel\nwords, and thrown off every ornament, the wrathful dame lay down on the\nground having no covering, like a fallen Kinnari. Casting away her\nexcellent garlands and ornaments with her countenance clouded with the\ngloom of wrath, the King's wife became sunk in thought looking like a\nsky enveloped in darkness, with the stars hid.\n\n\n\nSECTION X.\n\n\nThus perversely advised by the exceedingly wicked Manthara, the noble\nand sagacious lady, influenced by passion, having completely decided in\nher mind as to her course, was lying down on the ground like a Kinnari\npierced with poisoned shafts, and gradually told everything unto\nManthara. And having made up her mind, that lady wrought up with ire,\nbeing under the influence of Manthara's words, sighed hot and hard like\nthe daughter of a Naga; and for a while reflected on the way which was\nto bring her happiness.Then her friend and well-wisher Manthara, hearing\nof her resolution, rejoiced exceedingly, as if she had already secured\nsuccess. And, having fully ascertained her course, that weak one being\nangry, lay down upon the floor, knitting her eyebrows. The ground was\nstrewn with garlands and excellent ornaments which Kaikeyi had cast\naway; and they adorned the earth as the stars adorn the welkin. Like an\nenfeebled Kinnari she clad in a soiled garment, binding fast her braid,\nlay down in the anger-chamber.\n\nThe monarch having issued orders for the installation of Rama,entered\nhis inner apartment after giving permission to the courtiers to repair\nto their respective abodes. \"To-day it has been fixed to install Rama,\nbut Kaikeyi has not yet heard of it\"--thus thought the monarch.\nTherefore with the view of communicating the welcome news unto that lady\ndeserving of good, (Kaikeyi), that renowned one of subdued senses\nentered the inner apartment. Like unto the moon entering the sky covered\nwith white clouds and with Rahu present in it, that one of high fame\nentered the excellent apartment of Kaikeyi, having parrots and peacocks\nand _Kraunchas_ and swans, resounding with the sounds of musical\ninstruments,--containing hump-backed and dwarfish women, graced with\nhouses containing creepers, and pictures, and adorned with _ashokas_ and\n_champakas_, furnished with daises composed of ivory and silver and\ngold, and adorned with trees bearing flowers and fruits always, and\ntanks, having superb seats made of ivory, silver and gold; rich with\nvarious viands and drinks and edibles, with costly ornaments, and\nresembling heaven itself; and the prosperous monarch having entered his\nown inner apartment did not see his dear Kaikeyi on the excellent bed.\nThe lord of men not seeing his favorite wife, asked (within himself) and\nwas struck with grief. Never before this that noble lady spent that hour\n(at any other place); nor had the monarch ever entered the empty\napartment. Then the king entering the apartment asked (a sentinel)\nconcerning Kaikeyi, not knowing that that unwise woman was hankering\nafter her self-interest, as on previous occasions not finding her he\nused to ask. Thereupon hurriedly and with clasped hands, the warder\nsaid,-- \"Worshipful sire, the noble lady exceedingly angry, hath\nrepaired unto the anger chamber.\" Hearing the warder's word, the king\nexceedingly anxious, with his senses agitated and afflicted, again\ngrieved. There burning with grief, the lord of the earth saw her lying\ndown on the ground in an improper guise. And the sinless aged (monarch)\nsaw on the ground his youthful wife dearer unto him than life itself,\ncherishing an unrighteous intention,--like a torn creeper, and lying\ndown like a very goddess, resembling a Kinnari fallen from heaven\nbecause of sin, like a fallen Apsara, like unto an illusion spread to\ntake another, and like an ensnared doe, or a she-clcphant that has been\npierced with an envenomed shaft shot by a hunter. And himself resembling\na mighty elephant in the midst of a forest, the king, exceedingly\naggrieved, out of affection, gently passing his hand upon Kaikeyi's\nperson, thus addressed her furnished with eyes resembling lotus'\npetals,--\"I do not know why thou hast been angry with me. O noble lady,\nwho has reprimanded thee, or who has offended thee, that, O auspicious\none, in this guise thou art lying down in dust enhancing my sorrow? And\nwherefore art thou down on the ground, I, who seek thy welfare, being\nyet alive? O thou that afflictest my heart, art like one under the\ninfluence of a malignant spirit, I have skilful physicians whom I have\ncompletely satisfied with gifts,--they will render thee whole. Do thou,\nO angry wench, mention thy malady. Whom dost thou wish to please; and\nwhom to displease? Who shall to-day receive an welcome office, and who a\nhighly unwelcome one? Do not conceal thy thoughts, nor, O noble one,\nafflict thy person. Who, that should not be slain, shall be put to\ndeath; and who that should, is to be set at liberty? Who that is poor is\nto be made rich; and who that is affluent is to be turned into a pauper?\nI and mine are at thy command. I dare not cross any wish of thine. Tell\nme thy mind, and I will satisfy thee by laying down life itself. Thou\nknowest the influence thou hast upon me,--therefore, it behoveth thee\nnot to entertain any apprehension. By all my good deeds I swear that I\nwill compass thy pleasure. The space that is lighted up by the solar\ndisc is mine--the Draviras, and the Sindhus, and the Sauviras, and\nShurashtras and the Dakshinapathas, and the Bangas, and the Angas, and\nthe Magadhas, and the Matsyas, and the flourishing Kasis and the\nKocalas. In these are produced many things, wealth and corn and animals.\nDo thou, O Kaikeyi, ask for those things that thy mind may take a fancy\nto. What,0 timid one, is the use of afflicting thyself thus? O beauteous\ndamsel, arise, arise. Do thou, O Kaikeyi, unfold unto me the cause\nwhence hath proceeded thy fear. On hearing the reason, I will dispell\nit, even as the sun drieth up the dew.\"\n\nThus addressed and encouraged, she desirous of saying that disagreeable\nthing with the view of afflicting her lord still more, spoke unto him\nthus.\n\n\n\nSECTION XI.\n\n\nUnto that ruler of the earth extremely under the influence of passion,\nKaikeyi spoke cruelly, saying,-- \"O worshipful one, none has wronged or\nreprimanded me. I have a certain intention, which I wish that you will,\ncarry out. If thou wilt execute that, do thou then promise to that\neffect, Then only will I express my desire.\" Thereupon, by his hands\nplacing Kaikeyi's head upon his lap, the mighty monarch, under the\ninfluence of passion, smiling fairly, addressed her lying on the ground,\n\"O thou that art swollen with the pride of good fortune, thou knowest\nthat foremost of men, Rama excepted, there liveth not any that is dearer\nto me than thyself. I swear by that invincible prime of men even the\nhigh-souled Raghava-- who is the stay of my existence. Do thou tell me\nthy heart's desire. By that Rama, Kaikeyi, whom if I do not see for a\nmoment, I die for certain, do I swear that whatever thou wilt say I will\naccomplish. By that Rama, O Kaikeyi, foremost of men--whom I hold dearer\nthan my other sons, do I swear that, I will accomplish whatever thou\nwilt say. O gentle one, my heart is in what I say. Do thou, considering\nthis, deliver me from this distress. Taking all this into consideration,\ndo thou, O Kaikeyi, speak out what is in thy mind. Thou seest the power\nthou wieldest in me, therefore it behoveth thee not to fear. I will do\nthy pleasure by my good deeds do I swear this.\"\n\nThereat intent upon her own interests, that exalted dame seeing her own\nwish (almost) attained, assuming an attitude of intercession, being\nrejoiced, spoke harsh words (unto the monarch). And delighted at the\nking's speech, she unfolded that dreadful intention of hers like unto\nthe approaching death.-- \"Thou swearest repeatedly, and conferrest on me\na boon. Let the three and thirty deities headed by Indra, hear this. Let\nthe Sun, and the Moon, and the Sky, and the Planets, and Night, and Day,\nand the Cardinal points, and the Universe, and the Earth, with the\nGandharvas and Rakshasas, and the Rangers of the night, and all Beings,\nand the house-hold gods residing in dwellings,--together with all other\ncreatures,--know thy utterances. Let all the deities hear that a highly\nenergetic one speaking the truth, and pure, and cognizant of morality,\nand abiding by his promise, has conferred on me a boon\". Having\nentreated the monarch thus with a view to prevent him from swerving, and\nkeeping him firm in his promise, she again addressed that mighty bowman,\novercome by desire, who was ready to confer on her a boon, \"Remember, O\nking, the incidents that took place formerly in the war between gods and\nAsuras. Incapable of taking thy life, thy enemy had rendered thee\nexceedingly feeble. Because, O respected Sir, I tending thee\nsleeplessly, preserved thee, thou didst grant me two boons. Entrusting\nthe boons then with thee, do I now, O descendant of the Raghus, ask for\nthem (at thy hands), O lord of the earth. If having religiously promised\nto that effect, thou dost not confer the boon, this very day, will I,\ncoming by this disgrace from thee, renounce my life.\"\n\nWhen the king was completely brought under the influence of Kaikeyi, he\nwas ensnared by her speech for his destruction, like a deer entering\ninto the noose. Thereafter she thus spoke unto the king about to confer\na boon, who was under the influence of passion, saying,--\"Of the boons\nthat thou hadst then promised me, I shall speak to-day: do thou listen\nto my words. Preparations are being made for installing Raghava. Do thou\nwith the provisions made ready install Bharata in the kingdom. O exalted\none, the time has also come for thee to confer on me the second boon\nwhich thou being pleased had promised in the war of the gods and Asuras.\nLet the gentle Rama, clad in deer-skin, lead the life of a mendicant in\nthe Dandaka forest for the space of nine and five years. And let Bharata\ngain the heir-apparentship rid of thorns, Even this is my prime wish;\nand I beseech thee but to grant the boon thou hast already promised.\nEven this very day will I see Rama despatched to the woods. Do thou by\nproving true unto thy word, become the king of kings; and preserve thy\nrace, character, and birth. Truthful speech, say the ascetics, is of\nsupreme welfare unto men in the next world.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XII.\n\n\nHearing Kaikeyi's fell speech, the monarch bewailed for a time, and then\nthought,--\"Is this a day-dream unto me or has bewilderment befallen my\nsenses? Is this owing to influence of some evil spirit or has my mind\nbeen affected?\" Thinking thus, the king could not arrive at the. origin\nof (this phenomenon); and then he swooned away. Then regaining his\nsenses, he was filled with grief on recollecting Kaikeyi's words; and\npained and woe-begone, like unto a deer at the sight of a tigress, he\nfetched a deep sigh, and sat down on the uncover ed ground. Like a\nvenomous snake confined by power of incantation within a circle, the\nlord of men, in indignation exclaimed, \"O fie!\" And deprived of his\nsenses by grief, he again swooned away. After a long while, regaining\nhis senses, he extremely aggrieved, wrathfully, and as if burning in\nenergy, addressed Kaikeyi, saying,--\"Thou cruel one! Thou of vile ways!\nThou destroyer of this race! O wicked woman, what has been done by Rama\nunto thee; or what wrong have I done thee? Raghava ever serveth thee as\na mother. Why thou art then bent upon wronging him? It is to bring down\ndestruction upon myself that through ignorance I brought unto this house\nthee like unto a serpent of virulent poison. When all men show their\nregard for Rama's virtues, for what transgression shall I forsake my\ndear son? I may renounce Kaucalya or Sumitra or the kingdom, or life\nitself; but Rama, filled with affection for his father, will I not\nrenounce. I experience supreme delight on beholding my first-born; and\nwhen I see him not, I lose my senses. The world may exist without the\nSun; and corn without water; but this life doth not exist in this body\nwithout Rama. Do thou then that entertainest unrighteous aims, abandon\nthis intention of thine. I lay my head at thy feet. Be propitious unto\nme. Why dost thou, O sinful one, cherish in thy mind such a frightful\nidea? Thou (often) asked me whether I love Bharata or not. Be that which\nthou hadst formerly told me in favor of that descendant of Raghu. 'That\nblessed one is my eldest son, and the most righteous of them all' even\nthis, with the view of pleasing me, thou sweet speeched one had said.\nNow hearing of the installation of Rama, thou thyself filled with grief,\nart making me exceedingly aggrieved. Or in this empty chamber having\nbeen possessed, thou hast come under influence not thy own. And this\nsignal lawlessness, O exalted lady, has befallen the race of the\nIkshwakus; the cause of which, 0 Thou versed in moral laws, is thy\nmental derangement. Thou didst not formerly do unto me aught that was\nimproper or disagreeable; therefore, O thou of expansive eyes, I cannot\nrely upon thee (as sane). Thou didst, O girl, many a time tell me that\nRama was equal unto thee with the high-souled Bharata. Wherefore then, O\nbashful one, dost thou like that the illustrious and righteous Rama, O\nexalted dame, should reside in the forest for five and nine years? Why\ndost thou like that the exceedingly tender Rama with his soul\nestablished in virtue, should dwell in the woods, undergoing terrible\nhardship? Why dost thou, O thou of graceful eyes, wish Rama, captivating\nall creatures, and engaged in ministering unto thee, to be banished?\nRama verily serveth thee far more than doth Bharata; and I do not find\nthat Bharata regardeth thee more than Rama. Who will, save that foremost\nof men, so devotedly minister unto thee, regard thee, enhance thy\ninfluence, and do thy will. Not one of the many thousands of females and\nthe innumerable retainers (in the palace), has been able to fasten\nreproach upon Rama for real or false misconduct. Soothing all creatures\nwith a pure heart, that great soul by means of good officers secureth\nthe affections of the inhabitants of the kingdom. He conquers all the\ntwice-born ones by gifts; and that hero conquers his superiors by\nministrations; and his enemies by encountering them with the bow. For\ncertain, in Raghava are truth and charity, and asceticism,and self-\nrenunciation,and friendship, and purity, and sincerity, and learning,\nand the disposition to tend his superiors. How, O respected one, canst\nthou ask for this that will bring thee sin, touching Rama endowed with\ncandour, and energetic like unto a Maharshi, and resembling a celestial?\nI do not recollect to have heard Rama, who ever speaks sweet words, to\nhave used any unpleasant speech to any one; how can I then for thy sake\nunfold this disagreeable matter unto the beloved Rama? And what stay\nhave I save him in whom abide forgtveness,and asceticism and\nrenunciation, and verity, and righteousness, and gratitude, and harmless\ntowards all creatures. It behoveth thee, O Kaikeyi, to have pity on me,\naged and on the verge of death, and afflicted with grief, and\ndistressed, and engaged in lamentations. Whatever can be obtained in\nthis earth bounded by the ocean I will confer on thee--do thou not bring\nabout my death. O Kaikeyi, 1 clasp my palms, I fall at thy feet, be thou\nthe protector of Rama, so that sin may not taint me.\"\n\nWhen the terrible Kaikeyi in still more terrible language addressed the\nmighty king, who was burning in grief, and bewailing, and deprived of\nhis senses, and feeling a sensation of whirling, and overwhelmed with\nwoe, and again and again beseeching for crossing this ocean of sorrow,\nsaying. \"If, O monarch, having conferred the boon,thou repentest\nafterwards how, O hero, wilt thou speak of thy righteousness in the\nworld? When,0 thou versed in duty, the Rajarshis assembled around thee,\nshall ask thee regarding this matter, what wilt thou answer? Wilt thou\nsay, 'by whose favor do I live and who had tended me, unto that Kaikeyi\nhave I broken my promise?' Surely, O lord of men, thou wilt bring\ndisgrace unto all the monarchs (of thy line), since having conferred the\nboons this very day, thou speakest otherwise. Saivya granted his own\nflesh unto the bird in the matter of the hawk and the pigeon.[115] And\nAlarka, having granted his eyes (unto a blind Brahmin) attained\nexcellent state. And the ocean, having bound himself by promise, never\npasses beyond his shores. Remembering these old stories render not thy\npromise nugatory. O thou of perverted understanding, renouncing\nrighteousness, and installing Rama in the kingdom, thou wishest ever to\ngive thyself up to pleasure with Kaucalya. Whether what I have proposed\nbe righteous or otherwise, whether thou hast promised truly or falsely,\nswerve not from thy word. If thou install Raima, this very day drinking\npoison, I will surely die before thee. If I for a single day behold\nRama's mother receiving homage rendered with clasped hands, I will\nconsider death even as welcome, O lord of men, by Bharata's self dear\nunto me as my own life, I swear that save the exile of Rama, nothing\nshall satisfy me.\"\n\nHaving said this, Kaikeyi paused; and maintained silence disregarding\nthe bewailing monarch. The king with his senses overwhelmed with grief,\nhearing Kaikeyi's exceedingly bitter words, reflected on Rama's abode in\nthe woods, and the advancement of Bharata, and being bewildered for a\nwhile spoke not unto Kaikeyi; but gazed steadfastly at that exalted\ndame, his beloved wife, who had uttered disagreeable things. And having\nheard that speech resembling a thunder-bolt, and unpleasant to the\nheart, and surcharged with grief, the king was extremely pained. Then\nrecollecting that revered lady's resolve, and his own terrible oath, he,\nsighing forth,--\"O Rama,\" dropped down like a felled tree. And then that\nmaster of the earth being deprived of his sense, was like a mad man, or\na patient with his faculties wildered, or a serpent whose energy has\nbeen exhausted. In sad and distressful words, he addressed Kaikeyi,\nsaying,--\"Who is it that has convinced thee that this exceedingly\nheinous course is a proper one? Dost thou not feel shame to speak thus\nunto me, like one whose faculties have been possessed by an evil spirit?\nI did not know before, when thou wast youthful that thy nature was so\nperverted; but now I find the very reverse of what I then thought.\nWhence proceedeth thy fear that thou askest for such a boon--the\nestablishment of Bharata in the kingdom, and the banishment of Rama into\nthe woods? Do thou cease to urge such a suit that is fraught with evil\nunto thy wifely virtue, and that will render my word untrue, if thou\nwishest for the good of thy husband, of the people, and Bharata. O cruel\nwoman; O thou that intendest sinfully, O base wretch, O doer of impious\ndeeds, how have I and Rama conspired against thy happiness; and what\noffence dost thou find in us? Bharata will by no means accept the\nkingdom, depriving Rama of it, for I consider Bharata a still more\ngrounded in righteousness than Rama himself. When I shall say,--\"Repair\nunto the forest,\" and Rama's countenance will fall, like unto the moon\noverwhelmed by Rahu, how shall I behold it? How shall I, having in\nconsultation with my friends come to this decision, retract the same,\nlike unto an army defeated by the enemy? And what will the monarchs\ncoming from various quarters say concerning me,-- \"Alas! how has this\npuerile descendant of Ikshwaku reigned so long?' And when many aged\nfolks, endowed with virtues, and accomplished in various lore will ask\nme concerning Kakutstha, what then shall I sav unto them.--'Sore pressed\nby Kaikeyi, have I banished Rama? Even if I speak this truly, yet none\nwill lend credence to it. And what will Kaucalya say unto me, when Rama\nshall have gone to the forest? Having dpne her this mighty wrong, what\nshall I say unto her? Kaucalya serves me at the same time like a slave,\nand a friend, and wife, and sister, and mother. Ever studious of my\nwelfare, dearly loving her son, and speaking every one fair, that\nexalted lady, although deserving of homage at my hands, has up to this\ntime not been regarded by me, because of thee. That I have so long\nsought thy welfare, afflicteth me now, even like rice partaken by a sick\nperson with curries that are unhealthful. Beholding Rama deprived of his\nkingdom, and banished unto the forest, why will Sumitra alarmed believe\nin me. Ah! woe to me! Vaidehi will have to hear of two evil events,--my\ndeath and Rama's journey unto the woods. Alas! my Vaidehi, indulging in\ngrief, will renounce her existence, like a Kinnari on the side of the\nHimavat, who has been forsaken by her kinnara. When I shall witness Rama\nrepairing to the mighty forest, and Sita weeping (in grief) , I shall\nnot hope for a long life; and thou, becoming a widow, will reign along\nwith thy son. Like unto a goodly liquor, which people having partaken\nit, subsequently find to contain poison, I have found thee, who had\npassed for a chaste woman, to be now really unchaste. Having soothed me\nwith soft but false words, thou speakest thus. Thou hast killed me like\na deer that has been entrapped by a hunter, having been allured into the\nnet through the sound of a song. Surely gentle folks will on the\nhigh-way censure me as one lost to gentility,--as one who has sold his\nson (for buying his wife's good graces), even like a Brahmana given to\ndrinking. Alas! alas! having promised thee the boon, I have to bear\nthese words of thine; and have come by this grief like unto evil\nconsequent upon misdeeds in a previous existence. Wretch as I am, like a\nhalter set round one's neck, have I, O vile woman, cherished thee\nthrough ignorance. Not knowing thee for my death, I have sported with\nthee, like an infant dallying in solitude with a venomous snake. Surely,\npeople will be justified in con- demning me wicked-minded that I am, for\nmy son having been deprived of his ancestral kingdom by me; saying,--\n\"Alas! king Dacaratha is foolish and lustful; for he sends his beloved\nson to the woods for the sake of his wife.\" Rama has grown emaciated by\nstudy ng the Vedas, leading the Brahmacharyya mode of life, and serving\nhis preceptors,--- will he again undergo this mighty toil at this time\nof enjoyment? My son is incapable of uttering a second word unto me; and\ncommissioned, he will repair to the woods, saying, 'Very well.' if\nordered with 'Go to the forest,' Raghava does not consent, even that\nwould conduce to my pleasure; but he will do nothing of the kind. And\nRaghava having gone to the forest, Death will surely summon me away to\nhis abode who am of exceedingly reprehensible character, and who am\nuniversally execrated. And I having been dead and that best of men,\nRama, having gone to the woods (I do not know) to what a plight thou\nwilt bring my kindreds. And if Kaucalya loses me and Rama, and Sumitra\nloses her two sons and me and Rama, then tormented with the extreme of\ngrief, those exalted ladies will follow me. Do thou, O Kaikeyi, casting\ninto hell Kaucalya and Sumitra and myself with our three sons, attain\nhappiness. Renounced by me as well as Rama, this lkshwaku line existing\nfrom a time immemorial, and ennobled by excellent qualities, and\nincapable of coming by grief, thou wilt rule, when it shall have been\noverwhelmed with misfortune. If the banishment of Rama, be agreeable to\nBharata let him not, when I am dead, perform my funeral obsequies. When\nI am dead, and when that foremost of men has gone to the forest, do\nthou, a widow, rule the kingdom along with thy son. O daughter of a\nking, when by chance thou residest in my mansion, I must come by signal\ninfamy and discomfiture in the world, and meet with general disregard,\nlike unto a sinful person. How having always gone on cars and elephants\nand horses, will dear Rama range in the forest on foot? How will my son,\nat the approach of whose meal-time, cooks wearing ear-rings and\nemulating each other prepare excellent meats and drinks, pass his days,\nliving on fare furnished by the woods, of astringent, or bitter, or\npungent taste? How will he, who has always been clad in costly attire,\nand who has always enjoyed happiness, will dwell on the bare earth,\nwearing a piece of red cloth? From whom hast thou received this\ninconceivable and dreadful advice,-- Rama's journey to the woods and\ninstallation of Bharata? Fie upon women, crafty and selfish! But I must\nnot name all women--I mean only the mother of Bharata. O thou that art\nintent upon doing mischief unto all, O thou addicted to selfishness, O\ncruel one, has God made thy mind so very vile, only to torment me? What\nwrong hast thou come by either through me, or Rama ever engaged in thy\nwelfare? On beholding Rama plunged in sorrow, fathers will forsake sons,\nand wives attached unto their husbands will forsake them, and the entire\nearth will be affected with ill-humour. When I hear him coming, adorned\nlike unto a son of the celestials, I rejoice on casting my eyes on him,\nand I feel as if I had regained my youth. Men may do without the Sun,\nand the wielder of the thunder-bolt not raining, but none, I apprehend,\ncan live, on witnessing Rama repairing hence. I have kept in my mansion,\nlike unto my own death, thee that desirest my destruction, and art\nintent upon doing me wrong, and art my foe. I have for a long time held\nthee on my lap, like unto a she-snake of virulent poison; therefore in\nconsequence of my folly, I now meet with destruction. Now dissevered\nfrom me, and Rama together with Lakshmana, let Bharata govern the city\nand the kingdom along with thee. Destroying thy relatives, do thou\nenhance the joy of my enemies. O thou cruelly-disposed, O thou bringer\non of calamities, since banishing all sense of the relation in which we\nstand to each other as husband and wife, thou hast spoken thus, why\nreduced to thousand fragments thy teeth drop not from off thy mouth down\nto the ground? Rama has not used any harsh speech towards thee. Indeed\nRama knows no harsh speech; why then dost thou seek to inflict upon Rama\n(ever) pleasant spoken, and endowed with agreeable qualities--such\nwrongs. O thou that renderest infamous the king of the Kekayas, whether\nthou becomest miserable, or enterest into fire, or killest thyself (by\ntaking poison), or divest into the bowels of the earth opened at a\nthousand places, I will not execute thy fell intention that is fraught\nwith evil unto me. I do not wish, that thou, like unto a razor, and ever\nspeaking pleasant falsehoods, and possessed of a vile heart, the\ndestroyer of thy own race,--thou that wishest to burn my heart and life,\nthou unbeautiful one, mayst remain alive. My life itself is in\njeopardy,--where then is my happiness? Where is the happiness of parents\nwithout their sons? It behoveth thee not, O noble dame, to do evil unto\nme. I take hold of thy feet; be thou propitious unto me.\" As bewailing\nthus like one forlorn the ruler of earth whose heart was captivated by\nKaikeyi on account of her supreme beauty proceeded to take hold of her\nfeet, who having banished all self respect, sat with her legs stretched,\nhe, without being able to come at them, fell down in a swoon, like one\nenfeebled with disease.\n\n[115] The story goes that desirous of testing the charity of Saivya,\n Indra and Agni assuming the forms of a hawk and a pigeon\n respectively, went to the king, the former pursuing the latter.\n The pigeon in a fright asked the protection of the monarch,\n whereon he granted it. But the hawk urged, 'why dost thou retain\n the food that has been appointed by Providence?' But the king\n declined, and cut off his own flesh and gave it unto the hawk.--\n T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XIII.\n\n\nThen as the mighty king was lying down in this unbeseeming and improper\nguise, like Yayati dropped from the celestial regions when his religious\nmerit had been exhausted, that lady, personating the ruin of the race,\nnot fearing public odium, who had discerned danger from Rama unto\nBharata, not having attained her wish, again addressed the monarch,\nconcerning the boon he had promised unto her,--Thou describest thyself,\nO mighty monarch, as speaking the truth and firm in vow. Why then dost\nthou hesitate to confer this boon on me?\" Thus addressed by Kaikeyi king\nDacaratha, remaining stupified for a while thus answered her in\nwrath,--\"O ignoble one! O enemy of mine! On my being dead, and that\nchief of men, Rama, reparing to the woods, do thou, thine wish attained,\nbecome happy. When in heaven, questioning me as to Rama's welfare, the\ncelestials, learning of his banishment to the woods, will tax me on this\nscore, how shall I also bear that reproach of theirs? If I shall\ntruthfully say I have sent Rama to the woods for compassing Kaikeyi's\npleasure, that will count for a falsehood. Sonless first, I have\nobtained the exceedingly energetic and mighty Rama by great pain,--how\ncan I then renounce him? How shall I banish Rama having eyes resembling\nlotus' petals, who is heroic, and accomplished and of subdued anger, and\nforgiving. How shall I dismiss unto Dandaka the charming Rama of dark\nblue hue like that of a blue lotus, possessed of mighty arms, and having\ngreat strength? How shall I behold the intelligent Rama in evil plight,\nwho has never known suffering, and has always enjoyed felicity? If\nwithout inflicting injury upon Rama, I meet with death, I shall then\nattain happiness. O cruel Kaikeyi, O thou of evil purpose, why dost thou\ndo this wrong unto my beloved Rama having truth for prowess? If I banish\nRama, an unparalleled obloquy will surely darken (my fair fame).\n\nAs king Dacaratha was bewailing thus with a heart wrought up with grief,\nthe sun set and night came on. But although crested with the lunar disc,\nthe night failed to bring comfort unto the king, distressed, and\nindulging in grief. Then the old king Dacaratha, with his eyes fixed at\nthe sky, sighing hot, lamented in this strain--\"O night studded with\nstars, I beseech thee, let not the morning appear. Do thou, O gentle\none, do me this kindness. I do thus clasp my hands (by way of\nsupplication). Or do thou speedily repair for I do not wish to see the\nhated and relentless Kaikeyi, who has brought this calamity upon me\".\nHaving spoken thus, the king conversant with the duties of Sovereigns\nagain endeavoured to propitiate Kaikeyi, saying,--\"O noble dame, do thou\nshow favour unto me, who am of honest ways, who am distressed, who have\nmade myself thine, who have finished his life, and who, in especial, am\nthy king. That I have spoken to thee thus was because, O thou of shapely\nhips, I had been deprived of my senses (through grief). O girl, do thou\nshow thy favour unto me,--be thou generous,--be thou propitious. Let my\nRama obtain the kingdom in fact conferred by thee. Thereupon, O thou\nhaving the outer corner of thy eyes of dark blue hue, thou wilt attain\nhigh fame (among men). O thou of well-developed hips, do thou do this\nact of benefit unto me and Rama and the people and the superiors, and\nBharata\".\n\nHaving heard the exceedingly piteous words of her husband, the king of\npure sentiment, who was distressed, with his eye rendered coppery and\nflowing with tears, that wicked minded and merciless woman spoke not.\nThereat seeing that his favourite dissatisfied wife persisted in urging\nthe banishment of his son, the king struck with grief, again fell down\nto the earth, senseless. As the wise king afflicted with sorrow was\nsighing hot and hard, the night passed away. Then as the eulogists\nattempted to sing his praises for awakening him, he prohibited them to\ndo so.\n\n\n\nSECTION XIV.\n\n\nThen that sinful woman, seeing the descendant of Ikshwaku distressed on\naccount of his son, and deprived of conciousness, and lying inert on the\nground, spoke unto him, saying,--\"Having promised to grant me the boon,\nhow distressed dost thou lie on the ground, as if thou didst commit some\nsin? It behoveth thee to keep untainted thy dignity by performing what\nthou hast promised. Truth, say persons cognizant of it, is the prime\nvirtue. And it is in the interests of virtue, that I have been exhorting\nthee. Having promised his own person unto the hawk, that lord of earth,\nSaivya, having granted the same unto the bird, went the excellent way.\nIn the same manner, Alarka, being asked, plucked out his eyes readily\nand bestowed them on a certain Brahmana versed in the Vedas. And the\nlord of rivers, having promised, even on occasions of Parvas, does not\npass over his bounds for the sake of truth. The one syllable (_Onkar_)\nsignifying Brahma. is the truth itself, In truth is established\nrighteousness. Truth is the undecaying Vedas, and through truth people\nattain the foremost state. If thy mind is established in virtue, do thou\nthen follow truth. Since, O excellent one, thou hast promised the boon,\nlet that boon bear fruit. Do thou, incited by me with the view of\nmaintaining virtue, banish Rama. Thrice, do I tell thee. If thou dost\nnot fulfil this noble vow, O worshipful Lord, thou hast made unto me,\nforsaken by thee will I even in thy very presence renounce my life.\"\n\nThus fearlessly urged by Kaikeyi, the king could not take off from\nhimself the noose (of promise), even as Bali could not take off the\nnoose that had been fixed upon him (by _Upendra_) at the instance of\nIndra. Thereupon, the king looked blank, and his heart became agitated,\nlike unto a beast of burden moving tortuously when placed within the\nyoke and wheels. Then calming himself with a great effort, the king, as\nif not seeing Kaikeyi, with his haggard eyes, addressed her, saying,--\"I\ndo here, wicked wretch, renounce that hand of thine which I had held\nwith _mantras_ before the sacrificial fire, and I do also renounce along\nwith thee own-begotten[116] thy son Bharata. O exalted one, the night\nhas departed; and as soon as the Sun rises, the superiors will surely\nurge me for installing Rama with the provisions that have been procured\nfor the purpose. But if, O thou of auspicious ways, hinderest the\ninstallation of Rama, Rama will perform my funeral obsequies, when I am\ndead,--and not thou accompanied by thy son shalt perform the same. That\ncountenance of Rama which I have once seen expanded in delight, I shall\nnever be able to behold bereft of joy and cheerfulness, and down, with\nmelancholy clouding it.\"\n\nAs the high-souled ruler of earth was speaking thus unto her, the night\nengarlanded with the moon and stars was succeeded by the morning. Then\nKaikeyi of vile ways versed in speech, rendered senseless by wrath,\nagain addressed the monarch in harsh language, saying,--\"What words, O\nking, dost thou say, comparable unto poison or painful indispositions.\nIt behoveth thee to summon hither thy son, the energetic Rama. Having\nestablished my son in the kingdom, and rendered Rama a ranger of the\nwoods and made myself rid of rivals, I shall attain my end.\" Thus urged\nby Kaikeyi, the king like unto an excellent steed stung by a sharp goad,\nagain spoke unto her,--\"I have been bound fast by the ties of\nvirtue,--therefore have I lost my senses. I now only wish to behold my\nbeloved eldest son-- the righteous Rama.\"\n\nThen when the night had gone by and day broke and the Sun arose, and\nwhen the sacred astral hour had arrived, Vasishtha endowed with many\nvirtues, surrounded by his disciples and furnished with the provisions,\nentered that foremost of cities, whose streets had been swept and\nwatered and which had been decorated with streamers, and which was\nfilled with people rejoicing, and whose stalls overflowed with articles,\nand which resounded with the noise of festivity, and which was populous\nwith folks eager for the installation of Raghava, and which was every\nwhere scented with sandal and _dhupa_ and _aguru_. Having entered the\ncity, like unto the metropolis of Purandara himself, he saw the graceful\ninner apartment decked with innumerable standards, and which was\nthronged with citizens and the inhabitants of the provinces, and graced\nwith Brahmanas cognizant of sacrifices, and crowded with highly\nworshipful assistants at sacrifice, entered the inner apartment and\npassed by that press. Vasishtha exceedingly delighted, surrounded by\ngreat saints, saw at the gate of the charioteer of that great one,--who\nat the same time was his counseller of gracious looks. Therefore the\nhighly energetic Vasishtha said unto the skilful son of the\ncharioteer,--\"Do thou speedily acquaint the mighty monarch that I have\ncome. Here are golden vessels filled with water from the Ganga and the\nocean; and for the installation, an excellent _udumvara_ seat, and all\nkinds of seeds, and scents and various gems, and honey, and curds and\nclarified butter and fried paddy, and milk, and sacrificial grass,\nflowers and milk, and eight good-looking maids, and an excellent mad\nelephant, a car yoked with four horses, and a sword, and an elegant bow,\nand a carriage containing men, and an umbrella like unto the moon, and\ntwo white chowries, and a golden vase, and a pale-colored bull tethered\nwith a golden chain and bearing a hump adorned with ornaments, and a\nmighty lion--the best of his race--furnished with four teeth, and a\nthrone, and a tiger-skin, and sacrificial fuel, and fire, and all kinds\nof musical instruments, and courtezans decked out with ornaments, and\npreceptors and Brahmanas, and cows, and various kinds of pure animals\nand birds--have been brought. The foremost citizens and inhabitants of\nthe provinces and the merchants with their retinue,--all these and\nothers, with hearts filled with joy, and mouth speaking pleasant words,\nstay with the sovereigns to witness the installation of Rama. Do thou\nurge expedition upon the mighty monarch, so that this day under the\ninfluence of the Pushya star Rama may obtain the kingdom.\"\n\nHearing these words of his, the charioteer's son possessed of mighty\nstrength, eulogizing that powerful monarch, entered his quarters. And\nadvanced in years, he had before this been granted free access\neverywhere,--so that the warders, loved of the king and seeking his\ngood, could not prevent his entrance. Not knowing the plight that had\nbefallen the king, Sumantra presenting himself before him, endeavoured\nto gladden the latter with pleasing speech. And having entered the\napartment of the king, the charioteer Sumantra with clasped hands,\npleasing the monarch as he proceeded, said,--\"Do thou please us\ndelightedly and with a glad heart, even as the strong ocean pleases\npeople at the rising of the sun. The charioteer Matuli used to hymn\nIndia at this season, and (encouraged by that eulogy) he conquered the\nDanavas. Even so do I hymn thee. And even as the Vedas with the Angas\nand other lore indoctrinate the self-create lord Brahma, so do I\nenlighten thee. As the tan in company with the moon enlightens the fair\nearth containing creatures, so do I to-day enlighten thee. Arise, O\nforemost of monarchs, clad in excellent attire and decked with\nornaments, like unto the sun issuing from the (mount) Meru. All the\narticles necessary for the installation of Rama are ready. And the\ncitizens and the inhabitants of the provinces and the merchants stay\nwith clasped hands. And the worshipful Vasishtha stays with the\nBrahmanas. Do thou, O king, immediately order the installation of Rama.\nLike unto catties without their keeper, like unto an army without its\ncommander, like unto a night without the moon, like unto kines without\ntheir bull, is a kingdom without a king.\"\n\nHearing these words of Sumantra, bland and appropriate, the lord of\nearth was afresh overwhelmed with grief. Then the graceful and virtuous\nking, waxing disconsolate, on account of his son, and with his eyes\nreddened with the effect of grief, seeing the charioteer, said,--\"This\neulogy of thine pains me the more.\"\n\nHearing those sorrowful words and finding the lord of earth aggrieved\nthus, Sumantra with clasped hands went off a little. Seeing, the king\nutterly incapable of speaking any thing personally owing to his heavy\nsorrow, Kaikeyi, the best counsellor in matters like these, addressed\nSumantra with the following words :--\"Sumantra, being elated with joy on\naccount of Rama's installation, the king has kept up the whole night,\nand being tired therefore, is overpowered with sleep. Go ye therefore\nspeedily, O charioteer, and bring Rama here, the praiseworthy son of\nking. This will do you good-- do not hesitate in this. \"How can I go,\"\nreplied Sumantra, \"without the permission of the king?\"\n\nHearing these words of the counsellor, the king spoke to him \"Sumantra,\nbring the beautiful Rama here--I want to see him.\" Thinking that some\ngood would accrue to Rama, he was pleased at heart and away he went\nspeedily delighted at the royal mandate. Being asked again by Kaikeyi to\nhurry on at the time of departure Sumantra thought within himself--\n\"Evident it is that the Queen has become impatient to sea Rama's\ninstallation and hence is the hurry--and the king will now take rest.\"\nThinking this the energetic charioteer with great delight, intent on\nseeing Rama, issued out of the city like a lake near the ocean. Having\ncome out of the presence of the king suddenly, he saw the warders,\nvarious citizens and great personages sitting at the gate.\n\n[116] This is a new coinage rendered necessary for the exegencies of\n translation. If 'first-born' is justifiable, 'own-begotten,' is\n also such.-- T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XV.\n\n\nThe Brahmana, versed in Veda, the counsellors, the commanders of\nmilitary forces and the leading merchants, together with the royal\npriest, all brimming with joy on account of Rama's installation, were\nwaiting at the royal gate all night long. On the appearance of the\nbright Sun, on the approach of the day under the astral influence of\nPushya and on the ascension of _Karkata_, the presiding star of Rama's\nbirth, they brought all articles necessary for the installation and as\nordered by the best of Brahmanas--namely; gold, earthen jar (for\npreserving water,) well ornamented excellent seats, chariot with a\ncoverlet of splendid tiger-skin, water brought from the sacred\nconfluence of the Ganges and Jamuna, from other holy streams, lakes,\nwells, ponds and rivers full of water flowing in the East, over\nmountains, and from the North to the Sooth; and waters brought from all\nthe oceans, honey, curd, clarified butter, fried paddy, sacrificial\ngrass, milk, flowers, eight unmarried girls exquisitely beautiful, a\nroad elephant, gold and silver jars, adorned with fig leaves and lotuses\nand filled with holy water, a best yellow chowri for Rama crested with\njewels and resembling the bright rays of the moon; a brilliantly\nornamented beautiful umbrella of yellow colour, resembling the disc of\nthe moon, and the most important of all the articles necessary for\ninstallation; a well adorned yellow ox and horse; and all musical\ninstruments,--bringing these and all other things necessary for the\ninstallation of the descendants of Ikshaku, in accordance with the\nking's permission, the panegyrists and other persons were assembled\nthere. Not finding the king present there, they began to speak amongst\nthemselves:--\"Who will intimate the king of our arrival? The Sua is up\nand we do not see the king amongst us as yet. All articles necessary for\nthe installation of the intelligent Rama are ready.\" While they were\nthus conversing, the charioteer Sumantra, well respected by the king,\nreached there and spoke unto all those persons and the kings the\nfollowing words. \"With the king's permission I am going to bring Rama\nspeedily here. Worshipful you are all to the king and specially to Rama,\nI shall with your words, ask the king of his sound sleep, and then of\nthe reasons for his not coming here as yet though up from the bed.\"\nSaying thus, Sumantra, versed in legends, arrived at the gate of the\nroyal seraglio. And he entered the palace with its open gates; and\nhaving entered the appartment of the lord of earth he went into his\nsleeping room, and placing himself behind a screen near at hand,\naddressed the descendant of Raghu thus, pleasing him with blessings\nfraught with good unto him--\"Oh! Kakutstha, may the Moon, Sun, Siva,\nVaisravana, (the god of wealth), Varuna, (the god of water), Agni and\nIndra grant thee victory. The worshipful night is gone and blessed morn\nhas arrived; arise, Oh! thou great king, and perform morning ablutions.\nBrahmanas,commanders and merchants are assembled at the palace gate,\ndesirous of seeing thee, do thou therefore arise, Oh descendant of\nRaghu.\"\n\nPeiceiving from the voice that it was charioteer Sumantra versed in good\ncounsels, who was thus eulogising, the king rose up from his bed and\nthus addressed him:--\"O Charioteer 'Bring Rama here' was the order I\ngave thee; what is it that makes thee neglect my command? I am not\nasleep; go and bring up Rama here instantly.\" Saying this, king\nDacaratha despatched Sumantra again.\n\nHearing the words of the king and bowing him with his head down,he\nissued out of the king's residence,thinking that some great good was\nawaiting. And having reached the public roads adorned with flags and\npennons, he, filled with an excess of joy, began to wend his way,\ncasting his look around. There on his way he heard the passers by, all\ntalking about Rama and his installation, as if brimming with joy on that\naccount. Then proceeding a little, Sumantra saw the beautiful palace of\nRama towering like the Kailaca hill and resembling the abode of Sakra.\nIt was closed with two big pannels at the gate way (of which the\ntrap-door was flung open), and adorned with hundreds of terraces, on its\ntop were many idols made of gold, and arches crested with pearls and\ndiamonds; its colour was white as the autumnal cloud and bright as the\ngolden cave of _Sumeru_; it was ornamented with highly brilliant jewels\nset in the garlands of gold flowers and strewn with pearls and diamonds\nand sprinkled with sandal and _Aguru_, the fragrance of which captivates\nthe mind like the summit of the hill _Dardura_; it was graced with the\npresence of _Sarasas_ and peacocks emitting pleasant sounds; and covered\nwith well-made figures of wolves aud pictures of artistic excellence,\nthe splendour of which captivates the mind and the eye as well; bright\nas the sun and moon, resembling the abode of _Kuvera_ and the capital of\nthe king of the celestials; filled with brids of various kinds and high\nas the summit of _Sumeru_, Sumantra saw the palace filled with people\ncoming from different quarters with clasped hands, and adorned with\ncitizens approaching with various presents and eager (to see the\ninstallation of Rama; and (standing at the gate) being prevented by the\nwarders to enter; resembling a huge cloud, of picturesque situation,\nspacious, strewn with pearls and diamonds and crowded with servants.\nThat charioteer, in his chariot with its wooden ledge and horses,\nbeautifying the crowded streets and pleasing the citizens, entered the\nabode of Rama. There- upon arriving at this abode filled with wealth,\nand having its beauty greatly intensified with deers and peacocks,\nmoving to and fro, resembling the exqusitely splendid palace of the lord\nof the celestials,that charioteer was extremely enraptured, having the\nhairs of the body erect. Then that charioteer entering several\napartments, well adorned and resembling the Kailaca hill and the abode\nof the celestials and passing by many persons, dear unto Rama and\nabiding in his purpose, entered the apartment of the ladies. And he\nbecame exceedingly pleased on hearing pleasant words, meaning well unto\nthe son of the king, from all persons, engaged in some sort of service\nfor the installation. He saw the pleasant abode of Rama, resembling that\nof _Mahendra_, and filled with deers and birds, having its top high as\nthe summit of _Meru_ and situated well in splendour, and the gateway\nfilled with millions of citizens with clasped hands keeping their\nconveyances outside and coming from various quarters with presents for\nRama. He saw there a wild elephant by the name of _Satrunjaya_ or the\nconqueror of foes, having a huge boly resembling a mountain enveloped in\ndark clouds, beautiful, capable of bearing the goading hook and intended\nas Rama's conveyance. He saw well adorned ministers dear unto the king\nwith horses, chariots and elephants; and leaving them all on either\nside, entered unprevented, like unto the marine monster _Makara_\nentering the ocean containing many pearls and diamonds, the splendid\napartment of the ladies, resembling the clouds that hover over the\nsummit of the Hill Himadri, and having a number of beautiful houses\ncomparing with great celestial cars.\n\n\n\nSECTION XVI.\n\n\nSumantra, well versed in legends, after passing by the gateways crowded\nwith people, reached the solitary apartment (of Rama), having youthful\nwarders, carrying darts and bows wearing ear-rings, cautious, attentive\nand devoted, and saw (seated at the gate) several old men, commanding\nfemale warders, mindful of duty, wearing red cloths and excellent\nornaments, and having _rattans_ in their hands. They all seeing\nSumantra, ever wishing good unto Rama, approach, rose suddenly up from\ntheir seats with due respect. The bumble-minded charioteer then said to\nthem:--\"Go and speedily communicate unto Rama that Sumantra is waiting\nat the gate.\" At this the warders, desirous of doing good unto their\nmaster, nearing Rama, speedily comunicated these words unto him who was\nin the company of his wife. Rama hearing of the arrival of his father's\ncharioteer, ordered him to enter into the apartment, having his father's\npleasure in view. He (on entering) saw Rama resembling Vaisravana, well\nadorned and seated on a gold sofa, with a beautiful coverlet on; having\nhis body sprinkled with holy and fragrant sandal of the best kind, red\nas the blood of a hog; and having by him Sita with a _chowri_ in her\nhand, like Moon himself in the company of _Chitra_.\n\nWhereupon Sumantra, acquainted with decorum, humbly saluted him (Rama),\nthe conferrer of great boons, and resplendent like the mid-day sun; and\nhe well honored by the king, seeing the king's son seated on the\nsleeping sofa with a delighted countenance, spoke these words unto him\nwith clasped hands:--\"Oh, Rama, great son of Kaucalya, thy father and\nthe queen Kaikeyi want to see thee; so it behoveth thee to go there\nwithout delay.\" Being pleased with these words the mighty hero of great\neffulgence, honored his father's behest and spoke unto Sita thus,-- \"Ob,\ndarling, doubt there is none that my father, going to Kaikeyi, is\nparleying with her regarding my installation. Concieving the king's\nintention that clever lady, of dark eyes and desirous of doing good unto\nthe king, that mother, the daughter of the king of Kekaya, pleased and\nintent upon king's welfare as well as upon that of mine, is hastening\nthe monarch for my installation. Fortunately for me, the monarch in the\ncompany of his Queen has despatched Sumantra, intent upon my welfare.\nWorthy of the meeting at the inner apartment, the messenger has come,\nand I doubt not that the monarch shall install me to-day as the\nheir-apparent of his throne. Therefore I shall speedily go hence and see\nmy father. Do thou remain and enjoy here the company of thy friends.\"\n\nRegarded by her husband, Sita, of dark eyes and intent upon her\nhusband's welfare, followed him to the entrance and said:--\"May the\ngreat monarch bestow upon thee first the heir-apparentship, and\nafterwards the dignity of the Paramount power like Brahma granting\nkingdom unto _Vasava_. I shall be ministering unto thee, seeing thee\ninitiated, engaged in ceremonies, wearing excellent deer skin for cloth\nand carrying horns in the hands. May Indra protect thee on the East, may\nYama (Death) protect thee on the South, and Varuna (God of water) on the\nWest and Kuvera (God of wealth) on the North.\" Being greeted with\nbenedictory ceremonies, Rama, bidding farewell to Sita, issued out of\nhis house like unto a lion, living in the den of a mountain. He saw\nLakshmana standing at the gate with clasped hands, and met all his\nfriends assembled at the middle apartment. Then that great son of the\nking, casting a glance upon them all who were present there to see him\nand pleasing them with sweet words ascended, like unto the thousand-eyed\nIndra, the splendid chariot, made of silver and coated with tiger-skin,\nand bright like the fire itself, making a noise (when going) like the\nroaring of clouds; defying all obstacles, adorned with jewels, and gold,\ndazzling the eye-sight and bright like the golden peaks of Sumeru. It\nhad two excellent horses tied to it like unto two young elephants, and\nwas of quick motion, resembling that of Indra's chariot carried by his\nhorses. Ascending the car, Raghava, of great effulgence, went speedily\non, making (the space)resounded like unto the muttering cloud on the\nsky. He issued out of his abode like the beautiful moon passing through\na huge cloud. And Lakshmana, the younger brother of Raghava, standing\nbehind him on the car with a splendid _Chowri_ in his hand, began to\nguard his body. And there was caused a great tumult by the crowd\ngathering around on the issuing out of Rama. Then followed in his train\nmany hundreds and thousands of beautiful horses and elephants resembling\nhills in their appearance; and went before him hundreds of heroes, well\naccoutered, and having their bodies sprinkled with sandal and _Aguru_\nand holding swords and arms in their hands, and other persons uttering\nbenedictions. He heard on the way sounds of musical instruments, eulogy\nof the panegyrists and lion-like roars of the heroes. Exquisitely\nbeautiful damsels, adorned with various ornaments and dresses, standing\nby the windows began to shower flowers upon the head of the\nfoe-destroyer Rama, and those spotless beauties with a view to please\nRama,some standing on the buildings and some on the ground began to\npraise him:--\"Oh thou, delight of thy mother, surely has mother Kaucalya\nbecome exceedingly gratified, on seeing thee of successful journey to\naccept the heir- apparentship of the throne.\" Those ladies thought that\nSita, the captivater of Rama's heart was surely the best of all women\nand for certain had she performed some great austerities in her past\nlife or else she would not have been the companion of Rama, like unto\nRohini, the companion of Moon. That best among men heard these pleasant\nwords from those ladies standing on the buildings and on high-ways.\nRaghava then heard the people coming from different quarters and the\nwell-pleased citizens, talking amongst themselves regarding him in the\nfollowing strain. \"This Raghava going shall obtain through the grace of\nthe king great wealth, and all our desires will be gratified when he\nwill become our governor. It is a great gain to the subjects that he is\ngoing to get for ever the entire empire at once; he being the lord of\nthe people, no body shall witness any misfortune or unpleasant thing.\"\nLike unto Vaisravana he began to proceed, being dignified by the horses\nand elephants going before sending forth great sound, and eulogised in\nvarious metres by persons singing his glory, by the panegyrists and by\nmen tracing his noble ancestry. He saw the courtyard thronged with young\nand old elephants, horses, chariots, and the high-ways crowded all over\nwith people, many pearls and various merchandises.\n\n\n\nSECTION XVII.\n\n\nRama, having his friends delighted, ascending the car, and viewing the\ncity adorned with pennons and flags and incensed with _Dhupa_ and\n_Aguru_, entered the high way, crowded with people and containing houses\ncoloured as the pale white clouds, and the place between the two rows\nwhereof scented with _Dhupa_ and _Aguru_. It was a splendidly spacious\nroad decorated with a collection of sandal, _Aguru_ and other fine\nscents, with silk and red cloth, with pearls holed and other valuable\ncrystals and strewn with various flowers and filled with edibles\nmultiform. Like unto the lord of celestials in heaven he saw this high\nway and the court-yard covered with curd, clarified butter, fried paddy,\n_Dhupa_, _Aguru_ and sandal, and embellished with garlands and other\nscents. Having heard benedictions uttered by many in the following\nstrain and paying proper respects unto all, he wended his way. \"Being\ninstalled this day do thou following in the footsteps of thy father and\ngrand-fathers cherish and protect us. Thou taking the reins of\ngovernment we shall live more happily than what we were under your\nancestors. Seek not we earthly comforts or the highest things (in the\nlife to come), if we can only see Rama installed in the kingdom issuing\nout from his father's abode. There is nothing more pleasant to us than\nthe installation of the highly energetic Rama on the throne.\" Rama,\nhearing these and other auspicious words from his friends eulogising his\nown self, went on his way without being moved. Raghava passed away, but\nnot a single person could withdraw his eyes and mind from that best of\nmen. In fact he who did not see Rama, and whom Rama did not see, was\nlooked down by all. and he considered himself contemptible. That\nrighteous one showed mercy unto all, old and young, of the four castes,\nand hence, thty were all obedient to him. He proceeded leaving on his\nleft side the junctions of four roads, the paths leading to temples, the\nreligious fig trees and altars, and reached after all the family\ndwelling of the king, with its palatial tops piercing the sky, looking\nbeautiful, resembling mass of clouds, white as the celestial cars and\nhigh as the hill Kailaca, and with sporting houses adorned with pearls.\nAnd the son of the monarch, shining in beauty, entered into the palace\nof his father, the best on earth resembling the abode of Mahendra.\nDacaratha's son, the best of men, crossed in his chariot three\napartments guarded by warriors with bows in their hands, and other two\non foot, and in this way passing by all, and ordering his followers to\ngo back, entered the inner apartment. That son of the king entering into\nthe presence of his father, all were extremely gladdened and were\neagerly expecting his return like unto the lord of water expecting the\nappearance of the moon.\n\n\n\nSECTION XVIII.\n\n\nRama saw his father, seated on a beautiful sofa with Kaikeyi, looking\nsorry and poorly and with his countenance dried up. And humbly bowing\ndown at the feet of his father first, he saluted Kaikeyi with due\nsolemnity. Uttering the word \"Rama\" only, the poor king with his eyes\nfull of tears could not eye him nor could he speak to him. Seeing this\nunforeseen and terrible appearance of the king, like unto a serpent\ntrampled under foot, Rama was exceedingly terrified. He was dejected and\npulled down much with sorrow and penitence. He was sighing hot and hard\nand his heart was greatly pained. His heart was troubled like the wavy\nocean agitating though incapable of agitation,and clouded like the Sun\npossessed by Rahu, and (that of) an ascetic speaking falsehood. Thinking\nof this unthought of sorrow of the king he became agitated like unto the\nocean during the course of the full-moon. And clever Rama, intent on bis\nfather's welfare, thought within himself:--\"Why does not the king\ndisplay joy on my arrival to-day? Angry though, he used to express joy\nwhenever he saw me; then why does his sorrow prevail even seeing me\nto-day?\" Being pressed with sorrow, Rama of pale countenance, like one\nmiserable, saluting Kaikeyi, spoke unto her the following words. \"Is it\nnot that I committed some offence through ignorance that I see my father\nangry? Do thou propitiate him therefore. Why is his mind so aggrieved\nwho was so kind to me, and why does he look poorly and of pale\ncountenance who used to welcome me always with kind words? Is he subject\nto any physical or mental disturbance? Oh! happiness uninterrupted is\nvery dear. Has any evil befallen the good-looking Bharata or high souled\nSatrughana? Is it not all well with my mothers? Dissatisfying the king,\ndisregarding his words and offending him, I do not want to breathe for a\nsingle moment. How can a man disregard him who is god himself seen and\nfelt, and who is looked upon as a cause from whom he has sprung. Oh\nmother, hast thou spoken any harsh word to my father either through\nanger or through haughtiness for which his mind is thus pulled down? Oh\nworshipful one, tell me all this, who am exceedingly anxious to get at\nthe real truth. Why has this unforeseen sorrow overtaken the heart of\nthe lord of men?\"\n\nBeing thus addressed by the high-souled Raghava, that exceedingly\nshameless Kaikeyi spoke unto him the following impudent words, fraught\nwith her self-interest. \"Oh Rama, the monarch is not angry nor has any\ndanger befallen him. He has got something in his mind which he cannot\nspeak out through thy fear. Thou art his most beloved son and word does\nnot proceed from his mouth to speak thee things unpleasant. But it\nbehoveth thee to carry out what the monarch has promised unto me.\nFormerly regarding me very highly he conferred on me two boons and he\nnow repents for that like a common person. Promising 'I give thee' the\nlord of earth granted me these boons; in vain he wishes to set up a dyke\nwhen all the water has passed away. Oh Rama, it is known to thee that\ntruth is the root of all religion and may he not renounce that for thee,\nbeing angry with me. If do thou carry out all that the king will speak\nto thee, good or evil, then I shall relate unto thee every thing. If\nwhat I, with the king's permission, speak to thee, does not go useless,\nI shall speak unto the all; thee king will not speak any thing.\"\n\nHearing these words uttered by Kaikeyi, Rama, pained at heart, spoke\nunto her in the presence of the king in the following way:--\"Oh! shame\nto me. May it not please thee, Oh worshipful lady, to speak such words\nto me. I can at the king's words jump into the fire. Being ordered by\nhim, who is my father and who is my king especially, I can drink\nvirulent poison and drown into the ocean. Speak thou, Oh worshipful\nlady, what is the desire of thy king, and know that I shall carry it\nout--Rama does not contradict what he has once spoken.\" Then that wicked\nKaikeyi spoke these highly cruel words unto Rama, simple and truthful.\n\"Formerly in a great war between the gods and Asuras, thy father, being\nwounded with shafts was tended by me for which he conferred upon me two\nboons. Of these two boons I have asked of the king the installation of\nBharata, and the departure of Raghava into the Dandaka forest even this\nvery day. Oh thou, best among men, if do thou wish to keep thy father's\nvows as well as thine, hear what I say. Thy father is bound unto me by\npromise, obeying therefore thy father's mandate, do thou repair unto the\nforest for nine years and five. Bharata shall be installed, Oh Raghava,\nby all those articles which have been brought by the monarch for thy\ninstallation. Forsaking this installation, do thou repair unto Dandaka\nforest for seven and seven years and wear bark and matted hair. And here\nin this Kocala let Bharata govern the world, adorned with many pearls\nand diamonds, with elephants, horses and chariots. The king, filled with\npity and having his face marked with the affliction of sorrow, cannot\ncast a glance upon thee. Oh thou descendant of Raghu, do thou carry out\nthese words of the Lord of men and save him by redeeming these great\nvows of his.\" Hearing these cruel words of her, Rama was not grieved;\nbut the generous king afflicted with the thought of the approaching\nseparation with his son, was greatly pained.\n\n\n\nSECTION XIX.\n\n\nHearing these unpleasant words like unto death, Rama, the destroyer of\nfoes, was not pained, and spoke thus unto Kaikeyi. \"Be it what thou\nsayst; carrying out the promise of the king, I shall repair unto the\nforest from this place wearing bark and matted hair. Now I want to know\nonly why that lord of the earth, invincible and the conqueror of foes,\ndoes not receive me in the same way as he used to do on previous\noccasions. Be not angry, Oh worshipful one, I speak before thee, be thou\npropitiated well, and I shall go to the forest wearing bark and matted\nhair. What is there that I cannot perform, considering it good without\nsuspicion, if I am ordered so by my well-wisher, spiritual leader,\nfather and king, who acknowledges thy service (rendered in time of\ndanger[117]). But this one sorrow burns my heart, why king did not tell\nme personally of the installation of Bharata. What of the command of the\nking, my father, I shall even at thy mandate joyfully make over unto\nBharata, my kingdom, Sita, wealth and even my life, thereby satisfying\nthee, aad fulfilling my promise. Do thou now console the bashful king;\nwhy has he, with his eyes steadily fixed on the ground, been shedding\ntears slowly? Let messengers, with fast going steeds go to-day at the\ncommand of the king to fetch Bharata from his maternal uncle's house.\nAnd I shall, not even judging the propriety of my father's words,\nspeedily repair unto the forest of Dandaka for fourteen years.\" Hearing\nthose words of Rama, Kaikeyi was pleased, and being certain about his\ndeparture, hurried on Raghava. \"Let it be that messengers with fast\ngoing steeds shall go to bring Bharata from his maternal uncle's\nresidence. I do not think it proper for thee, O Rama, to delay, when\nthou art so anxious; it behoves thee therefore to depart from this place\nspeedily unto the forest. The king being abashed, does not himself\naddress thee, there is nothing else than this. Do thou, Oh best of men,\ndispel this wretchedness of his. As long as thou shalt not hurriedly\ndepart froth his presence, Oh Rama. thy father shall not bathe, or eat\nanything.\" 'Oh fie!' 'what affliction' sobbing hard with these words,\nthe monarch, filled with sorrow, swooned away and fell down upon the\nsofa, embellished with gold. Raising the king up, Rama, being directed\nby Kaikeyi, began to hurry on his departure to the forest, like unto a\nsteed struck sharp with a whip. Hearing those cruel and unpleasant words\nof the wicked Kaikeyi, Rama, not being distressed, began to address her\nwith the following words. \"Oh worshipful one, being addicted to wealth\ndo I not long for living in this world; like unto Rishis, know me, to be\nwell established in pure religion. If I can, even at the sacrifice of my\nown life, satisfy my worshipful father rest assured it is to be done\nfirst in all manner. There is no virtue greater than the serving of the\nfather and carrying out his words. Even though not commanded by him, I\nshall; for thy words, live in a solitary forest for fourteen years. Oh\nKaikeyi, certain it is that thou art not acquainted with my foremost\nvirtues, inasmuch as possessing full authority to rule me, thou hast\nrequested the monarch for this. Excuse me until I ask my mother, and\ncomfort Sita; even this very day shall I wend my way unto the great\nforest of Dandaka. It behoves thee to do that by which Bharata may\ngovern the kingdom and tend our father, for this is the virtue eternal.\"\nHearing these words of Rama, his father, greatly afflicted and incapable\nof speaking anything on account of sorrow, began to cry aloud.\nWorshipping the feet of the king lying insensible, and those of vicious\nKaikeyi, that greatly effulgent one went out. And reverentially going\nround his father and Kaikeyi, and issuing out of the female apartment,\nRama saw his own friends and relatives. Then followed him Lakshmana, the\nenhancer of Sumitra's joy, greatly angry and with his eyes full of\ntears. Going round with reverence the house of instalation full of\nnecessary articles, not turning away from it his wistful look, Rama\nbegan to proceed slowly. Loss of kingdom could not diminish the great\nbeauty of that beloved of the people on account of its everlasting\npleasantness, like unto the wane of the moon. There was manifest in him\nno change of mind, who was about to fly as an exile to the forest and\nleave the world, like unto one emancipated while yet living. Leaving\naside the excellent umbrella and well adorned _chowries_, forsaking his\nrelatives, chariot, citizens and other people, calmly bearing the\naffliction in mind and not manifesting the outward signs of sorrow,\nRama, with a view to communicate this unpleasant news to his mother,\nentered her abode. All persons, who were present there and who adorned\nthemselves on account of the installation, did not percieve any sign of\nmental agony on the face of Rama. Like unto the rays of the fully\nbrilliant autumnal moon, that hero of mighty arms, having control over\nhimself, did not forsake his native cheerfulness. The pious Rama, having\nhigh fame, entered into the presence of his mother, manifesting great\nregards for the people with sweet speech. Then followed him, the son of\nSumitra, of mighty prowess, of equal accomplishments with his brother,\nand bearing the mental sorrow. Rama, entering the abode of his mother,\nsaw it filled with all sorts of amusements; and even though his mind was\nnot agitated with any mental disturbance seeing the impending calamity\nof loss of wealth, he was anxious lest the lives of his dear relatives\nmight be in danger.\n\n[117] The epithet _Kritajnena_ may as well be rendered into general\n terms; such as 'who acknowledges services rendered onto him.' Here\n in translation I have followed the commentator who has restricted\n it to the special sense suitable to the occasion.-- T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XX.\n\n\nThere arose a great uproar of cry in the apartment of the females, when\nthat best of men went out with clasped hands. 'That Rama, who used to\nserve all the females in all matters even without his father's\npermission, who was our stay and protector, is going to the forest.\nRaghava from his birth pays as much attention to us as to his mother\nKaucalya. He, who being cursed, does not get angry, pacifies the\nwrathful and studiously avoids words and deeds that excite anger in\nothers, will repair hence this day unto the forest. Senseless is our\nking, who forsakes Raghava who is the stay of all people, and thus kills\nhis subjects.\" Thus the queens of Dacaratha, like unto the cows that\nhave lost their young ones, began to blame him and cry aloud. Hearing\nthis terrible uproar of cry in the female apartment, that lord of earth,\nracked with sorrow on account of his son, hid himself in the seat (with\nhead hanging downdards). Rama too, having control over his own self,\nexperiencing sorrow (for his relatives) and sobbing like an (enchained)\nelephant, entered into his mother's apartment together with his brother.\nHe saw a venerable old man, sitting at the gate and many other persons.\nAll those present, seeing Rama, began to shower benedictions on him, the\nbest of all victorious heroes, saying, \"Victory unto thee.\" Having\npassed through the first apartment he saw in the second, many old\nBrahmins, versed in the Vedas and honored by the king. Having bowed down\nunto them, Rama saw in the third apartment, women, boys, and old men,\nall engaged in watching the gate. The female warders honored Rama\nrejoicing, and entering his mother's apartment, communicated unto her\nspeedily this pleasant news. Worshipful Kaucalya, seeking her son's\nwelfare, kept up the whole night being absorbed in meditation, and was,\nin the morning, worshipping the God Vishnu. Wearing silk-cloth, pleased,\nand accustomed to the performance of religious rites every day, she,\nperforming benedictory ceremonies, was offering oblation unto the fire.\nRama entering the auspicious abode of his mother beheld her thus engaged\nin the sacrifice to the fire. The descendant of Raghu saw there, brought\nfor the service of the celestials, curd, grains, clarified butter,\nsweetmeats, things fit for oblations unto the fire, fried paddy, white\ngarlands, rice boiled in milk and sugar, rice sesamum and pea mixtures,\nsacrficial fuels and jars full of water. He saw his virtuous mother\nwearing white silk, pulled down by the austere performance of religious\nrites, and engaged in propitiating the deities with the offering of\nwater. She seeing her son, ever advancing the joy of his mother,\napproach, became pleased, and stepped forward like unto a mare beholding\nher young one. Seeing his mother approach, Raghava bowed low, and\n(Kaucalya) embracing him in her arms smelt his head. Kaucalya, out of\nmotherly affection, spoke these sweet and beneficient words unto her own\ninvincible son, Raghava. \"Mayst thou obtain the life and fame of the\npious, old _Rajarshis_, and the virtue worthy of thy family. See, Oh\nRaghava, how truthful is your father the king! That virtuous- souled one\nshall install thee this day as the heir-apparent of the throne.\"\nRaghava, humble by nature, who was offered by his mother a seat and\nasked by her to eat something, streching forth a little his clasped\nhands, and with his head downwards with a view to show respects towards\nhis mother, touched the seat, and began to relate unto her the object of\nhis repairing unto the Dandaka forest. \"O worshipful one, certain it is\nthat thou knowest not the great impending calamity. It is for the\ndistress of thine, Lakshmana and Vaidehi, that shall I wend my way unto\nthe Dandaka forest. What is the use of a seat to me then? Now is the\ntime come when I deserve a seat made of Kusa grass. I shall live in the\nforest for fourteen years abstaining from animal food and living on\ntuberous roots and fruits like unto the ascetics. The king shall confer\nupon Bharata the heir-apparentship and shall banish me as an ascetic\ninto the forest. And I shall live in that solitary forest for eight and\nsix years, feasting on roots, and fruits and performing the duties of a\nhermit.\" Like unto the stem of a _sala_ tree cut asunder by an axe in a\nwood, like unto a female celestial fallen down from the abode of the\ngods, she fell down suddenly (hearing these heart-rending words.) Rama\nseeing his mother, who deserved no distress, fall down like a plantain\ntree and insensible, raised her up, and finding her covered with dust\nall over her body like unto a mare risen up after rolling on the ground\non account of toil of bearing heavy burden wiped oflf (her body) gently\nwith his hand. She, deserving happiness, being racked with the\ndestruction of her delight spoke thus unto Raghava, that best of men, in\nthe presence of Lakshmana. \"Oh! my son, Oh! Raghava, hadst thou not been\nborn for my grief I would have been sonless only, but would not have\nbeen subject to this greater grief. A sonless woman has only one cause\nof mental affliction. Her only sorrow is \"I have no child\" and nothing\nelse my son. I have not experienced in my life that blessing and\npleasure which women generally feel when their husbands are devoted to\nthem. I have sustained my life so long, O Rama, only with the hope that\nI shall witness this and other happiness when I shall have a son.\nMyself, being the eldest of all the queens, shall have to hear\nunpleasant and heart-rending words from the co-wives who are all younger\nthan I. There can be no greater misery for women than this my boundless\ngrief and lamentations. Thou being present, they have reduced me to this\nmiserable plight, I do not know what else they will do, thou being away;\nthere is death certain for me, Oh my darling! Being disregarded by my\nhusband I have been greatly insulted--I am equal to the maid-servants of\nKaikeyi or even inferior to them. Those who serve me or are obedient\nunto me, shall not even speak with me when they will see the son of\nKaikeyi (installed). She is always of fretful temper, how shall I,\nreduced to misery (on account of thy exile), eye the face of Kaikeyi,\nuttering harsh words. I have spent, Oh Raghava, ten years and seven from\nthy (second) birth[118] expecting a termination of my sorrow. Even\nthough worn out, Oh Raghava, I shall not be able to suffer this great\nmisery cosequent upon thy unending exile and the contempt of the\nco-wives. How shall I, of miserable life pass my days in grief not\nseeing thy face, effulgent like unto the full-moon. Wretched as I am, in\nvain have I brought thee up with fasts, contemplations and many other\ntoilsome austerities. Surely, I consider my heart is very hard, as it\ndoes not rend like unto the bank of a great river in contact with new\nwater in the rainy season. There is no death for me-- no vacant place in\nthe abode of Yama; otherwise why does not Death take me away like unto a\nlion snatching away a weeping hind; certain it is that my heart is made\nof iron, as it does not rend nor does my body being pressed down with\nthis sorrow and falling) down on earth, break into pieces; verily have I\nno death before time. This distresses me that all my religious vows,\nalms givings, self-restraint and austerity, performed with a view of\nobtaining a son, have been fruitless, like unto the seeds thrown on a\nbarren soil. If any body in this life, being pressed down with some\ngreat calamity, could meet with death of his own accord, I would have\ninstantly gone to the abode of dealh, being cut off from thee like unto\na cow from her young one. Oh, thou, having a countenance of moon-like\nsplendour, wretched indeed is my life without thee--I shall follow thee\nto the forest out of great affection, like unto an enfeebled cow\nfollowing her young one. Kaucalya like a Kinnari unable to bear this\ngreat calamity, anticipating some great misfortune and seeing Rama bound\n(with a great vow), began to lament in various ways.\n\n[118] Here the commentators differ in fixing the age of Rama at the time\n of his going to the forest. Rama's age was under sixteen at the\n time of marriage, and after he was married to Sica he enjoyed her\n company for twelve years, when the proposal of installation was\n made. This makes totally an age of twenty-seven. In the text\n '_dasa saptacha_' (ten and seven) ten years fall short which are\n to be made up by taking into account the age of ten being left\n out, preceding Rama's entering into the second birth which begins\n at _maunji-bandhana_ or initiation into the mysteries of the Vedic\n literature. Following the example of Bhashyakara Patanjali, the\n commentator, Ramanuju has in the sentence 'dasa saptacha' supplied\n another (dasa) (ten) by means of ellipsis, thus giving an age of\n twenty-seven. This, however, contradicts the statement of Sita to\n Ravana in guise of an anchorite, informing him of the age of her\n husband being twenty-five. A modern annotator with great ingenuity\n has devised ways to make up this discrepancy. The age of Rama was\n under sixteen, when Visvamitra asked his assistance in destroying\n Taraka. 'Under sixteen' may mean fifteen or twelve as well. After\n marriage at twelve, Rama enjoyed twelve years more the pleasure of\n home. This giving in total twenty-four, it is to be supposed that\n when he was exiled he stepped at twenty-five. The text '_dasa\n saptacha_' is correct, considering the age of eight being left out\n preceding his second birth at the initiation into the mysteries of\n the Veda.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXI.\n\n\nAt this time Lakshmana, sorely distressed, addressed the weeping\nKaucalya, the mother of Rama with the following words suitable to that\noccasion. \"I like it not, Oh worshipful one, that Raghava, should repair\nunto the forest, renouncing this grandeur of sovereignty. The king is\nuxorious, old and therefore of perverted judgment and is addicted to\nworldly affairs; being under the influence of his wife and passion what\ncould he not speak? I do not see any such fault or sin in Rama that he\nshould be banished from the kingdom to range in the wood. I do not find\nany such man in this world, even amongst great enemies, who, forsaken\nfor heinous sins, can cite, even in his absence, any fault of him.\nObserving what law of righteousness does the monarch, without any cause,\nrenounce such a son who is like unto celestials, simple, well\ndisciplined and beloved even of the enemies? What son, remembering his\nfather's conduct, shall carry in his heart these words of the king, who\nhas again gone back to childhood? Ere people come to know this proposal\nof exile, do thou secure the government of the kingdom unto thyself with\nme. Who can disturb the installation, Oh Raghava, myself protecting thee\nby thy side with my bows, like unto Death himself. If any body stands\nhere as an enemy, surely shall I, Oh best of men, depopulate the whole\ncity of Ayodhya with sharp arrows. I shall immolate all who shall stand\nby Bharata or wish him well--certainly mildness brings about\ndiscomfiture. If father being propitiated and excited by Kaikeyi, turns\nout to be our enemy, he shall be slain, without any hesitation. Even a\nspiritual leader deserves chastisement if he is puffed up with pride,\nand is devoid of the power of judging good actions and bad, and when he\nis gone astray. Tell me, Oh best of men, by what law of virtue and what\nreason does he purpose to confer this kingdom upon Kaikeyi, which has\ndevolved upon thee (by the law of inheritance). Who dares conferring on\nBharata the kingdom, carrying hostility with me and thee? Oh worshipful\none, verily am I attached at heart to my brother. By truth, bow, gifts\nand things dear unto me, do I swear unto thee; if Rama shall enter into\nthe wood, know me, Oh worshipful one, to have entered into the fire\nbefore that Like unto the sun dispelling darkness, shall I remove thy\nsorrow by dint of my power; may your worshipful self and Raghava witness\nit. Readily shall I despatch my father, whose heart is unduly attached\nunto Kaikeyi and who is therefore vile and being old contemptibly\nplaying the child.\" Hearing these words of the high-souled Lakshmana,\nKaucalya weeping and being pressed with sorrow spoke these words unto\nRama. \"You have heard, Oh my son, what your brother Lakshmana said; and\nif you like, do what seems reasonable unto thee. It does not behove\nthee, hearing the sinful words given vent to by the co-wife, to repair\nhence, leaving me who is sore distressed with sorrow. Oh thou pious one,\nhaving knowledge of religion, if do thou wish to acquire righteousness,\nserve me here and continue practising the best of all virtues. Hear, Oh\nmy son, the great ascetic Kasyapa, lived in his house, serving his\nmother continually and being crowned with best moral merit reached\nheaven. As the monarch is worshipful unto thee in veneration so am I. I\ndo not permit thee, to repair hence unto the forest. Separated from thee\nI do not need life or happiness; with thee I would prefer faring on\ngrass. If do thou depart unto the forest leaving me troubled with\nsorrow, I shall resort to the vow of fasting and shall not be able to\nsustain my life. And then thou shalt receive the penalty of hell, well\nknown to the people, as did the ocean, the lord of rivers, for like,\nunrighteousness, suffer the agony of Brahminicide.\"[119] Whereupon unto\nhis mother Kaucalya, sorrowful and weeping, spoke Rama, virtuous-souled,\nthese words of righteousness. \"There is no power in me to transgress my\nfather's behests; bend low I my head unto thee--I want to proceed to the\nforest. The learned Rishi Kandu, who lived in the forest keeping the\nword of his father, killed a cow, knowing it to be unrighteousness. In\nour line the descendants of Sagara, at the command of their father, met\nwith signal destruction, while digging the earth. Rama the son of\nJamadagni, at his father's words, decapitated his mother in the forest.\nThese and other god-like personages, Oh worshipful one, obeyed\nheroically the orders of their father; and I shall do my father's\nwelfare therefore. It is not I alone who am carrying out my father's\ncommands; those whom I have mentioned now, O worshipful one, have done\nso. I am not introducing some such righteousness, unfavourable unto\nthee, that has been never practised before. I am simply treading the\npath, that has been upheld and followed by worthies gone before. Surely\nshall I accomplish that which is worthy of being performed in this world\nand nothing else--one going by his father's behests is not certainly\ndegraded.\"\n\nSaying these words unto his mother, that best of men versed in speech\nand best of archers, again spoke unto Lakshmana all these words. \"I know\nfull well, Oh Lakshmana, thy affection towards me and thy power,\nstrength and unconquerable force. Not knowing my settted conviction in\nregard to truth and peace, my mother, Oh beautiful Lakshmana, is so\ndisturbed with incomparable sorrow. Righteousness is the prime object in\nthis world and in righteousness is established truth, and this excellent\nutterance of my father is in keeping with righteousness. It does not\nbecome them, O hero, who abide in righteousness to fail to carry out the\ncommands of father, mother or a Brahmin. While I have been, Oh warrior,\nordered by Kaikeyi at my father's words, I shall not be able to\ntransgress those behests again. Do thou relinquish therefore this\nunrighteous purpose of thine consequent to the virtues of the\nKshatriyas; do thou abide by righteousness but not cruelty, and follow\nmy decision.\" Saying these words unto Lakshmana out of fraternal\naffection, spoke again Rama to Kaucalya with clasped hands and with his\nhead bending low. \"I do bind thee with an oath of my life, Oh venerable\none, to allow me to wander away hence into the wood. Do thou perform\nbenedictory ceremonies for my welfare. Like unto the royal saint\n_Yayati_ in the days of yore once falling on earth going again to the\nabode of celestials, I shall, fulfilling my vows, again return home from\nthe forest. Do thou, Oh mother, assuage thy grief within thy heart;\nlament not thou, I shall return home again from the wood after making\ngood my father's words. Myself, Lakshmana, Vaidehi, Sumitra and thyself\nshall abide by father's words, and this is the virtue eternal. Desisting\nfrom the ceremonies of installation and allaying thy sorrow in thy heart\ndo thou, Oh my mother, follow my pious decision about retiring to the\nforest\". Hearing those pious, sober and reasonable words of Rama, the\nvenerable mother, regaining her sense like unto the dead, and casting\nher look upon him, spoke to him again the following words. \"I am equally\nworshipful unto thee, Oh my son, with your father, for like him have I\nbrought thee up with pains and like him do I love thee. I shall not\nallow thee to repair unto the forest and it does not behove thee to go\nleaving me behind sore distresssd with grief. Without thee, of what\navail to me is my life, my relatives, the worship of the manes and the\ndeities and the knowledge of divine truth on this earth? Prefer do I thy\ncompany even for a moment to the presence of all creation.\" Hearing\nthese sorrowful words of his mother, Rama was again inflamed with ire,\nlike unto an elephant goaded with a fire-brand, when entering into\ndarkness. He, abiding in righteousness spoke such pious words unto his\nmother, almost insensible, and unto the son of Sumitra, bewailing and\nracked with sorrow, as he was justified to utter on that occasion. \"I\nknow, Oh Lakshmana, thy deep respects unto me and thy power. It is not\nproper for thee to pain me along with my mother, not being cognizant of\nmy intention. Righteousness, wealth, and the objects of desire are\nlooked upon with great esteem in this world of the created but when the\noccasion for obtaining the result consequent upon the virtuous deeds of\na prior life appears, all these three, I have no doubt, are fulfilled in\nrighteousness, as the wife alone, obedient, charming and having a son\n(fulfils them all). It is not becoming for us to perform all those\nthings where these three do not combine--whence results righteousness\nthat we should resort to. A man seeking wealth becomes despicable, and\none subject to desires is not admired by any (when bereft of\nrighteousness). Who of us, having no tendency to wickedness, shall not\nobey the command of our father knowing it to be righteousness, who is\nold, our monarch and preceptor in military training, be it an outcome of\nhis desires, anger or joy. For this it is that I am unable to act\nagainst my father's vow--he is our father and therefore can command us\nboth like a master; and he is the husband of this venerable one,\ntherefore her stay and righteousness itself. The righteous monarch is\nstill living and continues in his own path when ready to redeem his vow\neven by renouncing me--how can this worshipful one accompany me like\nother insignificant widows? Do thou permit me therefore, to repair unto\nthe forest and perform benedictory ceremonies for me so that I may again\nreturn home like unto Yajati regaining heaven by truth. I cannot neglect\neminent fame being impelled by avarice for kingdom alone. Life is but of\nshort duration, Oh worshipful one, and as such I do not long for\nacquiring this nether earth by means unrighteous.\" Rama, that foremost\nof men, with a view to range into the forest Dandaka after patiently\npropitiating his mother and instructing fully his younger brother the\nmysteries of righteousness, went round his mother with reverence and\nmade up his mind to repair unto the forest.\n\n[119] The text has been here a little freely translated to make it\n compatible with the legend to which it refers. The ocean, thus\n goes the story, caused the grief of his mother. Upon which,\n Maharshi Pippyalada, through magical power, subjected him to agony\n of hell. This agony the mother of Rama relates as the same that\n follows the sin of Brahminicide.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXII.\n\n\nHereafter holding the equanimity of mind with patience self-possessed\nRama spoke thus unto the son of Sumitra, his dear brother, and friend,\nwho was greatly sorry, had lost his patience and was pressed down with\nthis misfortune of Rama, and had his eyes inflated with anger like unto\nan infuriated elephant;--\"Subduing this anger and sorrow, taking\nrecourse to patience only, brooking the insult and resorting to joy, do\nthou set aside all those things that have been collected here for my\ninstallation and make preparations speedily for my repairing to the\nforest. Oh son of Sumitra, do thou take that amount of trouble for\npreventing now the collection of materials for installation, as didst\nthou take beforehand for collecting them. Do thou act therefore in such\na way as will remove the apprehension from the mind of our mother\n(Kaikeyi), who is troubled at heart so greatly on hearing of my\ninstallation. O son of Sumitra, I cannot neglect for a moment the\ntrouble which hass arisen in her mind on account of this fear. I do not\nremember to have done on any occasion wilfully or unwilfully any thing\nthat is displeasing onto my father or mothers. My father is of truthful\nwords and vows and he has been greatly terrified by the fear of the next\nworld; may his fear disappear now. If this work of installation be not\nstopped, my father shall be greatly pained at heart thinking that his\nvows shall not be fulfilled and his sorrow will also ache me. And it is\nfor this reason, Oh Lakshmana, that I purpose speedily to retire from\nthis city to the forest, renouncing the preparations for my\ninstallation. On my wandering away unto the forest to-day, the daughter\nof Kekaya shall have her ends attained and shall install Bharata on the\nthrone without any disturbance whatsoever. Myself going to the forest,\nwearing bark, tiger-skin and matted hair, Kaikeyi shall attain the\nhappiness of her mind. That great One, who has inspired Kaikeyi with\nthis mode of mind and has kept it firm, I cannot offend. I shall repair\nhence without any delay. Do thou regard, Oh Lakshmana, Destiny as the\nonly cause of this transfer of the kingdom, although attained, and of my\nbanishment. Had not Destiny been instrumental in bringing about this\ndetermination in Kaikeyi, she would not have been so much persevering in\nthe infliction of misery upon me. Knowest thou, Oh gentle Lakshmana,\nthat I have never made any distinction in my mind between my mothers,\nnor did Kaikeyi make any such thing before between me and her son;\nconsequently it is Destiny only that has made her press for the\nprevention of my installation and for my exile with harsh and cruel\nwords, or else why should she, a daughter of a king and possessed of an\nexcellent temper and high accomplishments, speak painful words unto me\nin the presence of her husband like unto an ordinary woman. That which\nis above comprehension is Destiny and it is beyond the power of\ncreatures to avert its consequences; and evidently it is through this\nDestiny that have sprung up this distemper of Kaikeyi and my loss of\nkingdom. What man dares withstand Oh son of Sumitra, this (terrible)\nDestiny hidden from our view until known by the consequences of action.\nDestiny is the prime source of those inconceivable causes which occur\nwith reference to happiness misery, fear, and anger, profit and loss,\nbirth and deliverance. Seers of great austerity being influenced by this\nDestiny, succumb to the attack of anger and desire, renouncing all their\nhard disciplines. The hinderance in this world to the completion of\nworks taken in hand, and the origination of an unthought of event in its\nstead, is nothing but the action of this Destiny. The mind brought under\ndiscipline by this true rationale, there remains no cause of sorrow\nregarding my installation being put a stop to. Do thou therefore assuage\nthy grief and follow me and intercept speedily the collection of\nmaterials for my installation. The bathing ceremony, necessary before\ntaking the vows of asceticism, shall be performed, O Lakshmana, with all\nthese jars full of water brought for my installation. Or what necessity\nhave I with all these articles of installation; water drawn from the\nwell by myself shall do for entering into the vow of exile. Do not\ngrieve, Oh Lakshmana, for the loss of this kingdom. Of kingdom and exile\ninto the forest, exile is fraught with glorious results. Knowest thou\nnow the mighty power of Destiny and do not blame therefore my younger\nmother and my father laboring under the influence of Destiny.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXIII.\n\n\nBeing addressed by Rama thus, Lakshmana, the mighty hero, hanging down\nhis head with half reluctance, pondered for sometime, and, placed midway\nbetween joy and grief, with frown drawn in between his brows, began to\nsob hot and hard, like unto an angry serpent in a cave belonging to\nanother. No body could eye his face, having terrible frowns, which\nlooked like that of an angry lion. Moving the extremities of his hands\nlike unto the trunk of an elephant, variously altering the altitude of\nthe neck above his frame, glancing a look awry, thus spoke he unto his\nbrother. \"To avoid the transgression of righteousness, and the\ndegradation of the people (consequent upon a bad example), thou art\neager to repair unto the forest. This thy eagerness is certainly\nmisplaced. Wast not thou under error, how could one like thyself, being\nheroic among the Kshatriyas, and capable of overcoming Destiny, speak in\nsuch a strain as behoves one that is impotent. Why dost thou extol\nDestiny which is powerless and weak. For what reason dost thou not\napprehend (unrighteousness) in those two (Dacaratha and Kaikeyi),\naddicted to vice. Dost thou not understand that there are many people\nwho feign piety outwardly (to deceive the simple). With a desire to\nrenounce thee by fraud,they simulate piety which is but selfishness. Had\nthey not purposed thus, Oh, Raghava, things would not have taken such a\nturn. If this story of the vows be true, then why had it not been\ndeclared before. Surely has the monarch engaged in an action hateful to\nthe people, namely the installation of a younger brother neglecting thee\n(the eldest one). Pray, pardon me, Oh great hero, I cannot brook all\nthis. Even that so called virtue do I loathe, which has, O high-souled\none, fascinated thee, and made thy mind run from one extreme to\nanother.[120] Why shalt thou, being capable of work, conform these\nimpious and cursed words of thy father, who is sadly under the influence\nof Kaikeyi. Here lies my sorrow that thou dost not admit that this\ndisturbance of the installation has arisen out of the pretext of boon\ngiving; thy idea of virtue is indeed an object of censure. People will\nmark this thy forsaking of the kingdom for redeeming the vows of thy\nfather, with opprobrium. Who else, save thee, even thinks of compassing\nthe desires of the monarch and the queen Kaikeyi, who are of\nunrestrained habits, ever intent on our mischief and are our enemies\nknown by the name of parents. Even if their throwing obstacles in the\nway of thy installation thou considerest, as the inevitable action of\nDestiny--pray disregard it, that does not please me. He, who is\ntremulous, weak and powerless, follows the track of Destiny; they pay no\nregard to it who are mighty heroes and whose prowess is held in esteem\nby the people. He, who can avert the consequences of Destiny by dint of\nhis manliness, does not lose heart even in the face of his interest\nbeing endangered by it. People shall witness to-day the power of Destiny\nand manliness; this day shall appear which of them is more powerful.\nThose who have witnessed before the prevention of thy installation by\nthe evil agency of Destiny, shall see it defeated, even this very day,\nby my manliness. Thwart shall I that assailing Destiny by my prowess\nlike unto a terrible elephant, freed of its shackles past the\nrestraining power of a goading hook and inflamed with the juice issuing\nout of its temples. What of the father, not even all the protectors of\nthe regions nor the entire population of the three worlds shall be able\nto present any obstacle in the way of Rama's installation. Those who\nhave, with one voice, Oh king, settled about thy exile unto the forest,\nshall be banished to day for fourteen years. Burn shall I down that hope\nof my father and Kaikeyi that they want to place Bharata on the throne\nby hindering thy installation. Influence of destiny shall not bring my\nopponents that amount of happiness, as the misery inflicted on them by\nmy terrible prowess. Thyself retiring unto the forest after governing\nthe people for a thousand years, thy sons shall resume the\nadministration. Dwelling into the forest is permitted after making over\n(the charge of the subjects unto (the hands of the) sons, as did the\nRajarshis of old. The monarch changing his mind, the kingdom shall be\ntransferred into another's hands--dost thou, being afraid of this, want\nto fly as an exile unto the forest? And is it for this, that thou Oh\nvirtuous souled Rama, dost not wish to have kingdom for thee? I do\npromise unto thee, Oh great hero, that I shall protect thy kingdom like\nunto shore protecting the sea, or else I shall not attain to the region\nof heroes. Do thou perform the rites of installation with things\nnecessary for benediction--do thou engage in these affairs--myself alone\nshall be able by force to thwart the opposition of the kings. These\nhands of mine are not intended for enhancing the beauty of my body--this\nbow is not meant for an ornament only, this sword is not for binding\nwoods together with, and these arrows are not for carrying the weight of\nwoods--these four belonging to me are for the use of killing the\nenemies. Never do I desire that I shall not cut them into pieces with\nsharp edged swords, brilliant as the lightning, whom I do consider as my\nenemies, though they be redoutable as Indra, the wielder of thunderbolt.\nCover thick shall I the field of battle and make it impassable by\ncutting assunder the trunks of the elephants, thighs of the horses and\nheads of the infantry. Being beheaded by my swords like unto the flaming\nfire and besmeared with blood resembling the clouds with lightning, my\nenemies shall fall down to the ground. Who is there, proud of his own\nprowess, that shall be able to withstand me when I shall appear at the\nbattle field with bows and leathern fences of fingers. Killing one with\na number of arrows, and sometimes many with a single one, I shall drive\nshafts into the vital organs of men, horses and elephants. To-day shall\nI display my skill in arms in destroying the supremacy of the monarch\nand establishing thine. That hand, which is fit for the smearing of the\nSandal, for wearing armlets, distributing wealth and maintaining\nrelations, shall be engaged to-day, Oh Rama, in performing its worthy\naction--the discomfiture of them who want to throw obstacles in the way\nof thy installation. Pray tell me now, which of your enemies shall be\ncut off by me from wealth, life and relatives? I am thy servant: do thou\ngive me instruction that the whole earth may be brought under thy\nsubjection\". That descendant of Raghu, wiping tears off the eyes of\nLakshmana and consoling him repeatedly, spoke unto him saying \"Oh gentle\none, I have thought it to be the best way by all means that I shall\nabide by my father's orders.\"\n\n[120] Formerly the mind was for accepting the kingdom, and now for going\n to the forest as an exile. These are the two extremes here\n meant.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXIV.\n\n\nSeeing Rama determined upon carrying out his father's behests, Kaucalya\nwith her voice choked with vapour begot of tears, spoke unto him the\nfollowing pious words. \"How shall this virtuous-souled one, beloved of\npeople and who has never experienced misfortune before, live on grains\ngleaned, being born of me to Dacaratha? How shall that Rama live upon\nfruits and roots, whose servants and attendants fare on well cooked\nrice? Who shall believe, or believing who shall not be afraid, that this\nhighly accomplished descendant of Kakuthstha, favourite of the king, is\ngoing to be exiled? Certainly Destiny, who crowns or afflicts people\nwith happiness or misery, is the most powerful agency in the world, or\nwhy shalt thou, Oh pleasing Rama, fly as an exile unto the forest? This\ngreat and incomparable fire of sorrow issuing from my mind, inflamed by\nthe wind of thy absence, increased by the fuels of lamentation and pain,\nkindled by hard sobs, obtaining the oblations of tears, vomiting the\nsmoke of vapour begotten of anxious thoughts--the result of counting\nupon the days of thy return, shall consume me, making greatly lean, when\ndeprived of thy presence, as does the fire burn the dry grass in summer.\nLike unto a cow following its young one shall I follow thee, Oh my\ndarling, wherever shalt thou go.\" Hearing those words of his mother,\nRama that best of men, spoke the following words unto her, who was\ngreatly troubled with sorrow. \"The monarch has been duped by Kaikeyi;\nmyself resorting to the forest, surely shall he resign his life, if cast\noff again by thee. There is nothing more cruel for women than the\nforsaking of their husbands; it does not behove thee therefore, to think\neven of this opprobrious action. Do thou serve this descendant of\nKakuthstha, my father, and the lord of the earth as long as he\nlives--know thou this to be the eternal virtue.\"\n\nThus addressed by Rama, Kaucalya of auspicious looks, being gratified\ngreatly; spoke unto him, the remover of her sorrows. \"Truly it is.\"\nRama, the foremost amongst religious men, being spoken thus, said to his\nmother, who was greatly disturbed with sorrow, again in the following\nstrain. \"Proper it is both for thee and me to carry out father's words:\nhe is thy husband, and my best preceptor and the lord and master of all\npeople. With great pleasure shall I abide in thy words after passing\nthese nine and five years in the great forest.\" Thus addressed,\nKaucalya, bearing great affection for her son, sorely pained and having\nher eyes full of tears, spoke unto her beloved son the following words.\n\"Oh Rama, I shall not be able to live amongst these co-wives, if art\nthou resolved to go to the forest for the discharge of thy father's\nbehest; do thou take me with thee, Oh Kakuthstha, like unto a wild hind.\nRama, supressing his feeling, spoke unto his mother who was lamenting,\nthus, saying:--\"Husband is the deity and master of the wife as long as\nshe lives; so the monarch being the lord can deal with thee and me in\nany way he likes. That highly intelligent lord of men living, we should\nnot consider ourselves as without a master. Bharata is also pious and\nbeloved of all people in speech--he, intent on the performance of\nreligious services, shall attend upon thee always. Do thou now take care\nthat on my retiring the monarch does not wear away by the pangs of my\nseparation, that this terrible sorrow may not kill him. Do thou look\nafter the welfare of the old king always. The woman, who serves not her\nhusband being engaged in excellent religious rites and fasts, shall fare\nwretchedly in the life to come; and a woman gets at the excellent abode\nof the celestials by serving her husband. Even those who do not worship\nand bow unto the celestial's should serve their husbands alone being\nintent upon their welfare Such is the virtue that should be always\npursued by women according to the _Vedas_ and _Smritis_. Do thou beguile\nthy time, Oh worshipful one, expecting my return, by worshipping the\ncelestials with flowers and oblations unto the fire and serving well the\nBrahmins. Engaged in discipline and fasting and devoted to the services\nof thy husband thou shalt attain thy best desire, on my return, if this\nforemost of pious men lives then. Being thus accosted by Rama, Kaucalya\nbeing distressed with the thought of separation from her son spoke unto\nhim with tears in her eyes the following words \"Oh my darling! it is\nbeyond my power to dissuade thee from thy firm resolution for going to\nthe forest; it is impossible to avoid this hour of separation. Go thou\nmy son, with an earnest heart; may thou fare well; my anxiety shall be\nremoved on thy return. Attain shall I then great happiness, when thou,\nOh great one, shalt return after satisfying your vows and making thyself\nfreed of debts unto thy father. Incomprehensible is the action of\nDestiny in this world, Oh my son, as it drives thee away unto the\nforest, Oh Raghava, neglecting my request. Do thou now repair, Oh mighty\nhero, and come back in peace, and console me with soul-soothing, tender\nwords. Oh my darling, shall that day ever come, when I shall see thee\nreturn from the forest, wearing bark and matted hair.\" With great\nearnestness, the worshipful one began to eye Rama, determined to go as\nan exile unto the forest and spoke unto him auspicious words and became\ndesirous of performing benedictory ceremonies.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXV.\n\n\nKaucalya subduing her sorrow,and touching holy water, began to perform\nauspicious ceremonies for Rama, and spoke unto him saying \"Do thou, Oh\nbest amongst the descendants of Raghu, repair now, as I cannot dissuade\nthee, but do thou return speedily and, follow the footsteps of great\nones. Let that virtue, Oh best of Raghavas, protect thee, which thou\nhast followed with gladness and self-discipline. Let the deities, whom\nyou worship every day in the temple, together with the Maharshis protect\nthee in the forest. Let those weapons conferred upon thee by the great\nVisvamitra protect thee always, gifted with good qualities. Do thou of\nmighty hands live forever, being protected by the truth and merit of thy\ncontinual services to thy father and mothers. May the holy fuel,\nsacrificial grass, sanctified altars and court-yards, the sacred ground\nof medicant Brahmins, mountains, trees great and small, lakes, birds,\nserpents and lions protect thee. Oh best of men, may _Sidhya_,[121]\n_Bishvadeva_,[122] Maruta,[123] the great ascetics, the sustainer, and\nthe preserver of the creation _Pusa_,[124] _Bhaga_,[125] _Aryama_,[126]\nthe _Lokapalas_,[127] headed by Indra and others, the six seasons, the\nmonths, day, night, moments _Srutis_,[128] _Smritis_,[129] and virtue\nprotect thee, Oh my son, on all sides. May the great deity _Skanda_,\n_Soma_, _Vrihaspati_, _Saptarshi_, _Narad_, Moon and other ascetics\nprotect thee. May the encircled regions with their lords, being pleased\nwith my eulogy, protect thee, Oh my son, always in the forest. When\nshalt thou repair unto the wood, may the mountains, oceans, Varuna, the\nheaven, sky, earth, air, things movable and immovable, planets and stars\nwith their presiding deities, day, night, and evening protect thee. May\nthe six seasons, months, years and all the divisions of time confer upon\nthe pleasure always, when thou of great intelligence shalt wander away\ninto the forest in the attire of an ascetic. May the deities and demons\never minister unto thy happiness and may not fear proceed unto thee, Oh\nmy son, from the terrible Raksashas and Pisachas intent on committing\ncruel deeds, and other animals living on flesh. May the apes, scorpions,\nwild gnats, reptiles and insects make thee no harm; may not the\nelephants, tigers, terrible looking bears, hogs, buffalos and other\nhorned animals hurt thee. Being worshipped by me from here may the\nferocious cannibal races of all kind bring thee no injury. May thy\ncourse be crowned with auspiciousness and thy powers with success. Do\nthou, Oh my son, repair unto the forest, being profusely provided with\nfruits, roots and other things. May all the creatures of the sky, all\nthose who breathe on this Earth, and all those deities who are hostile\nunto thee, contribute to thy welfare. May _Sukra Soma_, Sun, the lord of\nwealth and Death, protect thee, Oh Rama, resorting to the forest of\nDandaka. May fire, air, smoke and the _mantras_ uttered by the Rishis\nprotect thee, Oh descendant of Raghu, at the time of thy bathing. May\nthe lord of creation, Rishis and all the remaining deities defend thee\nwhen dwelling in the forest.\n\nThat best of women Kaucalya, of great renown and having expansive eyes,\nafter propitiating the celestials with garlands, fragrant odours and\npraises, began to offer oblations unto the fire by the help of eminent\nBrahmins for the welfare of Rama, collecting clarified butter, white\ngarlands, religious fig trees and white mustard seeds for this purpose.\nThe spiritual preceptor, after offering oblations unto the fire with due\nrites for his peace and health, presenting what was then left as\nofferings unto the lords of the four cardinal points and others,[130]\nand giving the Brahmins a dish of curd, ghee and honey, made them utter\nbenedictory prayers for Rama who was going unto the forest. Then that\nrenowned mother of Rama, after conferring upon the Brahmins _dakhshinas_\nin accordance with their desires, accosted Raghava with the following\nwords. \"May that blessing crown thee, which was attained by the thousand\neyed Indra, honored of all the deities on the occasion of killing the\nmighty Asura Vetra. May that blessing attend thee, which was invoked in\nolden times by Vinata, for that king of birds Garuda, praying for\nnectar. Do thou attain that blessedness, to which Aditi prayed, on\nbehalf of the weilder of thunder-bolt intent on the discomfiture of the\ngiants at the time of ransacking the ocean for nectar. May that\nprosperity wait upon thee, Oh Rama, which crowned the mighty Vishnu,\nwhile perambulating with his three steps the heaven earth and the\nregions as a dwarf. May the Rishis, the great oceans, islands the three\nworlds, Vedas, the regions, lend their might in the advancement of thy\nwelfare.\" Saying this Kaucalya, the foremost of all women, having\nexpansive eyes, placed the grains on Rama's head; sprinkled his body\nwith fragrant substances, and tied to his hands, as amulet, twigs of\nsuch auspicious plants as _visalyakarani_, with due mental repetition of\n_mantras_. That excellent one of high renown embracing Rama and smelling\nhis head, with her voice choked, as if all pleased, though placed under\nthe influence of dire distress in reality, uttered _mantras_ and spoke\nunto him thus. \"Oh my son, Oh Rama, have thy desires attained--and do\nthou go, wherever thou likest. I shall see thee, Oh my darling, with\ngreat delight, when shalt thou, returning Ayodhya in excellent health\nand having all thy ends satisfied, resume the administration of thy\nkingdom. Myself having sorrows removed and having my face glowing with\njoy, shall see thee coming from the forest like unto the rising of the\nfull moon. Continually shall I eye thy good self, Oh my son sitting on\nan auspicious seat, and returning from the forest after making good thy\nfather's behests. May thou returning from the forest and being dressed\nwith royal robes and ornaments, satisfy the desires of my\ndaughter-in-law. Worshipped have I deities headed by Siva and others,\nthe great ascetics, the genii and the snakes; may they all and the four\ncardinal points, Oh Raghava, contribute to thy welfare, who, art going\nunto the forest for a long time.\" Kaucalya, having her eyes full of\ntears, and performing the benedictory ceremonies with due rites, went\nround Raghava with solemnity, and seeing him again and again sighed hot\nand hard. Being gone round by his mother thus, Raghava, of great fame,\nand resplendent with the splendour of beauty, proceeded towards the\nabode of Sita, after bowing down unto the feet of his mother repeatedly.\n\n[121] An inferior deity or demigod.--T.\n\n[122] Deities of a particular class in which ten are enumerated; their\n names are Vasu, Satya, and so forth.--T.\n\n[123] A deity personifying wind.--T.\n\n[124] The sun.--T.\n\n[125] The moon.--T.\n\n[126] A class of manes or deified progenitors.--T.\n\n[127] Those deities who protect the regions, vis., the son, moon, fire,\n wind, _Indra, Yuma, Varuna, Kuvera_.--T.\n\n[128] The Vedas severally or collectively.--T.\n\n[129] The body of laws as delivered by Manu or others.--T.\n\n[130] The Garhyastabali or the daily offering of the householder, meant\n here, may be thus explained. After the performance of oblation\n unto the fire, the householder should present offerings to the\n lords of the four cardinal points.--Indra, Yama, Varuna, Soma and\n to their retinue. The offering for the Marutas should be placed on\n the threshold; for the presiding deities of the water in water;\n for the lords of the forest unto the wooden pestle arid mortar;\n for Sri and Bhadrakali on the grounds adjacent to the beddings on\n the side of the head and that of the feet respectively; for\n Brahmanspati and Vastupati on the site of the habitation; for\n Visvadeva and for day and night thrown in the air of the house,\n for Sarvatmabhuta scattered on the terrace. After offering to all\n these what remains should be thrown on the south for the manes.\n The offerings to the dogs, the fallen, the dregs of the people,\n the lepers, the crows and the worms and the insects should be\n placed on uncovered ground.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXVI.\n\n\nRama, intent on repairing unto the forest, and treading in pious tracks,\nafter duly saluting Kaucalya and beautifying the royal road, crowded\nwith people, captivated their hearts by means of his high\naccomplishments. Vaidehi, ever engaged in ascetic rites, did not hear of\nall these affairs; there was in her heart only the thought of Rama's\ninstallation. That daughter of the king, after offering her service unto\nthe deities according to the proper royal rites, was eagerly awaiting\nthe approach of Rama with a grateful and pleased heart. Entered Rama\nthis beautiful abode, excellently furnished and filled with people\nhighly delighted, having his head hanging down a little with shame.\nSita, seeing her husband, racked with sorrow and troubled in mind with\nanxiety, rose up trembling from her seat. Seeing her, that virtuous\nsoulcd Raghava, could not bear his internal sorrow, which manifested\nitself by external signs. Finding him with face pale and perspiring, and\nincapable of containing grief within, Sita sore distressed with sorrow\naddressed him, saying, \"Oh my lord, why do I perceive such a change in\nthee? Today the constellation Pushya is in conjunction with the moon,\n--and planet Vrihaspati is presiding over this conjunction, this day has\nbeen declared as the most auspicious one by the learned Brahmins, then\nwhy do thou cherish such a sorrow in thy mind? Why has not thy charming\nface been placed under the shade of an umbrella, having hundred ribs and\nwhite as a watery foam? Why do not the servants fan thee, having eyes\nlike lotus' petals, with chowries white as the moon or a goose? I do not\nsee thee, Oh best of men, eulogised with auspicious songs by the\npanegyrists, encomiasts and family bards. Why do not the Brahmins,\nversed in the Vedas, observing the formal rites, sprinkle on thy head\nhoney and curd, after washing it duly? Why are not thy subjects,\ncitizens, urbans, and leading members of society dressed and adorned,\nwilling to follow thee? Why does not that excellent sport-chariot go\nbefore thee, having four fast going steeds, adorned with golden\nornaments tied unto it? Why does not that excellent elephant precede\nthee, Oh great hero, which is gifted with auspicious marks and resembles\na mass of dark clouds and a mighty hill? Why do not the servants run\nbefore thee, Oh mighty hero, with a pretty looking royal seat\nembroidered with gold? Why do I perceive thy face so pale as never seen\nbefore, and why therein is no mark of gladness, when every thing for thy\ninstallation has been made ready?\" Wereupon spoke unto that weeping\nSita, the descendant of Raghu thus:--\"Oh Sita, Oh thou born of a great\nfamily, versed in the knowledge of religion and intent on the\nperformance of religious rites, my father has banished me unto the\nforest! Do thou hear, Oh daughter of Janaka, how has this calamity\nbefallen me. In the days of yore was granted unto my mother, Kaikeyi two\nboons by my father, king Dacaratha of truthful vows. When every thing\nwas made ready by my father for my installation, Kaikeyi reminded him of\nhis promise and gained over him for his righteousness. I shall live in\nthe forest of Dandaka for fourteen years and Bharata shall be installed\nby my father as the heir apparent of the throne. And myself bound to fly\nas an exile unto the wood, come here to see thee; do thou not praise me\never before Bharata. Those who are crowned with prosperity cannot bear\nanother's praise; it therefore behoves thee not to extol my virtues in\nthe presence of Bharata. Thou shouldst not extol me even in the company\nof thy friends; thou shalt be then able to live with Bharata as one\nfavourable to his party. The monarch has granted him this lasting heir\napparentship; it is therefore proper for thee, Oh Sita, to please him\nspecially for he is the king now. To day shall I repair unto the forest\nfor redeeming my father's vows; do thou, Oh high-minded one, live here\nin undisturbed mind. Do thou, Oh sinless and auspicious one, live here\nengaged in religious rites and fasts, when I shall wend my way unto the\nforest inhabited by the great ascetics. Rising from the bed early in the\nmorning, adore the deities every day, and then bow down unto the feet of\nmy father Dacaratha, the lord of men. My mother Kaucalya is old and much\npressed down with sorrow; do thou show proper respects unto her,\nconsidering it to be a pious deed. Thou shouldst then bow down unto my\nother mothers who all minister unto me, with equal love and affection.\nShouldst thou specially regard Bharata and Satrugna like unto thy sons\nor brothers, who are dearer unto me than my life itself. Thou shouldst\nnot do, Oh Vaidehi, any such thing as might be unpleasant unto Bharata,\nfor he is the king of the land as well as of the family.\n\nThe monarchs are always propitiated by being served with assiduity and\ngood temper; they are offended when any thing contrary to it happens.\nThey renonnce even their own son, born of their loins, when they find\nhim bringing about their mischief, and admit into their favour persons\ndevoted to their welfare bearing no relationship whatever. It therefore\nbehoves thee, Oh auspicious one, to live here, abiding by Bharata's\ncommands and being engaged in religious rites and truthful vows. I am\ngoing unto the forest, Oh my darling, and thou shalt live here. Oh\nexcellent lady, abide by my word as didst thou never formerly falsify\nit.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXVII.\n\n\nBeing addressed thus, Vaidehi, beloved and sweet speeched, spoke unto\nher husband the following words, offended as it were on account of her\ngreat affection. \"Is it that thou speakest me thus, thinking me, no\ndoubt, mean minded? I can not but laugh at thy words, Oh best of men;\nwhat thou hast said is not becoming of a mighty prince versed in\nmilitary arts and is really very opprobrious and infamous. What more, it\nis not proper even to hear them. Oh dear husband, father, mother, son,\nbrother, daugther-in-law, all of them abide by the consequences of their\nown actions, it is the wife alone, Oh best of men, that shares the fate\nof her husband; it therefore that ever along with thee I have been\nordered to live in the forest. Neither father, mother, son, friends, nor\nher ownself is the stay of a woman in this or in after life, it is the\nhusband alone that is her only support. If dost thou repair to-day unto\nthe forest impregnable, I shall go before thee, Oh Raghava, treading\nupon the thorns and prickly grass. Confident do thou take me with thee,\nOh great hero, renouncing jealousy and indignation, like unto water left\nafter drinking; there exists no sin in me that could justify forsaking.\nUnto woman is preferable under all circumtances the shade of her\nhusband's feet to the tops of a palace, the celestial car or excursion\nin the airy path.[131] I have been taught by my father and mother to\nfollow my husband in all conditions of life; and I shall carry out now\nwhat I have been taught; I shall not abide by any other counsel. I shall\nwend my way unto the forest impassable, devoid of men. inhabited by\nvarious deers, tigers and other voracious animals. Happily shall I live\nthere as if in my paternal house, giving no thought upon the prosperity\nof the three worlds, thinking only of the services that are to be\nrendered unto my husband. I shall sport with thee, Oh great hero, in\nthat forest impregnated with the fragrance of flowers, tending thee\nconstantly, having my senses subdued, and being engaged in austere\nperformances. Oh great hero, capable art thou to maintain many thousand\nothers in the forest, what of me. Surely shall I go to-day to the forest\nwith thee; there is no doubt about it and thou shalt not be able, Oh\ngreat hero, to dissuade me from so doing. Undoubtedly I shall always\nlive upon roots and fruits; living with thee always I shall not bring\nabout thy affliction. Always I shall precede thee when walking, and\nshall take my repast after thou hast taken it. Willing am I to view\nmountains, rivulets, lakes and ponds. Being fearless in thy company, Oh\nmy intelligent husband and great hero, I shall behold on all sides ponds\nfilled with wild geese and ducks and beautified with a collection of\nfullblown lotuses, and shall bathe there every day, pursuing the same\nvow with thee. And greatly gratified, I shall, Oh thou having expansive\neyes, amuse there with thee, in this manner, even for hundred or\nthousand years. I shall never experience the reverse of fortune,\ninasmuch as I do not like to live in the abode of celestials, Oh\nRaghava, if I am to dwell there without thee; no, it is not pleasing\nunto me, Oh best of men. I shall go there in that dense forest full of\ndeers, monkeys and elephants and live there as if under my paternal roof\ncleaving unto thy feet and abiding in thy pleasure. Do thou accept my\nentreaty whose heart is entirely thine, knows none else, and is ever\nattached unto thee, and who am resolved to die if forsaken by thee; thus\nrepairing I shall be in no way a burden unto thee\". That best of men,\nreluctant to take Sita with him, who had spoken thus and who was greatly\nattached to virtue, related unto her about the many miseries consequent\nupon dwelling in the forest, with a view to prevent her from following\nhim.\n\n[131] It was generally believed that by certain processes of _Yoga_ one\n acquired power to fly in the air.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXVIII.\n\n\nThat lover of virtue, thinking of the miseries of the forest, resolved\nnot to take Sita with him, who was versed in religious lores and had\nspoken thus. And consoling her whose eyes were stained with tears, that\nvirtuous-souled one spoke unto her the following words with a view to\nprevent her from going. \"Oh Sita, thou art born of an illustrious family\nand ever intent on the performance of religious deeds; do thou practise\nvirtue here as it may conduce to the happiness of my mind. Oh Sita, Oh\nthou of the weaker sex, do thou act up to my counsels; there are evils\nenough in the forest, do thou learn them from me who am about to dwell\nin it. Renounce therefore. Oh Sita, thy intention of flying as an exile\nunto the forest, which for its impenitrableness is said to abound in\nevils. It is for thy welfare that I give utterance to these words;\nhappiness there is none, it is always covered with miseries. The\nroarings of the lions living in the caves of mountains, swelling with\nthe sounds of the waterfalls, produce a very painful impression upon the\nears; so the wood is full of misery. Animals, all maddened, sporting in\nsolitude, seeing (man), approach to attack him; so the wood is full of\nmisery. The rivers are full of crocodiles, sharks, and other fearful\nanimals, muddy and impassable and always infested with infuriated\nelephants; the wood is full of misery. There the wayfares are covered\nwith creepers and thorns: they are void of drinking water and ever\nresounded with the noise of the wild fowls; so the wood is full of\nmisery. Being exhausted with the toil of the day, the dwellers of the\nwood have to sleep in night on the bed made of leaves fallen from the\ntrees on the surface of the ground; so the wood is full of misery. With\nthe (supply of) fruits that have fallen from the trees man of self\ndiscipline must content himself morning and evening; so the wood, O\nSita, is full of misery. One has to fast, O Maithili, according to his\nmight, to wear matted hair and bark, to adore the deities and his\nancestors according to due rites, every day to serve the guests that\ncome to him, and observing the rules of asceticism, to bathe every day\nthrice, namely, in the morning, in the mid-day and in the evening; so\nthe wood is full of misery. One has to offer presents of flowers\ncollected by his ownself unto the altars, O Sita, according to the rites\nof the ascetics; so the wood is full of misery. Those that dwell in the\nforest will have to remain content, having practised moderation in food,\nO Maithili, with whatever edibles are attainable in the forest; so the\nwood is full of misery. There are always violent winds, darkness,\nhunger, and great fear; so the wood is full of misery. Reptiles, many\nand of various kinds, creep there on the path, O excellent lady, with\nhaughtiness; so the wood is full of misery. And snakes living in the\nrivers and of crooked course like them, always await the wayfarers,\nhindering the passers-by: so the wood is full of misery. Birds,\nscorpions, insects mosquitos and wild gnats, always disturb the\ndwellers, O fair one of the weaker sex; so the wood is full of misery.\nThere are trees full of thorns, having their branches moving to and fro,\nand the _kusa_ and _kasa_ grasses with thorny blades constantly\nundulating; so the wood is full of misery. There are various physical\nafflictions and divers fears and great misery consequent upon living in\nthe forest. Anger and desires are to be renounced, the heart is to be\nset on ascetic austerities, fear in the fearful objects is to be cast\noff; so the wood is full of misery. Thou shouldst not therefore go unto\nthe forest--it forebodes no good unto thee. Weighing well, have I\nconcluded that the forest abounds in innumerable evils.\" While the\nhigh-souled Rama, resolved thus not to take Sita with him unto the\nforest, she, greatly sorry, did not accept his words and spoke unto him\nin the following way.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXIX.\n\n\nHearing these words of Rama, Sita greatly sorry, with tears in her eyes,\nspoke gently unto him the following words. \"The evils, thus enumerated\nby thee of living in the forest, do thou know, appear as so many good\nqualities unto me, who have been made forward by thy affection. Deer,\nlions, elephants, tigers, _saravas_,[132] _chamaras_,[133]\n_srimaras_,[134] and other animals which have not seen thee before,\nseeing thee, Raghava, will stand off, for they all fear thee. I shall\nfollow thee, taking the permission of the respected ones; without thee,\nO Rama, I will renounce my life. If I live by thee, O Raghava, _Sakra_,\nthe lord of celestials, shall not be able with his mighty power to\ndefeat me. 'A woman, without her husband, cannot live'; this truth has\nbeen pointed out by thee, O Rama, unto me. Besides, I heard before, thou\nof great intelligence, in my paternal house from the Brahmanas that I\nshould live in the forest. I have heard this from the Brahmanas versed\nin palmistry, and I have all along been anxious, O mighty hero, to go to\nthe forest; shall therefore obtain permission and go, O dearly beloved,\nunto the forest with thee; nothing can make it otherwise. I shall secure\npermission and follow thee; the time has arrived; may the Brahmanas be\nof truthful words! I know, O great hero, that there are many evils\nincident to living in the forest; but they generally befall those men\nwho have not their senses subdued. I heard, when I was a girl, that an\nascetic woman of well-disciplined character, came to my mother and\napprised her of my future abode in the forest. I had requested thee, O\nmy lord, many times before in this house to take me to the forest with\nthee for enjoyment, and thou wast pleased to agree. For thy welfare, O\nRaghava, having received thy permission to follow thee, I like to serve\nthee, O great hero, while living in the forest.\n\nO thou, pure-hearted one, surely shall I become sinless if I follow my\nhusband,out of affection; for my husband is my Divinity. I have heard\nthis pious report from the Brahmanas of great fame that even in after\nlife thy company is greatly beneficial unto me. She, who has been given\naway as wife by her father to one, with due rites of gift peculiar to\neach class, touching holy water, shall be his, even in her after life.\nFor what reason then dost thou not wish to take thy wife with thee who\nis of good character and devoted to her husband? Do thou take me, O\nKakuthstha, who am poor in spirit, devoted to my husband, ever given to\nthy service, and participating equally in thy joy and sorrow. If thou\ndost not purpose to take me with thee, surely will I do away with my\nlife by drinking poison, entering into fire, or drowning myself in\nwater.\" She begged Rama in these and various other means to take her\nwith him, but that mighty hero did not consent to lead her into the\nlonely forest. Being accosted thus, Maithili was wrapt up in thought and\nbathed her breast with tears trickling down from her eyes. And\nKakuthstha having control over his ownself, with a view to dissuade her\nwho was angry and engrossed in anxious thoughts, began to console her in\ndivers ways.\n\n[132] A fabulous animal supposed to have eight legs and to inhabit\n particularly the snowy mountains.-- T.\n\n[133] A kind of deer, or rather the _Bos Gruriniens_ erroneously classed\n by the Hindu writers amongst the deer.--T.\n\n[134] A young deer.-- T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXX.\n\n\nBeing consoled thus by Rama, Maithili, the daughter of Janaka, tearing\nseparation, lovingly and haughtily laughed at Raghava of spacious\nbreast, and spoke unto him, her husband, the following words with a view\nto follow him to the forest. \"What thought of thee, O Rama, my father,\nthe king of Mithila, accepting thee as his son-in-law, who was a man in\nform but (in deeds) a woman? Henceforth if people through ignorance say\nthat the sun has not that burning flood of light which in Rama does\nshine forth, woe is them, it is falsehood. Why art thou so dejected and\nwhence is thy fear that thou art willing to leave behind thy wife who\nhas none else but thee? Know me to be perfectly under thy influence like\nunto _Savitri_, following her husband _Satvavan_, the son of _Dumat\nSen_. I have not, like one bringing stigma on her line, ever in my life\nthought of a second person, but of thee whom I must follow into the\nforest. Dost thou, like unto an ordinary actor, wish to hand me over to\nothers, who am chaste, pure as a virgin, and long held in conjugal\naffection? O sinless one, do thou become subservient and serviceable to\nhim whose pleasure thou biddst me seek, and for whom thou hast suffered\nthyself to be impeded (in the installation). It does not behove thee to\nrepair unto the forest without taking me along with thee. Be it the\nausterity of an ascetic, the forest or heaven, with thee will I be\neverywhere. No toil shall I suffer on the way, as if lying on a bed of\nluxury, while following thee in thy footstep. When with thee, the\nvarious thorny grasses, the _Kusa_, the _Kasa_, the _Sara_, and the\n_Ishika_, and the thistles and brambles on the way, shall be unto me in\ntouch like unto linen and deer-skin. The dust that will cover me, thrown\nup by the gush of wind, shall be, O ravisher of my heart, regarded by me\nas the finest sandal dust. When I shall lie down on the bed of green\ngrass in the forest, it shall appear to me more pleasant than one\ncovered with a colored blanket. Fruits, roots and leaves which thou wilt\nbring thyself and give me, be they great or small in quantity, shall be\nto me like unto the ambrosia-juice. I shall never think of my father,\nmother, or my abode; I shall enjoy fruits and flowers growing in various\nseasons. Thou shalt not witness any thing disagreeable there; for me\nthou shalt not experience any sorrow,nor shall I be a burden unto thee;\ndo thou take me with thee, O Rama, conceiving with pleasure that thy\ncompany is a heaven unto me and thy absence a hell. If thou dost not\ntake me unto the forest which I count freed from all evils, surely I\nshall drink poison and never come under the influence of my enemies.\nWhen through affliction I shall not live after separation, better it is,\nO Lord, that I die immediately at the time of my being forsaken by thee;\nI cannot bear this grief even for a moment. How shall I be able to live\nwithout thee for fourteen years?\"\n\nThus lamenting, Sita, racked with sorrow, embraced her husband and began\nto cry aloud. Like unto a she- elephant,she being pierced by the\npoisonous shafts of Rama's words, began to shed tears, long kept off, as\nan _Arani_ wood emits fire continually. Tears caused by her sorrow and\nwhite as the crystal began to trickle down from her eyes, like unto\nwater falling in drops from lotus petals. And that beautiful face having\nexpansive eyes and resembling the full moon in its splendour, with tears\nbecame pale and parched, like unto a lotus taken out of its watery bed.\nFinding her almost insensible with sorrow, Rama flung his arms round her\nand reviving her (with consolation) spoke the following words unto her;\n\"I do not long for, O worshipful one, even the abode of celestials\ngained through thy affliction: fear there is none for me like unto the\nself-create Brahma. Not apprised of thy full intention, O thou of\nbeautiful countenance, I could not, though capable of escorting thee,\ndesire thy abode in the forest. When thou art determined O Maithili, to\nrepair unto the forest with me, I cannot leave thee behind, as one\npossessing self knowledge cannot renounce munificence. O thou, having\nthighs resembling the trunks of an elephant, I shall resort to that\nvirtue which was exercised by great and good men going before; do thou\nfollow me therefore like Suvarchala following the Sun. I cannot but go\nunto the forest, O daughter of Janaka, the truthful word of my father\nleads me thereto. Obedience unto his parents is the virtue of a son.\nDisobeying the command of my father I am not eager to live. Why should\nwe with meditations and adorations worship Destiny, which is not\ncognizable to the worshippers, neglecting our parents, who are ever\npresent to our senses? In the worship of the parents are fulfilled the\ntriple object of religious pursuit, and the adoration of the three\nregions; there is nothing equal to it, conducing to purity; so do I, O\nthou of excellent look, resort to it.\n\nTruth, almsgiving, honor, and sacrifices with profuse gifts are not so\nstrengthening (in the life to come) as the services rendered unlo the\nparents. Heaven, wealth, grains, learning, son, and happiness,--nothing\nremains inaccessible unto us. Great souls following the desires, and\nresorting to the service of their parents, get at the abodes of\ncelestials, Gandharvas, the seats of Brahma and Vishnu, and other\nexcellent regions. Therefore do I desire to follow what my father\ncommands me, treading in the path of truth,-- and this is the virtue\neternal. My resolution of not taking thee, Sita, unto the forest of\nDandaka is now rent asunder, as thou hast prepared thyself to live in\nthe forest and follow me. Permitted by me, O fair one of exquisite\nbeauty, to repair unto the forest, do thou follow me, O thou timid one,\nand the partner of my righteousness. Thy determination to follow me, O\nbeautiful one, is very excellent and is in perfect keeping with myself\nand my family. Do thou address thyself to repairing unto the forest, for\nwithout this now even heaven itself does not please me. Do thou give\naway jewels unto the Brahmanas and edibles unto the beggars longing for\nthem, and make haste without delay. Confer upon the Brahmanas, valuable\nornaments, excellent clothes, pleasant toys, beds, conveyances and other\nfine things in thy possession and then what remains do thou distribute\namongst the servants.\" Convinced that her going to the forest was\ndesired by her husband, Sita began to distribute them speedily with a\ndelighted heart.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXI.\n\n\nHearing this conversation, Lakshmana, who had gone there before, with\ntears in his eyes and being unable to bear this terrible sorrow, took\nhold of his brother's feet and spoke thus unto that greatly renowned\nSita and Raghava. \"If thou art resolved to repair unto the forest filled\nwith deer and elephants, I shall accompany thee, always going before\nwith bows in my hands. Thou shalt range with me in that charming part of\nthe forest which resounds with the music of the birds and the humming of\nthe bees. Alienated from thee I do not long for the abode of the\ncelestials, nor for eternal life, nor for the wealth of the three\nregions.\" The son of Sumitra, who spoke thus and was determined upon\ngoing to the forest, being repeatedly requested by Rama with consoling\nwords to desist from his purpose, spoke unto him the following words.\n\"Formerly thou didst order me to follow thee; and why dost thou prevent\nme now from accompanying thee to the forest? I want to learn, O sinless\none, why thou dost prevent me now from following thee. I entertain a\ngrave doubt in this.\" Then the highly effulgent Rama spoke thus unto\nthat sedate Lakshmana, who stood praying before him with clasped hands.\n\"Thou art sedate, fond of virtue, of peaceful temper, and thou walkest\nalways in the paths of righteousness. I hold thee dear as my life and\nthou art obedient unto me and art my friend. If thou dost accompany me\nunto the forest, O son of Sumitra, who shall serve Kaucalya and the\nhighly renowned Sumitra? That highly effulgent lord of earth who will\nsatisfy the world with the fulfillment of its desires like unto rain\nspreading in showers over the earth, is himself now shackled with\ndesires unto Kaikeyi. That daughter of Acwapati obtaining this kingdom\nfrom the monarch, there will be no end of the miseries of these\nco-wives. Bharata attaining the throne and siding his mother, Kaikeyi\nwill never think of Kaucalya or Sumitra sore distressed with grief. Do\nthou therefore, O son of Sumitra, live here of thy own accord or by the\nfavour of the monarch, and maintain these worshipful ones. If thou dost\nact thus, it will be showing thy best regard in me. O thou, versed in\nthe knowledge of religion, real virtue consists in the adoration of\nsuperiors. Do this, O son of Sumitra, for my sake; if we all go away\nleaving her aside, she will not be happy in any way.\"\n\nAccosted thus by Rama, Lakshmana, well versed in speech, spoke unto him\nthe following humble words. \"Be afraid of thy power, O hero, Bharata\nshall adore Kaucalya and Sumitra--there is no doubt about this. If that\nwicked Bharata obtaining this excellent kingdom, does not maintain and\ntake care of them, being impelled by haughtiness and wicked impulses,\nsurely shall I kill him, that wicked-minded one, though he be assisted\nby the entire population of the three regions. Besides, that worshipful\nKaucalya, who has made grants of many thousand villages unto her\nservants, can maintain thousands of people like us, and has enough to\nmaintain herself as well as my mother. Do thou therefore permit me to\nfollow thee; there will be no breach of virtue in this,and I shall have\nmy desires attained and thy interests shall be secured. I shall go\nbefore thee pointing out thy course, with stringed bows, a hoe, and a\nbasket in my hands. I shall bring for thee every day various roots and\nfruits and other things that grow in the forest and which the ascetics\nuse in their sacrifice. Thou shalt amuse thyself with Vaidehi on the\nsides of the hill, and I shall perform everything for thee whether thou\nart asleep or awake.\"\n\nBeing extremely gratified with these words, Rama spoke unto him,\nsaying,--\"Do thou follow me, O son of Sumitra, obtaining permission from\nall thy relatives. The high-souled Varuna himself offered two\nterrible-looking bows of etherial temper, two sets of weapons at the\ngreat sacrifice of the royal Janaka--namely, impenetrable mail, two\nquivers, two inexhaustible arrows, and two swords burnished with gold\nand bright as the Sun. These things were offered unto me as bridal\npresents, and I have kept them at the house of my preceptor. Do thou, O\nLakshmana, paying homage unto my preceptor, taking all those weapons,\nswiftly bring them hither. Determined upon going unto the forest,\nLakshmana, taking leave of his friends, went to the abode of the\nspiritual preceptor of the Ikshwakus and took from him those excellent\nweapons. And that best of princes, the son of Sumitra, showed Rama those\nheavenly arms--worshipped and well adorned with garlands. Seeing\nLakshmana arrive there, Rama, having control over his ownself, greatly\npleased, spoke unto him the following words. \"Thou hast arrived, O\nLakshmana, just when I wanted thee. I want to distribute with thee these\nmy riches amongst the Brahmauas and the ascetics. There are many\nexcellent Brahmanas having firm reverence in their preceptor. I want to\ndistribute my wealth amongst them and many other personages who depend\nupon me for their maintenance. Bring here speedily the worshipful\nSujajna, the son of Vasishtha; I want to repair unto the forest after\nduly adoring him and other excellent Brahmanas.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXII.\n\n\nReceiving this pleasant and beneficial mandate of his brother, Lakshmana\nspeedily went unto the abode of Sujajna, and finding that Vipra in the\nchamber where the sacrificial fire was maintained, worshipped him and\naddressed him, saying; \"Friend, come and behold the abode of that one of\narduous deeds (Rama) renouncing his incoming installation.\" Finishing\nhis prayers, Sujajna accompanied Lakshmana and arrived at the splendid\nmansion of Rama, filled with riches. No sooner Rama found that Brahmana\nversed in the Veda (Sujajna) arrive there, shining in effulgence like\nunto the blazing fire, than he rose up from his seat along with Sita,\nwith clasped hands, and received him as if he had been the sacrificial\nfire itself, and offered him excellent golden _Angadas_, shining\near-rings, necklaces of jewels fastened together with golden strings,\n_Keyuras_, bracelets, and various other ornaments, and spoke unto him,\nbeing desired by Sita, the following words. \"O my gentle friend! do thou\nby some servant send unto thy wife this necklace and _Hemasutra_. And\nSita, the friend of thy wife, also intends to give this _Rasana_ unto\nthy wife, And on the eve of her going to the woods, she presents thyself\nand thy wife with _Angadas_ of curious workmanship and elegant\n_Keyuras_. And Vaidehi wishes to present thee with this fine bed-stead\nwith its coverlet studed with various precious jewels. And I offer thee,\nO great ascetic, with a thousand gold coins, this excellent elephant,\ncalled the destroyer of foes, which had been bestowed upon me by my\nmaternal uncle.\"\n\nBeing addressed thus by Rama, Sujajna accepted all those offers, and\nshowered benedictions upon Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana. Thereupon Rama\nspoke unto his beloved, considerate and fair-speaking brother, the son\nof Sumitra the following pleasant words, like unto Brahma addressing the\nLord of celestials. \"O son of Sumitra, do thou invite the excellent\nBrahmanas, Agastya and Viswamitra, and adore them, O Raghava, by\nconferring upon them gems, as people cherish corn with water. And O\nmighty armed one, do thou worship them, O Raghava, with a thousand cows,\ngold, silver, and various precious jewels. Do thou confer upon that good\nBrahmana, the preceptor of the _Tittiriya_ portion of the _Vedas_, who\ncrowns Kaucalya with blessings every day, silk cloth, conveyances,\nmaid-servants, and such other things, till the twice-born one is\nsatisfied. Do thou propitiate the worshipful Chitraratha, who is our\ncharioteer and counsellor and of advanced years, with precious jewels\nclothes, wealth, with all kinds of beasts and a thousand cows. Do thou\nconfer upon those Brahmanas, O son of Sumitra, who live under my\nprotection, studying the _Kata_ section of _Yayur_ Veda, with staffs in\ntheir hands, a grant of eighty mules loaded with jewels, of a thousand\nmiles of pines, and of a thousand cows, for curd and clarified butter.\nThey are always inactive, being constantly engaged in Vedic studies, and\nare greatly slothful though having a taste for delicious food, and are\nalways esteemed by great men; to each of all those Brahmanas, who always\ncome to Kaucalya, do thou, O Lakshmana,make a grant of a thousand gold\ncoins, and offer unto them all such gifts as may please my mother.\"\nThereupon Lakshmana, that best of men, distributed amongst all these\nBrahmanas all the entire riches as ordered by Rama like unto the Lord of\nwealth. Seeing his dependants in a wretched plight, shedding tears\ncontinually, Rama proferred unto them various articles for their\nmaintenance, and said :--\"Do ye occupy in turn until our return my rooms\nas well as Lakshmana's.\" Having spoken thus unto all those dependants\nwho were racked with great sorrow, Rama ordered the Treasury officer to\nbring his riches there. Thereat, the servants brought all his riches and\ncollected them in great heaps. Rama, the best of men, together with\nLakshmana, distributed them amongst the Brahmanas, boys, the old, and\nthe poor. There lived in that quarter a Brahmana of a tawny colour, by\nname Trijata, descended from the line of Garga, earning his livelihood\nby digging the earth with spades and ploughs. His young wife with her\nlittle children, struggling with poverty, spoke thus unto the old\nBrahmana. \"Throwing aside thy spades and ploughs, do thou hear my words.\nGo and see the virtuous-souled Rama, and thou art sure to get something\nfrom him now.\" Hearing these words of his wife, Trijata, shining in\neffulgence like unto Vrigu and Angira, covering his body with a torn\npiece of cloth, proceeded towards Rama's abode with his wife, and going\non in a speedy and uninterrupted course, reached at last the royal abode\nand spoke unto Rama thus:--\"O mighty son of the king! a poor man am I,\nhaving a number of children. I maintain my family by digging the earth;\ndo thou therefore look upon me mercifully. Whereupon Rama replied\nlaughing:--\"I have not distributed as yet even one thousand of my cows.\nDo thou hurl this rod, and thou art the master of all those cows\noccupying the space at the extremity of which this rod shall fall.\" Upon\nthis, swiftly tightening the cloth around his waist, Trijata firmly\ngrasping the rod hurled it with a mighty force. The rod, hurled off his\nhands, fell on the other side of the river Saraju in the midst of many\nthousand bullocks. Seeing this, the virtuous-souled Rama despatched to\nthe hermitage of Trijata all the cows that lay extending up to the banks\nof the river Saraju, and consoling him afterwards accosted him with the\nfollowing words. \"Be not offended, I acted thus only as a matter of\njoke. I asked thee to do this only with the object of knowing whether\nthou hadst the power to hurl this rod. Do thou ask of me now any thing\nthou likest. Truly do I speak that thou shouldst not hesitate. I am\nready to devote my wealth to the services of the Brahmanas. And the\nwealth I have earned will conduce to my favour, if. I can apply it to\nyour service.\"\n\nThen Trijata, being pleased with the accession of cows, went away along\nwith his wife, showering happiness and joy. Rama of great manliness\nafterwards distributed with proper respect and due welcome all his\nwealth amassed by righteous means amongst the Brahmanas, friends,\nservants and the poor, according to the recomendation of his friends.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXIII.\n\n\nHaving distributed much wealth to the Brahmanas, the Raghavas set out\nwith Sita for the purpose of seeing their father. And the two looked\nbeautiful with a couple of handmaids (following them), taking the\nweapons that had been decked by Sita with flowery wreaths. Then crowds\nof elegantly-attired citizens, mounting on the terraces of three-\nstoried and seven-storied houses, looked on the scene with hearts filled\nwith sorrow. And unable to tread the streets because of a vast\nconcourse, they ascending the terraces of the buildings, eyed Raghava\nwith woe-begone eyes. And deprived of their senses by grief, the\nmultitudes,[135] beholding Rama proceeding on foot in company with Sita\nand his younger brother, said,--\"He that used to be followed by the vast\nbody of the four-fold forces, proceeds now along with Sita, followed by\nLakshmana alone. Knowing every kind of enjoyment, that magnanimous one\nwho has tasted of every luxury, for maintaining the dignity of morality,\ndoes not wish to falsify (his father's) word. And that Sita whom\nformerly the very rangers of the sky could not see, is to-day beheld by\nthe passers-by. Now summer's heat and winter's cold and the rains of the\nwet season will speedily stain Sita, whose person is worthy of being\ndyed, and who used to daub her limbs with red sandal paste. Surely\nto-day Dacaratha speaks thus, possessed by some evil spirit; for the\nking ought by no means to banish his beloved son. Who ever exiles his\nson, albeit he be worthless? And what is to be said concerning a son\nthat has fast secured all men's hearts by his behavior? Universal\nbenevolence, kindness, learning goodness, the restraint of the senses,\nand the control of the faculties,--these six qualities adorn that best\nof men, Raghava. Therefore the subjects will be afflicted in consequence\nof his separation, even as aquatic animals are, when summer dries up the\nwaters of a tank. The entire earth is distressed on account of the\ndistress of this lord of the earth, even like a tree bearing blossoms\nand fruits, when its roots have been severed. Surely this highly\neffulgent one with virtue for his chief good, is the root of humanity,\nand the latter represents its flowers, fruits, foliage, and boughs.\nTherefore, accompanied by our wives and friends will we like Lakshmana\nfollow the departing Raghava by the same way that he takes. And leaving\naside our gardens and fields and abodes, will we, making the righteous\nRama's happiness and misery our own, follow him. Let Kaikeyi possess\nherself of our deserted mansions, deprived of their buried treasures,\nwith their unswept courtyards robbed of kine and wealth, and shorn of\nall substance, filled with dust, and abandoned by the deities, mansions\nwhere rats will run from hole to hole, which will neither emit smoke nor\ncontain water, which will not be swept by broomsticks, from which\nsacrifices, and the slaughter of sacrificial beasts,and the offering of\noblations and the recitation of sacred texts, and _Yapa_, will be\nabsent, and around which will be strewn broken earthenware, as they are\non occasions of political commotions or the occurrence of natural\ncalamities. Let the forest to which Raghava repairs resemble a city, and\nlet this city renounced by us be converted into a wilderness. Inspired\nby the fear of us, serpents will leave their holes, and beasts and birds\nthe caves of mountain, and elephants and lions the forest. Let them\noccupy the tracts left behind by us, and let them renounce such\nabounding in serpents, beasts, and birds, as yield grass, meat, and\nfruits. Let Kaikeyi (reign in this realm) along with her sons and\nadherents; we, renouncing homes, will dwell in the forest with Raghava.\"\n\nRaghava heard various words uttered thus by the populace; and having\nheard them, he did not suffer his mind to be agitated. And that\nrighteous one of the prowess of a mad elephant, from a distance began to\nmake for the residence of his father resembling in brightness a summit\nof the Kailaca mountain. Entering the king's mansion, he drawing nigh\nfound the heroic Sumantra seated in dejected mood. Seeing that\nwell-wisher of his thus depressed, Rama endeavouring by all means to do\nhis father's bidding, cheerfully went on, desirous of beholding his\nsire. And with the view of meeting the aggrieved king before repairing\nto the forest, the magnanimous son of the Ikshwaku race, seeing\nSumantra, stayed there,--so that that noble-minded one might inform his\nfather of his visit. And making up his mind to go to the woods in\naccordance with the command of his father, Raghava seeing Sumantra, said\nunto him; \"Do you inform the king of my arrival.\"\n\n[135] Another reading is,--_Beholding Rama without his umbrella and\n walking afoot_.-- T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXIV.\n\n\nThen the mighty and incomparable Rama of eyes resembling lotus-petals\nsaid unto the charioteer,--\"Do you announce me to my father.\" Thus\ncommissoned by Rama, the charioteer entering the apartment, found the\nking heaving sighs, his senses overwhelmed with grief. And he saw the\nmonarch like the sun afflicted by Rahu, or like fire enveloped in ashes,\nor like a tank deprived of its water. Thereupon concluding that the king\nagitated by sorrow was bewailing Rama, the charioteer said with joined\nhands. And first paying homage unto the king, invoking victory upon him,\nthe charioteer, perplexed with fear, softly and sweetly addressed the\nmonarch thus:--\"O foremost of men, your son waits at the entrance, after\nhaving distributed wealth to Brahmanas and his retinue Let that one\nhaving truth for prowess, good betide you, see you. Having greeted all\nhis friends,he now wishes to see you. Know that he is about to set out\nfor the mighty forest. Do you, O Lord of earth, see him furnished with\nevery perfection, like the Sun himself surrounded by his rays.\"\nThereupon, that virtuous and truthful (king) resembling the ocean by\nvirtue of his gravity, and motionless like the welkin, answered\nSumantra, saying,--\"O Sumantra, do thou bring hither my wives.\" Reaching\nthe inner apartment, the charioteer said unto the ladies,--\"The\nworshipful king calls you. Do you come speedily.\" Thus addressed by\nSumantra at the mandate of the monarch, the ladies in a body, informed\nof their husband's command, went to the king's apartment. And three\nhundred and fifty females furnished with coppery eyes and observing\nvows, surrounding Kaucalya, proceeded slowly. On the females coming\nthere, the monarch seeing this, said unto the charioteer,--\"O Sumantra,\ndo you bring hither my son.\" Thereat the charioteer taking Rama,\nLakshmana and Mithila's daughter, speedily came before the lord of\nearth. The king seeing his son drawing nigh with joined hands, hastily\nrose up from his seat in company with his wives. And casting his eyes on\nRama, the king rushed towards him, but before reaching his son, the\naggrieved monarch fell down to the earth in a swoon. Rama and that\nmigthy car-warrior Lakshmana swiftly neared the king striken with grief\nand rendered senseless by sorrow. And there arose in the palace cries of\nwomen by thousands of \"Ah Rama,\" mingled with the tinkling of ornaments.\nThen both Rama and Lakshmana along with Sita took the king up with their\narms, and with tears in their eyes laid him upon the couch. When the\nlord of the earth oppressed with the vapour begot of grief and\noverwhelmed with emotion, had regained his senses, Rama with joined\npalms said--\"I ask you, O mighty monarch, as you are the lord of all. Do\nyou see me safely despatched to the forest of Dandaka. Do you permit\nLakshmana, and let Sita also follow mc to the woods; for although\nprohibited by me with various reasons, they do not wish to be left\nbehind. Do you, O bestower of honor, permit us all, renouncing\nsorrow--Lakshmana and Sita and me,--like Prajapati permitting his sons.\"\nSeeing Raghava about to set out for the forest, the lord of earth said\nunto the calm Rama waiting for his orders,--\"O Raghava, I have been\ndeprived of my senses in consequence of my having conferred boons on\nKaikeyi. Do you therefore confining me to-day become king in Ayodhya.\"\nThus addressed by the monarch, Rama--the best of the righteous--well\nversed in speech, with joined hands addressed his father thus,--\"O king\ndo you rule this earth for a thousand years,--I will reside in the\nforest. I do not wish for the kingdom. Having spent five and nine years\nin the woods, I shall again embrace your feet, lord of men, after\nfulfilling your vow.\" Fettered in the net of promise, the king bewailing\nhis beloved son, secretly spurred on by Kaikeyi, said,--\"Do you, my\ndarling, with the view of attaining welfare here and hereafter and\nauspicious fortune, go calmly your fearless way,--so that you may return\nhither (in time.) I dare not, O descendant of the Raghu race, forbid you\nwho are established in truth and who are bent upon discharging your\nduty. But, O son, do not by any means depart to-night: beholding you\neven for a single day, I shall feed with you. Do you, seeing me as well\nas your mother, stay here to-night. Then ministered unto every way, you\nwill set out to-morrow. O son, O beloved Raghava difficult is the task\nthat you are going to perform,--for compassing my good in the next\nworld, you are ready to repair to the very woods! But, O Raghava, I\nswear unto you, this is anything but agreeable to me, my son. I have\nbeen made to swerve from my purpose by the crafty Kaikeyi resembling a\nfire hidden under ashes. You are going to give effect to the deceit that\nhas been practised upon me by this woman intent upon sullying her line.\nAnd as you are my eldest son, it is no wonder, O son, that you should\nwish to maintain your father's truth.\" Hearing these words of his\ndistressed father, the humble Rama, along with his brother Lakshmana,\nsaid,--\"Who will confer on me the merit tomorrow that I shall reap by\ngoing to-day? Therefore, I prefer even the journey to the woods to\nenjoying comforts here. Do you bestow upon Bharata this earth renounced\nby me-- this kingdom abounding in corn and kine and filled with people;\nmy mind determined upon dwelling in the forest, does not waver. Do you,\nO bestower of boons, grant Kaikeyi everything that you had promised unto\nher at the time of the war[136] (you had waged against the Danavas), and\nthereby do you follow truth. Obeying the mandate that you have issued, I\nwill dwell in the forest for fourteen years in the company of the\nrangers of the woods. Do you without feeling any compunction confer the\nearth on Bharata. Mine is not the desire to obtain the kingdom for\nenjoying happiness or attaining any benefit. I will, O descendant of the\nRaghu race, do your bidding. Banish your grief, and suppress your tears.\nThat lord of streams, the irresistible ocean, never forsakes his own\nmagnanimity. I desire neither dominion, nor happiness, nor the\nearth,[137] nor any object[138] of enjoyment, nor heaven, nor life. O\nforemost of men, all I wish for is that you may not come by falsehood,\nand abide by truth. I truly and in good sooth swear before you that I\ncannot, O lord, remain here for a moment longer, O my father. Do you\nbear this grief. I cannot for certain act contrary to my promise.\nDirected by Kaikeyi saying,-- 'Do you, O Raghava, go to the forest,' I\nhad said,--'I will go,'--That promise I must accomplish. Do you not, O\nrevered one, feel aggrieved. We will abide in the forest abounding in\nmild deer and resounding with the notes of various birds. The father is\na very God,--even the celestials say this. Therefore will I look upon\nyour word in the light of divinity. And, O best of monarchs, after the\nfourteen years have been spent, you will see me again by your side,--\ntherefore do you banish this grief. Why do you, O foremost of men, who\nwill suppress other's grief, undergo this alteration? Do you confer upon\nBharata this city and this kingdom and the earth renounced by me. Doing\nyour behest, I will repair to the forest, sojourning there for a long\ntime. Staying at the auspicious frontiers, let Bharata barely rule this\nearth furnished with watery expanses, cities and forests, when it has\nbeen renounced by me. O king, let what you have said be as you wish it.\nI do not, O king, set my heart upon any great object of desire, nor do I\nseek my own behoof, as I am bent upon, O you beloved of the good,\nworking out your will. O sinless one, you will not therefore reap any\nevil on my account. Associating you with untruth, I would not, O sinless\none, wish even for your company who are agitated with anxiety,[139] or\nthis entire kingdom, or every object of desire, or the earth, or\nMithila's daughter. Even this is my truthful vow,--let also your vow\nprove true. Living upon fruits and roots in the forest, and surveying\nmountains and tanks and streams and graceful trees, I shall be happy on\nentering the forest, Do you cease to lament.\" Thus benetted with\ncalamities and exercised with grief and anguish, the king embraced his\nson,--and then deprived of his consciousness fell down on the ground and\nbecame motionless. Thereat all the queens save that wife of the monarch\n(Kaikeyi) bewailed together; and crying Sumantra also went into a swoc\nAnd the place was filled all around with exclamations \"O\" and \"Alas.\"\n\n[136] Another reading is,--_The boon that you had well-pleased\n conferred_.--T.\n\n[137] Another reading,--_Nor Mithila's daughter_.--T.\n\n[138] Another reading is,--_Nor any of these worlds_.--T.\n\n[139] Some texts--_Living_.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXV.\n\n\nThen shaking his head and sighing again and again pressing palm upon\npalm and grinding teeth upon teeth, with eyes reddened in wrath and an\naltered complexion, and suddenly waxing angry and moved with grief,\nSumantra witnessing the mental condition of Dacaratha said, shaking\nKaikeyi's heart with the sharpened shafts of his speech and piercing her\nmind all over with his harsh words resembling thunderbolts, \"O\nworshipful one, since you have forsaken king Dacaratha, the maintainer\nof this world and the mobile and the immobile that it contains, there is\nnothing that is incapable of being done by you. I consider you the\nmurderess of your husband and as one that has finally exterminated one's\nline; inasmuch as you have by your act afflicted the monarch invincible\nlike Indra, firm as a hill, and imperturbable like the deep itself. You\nought not to bring down your boon-bestowing lord and husband Dacaratha;\nfor surely the wish of a husband to a wife outweighs a _koti_ of sons.\nThe princes will obtain the kingdom one after another according to\nage;-- this custom it is your study to render nugatory even when the\nlord of the Ikshawaku race is still alive. Let your son be king; let\nBharata rule the earth: we, however, will go where goes Rama. No\nBrahmana will dwell in your dominion --such is the ungracious deed you\nare going to do. [Surely we will go the way that is wended by Rama, and\nwhat happiness, O revered one, will you,forsaken by friends, Brahmanas\nand the saintly, reap by remaining here, allured by the lust of\ndominion? And you are going to do such an act!][140] A wonder it is that\nI perceive, viz,--that the earth hid by a character like you is not\nriven this very day. And why doth not the flaming and dreadful censure\nuttered by the mighty Brahmarshis destroy you who are bent upon\nbanishing Rama? Who having hewn a mangoe tree by his axe, tendeth a\nNimba? It never turns sweet for him that waters it. Your birth is noble\nindeed; it is as much so as is your mother's. They say that sweet is\nnever extracted from Nimba. I remember what I have heard from old men\nconcerning the vicious inclinations of your mother.\n\nSome one intent upon conferring boons conferred an excellent one on your\nfather. In virtue of this, that lord of earth could understand the\nimport of sounds emitted by all beings, and it is in consequence of this\nthat he could understand the speech even of birds and beasts. One day as\nyour father was lying down, he, understanding the thoughts of a gold-\nhued Jrimbha bird, from its cries, laughed heartily. Thereat your mother\ngetting angry, wishing for the noose of death, said,--'O king, O placid\none, I ask you for the reason of your laughter.' The king replied,--'O\nworshipful lady, if I unfold unto you the reason of my laugh, then I\nshall without doubt die to-day.' But that revered one, your mother,\nagain urged Kekaya, saying,--'Tell it to me, whether you live or die;\nfor (when I have learnt all about it), you will not be able to laugh at\nme again.' Thus addressed by his beloved spouse, that lord of earth\nKekaya went to the saint that had conferred the boon on him and related\nunto him everything faithfully. Thereupon that boon-giving saint said\nunto the kin; \"Whether this one kills herself or be destroyed, do you\nnot, O king reveal it.\" Hearing these words of his, the king well\npleased summarily forsook your mother and began to divert himself like\nKuvera. Even in the same way, you, O you that see only evil, staying in\nan unrighteous count befouling the king's sense, endeavour to make him\ncommit this wrong. In this connection I remember a saying, viz.,-- men\ntake after their fathers, and women their mothers. Do not be so,--do you\neven accept what the lord of earth says. Doing the will of your lord, do\nyou become the refuge of us all. Do not incited by evil propensities,\nmake your husband the lord of men endued with the prowess of the\ncelestial chief, perpetrate an unrighteous deed. That sinless one will\nnot for certain give practical effect to the promise jestingly made by\nyou. O worshipful one, king Dacaratha is graceful, being furnished with\neyes resembling lotuses. Let him install his eldest son, Rama generous\nand able, maintaining his own religion--the protector of all men--and\nendued with might. O revered lady, great is the obloquy that will spread\nconcerning you, if leaving his royal father, Rama repaireth to the\nforest. Let therefore Raghava govern his kingdom; and do you remove your\nagitation. Surely save Raghava none residing in the kingdom will prove\nfriendly to you. On Rama being installed as the heir-apparent, that best\nof bowmen--king Dacaratha--will depart for the forest, remembering\nancient examples.\" Thus in presence of the king, Sumantra with clasped\npalms, with soft yet cutting words endeavoured to strike Kaikeyi with\nregret. But that noble dame did not feel any compunction, nor was she\ntouched with regret. And the complexion of her countenance remained as\nit was before.\n\n[140] The North West Provinces text omits the lines inclosed within\n brackets.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXVI.\n\n\nThen that descendant of Ikshwaku afflicted because of his promise,\nsighing and his heart filled with the vapour begot of sorrow, again\naddressed Sumantra, saying,--\"O charioteer, do you speedily marshall the\narmy consisting of the four kinds of forces for following Raghava. And\nlet sweet- speeched courtezans and opulent traders grace the extensive\narmy of the prince. And, giving them immense wealth, do you also send\nwith him those that depend on Rama, as well as those with whom he\ndelights to wrestle. And let the foremost weapons, and the citizens, and\ncars, and fowlers well acquainted with the forest go in the wake of\nKakutstha. Killing deer and elephants, and drinking wild honey, and\nbeholding various rivers, they will ultimately forget this kingdom. And\nlet our granary and treasury follow Rama who is to reside in the forest.\nPerforming sacrifices at holy spots, and dispensing the prescribed\n_Dakshinas_, let Rama happily reside in the forest in the company of\nsaints. The mighty- armed Bharata will govern Ayodhya. Therefore, do you\nfurnish the auspicious Rama with every object of enjoyment.\" When that\ndescendant of Kakutstha said this, Kaikeyi was inspired with\napprehension: her countenance became blank, and her utterance was\nchoked. Losing her complexion and agitated with fear, with her\ncountenance fallen, Kaikeyi faced the king and said,--\"O righteous one,\nlike unto a liquor whose lees alone have been left, Bharata will not\nreceive the kingdom tasteless and denuded of all substance.\" While the\nshameless Kaikeyi was speaking thus sternly, king Dacaratha said unto\nthat one of expansive eyes,--\"O worker of mischief, why having laid the\nload upon me, do you torment me? O ignoble one, why did you not ask for\nthis, when you did first solicit the boon?\" Hearing these wrathful words\nof the king, that beauteous one, Kaikeyi, waxing doubly wroth, addressed\nthe monarch, saying,--\"Even in this line of yours, Sagara deprived his\neldest son Asamanja by name of the enjoyment of the kingdom. In this way\nthis one deserves to go to the forest.\" Thus addressed, king Dacaratha\nsaid,--\"O fie!\" and all present were afflicted with shame; but Kaikeyi\nfeigned not to understand all this. Then a notable, aged, pure-spirited\npersonage held in high esteem by the monarch, named Siddhartha,\naddressed Kaikeyi, saying,--\"Asamanja by way of sport catching people on\nthe way, used to throw them into the waters of the Sarayu, and that\nwicked-minded wretch made merry over the same. Seeing him do so, the\ncitizens in a body, waxing wroth spoke unto the monarch,--'O enhancer of\nthe kingdom's prosperity, do you either banish Asamanja or us.' To them\nhe replied,--'Whence is this fear of yours?' Thus asked by the monarch,\nthe subjects said,--'Through his impudence this one of perverted sense\nby way of diversion throwing our sons into the Sarayu, finds extreme\ndelight.' Hearing these words of his subjects, that lord of men, with\nthe intention of doing good to them, forsook that mischievous son of\nhis. Then swiftly causing a car to be yoked, he said unto his men,--This\none is to be banished for life in proper garb along with his wife.'\nThereupon that worker of iniquity went to the forest and went about\nseeing mountain fastnesses. Thus did the virtuous king Sagara renounce\nhis son. But what offence has Rama committed that he is to be banished?\nWe do not find any fault whatever in Raghava. Rare is his fault even\nlike the spot on the Moon. Or it may be, O exalted lady, that you\nperceive some fault in Raghava,--Do you, if so, unfold it; and then let\nRama be banished. But the renunciation of the honest ever constant in a\nrighteous course, in consequence of its being opposed to virtue,\ndestroys the splendour of Sakra himself. Therefore, O noble one, cease\nto persevere in this, for what good would the marring of Rama's good\nfortune bring you? And, O you of a fair countenace, you will by such a\ncourse escape odium.\" Hearing Siddhartha' s words, the king, his voice\nwaxing exceedingly feeble, addressed Kaikeyi in words surcharged with\nemotion,--\"O Personation of sin, thou relishest not this speech. Thou\nknowest not either thy own good or mine. This wicked endeavour of thine,\nO thou that strivest after harm, which thou puttest forth adopting a\nnarrow path, is surely divorced from the course of the good. Forsaking\nmy kingdom, forsaking happiness and treasures, I will to-day follow\nRama. Do thou with Bharata for the king forever enjoy dominion according\nto thy heart's desire,\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXVII.\n\n\nHEARING the words of that worthy, Rama conversant with modesty, humbly\naddressed Dacaratha, saying,--\"What O king, have I, that am renouncing\neverything and am going to dwell in the forest subsisting on what the\nforest yields, to do with a following? Of what avail is a person's\nattachment for the tether of a goodly elephant, when the elephant itself\nis renounced by him? Thus it is with me, O foremost of righteous ones.\nWhat shall I do with the army, O lord of men? I will confer everything\non Bharata. Let them bring me a vesture of bark, and for me who will go\nto the forest and reside there for fourteen years, bring a hoe and a\nbasket.\" Thereupon Kaikeyi herself brought a bark dress and that\nshameless one said unto Raghnva in the presence of all,--\"Do you wear\nthis.\" On this, that foremost of men taking those two pieces of bark\nfrom Kaikeyi, left his fine attire and put on the ascetic garb. And\nLakshmana also, renouncing his choice raiment, put on the dress of an\nanchoret before his father. Then Sita clad in silk apparel, eying the\nascetic covering meant for her, became agitated, like a doe at sight of\na noose. And afflicted with shame, that one graced with auspicious\nmarks, Janaki, sorrowfully took from Kaikeyi the Kuca and bark; and with\ntears flooding her eyes, that one cognizant of virtue and having her\ngaze ever fixed upon it, thus addressed her lord resembling the king of\nthe Gandharbas,--\"How do the ascetics dwelling in the woods put on their\ndress?\" Saying this, Sita, ill at ease became embrassed. And putting on\none piece on her neck and holding the other in her hand, the daughter of\nJanaka, feeling uneasy, stood overpowered with shame. Thereupon that\nbest of righteous persons, Rama, speedily coming up to her, fastened the\nmonastic garb over Sita's silk attire. Beholding Rama fastening that\ngoodly garb on Sita, the females of the inner apartment began to shed\ntears. And waxing exceedingly aggrieved, they spoke unto Rama flaming in\neffulgence:--\"Child, do not take this virtuous one to the forest. So\nlong as you will reside in the forest in accordance with the wishes of\nyour father, we shall behold her; and by this means let our lives attain\ntheir object, O lord. O son taking Lakshmana for your help, go you to\nthe forest. This auspuious one does not deserve to live in the woods\nlike an ascetic. O son, grant our prayer. Let the fair Sita remain. Ever\nsteady in virtue, you do not yourself intend to stay here.\" Hearing\nthese words, Dacaratha's son tied the dress on Sita having a similar\ncharacter with himself. When she had put on the upper and under\ngarments, the preceptor of the king, Vasistha, his voice choked with the\nvapour of sorrow, dissuading Sita, said unto Kaikeyi,--\"O thou whose\ndesires outrun thy sense of honor, O thou of perverted understanding O\nbefouler of thy line, deceiving the monarch, thou stayest not within the\npale of the promise. O thou bereft of good behavior, that noble lady,\nSita, should not go to the forest. Sita will occupy Rama's seat. Of all\nthose that marry, the wife is the (other) soul. Sita will govern the\nearth, as she is Rama's self. But if Vaidehi goes to the forest with\nRama, we will follow him, and the inhabitants of the city will also\nrepair thither. And the warders of the inner apartment, and the people\nof the kingdom and the city taking with them their neccessaries and\nservants will accompany Raghava and his wife. And Bharata and Satrughna\nwearing ascetic clothes and ranging the forest will live like their\nelder brother resident in the woods. Then alone thou of vile ways and\nintent upon harming the people wilt govern this empty earth deserted by\nthe inhabitants, along with the trees. That can never be a kingdom where\nRama is not the monarch, and that forest where Rama will reside will\nflourish into a monarchy. Bharata never wishes to govern a kingdom that\nhas not been conferred upon him by his father; nor, if he has really\nbeen begotten by the monarch, wilt he any further act by you as a son.\nEven if you leaving the earth fly unto the air, that one cognizant of\nthe character of his ancestry, will never act otherwise. Therefore\nalthough intent on advancing your son, you have really brought about his\ninjury. There exists not a person in the world that is not partial to\nRama. O Kaikeyi, do you to-day behold beasts and snakes and birds\njourneying in the wake of Rama, and even the trees stand with their\nheads turned towards him. Do you, O noble lady, removing the ascetic\nguise, confer elegant ornaments on your daughter-in-law, for such a\ndress suits not this one.\" Saying this Vasistha prevented Kaikeyi. \"O\ndaughter of kmg Kekaya, you have asked for the abode of Rama in the\nwoods; and decked out in ornaments let Sita daily engaged in adorning\nherself, reside in the forest with Raghava. And let the daughter of the\nKing go to the forest, surrounded by excellent cars and servants, and\ntaking with her attires and other necessary things. When you demanded\nthe (fulfilment of the) promise, you had not your eye on Sita.\" When\nthat foremost of* Brahmanas, that preceptor of the king possessed of\nunparalelled potency, had said this, Sita, desirous of serving her\nbeloved lord, did not turn away from the ascetic dress (presented by\nKaikeyi.)\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXVIII.\n\n\nWHEN Sita, having a husband although seeming as if she had none, was\nputting on the ascetic guise, the people got into a wrath and exclaimed,\n\"O Daaaratha, fie on you!\" Aggrieved at the uproar that arose there in\nconsequence, the lord of earth banished from his heart all regard for\nlife, virtue, and fame. And sighing hot, that descendant Ikshwaku spoke\nonto that wife of his, saying,--\"O Kaikeyi, Sita deserves not to go in a\nKuca dress. Tender, and youthful, and worthy of happiness, she is by no\nmeans capable of living in the forest. My spiritual guide has spoken the\ntruth. Whom has this one injured that, being the daughter of the\nforemost of kings, she like a female ascetic, wearing a meagre garb in\nthe presence of all, will (repair to the woods and) remain there like a\nbeggar destitute of everything? Let Janaka's daughter leave off her\nascetic guise. This is not the promise that I had made to you before.\nLet the princess go to the forest in comfort, furnished with all sorts\nof gems. My sands run out; by me hath this cruel promise been made with\nan oath. But this (exile of Sita) has been thought of by you through\nyour ignorance! Let it not, however, consume you like a bamboo flower\ndestroying the bamboo. If, O wicked woman, Rama has happened to do thee\nsomething unbeautiful, what wrong, O base wretch, has Vaidehi done thee\nin the world? Of eyes expanded like those of a doe, endued with a mild\ntemperament, and virtuous, what harm has Janaka's daughter done thee.\nSurely, O nefarious one, the banishment of Rama is enough for thee. Why\nthen dost thou bend thy mind to perpetrate these atrocious sins? O noble\ndame, having heard you asking for the banishment of Rama, who had at\nfirst been intended by me for being installed, and who came here\nafterwards, I had promised you (his exile alone.) But since, going\nbeyond that promise of mine, you behold Mithala's daughter dressed in\nmendicant garb, surely you wish to find your way to hell.\" Thus\ncommissioned to the forest, Rama who was seated sealing his lips,\nsaid,--\"O righteous one, this my mother is aged and famous and of a\nlofty spirit. May she not meet with improper treatment at your hands! It\nbehoves you, O bestower of boons, to show greater honor to her when she\nshall be deprived of me and be plunged into a sea of grief and afflicted\nwith unprecedented woe. O you comparable unto the mighty Indra, you\nshould so behave with my mother smitten with my separation, that\nexercised by grief in consequence of my residence in the forest, she may\nnot, renouncing life, repair to the mansions of Yama.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXIX.\n\n\nHEARING Rama's words, and seeing him dressed like an ascetic, the king\nin the midst of his wives was deprived of his senses. And burning in\ngrief, the king could not eye Raghava, nor seeing him could that one of\nafflicted mind answer anything. Then remaining unconscious for a while,\nthe mighty-armed lord of earth oppressed by grief began to bewail,\nthinking of Rama. \"I conclude that formerly I deprived many a cow of her\ncalf, and took the life of many a creature, and it is for this that the\npresent calamity has befallen me. (I infer) that life never departs from\nthe body unless the time comes, for although sore tried by Kaikeyi, my\nlife does not go out of me, and for I can see before me this one\nresembling fire, clad in the dress of an ascetic, having left his fine\nvesture. These people are in trouble in consequence of Kaikeyi alone\nstriving by help of this craftiness to secure her interest.\" Having said\nthese words, Dacaratha, his semes overpowered by the vapour of sorrow,\nexclaimed \"Rama!\" and could not proceed further. Then soon regaining\nconsciousness, the lord of earth with tearful eyes, addressed Sumuntra,\nsaying,--\"Yoking a riding car with excellent horses, do you come hither;\nand take the exalted one to the south of the kingdom. The virtuous and\nheroic Rama is being banished by his father and mother. Even this\nmethinks will be asserted as the fruit of the virtues possessed by the\npious.\" Receiving the mandate of the sovereign, Sumantra endued with\nfleet vigour, yoking a car adorned with horses, came there. Then the\ncharioteer with joined hands announced to the prince that the car\nadorned with gold was ready, yoked with excellent horses. The king,\nversed in time and place, and pure, speedily summoning his treasurer,\nsaid unto him these words firmly,-- \"Do you without delay bring unto\nVaidehi excellent and costly attires and noble ornaments, counting these\n(ten and four) years.\" Thus desired by the foremost of men, that officer\nrepairing to the treasury, procuring all those, speedily presented them\nto Sita. Thereupon that pure-sprung one, Vaidehi, ordered to the forest,\nadorned her goodly limbs with those rare ornaments. And thus decked out,\nVaidehi graced that chamber like the effulgence of the Sun irradiating\nthe welkin with his rays. Then embracing with her arms Mithila's\ndaughter of noble behaviour, and smelling the crown of her head, Sita's\nmother-in-law said,--\"Those women that although having always been\ncarefully tended by their husbands, do not regard them during the\nincident of adversity, are in this world reckoned as unchaste.--Even\nthis is the nature of women: having formerly tasted happiness (at the\nhands of their husbands), they, on the accession of an inconsiderable\nmisfortune, take them to task,--nay, forsake them utterly. Those women\nthat are untruthful, unmindful, of evil ways, heartless, intent on\nunrighteous acts, and whose love is evanescent, are unchaste. Neither\nlineage, nor benefit, nor learning, nor gift, nor forbearance of faults,\ncan secure the hearts of females,--surely their hearts are unstable. But\nchaste women of good character, abiding in truth, acting in accordance\nwith the precepts of superiors, and maintaining the dignity of their\nrace, single out their lords as the prime means of compassing their\nspiritual welfare. Therefore although my son is going to be banished to\nthe woods, you should by no means disregard him. Whether he be wealthy\nor poor, he is unto you like a god.\" Hearing her mother-in- law's words\nfraught with virtue and interest, Sita facing that lady, said with\njoined palms,--\"I will do all that the noble one says. I know how I\nshould act by my husband. I have heard all about that (from my parents.)\nThe worshipful one ought not to place me on the same footing with\nunrighteous persons. As brightness doth not depart from the moon, so I\ncannot swerve from virtue. The Vina without strings does not sound; and\nthe car without wheels does not move,-- so although having an hundred\nsons, a woman without her husband cannot attain happiness. The Father\ngives in measure, the father and the son give in measure,--but who does\nnot worship that bestower of 'riches fineless'--the husband? O exalted\none, having learnt from my superiors the principal as well the minor\nduties, shall I disregard (my lord)? A husband is a deity unto the\nwife.\" Hearing Sita's words which went directly to the heart, Kaucalya\nendued with purity of spirit, out of fulness of bliss and bale suddenly\nshed tears. Then with joined hands that foremost of virtuous ones\naddressed his mother, who, duly honored by all, was seated in the midst\nof his other mothers, saying,--\"O mother, without indulging in grief,\nyou should minister unto my father; and the term of my abode in the\nwoods will shortly expire. You will find these five and nine years pass\naway as if in a sleep. Then again, getting me,you will see me surrounded\nby my friends and relatives.\" Having spoken out his mind unto his\nmother, Rama attentively eyed his three hundred and fifty mothers. And\nwith joined hands Dacaratha's son spake words fraught with virtue unto\nhis mothers afflicted like Kaucalya herseH \"If I have said anything\nharsh to you in consequence a familiarity, or done any wrong through\nignorance, do you forgive the same. I salute you all.\" These calm words\nof Raghava informed with piety were heard by the ladies overwhelmed with\ngrief. As Raghava was speaking thus, then arose a loud wail proceeding\nfrom those wives of that chief of men, like unto the cries of Kraunchis.\nAnd the aboA of Dacaratha which formerly resounded with _murajas_,\n_panavas_, _meghas_,[141] was now filled with cries of distress and\nlamentations.\n\n[141] Musical instruments.\n\n\n\nSECTION XL.\n\n\nThen exceedingly distressed, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana, bowing down unto\nthe king, circumambulated him. Then with the king's permission, the\nrighteous Raghava stupified with sorrow, in company with Sita, paid\nrespect unto his mother. Following his brother, Lakshmana saluted\nKaucalya; then he again took hold of his mother Sumitra's feet. As the\nson of Sumitra, was thus engaged in honoring his mother, his mother\nsmelling the crown of his head, thus spoke unto the mighty-armed\nLakshmana,--\"Although attached unto thy friends here, thou hast my\npermission to go to the forest. When Rama shall have gone (to the\nwoods), do not, O son, show any negligence unto him. O sinless one,\nwhether in prosperity or in adversity, even this one is thy way. That a\nyounger brother should follow his elder is in this world the duty of the\nrighteous. These are the legitimate duties ever observed by this\nrace--charity, initiation into sacrifice, and renunciation of the body\nin the field of battle. Do thou consider Rama as Dacaratha, and Janaka's\nown-begotten as myself; do thou regard Ayodhya as a wilderness,--go my\nson, at thy sweet pleasure.\" Having thus spoken unto that dear\ndescendant of Raghu, who had made up his mind (to journey to the\nforest), Sumitra, again and again said unto him,-- \"Go! Go!\" Then like\nunto Matali addressing Vasava, that one understanding humility,\nSumantra, with joined hands humbly said unto Kakutstha,--\"O illustrious\nprince, good betide you: do you ascend the car. O Rama, I will speedily\ntake you to wherever you will tell me. You will have to spend fourteen\nyears in the forest, and your stay must commence from this very day. So\nthe noble lady has ordered.\" Then having adorned her person, that best\nof her sex, Sita, with a glad heart ascended the car resembling the sun.\nCounting the term of their stay in the woods, her father-in-law\nfurnished Sita following her lord with attires and ornaments. And then\nhe placed in front of the car various weapons, coats of mail, a basket\nbound in hide and a hoe. At length the brothers Rama and Lakshmana\nswiftly ascended the flaming car garnished with gold. And seeing them\nwith Sita for the third, mounted, Sumantra drove the car yoked with\ngoodly horses resembling the wind in celerity. On Raghava having left\nfor the forest to stay there for a long period, the men and beasts\nwithin the city were deprived of their senses (by grief). And in the\ncity there arose a mighty tumult in consequence of the hurrying of\npeople, the elephants waxing mad and furious, and the neighings of\nhorses. And the entire city containing young and old, extremely\nafflicted, rushed after Rama, like persons oppressed with the heat of\nthe sun rushing towards water.\n\nAt his side and back, the people bending forward with their faces\ncovered with the vapour of grief, and sighing hard, said unto the\ncharioteer,--\"O charioteer, rein in the horses,--do thou proceed softly.\nWe will see the countenance of Rama, which we shall never see again.\nSurely the heart of Rama's mother is made of iron, for it does not burst\non witnessing her son resembling Skanda repairing to the forest.\nVaidehi, attaining her desire, follows her husband, like a\nshadow--attached to virtue, she does not forsake him even as the Sun\nforsakes not meru. O Lakshmana, you are blessed, since you will serve\nyour god-like brother ever speaking fair. This design of yours is great;\nthis is your mighty good fortune; this the way to heaven that you are\nfollowing him.\" Saying this, they could not supress their fears; and the\nmen followed the beloved descendant of Ikshwaku. Then the king, his\nsenses overcome by grief, surrounded by his distressed wives, went out\nof his house, saying--\"I will behold my dear son.\" He heard before him a\nmighty noise proceeding from weeping women, like unto the roars of\nshe-elephants, when a great elephant has been taken captive. Thereupon\nRama's father, the graceful Kakutstha, became shorn of his splendour,\nlike unto the full-moon enveloped at the appointed time during the\neclipse. Then the auspicious son of Dacaratha of soul incapable of being\ncomprehended, ordered the charioteer, saying,--\"Do thou proceed more\nspeedily Rama saying unto the charioteer,--\"Go,\" and the people,--\n\"Stay,\" thus desired on the way, the charioteer could not act both ways\nat once. As the mighty-armed Rama proceeded, the dust of the earth\nraised by the car-wheels were laid by the tears of the citizens\nshowering down. And in consequence of Raghava's departure, the entire\ncity filled with despair, and uttering with their senses lost\nexclamations of \"Oh\" and \"Alas,\" became exceedingly afflicted. And the\ntears begot of heart's grief that flowed from the eyes of the females,\nresembled rain-drops scattered around from lotuses shaken by the\nmovements of fish. And beholding the citizens absorbed in one thought,\nthe auspicious monarch fell down in grief like a tree whose roots have\nbeen severed. Then seeing the sovereign senseless and stricken with\nexceeding sorrow, the multitudes at the rear of Rama broke out into a\nloud tumult. And seeing the king weeping aloud with the inmates of the\ninner apartment, some exclaiming \"Oh Rama,\" and others, \"O Rama's\nmother,\" began to bewail. Then turning back, Rama saw that his\nsorrow-stricken and bewildered father along with his mother, was\nfollowing his track. As a colt fastened in a snare cannot see its\nmother, so Rama fastened in the bonds of virtue could not look at his\nmother openly. And seeing his parents deserving of comfort and worthy of\ngoing in a carriage, going on foot, Rama said unto the charioteer,--\"Go\nthou swiftly.\" And that foremost of men was incapable of bearing the\nlooks of his father and mother, like unto an elephant afflicted with the\nhook, (not being able to look at what is placed on its back.)\n\nRama's mother rushed after him like a cow having a calf which has been\nfettered, rushing towards the fold, for the purpose of seeing it. Rama\nbeheld his mother Kaucalya running after the car, bewailing aloud,--\n\"Rama, Rama, Ah Sita, Lakshmana,\" shedding tears for Rama, Lakshmana and\nSita, and appearing as if she had been dancing incessantly. The king\nexclaimed,--\"Stay,\" Raghava said,--\"On, On.\" Sumantra's mind vascillated\nlike that of one placed between two hosts burning to encounter each\nother. Rama said unto him--\"When taxed by the monarch (on your return),\nyou will say, 'I did not hear you.' But delay will impart me terrible\npain.\" Thereupon, doing Rama's bidding, the charioteer, telling the\npeople to desist, made the horses already coursing, run faster. The\nretainers of the king stopped after circumambulating Rama, but their\nminds did not turn back. But the others did not return either bodily or\nmentally. Then the courtiers said unto that mighty monarch,\nDacaratha,--\"He that is expected back should not be followed far.\"\nHearing their words, the king endued with every virtue, with his body\ncovered with perspiration and his countenance woe-begone, and exceeding\ndistressed, stopped short and stood along with his wife looking at his\nson.\n\n\n\nSECTION XLI.\n\n\nWhen that foremost of men had gone out of the city with joined hands,\nthere arose a chorus of cries proceeding from the females residing in\nthe inner apartment. \"Where goeth he that was the stay and refuge of the\nfriendless, the feeble, and the helpless? He that although falsely\naccused, used not to be moved by anger, who pacified every enraged\nperson by renouncing things calculated to fan anger and who felt equally\nfor all, where goeth he? Where goeth that highly energetic and\nmagnanimous one who conducted himself with us as he did with his mother\nKaucalya? Afflicted by Kaikeyi and commissioned by the monarch unto the\nwoods, where goeth the deliverer of these people--of the entire world?\nAh! the senseless monarch is sending to the woods the stay of all\ncreatures--the righteous and truthful Rama.\" Thus all the queens,\noppressed with grief, burst out into lamentations like kine bereft of\ncalves, and loud was the sound of their wailing. Hearing the loud tumult\nof lamentation in the inner apartment, the lord of earth burning in\ngrief for his son was striken with sorrow. And oblations unto the fire\nhad not been offered; and the Sun set; and elephants forsook their\nforage; and the kine did not suckle their calves. Trisanku, Lohitanga,\nVrihashpati, Budha and the other Grahas getting at the Moon, remained\nwith fierce aspects. The stars are shorn of their brightness; the Grahas\ndeprived of sheen; and Vicakha appeareth enveloped in haze. And clouds\ndriven by the wind resembled the sea mounting the welkin; and the city\nshook on Rama having departed for the forest. And the cardinal points\nare distressed, and appear enveloped in darkness. And no planet or star\nis to be seen. And all of a sudden the citizens have been striken with\npoverty: and no one turns his thoughts to eating or drinking. And\nceaselessly burning in grief and heaving sighs, the people in Ayodhya\nrage at the monarch. And with their faces washed in tears, the wayfarers\nbetoken no delight, but all are being exercised with grief. And the cool\nair does not blow, and no moon of mild appearance is seen, and no sun\nheats the world, all the entire Earth is overwhelmed with woe. And sons\ndepend not upon their parents, hurbands on their wives, and brothers on\nbrothers; and all forsaking each other, think of Rama only. And deprived\nof sense, and oppressed by the load of sorrow, the friends of Rama\nforsook their rest. Like the Earth with her mountains bereft of\nPurandara, Ayodhya, bereft of Rama, shook, agitated by fear and grief;\nand the citizens with elephants and warriors uttered exclamations of\ndistress.\n\n\n\nSECTION XLII.\n\n\nSo long as he could see the dust raised by the car of Rama setting out\nfor the forest, so long that best of the Ikshwaku race did not turn his\neyes from that direction. And so long as the king could discover his\nexceedingly virtuous and favorite son, so long he raised himself (on his\ntoes) on the earth with the view of beholding him. And when the ruler of\nearth could no longer perceive even the dust raised by Rama's car, then\npierced with sorrow, and in heaviness of heart, he fell down to the\nground. Then (raising him up), Kaucalya held his right arm and walked\nwith him, while the slender-waisted Kaikeyi walked by his left. Endowed\nwith a sense of justice and with virtue and humility, the king with\nafflicted senses steadily eyeing Kaikeyi, thus spake unto her,--\"O\nKaikeyi, that hast decided for following sin, do thou not touch my\nperson,--nor do I wish to see thee. Thou art no wife of mine--not even a\nmaid-servant of a friend sharing his good graces. I am none to those\nthat subsist on thy favour, nor are they anything to me. I renounce thee\nwho solely seekest thy interest and hast abandoned virtue. I renounce\nall the advantages pertaining either to this world or the next which I\nam entitled to by virtue of having obtained thy hand and having made\nthee circumambulate the sacrifical fire. If Bharata is satisfied with\nreceiving this entire kingdom, let not what he spends on account of my\nfuneral obsequies find its way to me.\" Then raising the lord of men\ncovered with dust, the noble Kaucalya pierced with grief, stopped (along\nwith the monarch). The righteous one remembering Raghava repented\nhimself, as if he had slain a Brahmana through inordinate desire, or as\nif he had placed his hand in fire. And having stopped again and again,\nthe visage of the monarch lamenting on beholding the track of the car,\nappeared dim like the Moon invaded by Rahu. And stricken with grief, he\nlamented, remembering his beloved son; and thinking that by this time he\nhad reached the precincts of the city, he broke out into the\nfollowing,--\"On the way are traced the foot-prints of those foremost of\nbearers that are carrying my son away; but that magnanimous one I do not\nfind. And that meritorious son of mine, who, doubed with sandal, used to\nrest his head pleasantly upon a pillow, fanned by beauteous damsels\ndecked in ornaments, will to-day surely take refuge underneath a tree,\nand lay his head on a wooden plank or a stone. Covered with dust, he\nheaving sighs will rise from the ground in sad guise, like a leader of\nshe-elephants rising from the side of a mountain. The rangers of the\nwoods will now see the long-armed Rama resembling the lord himself of\nthe worlds, rising from the ground and going like one forlorn. And that\none so dearly loved by Janaka, worthy of being constantly ministered\nunto with comforts, is to-day going to the forest, fatigued in\nconsequence of having been pierced with thorns. Unacquainted with the\nforest, she is certainly afflicted with fright on hearing the deep roars\nof ferocious beasts, capable of making one's hair stand erect. O\nKaikeyi, do thou realize thy desire,--do thou becoming a widow, rule\nthis kingdom. Without that best of men I cannot live.\" Thus lamenting,\nthe king surrounded by the multitude, like one that had performed his\nbath after death, entered that best of cities filled with people\nenfeebled and smitten with grief, with its streets thined of men and its\nstalls closed. And beholding that entire city, with his mind fixed upon\nRama, the king lamenting, like unto the sun entering clouds, entered\nthat city like unto an unagitated sea rid of serpents by Suparna,[142]\nthe city without Rama or Lakshmana or Sita. Then with tears in his eyes,\nthe lord of earth, lamenting, in unintelligible accents said these sad\nand broken words,--\"Do you speedily take me to the room of Rama's\nmother, Kaucalya; for in no other place shall I find rest for my heart.\"\nWhen the king had spoken thus, the ushers taking him to Kaucalya's\nchamber, made him lie down in lowly plight. And having entered\nKaucalya's apartment, the king having laid himself on the bed, was\noverwhelmed with emotion. And the king surveyed the mansion deprived of\nhis two sons as well as his daughter-in-law, like unto the welkin\ndeprived of the Moon. Beholding this, the puissant sovereign raising up\nhis arm, burst out into lamentations, saying,-- \"Ah! Rama, thou\nforsakest us both! Ah me! surely those blessed people are happy, who\nhaving passed this gap of time, will behold Rama returned and will\nembrace him.\" Then when the night had come like unto his own fatal\nnight, Dacaratha at mid-night addressed Kaucalya saying,--\"I do not\nperceive thee, O Kaucalya. Do thou touch me with thy hand. My sight\nhaving followed Rama doth not return yet.\" Then seeing that foremost of\nmen absorbed in the contemplation of Rama, that noble dame sat by him,\nand afflicted with greater grief, began to indulge a sorrow,[143]\nsighing heavily.\n\n[142] _Lit, fair-feathered_, a name of _Garura_.--r.\n\n[143] Another text reads _vinisvasantan_, joining it to\n _narendram_--foremopst of men.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XLIII.\n\n\nThen seeing the king lying down stupified with grief Kaucalya aggrieved\nfor her son, spake unto the lord of earth, saying,--'O best of men,\nhaving vented her venom upon Raghava, the crooked Kaikeyi will go about\nlike a she- serpent that has cast off her slough. And that fortunate one\nhaving by her endeavours attained her end, will frighten me the more\nlike a wicked serpent in one's house. If Rama had stayed in this city\nsubsisting himself by alms, or had I made my son as Kaikeyi's slave,\neven that would have been preferable (before his retirement to the\nwoods). Like unto the sacrificial share cast unto the Rakshasas by the\nsacrificers on the occasions of Parvas, that wielder of the bow, the\nmighty-armed Rama, gifted with the gait of the prince of elephants, cast\noff by Kaikeyi, takes refuge in the forest in company with his wife and\nLakshmana. Despatched by you to the woods at the command of Kaikeyi, to\nwhat a plight will they, not inured to the privations of a forest-life,\nbe reduced! And bereft of elegant apparel, how will they of tender\nyears, exiled in this time of enjoyment, pass their lives in misery,\nsubsisting on fruits and roots! Will such a time present itself now that\nmy grief removed and my desire attained, I shall here behold Raghava\nalong with his wife and brother? When, hearing that those heroes have\ncome, will Ayodhya adorned with standards and garlands, attain fame,\nwith her populace filled with joy? When, seeing those foremost of men\nreturned from the forest, will the city overflow with delight, like the\nocean on the occasion of a Parva? When will the mighty-armed hero enter\nthe city of Ayodhya, placing Sita\" before him on the car,--like unto a\nbull having his bovine mate before him? When will people by thousands\nshower fried paddy upon my sons on the road, as those repressors of foes\nwill enter the city? When shall I behold those (two) wearing burnished\near-rings, entering Ayodhya, placing before them their weapons and\nswords, like unto two hills furnished with their summits? When accepting\nflowers from girls and fruits from Brahmanas, will they, filled with\ndelight, go round the palace? When with his intelligence ripened by\ntime, although resembling a celestial in age, will that righteous-souled\none come here, rejoicing people like a _Trivarsha_?[144] Doubtless, O\nhero, formerly of vile ways that I was, I had cut off the paps of kine\nand thus prevented their calves hungering after their mothers' milk,\nfrom drinking it. And it is for this sin that, O foremost of men, have\nI, attached to my son, been forcibly deprived of him by Kaikeyi, like a\ncow deprived of her calf by a lion. Having an only son, I dare not live\nwithout him endowed with every virtue and versed in every branch of\nlearning. Not seeing my beloved son and the mighty Lakshmana, I cannot\nlive at all. As in summer the divine Sun furnished with fierce rays\nburns this earth, even so this raging fire of grief on account of my son\nconsumes me.\"\n\n[144] _Three consecutive showers_, favourable to the crops.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XLIV.\n\n\nAs that best of ladies, Kaucalya, was thus lamenting, Sumitra ever\nabiding in virtue, spake unto her these words consistent with\nrighteousness,--\"O worshipful one, your son is crowned with all\nqualities,--and is the best of men. Why then do you bewail thus, or weep\nbitterly? Since, O revered one, renouncing the kingdom, your mighty son\nwendeth (to the woods) with the view of fulfiling the intention of his\nhigh- souled and truthful sire, the worthy Rama staying in the duty that\nis completely observed by the good and the performance of which always\nbringeth welfare in the next world, should by no means be lamented. And\nthat sinless one, Lakshmana, kind unto all creatures, will minister unto\nRama in the best way possible,--and this is to the advantage of that\nhigh-souled one, And experiencing the hardships that come of living in\nthe forest, Vaidehi deserving of happiness follows your righteous son.\nAnd what is wanting unto that maintainer of all, your son of subdued\nsenses, intent upon truth and the observance of vows, who is spreading\nhis banner of fame over the world? Acquainted with Rama's manifest\npurity and high magnanimity, the Sun himself will not dare burn his body\nwith his rays. And issuing from the woods at all hours, the delicious\nair impregnated with heat and cold will serve Raghava. And when he will\nlie down at night, the Moon touching him with his beams and embracing\nhim even like his own father, will gladden his heart. That hero of\nmighty energy on whom Brahma had conferred celestial weapons, seeing\nthat foremost of the Danavas, the son of Timidhwaja, slain in\nbattle,--that tiger-like one, relying on the native strength of his\narms, will fearlessly abide in the forest as if in his own home. And why\nshould not the earth remain in the sway of him coming within the range\nof whose arms enemies find destruction? Considering Rama's grace,\nheroism and auspiciousness, (there cannot be any doubt that) returning\nfrom the forest, he will speedily regain his own kingdom. He is the sun\nof the sun, the lord of the lord,--he is the auspiciousness of prime\nauspiciousness, the fame of fame, the forbearance of forbearance, the\ngod of the gods,-- and the foremost of creatures. What evil qualities, O\nnoble lady, will be perceived in him, whether he remains in the city or\nin the forest? And that best of men, Rama, will soon be installed in the\nkingdom, in company with these three-- the Earth, Vaidehi, and the\ngoddess of victory. Although overwhelmed with grief, the people of\nAyodhya, seeing that noble unvanquished one retiring to the woods clad\nin Kuca and bark, are shedding tears begot of sorrow; yet accompanied by\nthat Lakshmi, what is there that is incapable of being attained by him?\nAnd what is there that is incapable of being obtained by him before whom\ngoeth that foremost of bowmen himself bearing arrows, swords and other\nweapons? You will again see him returned from the forest. O exalted one,\nchase your grief and sadness, I tell you this truly. O blameless one,\nyou will again, O auspicious lady, see your son, like onto the new-risen\nmoon, paying homage unto your feet with his head. And again seeing him\nreturned and crowned with great auspiciousness, you will speedily shed\nthe dew of delight. O noble lady, do not grieve or lament. Evil cannot\ntouch Rama. You will soon behold your son along with Siti and Lakshmana.\nO sinless one, it is for you to console these people. Why then, O\nrevered one, do you suffer your heart to be thus overpowered? O eminent\none, you ought not to bewail, inasmuch as Raghava is your son. In this\nworld there is not another residing in honesty that is superior to Rama.\nBeholding your son surrounded by his friends, bowing unto you, you will\nsoon shed blissful tears, even like a rain-cloud. And soon will your son\nconferring boons, returning (to this place), press your feet with those\nsoft and plump hands of his. And even as a chain of clouds speaks unto a\nhill, you will speak onto worshipful and heroic son, surrounded by his\nfriends, bowing unto you.\" Having thus addressed Rama's mother and\ninspired her with hope in various words, the noble pleasant and\nblameless Sumitra, clever in speech, paused. Hearing those words of\nLakshmana's mother, that wife of the best of men, Rama's mother, had her\nsorrow destroyed in her person, even like an autumnal cloud surcharged\nwith slight rain.\n\n\n\nSECTION XLV.\n\n\nThe people, who yarned after Rama having truth for prowess, followed him\nrepairing to the forest Even when the king in the interests of his son\nhad with much ado restrained himself, these, following Rama's car, did\nnot desist. That illustrious one crowned with every perfection was unto\nthe inhabitants of Ayodhya like unto the full moon himself. Although\nbesought by the subjects, the truthful Kakutstha having pledged his word\nunto his father, kept on going to the forest. And affectionately eying\nthem as if drinking them with his sight, Rama touchingly addressed those\nsubjects as if they were his own,--\"The love and regard which the\ninhabitants of Ayodhya have for me, let them, for pleasing me, extend in\nfull measure towards Bharata. That enhancer of Kaikeyi's delight bearing\nan auspicious character, will duly compass your happiness and welfare.\nAged by virtue of his wisdom, although young in years, and mild albeit\nfurnished with heroic virtue, that remover of fear will make a fit ruler\nfor ye. Crowned with every regal virtue and selected as the\nheir-apparent (by the monarch), he is more meritorious by far than I am.\nIt behoves ye to obey the order of your master. And seeking my good, it\nbehoves ye to act so that when I shall have gone to the forest, the king\nmay not grieve.\" But as Dacaratha's son was bringing home to the people\nthat their duty lay in obeying the royal mandate, they desired that even\nRama should rule them. And Rama in company with Sumitra's son attracted\nthe inhabitants of the city subdued by his virtues, who stood with tears\nin their eyes. And the three kinds of the twice born ones, viz., those\nold by virtue, respectively, of age, wisdom, and ascetic energy, the old\nfolks with their heads shaking through length of years,--cried from a\ndistance,--\"O ye fleet coursers boasting of exalted extraction that bear\nRama away, do ye desist,--do not go; do ye do even what is for the good\nof your master. And more particularly being creatures furnished with\nears, do ye, ye horses, knowing our prayer, desist. And pure of spirit\nand heroic and ever firm in noble promises, that master of yours should\nin justice be carried (unto the city) and not unto the forest away from\nit.\" Suddenly seeing those old Brahmanas thus lamenting distressfully,\nRama speedily descended from his car. And along with Lakshmana and Sita,\nRama bound for the forest, began to walk near them on foot. Endowed with\nkindness, that friend of the good, Rama, could not by proceeding on his\ncar bear to part with the Brahmanas that were following on foot. Seeing\nhim thus going, the Brahmanas with agitated hearts, and burning in\ngrief, addressed Rama in these words,--\"The Brahmanas in a body are\nfollowing thee ever seeking their good, and mounting on the shoulders of\nthe regenerate ones, the (sacrificial) Fires are walking in thy wake.\nAnd behold these raised umbrellas of ours got from the Vajapeya\nsacrifice, that like unto autumnal clouds follow at your back. With\nthese umbrellas got at the Vajapeya sacrifice, we will afford shade unto\nRama destitute of his own white umbrella, when he shall feel the heat of\nthe (solar) rays. That intelligence of ours which ever followeth the\nVedic Mantras, is now, O child, ready to follow thee unto the forest in\nthy interests. That best of treasures, the Vedas, resides in our bosoms;\nand our wives protected by their chastity abide in our homes. As we have\nalready made up our minds to follow thee, it is useless to fix our\nhearts afresh. But if thou overlookest virtue, what becomes of abiding\nby righteousness?[145] O thou that art ever firm in virtue, we beseech\nthee by humbling unto the dust our heads covered with hair white like\ncranes, do thou desist. These numerous Brahmanas that have come hither\nhave entered upon many a sacrifice. The completion of these, O child,\ndepends upon thy return. All creatures mobile and immobile cherish thee\nwith high regard. All these beseech thee. Do thou show consideration\nunto those that regard thee. Tall trees deprived of motion in\nconsequence of being fast rooted to the earth and incapable of following\nthee, are prohibiting thee by sounding with the wind. And birds staying\nupon trees and neither manifesting any motion nor seeking for their\nfood, beseech thee to have compassion upon all creatures.\" While the\nBrahmanas were loudly demanding the return of Rama, he found the\ndarkness to descend as if forbidding him. Then Sumantra unyoked the\nfatigued horses from the car, which at once fell to rolling in the dust.\nAnd then bathing them and making then drink, he soon as the dusk set in,\nset fare before them.\n\n[145] Another reading is; _What becomes of the virtue that we expect at\n thy hands?_-- T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XLVI.\n\n\nThen Raghava pausing on the banks of the Tamasa, looked at Sita and\nspake unto Sumitra's son, saying,-- \"O son of Sumitra, this is the first\nnight of our exile into the forest. From this day it behoveth thee not,\ngood betide thee, to suffer thy mind to grieve (by dwelling on past\njoys.) The empty forest resounding with the cries of beasts and birds\nreturned to their abodes, and covered with gloom, seems to weep on all\nsides. Doubtless to-day the men and women of Ayodhya, the metropolis of\nmy father, are bewailing us retired to the forest. O foremost of men,\nthe people are attached unto thyself, the monarch, Bliarata, Satrughna,\nand myself, because of our various good qualities. I bewail our father\nas well as my illustrious mother. I fear lest lamenting ceaselessly,\nthey become blind. But surely the virtuous Bharata will console our\nfather and mother with words fraught with virtue, interest and profit.\nReflecting again and again on Bharata's sincerity of soul, I do not, O\nmighty- armed one, bewail either my mother or my father. O foremost of\nmen, that thou hast followed me is what is thy duty. (If thou hadest not\ndone so), I should have to seek elsewhere for the protection of Vaidehi.\nO Sumitra's son, I will spend here this night, subsisting on water\nalone. Even this recommends itself unto me, although the forest yields\nvarious kinds of fruits.\" Having said this unto Sumitra's son, Raghava\nspake unto Sumantra, saying,--\"O mild one, do thou now needfully tend\nthe horses.\" Then at sunset, fastening the horses, Sumantra fed them\nplentifully with grass, and then came back. Then seeing the night\narrived, the charioteer worshipped the beneficent Sandhya, and then in\ncompany with Sumitra's son, prepared Rama's bed. And looking at that bed\non the shores of the Tamasa surrounded by trees, Rama along with his\nwife and the son of Sumitra, lay down. When Lakshmana found that Rama\nafflicted with fatigue had slept together with his spouse, he began to\nspeak unto the charioteer concerning the various qualities of Rama. As\nremaining awake in the night, Sumitra's son was engaged in expatiating\nto the charioteer on the virtues of Rama on the banks of the Tamasa, the\nsun arose.\n\nRama abode that night along with the subjects at some distance from the\nbanks of the Tamasa filled with kine. Rising (from his bed), that highly\nenergetic one, Rama, viewing the subjects (asleep), addressed his\nbrother Lakshmana graced with auspicious marks,--\"O son of Sumitra,\nthese for our sake have disregarded their own homes, are asleep beneath\nthe trees. These citizens have determined upon making me turn back from\nthe forest,-- they would rather renounce their lives than give up their\nresolve. Let us while they are asleep ascending on our car, swiftly go\nour way without fear of molestation. Attached to me, the denizons of\nIkshwaku's city will not again indulge in sleep underneath trees. A\nprince should deliver citizens from the calamity they bring upon\nthemselves; but he should by no means drag them into those which he\nhimself has brought on.\" Then Lakshmana spake unto Rama like unto\nmanifest Virtue on earth,--\"O wise one, even this is relished also by\nme. Do you speedily ascend (the car.)\" Rama said unto the\ncharioteer,--\"Do thou at once yoke the car. I will repair to the forest.\nDo thou, my master, swiftly go hence.\" Thereupon the charioteer\nbestirring himself, yoking the excellent horses unto the car, said unto\nRama with joined hands,-- \"Here, O mighty-armed one, is your car ready\nyoked, O foremost of car-warriors. Do you speedily ascend, good betide\nyou, along with Sita and Lakshmana.\" Ascending the car after equipping\nhimself, Raghava crossed the rapidly- rushing Tamasa abounding in\neddies. Having crossed (the stream), the auspicious and mighty-armed one\ncame upon a safe and goodly high way capable of inspiring even timid\npeople with confidence. But with the view of deluding the citizens, Rama\nsaid unto the charioteer.--\"0 charioteer, do thou ascending the car\nproceed northwards; and having proceeded swiftly for a while, do thou\nturn the car. Do thou carefully act so that the citizens may not\nperceive this.\" Hearing Rama's words, the charioteer did accordingly.\nand having returned said unto Rama to ascend the car.\n\nThen on those perpetuators of the Raghu race having along with Sita been\nseated on the car, the charioteer drove the horses by that road which\nconducted to the hermitage. Then placing the car with its face\nnorthwards for the purpose of invoking auspiciousness on their journey,\nthat mighty charioteer, Dacaratha's son, established on the vehicle, set\nout for the forest.\n\n\n\nSECTION XLVII.\n\n\nWhen the night had departed and day dawned, the citizens not finding\nRaghava, were overwhelmed with grief and were deprived of their senses.\nWith tears of grief and afflicted with distress, they looked hither and\nthither, but they could not discover even the dust raised by Rama's car.\nAnd those intelligent ones, extremely distressed on being deprived of\nRama endowed with understanding, with countenances betokening sorrow,\nspoke these piteous words,-- \"Oh! fie on that sleep through which having\nbeen deprived of senses, we shall not to-day behold Rama of broad chest\nand mighty arms. How could Rama of mighty arms, resorting to this\nundesirable course, has gone into exile as an ascetic, leaving behind\nthose that regard him dearly? Why has that foremost of Raghus, who has\nalways cherished us even as a father cherishes his sons begot by his own\nloins, forsaking us, betaken himself to the forest? Here will we either\nrenounce our lives, or direct our course to the north to meet death. Of\nwhat good are our lives, when we have been deprived of Rama? There are\nhuge trunks of dry wood to be got here in plenty. Lighting the pile of\nwoods will we all enter the fire. What shall we say (when people ask\nus?) How can we say,--'We took hence the mighty-armed, sweet-speeched\nand unavenging Rama'? Surely seeing us without Raghava, the forlorn city\nwith her women, children and grown up folks will be plunged in grid We\nhad issued with that high-souled hero. Deprived of him, how shall we\nbehold that city?\" Thus raising up their arms, they stricken with grief,\nindulged in lamentations, like unto kine deprived of their calves.--Then\nfollowing for a while the track of the car, they, missing the track,\nbecome overwhelmed with woe. And then those intelligent ones came back\nby the track of the car. \"What is this? What shall we do? We have been\nfoiled by some supernatural agency.\" Then they returned to the city of\nAyodhya with its good people oppressed with grief, by the self-same way\nby which they had come. Viewing the city, they with their eyes weighed\ndown with grief, and minds oppressed with woe, shed plentiful tears.\n\"This city deprived of Rama does not look beautiful, like a lake bereft\nof its serpent by Garura, or the firmament deprived of the Moon, or the\nocean without its waters.\" And they disturbed in mind beheld the city\nsunk in sorrow. And entering their wealthy mansions, they deprived of\ntheir senses by grief, could not recognize them for their own, nor could\nthey with their hearts rendered absolutely cheerless, although looking\nat them minutely, distinguish their own from others.\n\n\n\nSECTION XLVIII.\n\n\nTHEN with depressed spirits, and exceedingly afflicted, with tears\nflooding their eyes, smitten with mortal grief, the inhabitants of the\ncity went back from Rama unto the city. And with their lives appearing\nas ready to go out, those unsteady ones came to their respective homes,\nand surrounded by their wives and sons, washed their faces with copious\ntears. And they forgot to rejoice or make merry, and the traders did not\nspread (their stores), and stalls did not grace the place, and the\nhouseholders drd not cook, and people did not rejoice on recovering lost\nproperty or gaining a profuse accession of wealth, and mothers did not\nfeel any delight on beholding their first-born. And in every home\nfemales afflicted with woe, weeping chid their husbands, coming home,\nwith the following words as (drivers) spur elephants with hooks, \"Of\nwhat use are their houses, and wives, and wealth, and sons, and\ncomforts, to those who see not Raghava (in their midst?) There is one\nonly good man in this world even Lakshmana, who along with Sita is\nfollowing Kakutstha Rama unto the woods. Those streams, assemblage of\nlotuses, and pools are blessed, by which bathing in the sacred waters,\nKakutstha will pass. And romantic forests and woods, watery expanses of\nmighty volume, and mountains with flat spaces, will grace Kakutstha. And\nforests and hills to which will repair Rama cannot go without paying him\nhomage like unto a welcome guest. And crested with flowers of various\nhues and putting forth frequent shoots, trees, swarming with bees will\nshow themselves unto Raghava. And hills from regard will show unto Rama\narrived there the choicest flowers and fruits even out of season; and\nwill supply him with fountains of pure water. And presenting him with\nmany a charming fountain, trees will delight Rama at the tops of\nmountains.[146] Where Rama is, there is not fear or failure. That\nmighty- armed son of Dacaratha is heroic. Let us while he is yet ahead\nwithin a short distance of us, follow Raghava. Even the shadow of the\nfeet of our master, so high-souled, would, bring us happiness. He is the\nlord of all these--he is the refuge--he is the accomplishment of our\nreligious duties. We and you, will serve Sita, and Raghava.\" Thus\nafflicted with grief, the women of the city spake unto their husbands.\n\"In the forest Raghava will attain for you the unattainable and protect\nwhat is attained; and Sita being a female will do the same for these\n(women.) Who will take pleasure in residing in a dwelling where the\nheart dies within itself, which is devoid of delight, where the people\nare always agitated with anxiety and which is exceedingly disagreeable?\nIf this kingdom devolves on Kaikeyi it will be divested of all virtues\nand will be like unto one without a master. And of what avail then is\nour life itself, not to speak of sons and wealth. Whom else will that\nstainer of her line, Kaikeyi, forsake now, who for the sake of wealth\nhas forsaken her son and her lord? We swear by our sons that so long as\nKaikeyi is alive, we living will never stay in her kingdom, although we\nmay be maintained by her. What happiness can be ours by living with that\nwicked and unrighteous one who lost to every sense of shame is bent upon\nexiling the son of the foremost of kings? Troubled by disturbances, with\nall its sacrifices stopped, and having no master over it, the entire\n(kingdom) will meet with destruction because of Kaikeyi. On Rama\nretiring to the forest, the lord of earth will surely not live; and\nDacaratha dying, it is evident everything will come to naught. Do you,\nyour virtue exhausted, and oppressed with grief pounding poison, take it\nor follow Raghava, or remove to such a place that the very name of\nKaikeyi may not reach your ears? Rama has been deceitfully exiled along\nwith his wife and Lakshmana; and we are bound unto Bharata like unto a\n(sacrificial,) beast before one that is to slaughter it. Surely that\nmighty car-warrior, with deepest collar-bones having a countenance\nresembling the full moon, sable-hued, repressing his foes, with his arms\nreaching unto his knees and lotus-like eyes--Rama the elder brother of\nLakshmana--always speaking first (to a visitor,) suave, truth-telling,\nendowed with prowess, amiable unto all men, and lovely like the moon\nhimself, surely that foremost of men gifted with the strength of a mad\nelephant, will grace the forests, ranging it around.\" Thus lamenting in\nthe city, the females thereof burning in grief became distressed like\npeople stricken with panic on the occasion of a plague.\n\nAs the women were thus bewailing Raghava in their homes, the Sun set and\nnight came on. And the city became enveloped in darkness, and the light\n(of the sacrificial fires) was extinguished, and the sounds of study and\nedifying discourse ceased. And the shops of the tradesmen being closed,\nand festive mirth having disappeared, and people becoming defenceless,\nthe city of Ayodhya resembled the firmament deprived of the stars. And\ndistressed for the sake of Rama as if it was a son or a brother of\ntheirs that was banished, the women weeping forlorn, lamented with\nsenses lost; and Rama was to them more than a son. And the voice of song\nand festal glee and dance and sounds of instruments having died away,\nand mirth having disappeared, and the shops not displaying their wares,\nAyodhya then resembled the mighty ocean emptied of its waters.\n\n[146] The meaning is,--_Trees will please Raghava by spreading for him a\n bed of leaves and flowers_.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION XLIX.\n\n\nTHAT best of men, Rama, remembering his father's command cleared a large\ntract of country before the night terminated. And as he went on, the\nauspicious night was spent. And then having offered up his devotions\nunto the beneficent Sandhya, Rama entered into another country. And\nseeing villages having ploughed fields on their skirts, and flowering\nwoods, he by means of those excellent horses, proceeded very fast\nalthough seeming to go slowly. And as Rama proceeded,[147] he heard the\nvillagers speaking to each other, saying,--\"Fie on king Dacaratha, who\nhas yielded himself up unto lust! Ah! the rebutless, fell and sinful\nKaikeyi intent upon impiety, having put by her honor, has resolved upon\nan exceedingly atrocious deed--she that exiles into the woods such a\nvirtuous son of the monarch, endowed with high wisdom, kind, and having\nhis senses under control.[148] Alas! king Dacaratha has no affection for\nhis own son, since he wishes to dismiss from hence Rama sinless and dear\nunto the subjects.\" Hearing these words of the villagers, that hero, the\nlord of Kocala, left Kocala behind him. Then crossing the river\nVedacruti of sacred waters, Rama went in the direction of the quarter in\nwhich Agastya resided. (South)\n\nThen proceeding for a good while, he crossed the coolflowing stream\nGomati running in the direction of the ocean, with its banks filled with\nkine and inundating its edge. Having passed the Gomati, Raghava by means\nof fleet-coursing horses next crossed over the river Sandika resounding\nwith the cries of cranes and peacocks. Here Rama showed unto Vaidehi\nthose flourishing regions that had formerly been conferred by king Manu\non Ikshwaku, and which teemed with populous tracts. Then frequently\naddressing the charioteer, saying, \"O Suta\", that best of men furnished\nwith grace and endowed with a voice like that of a mad swan,\nspoke,--\"When shall I coming back, range ahunting the blossoming groves\nof the Sarayu, along with my father and mother? I do not so much long\nfor hunting in the woods of the Sarayu; but a relish (for the pastime)\nis considered as beyond compare being held in esteem by the Rajarshis.\nHunting in the forest was introduced for the recreation of Raghavas. Yet\ndo I not take beyond measure to the chase which has been followed in\nseason by the descendants of Manu and which is ever coveted by bowmen.\nTaking this subject, the descendant of Ikshwaku passed the way,\naddressing sweet words unto the charioteer.\n\n[147] The N. W. P. text has an additional couplet:--_How will that\n exalted lady, Janaka's daughter, ever engaged in enjoyment, bear\n misery?_--T.\n\n[148] The N. W. P. text has an additional line:--_And of the\n reprehensible Kaikeyi intent upon cruel deeds_.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION L.\n\n\nHaving passed the extensive and romantic Kocala, the intelligent elder\nbrother of Lakshmana facing Ayodhya, said with joined hands,--\"O best of\ncities, governed by Kakutstha, I address thee as well as the deities\nthat inhabit and guard thee. Returning from my abode in the woods, I\nwill, freed from my debt unto the lord of earth, behold thee again along\nwith my father and mother.\" Then he furnished with graceful coppery eyes\nraising his right hand, with tears in his eyes and in forlorn guise\naddressed the people of the provinces, saying,--\"Ye have shown due\ncompassion and regret for me. To grieve long is not fit. Do ye therefore\nrepair to look after your interests.\" Thereupon, saluting that\nhigh-souled one and going round him, bewailing all the while in\nheaviness of heart, they at times stopped on their way. And as they kept\nlamenting, unsatiated in beholding him, Raghava went beyond the range of\ntheir sight, like the Sun disappearing at night-fall. Then that powerful\none mounted on his car left behind him Kocala bounding in wealth and\nkine, inhabited by charitable people, auspicious, free from every kind\nof fear, charming, containing altars and stakes, with gardens and mango\ngroves, furnished with tanks teeming with burly and contepted people,\nfilled with kine, worthy of being protected by monarchs and resounding\nwith the sounds of Vedic recitations. Proceeding at a middling pace,\nthat best of those endowed with fortitude passed through lands smiling\ncheerfully, prosperous, and crowded with elegant villas,-- realms worthy\nof being coveted by the foremost of kings. Then Raghava saw the\ncelestial Ganga running in three courses with cool waters free from\nmoss, beautiful to behold, frequented by the sages, adorned with\ngraceful asylums close by, containing sacred watery expanses haunted at\nthe hours of sport by delighted Apsaras, graced with celestials,\nDanavas, Gandharbas and Kinnaras, ever holy, attended by the wives of\nNagas and Gandharbas, with hills serving as sporting-places for the\ncelestials--the river surrounded by gardens of the immortals--that for\nthe behoof pf the celestials had ascended heaven, famous, furnished with\nassemblage of celestial lotuses, with the rocks laughing aloud in\nconsequence of the dashing of water, laughing without blemish with foam,\nsometimes having her water flowing like a braid and sometimes decked by\neddies, sometimes still and deep, and sometimes rushing furiously,\nsometimes sounding solemnly and sometimes roaring dreadfully, with\ncrowds of deities bathing in its water, embellished with fresh-blown\nlotuses, having spacious shoals and spots covered with glittering sand,\nresounding with the cries of cranes of various kinds, graced by\n_Chakravakas_, ever resorted to by maddened fowls, without blame, decked\nby trees on its banks resembling garlands somewhere covered with\nfull-blown lotuses and somewhere containing multitudes of lotuses, at\nplaces decked with tracts of lilies, at others with opening buds, rife\nwith the farina of various flowers, sometimes resembling a proud female,\nremoving the dirt of sin, translucent like a gem to the view, with the\nelephants of the quarters, wild ones, mad ones, as well as those the\nbest of their species, and those carrying the foremost of celestials,\nroaring in the neighbouring woods, adorned carefully with the choicest\nornaments like unto a damsel, crowded with flowers and fruits and bushes\nas also with birds, flowing from the feet of Vishnu, divine, without\nsin, capable of destroying it, filled with porpoises, crocodiles and\nsnakes, drawn out from the matted locks of Sankara by the energy of\nSagara's descendant--the queen of the Ocean--resonant with the cries of\ncranes and _kraunchas_. The mighty-armed Rama came to the Ganga near\nSringaverapura. And beholding (the river) with her surging eddies, that\nmighty car-warrior said unto the charioteer, Sumantra, \"We will rest\nhere to day. There is hard by the river a gigantic Ingudi tree, bearing\na profusion of flowers and fresh leaves. Here, O charioteer, will we\nstay to-day. I see (before me) the foremost of streams, whose waters are\nhonored (by all) and which is sacred to celestials and men and\nGandharbas and beasts and serpents and fowls. Thereupon saying unto\nRaghava, \"Very well,\" Lakshmana and Sumantra with the horses went to the\nIngudi tree. And reaching the tree, that desendant of Ikshwaku alighted\nfrom the car along with his wife and Lakshmana. Then descending,\nSumantra relieved those excellent horses, and with joined hands stood\nbefore Rama seated at the foot of the tree. There lived at the place a\nking named Guha, a friend unto Rama, dear as his own self, a Nishada by\nbirth, powerful and famed as the lord of the Nishadas. Hearing that that\nforemost of men, Rama, had arrived at the place, he (Guha) surrounded by\nhis aged counsellors and kindred came unto him. Seeing the lord of the\nNishadhas at a distance, Rama came up unto him in company with Sumitra's\nson. Thereat touched, Guha embracing Raghava said unto him, \"O Rama, as\nAyodhya this kingdom is unto thee. What shall I do for thee? Who, O\nmight-armed one, receives such a welcome guest?\" Then speedily bringing\nvarious kinds of sapid rice and Arghyas, he said,--\"O mighty -armed one,\nhas thy journey been a pleasant one? This entire earth is thine. We are\nthy servants; thou art our master. Do thou rule here, accepting the\neatables and drinkables and those that are to be sucked and excellent\nbeds and fodder.\" When Guha had said this, Raghava answered him,\nsaying,--\"We have been well received by thee and are well pleased with\nthee, since coming here on foot thou hast shown us affection.\" Then\npressing Guha hard with his arms, Rama said, \"O Guha, it is by good luck\nthat I see thee whole along with thy friends. Is thy kingdom in peace\nboth as regards thy friends and the forest? The things that thou hast\npresented me with out of love I accept but cannot enjoy. Do thou know me\nas assuming an ascetic mode of life in the woods, in which I am to wear\nKuca and bark and live upon fruits and roots. So, will the single\nexception of the food for the horses, things require I none; and these\nhorses being well kept, I shall consider myself as entertained by thee.\nThese are the favorites of my father, Dacaratha, and on these horses\nbeing well provided for, I shall be well received. Thereupon Guha on the\nspot commanded the men, saying, \"Let the horses have without delay meats\nand drinks.\" Then putting his sheet over his person, he (Rama) performed\nhis evening devotions. Having done this, he took as his sustenance the\nwater that had been procured by Lakshmana himself. On Rama having lain\ndown on the ground along with his wife, Lakshmana washed their feet, and\nthen remained stationed under the tree. Then bow in hand and with his\nwits about him, conversing with Sumitra's son along with the charioteer,\nGuha remained awake, watching Rama. Thus the livelong night passed away\nwith that illustrious, intelligent and high-souled son of Dacaratha,\nunacquainted with troubles and worthy of happiness.\n\n\n\nSECTION LI.\n\n\nAs for the purpose of protecting his brother, Lakshmana was watching him\nout of sincere affection, Guha burning in grief addressed that\ndescendant of Raghu, saying--\"This O child, is the easeful bed that hath\nbeen prepared for thee. O prince, do thou as thou listest, lie down upon\nit. These (foresters) are inured to this hardship; but thou art worthy\nof ease. We will wake up during the night for guarding Kakutstha. There\nis none on earth dearer unto me than Rama. This I tell thee truly and I\nswear by truth itself. Through his grace I hope in this world to attain\nhigh fame, and great religious merit as well as completely secure profit\nand pleasure. I will bow in hand in company with my kindred adequately\nguard my dear friend reposing with Sita. Always ranging in this forest,\nnothing herein is unknown to me. I shall vanquish even any mighty body\nof fourfold forces (that may come up against us.)\" Thereupon Lakshmana\nsaid,-- \"O sinless one, protected by thee ever having thy sight fixed on\nvirtue, we do not fear to live in this place. But how with Dacaratha's\nson lying down on the ground along with Sita can I indulge in sleep or\nwhat is the use of my living and enjoying happiness? Him do thou behold\nwith ease asleep on the grass in company with Sita, who was incapable of\nbeing borne in fight by the gods and the Asuras. Hfm do thou behold, who\nwas obtained by Da$aratha as his son through various kinds of prowess,\n_mantras_ and asceticism, and who is crowned with virtues beseeming such\nausterities, etc. Rama being banished, the king will not live long and\nthe earth will shortly be widowed.\" Having bewailed aloud, the women\nhave, methinks, (by this time) ceased through fatigue, and the king's\nresidence is still. I cannot hope that Kaucalya, the king, and my mother\nare yet alive. If they are, it is for this night only. Even if my mother\nlive looking up to Satrughna, yet this is my grief that that mother of a\nhero, Kaucalya will breathe her last And that palace filled with people\nattached unto Rama and flooded with the light of delight, will, visited\nwith the calamity that will befall the king meet with destruction. How\nwill the life of that high-souled king not seeing his magnanimous son,\nhis eldest son, remain in his body? And the king dying, Kaucalya will\ndie after him and then my mother will depart this life. Frustrated in\nhis desire, my father, foiled in his endeavours to confer the kingdom on\nRama, will, exclaiming 'All is lost,' 'All is lost,' give up the ghost.\nSirely they are blessed that when the time shall come when the king will\ndie, will perform the funeral rites of that descendant of Raghu. They\nwill happily range the capital of my father, furnished with fairlooking\nterraces, with its high ways laid out orderly, having lordly edifices\nand palatial residences, graced with excellent courtezans, abounding\nwith cars, elephants and horses, resounding with the notes of\ntrumpets--the abode of all auspiciousness--filled with portly and\ncontented folks, rich in gardens and villas, and celebrating popular\nfestivities. If Dacaratha live we shall returning from the forest,\nbehold that high-souled one observing noble vows. If we remain in peace,\nwe shall returning from the forest with that one firm in promise, enter\nAyodhya.\" As the high-souled son of the king oppressed with grief was\nthus lamenting sitting up, the day broke. When that son of the foremost\nof men, intent on the welfare of the subjects had spoken thus truly,\nGuha, out of extreme affection for (Rama), shed tears afflicted with\ngrief and hurt like an elephant suffering from fever.\n\n\n\nSECTION LII.\n\n\n\"When the morning broke, that illustrious one having a spacious chest,\nRama, addressed Sumitra's son, Lakshmana, graced with auspicious\nmarks,--\"This is the time of sunrise: the reverend Night hath departed.\nO child, this gracefully sable-hued bird, the coel, has begun to warble,\nand I hear the cries of peacocks uttering notes in the woods. O amiable\none, we will cross the Jahnavi, fast rushing to the ocean.\" Hearing\nRama's words, that enhancer of the delight of friends, Sumitra's son,\nconveyed them unto Guha and the charioteer; and then stood before his\nbrother. Hearing of Rama's speach and accepting it, that lord of the\nNishadas speedily summoning his counsellors spake unto them saying,\n--\"Do ye without delay bring to this bathing-place a strong and elegent\nboat furnished with a rudder and steered by a helmsman, such as is\ncapable of ferrying (people) comfortably.\" Hearing this mandate of Guha.\nhis potent counsellors procuring a goodly boat, informed him of it. Then\nwith joined hands, Guha spake unto Raghava, saying,--\"The boat is ready,\nworshipful one. What more shall I do in thy behalf? O thou that\nresemblest the son of a celestial, here is the boat for thee, O foremost\nof men, to cross over the river that goeth after the ocean. O thou of\nexcellent vows, do thou ascend it.\" Thereupon the highly energetic Rama\nsaid unto Guha the following words,--\"I have attained my end through\nthee. Do thou at once get on board the baggage.\" Then donning on their\nmail and equipped with their bows, quivers and swords, the Raghavas\nalong with Sita descended unto the Ganga. Then coming forward in humble\nguise before Rama cognizant of virtue, the charioteer said with joined\nhands,--\"What shall I do (now)?\" Thereupon Dacaratha's son touching\nSumantra by his goodly right hand, said,-- \"O Sumantra, do thou again\nrepair unto the monarch, but let thy senses be unclouded.\" \"Do thou\"\nsaid he unto the charioteer, \"turn back. So far I have come (in\nobedience to the order of the monarch;. Now, renouncing the car, will I\nrepair unto the mighty forest on foot\" Finding himself thus commanded,\nthe charioteer, Sumantra grieved at heart spoke unto that best of men,\nthe descendant of Ikshwaku. \"That Destiny owing to which you will have\nto pass your days in the forest like a low person, along with your\nbrother and wife, has in this world been withstood by none. I deem the\nBrahmacharyya mode of life, or study, or meekness or sincerity as\nattended with no fruit, since you have come by calamity. O Raghava,\nliving in the forest with Vaidehi and your brother, you, O Lord, attain\na state (of supreme excellence), having, as it were, conquered the three\nworlds. O Rama, it is we, wretched that we are, that are undone, as we,\ndeprived of your company, shall come under the sinful Kaikeyi expressing\ngreat misery.\" Having said this, the charioteer, Sumantra, seeing Rama\nintent upon going to a distant land, wept for a long while in heaviness\nof heart. Then when he had dried up his tears, and sanctified himself by\ntouching the water of the Ganga, Rama again addressed the charioteer in\nsweet words, saying,--\"I do not find any one that is a friend of the\nsons of Ikshwaku like unto thee. Do thou so act that king Dacaratha may\nnot grieve (for me). The lord of earth hath been deprived of his senses\nby grief, hath grown old, and is oppressed by the weight of desires\n(thwarted). Therefore it is that I tell thee this. Whatever that noble-\nminded lord of earth commands for the pleasure of Kaikeyi, should by us\nbe done with alacrity. It is for this that those lords of men, kings,\ngovern,--viz., that others may not thwart their purposes. O Sumantra, do\nthou act so, that the mighty monarch may not come across any thing\nunpleasant, or be attacked with chagrin through grief. Do thou saluting\nhim for me say these words unto the aged monarch, who has his senses\nunder complete control, and who hath never seen misfortune before.\n'Neither I nor Lakshmana grieve for being ejected out of Ayodhya, or\nthat we shall have to abide in the forest. After these fourteen years\nhave gone by, you will see Lakshmana, Sita. and myself come to you\nspeedily.' Having thus, O Sumantra, in my name again and again spoken to\nthe king, to my mother and to Kaikevi along with the other revered\nladies do thou communicate unto Kaucalya our welfare conveying unto her\nat the same time Sita's and Lakshmana's salutations to her feet as well\nthose of myself who am her eldest son. Do thou also tell the king,-- 'Do\nyou spedily bring Bharata; and when Bharata has come, let him be\ninvested with royalty. And when you have embraced Bharata and installed\nhim in the kingdom, you no longer be overpowered with grief on our\naccount,' And tell Bharata,--'As thou bearest thyself unto the king, so\nit behoves thee to bear thyself to all thy mothers, without making any\ndistinction at all. As Kaikeyi is unto thee, so without distinction is\nSumitra, and so also without distinction my mother Kaucalya. Governing\nthe kingdom as the heir- apparent with the view of compassing the\npleasure of our father, he will be able to secure happiness both in this\nworld and the next.\" Told by Rama to go back and instructed in this\nwise, Sumantra having heard everything, addressed Kakutstha from\naffection, saying,--\"It behoves you to forgive what I say plainly from\naffection, without letting myself be overwhelmed with emotion, and with\ndue reverence for you. How can I, O child, without you return to that\ncity! which seems as if afflicted with the grief incident to the loss of\na son? Having then seen my car with Rama on it, the hearts of the people\nand the palace now will in all likelihood burst when they shall see it\nwithout Rama. Surely the city will be distressed on beholding this empty\ncar, like a host seeing a car with its hero slain and the charioteer\nalone left in the field. Thinking in their minds that you although\nactually at a great distance from them, are before them, the subjects\n(not finding you) will renounce food (and thus destroy themselves.) You\nyourself witnessed how the subjects overwhelmed with grief on your\naccount, conducted themselves when you were being banished unto the\nwoods. They will on seeing me with the car, burst out into lamentations\nexceeding a hundred times in bitterness those in which they indulged\nwhen you set out for the forest. Shall I say unto the worshipful\none,--'I have conveyed your son to the home of his maternal uncle. Do\nyou not grieve'. I will never tell such a lie. Yet how can I speak this\ntruth which is so very unpleasant? And ever abiding by my command and\nused to carry your friends, how can these excellent horses bear this car\nwithout you? Therefore, O sinless one, I shall not be able to go to\nAyodhya without you; and it behoves you to permit me to follow you to\nthe forest. But if you forsake me who beseech you, I will as soon as\nleft by you, enter into fire along with the car. I shall, O Raghava, by\nmeans of this car, withstand all those impediments that shall present\nthemselves against your ascetic austerities in the forest. I have\nthrough your favour experienced the pleasure of driving the car. I\nexpect at your hands the pleasure of living in the woods. Be you\npropitious. It is my wish to remain in the forest with you, and do you\nsay, affectionately--'Do you remain by my side'. And these horses, O\nhero, will attain to a supreme state if they serve you during your abode\nin the forest. Living in the forest, I will serve you with the crown of\nmy head; and I will entirely renounce Ayodhya or the celestial regions\nthemselves. Even as a doer of evil deeds cannot enter the metropolis of\nthe mighty Indra, I am incapable of entering Ayodhya without you. And\nthis is my desire that the term of exile over, I may carry you back to\nthe palace on this very car. Remaining with you in the forest the\nfourteen years will pass away dwindled into a moment, but without you,\nthey shall assume the proportions of an hundred years. O you bearing\naffection towards your servants, it does not behove you to forsake your\nservant having regard for you, ever abiding by the way that is wended by\nthe son of his master, and observing the duties of his pesition.\"\nThereupon Rama kind towards servants, said these words unto Sumantra as\nhe besought him thus humbly in various ways, \"O thou that bearest\nattachment unto thy master, I know that thou regardest me highly. But do\nthou listen as to why I send thee to the city from hence. Seeing thee\nreturned to the city, my youngest mother Kaikeyi will believe that Rama\nhas gone to the woods. Then well pleased on my having repaired to the\nwoods, she will not entertain any apprehension anent the righteous\nmonarch, thinking that he is untruthful. This is my first wish that my\nyoungest mother may obtain her son's kingdom, properous and well\nprotected by Bharata. Do thou, O Sumantra, bear thyself unto the palace\nto compass the end of both the king and myself, and do thou communicate\nin the desired way what I have said unto the respective parties.\" Having\nsaid this unto the charioteer and consoled him again and again, the\nenergetic Rama spoke unto Guha the following words fraught with reason,\n\"O Guha, I should not now reside in a forest inhabited by men. I should\ncertainly now abide in an asylum in proper guise. In harmony with the\nwishes of Sita and Lakshmana, I, imposing on myself in the interests of\nmy father selfdenial and wearing that ornament of ascetics, a head of\nmatted hair, will go (to the forest). Do thou therefore bring me starch\nfrom the banian.\" Thereupon Guha speedily brought the starch for the\nprince; and prepared matted locks for himself, Rama and Lakshmana. And\nthat mighty- armed chief of men wore matted locks. And those brothers\nRama and Lakshmana dressed as mendicants, and wearing heads of matted\nhair, appeared like saints. Then entering upon the Vanaprastha mode of\nlife, Rama along with Lakshmana assuming the vow of that life, observed\nunto that adherent of his, Guha,--\"Do thou, my friend, vigilantly\nprotect the army, the exchequer, the fort and the provinces; for a\nkingdom demands all the exertions (of the king thereof).\" Then taking\nthe permission of Guha, the descendant of Ikshwaku, holding his soul in\ncalmness, set out with his wife and Lakshmana. Seeing a boat at the\nriver-side, that son of Ikshwaku desirous of crossing the swift-coursing\nGanga, spoke these words,--\"Do thou ascend, gently, O foremost of men,\nthe boat that stayeth here, after the making the virtuous Sita ascend by\ntaking her by the hand.\" Hearing his brother's command, that\nstrong-willed one, furthering everything, having made Mithila's daughter\nascend, ascended himself. That energetic elder brother of Lakshmana next\nascended himself. Then the lord of the Nishadas, Guha, incited his\nkinsfolk. Having got on board the boat, the exceedingly puissant Raghava\nfor securing his welfare, recited _mantras_ fit to be recited by\nKshatriyas and Brahmanas. Then that mighty car-warrior, Lakshmana,\nsipping water from the river as laid down in the scriptures, bowed down\nto it along with Sita in gladness of heart. Then telling Sumantra, Guha,\nand the forces, Rama ascending the boat, ordered the boatmen (to\nproceed). Then the boat decked out by the helmsman, moved by them, and\nurged on by the pulls of the goodly oars, proceeded apace in the water.\nHaving arrived at the middle of the Bhagirathi, that blameless one,\nVaidehi, with joined hands, addressed the river, saying,-- \"O Ganga,\nprotected by thee, may the son of the intelligent and mighty monarch,\nDacaratha, execute the mandate (of the latter.) Having spent complete\nfourteen years in the forest, he will return in company with his brother\nand myself. Then, O worshipful one, O thou of auspicious fortune, having\nreturned safely, I will, O Ganga, worship thee, thou that crownst every\ndesire. O thou that wendst in three ways, O revered one, thou envelopest\nthe regions of Brahma. Thou appearest in this world as the spouse of the\nOcean- king. I will, O respected one, bow down unto thee, O beauteous\none, I will hymn thee, when, with good fortune returned, the foremost of\nmen has obtained the kingdom, I will to please thee give away unto\nBrahmanas hundreds and thousands of kine, cloths, sapid rice, and\nvessels of wine by thousands, and _pillaos_. O worshipful one, I will\nworship thee on Rama having returned to the city. And I will worship all\nthe gods that dwell on thy banks, as well as the holy spots and fanes,\nas soon as, O sinless one, that mighty-armed one without sin will,\ncoming back from his abode in the forest, enter Ayodhya in company with\nhis brother and myself.\" Having thus addressed the Ganga, that blameless\none ever obedient unto her husband, swiftly went to the south bank (of\nthe river). Going to the (other) bank of the stream, that best of men,\nand subduer of foes stood along with his brother and Vaidehi. Then that\nlong-armed one spoke unto the enhancer of Sumitra's delight,\nsaying,--\"Be thou, whether in society or solitude, intent upon\nprotecting Sita. Of course it behoves us to protect her in lone places.\nDo thou, O son of Sumitra, go ahead; and let Sita follow thee. I myself\nwill go in your wake, protecting both yourself and Sita. Surely, O\nforemost of men, we should now protect each other. We have not yet\nperformed any of the arduous tasks. Today Vaidehi will know the grief of\na life in the woods. And today she will enter the forest destitute of\nthe concourse of men, devoid of fields and gardens, uneven, and\ncontaining pits, etc.\" Hearing Rama's words, Lakshmana went ahead; that\ndescendant of Raghu, Rama, followed Sita.\n\nOn Rama having speedily crossed the Ganga, the distressed Sumantra who\nhad been gazing at him stedfastly, being no longer able to discern him,\nturned away his eyes and, overcome with grief, shed tears. And having\ncrossed that mighty river, that high-souled one, that bestower of boons,\nresembling in prowess a Lokapala, without delay entered the flourishing\nand smiling Vatsas crowned with goodly crops. And then the two\n(brothers) having slain the four kinds of beasts, viz., boars, _risyas_,\n_prishatas_ and _maharurus_,[149] and taking their flesh, in the evening\ntook refuge under a mighty tree, feeling the demands of appetite.\n\n[149] Varieties of deer.-- T.\n\n\n\nSECTION LIII.\n\n\nHaving taken refuge under the tree and performed his evening devotions,\nthat foremost of those capable of charming others, Rama, addressed\nLakshmana, saying,--\"To day is the first night (which we must spend)\noutside the inhabited tracts without the company of Sumantra. Thou ought\nnot to suffer thy mind to be uneasy on that score. From tonight forth,\nwe shall have to guard her vigilantly; for, O Lakshmana, the\npreservation of what she has as well as the securing unto her of what\nshe has not, rests with us. We will, O son of Sumitra, anyhow pass the\nnight; let us ourselves procuring (leaves) and spreading them on the\nground, anyhow lie down on it.\" Saying this, Rama lying down on the\nground although worthy of a costly bed, spoke these excellent words unto\nSumitra's son,--\"O Lakshmana, surely the king sleeps uneasily to day,\nand Kaikeyi having attained her end ought to be satisfied. Will not that\nrevered lady, for the purpose of having Bharata established in the\nkingdom, take the king's life, when she shall see Bharata arrived?\nForlorn and old and deprived of me, I do not know what he will do, his\nsoul possessed by desire, and having come under the influence of\nKaikeyi. Viewing this calamity (that has overtaken us) and the disorder\nthat has taken place in the senses of the monarch, I deem even lust as\nmore potent than either virtue or interest. O Lakshmana, what man is\nthere ignorant though he be, who for the sake of a female forsaketh as\nmy father has done me, his son following his foot-steps? Ah! Kaikeyi's\nson Bharata with his wife is really happy--he that enjoys the sole\nsovereignity of the delighted Kocalas. Now that our father has grown old\nand I have taken refuge in the forest, he will alone experience the\nsupreme felicity in the kingdom. He that renouncing interest and virtue,\nfollowes lust, speedily gets himself involved in troubles even like king\nDacaratha. O amiable one, I think that Kaikeyi has been born for making\nan end of Dacaratha, sending me into exile, and conferring the kingdom\non Bharata. At present for imparting me pain, Kaikeyi intoxicated by the\ntide of good fortune, will afflict Kaucalya and Sumitra. Thy mother, the\nrevered Sumitra, will be smitten with grief on our account. Do thou,\nLakshmana, tomorrow morning repair unto Ayodhya: I alone will go unto\nDandaka along with Sita. Thou wilt be the protector of the helpless\nKaucalya. Kaikeyi is surely mean-minded, she perpetrates wrongs from\nmalice. O thou cognizant of virtue, she may administer poison unto my\nmother. Surely, O child, in a former birth, women were bereft of their\nsons by my mother, O son of Sumitra; and it is for this that this\nmisfortune has befallen her. Having been brought up and reared with\ngreat pains by Kaucalya, I have left her at the time when her labors\nought to have borne fruit. Fie on me! Let no woman, son of Sumitra, give\nbirth unto a son like me who have imparted such infinite pain unto my\nmother. O Lakshmana, I consider my mother's female parrot as more\nsharing her affection, since she is heard to say, 'O Suka, do you bite\nthe foot of the foe?' What am I, O repressor of foes, now to do for her,\nbewailing, of slender fortune,--she that hath not profitted in the least\nby her son, and who stands in no further need of his good offices?\nSurely my unfortunate mother, Kaucalya, bereft of me, lies down on the\nground, overwhelmed will woe, and plunged in an ocean of grief. O\nLakshmana, enraged, I alone, without doubt, can rid Ayodhya--the Earth\nherself--by means of my arrows. But improper is the display of prowess\nfor no reason. O sinless one, I am afraid of unrighteousness and of the\nnext life; and for this it is that, O Lakshmana, I do not install myself\nin the kingdom.\"\n\nHaving in solitude for a long while piteously bewailed thus and in other\nways, Rama sat silent in the night with tears in his eyes. Thereupon\nLakshmana consoled Rama spent with lamentation, like unto fire deprived\nof its radiance or the ocean of its tide. \"Surely, O Rama, O foremost of\nwarriors, on your having come out, the city of Ayodhya is shorn of its\nsplendour like the night deprived of the moon. This is not fit that you\nshould grieve; for thereby, O foremost of men, you make both Sita and\nmyself grieve. Raghava, deprived of you neither Sita nor I can live for\na moment, like fish taken out of water : without you, O repressor of\nfoes, I wish to see neither my father, nor Satrughna, nor Sumitra, nor\nheaven itself.\" Then viewing from where they sat at ease their well-laid\nbed under the banian, those virtuous ones (Rama and Sita) went to it.\nHearing Lakshmana's excellent and appropriate words with which he gladly\nassumed a life in the woods, that subduer of foes, Raghava, in the name\nof righteousness, at once folly granted him the permission to dwell with\nhim for the entire fourteen years. Then like unto a couple of lions\ndwelling on a mountain-summit, at that lone spot of the extensive\nforest, those powerful perpetuators of the Raghu race, began to dwell\nwithout fear.\n\n\n\nSECTION LIV.\n\n\nHaving passed the auspicious night underneath that mighty tree, they,\nwhen the sun had risen in unclouded splendour, went away from that\nplace. Then diving into a mighty forest, they proceeded in the direction\nin which the Bhagirathi Ganga meets with the Yamuna. And those\nillustrious ones went on, viewing at intervals various fields and\ndelightful lands which they had never seen before. And going on\nbeholding various kinds of blossoming trees, Rama when the day had\ndeclined, spoke unto Sumitra's son, saying, \"O son of Sumitra, do thou\nbehold the beautiful wreath of smoke that rises in front of\nPrayaga--sign of the worshipful Fire, and I infer some ascetic to be\nnear. For certain we have arrived at the confluence of the Ganga and the\nYamuna; and it is for this that we hear the roar of the waters produced\nby the rushing of them. And all these various trees with their wood hewn\naway by foresters are seen in the asylums.\" Thus having proceeded at\nease, those bowmen when the sun stood aslant, arrived in the vicinity of\nthe ascetic's residence on the delta of the Yamuna and the Ganga. And\nproceeding awhile on the way, Rama, in presence of the asylum, came up\nto Bharadwaja's place, frightening beasts and birds. And arriving at the\nhermitage, the heroes desirous of seeing the ascetic, stood at a\ndistance with Sita behind them. And as soon as entering in, that exalted\none saw that high-souled anchoret of accomplished vows, who had attained\nspiritual insight through austerities, sitting surrounded by his\ndisciples after having finished the Agnihotra, Rama with joined hands\nsaluted him along with Sumitra's son and Sita. Then Lakshmana's elder\nbrother imparted unto Bharadwaja a knowledge of himself. \"O worshipful\none, we are the sons of Dacaratha, Rama and Lakshmana. This is my wife,\nthe auspicious daughter of Janaka. This blameless one followeth me unto\nthe solitary forest; and my dear younger brother, the son of Sumitra\ntoo, observing the vow, follows me, who have been exiled by my father. O\nrevered one, commissioned by my father, I will enter the forest of\nasceticism, and there subsisting on fruits and roots will practise\nvirtue.\" Hearing those words of the intelligent prince, that righteous\n(ascetic) brought a bull[150] as well as _arghya_ and water and divers\nkinds of edibles consisting of wild fruits and roots. And that one of\nfiery austerities assigned quarters, along with beasts and birds as well\nas ascetics, for Rama. Then paying homage unto Rama as he proceeded by\nshort stages, and asking him,--\"Has your journey been a pleasant\none?\"--the ascetic sat down. And when Raghava had sat down after\nreceiving the homage, Bharadwaja spoke unto him these words fraught with\nvirtue,-- \"O Kakutstha, I behold thee come after a long time. I have\nheard of thy causeless exile. This spot at the meeting of the mighty\nrivers is lonely, sacred and charming. Do thou dwell here happily.\" Thus\naddressed by Bharadwaja, that descendant of Raghu, Rama intent on the\nwelfare of all, answered in auspicious words,--\"O reverend one, I\napprehend that, living hard by, the inhabitants of the city and the\nprovinces, thinking me as easily to be seen, will come to this asylum\ndesirous of beholding me and Vaidehi. It is for this reason that living\nat this place does not recommend itself unto me. Do thou, O worshipful\none, hit upon a retired and agreeable asylum where Janaka's daughter\nworthy of happiness, will pass her days pleasantly \" Hearing this\nauspicious speech of Raghava, that eminent anchoret Bharadwaja said\nthese words calculated to serve Rama's purpose,--\"Ten Krosas hence, my\nchild, is the mountain where thou shalt dwell. It is inhabited by\n_maharshis_, and is sacred, and picturseque throughout, abounding in\n_Golangulas_, monkeys, and bears,--known by the name of\nChitrakuta--resembling Gandhamadana. On beholding the peaks of\nChitrakuta, one reaps welfare, and ignorance does not envelope one's\nmind. There innumerable saints with the hair of their heads rendered\nwhite like skulls, having spent hundreds of years, have through\nausterities ascended heaven. That solitary spot I deem as one which will\nmake a happy residence for thee. O Rama, do thou, for living out the\nterm of thy banishment, dwell either here or with me.\" Bharadwaja\nentertained his welcome guest, Rama, along with his wife and brother by\nextending towards them every rite of hospitality. And at Prayaga Rama\nhaving obtained the company of that Maharshi, and discoursing on a\nvariety of sacred topics, the night came on. And with Sita for the\nthird, Kakutstha brought up in luxury, being fatigued, pleasantly spent\nthat night at the romantic hermitage of Bharadwaja. When the night had\npassed away and day dawned, (Rama) approached Bharadwaja, and that chief\nof men addressed that ascetic of flaming energy,--\"O reverend sire of\ntruthful character, we have here in thy asylum spent the night. Do thou\nnow permit us to set forward (for Chitrakuta).\" On Rama having passed\nthe night there, Bharadwaja spoke unto him,--\"Do thou trace thy steps to\nChitrakuta filled with delicious fruits and roots. I deem that, O mighty\nRama, as a fit abode for thee, being, as it is, furnished with various\nkinds of trees, inhabited by crowds of Kinnaras, resounding with the\ncries of peacocks, and frequented by gignantic elephants. Do thou repair\nunto the famed Chitrakuta, holy, fair to the view, and abounding in\ncountless fruits and roots. And in those forests range herds of\nelephants and deer; and these, O Raghava, thou wilt behold. And ranging\nwith Sita rivers and rills and plateaus, caverns and fountains, thy mind\nwill experience delight. Delighted with the notes of joyous Koyastivas\nand coels, and the cries of deer and countless mad elephants, do thou,\narriving at the auspicious mountain, reside at that romantic asylum.\"\n\n[150] When an eminent guest came to a person's house, he offered\n _madhuparka_, with a bull which was killed for his\n entertainment.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION LV.\n\n\nHaving spent the night there, those princes--repressors of their foes--\nafter paying their obeisance unto the Maharshi, set out for the\nmountain. And seeing them about to set forth, that Maharshi performed a\npropitiatory ceremony for them, even as a father does on behalf of the\nsons begot from his own loins. And that mighty ascetic, Bharadwaja\nhaving truth for his prowess, addressed them, saying,--\"O best of men,\ndo you coming to the confluence of the Ganga and the Yamuna proceed\nalong the Kalindi river flowing westwards. Arriving at the Kalindi\nrunning in a contrary direction, you will, O Raghava, behold a goodly\nbathing place well-worn by foot-passengers. There constructing a raft,\ndo you cross over the river who is the daughter of the Sun. Next coming\nto a gigantic banian tree with green foliage, named Syama, surrounded by\nvarious trees and inhabited by ascetics of accomplished purposes, let\nSita with joined hands offer humble supplications to it. Having come to\nthe tree and, whether staying under it or proceeding along, after\npassing only a _Krosa_, you will, O Rama, see a wood abounding in\nSallakis, Vadaris, and other wild trees belonging unto the Yamuna. I\nwent to Chitrakuta many a time by that road, which is beautiful, sandy,\nand free from forest-fire.\" Having directed the way, the Maharshi\npaused. Thereupon Rama, saying,--\"So be it\" asked him to stop. On the\nascetic turning away, Rama spoke unto Lakshmana, \"We had surely acquired\nreligious merit, good betide you, since, the ascetic has shown\ncompassion unto us.\" Having thus conversed with each other, those\nforemost of men endowed with intelligence, placing Sita in their front,\nproceeded towards the river Kalindi. And having arrived at the Kalindi\nof rapid currents, they desirous of crossing over, began I think (as to\nthe means). Then with heaps of dry wild wood covered with grass, they\nconstructed a large raft. And the puissant Lakshmana tearing twigs from\nthe ratan and the rose-apple, made a comfortable seat for Sita. Then\nDacaratha's son, Rama, made his bashful wife (in power) inconceivable\nlike unto Sree herself, ascend the raft, and carefully laid beside\nVaidehi her attires and ornaments as well as the hoe and the basket. And\nfirst having placed Sita on the raft, those sons of Dacaratha ascended\nthemselves, and with glad hearts began carefully to cross (the stream).\nHaving come near the middle of the Kalindi, Sita prayed unto her,\nsaying, --\"Hail to thee, O goddess! I cross thee. If my husband can\nsuccessfully perform his vow, I will worship thee with a thousand cows\nand an hundred vessels of wine, hail unto thee, upon Rama's return to\nthe city ruled by Ikshwaku.\" Having thus prayed to Kalindi with joined\nhands, that virtuous lady, Sita, reached the southern bank thereof. And\nby means of that raft they crossed that fleet-coursing daughter of the\nSun, heaving with billows--the river Yamuna with her banks abounding\nwith innumerable trees. Then renouncing the raft, and passing by the\nwoods adjoining the Yamuna, they came upon a banian Syama by name, of\ncool shade and verdant foliage. On coming to the banian, Vaidehi saluted\nit saying,--\"O mighty tree, I bow unto thee. May my husband fulfil his\nvow; and may we behold Kaucalya and the illustrious Sumitra.\" Having\nthus prayed with joined hands, the intelligent Sita went away. Seeing\nthe blameless and beloved Sita ever conducting herself\nproperly,--praying, Rama said unto Lakshmana, \"Do thou, O younger\nbrother of Bharata, taking Sita with thee, go forward. O best of men,\nfurnished with weapons, I will go in thy wake. Do thou procure Vaidehi\nwith whatever fruits or flowers may please her and she may wish to\nhave.\" Seeing every tree and shrub crowned with blossoms unseen before,\nthat one belonging to the softer sex questioned Rama about it. And\nhearing Sita's words, Lakshmana brought unto her (fruits and flowers) of\nbeautiful and flower-scattering trees of divers kinds. And beholding\nstreams with water flowing over glittering sands and resounding with\ncranes of various kinds, the daughter of king Janaka felt exceeding\ndelight. And having proceeded just a _Krosa_, those brothers, Rama and\nLakshmana, having killed many a sacred deer, began to range in the woods\nof the Yamuna. And having disported in the beautiful woods resounding\nwith multitudes of peacocks and inhabited by elephants and monkeys, they\nlooking as lively as ever, coming to the level banks of the river, took\nup their quarters there.\n\n\n\nSECTION LVI.\n\n\nWhen the night had been spent, that best of Raghus gently awakened\nLakshmana from his light sleep. \"O Sumitra's son, do thou hear the\ndulcet notes of the birds in the woods. Let us proceed. O repressor of\nfoes, the time of our departure is present.\" Awakened at the proper\ntime, Rama's brother left off sleep and drowsiness and clinging fatigue.\nThen they all arising touched the sacred waters of the river, and began\nto proceed on the way to Chitrakuta inhabited by ascetics. Setting out\nin season with Sumitra's son, he of eyes resembling lotus-petals spoke\nthese words unto Sita,--\"O Vaidehi, behold these flowering trees, the\nKinsukas in spring appearing engarlanded with their own flowers, and as\nif flaming.--Do thou behold the Bhallatakas and Vilwas bending beneath\ntheir fruits and flowers, with no man to enjoy them. Surely, we shall be\nable to live here. Behold, O Lakshmana, these honeycombs measuring about\na _Drona_ have been hung up on trees by the bees. In the charming woods\noverarched by flowers, the _Datyuha_ cries, and is responded to by the\npeacock. Do thou behold Chitrakuta frequented by mad elephants and\nresonant with the voice of multitudes of birds--the mountain with its\ntowering summits. O child, we will disport in the sacred woods of\nChitrakuta with fine level plains,and covered with divers trees.\" Then\nthey proceeding on foot along with Sita, arrived at the charming and\nbeautiful mountain Chitrakuta. And arriving at the mountain inhabited by\nbirds of various kinds, abounding in fruits and roots, and furnished\nwith watery expanses, (Rama) said, \"O amiable one, methinks this\nbeautiful hill furnished with innumerable fruits and roots, is fraught\nwith subsistence. And the hill is inhabited by high-souled ascetics. Let\nthis, O child, be our abode. We will dwell here.\" Then Rama, Lakshmana\nand Sita with joined hands presented themselves at the asylum of Valmiki\nand saluted him. Thereat the Maharshi cognizant of morality said unto\nthem, \"Be seated!\" and addressed Rama, saying,--\"Has thy journey been a\npleasant one?\" Then having duly acquainted the saint with matters\npertaining to himself, that lord, the mighty- armed elder brother of\nLakshmana, said unto the latter, \"O Lakshmana, bring thou wood good and\nstrong. O amiable one, construct a dwelling. My mind is set upon staying\nhere.\" Hearing his words, Sumitra's son procured wood of various\ndescriptions, and then that subduer of foes reared a cottage thatched\nwith leaves. Beholding that goodly dwelling walled with wood and\nfurnished with doors, Rama addressed these words unto Lakshmana, intent\nupon ministering unto his brother. \"Procuring meat, we will worship the\ndeity presiding over this dwelling. O Sumitra's son, those who wish to\nlive long, should pacify the household gods. O Lakshmana graced with\nauspicious eyes, do thou killing deer, swiftly bring it here. It behoves\nus to observe the rules prescribed by the scriptures. Do thou follow the\nordinance.\" Acquainted with the words of his brother, Lakshmana, slayer\nof hostile heroes, did as he was told. Thereupon Rama addressed him\nagain, \"Do thou cook this meat. We will worship the presiding deities of\nthis mansion. Bestir thyself,--the moment is mild and the day is styled\n_Dhruva_.\" Then Lakshmana the son of Sumitra endowed with vigor, having\nslain a sacred black deer, threw it into flaming fire. And seeing it\nwell scorched and hot and free from blood, Lakshmana spoke unto that\nforemost of men, Raghava, saying,--\"Here is the entire black deer\nroasted by me, capable of serving any purpose. Do you, O you that\nresemble a celestial, worship the gods.\" Having performed his ablutions,\nRama conversant with the ritual and possessing a knowledge of _Japa_,\nrestraining his senses, performed all the _mantras_ that are necessary\nfor completing a sacrifice; and having in a pure spirit communed with\nall the deities, entered the habitation. And (this having been done),\nRama of immeasurable energy rejoiced exceedingly. And sacrificing unto\nVaicya, Rudra and Vishnu, he performed some ceremonies for removing\nmalign influences from the abode. And having duly performed _Japa_ and\nbathed in consonance with the ordinance, Rama made an excellent\nsacrifice for removing sin. And then Raghava established a dais, and a\n_chaitya_ proportionate to the abode.[151] And as the celestials enter\nthe hall entitled Sudharma, they together with the view of dwelling in\nit, entered the mansion beautiful to behold, thatched with the leaves of\ntrees, built at a convenient site, well-made, and keeping out the\nwind.[152] And having come to the charming Chitrakuta and the river\nMalyavati furnished with excellent bathing places, and haunted by beasts\nand fowls, they rejoiced with glad hearts, and forsook the grief\nincident to their exile from the city.\n\n[151] The N. W. P. text reads:--\"And in that romantic forest abounding\n in various kinds of beasts and birds, with trees bearing a\n profusion of variegated flowers, and resounding with the roars of\n beasts and serpents, those ones and, who had conquered their\n senses, began to live happily.\"-- T.\n\n[152] Another reading is:--\"And having with garlands made of wild\n flowers, fruits, roots, meat cooked according to the ordinance,\n water, _Japa_ as prescribed by the Veda, grass, and faggot,\n worshipped the spirits, those descendants of Raghu, the auspicious\n Rama and Lakshmana, in company with Sita entered the graceful\n mansion.\"-- T.\n\n\n\nSECTION LVII.\n\n\nHaving for a long time conversed with Sumantra, Guha distressed at heart\non Rama reaching the southern bank, retraced his steps homewards.\nLearning from envoys at (Sringaverapura) all about Rama's visit to\nBharadwaja at Prayaga and his reception (at Bharadwaja's place) as well\nas their destined journey (to Chitrakuta), Sumantra, taking the\npermission (of Guha), yoked those excellent horses and with a heavy\nheart directed his course to the city of Ayodhya. And beholding perfumed\nwoods and rivers and watery expanses and towns and villages, he eagerly\nproceeded on his way. And on the third day at dusk the charioteer\narriving at Ayodhya saw it bereft of happiness. And beholding it empty\nand still, Sumantra afflicted with exceeding sorrow, and overwhelmed\nwith grief, thought, \"Perhaps the city with her elephants and horses and\nmen and king has been consumed by the fire of grief on account of Rama.\"\nHaving thus reflected, the charioteer drawing up to the city- gate by\nmeans of those fleet-coursing horses, speedily entered the city.\nThereupon, people by hundreds and thousands rushed after the charioteer,\nSumantra, asking, \"Where is Rama?\" To them he replied,--\"Having asked\nRaghava on the Ganga and being permitted by him, I have been sent away\nby that high-souled righteous one.\" Learning that they (Rama and the\nrest) had crossed over (the Ganga), the men with tears in their eyes,\nsighed forth \"O fie!\" and began to bewail, exclaiming, \"Ah Rama.\" And he\nheard crowds exclaim,--\"Not seeing Rama in the car, we cease to exist.\nWe shall no longer see the righteous Rama in the midst of mighty\nassemblies engaged in charity, sacrifice or nuptial rites. What was\nnecessary for this body? What was dear to them and what did they delight\nin?--(constantly revolving all this in his mind), Rama ruled this city\neven as, a father. Then proceeding past the stalls, Sumantra heard the\nlamentations of females at windows, burning in grief for Rama. With his\nface muffled, Sumantra proceeded on the highway towards the palace of\nDacaratha. Swiftly alighting from the car and entering the royal\nresidence, he went past seven apartments thronged with people. And\nbeholding Sumantra returned to the city crowned with edifices, seven-\nstoried houses, and palatial mansions, the women, stricken with the\nabsence of Rama, set up a cry of \"Oh\" and \"Alas.\" And waxing still more\naggrieved, the females looked at each other with their expansive and\ntransparent eyes fast flooded with tears. And then he heard the talk, as\ntoned down it proceeded from the royal mansions, of the wives of\nDacaratha afflicted with grief for Rama. \"Going in company with Rama,\nand returning without him, what will the charioteer answer Kaucalya\nbewailing (for her son)? Surely life is miserable, yet is incapable of\nbeing renounced, since, although her son leaving (the installation) hath\ngone away, yet Kaucalya still liveth.\" Having heard those words of the\nqueens, fraught with truth, Sumantra burning as it were in grief, at\nonce entered the (next) apartment. And entering the eighth apartment he\nbeheld in a gloomy chamber the king distressed and in a pitiable plight,\nwoe-begone for grief for his son. Thereupon presenting himself before\nthe monarch, Sumantra saluted him and then conveyed unto the king the\nwords of Rama as he had uttered them. Hearing them silently, the monarch\nwith his mind exceedingly wrought, dropped down to the ground in a\nswoon, afflicted with grief for Rama. On the lord of earth swooning away\nand falling to the ground, the inmates of the inner apartment raising\ntheir arms burst into lamentations. Kaucalya availing herself of the aid\nof Sumantra, raised up her fallen lord and addressed him, saying, \"This,\nO eminently virtuous one! if the envoy of that one of an exceedingly\narduous achievement, returned from the forest. Why do you not accost\nhim? O descendant of Raghu, you are ashamed to-day, having done this\nwrong. Do you rise: merit be yours (arising from this act.) Let not your\nadherents come to naught (because of your sorrow). O worshipful one, she\nfrom fear of whom you do not speak to the charioteer, Kaikeyi, is not\nhere. Do you therefore speak to him without fear.\" Having said this unto\nthe monarch, Kaucalya overwhelmed with grief, with her voice oppressed\nwith the vapour begot of emotion, all on a sudden fell to the earth.\nBeholding Kaucalya fallen on the ground bewailing, as also their\nhusband, the ladies seated around, began to lament. Hearing the sounds\nof wailing arise from the inner apartment, old and young as well as\nfemales, set up lamentations all round; and the city was again filled\nwith them.\n\n\n\nSECTION LVIII.\n\n\nWhen having been ministered unto and when his senses had returned after\nthe swoon, the king summoned Sumantra for hearing tidings of Rama.\nThereupon the charitoteer with joined hands spoke unto the mighty\nmonarch, lamenting for Rama, influenced by grief and sorrow, aged,\nburning in grief, like a newly-taken elephant, sighing heavily, plunged\nin thought, and resembling an elephant that is indisposed. Then the king\nlike one exceedingly distressed, spoke unto the charioteer, who had\npresented himself, covered over with dust, with tears starting from his\neyes, and in pitiable guise, \"Where stayeth that righteous one, taking\nrefuge under a tree? Lapped in luxury, what, O charioteer, will Raghava\nfeed on? Unworthy of privations, and worthy of excellent beds, how, O\nSumantra, a king's son, he is sleeping on the ground like one forlorn?\nHow is Rama passing his days in the lone forest--he who when he went out\nused to be followed by foot-men and elephants? How are the princes in\ncompany with Vaidehi, living in the woods, ranged by serpents and beasts\nand inhabited by black snakes? How, O Sumantra, having descended from\nthe car, the princes along with the tender and unfortunate Sita are\nproceeding on foot? O charioteer, surely thou art blessed, for thou hast\nbeheld my sons enter the forest, like the Acwins entering the Mandara\nhill. And what did Rama say? And what did Lakshmana? And, O Sumantra,\narriving at the forest what did Mithila's daughter? Do thou, O\ncharioteer, describe unto me what Rama lives on and where he lies down.\nHearing this, I shall live, like Yayati in the midst of saints.\" Thus\nurged by the king, the charioteer spoke unto the king with his voice\nfaltering and suppressed with the vapour of grief, \"O mighty monarch\nobserving morality, Raghava with joined hands and bowing down his head,\nsaid, 'O charioteer, do thou in my name salute with thy head the feet of\nmy high-soulded sire worthy of being saluted, and famed (in the world).\nAnd, O charioteer, do thou in my name as each deserves salute the ladies\nof the inner apartment and communicate to them tidings of my health. And\nhaving saluted my mother Kaucalya and conveyed unto her news of my\nwelfare, as well as of my unswerving adherence to morality, do thou tell\nher the words,-- Do you remaining steady in virtue, at the proper hour\nbestir yourself in behalf of the chamber of sacrificial fire. And, O\nrevered one, do you minister unto the feet of that worshipful one, (the\nking), as if they were very deities. And banishing pride and self-love,\ndo you bear yourself towards my mothers. And, O mother, do you show\nrespect unto Kaikeyi, who is followed by the king himself. And you\nshould behave towards Bharata as one should towards one's king. Kings\n(although juvenile), are really senior by virtue of their royalty; and\ndo you remember the duties touching sovereigns.'--Do thou communicate\nunto Bharata news of my welfare and say in my name,--Do you behave\nproperly with all your mothers.--And unto that delight of the Ikswhaku\nline do thou further say,--Having been installed as the heir-apparent,\nbe you, looking upon the king as the supreme authority in the state,\nobedient to him. Do you not deprive the king of authority, as he has\ngrown old. O Prince, do you grant him satisfaction in the kingdom and do\nyou proclaim his mandates.-- And shedding copious tears, he again\naddressed me, saying,--Do thou look upon my mother as on thy own proud\nof her son.--Having said this, the mighty-armed and illustrious Rama\nfurnished with eyes resembling lotus-petals, shed plenteous tears.\nThereupon Lakshmana waxing wroth, breathing hard, said,--For what fault\nof his has the Prince been banished? Observing the worthless command of\nKaikeyi, whether the king has done well or ill, we have been exceedingly\npained thereby. Whether Rama has been exiled through Kaikeyi's lust for\ndominion or through the exigencies of the bestowal of the boon, there\ncannot be any doubt that the king has acted most unrighteously. Even if\nthis hath been done in harmony with the wish of the Lord, I do not\nperceive any reason for the banishment of Rama. The king through lack of\nsense has done heedlessly what is opposed to morality; and this\nbanishment of Rama will but bring upon him woe here and hereafter.\nFatherhood find I none in the monarch. My brother and feeder and friend\nand father is even Raghava. Renouncing one that is universally dear, and\nthat is ever engaged in the good of all, how by such an act will the\nking please the people? And how by banishing the righteous Rama dear\nunto all the subjects, and thus withstanding the wishes of all, will he\nretain his royalty?--And, O mighty monarch, Janaki also, unfortunate\nthat she is, sighing heavily, stood wildered like one that had been\npossessed. And not having experienced any calamity before, the famed\nprincess weeping because of this misfortune, told me nothing. And\nlooking up to her lord with a blank countenance, she suddenly let fail\ntears, perceiving the destruction of the subjects. And thus said Rama\nministered unto by Lakshmana, with a tearful countenance; and thus stood\nthe unfortunate and weeping Sita beholding the royal car and myself.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LIX.\n\n\n\"On Rama having gone to the forest, my horses as I turned away, did not\nproceed vigorously on the way, and shed warm tears. And having (done\nhomage) unto both the princes by joining my hands, I turned my back,\nbearing best I could that load of sorrow. Indulging in the hope that\nRama might again summon me by any of the envoys (of Guha left there), I\nstayed there with Guha for many days. In thy dominions, O monarch,\nexercised by the calamity that has befallen Rama, even trees bearing\nblossoms and buds and sprouts look sad; the rivers and pools and liquid\nlapses have their waters dried up; and the woods and groves have their\nfoliage withered. Creatures do not move and beasts of prey cease to\nrange about; and the forest appears to be dumb, stupified by grief on\naccount of Rama. And streams containing lotuses with their leaves\nshriveled, have their waters stained; and lotuses have their leaves\nburnt; and fishes and (aquatic) birds have grown lean. And flowers both\non land and water have been deprived of their freshness and fragrance;\nand they no longer retain their former condition. And the gardens are\nidle with their birds drooping. And, O best of men, I do not find the\nbowers beautiful (as before). And when I entered Ayodhya, none greeted\nme. And not seeing Rama, the people sigh momentarily. And, O revered\none, seeing the royal car returned hither without Rama, the people on\nthe highways from grief appear with tearful countenances. And from\nmansions, cars, and lorldly edifices, ladies seeing the car come back,\nset up a chorus of 'Ah' and 'Alas,' afflicted with the absence of Rama.\nAnd becoming more distressed than ever, the fair sex with their\nexpansive and clear eyes filled with tears, began to eye each other\nindistinctly. And in consequence of the general grief that prevailed, I\ncould not perceive any difference between friends and foes and persons\nindifferent. O mighty monarch, distressed in consequence of the exile of\nRama, men appear sunk in dejection, and elephants and horses are\nspiritless; and seized with cheerlessness, they utter doleful sounds and\nheave profound sighs. Ayodhya appeareth unto me joyless like Kaucalya\ndeprived of her son.\" Hearing the words of the charioteer, the king like\none exceedingly forlorn, addressed the former in words lost in the\nvapour of sorrow, \"Exhorted by Kaikeyi of a sinful country, born in a\nsinful race and cherishing sinful designs, I did not take counsel with\naged people capable of offering advice. Without consulting with friends\nor courtiers or persons versed in the Vedas, I have in the interests of\na woman rashly done this thing through ignorance. Meseems, O charioteer,\nfor the purpose of destroying this line entirely, this mighty disaster\nhath surely befallen us through the influence of Destiny. O charioteer,\nif I have ever done thee any good, do thou immediately take me to Rama:\nmy life urges me on (in this direction). Or let my command make Raghava\nturn back. I cannot live for a moment without Rama. But if that\nmighty-armed one has proceeded far, do thou placing me on a car speedily\nshow me unto Rama. Where is that elder brother of Lakshmana of a mighty\nbow, furnished with teeth resembling Kunda flowers? If I live so long, I\nwill behold him in company with Sita. What can be sadder than this, that\nreduced to such a pass, I cannot see here that descendant of Ikshwaku,\nRaghava? Ah Rama! Ah thou younger brother of Rama! Ah thou unfortunate\nVaidehi! You do not know that I am through grief lamenting like one\ndeserted.\" Deprived of his consciousness through that sorrow of his, the\nking said, \"I have plunged myself into this ocean of woe hard to cross,\nwith grief for Rama as its mighty tide; separation from Sita, its other\nshore; sighs heaved, its furious billows and whirlpools; tears, rivers\nthat rush into it; tossing of the arms, its fishes; lamentations its\nroar; my hair flung about, its moss; Kaikeyi, its submarine fire; my\nfast-flowing tears, its current; the words of the hump-backed one, its\nterrific ravenous animals; the boon, its continents; and the exile of\nRama, its expanse. And, O Kaucalya, without Raghava, I shall sink in\nthis ocean. O exalted dame, living, it is hard for me to cross over this\nocean. It is surely owing to my sin that today wishing to behold Raghava\nand Lakshmana, I do not get them (before me).\" Having thus lamented, the\nillustrious king all of a sudden dropped to the earth in a swoon. On the\nking swooning away lamenting, that exalted lady, Rama's mother, hearing\nhis words doubly bitter and more piteous than eti uttered for Rama, was\nseized with fresh apprehension.\n\n\n\nSECTION LX.\n\n\nThen like one possessed by an evil spirit, and trembling again and\nagain, Kaucalya lying down on the ground like one dead, spoke unto the\ncharioteer, saying, \"Do thou take me where Kakutstha is and Sita and\nLakshmana: without them, I cannot live for a moment. Do thou without\ndelay turn the car. Do thou take me also unto Dandaka. If I do not\nfollow them, I shall repair to the mansion of Yama.\" Thereat the\ncharioteer with joined hands comforted that exalted lady with ready\nwords faltering and choked with rising vapour, \"Do you leave grief and\nsorrow and the violent emotion. Renouncing grief, Raghava is living in\nthe woods. And in the forest, the righteous Lakshmana, having his senses\nunder control, is ministering unto Rama's feet and is thus adoring the\ngods for happiness in the next world. And even in the lonely woods, Sita\nas if remaining at home, having fixed her thoughts on Rama, is living a\nlife of love. And there appears not the least trace of any distress\nafflicting her; and Vaidehi seems to me as if she were meant (by Nature)\nfor a life away from home. And as formerly going unto urban villas she\ndisported, she disports now even in the lonely forest. And although\nliving in the lone forest, that one of a countenance resembling the\ninfant moon, sports merrily like a girl, in the garden represented by\nRama's self. Ayodhya without Rama would have seemed a wilderness to her\nwhose heart is fixed on him and whose very life depends upon him.\nVaidehi is now asking (Rama) concerning the villages and towns (in their\nway); and observing various trees and the courses of the rivers, Janaki,\nasking Rama or Lakshmana (for information), is learning all about them.\nAnd Sita sports as she used to do in arbours stationed at the distance\nof only one _krosa_ from Ayodhya. This only I remember; but all that she\nhad from sudden impulse communicated unto me concerning Kaikeyi, does\nnot rise into consciousness.\" Suppressing this topic which had come up\nthrough heedlessness, the charioteer spoke sweet words cheering up that\nnoble lady. \"Neither through the fatigue of travel, nor the influence of\nthe wind, nor excitement, nor the sun, hath Vaidehi's lustre resembling\nthe lunar light suffered any diminution. The countenance of that\nfair-speaking one resembling the lotus and comparable unto the full moon\nin splendour, hath not waxed pale. Her feet now without the dye of the\nliquid lac, but naturally furnished with the roseate hue of the same,\nare gorgeous like lotus buds. Still Vaidehi decked in ornaments from\naffection for Rama, goes gracefully, rebuking with her bangles the wavy\ngait (of cranes). Supporting herself on Rama's arm, Sita arrived at the\nforest, is not inspired with fear on beholding either an elephant, or a\nlion, or a tiger. Therefore they are not to be bewailed, nor your own\nself, nor the lord of men. This history of Rama will endure for ever in\nthis world. Renouncing grief and with cheerful hearts, well established\nin the life led by the Maharshis, they living in the forest on wild\nfruits as their sustenance, are maintaining the noble promise of their\nsire.\" Consoled by the truth-telling yet sweeet- speeched charioteer,\nthat lady oppressed with grief for her son, ceased not to wail\nloudly--\"My beloved,\" \"My son,\" \"Raghava.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXI.\n\n\nOn that foremost of those capable of charming people, the righteous\nRama, repairing to the forest, Kaucalya crying in grief said unto her\nhusband, \"Your great fame has spread over the three worlds; and the\ndescendant of Raghu is kind, munificent and fair-speaking. Why then have\nyou forsaken those foremost of men along with Sita? Brought up in\nhappiness, and now brought to misery, how can they bear it? And how can\nthe youthful daughter of Mithila of slender make, tender, and deserving\nof happiness, bear heat and cold? Having formerly partaken of\n(excellent) rice with curries, how will Sita feed on wild rice? Having\nheard excellent vocal and instrumental music, how will Sita hear the\nfrightful cries of carnivorous lions? Resembling the gonfalon of the\ngreat Indra, where sleepeth the mighty-armed and exceedingly powerful\nRama, making his arm like unto a mace his pillow? When shall I behold\nRama's countenance hued like the lotus, with his hair ending beautifully\n(in curls), and his breath impregnated with the fine perfume of the\nlotus, and his eyes resembling lotus leaves? Surely my heart, without\ndoubt, is made of the essence of the thunderbolt, since not beholding\nhim, it is not cracked in a thousand fragments. It is because of your\nsad act that mine own, being thwarted, although worthy of happiness, are\nmiserably ranging the wilderness. If after the expiration of the five\nand ten years, Raghava does return, it does not appear likely that\nBharata will renounce the kingdom and the exchequer. Some on the\noccasions of the Sraddha (first) feast their own friends, and having\ndone this, they mind the choice Brahmanas. But those twice-born ones\nthat are meritorious, learned, and like unto celestials, do not at the\nlast moment regard even viands resembling ambrosia. Brahmanas of high\nrespectibility endowed with wisdom never bear being entertained after\nthe other twice- born ones have been feasted, even as bulls never\nquietly bear to have their horns cut off. Why will not an elder brother\nand one who has sterling merits, O monarch, disregard a kingdom which\nhath been thus enjoyed by his younger brother? A tiger doth not like to\nfeed on food procured by others. Even so that tiger-like personage does\nnot regard anything that has come to be tasted by another. Clarified\nbutter, sacrificial cakes, Kuca, stakes of catechu having been used in\none sacrifice cannot be used in another,--even so this kingdom which\nhath been already enjoyed, like unto liquor deprived of its essence or a\nsacrifice whose _soma_ hath been eaten, cannot be accepted by Rama. Such\nan ill treatment Raghava will not put up with, even as a powerful tiger\ncannot bear the rubbing of its tail (by another). This world aided by\nthe gods fear to encounter him in high conflict; but he restrains\nhimself, thinking any such action on his part as unrighteous. Indeed,\nthat righteous one brings back people to morality. Surely, that\nmighty-armed one endowed with exceeding prowess, can with his golden\nshafts burn all creatures and the oceans, like the Day at the\ndissolution of all. But such a man of men, possessed of leonine\nstrength, and graced with the eyes of a bull, has been destroyed by his\nfather, like a fish destroying his offspring. If you had believed in the\nmorality prescribed in the scriptures, and which is followed by the\ntwice-born ones, you would not have banished your son. But disregarding\nsuch morality, you have banished your virtuous son. One of the refuges\nof a woman is her husband, a second is her son, and a third is her\nrelatives; and a fourth she has none. But you cease to be mine; and Rama\nhas been sent to the woods. I do not like to go into the forest; so I am\nentirely undone by you. This kingdom, your own kingdom, has been\ndestroyed by you; destroyed are; along with the counsellors; destroyed\nam I with my son; and destroyed are the citizens: your son and your wife\nare alone delighted.\" Hearing these words uttered in heart-rending\naccents, Dacaratha exceedingly distressed, became senseless. And being\nafflicted with grief, he again remembered his evil act.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXII.\n\n\nThus harshly addressed by the indignant mother of Rama, the king\naggrieved was plunged in thought. Having thought for a long while, that\nrepressor of foes, the king, who had lost his senses through grief,\nregained consciousness. And having regained his senses, he sighing hot\nand hard, seeing Kaucalya beside him, was again lost in thought. As he\nwas thinking, the sinful act which he had through ignorance formerly\ncommitted by means of the shaft which hits by sound, rose up (in his\nrecollection). Afflicted with this grief as well as that on account of\nRama, that lord, the king, burned in these two several griefs. Burning\nin grief and distressed, he trembling and with joined hands, with his\nhead hanging down, addressed Kaucalya, with the view of pacifying her,\n\"I deprecate thy displeasure, O Kaucalya, with joined hands. Thou art\never affectionate and dost not treat harshly even enemies. Verily unto\nwomen cognizant of virtue, a husband, whether he has any merits or not,\nis a very deity. Ever virtuous, thou, that hast seen both the virtuous\nand the vicious, although aggrieved, ought not to say anything\nunpleasant unto me who am weighed down with woe.\" Having heard these\npiteous words of the distressed king, Kaucalya uttered words even as a\nwater-way lets out fresh accession of rain. And weeping, she drew on her\nhead the joined hands of the king resembling lotuses; and then flurried\nspoke these words hurriedly informed with extreme affection, \"Be thou\npropitious; I beseech with (bended) head. I bow unto thee, falling on\nthe ground. O reverend one, besought by thee, I shall be undone. I do\nnot deserve to be forgiven by thee. She cannot be reckoned a\ngentlewoman, who is propitiated by her intelligent husband, worthy of\nbeing extolled in both the worlds. I know duty, O righteous one; I know\nthat thou art truth-telling. And it is because I was exceedingly\ndistressed on account of my son that I spoke harshly to thee. Sorrow\ndestroys patience, sorrow destroys knowledge of the scriptures, sorrow\ndestroys every thing; there is no enemy like unto sorrow. One can\nfalling down bear beating from an enemy; but one cannot falling down\nbear ever so little sorrow. This is the fifth night of the banishment of\nRama, as calculated by me; and to me rendered cheerless by sorrow, this\ninterval has assumed the proportions of five years. And fostered by\nthought on my part, this grief increases in my bosom, like the mighty\nwaters of the ocean increased by the vehement discharge of rivers.\" As\nKaucalya was thus speaking auspiciously, the rays of the sun grew\nmilder, and the night arrived. Cheered up by the words of Kaucalya, the\nking overcome by grief, felt the influence of sleep.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXIII.\n\n\nStarting in a moment from sleep, king Dacaratha deprived (almost) of his\nconsciousness by grief, (again) became a prey to thought. And in\nconsequence of the exile of Rama and Lakshmana, the king resembling\nVasava was overpowered by grief, like the darkness of Rahu enveloping\nthe sun. Then on Rama's having gone along with his wife, the lord of the\nKocalas, remembering his own misdeed, felt anxious to communicate\nhimself to that lady having her eyes furnished with dark outer corners.\nAnd on the sixth night after Rama had repaired to the forest, the king\nDacaratha, when it was midnight, remembered his own unrighteous act. And\nthen unto Kaucalya aggrieved on account of her son, he spoke these\nwords, \"As are the actions of one, O auspicious one--whether good or\notherwise-- are the consequences, O gentle lady, reaped by the doer of\nthem. He that on the eve of beginning an action either relating to this\nworld or the next, does not take into consideration the fact that\nactions entail consequences light or grave, disagreeable (or otherwise),\nis styled a child. He that cutting down a mango grove, waters Palasa\ntrees, beholding the flowers (blooming), will covet fruits; and grieve\nwhen their season arrives. The person that without apprehending (the\nprinciple of causation) rushes to action, grieves at the season of\nfruits, even like him that watereth _kinsuka_ trees (hewing down his\nmango grove). And in this way, I fool that I am having hewn down my\ngrove of mangos and watered Palacas,--having renounced Rama in the\nseason of fruit, is grieving in the end. Having, O Kaucalya, earned the\nexpression--'The Prince can pierce his aim by sound alone,'--I, a prince\nand bowman, did this offence. Therefore, O noble dame, I have myself\nbrought this misfortune on me. like a child who has eaten poison through\nignorance. And even like another person fascinated by the sight of some\nPalasa trees (and doing as mentioned above), I (did this act) not\nforeknowing the consequence that would follow my shooting by sound. O\nlady, thou wert then unwedded; and I was a youthful prince. And it was\nat this time that the rainy season increasing my desire set in. Drawing\nmoisture from the ground and heated the earth by his rays, the Sun goes\nto the dreadful quarter whither repair the dead. The heat was\nimmediately dispelled, and the gelid clouds showed themselves; and frogs\nand Sarangas and peacocks began to rejoice; and, finding it unpleasant,\nthe feathered ones bathed and with the surface of their plumage shrunk\nup from the wet, took refuge in trees shaken by the wind and rain. And\nthe hill graced by maddened Sarangas, covered by showers falling\nsimultaneously looked like a mass of waters. And the waters although\nunstained, being mixed up with mineral substances and ashes from the\nmountain, flowed in serpentine torrents black and red. At such a sweet\nhour, I intent upon taking excercise, taking my bow and arrows and\nmounted on my car, sallied out for the river Sarayu, with the intention\nthat I with my senses under control, should in the watery expense slay\nany bufifelo, elephant, or any other beast that might have come there in\nthe night. And (coming there) while it was so dark that nothing could be\ndiscovered, I heard sounds of a filling pitcher proceeding from the\nwaters; resembling the roars of an elephant. Thereupon raising up my\nshaft flaming and like unto a serpent of virulent poison, I desirous of\nhunting the (imaginary) elephant, let fly my shaft in the direction of\nthe sound. Thereupon from the spot whereto the sharpened shaft\nresembling a poisonous snake had been discharged by me in the twilight,\nproceeded cries of 'Oh' and 'Alas' uttered by a forester pierced to the\nquick by the arrow, and falling into the water. And when he had dropped\ndown, words spoken by a human being became audible. 'Why doth the weapon\nlight upon me? I had come to this lone stream for procuring water. By\nwhom have I been wounded by this arrow? To whom have I done wrong? And\nhow can the slaying of one like me bearing a load of matted locks, and\nwearing bark and deer-skin, who subsists on what the forest yields and\nnever injures others, be sanctioned by the scriptures? Who can serve any\npurpose by slaying me? And how can I have injured such an one? Such a\npurposeless act cannot but end in evil. This can never be reckoned as\nrighteous; even like unto violating the chastity of a preceptor's wife.\nI do not so much lament my end as I lament it on account of my father\nand mother. To what will the old couple, who have ever been maintained\nby me, betake themselves when I am gone? My father and mother are old,\nand I their only son am slain. What boy is it of uncontrolled senses\nthat has killed us all?\"\n\n\"Hearing his piteous words, I ever anxious to follow virtue, was\nexceedingly pained, and the bow with its arrow fixed fell down from my\nhand to the earth. Hearing in the night, the pathetic words of the saint\nthus lamenting, I became frightened, and was deprived of my senses\nthrough excess of grief. And coming to the quarter, I exceedingly\nunnerved and with an excited mind, discovered on the banks of the Sarayu\nan ascetic wounded with a shaft, with his matted locks scattered about,\nhis pitcher of water lying by, his body smeared with blood and dust and\nafflicted by the dart. Gazing with his eyes at me who was extremely\nagitated and ill at ease, he said these words sternly, as if consuming\nme with his energy, 'What wrong, O monarch, had I residing in the woods\ndone thee, that coming to procure water for my parents, I have been thus\nafflicted by thee? By piercing my marrow with a shaft, thou hast slain\nboth my aged and blind father and mother. Surely, they feeble and blind,\nwho afflicted by thirst are remaining in expectation of me, will now\nbear (the stress and tension of) the expectation as well as the parching\nthirst. Surely asceticism and study carry no fruit with them, since I\nlying low on the ground, my father knows nothing about it. And what\ncould he do, even if he knew it, being as he is incapable and unable to\ngo about? One tree cannot rescue another that is being batttered (by the\nwinds). Do thou, O descendant of Raghu, thyself going to my father,\nspeedily inform of him this that has occurred. But take care that like a\nfire waxing furious consuming a wood, he in his ire do not burn thee.\nThis narrow way, O king, will lead thee unto my father's dwelling. Do\nthou going there, pacify him, so that getting wroth he may not curse\nthee. Do thou (now), O king, take out the arrow. Thy sharpened shaft\nafflicts my marrow, like the tide of a river wearing away a\nhollow-heaving sand bank.' But touching the extracting of the arrow,\nthis thought perplexed me: 'If the arrow is left alone, it pains; if\nextracted, death ensues.' As I was distressed, aggrieved and inflicted\nwith sorrow, the son of the ascetic perceived my anxiety. Thereupon that\none well versed in the scriptures sinking motionless, with his eyes\nrolling upwards, and waxing extremely weak, said with difficulty,\n'Restraining sorrow, I by dint of patience become calm. Do thou remove\nfrom thy mind the grief caused by the consciousness of having slain a\nBrahmana. O king, I belong not to the twice-born race: let not thy mind\nbe pained. O lord of the foremost men, I was begot by a Vaicya on a\nSudra woman.' As he, his vitals afflicted with the shaft, his eyes\nrolling, inert and trembling on the ground, with his limbs drawn in, was\nspeaking with difficulty, I drew out the arrow. Thereupon, looking at\nme, the ascetic, growing affrighted, gave up the ghost. On beholding him\nwith his body dripping with water, and mortally wounded, and breathing\nhard without respite, after he had bewailed his mortal wound, lying on\nthe banks of the Sarayu, I lamented him and was, O gentle lady, greatly\naggrieved.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXIV.\n\n\nRemembering the extraordinary death of the Maharshi, that righteous\ndescendant of Raghu, lamenting his son, thus spoke unto Kaucalya,\n\"Having unwittingly commited that great sin, I, with my senses oppressed\nthrough grief, thought within myself as to how I could mend it. Then\ntaking up the pitcher filled with excellent water, I went by the way\nmentioned and (at last) reached the asylum. There I found his aged,\ninfirm, forlorn, parents, without a one to help them in moving\nabout,--like unto birds whose wings have been severed, keeping up a talk\nabout (their son) without experiencing any fatigue, and like helpless\nones feeding on a hope which had been blasted by me. My senses\noverpowered by grief, and my consciousness almost lost through\napprehension, I, arrived at the hermitage, was again overwhelmed with\nsorrow. Hearing my footsteps, the ascetic said, 'Why, my son, delayest\nthou? Bring the drink at once. Thy mother, O child, was exceedingly\nanxious in consequence of thy sporting in the waters. Do thou speedily\nenter the asylum. O child, it behoveth thee not to take to heart any\nunkind action that, O son, may have been done unto thee of high fame\neither by thy mother or myself. Thou art the resource of these helpless\nones; thou art the eyes of these bereft of their sight. Our lives are\nbound up with thee. Why dost not answer?' Seeing the ascetic with a\nchoked utterance indistinctly speaking thus with the letters not\narticulated clearly, I, dashed in spirits, yet concealing the real state\nof my mind by assuming a doughty tongue, communicated unto him the\ndanger that had beffallen him in consequence of the calamity of his son:\n'I am a Kshatria, Dacaratha (by name), and no son of thine, O\nmagnanimous one. I have come by a misfortune in consequence of an act\nblamed by the good. O revered one, desirous of killing some beast of\nprey, an elephant (or some other), come to the waters, I went to the\nbanks of the Sarayu bow in hand. Then hearing sounds from the water of a\nfilling pitcher, I thought,--This must be an elephant.--I wounded it\nwith a shaft. Next coming to the edge of the river, I saw an ascetic\nlying down on the ground almost deprived of life, with his heart pierced\nwith an arrow. Then coming forward, I in accordance with the direction\ngiven by him as he lay in agony, suddenly extracted the arrow from his\nvitals. And as soon as the arrow had been extracted, he ascended heaven,\nO reverend sir, lamenting and bewailing you, both grown old. It is\nthrough ignorance that I suddenly wounded your son. This having been\npast, do you favor me with telling me what is now to be done, O\nascetic.' Having heard these cruel words, the worshipful ascetic could\nwell by his curse consume me to ashes. With eyes flooded with tears, and\nwell nigh deprived of his senses by grief, that highly energetic one\nsaid unto me standing with joined hands, 'If, O king, thou hadst not of\nthyself immediately communicated unto us this unpleasant news, thy head\nwould have been reduced to a thousand flaws. Not to speak of Kshatriyas,\nI can even drag the very weilder of the thunderbolt himself from his\nposition, if he knowingly kills one, in especial, that has assumed the\nVanaprastha mode of life. Thy head would have been severed in seven, if\nthou hadst discharged the weapon knowingly at such an asectic staying in\nausterities and versed in the Vedas. It is because thou hast done this\nthrough ignorance that thou (still) livest, else the race itself of the\nRaghavas should be not,--and where art thou?' He then said, 'Do thou, O\nking, take us to the scene. To day will we look our last on our son\nbesmeared with blood, his deer-skin garb falling off (from his body),\nlying senseless on the earth, and come under the subjection of the lord\nof righteousness.' Thereupon I alone taking them exceedingly\ndisconsolate to the spot, made the ascetic and his wife touch their son.\nAnd having approached their son and touched him, those ascetics fell on\nhis person, and then his father addressed him thus, 'Thou salutest me\nnot to-day, nor dost thou speak to me. Why, my child, dost thou lie down\non the ground? Art thou angry (with us)? If, my son, thou dost not feel\nkindly to me, do thou look up to thy virtuous mother. And why, O son,\ndost thou not embrace me? Do a thou speak tender words. At the small\nhours, from whom engaged in study, shall I hear the scriptures sweetly\nread in a way coming home to the listener's mind? Who, having performed\nhis daily devotions and offered oblations unto the sacrificial fire,\nwill bathe me, afflicted with grief for my son? And who procuring\nKandas, fruits and roots, will feed me like an welcome guest, incapable\nof doing anything and furnishing provisions, and without any one to take\ncare of myself? And, my son, how will I maintain this blind ascetic\nmother of thine, proud of her son, who is passing her days in misery? Do\nthou stay, my son, in my behalf. Tomorrow thou wilt go to Yama's mansion\nwith me and thy mother. Distressed with grief and rendered miserable in\nthe forest, both of us deprived of thee shall soon repair to the abode\nof Yama. Seeing Vivaswata's son, I will say unto him,--Do thou, O lord\nof justice, forgive me, and let this my son continue to maintain us, his\nparents. It behoves thee, O righteous and illustrious guardian of the\nworlds, to confer on me reduced to such a pass this one enduring\n_dakshina_ capable of removing our fear.-- Thou, my son, art sinless,\nalthough slain by this one who has done an unrighteous act; and by the\nforce of this truth, do thou repair to the world of warriors. Do thou, O\nson, go the supreme way that is gone by heroes who without turning back\nfrom the fight, are slain in open encounter. Do thou, O son, go the way\nthat has been gone by Sagara and Saivya and Dilipa and Janamejaya and\nNahusa and Dhundumara. Do thou, O son, go the way that is gone by all\ncreatures! even by ascetics engaged in the study of the Veda, by\nbestowers of lands, by those performing fire-sacrifices, by individuals\neach devoted to a single wife, men giving away a thousand kine, persons\ntending their preceptors, and individuals renouncing lives by fasting.\nHe that is born in such a race cannot come by any evil case. Such a\ncondition be his that has taken the life of thee, my friend.'\n\n\"Having thus piteously wept, he along with his wife set about performing\nthe watery rites on behalf of his son. Thereupon speedily assuming a\ncelestial shape, the virtuous son of the ascetic by his own actions\nascended heaven in company with Sakra. Then (returning) along with\nSakra, the ascetic comforting his aged parents, addressed them, saying,\n'I have attained a high state in consequence of having served you. Do\nyou also without delay come unto me.' Having said this, the ascetic's\nson of restrained senses ascended heaven by means of an excellent and\ncommodious car. Having performed the watery rites, the highly energetic\nascetic along with his wife speedily said unto me staying with joined\nhands, 'Do thou, O monarch, slay me on the instant. I do not grieve to\ndie'--thou hast by thy shaft rendered me who had an only son, absolutely\nsonless. Since this sorrow arising from the calamity that has befallen\nmy son, is at present mine (through thy instrumentality), I curse\nthee,--thou shalt even in this way find thy death from grief for thy\nson. As thou a Kshatriya hast through ignorance slain an ascetic, the\nsin, O lord of men, of slaying a Brahmana will not envelope thee\nspeedily; but thou shalt shortly come by this dreadful and mortal\ncondition, like a donor of Dakshinas (coming by the things given away).'\nHaving thus inflicted on me the curse and piteously lamented long, the\ncouple ascended the funeral pile and went to heaven. O noble dame, the\ncrime that I hitting by help of sound, had committed in my boyhood, has\nreverted to my recollection in course of thought. And, O exalted lady,\neven as a disease generated by one's taking rice with unhealthy curry,\nthis danger is imminent in consequence of that act. O gentle one, the\nwords of that noble- minded person are about to be verified in me.\"\nHaving said this and weeping, the king said to his wife, \"I shall\nrenounce life through grief for my son. And I shall no more behold thee\nwith my eyes. Do thou, O Kaucalya, touch me. People going to the mansion\nof Yama no more behold (their friends). If Rama touch me directly or\notherwise, obtain the exchequer, and be installed as the heir-apparent,\nmeseems, I may yet live. O noble lady, what I have done unto Raghava is\nnot surely like myself; but what (on the other hand) he has done by me\nis worthy of him. What sensible man forsaketh his son, albeit he may be\nwicked? And what son being banished, does not bear ill will towards his\nfather? But I do not see thee with my eyes, and my memory fails. These\nenvoys of Vivaswata's son, O Kaucalya, urge speed upon me. What can be\nan object of greater regret than, that I during my last moments cannot\nbehold the righteous Rama having truth for prowess? Even as the sun\ndrieth up a drop of water, grief for not seeing my son of incomparable\nacts drieth my spirits. Those are not men--those are gods who in the\nfifteenth year shall again behold Rama's countenance graced with elegent\nand burnished ear-rings. O thou of graceful eye-brows, blessed are they\nwho shall behold Rama's countenance furnished with eyes resembling\nlotus-petals, with excellent teeth and a shapely nose, like unto the\nlord of the stars himself. Blessed are they that shall behold that\nfragrant face of his like unto the autumnal moon, or the full-blown\nlotus. Thrice-blessed they who with delighted hearts, shall behold Rama\nreturned from the forest and come back to Ayodhya, like unto Sukra\ncrowning the zenith? O Kaucalya, my heart is weighed down with grief;\nand I do not perceive objects of hearing, feeling, or taste. My senses\nare growing dim in consequence of the mental stupor, like the rays of a\nlamp reduced to smoke, becoming dim when the oil has been exhausted. As\nthe violence of a river wears away its banks. my grief occasioned\nthrough my own agency is destroying me, who am helpless and insensible.\nO mighty-armed Raghava! O thou remover of my troubles! O thou that dost\ndelight in thy father! thou art my stay, O my son, that hast gone away.\nO Kaucalya, I do not see. O wretched Sumitra! O cruel one, thou enemy of\nmine, thou Kaikeyi, who hast befouled thy line!\" Having thus lamented in\npresence of Rama's mother and Sumitra, king Dacaratha breathed his last.\n\nThus that distressed lord of men, smitten with the exile of his beloved\nson, that one possessed of a gracious presence, when the night had been\nhalf spent, wrought up with the violence of his emotion, departed this\nlife.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXV.\n\n\nWhen the night had gone away, on the morning of the next day, eulogists,\naccomplished bards, genealogists skilled in reciting, and singers versed\nin musical permutation, presenting themselves at the place of the\nsovereign, began to perform separately. And as they eulogized the\nmonarch with benedictions loudly uttered, the palace resounded with the\nsounds of the eulogies. And as the bards hymned the monarch,\npalm-players celebrating the deeds of the kings of the Raghu race, began\nto play with their palms. And awakened by those sounds, birds on boughs\nand in cages worthy of the royal race, uttered notes. And the sacred\nwords uttered (by these), the notes of _Vinas_, and the valedictory\nsongs of singers filled that mansion. And as on former occasions, men\npractising purity and well up in serving, with numerous women and\neunuchs entered appearance. Persons acquainted with the ceremonials\nconnected with bath, according to the ordinance and in due time, in\ngolden vessels brought water impregnated with _hari-_ sandal powder.\nPure females together with many virgins brought kine &c, which were to\nbe touched, Ganges water for sipping, mirrors, cloths, ornaments and\nother articles. All the things that were procured (for presentation unto\nthe monarch) were worshipped in accordance with prescription, were\nfurnished with auspicious marks, and were of excellent virtues and\npossessed of auspiciousness. As long as the sun did not rise, all these\npeople remained expecting the presence of the king; but then they were\nalarmed as to what had occurred.\n\nThose ladies that were beside the bed of the lord of Kocala, were\nconsoling their husband. And engaged in tending the monarch with mild\nand pliant words, those females knowing the condition of sleep, feeling\nhim as he lay in his bed, did not perceive any action in the ever-moving\npulse. Thereupon apprehensive for the king's life, they began to tremble\nlike a blade of grass on a torrent. Filled with doubts at sight of the\nking, the ladies at last concluded that what had been apprehended (by\nthe monarch) had certainly taken place. Overcome by grief for their\nsons, Sumitra and Kaucalya were sleeping as if they were dead, and had\nnot yet awaked. Deprived of lustre, pallid, stricken by sorrow, and\nlying with her limbs contracted, Kaucalya looked like a star enveloped\nin darkness. And after Kaucalya, the king, and after him, Sumitra; and\nwith her countenance faded from grief, this noble lady did not look\nparticularly lovely. Finding these two ladies asleep and the king\nseeming as if sleeping, the inmates of the inner apartment showed\nthemselves as if their lives had departed out of them. Thereupon\nexceedingly distressed, those paragons of their sex, like she-elephants\nin the forest deprived of their leader of the herd, broke out into\nwailing. At the sounds of their lamentations, bpth Kaucalya and Sumitra\nsuddenly regaining consciousness, awoke from their sleep. And Kaucalya\nand Sumitra looking at the king and feeling him, felt down to the earth,\nexclaiming, \"Ah lord.\" As the daughter of Kocala's lord rolled on the\nground, she covered with dust did not appear in all her loveliness, like\na star fallen from the sky to the earth below. And when the king had\ndeparted this life, the women saw Kaucalya fallen on the earth like the\nslain mate of an elephant. Then all the wives of the monarch headed by\nKaikeyi, burning with grief and weeping, were well nigh rendered\nsenseless. And the loud sounds emitted by these, mingling with those\n(who had been lamenting before them), attained greater proportions and\nfilled the hall. And the mansion of the king became filled with people\nexceedingly excited and frightened, eager to know all about the\nmatter,--became filled with lamentations, with friends afflicted with\ndistress, its joy instantaneously vanished--a scene of distress and\ndole. Knowing that the lord of earth had departed, his wives surrounding\nthat illustrious one, smitten with excess of sorrow and weeping bitterly\nand piteously, holding the king's hands indulged in lamentations, like\nforlorn ones.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXVI.\n\n\nSeeing the king had ascended heaven., like unto a fire that has cooled,\nor an ocean deprived of its waters, or the sun shorn of his splendour,\nKaucalya afflicted with woe, taking on her lap the head of the king,\nwith tears in her eyes, said, \"O Kaikeyi, attain thou thy wishes: do\nthou enjoy this kingdom rid of thy thorn. O cruel one, O thou of wicked\nways, thou that forsaking the king had set thy heart (on having thy son\ncrowned), Rama had gone away, forsaking me; and now my lord has ascended\nheaven. I can too longer bear to live, like one left lone in a\nwilderness by her companions. What other woman except Kaikeyi lost to\nrighteousness, having lost her deity, her lord, wishes to carry on\nexistence in another's kingdom? As a covetuous person taking poison\n(through anger or some other passion), does not consider himself guilty,\n(so Kaikeyi) having done this evil through Manthara's incitement, does\nnot bring her guilt home to her mind. It is through the instrumentality\nof the hump-backed woman that this race of the Raghavas has been\ndestroyed by Kaikeyi. Hearing that the king being made to do an\nunrighteous action, has banished Rama together with his wife, king\nJanaka will be filled with grief as I have been. That virtuous one does\nnot know that to-day I have become helpless and been widowed. Rama of\neyes resembling lotus-petals has living been removed from my sight. The\nfair daughter of Videha's king unworthy of hardship, in ascetic guise is\nleading a life of trouble and terror in the woods. Hearing at night the\ndreadful roars of birds and beasts crying, she exceedingly frightened\ntakes shelter with Raghava. Old and having an only daughter, he\nrevolving in his mind thoughts of Vaidehi, shall, smitten with grief,\nsurely renounce his life. I ever faithful to my lord will die this very\nday, embracing this body; I will enter fire.\" As embracing the (dead)\nbody, that unfortunate lady was bewailing, the courtiers had the\ndistressed (queen) removed from there. Then placing the corpse of the\nking in a (capacious) pan with oil, the courtiers performed the mourning\nrites of the monarch. But well versed in every thing, the counsellors,\nin the absence of his son, did not perform the funeral obsequies of the\nking; and therefore they placed his body stretched in the pan of oil.\nAlas! at length concluding it for certain that the king was dead, the\nladies burst out into lamentations. And raising their arms, with tears\ntrickling down their faces, they in dire affliction and extremely\nexercised with grief, lamented, \"O monarch, why do you forsake us, who\nhave been already deprived of Rama ever speaking fair and firm in\npromise? Renounced by Rama, how shall ye, rendered widows, stay with the\nwicked Kaikeyi, co-wife with us? That one of free soul is our master, as\nhe is the lord of yourself. Rama has gone to the woods, forsaking regal\ndignity. Deprived of you as well as that hero, and overwhelmed with\nmisfortune, how shall we live reprimanded by Kaikeyi? She that has\nrenounced the king, Rama, and Lakshmana along with Sita-- whom can such\na one not renounce?\" Thus with tears in their eyes, the wives of that\ndescendant of Raghu, joyless and convulsed with a huge passion,\ndisplayed signs of sorrow. Like a night without stars, like a fair one\nforsaken by her husband, the city of Ayodhya without the magnanimous\nmonarch did not appear delightful as it had done before, with the\npopulace filled with tears, the ladies uttering exclamations of\ndistress, and the terraces and courts deserted. On the lord of men\nhaving ascended heaven from grief, and the wives of the king remaining\non the earth, the sun, his journey done, set, and the night began her\ncourse. The idea of consuming the king's corpse in the absence of his\nson did not recommend itself to the assembled adherents (of the\ndeparted). Thinking this, they in that way laid the king endowed with an\ninconceivably dignified presence. And with her terraces overflowing with\ntears that flooded the throats of the mourners, the city appeared like\nthe welkin without its splendour in the absence of the sun, or the night\nwith the stars enveloped. And on the demise of that illustrious\npersonage, in the city men and women in multitudes, censuring Bharata's\nmother, became extremely distressed, and did not attain peace of mind.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXVII.\n\n\nAT length the weary night in Ayodhya. rendered cheerless by\nlamentations, and populous with men with voice choked with tears, was\nspent. And when the night departed and the sun had arisen, those\nofficers of the royal house-hold belonging to the twice-born order,\nMarkandeya, Maudgalya, Vamadeva, Kacyapa, Katyayana, Gautama, and the\nhighly famous Javali, assembled together along with the the counsellors,\nspoke each on different topics. Then facing the royal priest, the\neminent Vasistha, they said, \"That night that had appeared like unto an\nhundred years has at last been painfully passed. The king racked by\nsorrow for his son has breathed his last, the mighty monarch has\nascended heaven, Rama has taken refuge in the woods, the energetic\nLakshmana has gone with Rama, and both Bharata and Satrugna-- repressors\nof foes--are staying in Kekaya in pleasant _Rajagriha_, the abode of\ntheir maternal grandfather. Do you select some one this very day from\nthe descendants of Ikshwaku, be king here. Verily doth a kingdom go to\nruin, when without a king. He that goes garlanded with lightning, and\nhas a mighty voice, even the cloud--doth not with skyey shower drench\nthe Earth in a kingdom without a king. In a kingless kingdom no one sows\ncorn. In a kingless kingdom the son does not obey his sire, or the wife\nher husband. A kingless kingdom possesses no wealth, and wives are hard\nto keep in such a place. This great fear attends a kingless country. And\nwhere is other morality (besides that detailed above) to be found at\nsuch a place? In a kingless country men do not form themselves into\nassociations, nor do they, inspired with cheerfulness, make elegant\ngardens or sacred edifices. In a kingless country, the twice-born ones\ndo not celebrate sacrifices. In a kingless country, in mighty sacrifices\nwealthy Brahmanas do not confer (on the officiating priests) the\n_dakshinas_ (which they receive according to the ordinance), In a\nkingless country, neither social gatherings, nor festivities\ncharacterised by the presence of merry theatrical managers and\nperformers, increase. In a kingless country disputants cannot decide\ntheir point; nor are persons given to hearing Puranic recitations\npleased by those delighting in the practice. In a kingless country,\nbevies of virgins decked in gold do not repair to gardens for purposes\nof sport. In a kingless country, the wealthy are not well protected; nor\ndo shepherds and cultivators sleep with their doors open. In a kingless\ncountry pleasure-seeking people do not in company with females go to the\nwoods by means of swift vehicles, In a kingless country long-tusked\nelephants sixty years old, bearing bells on their necks, do not walk the\nhighway. In a kingless country one hears not the clappings of persons\nengaged in shooting arrows constantly. In a kingless country traders\ncoming from distant lands, loaded with various kinds of merchandise, do\nnot with safety go along the roads. In a kingless country the ascetic\nwith his subdued senses, himself his sole protector, who makes his\nquarters wherever evening overtakes him, cannot walk contemplating the\nDeity. In a kingless country, one cannot protect what one has, or\nprocure what one has not. In a kingless country, the forces cannot bear\nthe onslaught of the foe. In a kingless country men cannot at will go on\nexcellent and high-mettled horses and ornamented cars. In a kingless\ncountry persons well versed in learning can not engage in controversy,\nrepairing to woods and groves. In a kingless country, persons with\nintent hearts do not offer garlands, sweets, and _dakshinas_, for\nworshipping the gods. In a kingless country, princes smeared with sandal\nand _aguru_, do not look graceful like trees in spring. Even as a river\nwithout water, a wood without grass, a herd of kine without a keeper, is\na kingdom without a king. The sign of a car is its pennon, of fire is\nsmoke, and our banner the king, has gone to heaven. In a kingless\ncountry a person hardly preserves his life; and like fishes people eat\nup one another. Even those heretics who having disregarded the dignity\nof social morality had met with chastisement at the hands of the king,\ntheir fear removed--give themselves airs. As the sight is engaged in the\nwelfare of the body, the king--that fountain of truth and religion--is\nengaged in compassing the good of the kingdom. The king is truth, the\nking is morality, the king is the racial dignity of those possessed of\nthe same, the king is the father, the king is the mother--the king\ncompasseth the welfare of men. By virtue of magnanimity of character, a\nking surpasses Yama and Vaicravana and Sakra and Varuna endowed with\nmighty strength. If there were not a king in this world to adjudge fair\nand foul, darkness would overspread (the face of the earth) and people\ncould not distinguish anything whatever. As the ocean keepeth within its\ncontinent, we even while the monarch lived, did not disregard your\nwords. Do you, O best of Brahmanas, beholding our acts rendered\nnugatory, and this empire become a wilderness for want of a king,\ninstall that descendant of Ikshwaku or any other as king of this realm.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXVIII.\n\n\nHearing their words, Vasishtha said unto the Brahmanas and the adherents\nand counsellors (of the king), \"Bharata, on whom the king has conferred\nthe kingdom, along with his brother Satrughna, is living happily in the\nhouse of his maternal uncle. Let envoys by means of fleet couriers\nspeedily repair thither and bring those heroic brothers. What shall we\ndecide?\" \"Let them go\"--said all unto Vasishtha. Hearing their words,\nVasishtha spake unto them, saying,-- \"Come here, thou Siddhartha, and\nVijaya, and Jayanta, and Acokanandana. Do ye hear. I will tell you what\nye are to do. First going speedily to the royal residence by means of\nswift horses, do you, renouncing grief, by my order speak these words of\nmine unto Bharata, 'The priest as well as the counsellors have enquired\nafter your welfare. Do you at once set out. A business is at hand that\nbrooketh no delay on your part.' But ye must on no account communicate\nunto him the exile of Rama, or the demise of the monarch, or the\ndestruction that hath befallen the Raghu race through this occasion. Do\nye, speedily taking silk apparel and excellent ornaments for king\nBharata, set off.\" Thereupon, having been furnished with the necessaries\nfor the journey, they bound for Kekaya went to their respective abodes,\nmounted on goodly horses. Then having supplied themselves with the\nnecessaries of the journey, the envoys in consonance with Vasistha's\ninjunction, speedily went away. Having proceeded by the west of\nAparatala, they in the middle crossed the Malini, and went towards the\nnorth of Pralamva. Then crossing the Ganga at Hastinapura, and arriving\nat Panchala, they proceeded westward through Kurujangala. And beholding\nwatery expanses filled with blown blossoms, and rivers containing\npellucid waters, the envoys proceeded apace on account of the errand\nthey had on hand. And they darted past the Saradanda overflowing with\ndelightful water, beautiful, and haunted by fowls of various kinds. Then\non the western bank of the stream, coming upon a tree called\nSatyapayachana presided by a deity, and bowing down unto the tree and\ngoing round it, they entered the city of Kulinga. And having passed\nTeyobibhabana and arrived at Abhikala, they crossed the sacred stream\nIkshumati belonging to the Ikshwakus for generations. Beholding here\nBrahmanas versed in the Vedas drinking water with their joined hands,\nthey went through Vahllika towards the mount Sudaman. There seeing the\nfoot-print of Vishnu, they, desirous of doing the bidding of their\nmaster, proceeded a long way, viewing the Vipaca and the Salmali and\nrivers and tanks and pools and ponds and sheets of water and various\nkinds of lions and tigers and deer and elephants. And with their\nvehicles fatigued, the ambassadors, on account of the great distance of\nthe way, speedily reached that best of cities, Girivraja. And for\npleasing their master, for the preservation of the people, and enabling\nBharata to assume the reins of government, those envoys, casting aside\nnegligence, swiftly entered the city in the night.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXIX.\n\n\nThe very same night that the envoys entered the city, Bharata saw an\nevil dream. And seeing that evil dream during the short hours, the son\nof that king of kings exceedingly burned in grief. And rinding him\naggrieved, his sweet speeched associates, endeavouring to chase the\nheaviness, began to converse on a variety of subjects. Some played on\ninstruments; some for the purpose of pacifying his mind, danced (the\ncourtezans); others performed scenes variously fraught with the\nsentiment of mirth. But although his friends intending to allay his\nagitation set about enacting passages calculated to amuse family\ncircles, that magnanimous descendant of Raghu did not indulge in\nlaughter. Then a dear friend addressed Bharata, as he sat surrounded by\nhis friends, \"Surrounded by your friends, why do you not, my friend,\njoin in the mirth?\" Thus asked by his friend, Bharata answered, \"Listen\nwhy this depression has overtaken me. In a dream I beheld my father,\npale, with his hair loosely flowing about, plunging from the summit of a\nmountain into a dirty pool filled with cow-dung. And I saw him floating\non a sink of cow-dung, and yet with a momentary laugh drinking oil by\nmeans of his joined hands. Then feeding on rice mixed with sessame, he\nagain and again hanging his head down, dives into oil with his limbs\nrubbed with oil. And in my dream I saw the ocean dried up, and the moon\nfallen on the earth, and the earth as if invaded by enfolding darkness,\nand the tusk of the elephant on which the monarch rides falling in\nfragments, and flaming fire suddenly extinguished, and the earth rent,\nand the trees withered, and all the mountains befching smoke. . And I\nsaw the king seated on a sable seat of iron, clad in a sable garb; and\nwomen black and yellow beating him. And bearing a garland of red\nflowers, with his body daubed with red sandal, he was fast proceeding to\nthe south in a car yoked with asses. And women clad in red garment were\nlaughing at him, and a grim-visaged Rakshasa was seen by me as dragging\nhim. This was the dream that I saw this terrible night. Either I, or\nRama, or the king, or Lakshmana is to breathe our last. The smoke of the\nfuneral pyre of him will be shortly visible that goes in the car yoked\nwith asses. It is for this reason that I am poor of spirit, and that I\ndo not respond to your words. Further, my throat is parched, and my mind\nill at ease. Ground of fear find I none, yet am I subject to fear. My\nvoice is untuned, and my grace fled, and I begin to despise my life, nor\nknow I the reason why. Bringing to mind this various-looking dream which\nI had not thought of before, and remembering the king of\nincomprehensible presence, this fear goeth not from my heart.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXX.\n\n\nBharata was speaking thus when the envoys with their vehicles fatigued,\nentered the splendid royal residence surrounded by a strong rampart.\nPresenting themselves before the king, they, well received by him as\nwell as the prince, bowed down unto the feet of the monarch. Then they\naddressed Bharata, saying,--'The priest and the counsellors have\nenquired after your welfare. Do you set out speedily. A business is on\nhand that brooketh no delay on your part. And, O you of expansive eyes,\ndo you take these costly raiments and ornaments, and present them unto\nyour maternal uncle and grand-father. Twenty Kotis are intended for the\nking and complete ten for your maternal uncle, O son of the monarch.\"\nTaking all these, Bharata attached to his relatives, made the articles\nover unto them; and receiving the envoys with goodly gifts, spoke unto\nthem, \"Is my father, king Dacaratha, well? And is it well with Rama and\nthe high-souled Lakshmana? And is the mother of the intelligent Rama,\nthe revered Kaucalya, conversant with virtue and ever practising it,\nwell? Is the virtuous Sumitra.--mother of Lakshmana and of the heroic\nSatrughna--well? And that wrathful one ever intent on her interest and\nsetting immense store by her wisdom, my mother Kaikeyi--is it also well\nwith her?\" Thus addressed by the magnanimous Bharata, the envoys spoke\nunto him these humble and brief words, \"Those of whose welfare you are\nenquiring after, are, O foremost of men, all well. Sree seated on the\nlotus asks for you. Let your car be yoked.\" Thus addressed, Bharata said\nunto the envoys, \"Let me tell the king that the envoys are urging speed\non me.\" Having said this, that son of the king. Bharata, communicated\nunto his maternal grand-father what the envoys had told him. \"Asked by\nthe envoys, I shall, O monarch, go to my father. I shall come again\nwhenever you will remember me.\" Thus accosted by Bharata, his maternal\ngrand-father, the king, smelling Bharata's head, spoke these auspicious\nwords unto that descendant of Raghu, \"Go, my child; I permit thee.\nKaikeyi is mother of a worthy son through thee. Do thou, O subduer of\nfoes, communicate our welfare unto both thy father and thy mother. Do\nthou likewise communicate the same unto the priest and the other\nprincipal Brahmanas; as also, my child, unto those mighty bowmen, the\nbrothers Rama and Lakshmana.\" Then honoring Bharata, king Kekaya\nconferred on Bharata wealth consisting of choice elephants maintained\n(at the palace) and woolen sheets and deerskins. And the king presented\nhim with dogs brought up in the inner apartment, resembling tigers in\nstrength and prowess, furnished with teeth representing weapons, and\nlarge of body. And honoring the son of Kaikeyi, Kekaya gave him two\nthousand _nishkas_ and six hundred horses. And for following Bharata,\nAcwapati without delay assigned a number of goodly, trustworthy, and\nqualified courtiers. And Bharata's maternal uncle conferred on Bharata\nwealth in the shape of graceful elephants sprung in the Iravat mountain\nand the country called Indracira; as well as fleet and well-broken\nhorses. But owing to the hurry of his departure, Bharata the son of\nKaikeyi did not appear to be so very much gratified with the gifts.\nOwing to his having seen the dream and the post haste speed of the\nenvoys, a mighty anxiety was present in his heart. Then issuing from his\nabode, that one possessed of exceeding grace passed the goodly\nthoroughfare thronged with men, horses, and elephants. Having left it\nbehind, Bharata saw (before him) the inner apartment (of the king); and\nthereupon the handsome Bharata entered it without let. Then after\nspeaking with his maternal grandfather and uncle, Yudhajit, Bharata\nascending a car, set out with Satrughna. Thereat servants by means of an\nhundred cars, furnished with circular wheels, and yoked with camels,\noxen, horses, and asses, followed Bharata. Protected by the forces and\nthe courtiers of his material grandfather dear unto him like his\nownself, the magnanimous Bharata who had his foes removed, taking with\nhim his brother, Satrughna, departed from the abode (of the king), like\na Siddha issuing from the regions of Indra.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXI.\n\n\nIssuing from the palace, the blazing Bharata endowed with prowess went\nin an easterly direction, and seeing before him the river called Sudama,\ncrossed it. Then the auspicious descendant of Ikshwaku crossed the broad\nHradini coursing westwards, as also the river Satadru. Then crossing a\nriver at Eladhana,[153] and coming to Aparaparvata,[154] he crossed the\nSila[155] and the Akurvati, and arrived at Agneya[156] and\nSalyakarshanam. And having purified himself and seen Silavaha,[157] that\none of truthful purposes passed the Mahacailas,[158] and entered the\nforest of Chaitraratha. Then coming upon the confluence of the Ganga.\nand the Saraswati, Bharata entered the forest of Varunda lyingto the\nnorth[159] of Viramatsya. Next crossing the rapid river Kulinga and the\nHradini surrounded by hills, as Well as the Yamuna, he ordered the\nforces to halt. Then cooling the limbs of the fatigued horses (with\nwater) and refreshing them, Bharata himself bathed there and drank of\nthe water; and then resumed the march, furnished with the water. Then\nthe gentle prince by means of an excellent car, like unto the wind-god\nhimself, entered the mighty forest inhabited by various races of men.\nSeeing that the mighty river Ganga was hard to cross at Ancudhana,\nBharata speedily went to the famous city of Pragvata. And having crossed\nthe Ganga at Pragvata, he went over to the Kutikoshtika. Having with his\nforces crossed that river, he proceeded to Dharmavarddhana. Then\nproceeding by ie south of Torana, he came to Jamvuprastha. Then\nDacaratha's son went to the beautiful village of Varutha. Having for a\nwhile stayed at that romantic wood, he proceeded eastwards, and\npresented himself at the villa of Ujjihayana, where abound trees\n(called) Priyaka. Coming to the Priyakas, Bharata speedily yoking the\nhorses, set out without delay, issuing his orders to the forces. Then\nsojourning at Sarvatirtha and crossing the river there flowing\nnorthwards as well as others abounding in various kinds of mountainous\nhorses, Bharata arrived at Hastiprishthaka. And at Lohitya that foremost\nof men crossed the Kapivati, at Ekasala, the Sthanumati, and at Vinaya,\nthe Gomati. And Bharata arriving at a forest of Sala trees in the city\nof Kalinga, speedily passed it with his forces way-worn. And having\npassed the forest swiftly over night, he at sunrise saw Ayodhya built by\nking Manu. Having spent seven nights on the journey, that chief of men\nbeheld Ayodhya before him and thus addressed the charioteer, \"O\ncharioteer, from the distance Ayodhya seemeth like a mass of black\nearth, albeit she boasts of sacrificial priests crowned with every\nvirtue, Brahmanas versed in the Vedas and opulent people, and albeit she\nis maintained by Rajarshis. Formerly one could hear a great and mighty\ntumult all round Ayodhya proceeding from men and women; but I do not\nhear this to-day. The gardens wherefrom persons having sported in the\nevening used to rush out (at day break) wear a different aspect now.\nForsaken by the pleasure-seekers, the gardens appear to weep. And, O\ncharioteer, the city appears to me like a wilderness. And I do not as\nformerly behold the flower of the city leaving or entering her on cars\nor elephants or horses. Gardens which, frequented by people inebriated\nwith the honey of love, met together for purposes of sport, looked\ncharmingly blooming, I find as utterly void of cheerfulness, with the\ntrees as if lamenting with tremulous leaves. Still do I not hear the\ninarticulate though sweet and delicious voice of beasts and birds crying\nin chorus.[160] Why, as before, doth not the blameless[161] and bland\nwind blow mixed with (the perfume of sandal and faint with _dhupa_? And\nwhy, again, have the sounds of Vinas and Mridangas developed by beating\nsticks, which continually flew in a never-ceasing vigorous course,\nceased to-day? And I witness various evil, unsightly, and\nunpleasant[162] omens, and hence my mind is depressed. O charioteer,\ncomplete good fortune with my friends is hardly to be realised. Bui\nalthough no apparent cause exists for my depression of spirits, yet my\nheart droopeth.\" Then Bharata depressed and cast down and with his\nsenses afflicted, speedily entered the city ruled by Ikshwaku. And\nBharata having his vehicles fatigued, entered by the Vaijayanta[163]\ngate, and went on, followed by the gate-keepers, who enquired after his\nwelfare. Then courteously telling the warders to desist, he with an\nagitated heart spoke unto the tired charioteer of Acwapati, \"0 sinless\none, why have I been brought in this haste without any (adequate)\nreason? My heart apprehendeth some evil; and my disposition gives way. O\ncharioteer, I see around me all those signs which I had heard told as\noccurring on the occasion of the deaths of monarchs. I behold the houses\nof the citizens unswept and unsightly with the doors flung open,--and\ndestitute of grace, without sacrifices and other religious ceremonies,\nwithout the incense of _dhupa_, the citizens fasting, and the people\nappearing with faded countenances, displaying no flags, etc. The abodes\nof the deities are not decorated with garlands, and their courts are\nunclean; and remaining vacant, they look no longer beautiful as\nformerly. And the images are not worshipped; and the places of sacrifice\nare in a like condition. And garlands are not displayed in the shops\nwhere they are sold. And traders looking anxious, with their business\nstopped, do not look as before. And in temples and Chaityas birds and\nbeasts appear dispirited. And in the city I behold men and women pale\nand woe-begone and emaciated and anxious, with tears filling their\neyes.\" Having said this unto the charioteer, Bharata, beholding these\ninauspicious sights, entered the palace of the king with a depressed\nheart. Beholding the city resembling the city of Indra, with her\ncrossings and houses and roads void of people, and the doors and hinges\ncovered with dust, Bharata was filled with greater grief. And witnessing\nmany unpleasant things which he had never seen during the life of the\nmonarch, that high-souled one entered the mansion of his father, bending\nhis head, depressed in spirits, and with his mind extremely aggrieved.\n\n[153] Some read Eladhani.--T.\n\n[154] Some read Apharaparyata.\n\n[155] The river, according to some, is so named because it transforms\n the surrounding objects to stone.--T.\n\n[156] Some make _agneya_ an epithet to Salyakarshana, meaning, relating\n to the south-east.--T.\n\n[157] According to Tirtha. Silavaha is a stream having Agneya on one\n side and Salyakarshana on the other.--T.\n\n[158] Lit., mighty mountains.--T.\n\n[159] _Uttaram, lit._ north. Some texts read _uttaran_. It would mean\n countries lying to the north of Viramatsya.--T.\n\n[160] Some texts read _muhus_--momentarily.\n\n[161] Some texts read _atula_ in place of _amala_,--_incomparable_.\n\n[162] The commentator renders _amognani, inauspicious_. I venture to\n differ from him.--T.\n\n[163] _Vaijayantena_. Another meaning is, _By the gate resembling that\n of Indra's palace_.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXII.\n\n\nNot having seen his father in his father's quarters,[164] Bharata went\nto his mother's apartment for seeing her. On seeing her son before her\nafter his sojourn from home, Kaikeyi delighted, rose up from her golden\nseat. On entering his own quarter which he found deprived of grace, the\nvirtuous Bharata took hold of his mother's auspicious feet. Then\nsmelling the crown of his head and embracing him and taking that\nillustrious one on her lap, Kaikeyi addressed him, saying, \"How many\ndays hence did you leave the residence of the revered one? Hast thou\nfelt any fatigue on the way incident to the car proceeding swiftly? And\nis the revered one well, and thy maternal uncle, Yudhajit? And, my son,\nhast thou passed thy time pleasantly during thy sojourn? It behoves thee\nto tell me all this.\" Thus asked, that son of the king, Bharata,\nfurnished with eyes resembling lotuses told his mother that all was\nwell. \"Seven nights hence I took leave of that revered one's residence.\nMy mother's sire is well, as also my maternal uncle, Yudhajit. My\nvehicles had got tired in consequence of bearing the wealth and jewels\nwhich that subduer of foes, the king, had bestowed on me. And it is for\nthis reason that I have come in advance of them. Urged by the royal\nemissaries, I have come here so swiftly. But it behoves my mother to\ntell me what I wish to ask. This sleeping bedstead of yours adorned with\ngold is empty. I do not see the race of Ikshwaku in their usual good\nspirits. The king generally remains in this apartment of my mother. But\ncoming here with the desire of seeing him, I do not today find him at\nthis place. I would take the feet of my father. Do you tell me who ask\nyou. Is he in the apartment of my eldest mother, Kaucalya?\" Blinded by\nthe lust of dominion, and looking upon that as desirable (unto Bharata)\nwhich was exceedingly disagreeable (to him), Kaikeyi replied unto him,\nwho did not know what had transpired, \"That high-souled and energetic\none ever engaged in sacrifice--the refuge of the good--thy father, the\nking, has come by the state which pertains to all creatures.\" Hearing\nthese words, Bharata of pure ways sprung from a righteous race, smit\nwith the vehemence of sorrow on account of his father, suddenly fell\ndown to the earth. And exclaiming in the anguish of spirit and in the\nexcess of grief, the words, \"Ah me! I am undone!\" that mighty-armed one\nendowed with prowess, fell down, tossing about his arms. Then,\noverwhelmed with sorrow and distressed at the death of his father, that\nhighly energetic one, with his senses distracted, indulged in\nlamentations, \"This bed of my father used to look like the speckless\nwelkin at night crowned with the moon, after the clouds have gone off.\nBut to-day, deprived of that intelligent one, it ceases to shine, like\nthe firmament without the moon or the sea devoid of its waters.\"\nExclaiming with tears trickling down, that foremost of victorious ones,\nextremely afflicted at heart, wept, muffling his graceful countenance.\nSeeing that one resembling a celestial fallen to the earth, striken with\nsorrow, like unto a bough of the Sala that had been severed in the wood\nby an axe, his mother raising up his distressed son like a mad elephant\nor the sun or the moon, addressed him, \"Arise, arise. Why dost thou lie\ndown, O illustrious son of the king? Persons like thee having their\nsenses under perfect control, and approved by men of culture, do not\ngrieve. O thou endowed with understanding, like the halo of the Sun in\nthe solar disc, thy sense, entitled to dispensing gifts and celebrating\nsacrifices, ever follows morals, the Sruti, and asceticism.\"\n\nHaving wept for a long while with his body rolling on the earth,\nBharata. afflicted with manifold grief, answered his mother, saying,\n\"The king will install Rama and celebrate a sacrifice' concluding this\nfor certain, I had joyfully gone from hence. But it has fallen out\notherwise. That I do not behold my father ever engaged in the dear\nwelfare (of his subjects) cleaves my heart, mother. Of what ailment hath\nthe king breathed his last during my absence? Blessed are Rama and\nothers who have personally performed my sire's last rites. Surely the\nrenowned monarch doth not know that I have come. (If he had done so),\npressing down my head, my father would at once have smelt it. Where is\nnow the soft hand of that energetic one which used to rub my person when\nit was covered with dust? Do you now without delay convey the news of my\narrival unto the vigorous Rama, who is at once my father, brother and\nfriend, and whose beloved servant I am. The eldest brother of one that\nis noble and cognisant of morality, becomes his father. I shall take\nhold of his feet: he is now my refuge. And, noble lady, what did that\nvirtuous one cognizant of virtue, that pre-eminently pious one, firm in\nhis vow, and having truth for prowess--even my father, say? I wish to\nhear news concerning us relative to the last moments of the monarch.\"\nThus asked, Kaikeyi related all as it had happened, saying, \"Bewailing\n'Ah Rama!' 'Ah Sita!' 'Ah Lakshmana!' that magnanimous one, the foremost\nof those that have attained to excellent state (after death), has gone\nto the next world coming under the law of time. Thy father like a mighty\nelephant fast bound with a cord, said unto me these words during his\nlast moments,--'Blessed are they that shall see Rama and the\nmighty-armed Lakshmana returned along with Sita.'\" Hearing this, Bharata\napprehending a second misfortune was deeply moved; and with a sad\ncountenance, he again asked his mother, \"Where hath gone that righteous*\nsouled one, the enhancer of Kaucalya's joy, along with Lakshmana and\nSita?\" Thus questioned, his mother at the same time duly said in words.\nwhich although highly unwelcome, she took as agreeable to Bharata, \"O\nson, that son of the king wearing bark has repaired to the forest of\nDandaka, along with Vaidehi and followed by Lakshmana.\" Hearing this,\nBharata apprehending some moral lapse on the part of his brother from\nthe dignity of his race, asked in agitation, \"Has Rama deprived any\nBrahmana of his wealth? Or has he wronged any innocent person, whether\nrich or poor? Has the fancy of the prince gone after the wife of\nanother? For what reason hath brother Rama been banished?\" Thereat his\nvolatile mother, influenced by her feminine nature, related faithfully\nunto him her own doings, Thus asked by the magnanimous Bharata, Kaikeyi\nvainly turning herself on her wisdom, joyfully said, \"Rama has deprived\nno Brahmana of his property, nor hath any innocent person rich or\notherwise been wronged by him,-- nor doth he ever with his eyes look at\nthe wife of another. O son, as soon as I heard of Rama's (coming)\ninstallation, I asked for the kingdom to be conferred on thee, and Rama\nto be banished. Thereupon, he, staying by his promise, did accordingly:\nRama hath been banished along with Sumitra's son and Sita.' Not seeing\nhis beloved son, the illustrious lord of earth, stricken by grief on his\naccount, has breathed his last. Do thou now, O thou cognizant of duty,\ntake charge of the kingdom. I have done all this in thy interests. Do\nnot give way to sorrow. O son, assume patience. This city is subject to\nthee, as well as this peaceful kingdom. Having with the help of the\nprincipal Brahmanas headed by Vasishtha, duly performed the funeral\nobsequies of the king, do thou, without suffering thy energy to depart,\ninstall thyself in the kingdom.\"\n\n[164] The text is evidently corrupt. From the sequel it appears that\n Bharata had _not_ seen the king at that time. The commentator,\n however, passes over the point in silence, which is to be\n accounted for by the slovenliness of the way of thought\n characterizing the Sanskrit commentators in general. An English\n commentator would have considered the matter as of very great\n importance, but his Hindu brother takes it quietly, and passes on\n with indifference.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXIII.\n\n\nHearing of his father's death and the exile of his brothers, Bharata\nburning in grief, said these words, \"Deprived of my father as well as my\nbrother like unto a father, what shall I bewailing them and undone by\nthee do with the kingdom? Thou, like one throwing alkali on a sore,\nhast, by bringing about the death of the king and making Rama an\nascetic, heaped grief on grief. Thou hast come like the fatal night for\nthe destruction of this race. Not understanding it, my father embraced\nlive coal. O thou that hast thy gaze fixed on sin, it is through thee\nthat my sovereign has come by death; and that, O stainer of the line,\nthis race has by thy infatuation been deprived of its happiness. Having\ngot thee, my illustrious sire intent upon truth, king Dacaratha,\nafflicted by extreme sorrow, has departed this life. Why hath the king,\nmy father, ever loving virtue, been deprived of life? Why hath Rama been\nbanished; and wherefore hath he gone to the woods? Afflicted with grief\nfor their son, even if Kaucalya and Sumitra live, it will be hard for\nthem to do so in the presence of thee, my mother. Surely the noble and\nvirtuous Rama, well knowing his duties towards his superiors, regards\nthee as highly as he doth his own mother. In the same way, my eldest\nmother, the far-sighted Kaucalya, doing her duties by thee, bears\nherself like a sister. Why, O sinful one, having sent to the woods her\nmagnanimous son, clad in bark, dost thou not grieve? Having exiled the\nfamous and heroic Rama seeing no sin, clad in bark, what benefit dost\nthou perceive as thine? I deem that thou didst not know how very highly\nI regarded Raghava; and therefore it is that thou hast brought this\nmighty calamity. Not seeing those chiefs of men, Rama and Lakshmana, by\nvirtue of whose energy can I venture to rule the kingdom? The monarch\nwas ever protected by that powerful one possessed of mighty energy, as\nMeru is protected by its forest. Like a calf burdened with a load\ncapable of being borne by a mighty ox, by what energy shall I bear this\nburthen which was borne by an exceedingly strong person? And even if\nthis strength be mine through _yoga_ or vigor of intellect, I will not\ncrown with success the hopes of thee, proud of thy son. Nor, had Rama\nnot always regarded thee as his mother, would I hesitate to renounce\nthee, whose heart hath been set on sin. O thou that viewest\nunrighteousness, O thou who hast fallen off from the way of the good,\nhow could such thoughts unworthy of our line, arise in thy mind? In this\nrace, the eldest brother of all is installed in the kingdom: the other\nbrothers remain under him. O fell one, thou dost not, I think, know the\nmorality of kings, or the consequence that attends its faithful\nobservance. Of all the princes, the eldest is always installed as the\nking. Even this is the accepted principle of all sovereigns--specially\nthe descendants of Ikswaku. But to-day the pride of character of those\nwhose virtue was their sole concern,[165] and who shone in the character\nof their line, has been humbled through thy instrumentality. And how, O\nhighly exalted lady, O thou that wast born in a royal race, could such\nreprehensible fatuity take possession of thy senses? But, O thou bent\nupon sin, I will by no means fulfil the wish of thee by whom hath been\nbrought in the first instance this calamity calculated to end my\nexistence. Further, O sinless one, I will do this at present to\ndisplease thee: I will bring from the forest my brother dear unto his\nrelatives. And having brought back Rama, I will in a perfectly contented\nspirit, become the slave of that one of flaming energy.\" The high-souled\nBharata afflicted (his mother) with multitudes of words causing pain;\nand distressed with grief, emitted sounds like unto a lion in the cave\nof Mandara.\n\n[165] Another interpretation is;--_Whose virtue is their sole\n protector_.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXIV.\n\n\nHaving thus reproved his mother in great wrath, Bharata said again, \"Do\nthou bear thyself from this kingdom, O heartless and wicked Kaikeyi.\nHaving been lost to righteousness, do not thou lament me dead. What\nqualities of thine were taxed by the king or the exceedingly virtuous\nRama, that both of them simultaneously have come by death and exile\nrespectively through thy agency? O Kaikeyi, thou hast been guilty of\nhomicide in consequence of the destruction of this race. Do thou go to\nhell, never to the world attained by my father; since, renouncing Rama\ndear unto all, thou hast committed this sin by thy grim act and brought\nme into fear. Through thee hath my father met with his end, and Rama\nhath taken refuge in the woods; and it is through thee that I have come\nto ignominy among all creatures. O thou enemy of mine in the guise of a\nmother! O fell one! O thou that covetest the kingdom! do thou not speak\nto me, O wicked wretch! O slayer of thy husband! it is because of thee,\nstainer of thy race, that Kaucalya, Sumitra, and other mothers of mine\nhave been overwhelmed with a mighty sorrow. Thou art never the daughter\nof the pious and intelligent Acwapati, thou art a Rakshasi born in that\nrace, thou that hast destroyed my father's race, inasmuch as the\nvirtuous and heroic Rama ever observing truth hath been sent to the\nwoods and my father hath ascended heaven through thy agency; inasmuch as\nthou that hast perpetrated this arch offence, hast laid this sin on me,\nwho have been forsaken by my sire, renounced by my brothers, and come by\nuniversal disfavor. O thou of sinful ways, having separated the virtuous\nKaucalya (from her son), what world, O thou that repairest to hell,\nshall be thy portion? Dost thou not, O tortuous one, know that that one\nsprung from Kaucalya's, self, my eldest brother Rama, who is like a\nfather unto me, has ever been the refuge of his friends? A son born from\nall the limbs of his mother, comes out from her heart; and therefore it\nis that he is far dearer unto his mother, albeit her friends are dear to\nher.[166] Once on a time, it is related by persons cognizant of\nmorality, Surabhi regarded by the celestials, beheld two of her sons\ntoiling on earth and seeming to be deprived of their senses. And, when\nthe day had been half spent, seeing her sons fatigued on earth, she\nstricken with grief for them, began to weep with tears flooding her\neyes. And it came to pass that as the magnanimous sovereign of the\ncelestials was passing below, her fine and fragrant tear-drops fell on\nhis person. Turning his eyes up, Sakra found Surabhi stationed in the\nsky, distressed and weeping in extreme anguish of spirit. Seeing that\nillustrious one burning in grief, the wielder of the thunder-bolt, Indra\nthe lord of the celestials, waxing anxious, with joined hands said, 'Is\nthere any great danger in any quarter? Do thou, O thou that art intent\non the welfare of all, say, whence is this grief of thine?' Thus\naddressed by the intelligent king of the celestials, that one well\nskilled in speech, the sedate Surabhi answered, 'Auspiciousness, O lord\nof celestials! No sin is yours. But I mourn my sons fallen into evil\nplight, having seen them lean, distressed, and burnt by the rays of the\nsun-- Valivarddhas afflicted by the wicked-minded ploughman. Seeing\nthose that have been born of my body, cast down and in trouble, I\ngrieve: there is none that is dear like unto a son.' Seeing her the\nwhole earth is filled with whose sons by thousands, weeping, Indra\nunderstood that none is an object of greater affection than a son. And\nthat lord, Indra, also considered Surabhi of a person breathing a sacred\nodour, whose tears had dropped on his body, as the foremost being on\nearth. Even that one yeilding whatever is asked, auspicious, crowned\nwith the choicest virtues, although having all natural functions,\nshowing equal kindness unto all, and of unequalled character, who\nmaintaineth all creatures, she who hath a thousand sons, grieves (for\nher sons). How can then Kaucalya carry on existence without Rama? Chaste\nand having an only son, that lady has through thee been separated from\nher son, (like a cow separated from her calf). For this, thou wilt\nalways have to suffer misery alike in this world and the next I shall\nfor my part completely minister unto my brother and father; and shall,\nwithout doubt, increase my fame. Bringing hither the mighty-armed lord\nof Kocala endowed with immense strength, I myself will repair to the\nforest inhabited by ascetics. O thou that hast delivered thyself over to\niniquity! I, looked at by the citizens with their throats oppressed with\nthe vapour of grief, cannot bear this (burden of) sin heaped on me by\nthee. Do thou enter fire, or dive into Dandaka, or wound a cord round\nthy neck: other desirable way there is none for thee. On Rama having\ntruth for prowess, obtaining the earth, I, my disgrace removed, shall be\nblest.\" Grieving thus, Bharata, like an elephant in the forest afflicted\nwith a _tomara_ or _ankusa_,[167] fell to the earth sighing like an\nenraged snake. With his eyes reddened, and his cloth falling off, and\nhis ornaments cast away, that subduer of foes, the king's son fallen on\nthe earth, resembled a banner of Sakra after the festival is over.\n\n[166] _Angapratyangaja: lit., born from the limbs principal and minor_.\n The commentator recounts the face, the breast, the abdomen, the\n hands and the feet as constituting the former; and eyes, fingers,\n &c., as the latter.\n\n[167] Names of instruments.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXV.\n\n\nArising after a long while when he had regained his consciousness,\nBharata endowed with prowess, regarding his distressed mother with eyes\nfilled with tears, began to tax her in the midst of the courtiers: \"I\nhad never desired the kingdom. I had never consulted my mother. Nor did\nI know the installation that had been thought of by the monarch. I was\nthen living in a far country in company with Satrughna. I did not know\nthe banishment of the magnanimous Rama to the woods, or the exile of\nSumitra's son; nor did I know how Sita came to be banished.\" As the\nhigh-souled Bharata was thus wailing, Kaucalya recognizing his voice\nspoke unto Sumitra, \"Come is Bharata, the son of that one of crooked\nways. I am desirous of seeing the far-sighted Bharata.\" Having said this\nunto Sumitra, that one emaciated and with a pallid countenance,\ntrembling and almost deprived of sensation, went to where Bharata was.\nAnd it came to pass that the king's son, Bharata, along with Satrughna\nhad just then by the way that led to the same, been proceeding to\nKaucalya's quarter. Then Satrughna and Bharata seeing the aggrieved\nKaucalya, embraced the stricken and fallen lady well nigh deprived of\nher senses. Thereupon, weeping from grief, the noble and intelligent\nKaucalya exceedingly afflicted, embracing them as they indulged in\nsorrow, said unto Bharata, \"Thus hast thou, that hadst desired the\nkingdom, received it rid of its thorn. Alas! it has been speedily\nobtained through the crooked act of Kaikeyi. What is the good that is\nperceived by Kaikeyi of tortuous sight in sending away my son clad in\nbark to the woods? It behoveth Kaikeyi to send me also speedily to where\nis staying my illustrious son furnished with a gold-gleaming navel. Or\nfirst performing the fire-sacrifice, I followed by Sumitra, will myself\nhappily seek the way by which Raghava (has gone to the woods). Or it\nbehoveth thee to thyself bring me unto the place where that foremost of\nmen, my son, is performing austerities. This spacious kingdom abounding\nin corn and wealth, and filled with elephants, horses, and cars, is\nthine, having been conferred on thee (by Kaikeyi).\" Thus reproached by\nmany a harsh word, the sinless Bharata felt exceeding pain like unto\nthat produced by pricking a sore with a needle. Exceedingly agitated, he\nfell at Kaucalya's feet, lamenting much, and well nigh deprived of his\nsenses. Bharata then regained his consciousness, and with joined hands\nanswered Kaucalya lamenting thus and overcome with excess of sorrow,\nsaying,--\"O noble lady, what for dost thou censure me who am without sin\nand who know nothing of this? Thou knowest that profuse is my delight in\nRaghava. May the sense of him never follow scripture, that had approved\nthe exile into the woods of that foremost of the good, the noble Rama\nintent on truth! May such a person as had approved the exile unto the\nwoods of the noble one undergo servitude at the hands of the sinful,\nanswer the calls of nature facing the Sun, and kick a sleeping cow with\nhis feet! May he that had approved the exile of the noble one into the\nwoods come by the sin that is reaped by a master who withholds salary\nfrom servants after the ceremony is over! May that one that had approved\nthe exile of the noble Rama to the woods, be guilty of the sin that is\nhis that injures a sovereign engaged in ruling his subjects like sons!\nMay the person that had approved the exile of the noble one to the\nwoods, reap the sin of his that having taken a sixth part of their\nincomes, does not protect his subjects! May he that had approved the\nexile of the noble one to the woods, come by the demerit that is his\nthat denies _dakshinas_ unto ascetics in a sacrifice, after having\npromised them the same! May he that had approved the exile into the\nwoods of the noble one, never discharge the duty of the good in the\nfield thronged with elephants and horses and cars, and bristling with\narms! May the wicked wight that had approved the exile of the noble one\nto the woods bring to naught the subtle scriptural knowledge which has\nbeen carefully taught him by his intelligent preceptor! May that one\nthat had approved the exile of the noble (Rama) to the woods never\nbehold the long-armed and broad-shouldered (Raghava) resembling the Sun\nand the Moon in energy seated (on the throne)! May that one void of\naversion, that had approved of the exile of the noble one to the woods\nfeed on _Payaca_, _Krisara_, and goat's flesh, which have not been\noffered in sacrifice; and may he insult his spiritual preceptor! May he\nthat had approved the exile of the noble one to the woods touch a cow\nwith his feet, revile his superiors, and injure his friends! May that\none of wicked soul that had approved of the exile of the noble one into\nthe woods divulge any defects (of another's character) that have been\ncommunicated to him in strict confidence! May he that had approved the\nexile of Rama to the woods, never repay any good act, be ungrateful\nabandoned by all,-- the object of universal execration! May he that had\napproved of the exile into the woods of the noble one, eat alone in his\nhome, although surrounded by sons and wives and servitors! May he that\nhad approved of the exile of the noble one, die without obtaining wives\nworthy of him, without sons, without any good works performed! May he\nthat had approved the exile of the noble one into the woods, never see\nhis own offspring, and not attaining ripe age, may he mourn his wives!\nAnd may he come by the sin that is reaped by slaying a king, a woman, a\nboy, or an old man, or by renouncing those who have claims on his\nmaintenance! May he that had approved the exile of the noble one into\nthe woods always feed his family with lac, honey, meat, iron, and\npoison! May that one that had approved the exile of the noble one into\nthe woods, while flying from the engagement while it is waxing furious\nwith the foe, come to be killed! May he that had approved of the exile\nof the noble one into the woods, clad in tatters with a skull in hand,\nlike a madman range the earth abegging! May he that had approved the\nexile of the noble one into the woods, be always addicted to wine, to\nwomen, and to dice; and may he be swayed by lust, anger, &c! May he that\nhad approved of the exile of that noble one into the woods, never relish\nvirtue, and go after unrighteousness; and may he shower his wealth on\nthe unworthy! May he that had approved the exile of the noble one into\nthe woods, have his various accumulated riches by thousands carried off\nby robbers! May he that had approved of the exile into the woods of that\nnoble one, come by the demerit that is his who sleepeth during both the\ntwilights! May he reap the sin that is reaped by an incendiary or him\nthat lieth with his preceptor's wife; or him that wrongs his friend! May\nhe that had approved the exile of that noble one into the woods, never\nserve the gods or the manes of the ancestors or his father and mother!\nMay he that had approved the exile of that noble one into the woods, be\nspeedily shot out from the world of the good, from their fame, and from\ntheir acts! May he that had approved the exile of that long armed and\nbroad breasted one, renouncing the ministration of his mother, turn his\nthoughts to evil! May he that had approved the exile of the noble one,\nbecoming impoverished yet having to support a large family, and\nsuffering from fever, be always miserable! May he that had approved the\nexile of that noble one render fruitless the hopes of poor people\ncherishing them and looking up (wistfully)! May he that had approved the\nexile into the woods of the noble one remaining (always) wicked, cruel\nand impure, leading an unrighteous life and being in (continual) fear of\nhis sovereign, maintain himself by deceit for ever and a day! May that\nwicked person that had approved the exile into the woods of the noble\none disregard his chaste wife remaining near, after she has performed\nher ablutions at the end of her season. May his that had approved the\nbanishment into the woods of that noble one be the sin that is incurred\nby a Brahmana that has rendered himself sonless. May that one of\nbefouled senses that had approved of the exile into the woods of that\nnoble one disturb the worship of Brahmana and milch a cow that has a\ncalf. May that foolish person that had approved the exile of that noble\none forsaking all pleasure in virtue, seek others wives, renouncing his\nown wedded with sacred rites! May he that had approved the exile into\nthe woods of that noble one come by the sin that attaches to a wine\nbiber or one that administers poison to another! May he that had\napproved of the exile into the woods of the noble one bear the sin that\nis his that serves a thirsty soul with deceit. May he that had approved\nthe exile into the woods of that noble one reap the demerit of them that\nfrom devotion to their respective faiths wrangle from their own points\nof view, as well as that of them that listen to the disputation!\" Having\nthus consoled Kaucalya bereft of her son and husband, the prince\nafflicted with distress fell down. Then Kaucalya addressed the aggrieved\nBharata (well nigh) deprived of his senses, swearing strong oaths,\nsaying \"O son, it grieves me more that thou art afflicting my heart by\ntaking oaths. Lucky it is that graced with auspicious marks, thou\nswervest not from virtue. My child, for this reason thou wilt attain the\nregions of pious persons. Saying this, Kaucalya overpowered with\nemotion, drawing into her lap Bharata attached to his brother, and\nembracing the mighty armed one, gave way to grief. And bewailing thus,\nthe mind of the high souled (Bharata) wrought with sorrow, was overcome\nwith the burden of grief. And fallen on the ground, lamenting,\nsenseless, with his intellect overpowered, and momentarily heaving\nsighs, Bharata passed away night in grief.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXVI.\n\n\nAs Bharata, the son of Kaikeyi was thus burning in grief, that foremost\nof those skilled in speech, the saint Vasishtha, endowed with excellence\nof language, said, \"Do not weep, good betide thee, O illustrious prince.\nDo thou perform the funereal rites of the departed king.\" Hearing\nVasishtha's words, Bharata cognisant of duty, bowed down to the ground\nand despatched the ministers for performing the last rites. And raising\nfrom under the oil the body of the king with a sallow countenance, and\nappearing to be asleep, Bharata placed it on the ground upon a couch in\nfront adorned with various gems. Then overwhelmed with grief,\nDacaratha's son bewailed him thus, \"O king, what was it that thou hadst\nintended to do, I absent and away from home, by banishing righteous Rama\nand the powerful Lakshmana? Whither wendest thou, O mighty monarch,\nforsaking these aggrieved people, who have already been deprived of the\nlion like Rama energetic in action? O father, thou having ascended\nheaven and Rama having taken refuge in the woods, who now in this city\nof thine shall protect what the people possess and secure unto them what\nthey have not? Widowed in consequence of losing thee, this earth does\nnot look graceful. The city appeareth unto me like the night deprived of\nthe Moon.\" As Bharata was lamenting thus in dejected mood, the mighty\nascetic Vasishtha again addressed him, saying, \"O mighty armed one, do\nthou without indulging in any reflections, perform those funeral\nceremonies of the monarch which ought to be performed.\" Thereupon\nhonoring his words by saying, \"So be it,\" he urged speed upon all the\nRitwigas, priests, and Acharyas. And then those that had brought the\nking's corpse outside from the fire chamber, instructed by the Ritwigas\nand priests according to the ordinance began to offer oblations into the\nfire. Next placing the king deprived of life on a car, the servants with\ntheir throats oppressed with vapour and with their minds weighed down\nwith dejection carried him. And scattering gold and silver and various\nkinds of cloth, on the way, people went in front of the king. Others\nprocuring sandal, _aguru_ and other resinous incenses, _sarala_,\n_padmaka_ and _devaduru_, cast it (on the earth). And drawing near the\nking there, Ritwigas laid various other fragrant substances on the\nfuneral pile. Then offering oblations into the fire, the Ritwigas began\nto recite _japa_; and as laid down in the scriptures, Sama singers\nchanted Samas. And by means of litters and other conveyances, each\nmounted according to her rank, the wives of the king went out from the\ncity, surrounded by aged men. And Ritwijas went round the corpse of the\nking who performed many sacrifices leaving it on the left side. And\nkindling with grief, the females also headed by Kaucalya,\n(circumambulated the pyre). And then there was heard the wail of women\ndistressed with grief weeping piteously by thousands like unto\nKraunchis. Weeping again and again with their sense lost, the wives of\nthe king alighted from the car on the banks of the Sarayu. Having\nperformed the watery rites, the wives of the monarch as well as the\ncounsellors and priests, in company with Bharata entering the city with\ntears in their eyes, spent ten days[168] in mourning lying down on the\nground.\n\n[168] The _Smriti_ lays down twelve days of mourning for kings, and\n sixteen for Ksbatriyas. Parasara, however, fixes _ten days_ for\n Kshatriyas in general.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXVII.\n\n\nWhen the ten days had gone by, the king's son, his uncleanness\n(consequent on the demise of his father) removed, performed the\n_sraddha_ on the twelfth day. On the occasion of the ceremonies for the\nwelfare of the departed spirit, the son of the king conferred on\nBrahmanas wealth and gems, and rice in abudance, and herds of goats, and\nsilver in profusion, and countless kine, and maid-servants and\nman-servants, and vehicles and spacious mansions. And on the thirteenth\nday, the long armed Bharata, overwhelmed with grief, burst into\nlamentation. And coming to the foot of the funeral pyre for gathering\nthe bones of the departed, he overcome with grief, with his throat\nobstructed with the sounds of lamentation, said, \"my father, on brother\nRama, to whom I had been consigned by thee, having gone to the forest, I\nhave been cast by thee into vacancy. My father, forsaking forlorn mother\nKaucalya, whose stay her son, had gone to the forest, where hast thou\ngone, O king?\" And seeing the spot where lay the bones of his father\nmixed with ashes and embers, Bharata looking at the place where occurred\nthe dissolution of his father's frame, carried away by emotion, indulged\nin sorrow. And seeing this, he exceedingly distressed, crying fell down\nto the ground. And raised up (by others) he looked like an uplifted\nbanner of _Sakra_ bound to an engine. And his counsellors rushed towards\nthat one of pure vows, like the saints making towards Jayati as he was\nfalling on the extinction of his merit. Seeing Bharata plunged in grief,\nSatrughna remembering the king, fell down to the ground deprived of\nconsciousness. And devoid of sense and like a madman, he in grief of\nheart began to lament remembering all the virtues of his father again\nand again. \"This terrible sea of grief owing its origin to Manthara,\ncontaining its ferocious aquatic animal in the shape of Kaikeyi, and\nincapable of being disturbed in consequence of the bestowal of the boon\ndrowns (us). O father, where hast thou gone, leaving the tender and\nyouthful Bharata fondled by thee, to lament (thy loss). Thou didst use\nto confer on us eatables and drinkables and attires and ornaments. Who\nwill now do so? Deprived of thee, the high souled king cognisant of\nduty, the earth albeit her time of riving is come, is not yet riven. My\nfather having gone to heaven and Rama having sought the woods, how can I\nlive? I will enter fire. Bereft of my brother and sire, I will not enter\nthe empty Ayodhya governed by the Ikshwakus. I will repair to the forest\nof asceticism.\" Hearing his lamentations and seeing that disaster, all\nthe followers became all the more distressed. Then depressed and\nexhausted, both Satrughna and Bharata rolled on the earth like two bulls\nwith their horns fractured. Then the all-knowing priest of their father\npossessed of sterling worth, Vasishtha, raising Bharata, said unto him,\n\"O Lord this is the thirteenth day since the cremation of thy sire. Why\ndost thou delay, when thou hast to collect the bones? Three couples[169]\npertain in especial to all creatures and these being inevitable, thou\nought not to bear yourself thus. And Sumantra also versed in the nature\nof things, raising up Satrughna and pacifying him, discoursed the birth\nand death of all beings. Being raised up, those renowned chiefs of men\nlooked like Indra's banner stained by shine and shower. And as the\nprinces stood there shedding tears, with reddened eyes, and speaking\nsadly, the courtiers urged them on in behalf of the rites that remained.\n\n[169] Hunger and thirst, ignorance and grief, sickness and death.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXVIII.\n\n\nThen Satrughna, the younger brother of Lakshmana spoke unto Bharata\nburning in grief as he was revolving in his mind the (intended) journey\n(to Rama), \"Need it be said that Rama is the refuge both of himself and\nall creatures in trouble? That Rama possessed of strength hath been\nexiled into the woods by a woman! And powerful and having prowess, why\ndid not Lakshmana deliver Rama by checking our father? The king bent\nupon following an unrighteous course through the influence of a woman,\nshould, the justice or otherwise of the measure being fully weighed, at\nthe very outset have been checked.\" As Lakshmana's younger brother\nSatrughna was speaking thus, appeared there at the door in front the\nhump-backed one adorned with every kind of ornament, with her body\nbesmeared with sandal paste, wearing regal apparel, and variously decked\nout with a variety of ornaments. And adorned with elegant cones, and\ndivers other superb ornaments, she looked like a female monkey tethered\nwith a rope. At that time seeing that one of horrible misdeeds,\n(Bharata) who stood near the door, seizing the hump backed one\nruthlessly, took her unto Satrughna, and said, \"That one through whom\nRama has gone to the wood and our father has renounced his body this is\nthat wicked and remorseless one. Do thou deal with her as thou likest.\"\nAt Bharata's command Satrughna observing vows waxing exceedingly\naggrieved, addressed all the inmates of the inner apartment, saying,\n\"This one has occasioned intense misery unto my father and brothers. Let\nher now take the fruit of her fell deed.\" Having said this, he furiously\nfell upon the hump backed one surrounded by her maids. Thereupon she\nwith her cries made the chamber resound. Concluding Satrughna fired with\nrage, her associates extremely pained, fled away in all directions. Then\nher companions in a body took counsel of each other, saying,\n\"considering the way in which he has entered upon it, he will annihilate\nus quite. Let us therefore seek the protection of the tender hearted\ngenerous, pious and illustrious Kaucalya. Even she is our sure refuge.\nOverpowered with rage, that chastiser of foes, Satrughna, dragged the\nshrieking hump-backed one to the ground. As Manthara was pushed this way\nand that, her various ornaments were scattered over the floor. Aad\nstrewn with those ornaments, the graceful chamber of the palace looked\nlike the autumnal firmament. And that foremost of men possessed of\nstrength holding her, began to reprove Kaikeyi with harsh speech.\nExtremely hurt by those rough words, Kaikeyi terrified on account of\nSatrughna, took refuge with her son. Thereupon casting his eyes on\nSatrughna, Bharata said, \"A woman is incapable of being slain by any. Do\nthou therefore excuse her. I myself would have slain this wicked Kaikeyi\nof impious deeds, if the righteous Rama should not be displeased with me\non account of my slaying my mother. And if Raghava knows that the\nhump-backed one hath been slain, he surely will speak neither with thee\nnor me.\" Hearing Bharata's words, Satrughna, younger brother unto\nLakshmana, refrained from that wrong and set free the hump-backed woman\nin a swoon. Thereat, sighing hard in exceeding grief, Manthara flung\nherself at Kaikeyi's feet, weeping piteously. Seeing the hump-backed one\ndeprived of her senses in consequence of the pushing she had received at\nthe hands of Satrughna, Bhjarata's mother consoled that distressed\nwoman, who appeared like a Kraunchi that had been entrapped.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXIX.\n\n\nThen on the morning of the fourteenth day, the ministers of the king\nassembled addressed Bharata in the following words, \"Having exiled his\neldest son and the exceedingly strong Lakshmana, Dacaratha who was the\nsuperior of our superiors hath gone to heaven. Do thou, therefore, O\nillustrious prince, become our king. Having been permitted by the king,\nthou wilt commit no fault (by doing so), as this kingdom is without a\nmaster. O Raghava, having procured all these necessaries for the\ninstallation, the counsellors and others as well as the citizens wait, O\nking's son. Do thou, O Bharata, take charge of this secure kingdom\nbequeathed by thy father and grandfather. Do thou, O foremost of men,\nhave thyself sprinkled, and rule over us.\" Thereupon, having gone round\nall the things procured for the sprinkling Bharata firm in his vows\naddressed those persons, saying, \"In our line it is ever fit for the\nfirst-born alone to perform the task of government. It doth not behove\nye who are wise to say so unto me. Certainly Rama our eldest brother\nshall become the king; and I will abide in the forest for five and nine\nyears. Do ye array the grand and mighty army consisting of fourfold\nforces. I will bring back from the forest my eldest brother Raghava. And\ntaking all these necessaries for the investiture in front, I will go in\nthe direction of the forest for Rama. And sprinkling that chief of men\non the spot, I will placing him in our front, bring Rama back, like unto\nfire brought in from the sacrifice. I will never fulfil the desire of\nthis lady proud of her son. I will inhabit the impracticable woods, and\nRama shall become the monarch. Let workmen lay out level roads in uneven\ntracts; and let those men that are adepts in threading places difficult\nto pass through, follow us.\" When the prince had spoken thus in behalf\nof Rama, all those persons answered him in these excellent words, \"For\nsaying this, may Lakshmi seated on the lotus remain at thy side;\ninasmuch as thou wishest to confer the earth on the eldest son of the\nmonarch!\" Hearing that graceful speech of the king's son, tear-drops,\nbegot of delight began to trickle from their eyes and adorned those\nnoble countenances. And their grief removed, with cheerful hearts, the\ncounsellors, courtiers, and others hearing that speech (of the prince),\nsaid, \"O best of men, according to thy order, artizans as well as people\ncherishing a high regard for thee have been directed to lay out a road.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXX.\n\n\nThen set out in advance persons having a knowledge of the humidity or\notherwise of the soil, men skilled in making tents, brave delvers\nengaged in their proper work; those capable of constructing canals and\nwater courses, people on pay, car-makers, men preparing machines,\ncarpenters, those intended to guard the ways, pioneers, cooks,\nperfumers, makers of wicker-ware and able guides. And as the mighty\nthrong began to proceed, it resembled the swell of the sea on the\noccasion of a _parva_. And numbers of men skilled in road-constructing\nwent before furnished with various implements. And hewing away boughs,\nand plants and shrubs and woody projections, stones, and diverse trees,\nthey went on preparing a road. And they set up trees where there were\nnone, and at places they felled trees by means of axes, _tankas_, and\n_daos_, others possessed of greater strength and more powerful, with\ntheir hands uprooted masses of Virana and here and there leveled a\nrising ground. And others filled up with dust wells and capacious\nhollows, and speedily leveled deep places air around. And those men\nthrew bridges wherever they became necessary, and broke the earth\nwherever such a process was required, and excavated whenever it was\nnecessary. In a short time, they made places poor of water overflow with\nmany and various expanses resembling the ocean. And in tracts void of\nwater, they digged divers receptacles of water, decorated with daises.\nAnd the way of the army, furnished with pavements of bricks and clay,\nwith trees bearing blosoms, eloquent with the tunes of birds, decorated\nwith pennons, sprinkled with sandal showers, and garnished with flowers\nof various kinds, looked exceedingly beautiful, like unto the way of the\ncelestials. Then having received the command of Bharata, the men that\nwere in charge of the tents, ordered (the workmen) to pitch the tents,\nand when they had been pitched at a romantic spot filled with tasteful\nfruits, in consonance with the injunction of the high-souled Bharata,\nthe men decorated splendidly the tents which themselves were like the\nornaments of the road. And under an auspicious statf and at a favorable\nhour, men well up in the work set the encampment of the high-souled\nBharata. And the tenfs surrounded by an entrenchment paved with dust,\ncontaining images made of sapphires, graced with goodly thoroughfares,\nlined with edifices, encircled by towers and walls, decorated with\nstreamers, having well-made high-ways, and appearing like celestial\ndaises and containing stately mansions with dove-cotes, resembled the\nmetropolis of Sakra himself. And passing by the Jahnavi abounding in\nvarious trees and woods, of cool and crystal waters, and filled with\nmighty fishes, that way of the chief of men constructed by artizans,\nlooked more and more lovely as it proceeded, as the unclouded sky looks\nbeautiful at night, adorned with inumerable stars.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXI.\n\n\nThen seeing that the night in which had been performed the auspicious\npreliminary ceremonies, was about to be spent, eulogists and\ngenealogists hymned Bharata with consecrated hymns. And then sounded the\nkettle-drum, beaten by a golden stick, announcing the departure of the\nnight; and people sounded conchs and other instruments by hundreds\nfurnished with soft and loud sounds. And as if fillihg the heavens,\nthose powerful blasts of the trumpet repeatedly rendered Bharata burning\nin grief the more aggrieved. Then awaking and silencing those sounds\nwith saying--\"I am not the king,\" he said unto Satrughna, \"Behold, O\nSatrughna, in what a mighty wrong the people are engaged, on account of\nKaikeyi. The king Dacaratha has gone away throwing down on me (the\nburden of) this misery. The royal grace founded in righteousness of that\nmagnanimous and virtuous monarch is wandering even like a boat on water\nhaving no helmsman. And he who is our mighty master hath been banished\ninto the woods by this mother of mine! who had (in doing so) renounced\nvirtue.\" Seeing Bharata lamenting thus senseless, the ladies afflicted\nwith sorrow began to wail in winsome accents. As Bharata Was mourning\nthus, the highly famous and virtuous Vasishtha accompanied by his\ndisciples entered the court of the Ikshwaku king: built of entire gold,\ncharming, dazzling with gems and gold: like unto Sudharma itself.\nSitting down on a golden seat furnished with an elegant cover, that one\nversed in all the Vedas commanded the envoys, saying,--\"Do ye speedily\nwith collected minds bring hither Brahmanas and Kshatriyas and warriors\nand counsellors and generals of forces and Satrughna with the other\nprinces, and the famous Bharata and Yudhajit[170] and Sumantra and\nothers that are engaged in our welfare.\" Then there arose a mighty\nhubbub occasioned by people coming up in cars, horses and elephants. And\nwhen Bharata arrived, the subjects rejoiced as they used to rejoice on\nDacaratha's arrival; and as rejoiced the immortals on the arrival of him\nof an hundred sacrifices. And then the court resembling a moveless ocean\ncontaining whales and serpents,[171] and gems and conchs and gold-mines,\nbeing graced with the presence of Dacaratha's son, looked splendid as it\nformerly did with that of Dacaratha himself.\n\n[170] One of the counsellors.--T.\n\n[171] _Naga_ may also mean hypopotamus.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXII.\n\n\nAnd then the intelligent Bharata surveyed that assembly filled with\nnoble, and worthy personages, resembling the night of the full moon. And\nthat august assembly was ablaze with the brilliant hues proceeding from\nthe attires of the honorable persons seated according to rank. And that\nsplendid assembly filled with learned people looked like the night of\nthe full moon after the clouds have dispersed. And seeing all the\nsubjects of the sovereign gathered together the priest cognizant of\nvirtue soflty spoke unto Bharata, \"My child, leaving unto thee this\nprosperous earth abounding in corn and wealth, king Dacaratha having\nperformed his duties, hath gone to heaven. And Rama of truthful\ncharacter observing the virtue of the righteous hath not set aside his\nfather's commands, even as the risen moon doth not renounce the\nmoonlight. Loved by the courtiers, do thou, having been installed, enjoy\nthis kingdom conferred on thee by thy father and mother, rid of its\nthorn. Let princes throned as well as those without thrones, from east,\nand west, north and south, and also persons ranging the sea, procure\ncountless gems for presenting them unto thee.\" Hearing this speech,\nBharata cognizant of virtue, filled with sorrow, mentally repaired to\nRama desirous of reaping merit. Then in words choked with the melodious\nvoice of a swan, lamented and taxed the priest, in the midst of the\nassembly, \"Who like myself ever deprives one that hath led a\nBrahmacharyya mode of life, that is endowed with understanding and\nperformed his bath after having acquired learning, and that is always\nintent on righteousness, of one's kingdom? How begot of Dacaratha, shall\nI deprive Rama of his kingdom. It behoveth thee to speak righteousness\nbefore this assembly. First-born, and foremost in merit,\nrighteous-souled, and comparable unto Dilipa and Nahusha, Kakutstha\ndeserves the kingdom, just as Dacaratha did. If I commit myself to this\nsin dishonorable and calculated to bring me to perdition, I shall in\nthis world bring disgrace on the race of the Ikshwakus. I do not at all\nrelish the sin that has been committed by my mother. Remaining here with\njoined hands I bow down unto Rama gone to the forest fastness. I will\nfollow Rama. That best of men is the king. Raghava deserves the dominion\nof the three worlds themselves.\" Hearing those words informed with\nrighteousness, the entire assembly with their minds intent upon Rama,\nfrom joy shed tears. \"If I fail to bring back the noble one from the\nforest, I will like the exalted Lakshmana remain even in that forest, I\nwill in presence of this mixed assembly of pious and honorable persons\nfollowing every perfection, adopt every expedient to bring back Rama. I\nhave already despatched beforehand persons serving for love as well as\nthose for money, and layers of roads and their keepers; and I intend\nsetting out now.\" Having said this, the virtuous Bharata attached unto\nhis brother spoke to Sumantra skilled in counsel, who was by, saying,\n\"Up, and go, O Sumantra, at my command. Do thou make known this journey\nand bring the forces.\" Thus accosted by the magnanimous Bharata,\nSumantra with a cheerful heart issued orders concerning everything\ndesirable as he was ordered. Hearing that the army had been ordered to\nmarch forth for bringing back Rama, the subjects as well as the generals\nof the forces became exceedingly delighted. Hearing of the journey to\nRama, for bringing him back the wives of the soldiers apprised of the\norder that had been issued to the latter, being exceedingly delighted,\nhurried on. And the generals expeditiously despatched their forces with\nwarriors by means of horses and carts and cars fleet as the mind. Seeing\nthose forces marshalled, Bharata staying near his preceptor, said unto\nSumantra who was at his side, \"Do thou speedily bring my car.\" In\nobedience to the mandate of Bharata, Sumantra exceedingly rejoiced,\nappeared with the car yoked with superb steeds. Then that powerful\ndescendant of Raghu of truthful character, and having unswerving truth\nfor his prowess, Bharata, having said what was fit, spoke words\ncalculated to gladden his illustrious superior gone to the mighty\nforest, \"0 Sumantra, arise thou speedily and, thy desire fully attained,\ngo by my command, and tell the chiefs of the army, and our principal\nadherents to array the forces.\" Thereat rising, Rayanyas and Vaicyas,\nand Vrishalas; and Vipras in every house began to yoke camels and cars\nand mules and elephants and excellent steeds.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXIII.\n\n\nRising with the morrow, Bharata anxious to behold Rama, speedily set out\nascending an excellent car. Before him went the councellors and priests,\nascending cars resembling that of the Sun yoked with steeds. And a\nthousand elephants duly consecrated went in the wake of that son of the\nIkshwaku line as he was proceeding. And six thousand cars with bow-men\nfurnished with various weapons followed the illustrious prince Bharata\nas he was proceeding. And a hundred thousand horses mounted (by riders)\nwent in the wake of that descendant of Raghu intent upon truth and\nhaving his senses under control. And Kaikeyi and Sumitra and the highly\nfamous Kaucalya rejoicing at the prospect of the bringing of Rama, went\nin an effulgent car. And the honorable persons (belonging to all the\nthree orders) went with the object of beholding Rama in company with\nLakshmana. And they with glad hearts variously conversed with each\nother, \"When shall we see the mighty armed Rama sable like unto a cloud,\nof steady strength, firm in vows, the remover of the world's grief? As\nsoon as we shall see him, Raghava will remove our sorrow; even as the\nSun arising dispells the darkness of the entire world.\" Thus cheerfully\ncarrying on an auspicious talk, the citizens embracing each other went\na!ong. And all others, and the foremost merchants as well as all the\nprincipal classes, joyfully went in quest of Rama. And a number of\ngem-cutters, and goodly potters, weavers, and armourers, and\npeacock-dancers, sawers, and perforators of gems, glass-makers, and\nworkers in ivory, cooks, incense-sellers, well-known goldsmiths, and\nwool-manufacturers, bathers in tepid water, shampooers, physicians,\nmakers of _Dhupas_, and wine-sellers, washermen, and tailors, and actors\nin numbers with females, and Kaivartas, and persons versed in Vedas\nhaving their minds in control, and Brahmanas of reputed character, and\npersons well dressed and attired in pure habits, with their bodies\ndaubed with coppery unguents, by thousands followed Bharata on carts.\nAll these gradually followed Bharata by means of excellent vehicles. And\nthe army delighted and in high spirits went in the wake of Kaikeyi's son\nattached unto his brother, going to bring back his brother. Going far by\nmeans of cars, vehicles, elephants, and horses, they arrived at the\nGanga near Sringaverapura, where was peacefully staying that friend of\nRama, the heroic Guha, surrounded by his relatives, ruling the realm.\nHaving come to the banks of the Ganga graced with Chakravakas, the army\nwhich was following Bharata halted. Seeing the army inactive as well as\nthe Ganga, of sacred waters, Bharata versed in speech spoke unto the\ncourtiers, \"Do you communicating unto all our intentions, encamp the\narmy. Having been fatigued, we shall cross the ocean-going Ganga, on the\nmorrow. Having crossed the stream, I am anxious to offer its water unto\nthe monarch, who has gone to heaven, in behalf of his spiritual body.\"\nWhen he had said this, the courtiers with collected minds saying, \"Be it\nso,\" disposed their forces, each according to his wish. Having on the\nmighty stream, Ganga, quartered his forces furnished with all appliances\nfor the journey, Bharata remained there, revolving the means of making\nthe high-souled Rama turn back.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXIV.\n\n\nSeeing the forces with banners flying quartered on the banks of the\nriver Ganga, and engaged in various occupations, the lord of the\nNishadas, Guha, said unto his relatives ranged around, \"This mighty host\nhere appeareth like an ocean. I do not find its end even by thinking of\nit in my mind. Surely the foolish Bharata hath come hither himself: on\nhis car appears the huge Kovidara, banner. Belike, he will either bind\nus by nooses or slay us and next Dacaratha's son Rama banished from the\nkingdom by his sire. Desirous of taking complete possession of the rare\nregal fortune of that sovereign (Rama), Kaikeyi's son, Bharata, comes to\ndestroy him. Rama the son of Dacaratha is both my maintainer and friend.\nDo ye in his interests, donning on your mail, wait on the banks of the\nriver. And stationed on the river Ganga, let my powerful retainers\nsubsisting on fruits and roots and meat, be prepared for opposing\nBharata's passage over the river. And let hundreds upon hundreds of\nKaivarta youths accoutred in mail remain in each of five hundred\nbarks.\"--Guha issued this order. \"But if Bharata be well disposed\ntowards Rama, this host shall today safely cross the Ganga.\" Having said\nthis, the lord of the Nishadas, Guha, taking a present of flesh, fish\nand honey, went out for interviewing Bharata. Seeing Guha approaching,\nthe powerful son of the charioteer knowing season, humbly informed\nBharata of it, saying, \"This lord (that approaches) surrounded by his\nrelatives, is very potent in Dandaka and is an old friend of your\nbrother. Therefore let Guha, the lord of the Nishidas, see you, O\nKakutstha. He indubitably knows where Rama and Lakshmana are.\" Hearing\nthese wise words of Sumantra, Bharata at once said,--\"Let Guha see me.\"\nReceiving permission, Guha, right glad, appeared before Bharata, bending\nlow, and said, \"This place is thy home. But thou hast stolen a march\nover us. We dedicate all this unto thee. Do thou reside in the abode of\nthy servant. Here are fruits and roots gathered by the Nishadas and meat\ndry and moist and various other produces of the forest. I pray that\nentertained in various ways and heartily partaking of meats and drinks,\nthis army may spend the night here. Tomorrow morning, thou wilt go along\nwith thy forces.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXV.\n\n\nThus addressed, the exceedingly wise Bharata answered the lord of the\nNishadas, in words fraught with sense and reason, \"Thy great desire, O\nfriend of my superior, is surely as good as attained; since thou of\nmighty energy hast set thy heart on entertaining my army.\" Having said\nthese fair words unto Guha, the graceful and highly energetic Bharata\nagain addressed the lord of Nishadas, \"By what way shall I go to\nBharadwaja's hermitage? These lands watered by the Gangft are dense and\nhard to track.\" Hearing these words of the intelligent son of the king,\nGuha well acquainted with the forest, said with joined hands, \"My\nservant well acquainted with the place shall attentively follow thee;\nand, O prince possessed of mighty strength, I myself will also walk in\nthy wake. But dost thou go after Rama of energetic acts with some evil\nintention? This vast force of thine raiseth my apprehension.\" When Guha\nhad asked this, Bharata with a presence unclouded like the sky, spoke\nunto Guha these sweet words, \"May a time never come when I shall do\nwrong onto Raghava! It behoveth thee not to fear me. Raghava is my\neldest brother dear unto me even as my sire himself. I go to make\nKakutstha dwelling in the woods, turn back. Other intention cherish I\nnone. O Guha, this I tell thee truly.\" Having heard Bharata's speech,\nGuha with a countenance lighted up with delight, again cheerfully\naddressed Bharata, saying, \"Blessed art thou! Thy like find I none on\nearth, inasmuch as thou wishest to resign a kingdom that comes to thee\nwithout search. Thy eternal fame will certainly range this world, since\nthou wishest to bring back Rama passing through misfortune.\" As Guha was\nspeaking thus unto Bharata, the Sun became shorn of his splendour and\nnight fell. Thereupon, having disposed his troops, the auspicious\nBharata gratified by Guha, went to bed along with Satrughna. Then arose\nthoughts of Rama in the mind of the magnanimous Bharata ever having his\ngaze fixed on virtue and undeserving (of hardship). Then even as a tree\nalready heated by a forest-fire burns with a fire hidden in its cavity,\nthat descendant of Raghu began to burn with the fire of grief inflamed\nin his heart. And perspiration produced by the fire of sorrow issued out\nof all his limbs, as the Himavat heated by the solar warmth generates\nwater. And Kaikeyi's son was overpowered and drowned by the mountain of\ngrief, having thoughts (of Rama) for its entire crags, sighs for its\nmineral substance, disgust with the avocations of life, for its trees,\nmental feebleness through grief for its summits, stupor for the animals\ninhabiting it, and burning for its annual shrubs and bamboos. And\nsighing heavily with a heart oppressed with sorrow, well nigh deprived\nof consciousness, and involved in high peril, that best of men,\noppressed by the fever of his heart, like unto a mighty leader of a\nherd, separated from it, did not attain peace of mind. Meeting with\nGuha, the magnanimous Bharata accompanied by his people, engrossed with\nthe thoughts of Rama, became oppressed with grief. (Seeing this), Guha\nby and by encouraged Bharata concerning his elder brother.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXVI.\n\n\nGuha, acquainted with the forest, described unto Bharata of immeasurable\nprowess the regard the high-souled Lakshmana bore unto Rama. \"To\nLakshmana crowned with every virtue, waking up, holding the bow with the\narrow fixed on it for the purpose of guarding well his brother, I said,\n'This easeful bed has been prepared for thee, my child. O son of Raghu's\ndescendant, cheer up! Do thou lie down at ease. All these people can\nbear hardship; but thou art meant for comfort. For protecting him\nreligiously, we shall wake. To me also there is none that is dearer on\nearth than Rama. Do not be anxious. This I tell thee truly, through his\ngrace I expect high fame among men, and immense religious merit, and\ninterest and desire in entirety. Bow in hand I shall along with my kin\nprotect Rama lying down with Sita. To me always ranging in this forest,\nnothing whatever is unknown. I can even cope in battle with an army of\nfour- fold forces.' Thus accosted by us, the magnanimous Lakshmana with\nhis gaze ever fixed on virtue, humbly observed, 'How, Dacaratha's son\nsleeping on the earth with Sita, can I attain sleep, or life, or\nhappiness? How see him who is capable of bearing in battle the onslaught\nof the gods and the Asuras combined, sleeping in a cave on grass? It is\nby virtue of mighty austerities and uncommon exertions that Dacaratha\nhas obtained this son of his crowned with every auspicious sign. He\nbeing banished, the king shall not live long; and the Earth shall\ncertainly be widowed soon. Having bewailed aloud, by this time have the\nwomen got exhausted; and surely the king's mansion is to-day still. I do\nnot expect that either Kaucalya or the king or my mother is alive. If\nthey live, it can be for this night only. Even if my mother live seeing\nSatrughna, that mother of a hero, the afflicted Kaucalya, will (surely)\nresign her existence. Saying--All is lost,--All is lost,--with his\ndesire unattained, my father having failed to install Rama in the\nkingdom, will resign his existence. Blessed are they that when the time\nshall come for the same, shall perform the funeral ceremonies of the\nking my deceased sire. Then shall they with happy hearts range the\nmetropolis of my father, furnished with fair-looking terraces, with the\nhighways laid out orderly, crowned with lordly edifices, adorned with\nvarious gems, crowded by cars and elephants and horses, resounding with\nthe notes of trumpets, abounding in auspicious things, filled with fat\nand contented people, having gardens and pleasure-houses, and possessed\nof divers classes of men indulging festal mirth. Shall we, on the\noccasion of Rama's return, with glad hearts peacefully enter the city in\ncompany with that one firm in his promise? As the magnanimous son of the\nking was thus lamenting, the night passed away. In the morning, with an\nunclouded sun, both, having made matted locks on the banks of the\nBhagirathi, crossed the river along with me. Wearing matted locks and\nclad in barks of trees, those persons possessed of mighty strength, like\nunto leaders of elephant-herds, equipped with excellent arrows and\nquivers and bows--those repressors of foes, expecting (their return from\nexile), departed with Sita.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXVII.\n\n\nHearing the words of Guha, exceedingly unpleasant, Bharata as soon as he\nheard them, became plunged in thought. And then taking heart for a\nwhile, that tender-framed one possessed of immense strength, gifted with\nleonine shoulders and length of arms, having expansive eyes resembling\nwhite lotuses, young in years, and endowed with a handsome presence,\naffected with great grief, was overpowered, like an elephant wounded in\nthe heart with a goad. Seeing Bharata deprived of his senses with his\ncountenance covered with pallor, Guha became exceedingly agitated, like\na tree during an earthquake. Seeing Bharata in that condition, Satrughna\nwho was near, taking the former on his lap, began to cry, almost\ndeprived of his senses and oppressed with grief. Thereat, all the\nmothers of Bharata, fasting, undergoing distress, and afflicted with the\ncalamity that had befallen their lord, came forward, and surrounding\nBharata, began to lament him fallen on the ground. And the distressed\nKausalya drawing nigh embraced him like a cow approaching her calf; and\nweeping from excess of grief, spoke unto Bharata, saying, \"My son, doth\nany malady afflict thy body? Now the life of this royal race is, without\ndoubt, in thy hands. Rama having gone away along with his brother, I\nshall, O son, live, seeing thee. King Dacaratha having departed this\nlife, thou alone art our lord. Hast thou, my son, heard anything\nunpleasant concerning Lakshmana; or the son of that one having an only\nson,[172] who has gone to the forest along with his wife?\" Having taken\ncomfort for a while, that one of high fame weeping, and solacing\nKaucalya, spoke unto Guha, saying, \"Where did my brother pass the night?\nAnd where did Sita? And where did, again, Lakshmana? And in what bed did\nhe sleep, and what did he previously partake of? Do thou, O Guha, tell\nme this.\" Thereat, well pleased, Guha, the lord of Nishadas, related\nunto Bharata how he had acted in respect of Rama, his dear guest,\nstudious of his welfare. \"I procured for Rama's use rice and fruits and\nroots and various kinds of food. All these Rama having truth for his\nprowess accepted, but observing Kshatriya morality, he did not take\nthem. 'O friend, we ought not to take anything: ours is always to give.'\nThus did that magnanimous one beseech us. On the high-souled Lakshmana\nbringing water, Righava having drunk it, fasted along with Sita. Then\nLakshmana drank up the water that remained. Then the three with fixed\nminds silently performed their adorations unto the Twilight. After that,\nSumitra's son prepared a goodly bed for Raghava, himself bringing Kuca\ngrass. And in that bed lay down Rama in company with Sita. Next washing\ntheir feet, Lakshmana turned away. This is the foot of the Ingudi, and\nthis that grass. On it both Rama and Sita lay down that night Fastening\non his back a pair of quivers filled with arrows, furnished with\nfinger-fences, and taking his mighty bow, Lakshmana all night kept watch\naround. I also taking an excellent bow, remained where remained\nLakshmana and surrounded by my kindred who stayed there vigilantly,\nequipped with bows, guarded him that resembled the mighty Indra.\"\n\n[172] Meaning herself.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXVIII.\n\n\nHaving heard everything, Bharata in company with the counsellors went to\nthe foot of the Ingudi tree and saw the bed of Rama. And he said unto\nhis mothers, \"That high- souled one lay down here on the ground during\nthe night and his limbs pressed this spot. Begot of that foremost of\nmonarchs, the exalted and intelligent Dacaratha, Rama does not deserve\nto sleep on the earth. How can that chief of men having reposed in beds\nfurnished with pillows made of deer-skins and having superb cloths, have\nlain down on the earth? Always reposing in mansions and in upper\napartments paved with silver and gold and supplied with excellent\nbed-cloths, decked with heaps of flowers, perfumed with sandal and\n_aguru_, hued like unto pale clouds, resonant with the notes of many\nparrots,--in palaces going before the choicest of their class, ringing\nwith music, and perfumed-- like unto Meru itself, with their bases\ncomposed of gold, Rama used to be awakened with vocal and instrumental\nmusic, the tinklings of elegant ornaments and the peals of goodly\n_mridangas_--that subduer of foes being in due season hymned by the\neulogists, and friends, bards and genealogists, with worthy ballads and\npenegerycs. (This assertion of Rama's lying down on the ground) appears\nto me incredible: it doth by no means look unto me like truth. Forsooth,\nI am amazed. I take it, this is a vision. Verily, no destiny is superior\nto Time, since Dacaratha's son, Rama himself, had to repose on the\nearth,--and the beauteous beloved daughter of Videha's king, and the\ndaughter-in-law of Dacaratha, had to lie down on the ground. This was\nthe bed of my brother; on this hard spot did he turn his lovely limbs,\nand this grass was pressed by them. I think that the graceful Sita\nadorned with ornaments slept in this bed, for here and there are\nscattered particles of gold. It is clear that Sita had spread her sheet\nat this spot,--hence it is that fibres of silk are discoverable here. I\ndeem that the bed of her lord appeareth agreeable unto a wife, since a\ngirl tender and in affliction, the chaste daughter of Mithila\nexperienced no inconvenience (in sleeping in one such). Ah, I am undone!\nBaleful am I, for it is on my account that Raghava along with his wife,\nlay down in such a bed, like one forlorn. Born in the imperial race, and\ncapable of conferring happiness on all, the bringer-about of all good,\nwhy did Raghava of dark blue hue like that Of a lotus, graceful, and\ncrowned with red eyes, the inheriter of happiness and undeserving of\nmisery,--having left his dear consummate kingdom, lie down on the\nground? Surely the mighty-armed Lakshmana graced with auspicious marks\nis blessed,--he who in the time of dire adversity followeth his brother\nRama. And blessed is Videha's daughter who followeth her husband into\nthe woods. Bereft of that magnanimous one, we have all been brought into\njeopardy. The Earth without her helmsman seemeth me quite empty, on\nDacaratha having ascended the celestial regions and Rama taken refuge in\nthe wilderness. On Rama having set up his dwelling in the forest, one\n(like me) doth not even mentally covet this earth which had been\nprotected by the immense prowess (of Raghava). With her walls\nundefended, her horses and elephants unrestrained, and her gates left\nopen, the defenceless metropolis deprived of her power, placed in peril\nand without any protection, is surely not regarded by the enemies, like\nfood mixed with poison. From this day forth I will lie down on the\nground, or on the grass, daily subsisting on fruits and roots, and\nbearing matted locks and a cloth of bark. And for his sake I will in\nfuture live happily in the woods. (By my doing so), the promise of that\nhigh-minded one shall not be rendered null. Me residing in the forest in\nthe interests of my brother, Satrughna shall bear company; while my\nnoble one will rule Ayodhya assisted by Lakshmana. The twice-born ones\nwill sprinkle Kakutstha in Ayodhya. May the deities realize this desire\nof mine! Propitiated by me personally in various ways with bent head, if\nhe do not consent, then shall I ever stay with Raghava in the woods.\nSurely he cannot long persist in putting me off.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXIX.\n\n\nHaving spent the night there on the banks of the Ganga, that descendant\nof Raghu rising early in the morning, said these words unto Satrughna,\n\"O Satrughna, arise! Why sleepest thou? Bring thou at once that lord of\nthe Nishadhas, Guha. Good betide thee! He will take the army (over the\nstream).\" Thus urged by his brother, Satrughna said, \"Thinking of that\nnoble one (Rama), I have not slept, but have remained awake in a like\nmanner.\"[173] As those chiefs of men were thus conversing with each\nother, Guha appearing in time with joined hands, remarked, \"O Kakutstha,\nhast thou spent the night happily on the banks of the river? And is it\ncontinuous good fortune with thee along with thy forces?\" Hearing Guha's\nspeech fraught with affection, Bharata ever obedient unto Rairia, spoke\non his part, saying, \"Happily have we spent the night; and we have also\nbeen well received by thee. Now let thy servants take us over by means\nof many boats.\" Thereat, bearing Bharata's mandate, Guha, bestirring\nhimself, re-entered the city and addressed his kinsfolk, saying, \"Arise\nye! Awake! May good always attend you! Do ye draw up the boats; I shall\nferry the forces over.\" Thus asked, they arising and bestirring\nthemselves in consequence of the king's command, brought up five hundred\nboats around. Others also known by the name of Swastika, bearing large\nbells on their prows, and banners, well decked out, furnished with oars,\nand manned by bargemen, with their joints firmly constructed, (were\nbrought up). And Guha himself brought a graceful barge called Swastika,\ncovered with pale woolen cloth, and resounding with music. On this boat\nascended Bharata, the mighty Satrughna, Kaucalya, Sumitra, and other\nwives of the king. The priests, and preceptors belonging unto the\nBrahmana order, had already ascended. After (Bharata and others had got\nup), ascended the wives of auxiliary princes, and cars and provisions\nwere got on board. And the uproar consequent on the troops burning down\ndwellings, pressing down descents unto the river, and loading goods,\nspread on all sides. Then those boats hung with pennons, managed by the\nkinsfolk (of Guha), set off at speed with the teeming folks that had got\non board. And some of these were filled with women, and some with\nhorses, and some conveyed cars and cattle of great value. And going to\nthe other bank and landing the crowds on the store, the friends and\nslaves (of Guha) while returning, displayed various movements (of the\nboats). And elephants graced with flags being spurred on by their\nriders, began to cross the stream, appearing like (so many) winged\nhills. Others ascended boats, and others crossed on rafts, others\ncrossed by means of reversed pitchers, and others by their arms alone.\nFerried over the Ganga by the servants (of Guha), that beautiful army\ngraced with streamers, at the third _muhurta_ arrived at the romantic\nwoods of Prayaga. Having made the army take rest at its ease, and\nencamped it (at the woods of Prayaga), that magnanimous one, Bharata,\nfor the purpose of seeing the asylum of the ascetic Bharadwaja, went\nthither, accompanied by _Ritwijas_ and _Sadasyas_.\n\n[173] _i.e._ as thou hast done.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXX.\n\n\nHaving arrived at (the neighbourhood of) Bharadwaja, asylum, that\nforemost of men while it was a _kroca_ (to the destination), left his\nforces behind and went thither, accompanied by his counsellors alone.\nAnd leaving his attire and arms, and clad in a silk cloth, that pious\none placing the priest in front, went on foot. Then with the view of\nseeing Bharadwaja, that descendent of Raghu leaving behind the\ncounsellors also, went in the wake of the priest. As soon as Bharadwaja\nof rigid austerities saw Vasishtha, he at once rose from his seat,\nsaying unto his disciples \"Arghya!\" On being called upon by Vasishtha,\nthat highly energetic one understood that it was Dacaratha's son. Having\noffered them (the guests) water to wash their feet and _arghya_, as well\nas fruits subsequently, that virtuous one (Bharadwaja) successively\nenquired after the welfare of their (respective) homes; and after that,\nof the forces, exchequer, friends and counsellors in Ayodhya. And\nknowing that Dacaratha had departed this life, he did not ask anything\nrelating to the monarch. Then Vasishtha and Bharata questioned him as to\nhis welfare in relation to the body, the (sacrificial) fire, the trees,\nthe beasts and the birds (of the hermitage). To all this returning \"So\nit is,\" the illustrious Bharadwaja from affection for Raghava said unto\nBharata, \"What is the use of thy visit here, seeing that thou art\nengaged in the task of governing the kingdom? Do thou relate all this\nunto me; my mind is ill at ease. That slayer of foes, and perpetuator of\nhis race who hath been borne by Kaucalya, and who along with his wife\nand brother hath been banished to the woods for a long term--that\nillustrious one who enjoined by his sire in the interests of a woman,\nhath become an inhabitant of the woods for fourteen years-- dost thou,\ndesirous of securely enjoying the kingdom belonging to him as well to\nhis younger brother, intend to do any harm unto that sinless one?\" Thus\naccosted, Bharata replied unto Bharadwaja with tears filling his eyes\nand his words choked with grief, \"Undone am I if the reverend one also\ndeems me so. Do not apprehend any wrong from me; and do thou not\nreproach me thus. Whatever my mother has said in relation to me, does\nnot express my wish. I am not satisfied with that, nor do I endorse her\nspeech. I, intending to pacify him, am going to that chief of men, with\nthe view of taking him unto Ayodhya and of paying homage unto his feet.\nThinking me as already gone, thou shouldst show thy favor unto me. O\nreverened Sir, tell me where stayeth at present Rama, lord of the\nearth.\" Besought by Vasishtha and the other Ritwijas, the venerable\nBharadwaja well pleased, spoke unto Bharata, \"O foremost men, even this\nis worthy of thee. Serving superiors, restraint of the senses, and\nfollowing the pious, are ever found in one sprung in the Raghava line. I\nknow that even this is thy intention; but for the purpose of making thy\nmind all the firmer, I had asked thee in this wise; so that thy fame\nmight greatly increase. I also know the righteous Rama with Sita and\nLakshmana. This brother of thine at present stays at the mighty mountain\nChitrakuta. On the morrow thou wilt set out for that reigon. Do thou\nto-day sojourn here along with thy counsellors. O wise one, do this at\nthy pleasure, O thou understanding interest and desire.\" Thereat the\ngentle-looking and highly famous one said, \"Be it so;\" and the king's\nson made up his mind to spend the night in the great hermitage (of the\nsaint).\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXXI.\n\n\nThen the ascetic asked Bharata, the son of Kaikeyi, when he had decided\nfor staying there, to receive his hospitality. Thereat Bharata said,\n\"Thou hast for certain done this,-- (hast offered me) water for washing\nmy feet, _Arghya_, and hospitality with what can be procured in the\nforest.\" Then Bharadwaja as if in jest, said unto Bharata, \"I know thee\nto be of a complacent disposition; and that thou art pleased with\nanything and everything. But I wish to feast thy forces. And, O best of\nmen, it behoves thee to act in harmony with my desire. Why didst thou\ncoming hither, leave thy army at a distance? And, thou man of men, why\ndidst thou not come accompanied with thy forces?\" Bharata replied unto\nhim, saying, \" I had not come accompanied with my forces, from fear of\nthee, O reverend Sir. O worshipful one, kings and their sons should\nalways carefully avoid the regions of ascetics. Choice steeds, men, and\nmad elephants of the best kind, covering a spacious tract of country,\ncome in my train, respected Sir. That these might not injure trees or\nwater or the grounds of the cottages partaining to the asylums, have I\ncome hither alone.\" \"Bring the forces here,\"--thus desired by the mighty\nascetic, Bharata accordingly caused the troops to be brought in.\n\nThen entering the chamber of the sacrificial fire, (Bharadwaja) having\nsipped water and rubbed his lips therewith, invoked Vicwakarma for the\npurpose of entertaining his guest, \"I invoke Vicwakarma; even Twastri\nhimself. I wish to entertain guests. Let him accomplish this for me. I\ninvoke the three guardians of the worlds--gods headed by Sakra. I wish\nto entertain guests. Let them accomplish this for me. Let those rivers\nthat flow westwards, and those that move tortuously on the earth and in\nthe sky, come hither in a body. And let others run _Maireya_, and others\nrefined wine, and others again cool waters resembling the juice of the\nsugarcane. I invoke the celestials and the _Gandharbas_ and Vicwavacu\nand Haha and Huhu and also the divine Apsaras and Gandharbis all; and\nGhritachi, Vicwachi, Micrakeci and Alamvusha; and Nagadatta and Hema and\nSoma, residing in the mountain; and those ladies that attend Sakra, and\nthose that attend Brahma. I invoke all these females well attired, in\ncompany with Tumvuru. And let that beautiful forest of Kuvera in the\nnorth Kuru, having its foliage resembling attires and ornaments, and its\nfruits debonair damsels, exist even at this very spot. And here let the\nworshipful Soma yield me excellent viands of diverse kinds in plenty;\nthings that may be eaten or enjoyed, sucked or licked; and variegated\nblossoms growing in the trees, and wines and (other) drinks, and meats\nof various kinds.\" Thus, furnished with unrivalled ascetic energy, did\nthat anchoret observing excellent vows, express himself orthoepically in\nconsonance with Siksha. And as he sat with joined hands facing the west\nwith a rapt mind, there came separately all those deities. And then\ntouching Malaya and Dardura, and laden (with perfumes), a delicious and\nwelcome wind began to blow delightfully, removing sweat. And the clouds\npoured down a pleasant shower of blossoms; and from all sides were heard\nsounds of celestial kettle-drums. And a rare breeze set in, and the\nmultitudes of Apsaras danced; and the celestials and the Gandharbas\nsang, and the vinas let out their notes. And the dulcet sounds high and\nlow furnished with _Sama_ and measure, entered the Earth and the\nfirmanent and the ears of all creatures. When that celestial symphony,\ndelightful unto the ears of men, had thus developed itself, Bharata's\nforces saw the workmanship of Vicwakarma. That spot widening into a\nlevel plain measuring five _Yoyanas_ was covered with thick grass\nresembling blue lapises. And on it stood _Vilwas_, and _Kapithwas_,\n_Panasas_, citrons, and _Amalakas_, and mangos, embellished with fruits.\nFrom the north Kuru had spread a wood capable of conferring every\nenjoyment; and a beautiful river coursed through bordered by many a\ntree. And there had arisen white edifices having four divisions; and\nstables for horses and elephants; and grand gateways belonging unto\npalaces and mansions; and royal residences with graceful gates,\nresembling white clouds, bearing white garlands and washed with fragrant\nwaters, having four corners, and spacious, fitted up with beds, seats,\nand vehicles, having every kind of excellent sapid food, stocked with\nexcellent edibles and apparels, having every variety of food, possessing\nwashed and bright vessels, with every description of seats, graceful,\nand accommodated with choice beds with coverlets. Permitted by the\nMaharshi, Kaikeyi's son, Bharata, entered that mansion abounding in\ngems. And he was followed by the counsellors and the priests; and the\nlatter beholding the arrangements of the palace, were filled with\ndelight. And Bharata in company with the counsellors there went round\nthe august royal seat, the _chowri_ and the umbrella, worthy of a king.\nAnd having bowed down unto Rama, he worshipped that seat. And then\nholding the _chowri_ of hair, he sat down on the seat of a minister.\nThen the counsellors and priests seated themselves according to rank.\nAnd thereafter the general and the protector of the encampment (got\nthemselves seated). Then at Bharadwaja's command, came into being near\nBharata streams having _payaca_ for their slime. And at the pleasure of\nthe Brahmana, on both their banks arose charming dwellings, covered with\npale clay. And at that very moment there came twenty thousand women\ncommissioned by Brahma, adorned with divine ornaments. And there came\nalso twenty thousand females sent by Kuvera, decked out in gold and\ngems, pearls and corals. The sight of these was capable of filling men's\nminds with enchanting ravishment. And there came from Nandana twenty\nthousand damsels; and Nirada and Tumvuru and Gopa, resembling the sun in\nsplendour. The Gandharba kings began to sing before Bharata. And\nAlamvusha, and Migrakesi, and Pundarika, and Vamana danced before\nBharata, at the command of Bharadwaja. And those blossoms that are in\nthe celestial regions, and that bloom in the forest of Chaitraratha,\nbecame visible in Prayaga at the energy of Bharadwaja. And Vilwas did\nthe office of players on the _Mridanga_, and Vibhitakas, that of keepers\nof _Soma_, and Acwaththas became dancers, at the energy of Bharadwaja.\nAnd Saralas, Talas, Tilakas, and Tamalas, being delighted, became\nhump-backed ones and dwarfs. And Sinsapas, Amalakis, Jamvus and other\nplants of the forest, wearing the forms of females, stood at the mansion\nof Bharadwaja. \"Let wine-drinkers drink wine, the hungry eat Payaca, and\nthose that are inclined to it, feed on clean meat.\" And every seven or\neight females taking a man, bathed him on the lovely banks of the\nrivers. And damsels furnished with expansive eyes, having wiped the\npersons (of the bathers), pressed their legs, and those magnificent\nwomen made them drink (wine). And the keepers duly fed excellent horses,\nelephants, camels and Suravi's sons (oxen), with their (proper) food.\nAnd some persons possessed of mighty strength, being directed thereto,\nfed the bearers of the foremost Ikshwaku warriors with suger-canes,\nhoney, and fried paddy. And the groom forgot his horse, and the\nelephant-keeper his elephant: that army there became transported with\nwine and exhilaration. And sumptuously entertained with every enjoyment,\nwith their bodies decked with red sandal, the soldiery in the company of\nbevies of Apsaras, exclaimed, \"To Ayodhya will we not go, nor yet to\nDandaka. Peace be unto Bharata, and may Rama reap happiness\"! Thus did\nfootmen and the riders and keepers of elephants and horses, as well as\nothers, having experienced such a state, utter words. And men by\nthousands, exceedingly delighted, sent up shouts. And saying, \"This is\nheaven\" the retinue of Bharata--the soldiers--began to dance and laugh\nand sing; and bearing garlands, they on all sides rushed by thousands.\nAnd beholding the inviting viands resembling ambrosia, they, although\nalready fed, became desirous of eating once again. And wearing new\nclothes, all the serrante, and maids, and females of the household,\nbecame exceedingly well pleased. And elephants, and asses, camels, kine\nand horses, and beasts and birds, being fed their fill, did not hunger\nafter anything else. And there appeared no one who wore a soiled habit,\nor who was hungry, or melancholy, or whose hair was covered with dust.\nAnd the people with wonder beheld before them vessels of precious metals\nby thousands graced with chaplets of flowers, filled with essences of\nfruits and fragrant soups and curries and the flesh of goats and bears,\nand white rice. And there were on the skirts of the wood wells having\nPayaca for their slime; and the kine yeilded whatever was asked; and all\nthe trees dropped honey. And the tanks were filled with _Maireya_ as\nwell as with clean hot meat of deer, peacocks, and cocks, dressed in\npans. And there were rice-holders by thousands, and curry-pots by\nhundred thousands, and golden vessels by _Arvudas_. And there were\npitchers and water-pots and cleaned vessels for churning curd, filled\nwith the same. And there were tanks of savoury and yellow butter-milk,\nwell-tempered. And there were tanks filled with _Rasala_;[174] and\nothers filled with milk, and with sugar. And men saw sediments, acrid\npowders and various others things in vessels, (or the purpose of bath,\non the terraces of tanks; and tooth-cleaning sticks of Ancuman and other\n(trees); and white sandal paste lying before; and cleaned mirrors; and\nlots of cloths; and sandals; and shoes in pairs by thousands; and\ncollyrium-pots; and combs; and brushes; and bows at some places; and\nmail; and various kinds of seats and beds. And they saw reservoirs for\nasses, camels, elephants, and horses, with easy descents, filled with\nwater to assist their digestion; and pools furnished with lotuses, of\nthe hue of the firmament, with transparent water, comfortable for\nablutions; and tender (plots of) grass all around colored like blue\nlapises, to serve as pasture for beasts. Witnessing the wonderful\nhospitality provided by the Maharshi Bharadwaja, like unto a vision, the\nmen marvelled. Thus entertained like unto celestials in Nandana, they\npassed the night at the hermitage of Bharadwaja. Then taking the\npermission of Bharadwaja, all the Gandharbas as well as the superb\ndamsels went away as they had come. And the men remained intoxicated and\nhighly inebriate with the liquor, their persons daubed with goodly\n_aguru_ and sandal; and the various elegant garlands beautiful to\nbehold, lay by themselves all around, crushed by the people.\n\n[174] A preparation of butter-milk.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXXII.\n\n\nHaving passed that night, Bharata having been entertained along with his\nfamily, appeared before Bharadwaja, desirous (of seeing Rama). Seeing\nthat foremost of men (standing) with joined hands, Bharadwaja, who had\njust finished his fire-sacrifice, said, \"Hast thou passed the night\npleasantly at our place? And have all thy men been pleased with our\nhospitality? Do thou tell me this, O sinless one.\" Thereupon, Bharata\nbowing down, with joined hands said unto that ascetic of excellent\nenergy, as he had issued out of his hermitage, \"O reverend Sire, I along\nwith all my forces and vehicles have passed (the night) happily. I have\nbeen full well entertained by thee, O worshipful one possessed of power.\nAnd with our languor and heat removed, we all sumptuously feasted and\ncomfortably quartered, have passed (the night) agreeably along with our\nservants. Now, O best of ascetics, I beseech thee to look with a\npropitious eye on me who am bound for my brother's place. And tell me, O\nthou cognizant of morality, how far is it unto that high-souled\nrighteous one's asylum, and by what way (shall I reach there)?\" When\nBharata eager to see his brother had asked thus, the highly energetic\nBharadwaja of rigid austerities answered, \"O Bharata, two and a half\nYojanas hence, embosomed in a tenantless wood is the mountain\nChitrakuta, charming with rocks and woods. On its northern border flows\nthe river Mandakini, covered with flowering trees and with blossoming\nwoods. Beyond the stream is the mountain Chitrakuta. There is their\nthatched cottage, my child; there they abide for certain. Proceeding by\nthe southern way, do thou with thy forces composed of elephants and\nhorses, O master of the army, turn to the left, O exalted one, and go\nsouthwards. By doing so, thou wilt be able to see Raghava.\" Hearing of\ntheir departure, the wives of that king of kings, leaving their cars,\nalbeit worthy of them, gathered round the Bramana. Lean and trembling\nand in woful guise, Kaucalya along with the noble Sumitra, with her\nhands took the feet of the ascetic. Despised universally because of her\nunrighteous desire, Kaikeyi also bashfully took hold of his feet, and,\nhaving circumambulated the mighty and venerable anchoret, stood near\nBharata in dejection of spirits. Then the mighty ascetic Bharadwaja\nasked Bharata, \"O descendant of Raghu, I wish to know particularly about\nthy mothers.\" Thus accosted by Bharadwaja, the pious Bharata deft in\nspeech said with joined hands, \"O reverend sir, she whom thou beholdest\ndepressed and emaciated through grief and fasting--resembling a very\ngoddess--is the noble Queen of my father. This one, Kaucalya, it is that\ngave birth unto that chief of men, having the powerful gait of a lion,\nRama, even as Aditi gave birth to Dhata. She that stands at her left\nhand, in dejected guise, is the noble Sumitra afflicted with sorrow, the\nsecond wife of the monarch--like a Karnikara bough in a forest, with all\nits blossoms shrivelled up. The sons of this exalted lady are the\nyouthful and heroic Lakshmana and Satrughna, having truth for their\nprowess, and resembling celestials in shape. And her in consequence of\nwhose act those foremost of men have come by crushing misfortune, and\nthe king Dacaratha hath gone to heaven, deprived of his son,--wrathful\nand proud of her good fortune, setting her heart on wealth--Kaikeyi,\ndishonorable, although endowed with the semblance of honor, do thou know\nthis wicked one intent on sin as my mother. In her do I perceive the\nroot of my mighty misfortune.\" Having said this, with his words choked\nwith emotion, that best of men with his eyes reddened, sighed like an\nenraged serpent. As Bharata was speaking thus, the great ascetic\nBharadwaja gifted with high understanding and knowing interest, answered\nBharata, saying, \"O Bharata, thou ought not to cast any blame on\nKaikeyi. This banishment of the king (Rama), shall be for the good (of\nall). The banishment of Rama shall surely be for the welfare of the gods\nand the Asuras and sages of concentrated souls.\" Thus blest, Bharata\nsaluted the ascetic and went round him, and then summoning the soldiery,\nsaid, \"Yoke.\" Thereupon, getting ready excellent steeds and cars decked\nwith gold, many people mounted, with the intention of departing. And\nmale and female elephants with golden chains round their necks, and\nfurnished with banners, with the sounds (of bells), proceeded, like\nclouds at the end of the summer season. And then proceeded various kinds\nof cars great and light of movement and of high value; and the infantry\nwent on foot. And on a magnificent car went the ladies headed by\nKaucalya, with delighted hearts, eager to see Raghava. And ascending an\nelegant car resembling the infant sun or moon, driven by charioteers,\nwent the graceful Bharata well attired. And that mighty host abounding\nwith horses and elephants proceeded, blocking up the southern quarter,\nlike a oolossal cloud arisen (in the sky), leaving behind on the other\nbank of the Ganga woods inhabited by birds and beast* and coursing by\nrivers and. mountains. And composed of numbers of elephants and horses\nin high spirits, that army of Bharata, frightening multitudes of beasts\nand birds, dived into that mighty forest.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXXIII.\n\n\nAfflicted by the mighty force on its way with banners (displayed), those\ninhabitants of the woods, leaders of elephant-herds, took to their heels\nin company with the herds themselves. And bears and Prishatas and Rurus\nwere on all sides seen in the forest-ways, and on hills and rivers. And\nthat virtuous son of Dacaratha with a glad heart held on his way,\nsurrounded by that vast army consisting of fourfold forces, raising a\ntremendous upoar. And that army of the high-souled Bharata resembling\nthe waves of the ocean, covered the earth quite, as clouds in the rainy\nseason cover the welkin. And filled with steeds and mighty elephants,\nthe earth at that time for a long while remained invisible. And having\nproceeded a long way, the graceful Bharata, with his bearers extremely\ntired, said these words unto that foremost of counsellors, Vasishtha,\n\"From appearances, and from what I had heard, it is evident that we have\narrived at that region which Bharadwaja had told us of. This is the\nmountain Chitrakuta and that the river Mandakini. And from a distance\nthis forest appeareth like dark clouds. And now our elephants resembling\nhills afflict the romantic sides of Chitrakuta. And the trees scatter\nblossoms over the sides of the mountain, even as after summer sable\nclouds pour down showers. O Satrughna, behold the realms inhabited by\nKinnaras, scattered with steeds, like the main with _makaras_. And these\nherds of deer furnished with celerity, being urged on, roam about like\nmasses of clouds in the sky in autumn, propelled by the winds. And like\nthe people of the south, these warriors bearing shields resembling\nclouds, are adorning their heads with ornaments of perfumed blossoms.\nAnd this forest, although void of men and dreadful in appearance, at\npresent appeareth unto me like Ayodhya, teeming with people. The dust\nraised by the hoofs (of horses) stands covering the sky: anon the wind\nbearing it away, compasses my pleasure. And, O Satrughna, see how fast\nthese cars yoked with steeds and driven by skilful charioteers, are\nproceeding in the forest. And behold these beauteous peacocks, which,\nbeing frightened, take refuge in the mountain --the home of feathered\ntribes. This country appears to me exceedingly lovely. This abode of the\nascetics is like onto the way to heaven itself. Male and female deer and\nPrishatas in the forest, beautiful to look at, appear as if variegated\nwith flowers. Now let the soldiers go advisedly and search this forest,\nso that they light upon those chiefs of men, Rama and Lakshmana.\"\nHearing Bharata's speech, persons with weapons in their hands, plunged\ninto the forest, and those heroes presently discovered the top of a\n(column of) smoke. Having seen the top of the (column of) smoke, they\ncame before Bharata and said, \"Fire cannot exist where there is no man\npresent. Therefore it is evident that even here are those descendants of\nRaghu. But if those foremost of men, those subduers of their enemies,\nthe princes, be not here, there are others, being ascetics, resembling\nRama.\" Hearing their words acceptable unto the pious, that afflicter of\nhostile ranks, Bharata, said unto the entire army, \"Do ye carefully stay\nhere: do not proceed further. I myself will go, and Sumantra and\nDhriti.\" Thus desired, the troops remained all about that place. Bharata\nwent away, keeping his gaze fixed in the direction of the top of (the\ncolumn of) smoke. Desired by Bharata to halt, that army, looking in the\ndirection of the smoke, rejoiced soon on learning that the beloved Rama\nhad arrived (at that place).\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXXIV.\n\n\nHaving spent a long time in that mountain, that lover of hills and\nwoods, Dacaratha's son resembling an immortal, anxious to pleasure\nVaidehi as well as to please his own mind, showed the variegated\nChitrakuta unto his wife, like Purandara unto Sachi. \"O gentle one,\nneither deprivation of the kingdom nor separation from friends afflicts\nmy mind on beholding this romantic mountain. My gentle one, look but at\nthe hill abounding with flocks of various birds, adorned with summits\ncleaving the welkin and teeming with mineral substances. And some parts\nof this monarch of mountains are like silver, and some are blood-red,\nand some yellow like the hue of Manjistha, and some lustrous like\nsapphires, and some shining like blossoms or crystal or Ketakas, and\nsome blazing like stars or mercury, and some dight in mineral\nsubstances. And the mountain shines, being filled with divers beasts and\nmultitudes of innocuous tigers, hyenas and bears, and thronged with\ninnumerable birds. And overspread with mangos, rose-apples, and\n_Asanas_, and Lodhras,[175] Piyalas, jacks, Ankolas, and Bhavyatinicas,\nand Vilwas, and Tindukas, and bamboos, Kacmaris, Arishtas, and Varanas,\nand Madhukas, sesames, and jujubes, and Amalakas, Nipas, canes,\nDhanwanas, and citrons--all in full flower, and bearing fruits,\numbrageous and charming,--the mountain attains an accession of\nloveliness. And, thou gentle one, on the picturesque plateau of the hill\nbehold these intelligent couples of Kinnaras engaged in sport at spots\nyeilding every enjoyment; and look at their swords hung up on the\nboughs. And see the gorgeous apparel of Vidyadharis, as well as the\ncharming regions in which they sport. And like an elephant dropping the\ntemporal juice, this hill appeareth beautiful with cascades, fountains\nand rillets, flowing here and there. Whom doth not the breeze laden with\nthe perfumes of many a flower, soothing the sense of smell, fill with\ndelight? If, O blameless one, I dwell (here) for many years with thee as\nwell as Lakshmana, grief cannot overcome me. O damsel, I take delight in\nthis picturesque peak abounding in flowers and fruits, and frequented by\nvarious birds. By this banishment of mine, I have gained two things--my\nfather has maintained his truth in religion, and Bharata has obtained\nhis dear interest. O daughter of Videha, art thou being pleased on\nviewing along with me on Chitrakuta, various objects grateful unto mind,\nspeech and body? O queen, this abode in the forest like unto ambrosia\nhath been declared by those royal saints, my ancestors, as working out\none's emancipation after death. The giant crags of the mountain grace\nthe place all round by hundreds; many and various-hued, blue and yellow\naad pale and red. In the night, the annual herbs by thousands growing on\nthis foremost of hills, shine and become visible by their own lustre,\nlike flames of fire. And, O lady, some parts of the mountain appear like\ndwellings, and some like gardens, and some, again, consist of single\nrocks (capable of accommodating numbers of men). And Chitrakuta looks as\nif it had arisen, riving the earth; and the fair front of Chitrakuta can\nbe perceived from every point. Behold the beds of pleasure-seekers,\nconsisting of the petals of lotuses, with _Sthagaras_, _Panagas_ and\n_Bhuryapatras_ for their coverlets. And, my wife, behold these\nlotus-garlands have been crushed and scattered; and the various fruits\nhave been partaken of. The mountain Chitrakuta abounding in fruits and\nroots and waters, surpasses Kuvera's capital or Sakra's city or the\nnorth Kurus. My wife, O Sita, if in consonance with my own excellent\nrules, I can, remaining in the path of the pious, pleasantly pass this\ntime along with thyself and Lakshmana, then I shall attain the happiness\nresulting from observing the duties of one's race.\"\n\n[175] _Symplocos racemosa_.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXXV.\n\n\nThen going out of the mountain, the Lord of Kocala showed unto Mithila's\ndaughter the charming stream Mandakini of excellent waters. And Rama,\nfurnished with eyes resembling lotuses, addressed the daughter of king\nVideha, transcendentally beautiful, with a countenance like the fair\nmoon, saying, \"Behold the river Mandakini, having variegated islets\nbeautiful; frequented by ducks and cranes; and filled with flowers;\ncovered with diverse trees bearing fruits and flowers; and looking\ngraceful all round like Saugandhika herself of Kuvera. And the waters\nrendered muddy in consequence of herds of deer drinking of them, as well\nas the graceful descents unto the river, fill me with pleasure. And, my\nbeloved, sages wearing matted locks and deer-skins, with barks for their\nsheets, are in season performing their ablutions in the river Mandakini.\nAnd observing rules, persons raising up their arms, are worshipping the\nsun, and, O thou of expansive eyes, after these appear ascetics\nfollowing vows, (engaged in _Japa_). And the hill seems to dance on the\nwind swaying the tops of trees; and on both sides of the river, the\ntrees are crowned with flowers and leaves. And behold the river\nMandakini, somewhere with its waters resembling pearls, and somewhere\nwith islets, and somewhere filled with persons who have attained\nemancipation. O thou of slender waist, behold these hosts of flowers\nspreading along, and others dipping themselves (in the stream). And, O\nauspicious one, behold these sweet-throated birds, the Chakravakas,\ngetting upon the islets, uttering pleasant notes. Methinks, O beauteous\none, the sight of Chitrakuta and of Mandakini is even more delightful\nthan life in the metropolis, or the sight of thy own self. Do thou like\nunto her companion perform thy bath with me in this stream, whose waters\nare perpetually stirred by emancipated ones, furnished with asceticism,\nself-restraint, and control over the senses, who have had their sins\nremoved. Do thou, O Sita, perform thy ablutions in the Mandakini,\nscattering at the same time, O girl, red and white lotuses. Do thou, my\nwife, always consider the wild animals as citizens, the mountain as\nAyodhya, and this stream as the Sarayu. The virtuous Lakshmana is ever\nobedient to my commands; and, O Videha's daughter, thou also art\nfavourable to me. This causes delight in my heart. Bathing thrice (in\nthis river), and living on tasteful fruits and roots, I in thy company\ndo not today wish either for Ayodhya or royalty. Bathing in this\nbeauteous stream agitated by herds of elephants, whose waters are drunk\nby elephants, lions and monkeys,--which is graced with flowers, and\nwhich is decked with multitudes of blossoms, there is no one who has not\nhis fatigue removed, and who does not feel exhilarated.\" Having thus\nalong with his beloved one, spoken variously regarding the stream, that\nperpetuator of the Raghu race, Rama, began to range the charming\nChitrakata, resembling the collyrium in hue.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXXVI.\n\n\nHaving showed unto Mithila's daughter the river belonging to the\nmountain, Rama sat down on its table-land and, gratifying Sita with\nmeat, said unto her, \"This clean meat tastes sweet, having been roasted\nin fire.\" The righteous Raghava was thus seated in company with Sita,\nwhen Bharata's followers came there. And filling the heavens, there\narose clouds of dust raised by the army as well as an uproar. And at\nthis time mad leaders of elephant-herds accompanied by the latter,\nscared by the terrible tumult, scudded on all sides. And Raghava heard\nthe noise raised by the army; and also saw all those leaders of\nelephant-herds scampering away. And having seen them running away and\nheard that hubbub, Rama spoke unto Sumitra's son, Lakshmana of flaming\nenergy, \"Ha! Lakshmana, in whom Sumitra has been blest with a worthy\nson, hark! A tremendous and dreadful uproar resembling the rumbling of\ncloulds is being heard; and in the woods and mighty forest, deer and\nbuffalos and herds of elephants being accompanied by lions are suddenly\nscampering away in all directions. O Sumitra's son, it behoves thee to\nlearn whether any king or prince is hunting in the forest, or any\nferocious beast is (ravaging the woods). O Lakshmana, this mountain is\neven incapable of being frequented by fowls. Therefore it behoves thee\nto learn all about it, as has actually been the case.\"--Thereat,\nhurriedly ascending a flowering _Sala_ tree, Lakshmana surveying all\nsides, fixed his gaze on the east. And viewing the east, he discovered a\nmighty army, abounding with elephants, horses and cars, and consisting\nof equipped infantry. Thereupon, Lakshmana communicated unto Rama\ntidings concerning that army filled with elephants and steeds, and\ndecked with cars and streamers; and spoke unto Rama, saying, \"O noble\none, do you put out the fire; and let Sita go into the cave. And do you\nstring your bow and make ready the arrows and don on your mail.\"\nThereat, Rama--chief of men--answered Lakshmana, saying, \"O son of\nSumitra, do thou (first) ascertain whom this host belongs to.\" Thus\naccosted by Rama, Lakshmana, as if consuming that army by his wrath\nresembling, fire, said, \"Having got himself installed, Kaikeyi's son,\nBharata, anxious to render his royalty perfectly safe, is coming hither\nfor the purpose of slaying us both. Yonder is seen the graceful tree. By\nthe same appeareth on the car the Kovidara standard, having a shining\ntop. And men riding swift coursers are at their pleasure making for this\nplace; and elephant-riders, riding on elephants, are also cheerfully\ndirecting their course hither. Let us, O hero, taking our bows, station\nourselves on this hill. I will (to day) see Bharata, for whom we have\ncome by this mighty misfortune. Or let us rather remain where we are\naccoutred in mail and with our arms ready. Shall he of the Kovidara\nbanner in conflict come under our sway? O hero, we have met with that\nfoe of ours for whom, O Raghava, you, Sita and myself have (experienced\nsuch misery), for whom, O Raghava, you have been cast off from the\nentire kingdom. Surely, Bharata should be slain by me. O Raghava, fault\nfind I none in slaying Bharata; slaying a former wronger, one doth not\nreap unrighteousness. O Raghava, there is religious merit to be reaped\nby slaying Bharata, who had formerly done us wrong. On this one being\nslain, you will rule the entire earth. To day shall Kaikeyi lusting\nafter the kingdom, with grief behold her son slain in battle by me, like\na tree riven by an elephant. I will also kill Kaikeyi along (with the\nhump-backed one), and her friends. Let the earth today be freed from\nfoul sins. To day will I, O bestower of honor, vent my restrained ire\nand bad blood upon the hostile hosts, like fire set to a heap of hay.\nTo-day with sharpened shafts will I cut the bodies of the hostile hosts\nand drench the woods of Chitrakuta with their blood. The ferocious\nbeasts shall drag away elephants and steeds and men slaughtered by me\nwith arrows penetrating into their hearts. I will, without doubt, in\nthis forest pay the debt I owe to my bow aid arrows, by slaying Bharata\ntogether with all his forces.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXXVII.\n\n\nPacifying Sumitra's son, Lakshmana, transported with rage and eager for\nencounter, Rama addressed him, saying, \"When the mighty Bharata\npossessed of high spirits has himself come here, what is the use of the\nbow or the sword or the shield? Having promised to maintain my father's\ntruth, what, O Lakshmana, shall I, having slain Bharata in battle, do\nwith the kingdom with a stain attached unto it? That thing which falls\nto my lot on the destruction of friends and adherents I never accept,\neven like food mixed with poison. I swear unto thee, I wish for the\n(possession of) righteousness, interest, desire and the earth, in your\ninterests alone, O Lakshmana. O Lakshmana, I swear by my weapon that it\nis for the maintenance and happiness of my brothers that I wish for the\nkingdom. O mild one, this Earth herself is not difficult of being\nattained by me; but, O Lakshmana, I do not through unrighteousness wish\nto possess myself of Sakra's state.--May fire reduce to ashes any\nhappiness of mine that, O bestower of honor, happens to be dissevered\nfrom Bharata, or thyself, or Satrughna. I think Bharata attached unto\nhis brothers had come to Ayodhya; and then, allowing the morality\nregulating the race, that one dearer unto me than life, hearing of me\nbanished, bearing matted locks- and bark, together with Janaki, O hero,\nand thyself, thou foremost of men, has, with his heart surcharged with\nreflection, and his senses overwhelmed by grief, come hither for seeing\nus. He cannot have come on any other account, And having got wroth with\nKaikeyi, and given her rough speech, that auspicious one, having\ngratified my sire, has come hither to make the kingdom over unto me. And\nthe season being fit, meet it is that Bharata should see us. He does not\neven in thought act against us. Hath ere this Bharata done thee any bad\nturn? Or did he tell thee any thing so harming that today thou standest\nin fear of him? Certainly thou ought not to say cruel or unpleasant\nwords in relation to Bharata,--if wrong be done unto Bharata, I shall\nconsider myself as wronged. Do sons, in times of peril, ever slay their\nfather, or brothers their brother like unto their life, O son of\nSumitra? If thou speakest thus for the sake of the monarchy, on seeing\nBharata, I will say unto him, 'Make over the kingdom unto this one.'\nEarnestly exhorted by me, saying, 'Do thou place the kingdom in his\nhands',--he will say, 'Very well.\"\n\nThus addressed by his brother of a virtuous disposition, Lakshmana ever\nengaged in Rama's good, from shame seemed to enter into his body. And\nhearing those words, Lakshmana affected by shame, answered, \"I conceive\nour father Dacaratha himself hath come to see you.\" And finding\nLakshmana overcome with shame, Raghava replied, \"I think that\nmighty-armed one has come hither to see us; or I take it for certain\nthat, considering that we are fit for ease only, and taking our\nbanishment to heart, he will take us home. Or it may be that graceful\ndescendant of Raghu, my father, will go away, taking from the forest\nVideha's daughter wrought up in the lap of luxury. There are seen these\ngraceful and well-bred steeds, courageous, swift, and furnished with the\nspeed of the wind--the best of horses. And this huge elephant belonging\nto our aged sire, named Satrunjaya, proceedeth in the van of the army.\nBut, thou exalted one, I do not see the splendid white umbrella of our\nfather known among men. Therefore, doubts arise in my mind. Do thou\ndescend from the top of the tree, O Lakshmana. Do my bidding.\" Thus did\nthe righteous Rama accost Sumitra's son. Descending from the top of the\n_sala_ tree, that conqueror in battles, Lakshmana, stood by Rama with\njoined hands. Commanded by Bharata, \"Let not (Rama's asylum) be trampled\nby the forces,\" the army took up its quarters at a distance from the\nhill. And the Ikshwaku host filled with elephants and steeds covering\nhalf a yojana, encamped at the side of the mountain. And keeping\nmorality in their fore-boot, and renouncing pride, the disciplined\nforces schooled by Bharata in view of pleasing that descendant of Raghu\n(Rama) stayed in Chitrakuta.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXXVIII.\n\n\nHaving stationed his troops, that best of men, the master, became\nanxious to go on foot to the Kakutstha honoring his superiors. And the\nforces having with humility took up the quarters assigned, Bharata\naddressed his brother, Satrughna, saying, \"O mild one, it behoves thee\nat once to search this forest all round in company with a large body of\nmen as well as these Nishadas. And let Guha himself accompanied by a\nthousand of his kindred bearing in their hands arrows and bows and\nscimitars, also search for the Kakutstha in this forest. Accompanied by\ncounsellors, citizens, preceptors and twice-born ones, I will on foot\nrange every direction. So long as I do not see Rama, or the mighty\nLakshmana, or the highly exalted daughter of Videha, I shall not attain\npeace of mind. And so long as I do not see that face of his fair as the\nmoon, with eyes expansive like lotuses, I shall not attain peace of\nmind. Surely, Sumitra's son, Lakshmana, who beholds Rama's countenance\nlike the stainless moon, with eyes resembling lotuses, and beaming in\neffulgence, is blessed. So long as I do not take on my head those feet\nof my brother bearing royal marks, I shall not attain peace of mind. So\nlong as established in the kingdom of his father and grandfather, that\none worthy of the monarchy is not sprinkled with the water of\ninstallation, I shall not attain peace of mind. Blessed is Vaidehi, the\neminently virtuous daughter of Janaka, who followeth the lord of this\nEarth bounded by the seas. And this Chitrakuta is fortunate--this hill\nlike unto the monarch of mountains-- in which resides Kakutstha, like\nKuvera in Nandana. And blessed is this deep forest inhabited by\nferocious animals, where abideth the great king Rama, the foremost of\nthose bearing arms.\" Having said this, that best of men, the\nmighty-armed and highly energetic Bharata, on foot entered the vast\nforest. And that best of speakers went over the mountain-side through\nranks of blossoming trees. Then swiftly ascending a _Sala_ on\nChitrakuta, he descried the high column of smoke belonging unto Rama's\nasylum. Having seen this, like one that has crossed over the ocean, the\ngraceful Bharata, concluding that Rama was there, rejoiced exceedingly\nalong with his friends. Having heard that Rama's asylum containing pious\npeople lay in Chitrakuta, that high-souled one again stationing his\nforces, speedily went (in that direction), accompanied by Guha.\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXXIX.\n\n\nHaving quartered his forces, Bharata eager (to go to Rama's place), went\nto see his brother, showing unto Satrughna the signs of Rama's abode\nbeing in the vicinity. And having desired Vasistha, saying, \"Bring my\nmothers without delay,\" that one attached to his superiors went before.\nAnd eager to see Rama even like Bharata himself, Sumantra followed\nBharata at a short distance. And as Bharata passed on, he observed a\nneat cottage of leaves stationed among the asylums of anchorets,\nfurnished with a portion having a wall with a door. And before the\ncottage, Bharata saw fuel broken up, and flowers gathered. And he saw at\nplaces signs of Kuca and bark set up on trees when Rama and Lakshmana\n(first) arrived at their asylum. And in that habitation, Bharata saw\ngreat heaps of dry dung of deer and buffalos, gathered for preventing\ncold. As he proceeded, the intelligent and mighty-armed Bharata with a\ncheerful heart remarked unto Satrughna and all the courtiers, \"I\nconceive, we have reached the tract that was mentioned by Bharadwaja.\nHard by this spot, I fancy, is the river Mandakini. On high are barks\nset up by Lakshmana. Having to pass by the way at unusual hours,\n(Lakshmana) has marked it with signs. On the side of the hill is the way\nby which long-tusked elephants pass to and fro with vehemence, roaring\nat each other. Here is seen the dense and dark smoke of that which the\nanchorets are ever anxious to preserve in the forest--fire. Even here\nshall I with a delighted heart see that foremost of men, the noble\nRaghava resembling a Maharshi, ever engaged in serving his superiors.\"\nThen going to Chitrakuta, that descendant of Raghu, coming to the\nMandakini, said unto the men, \"That foremost of men in all the world,\nthe lord of all, coming into seclusion, is in his _yoga_ posture. O fie\nupon my birth and my life! For me, having come by misfortune, and\nrenounced every comfort, the effulgent lord of men, Raghava, is dwelling\nin the woods. I shall be taxed of men on the score. To-day (first)\npacifying him, I will fall at the feet of Rama as well as of Sita and\nLakshmana.\" Having thus bewailed, Dacaratha's son saw a splendid,\ncharming, and holy dwelling in that forest, composed of leaves. And\nBharata beheld in Rama's habitation a sacred structure made of leaves,\ncovered with a profusion of _Sala_, palm, and Acwakarna leaves; spread\nwith soft Kuca, like a dais in a sacrifice; adorned with bows resembling\nthe iris, plaited on the back with gold, of mighty force, and capable of\nachieving arduous feets and destroying foes; and garnished with arrows\nin quivers, seeming like the rays of the sun, with flaming mouths,--like\nunto the Bhogavati with serpents; and exceedingly beautified with golden\nsheaths and scimitars and shields spangled with gold and nice guana\nfinger-fences decked with gold; inaccessible unto foes like a lions's\nden unto deer; and furnished with a spacious dais inclined on the\nnorth-east, with a fire flaming on it. And looking around, anon Bharata\nsaw his superior Rama seated in the cottage bearing a head of matted\nlocks, clad in a black deer-skin, and having tattered cloth and bark for\nhis garment. And he saw Rama seated like unto a flame--with leonine\nshoulders, mighty arms, and eyes resembling lotuses--the righteous lord\nof this world bounded by the seas--saw the mighty-armed one like unto\nthe eternal Brahma, seated on a skin-seat on the ground along with Sita\nand Lakshmana. And seeing him, overwhelmed with grief and affliction,\nthe righteous and graceful son of Kaikeyi, Bharata, rushed (towards\nhim). And soon as Bharata saw Rama, he, exceedingly distressed,broke out\ninto lamentations in words choked with sorrow. And incapable of holding\nhimself in patience, he said, \"That elder brother of mine, who (seated)\nin court should be surrounded by the subjects intent upon paying him\nhomage, is now surrounded by wild deer. He that used to adorn his person\nwith attire worth many thousands (of things), engaged in observing\nmorality, is clad in deer-skin. Why doth he that always wore variegated\nblossoms, Raghava, beareth this burthen of matted locks? He who is\nworthy of acquiring religious merit by celebrating sacrifices according\nto the ordinance, is now following morality by afflicting his person.\nHow is the person of that one whose body used to be daubed with costly\nsandal, covered with dust? It is for me that Rama, although deserving of\ncomfort, has come by this misfortune. Wicked that I am, fie upon my life\ndespised of men!\" Thus lamenting in woful guise, with the lotus of his\ncountenance covered with sweat, Bharata coming at Rama's feet, fell at\nthem bewailing. And inflamed with grief, the exceedingly powerful prince\nBharata, having in distress of spirit uttered, \"O noble one,\" again said\nnothing. And beholding the illustrious Rama, Bharata with his utterance\nchoked with emotion, exclaimed, \"O noble one,\" and was unable to say\nanything further. Then Satrughna also weeping paid homage unto the feet\nof Rama. And shedding tears, Rama embraced them both. Then as in the\nsky, the Sun and the Moon meet with Sukra and Vrihashpati, those two\nprinces (Rama and Lakshmana) met with Sumantra and Guha in the forest.\nAnd beholding those kings resembling leaders of elephant-herds met\ntogether in that mighty forest, the dwellers in the woods, resigning\ntheir cheerfulness, began to shed tears.\n\n\n\nSECTION C.\n\n\nThen Rama cast his eyes on (Bharata) as clad in bark and wearing matted\nlocks he lay on the earth with joined hands, incapable of being gazed\nat, like the Sun at the time of the universal dissolution. Then\nrecognizing him a little, he took by the hand his brother Bharata, lean,\nwith a pallid countenance. And smelling the crown of his head, and\nembracing that descendant of Raghu, Rama took Bharata on his lap and\nasked him affectionately, \"Where was thy father, child, that thou hast\ncome to the forest? It certainly behoves thee not to come unto the\nforest while he is living. Ah! I see thee come from far after a long\ntime. Why, my child, hast thou come unto this gloomy forest? Is the king\nalive, my child, seeing that thou hast come hither; or, afficted with\ngrief, hath he suddenly gone to the other world? And, O mild one, child\nthat thou art, thy kingdom ever thine hath not been wrested from thee?\nAnd, O thou having truth for prowess, dost thou, my child, minister unto\nour sire? And is that truthful one, that performer of Rajasuya and\nAcwamedha, ever devoted to righteousness, king Dacaratha, well? And, my\nchild, is that exceedingly effulgent and learned Brahmana ever steady in\nmorality, the priest of the Ikshwakus, duly honored? And, my child, are\nKaucalya, and Sumitra having a son, in happiness? And is the noble\nKaikeyi in spirits? And is that one, sprung from a mighty line, humble\nand versed in various lore, thy priest, who performeth every ceremony,\nwho beareth no ill will, and whose gaze is ever fixed upon our\nwelfare,--honored? And do intelligent and sincere people cognizant of\nthe rules, look after the sacrificial fire? And do they regularly inform\nthee of the proper seasons for performing the fire-sacrifice? A dost\nthou regard the deities, the ancestral manes, the preceptors like unto\npredecessors, the physicians, the Brahmanas, and the servants? And dost\nnot disregard the preceptor Sudhanwa, versed in excellent arms whether\ninspired with _mantras_ or not, and accomplished in the knowledge of\npolity? And, my child, hast thou employed as thy concillors, persons,\nheroic, learned, self-controlled, well-born, and understanding signs,\nwho are like thy own self? O descendant of Raghu, counsel well kept by\nclever councillors versed in lore, is the root of victory with kings.\nAnd thou hast not come under the sway of sleep? And thou awakest at the\nproper hour? And dost thou during the short hours revolve the means of\nacquiring wealth? And thou dost not take counsel either with thyself\nalone, or (on the other hand) with a multiplicity of counsellors? And\nthy counsel doth not range the kingdom (i. e. doth not take air)? And, O\ndescendant of Raghu, having determined upon a course costing small\neffort but fraught with a mighty result, thou setst about it sharply and\ndelayest not? And do the (auxiliary) kings know only those acts of thine\nthat have been accomplished or those that are well nigh so, and not\nthose that thou intendest to set thine hand to? And do others through\ninference or appearances come at a knowledge of thy counsels, although\nundivulged to others by thyself or thy counsellors; and (do thou and thy\nministers) attain to a knowledge of others' counsels? And passing by a\nthousand dunces, dost thou set thy heart on having a single wise man? In\ntimes of pecuniary stress, a wise man stands in excellent stead. And\nalthough a king might be surrounded by a thousand or ten thousand fools,\nyet he can count upon no assistance (at their hands). And a single able\ncounsellor, intelligent, heroic, and sagacious, bringeth great\nprosperity upon a king or a prince. And, my child, dost thou employ the\nbest servants upon the best offices, the middling upon middling, and the\nworst upon the worst? And dost thou employ upon the most worthy offices\ncounsellors who are above bribery, who have served thy father and\ngrand-father, and who are pure? And do the subjects visited with condign\npunishment, as well as the ministers, disregard thee, O son of Kaikeyi?\nAnd do the priests scorn thee like a fallen one, even as females do\nthose lascivious folks who use force towards the former? He that doth\nnot slay a physician skilled in ways and means, a servant given to\nenlisting the sympathies of his fellow-servants against his master, or a\nhero that covets riches, is slain (by them). And hast thou chosen for\nthy general one that is confident, is endowed with intelligence and\nfortitude, sprung in a respectable race, and attached and able? And dost\nthou practically honor thy foremost warriors possessed of prowess, who\nhave already given evidence of their manliness? And dost thou at the\nproper time grant thy soldiers what thou shouldst--provision and pay;\nand dost not delay in doing this? If the proper time for granting\nprovision and pay be passed, the servants get wroth with their master\nand tax him; and great is the evil that springs herefrom. And are the\nprincipal descendants of our race attached unto thee; and are they, when\nenlisted on thy side with concentrated minds, ready to lay down their\nlives? And, O Bharata, are thy spies persons coming from the provinces,\nand learned, upright, endowed with presence of mind, representing the\ntruth, and possessed of wisdom? And dost thou acquire intelligence of\nthe expedients, eighteen[176] in respect of others, and fifteen in\nrespect of thy own self,--by means of every three spies appointed in\nconnection with each of these expedients--men quite ignorant of each\nother's counsels? And dost thou not contemn those weak ones that, O\ndestroyer of thy foes, having been expelled, have come again (unto\nthee)? And, my child, thou dost not minister unto atheistical Brahmanas?\nThese childish persons proud of their learning are only fit for bringing\nevils upon others. While there are excellent scriptures, these people of\nsubtle intellects, having acquired a knowledge of dialectics, speak\nvanities. And, my child, dost thou protect the prosperous and renowned\nAyodhya, inhabited formerly by our heroic predecessors; bearing a true\nname; having strong gates; filled with elephants, steeds, and cars;\nthronged by thousands; with noble Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and Vaicyas\nbreathing high spirits, and with their senses controlled, each engaged\nin his own task; abounding in people learned in the Veda; and surrounded\nwith palatial mansions of various shapes? And, O descendant of Raghu,\nare the flourishing provinces marked with hundreds of Chaityas, filled\nwith prosperous people, graced with abodes of deities, places for\ndistributing water, and tanks, with men and women in happy mood, gay\nwith meetings and festivities, having their outskirts well furrowed,\nprovided with beasts, void of ill feelings, depending on tanks for their\nwater supply, charming, renounced by fierce animals, free from all kinds\nof fear, decked with mines, left by unrighteous people, and well\ngoverned by my predecessors,-- having a good time of it? And do\nagriculturists and cowherds find favor in thy sight? And remaining in\ntheir respective vocations, do they enjoy happiness? And dost thou\nmaintain them by securing unto them what they wish for and removing from\nthem what they wish away? All the dwellers in his dominions should be\nprotected by the king. And dost thou conciliate the females; and are\nthey well protected by thee? And dost thou not regard them; and dost\nthou not open unto them thy mind? And are the woods where elephants\nbreed, kept by thee; and hast thou kine? And dost thou not foster mares\nand female-elephants? And dost thou show thyself daily in the court,\nwell robed? And rising in the morning, dost thou show thyself in the\nhigh-ways? And do thy servants boldly present themselves before thee; or\ndo they all keep away? A middle course contributes to their good\nfortune. And are all the forts furnished with wealth, corn, arms, water,\nmachines, artizans, and bowmen? And are thy incomings great and\noutgoings slender? And, Raghu's descendant, thou dost not give away thy\ncoffers unto the undeserving? And dost thou spend thy wealth in the\ninterests of the deities, or the _pitrtis_, or the Brahmanas who have\ncome unto thee, or warriors, or friends? If any respectable,\npure-spirited and clean person happen to be accused by some one of theft\nor other crimes, dost thou from covetuousness punish him without first\nhaving him tried by persons versed in scripture? And, O best of men, is\na thief, that hath been caught, interrogated (as to his guilt), and\nfound with the stolen property on his person, set free (by thy men) from\nmotives of gain? And do thy counsellors, O descendant of Raghu,\naccomplished in various lore, uninfluenced by greed, consider the\nconduct of both the rich and the poor involved in peril? O son of the\nRaghu race, the tears of those who have been falsely charged with any\noffence, (and who have failed to obtain justice), dropping, destroy the\nsons as well as the beasts of the ruler that minds his own comfort only.\nAnd dost thou with these three--gifts, mind and word--try to win over\naged people, boys, physicians, and the principal ones? And dost thou\nsalute spiritual preceptors, aged persons, ascetics, gods, guests,\nChaityas, emancipated ones, and Brahmanas? And thou dost not oppose\nrighteousness by interest, or interest by virtue, or both by desire,\nintent on gratifying the senses? And, O foremost of conquerors, dost\nthou, O thou cognisant of time, in season resorting to interest, desire,\nand virtue respectively, attain them, O bestower of boons? And do\nBrahmanas versed in all religious lore and knowing interest, together\nwith the citizens and the inhabitants of the provinces wish for thy\nhappiness, O highly wise one? Atheism, untruthfulness, inattention,\nanger, procrastination, companionship with evil persons, indolence,\ngratification of the senses, consultation with a single person\nconcerning the needs of a kingdom, taking counsel with those that are\ncognisant of evils alone, omission to take in hand a task that hath been\ndecided upon, divulgence of counsel, noncommencement of a course in the\nmorning, and marching against all the foes at one and the same time,--\nhast thou eschewed these ten and four faults? And, O descendant of\nRaghu, truly understanding the tenth,[177] fifth,[178] fourth[179] and\nseventh[180] classes as well as the eighth,[181] and third ones,[182]\nand the three kinds of learning,[183] and victory over the senses, and\nthe evils human and superhuman, six attributes,[184] and the (peculiar)\nduties (of royalty), and the twenty classes,[185] and the kinds of\nPrakritis[186] and Mandala,[187] and Yatra,[188] chastisement, and war\nand peace having each two sources; dost thou with due order observe all\nthese? And, O wise one, dost thou, as laid down in the ordinance, take\ncounsel, severally and in a body with three or four men? And dost thou\nobserve the Vedas? And dost thou perceive the fruit of thy acts? And\nhave thy wives borne children? And has thy knowledge of scripture borne\nfruit? And, descendant of Raghu, is thy intellect going the way that I\nhave indicated above? This course is conducive to long life, and fame;\nand virtue, desire and interest. And, O child, art thou following the\ncourse that was followed by our ancestors? And art thou maintaining the\nconduct that is excellent and passes along pious ways? And, O son of\nRaghu, thou dost not alone partake of sapid meats thyself alone? And\ndost thou share them with those friends who expect it? The learned king\nruling (all) righteously--that chastiser of the subjects--the monarch\nattaining duly the entire earth, going away from hence, acquires the\ncelestial regions.\"\n\n[176] 1 Minister. 2 Priest. 3 Heir-apparent. 4 General. 5 Warder. 6\n Gatekeeper of the inner-apartment. 7 Jailor. 8 Treasurer. 9\n Conveyer of the royal orders. 10 Pleaders. 11 Judges. 12 Members\n of the council. 13 Distributer of pay and provision to the army.\n 14 Journeymen. 15 Justice of the peace. 16 Protector of the\n frontiers of the kingdom. 17 Magistrate. 18 Guards of rivers,\n hills, forests, and fortresses.\n\n[177] Hunting, gambling, sleeping in the day, calumny, addiction to\n women, wine, dancing, singing, playing, and roving without\n purpose.-- T.\n\n[178] Five kinds of fortresses.--T.\n\n[179] Four kinds of means adopted for the governing and maintaining of a\n kingdom.--T.\n\n[180] Seven pillars of a kingdom including the sovereign, counsellors\n &c.-- T.\n\n[181] Eight kinds of manifestation of anger.--T.\n\n[182] Interest, desire and virtue.--T.\n\n[183] The Vedas; agriculture and commerce ac. politics.--T.\n\n[184] Peace, war. marching, halting, sowing dissensions, seeking\n protection.--T.\n\n[185] Twenty classes of men with whom peace should not be contracted.--\n T.\n\n[186] These five are called _Prakritis_,--minister, treasure, territory,\n fortress, chastisement.--T.\n\n[187] Twelve classes of kings, who are ready to enter into a treaty,\n declare war or continue in a state of indifference.--T.\n\n[188] A fivefold marching out for war.\n\n\n\nSECTION CI.\n\n\nKnowing Bharata as devoted to his superior Rama along with his brother\nLakshmana, asked him, \"What for is this (visit of thine unto the woods)?\nI wish to hear as clearly related by thee the reason why clad in black\ndeerskin and wearing matted locks, thou, leaving thy kingdom, hast come\nto these regions. It behoveth thee to tell me all this.\" Thus accosted\nby the high-souled Kakutstha, Kaikeyi's son, suppressing his grief by a\nstrong effort, with joined hands said, \"O noble one, forsaking us all,\nour father possessed of mighty arms, having performed this terrible\ntask, in consequence of being urged by a woman, my mother Kaikeyi, hath\ngone to heaven afflicted with grief on account of his son, O repressor\nof foes. And she hath committed a signal sin capable of destroying her\nfame. And without obtaining the kingdom which she had coveted as the\nfruit of her action, a widow tried with grief, my mother will fall into\na terrible hell. Now it behoves thee to extend thy favor unto me who\nhave become thy slave. Do thou this very day get thyself installed in\nthe kingdom, like unto Indra himself. All these subjects and our widowed\nmothers have come unto thee. It behoves thee to show thy favor unto\nthem. Thou art the first-born; and meet it is that thou shouldst get\nthyself installed, O bestower of honor. Therefore do thou receive the\nkingdom righteously and fulfil the desire of thy friends. And like the\nautumnal Night on having the unclouded moon, let the entire Earth cease\nto be a widow on having thee, her lord. With bent head I beseech thee\nalong with these counsellors. It behoves thee to show thy favor unto thy\nbrother, disciple, and slave. Therefore, O chief of men, thou ought not\nto pass by this honored band of ancestral ministers, who have always\nbeen serving this race.\" Having said this, with tears flooding his eyes,\nthe mighty-armed son of Kaikeyi, Bharata, again took Rama's feet on his\nhead. Thereupon Rama embracing his brother Bharata resembling a mad\nelephant, and sighing again and again, said, \"Of a high race, possessed\nof strength, endowed with energy, and vowed unto sterling worth of\ncharacter, how can one like me commit sin for the sake of dominion?\nFault find I none ever so small in thee, thou destroyer of foes. Nor\ndoth it become thee from puerility to tax thy mother, O exceedingly wise\none, O thou that art sinless, superiors may act as they list in relation\nto those wives and sons of theirs that are after their heart. And this\nalso thou shouldst learn that wives, sons and disciples should always be\nobedient as has been held by the emancipated ones. O mild one, the\nmonarch is competent to make me stay in the woods clad in black\ndeer-skin, as to establish me in the monarchy. And, O thou conversant\nwith morality, O foremost of those observing righteousness, in respect\nof virtuous conduct, a mother should be as much regarded (by a son) as a\nfather is. How can I, O descendant of Raghu, having been told by my\nrighteous father and mother--'Go to the woods'--act otherwise? Thou\nought to receive the kingdom, Ayodhya, honored of men; and I ought to\ndwell in Dandaka dressed in bark. Having made this division of duties in\nthe presence of all, and also enjoined this, the mighty monarch,\nDacaratha, hath ascended heaven. That superior of all, even the virtuous\nking, is thy evidence. It behoves thee to enjoy that which hath been\nassigned unto thee by thy sire. And, O mild one, taking refuge in the\nforest of Dandaka for fourteen years, I will act the part that hath been\nset apart for me by my magnanimous father. What hath been assigned to me\nby that one respected by all men, my high-souled father resembling the\nlord of celestials himself, is my prime good; the masterdom of all the\nworlds I would decline (should it be opposed to the will of my sire).\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CII.\n\n\nHearing Rama's words, Bharata answered, \"Deprived of the kingdom in\nconsequence of my posteriority in point of birth, what doth regard for\nmorality avail me? O best of men, even this morality has ever been\nestablished with reference to us, viz., that the eldest son of the king\nexisting, a younger one cannot be the king. Do thou, therefore, O\nRaghava go along with me to the prosperous Ayodhya; and get thyself\ninstalled there for the behoof of our race. Although a king observing\ninterest and virtue, and who towers above average humanity, hath been\ncalled a mortal, yet to me he is a very deity. While I was in Kekaya and\nthou wast in the forest, that intelligent monarch honored of the good,\ngiven to celebrating sacrifices, ascended heaven. As soon as thou hadst\nset out (for the forest) along with Sita and Lakshmana, the king borne\ndown by grief and chagrin, went to heaven. O foremost of men, do thou\narise, and offer water unto the spirit of our sire. Satrughna and I have\nere this offered water unto (the departed). O Raghava, anything offered\nonto the (manes of the) ancestors by a beloved descendant, conduces to\ntheir eternal behoof; and thou wast the favorite of our father. Mourning\nthee and exceedingly desirous of seeing thee, his mind being fastened on\nthee and incapable of being turned away, deprived of thee, and smitten\nwith grief on thy account, thy father departed this life, remembering\nthee.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CIII.\n\n\nHearing those piteous words uttered by Bharata in connection with the\ndemise of their father, Raghava was deprived of his senses. And on that\nthunder-bolt of a speech being uttered by Bharata, like unto a (real)\nthunderbolt hurled in battle by the enemy of the Danavas (Indra), that\nsubduer of foes, Rama, stretching his arms, fell down to the earth, like\na blossoming tree that hath been hewn by an axe. Seeing that lord of the\nworld and mighty bowman, Rama, fallen, like a sleeping elephant fatigued\nwith turning up earth with its tusks, his brothers exercised with\nsorrow, broke out into lamentations, and along with Videha's daughter\nbegan to sprinkle water (on his face). Then regaining his consciousness,\nKakutstha shedding tears from his eyes, distressfully addressed himself\nto speech. And hearing that lord of earth, his sire, had gone to heaven,\nthat righteous one said unto Bharata words fraught with virtue and\ninterest, \"What shall I do with Ayodhya, my sire having gone the way\nordained by the gods? And who will govern her, now that she hath been\ndeprived of that foremost of monarchs? Of fruitless birth that I am,\nwhat can I do for that magnanimous one? And of him that renounced his\nlife from grief on my account. I have not even performed the last rites.\nAh! Bharata, thou, O sinless one, art blessed, since by thee as well as\nby Satrughna have been performed all the funeral rites of the king. To\nAyodhya, bereft of the monarch, having none to preside over her\ndestinies, and many rulers, will I not return even when the term of my\nabode in the woods has been passed. My father having gone to the other\nworld, who, O subduer of enemies, will again counsel me when, my stay in\nthe forest being over, I shall have returned unto Ayodhya? And from whom\nshall I hear those words grateful unto the ear, which my father\ngratifying me used to speak unto me when I happend to do something\nwell?\" Having thus addressed Bharata, Raghava burning in grief, spoke\nunto his wife, with her countenance resembling the full moon, saying, \"O\nSita, thy father-in-law is dead and, O Lakshmana, thou art fatherless.\nBharata has communicated unto me the sad intelligence that our father\nhath ascended heaven.\" When Kakutstha had said this, tears began to\nshower forth from the eyes of the renowned princes. Then all those\nbrothers pacifying as best they could Rama stricken with sorrow, said\nunto him, \"Do thou perform the watery rites of that lord of the earth,\nour sire.\" Having heard that her father-in-law, the king, had gone to\nthe celestial regions. Sita with her eyes filled with tears, could not\nsee her beloved. Thereupon, pacifying the weeping daughter of Janaka,\nRama moved with grief, spoke unto the distressed Lakshmana, saying, \"Do\nthou bring Ingudi fruits as well as a piece of new bark. I will go to\nperform the watery rites of our high-souled sire. Let Sita go first. Do\nthou follow her. I shall go last. Even this is the course of those in\nmourning.\" Then that magnanimous one, having a knowledge of the soul,\nmild, graceful, capable of controlling his senses, steady in his regard\nfor Rama, and ever following him--Sumantra--in company with those sons\nof the king, having cheered up Raghava, brought him to the auspicious\nriver, Mandakini. Then those illustrious ones, having in distress\narrived at the river Mandakini, having convenient descents, charming,\never furnished with blossoming woods, and of rapid currents; and\napproached its descents, goodly and void of mud, offered water unto the\nmonarch, uttering, \"May this be so!\" And the protector of the earth\n(Rama), holding water with his joined hands, facing the south, said\nweeping, \"O foremost of monarchs, may this clear water knowing no\ndeterioration, reach thee, who hast gone to the world of the ancestral\nmanes!\" Then drawing nigh unto the marge of the Mandakini, the energetic\nRaghava along with his brothers, offered the _Pinda_ unto his father.\nAnd placing the Ingudi _Pinda_ mixed with juyube on a bed of _darbha_\nRama crying in distress, said, \"O mighty monarch, do thou well pleased\nfeed on this, which we also live upon. That which is the fare of an\nindividual, is also the fare of his divinities.\" Then that foremost of\nmen ascending the bank of the stream by the self-same way, got up on the\ncharming side of the hill. And having arrived at the gate of the cottage\nof leaves, that lord of the earth held both Bharata and Lakshmana with\nhis hands. And there the hill reverberated at the sounds raised by the\nbrothers wailing along with Vaidehi, like unto lions roaring. And\nperceiving the loud uproar of those mighty ones engaged in offering\nwater unto their sire, indulging in lamentations, the army of Bharata\nbecame agitated. And they said, \"For certain Bharata hath met with Rama;\nand this mighty noise proceeds from them, as they are bitterly mourning\ntheir deceased sire.\" Thereat leaving aside their vehicles, they with\none mind, rushed towards the spot wherefrom proceeded the uproar. And of\nthose that were tender, some went on horses, and some on elephants, and\nsome on ornamented chariots, while others went on foot. And eager to\nbehold Rama staying away for a short time, though seeming to do so for a\nlong period, all the men at once went to the hermitage. And desirous of\nwitnessing the meeting of the brothers (with Rama), they with all\ndespatch proceeded by means of various vehicles consisting of beasts and\ncars. And the ground trodden by the wheels of innumerable cars, emitted\nloud sounds, like those emitted by the sky on clouds gathering. And\nfrightened by the uproar, elephants accompanied by female ones,\nperfuming all sides (by the fragrance of temporal juice), went to\nanother forest. And boars, and deer, and lions, and buffalos, and\n_Srimaras_, and tigers, and _Gokarnas_, _Gayals_ and _Prishatas_ were\nstriken with panic. And wild with alarm, Chakravakas and swans, and\n_Natyuhas_, and _Plavas_, and _Karandavas_, and male coels, and\n_Kraunchas_, fled away in all directions. And the welkin was enveloped\nby birds frightened by the noise, as the earth was covered by men, and\nboth the sky and the land then gave out great effulgence. As the people\nsuddenly saw that foremost of men, the sinless and illustrious Rama\nseated on the ground, accusing Kaikeyi as well as the vile Manthara, the\npeople approached Rama, with their countenances discovering tears.\nSeeing those men oppressed with grief with their eyes filled with tears,\nthat one cognizant of virtue like fathers and mothers, embraced those\nthat deserved it And he embraced some persons; and some offered him\nsalutations. And the king's son, as each deserved, properly received\nthem along with their friends and equals in age. And the sounds,\nproduced by those high souled persons lamenting, resounding the earth\nand the sky, and the mountain-caverns, and all the cardinal points, were\nheard like peals of _Mridangas_.\n\n\n\nSECTION CIV.\n\n\nDesirous of seeing Rama, Vasishtha, taking before him the wives of\nDacaratha, proceeded towards the hermitage. And as the wives of the king\nwere going slowly by the Mandakini, they discovered the landing-place\nwhich was used by Rama and Lakshmana. Thereupon Kaucalya, with her eyes\nfilled with tears and her countenance rendered pale, observed unto the\nforlorn Sumitra as well as the other wives of the king, \"Sacred like\nunto a first wife, in this forest this is the landing-place of those\nunfortunate ones of untiring energy, who had been deprived of the\nkingdom. From here, O Sumitra, doth thy son, Saumitri, ever vigilant,\npersonally procure water for my son. Although thy son performeth a\nservile office, yet he is not to blame: (the performance of) that alone\nwhich serves no purpose of his brother possessed of many perfections,\ncould bring blame upon him. To day let thy son, who doth not deserve\nsuch toilsome work, cease to perform that office which is fraught with\nhardships fit only for the base.\" That lady of expansive eyes happened\nto see on the earth the _Ingudi pinda_, which had been placed by Rama\nfor his sire on the _darbha_ with their tops pointing southwards. Seeing\nthis, which had been placed on the ground by Rama disconsolate for his\nsire, the noble Kaucalya addressed all the wives of Dacaratha, saying,\n\"Do ye behold this that hath been duly offered to the high-souled\ndescendant of Raghu--lord of the Ikshvaku race--by Raghava. I do not\ndeem this as fit fare for that magnanimous monarch resembling a\ncelestial, who had enjoyed every luxury (in life). Having enjoyed this\nearth bounded by the four seas, how can that lord of the world,\nresembling on earth the mighty Indra, feed on this _Ingudi pinda_?\nNothing appeareth to me more deplorable in this world than this that the\nauspicious Rama hath offered an _Ingudi_ cake unto his father. Seeing\nthe _Ingudi pinda_ offered by Rama unto his father, why doth not my\nheart break into a thousand shivers? Now the tradition in vogue among\nmen, appearth to be true, viz., that \"the fare that is partaken by a\nperson, is also partaken by his deity.\" Then those that were co-wives\nwith her, consoled the distressed Kaucalya; and, (entering the asylum),\nbeheld Rama like an immortal dropped from the celestial regions. Seeing\nRama, who had been deprived of every comfort, his mothers, overwhehhed\nwith grief and distress, began to shed tears, lamenting. Raising his\nmothers, that foremost of men, Rama, true to his promise, took hold of\nthose lotus feet of theirs. And those ones furnished with expansive\neyes, (on their turn) by means of their fair hands of delicious feel\nfurnished with soft fingers and palms, fell to rubbing the dust off\nRama's back. After Rama had done, Sumitra's son also, seeing all his\nmothers, with sorrow gently paid his reverence unto them with affection.\nThereat, as they had treated Rama, all the ladies treated that one\nsprung from Dacaratha, Lakshmana, graced with auspicious marks. Sita\nalso with her eyes filled with tears, having taken hold of the feet of\nher mothers-in- law, stood before them in distressful guise. Embracing\nthat woeful one in banishment, even as a mother doth her daughter,\nKaucalya, smitten with grief, said, \"The daughter of Videha's King, and\nthe daughter-in-law of Dacaratha, and the wife of Rama himself--why doth\nsuch a lady undergo misery in the lone forest? O Vaidehi, beholding thy\nface like unto a lotus heated under the sun, or a lily that hath been\ncrushed, or like unto gold covered with dust, or the moon enveloped by\nclouds, grief begot of this vortex of disaster that is in my mind,\nfiercely burneth me, as fire consumeth a structure.\" As his wretched\nmother was thus speaking, Bharata's elder brother, Raghava, approaching,\ntook the feet of Vasishtha. Having taken hold of the feet of the priest\nresembling a flame, and of accumulated energy,--like unto that lord of\nthe immortals, Indra, taking the feet of Vrihaspati, Raghava sat down\nwith him. Then behind them (Rama and Vasishtha), along with his own\ncounsellors, and principal citizens, and generals, and persons of\neminent piety,--sat the virtuous Bharata in the presence of his elder\nbrother. Seeing Raghava in the guise of an ascetic, flaming in grace,\nthe exceedingly powerful Bharata with joined palms sat down in company\nwith his brother, like the great Indra of controlled faculties in\npresence of Prajapati. \"What will Bharata, having bowed unto Raghava and\npaid him homage, will say to him?\" --this intense curiosity arose in\n(the minds of) all the noble persons present there. And Raghava having\ntruth and forbearance, and Laksmana endowed with magnanimity, and\nBharata possessed of righteousness, surrounded by their friends,\nappeared (there) like unto the three fires surrounded by Sadasyas.\n\n\n\nSECTION CV.\n\n\nAs those foremost of persons surrounded by their friends indulged in\nlamentations, the night passed away in grief. On the night being\nsucceeded by an auspicious morning, those brothers surrounded by their\nfriends, having performed _Homa_ and _Japa_ on the Mandakini, returned\nunto Rama. And sitting silent, no one said anything. Then Bharata\naddressed Rama in the midst of those friends, saying, \"My mother was\n(first) pacified (by grant of the kingdom.) The kingdom is (now) mine. I\ngrant the same unto thee. Do thou enjoy the kingdom rid of its thorns.\nLike unto a dyke forced by a torrent during the rains, this mighty\nmonarchy is difficult of being protected save by thee. As a mule is\nincapable of imitating the course of a horse, or as birds, that of\nTarkshya, I, O Lord of earth, lack the strength to imitate thee. O Rama,\never happy is the life of him that others depend upon for subsistence:\nunhappy is the life of the person that depends upon others for support.\nAs a tree planted by a person, and by him made to increase, (until at\nlast), sending out branches, a mighty tree, it is incapable of being got\nup by a dwarf; and then, if, flowering, it show no fruits, it cannot\ncontribute to the satisfaction of htm for whom it hath been planted. O\nmighty- armed one, this comparison is meant for thee. This[189] it\nbehoves thee to apprehend, inasmuch as thou art our excellent lord, and\nthou dost not teach us who depend upon thee for support. Let the\nprincipal orders, O monarch, behold thee, represser of foes--established\nin the kingdom, like the powerful sun himself. O Kakustha, let mad\nelephants roar, with the view of following thee; and let the women of\nthe inner apartments with concentrated minds utter jubilation.\" On\nhearing the words of Bharata, who was beseeching Rama, many of the\ncitizens expressed their approbation by exclaiming, \"Excellent well!\"\nSeeing the illustrious Bharata aggrieved and engaged in lamentation, the\ncalm and considerate Rama consoled him, saying, \"No creature is endowed\nwth the power of exercising any control over the course of events,--man\nhas no independent status (in nature). The Destoyer draws him both here\nand hereafter. Those that increase, are destined to deteriorate; those\nthat go upward, ultimately fall, those that come together, separate in\nthe end; and life at length meets with death. As a ripe fruit hath no\nother fear than fall, so man who is born, hath no other fear than death.\nEven as a stout-pillared edifice, getting dilapidated, waxes weak, so\nmen coming under the sway of decrepitude and death, get enfeebled. A\nnight that hath gone by, doth not return, as the full Jamuna, when she\nhath entered the ocean, doth not come back. In this world, days and\nnights pass away with creatures, and speedily impair their lives, even\nas in summer the rays (of the sun) (dry up) the waters. Do thou\ntherefore deplore thyself. Why dost thou lament any thing else? Every\none's life is decreasing, whether he sits or moves. Death goeth with\none, sitteth down with one, and, after having gone a long way, returneth\nwith one. The person is filled with folds in the skin, the hair hath\ngrown hoary, the individual is enfeebled because of age,-- by doing\nwhat, can he prevent this? People rejoice on the rising of the sun; they\nfeel delighted at the approach of night,--but they do not understand\nthat their lives have (meanwhile) been shortened. People are exhilarated\nat the commencement of a new season in novel fashion; creatures get\ntheir lives shortened at the change of seasons. As on the mighty ocean,\none piece of wood comes in contact with another; so, a person, having\nbeen in association with another, is seperated from him in time. In this\nway, wives and sons and kindred and wealth, having been in association,\ngo away; their separation is certain. There exists not one in this world\nthat can change one's nature as received. A person lamenting a dead\nindividual, hath no power to prevent his own death. As, while one is\nproceeding on a road, another stationed by the way, says, 'I too will go\nin thy wake', even so, the way that hath been followed by our\npredecessors, (must be followed as well by us.) Why should people mourn\n(for deceased relatives), when they are themselves subject to the fate\nthat knoweth no turning? (Perceiving the destruction of) life declining,\nlike unto a current that never turneth back, one should engage his soul\nin happiness; for all men are said to be born for the same. My child,\nour righteous sire, who, after having performed excellent and entire\nsacrifices, accompanied with _dakshinas_, hath repaired to heaven,\nhonored of the good, should not be mourned.[190] Having renounced his\nhuman frame wasted and worn out with age, our father hath attained\ncelestial state, which exists in the regions of Brahma. Such an one\nshould never be mourned by any wise person like thee or myself,\naccomplished in learning and more than ordinarily intelligent. Such\nmanifold grief and mourning and lamentation should be renounced by\nintelligent and firm persons in all conditions in life. Do thou cast off\nthis grief: let not sorrow overpower thee. Going thither, stay in that\ncity. And, O best of speakers, this was also enjoined by our sire of\ncontrolled senses. I also must do my noble father's will as to whatever\nthat one of pious acts has laid upon me. O subduer of foes, it is not\nproper for me to pass by his orders. So thay are also worthy of being\nhonored by thee. He is our friend and father. O descendant of Raghu,\nthat mandate of our righteous father, acceptable unto me, will I obey by\nabiding in the woods. O foremost of men, (good in) the next world is\ncapable of being attained by an honest and pious person crowned with\nsterling virtues, ever following his superiors. O best of men, thinking\nthat our father Dacaratha has attained excellent state, do thou,\nresorting to all noble qualities, seek thy welfare in the next world.\"\nHaving said these significant words unto his younger brother, with the\nview of making him obey the injunctions of their father, that lord, the\nmagnanimous Rama, paused.\n\n[189] _The import of the image_.-- T.\n\n[190] The N. W. P. text has seven additional lines here, wanting in the\n other texts:--\"That lord of the earth, our father Dacaratha, hath\n gone to heaven. On account of having adequately maintained his\n servants and governed his subjects, and virtuously given away\n wealth, our sire hath gone to heaven. And by virtue of supremely\n excellent and desirable acts, and sacrifices accompanied with\n _dakshinas_, that master of this world, our father Dacaratha, hath\n ascended heaven. And having celebrated many sacrifices and enjoyed\n luxuries, that lord of the earth, having attained a goodly age,\n hath gone to heaven.\"-- T.\n\n\n\nSECTION CVI.\n\n\nOn Rama having stopped after speaking these pregnant words, the virtuous\nBharata addressed the righteous Rama attached unto his subjects in an\nexcellent speech on the banks of the Mandakini, saying, \"O vanquisher of\nfoes, who is there in this world like unto thee? Pain doth not afflict\nthee, nor doth pleasure exhilarate. Thyself the exemplar of even aged\npeople, thou referrest to them on doubtful points (of morality). 'Living\nlike unto dead and existing like unto non-existing'--what shall make a\nperson that hath attained this intellectual state, grieve? O lord of\nmen, he that like unto thee understands the nature of the soul and its\nenvironment coming by any calamity, ought not to despond. Thou\nresemblest, O Raghava, the god in strength, and art magnanimous, and\ntruthful in promise! and knowest every thing and art endued with\nintelligence. Calamity, however unbearable it may be, should not\noverpower a person like thyself furnished with such virtues and\ncognizant of life and death. The sin that in my absence from home hath\nbeen perpetrated by my mean-minded mother doth not find favor in my\nsight. Be thou therefore propitous to me. I am bound by the fetters of\nreligion. For this it is that I do not by a severe penalty slay my\nwicked mother deserving of chastisement. How having sprung from\nDacaratha of righteous deeds and born of immaculate race, and knowing\nvirtue and vice, can I commit such a reprehensible action? Dacaratha is\nour superior, of meritorious acts, aged our king, a departed spirit, and\nour father, it is on account of this that I do not censure our father\nwho is a deity unto us. O cognizant of virtue, what virtuous person\nconversant in morality, should, seeking the pleasure of his wife, commit\nsuch a sinful act devoid of both righteousness and interest? 'Creatures,\nas their end approaches, lose their sense' this ancient adage has been\nillustrated in the world by the course the king has taken. Do thou,\nintent upon bringing about good, redeem the wrong that hath been done by\nour sire through anger, ignorance and recklessness. The son that\nrepaireth the wrong done by his father by acting contrary to the latter\nis in this world considered really a son; but not he that acteth\notherwise. Be thou that (real) son (of the monarch). Do thou not approve\nthe action of thy father, since what he has done is divorced from\nrighteousness and is blameworthy. Do thou rescue all these-- Kaikeyi,\nmyself, my father, our friends and adherents, and the whole body of the\ncitizens as well as the inhabitants of the provinces. Where is the\nforest? And where is Kshatriya morality? Where are matted locks? And\nwhere is thy government of the country? It behoves thee not to act in\nsuch an untoward way. Even this is the first duty of a Kshatriya,\nviz.,--getting oneself installed,--by means of which, O highly wise one,\nhe can compass the government of the people. What base Kshatriya setting\naside this indubitable morality, resorts to a dubious and inaupicious\ncourse, which should be followed by the old alone? But if thou be bent\nupon practising this austere morality, do thou undergo this trouble,\nafter having righteously ruled the four orders. O thou cognizant of\nmorality, those versed in duty say that of the four modes of life, the\nlife of the householder is the foremost. Why then dost thou wish to\nrenounce the same? I am inferior to thee in learning, in position, and\nin birth. How can I then govern the earth, thou existing? Void of sense\nand quality, a boy, and inferior to thee in point of years, I, deprived\nof thee, can not live. O thou cognizant of morality, do thou, along with\nthy friends, according to thy proper morality rule this entire ancestral\nkingdom rid of its thorns and enjoying tranquillity. Even here, O thou\ncognizant of the Mantras, let all the subjects and the Ritwijas with\nVasishtha, versed in the Mantras, install thee. Having been installed,\ngo to Ayodhya, for the purpose of governing it, having with our\nassistance conquered thy enemies by thy strength, like Vasava conquering\n(his foes) with the help of the Maruts. Having freed thyself from thy\nthreefold debts, do thou govern me, repressing thy foes, and\npropitiating thy friends with every gratification. O noble one, to-day\nlet thy friends rejoice in consequence of thy coronation. To day let\nthose that intend to do thee harm, being frightened, fly to the ten\ncardinal points. O foremost of men, wiping out the disgrace of my\nmother, do thou emancipate our sire from sin. I beseech thee with bent\nhead. Be thou merciful unto me, unto all our friends, and, O great lord,\nunto all creatures in general. But, if disregarding my solicitations,\nthou wend from here to the forest, I shall go along with thee.\" Although\nthus besought and propitiated by Bharata with bent head, that lord of\nthe earth, Rama, possessed of strength, established in the words of his\nfather, did not decide for going. Witnessing that wonderful firmness in\nRaghava, the people were at one and the same time delighted and\ndepressed. They were aggrieved because he would not go to Ayodhya; they\nrejoiced on seeing his firm resolution. Then the Ritwijas, the citizens,\nand their leaders, and the mothers with their senses lost and with tears\nin their eyes, extolled Bharata as he was speaking thus; and, bowing\ndown unto Rama, they directed their solicitations together.\n\n\n\nSECTION CVII.\n\n\nAs Bharata was again speaking in this strain, his graceful elder\nbrother, having been highly honored, answered Bharata in the midst of\nhis relatives, saying, \"Having been born as a son unto\nDacaratha--foremost of monarchs--by Kaikeyi, this speech of thine is\nworthy of thee. O brother, formerly when our father espoused the hand of\nthy mother, he promised her the kingdom as her marriage portion. Then on\nthe occasion of the war between the gods and the Asuras, that master,\nthe king, well pleased (with her), being besought, granted her a boon.\nHaving been thus promised, that virtuous lady, thy illustrious mother, O\nforemost of men, asked for two boons (of the king),--viz., thy\nenthronement, O best of men, and my banishment Thus besought by her, the\nking conferred on her the boon. And, thou foremost of men, I have been\nenjoined by my sire to stay in the woods for fourteen years, in\nconsequence of his having granted her the boon. And, having, in company\nwith Lakshmana and Sita, come to the lone forest, I in humble guise am\nstaying in the truthful speech of my father. Thou too, thou foremost of\nkings, shouldst in the same way speedily render our father truthful, by\ngetting thyself installed. O Bharata, for my sake, do thou free that\nlord, the king, from his debts. Do thou, O thou cognizant of morality,\ndeliver our father and gladden thy mother. O child, we hear that in\nGaya, formerly the famous Gaya, engaged in a sacrifice, chaunted this\nVaidika hymn, for pleasing his departed an- cestors : 'Since a son\ndelivereth his sire from the hell named _Put_, a son goeth by the\nappellation of _putra_, he protecting his (departed) ancestors in every\nway. One should wish for many sons crowned with qualities and versed in\nvarious lore, for the chance is that one at least of these may repair to\nGaya.' O son of the Raghu race, the Rajarshis have delivered their\ndecision on the point. Therefore, thou foremost of men, do thou, O lord,\nrescue thy sire from hell. O Bharata, go to Ayodhya, and please the\nsubjects, in company with Satrughna, O hero, and all the regenerate\nones. I also, O hero, without delay shall have to enter the forest of\nDandaka in company with Lakshmana and Sita. O Bharata, be thou thyself\nthe monarch of men, I shall become the king of kings of deer. Go thou to\nthat foremost of. cities with a glad heart: with a glad heart will I\nenter Dandaka. O Bharata, let the umbrella barring out the rays of the\nsun, afford cool shade unto thy head: I shall happily seek the dense\nshade of these forest trees. Satrughna endued with cleverness is thy\nhelper: Sumitra's son is well known as my best friend. We four worthy\nsons of that foremost of monarchs will keep him established in truth, O\nBharata. Let not thy mind despond.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CVIII.\n\n\nAs Rama cognizant of righteousness was thus encouraging Bharata,\nJavali--best of Brahmanas--addressed him in words divorced from\nmorality, saying, \"O Raghava, endowed with a noble understanding and\nleading a life of asceticism, do not suffer thy intellect to entertain\ninanities, like any low person. Who is whose friend? And to what is one\nentitled and by virtue of what relation? And who is such? Since a\ncreature is born alone and dies alone, a person that cherishes his\nfather and mother with affection, must, O Rama, be looked upon as a\nmadman. No individual hath any one (in this world). As on the eve of\nsetting out for another country, a person stays somewhere (outside the\nvillage he lives in), and the next day goes away, renouncing that abode,\neven such are a man's father and mother, house and wealth. O Kakutshta,\nworthy people never bear affection towards a mere abode. Therefore, O\nbest of men, leaving thy ancestral kingdom, thou ought not to abide in\nthe disagreeable forest filled with dangers and difficulties. Do thou\nget thyself sprinkled in the prosperous Ayodhya. The city expects thee\nwearing a single woven braid. O king's son, enjoying costly regal\npleasures, do thou sport in Ayodhya, like Sakra in the celestial\nregions. Dacaratha is none unto thee, and thou too art none unto\nDacaratha: He is quite other than thy sire; and thou hast no connection\nwith him. Therefore, do thou act as I tell thee. A father is merely an\ninstrumental cause (touching the generation of his child). A father's\nsemen coming in contact with a mother's blood, at the time befitting\nconception, a person is brought into being. The king hath gone the way\nhe should. This is the nature of all creatures. But thou for naught\ndenyest thyself (the manliness of monarchal power). Those that\ndisregarding interest are devoted to virtue, do I mourn--and not others;\nfor having suffered misery here, they in the end meet with extinction.\nPeople engage in Ashtaka[191] in behalf of ancestors and deities. Behold\nthe waste of edibles. Doth any dead person feed? If food partaken by one\nis transferred to the body of another, offer Sraddha unto one going to a\ndistant land, and that shall serve for his provender on the way. Works\n(on morality) enjoining--'Worship,' 'Give away,' 'Be initiated,'\n'Observe rites,' 'Renounce',--have been composed by intelligent persons,\nfor inducing people to be charitable. O magnanimous one, assure thyself\nthere is no hereafter. Do thou remain grounded in the evident, turning\nthy back on what is beyond our ken. Placing in front the intellect of\nthe good, and approved by all, do thou, propitiated by Bharata, accept\nthe monarchy.\"\n\n[191] The lunar days and months for propitiating the manes.\n\n\n\nSECTION CIX.\n\n\nHearing Javali's words, Rama having truth for prowess, by help of an\nexceedingly subtle intellect uninfluenced (under the exhortations of\nthat sage), said, \"What thou, wishing for my welfare, hast dwelt upon,\nthough wearing the guise of a good action, is really not such; and\nthough appearing to be beneficent, is really calculaled to entail\nmisery. The person that with his sinful acts sticking to him, walketh\nastray, as well as he that holdeth up (unto others) different patterns\nof character (from those recommended by scripture), doth not win honor\nwith the good. One's character (fashioned according to scripture) shows\nwhether one is high-born or base, heroic or vainly priding himself on\nhis manliness, pure or impure. (But by adopting the code of conduct\ninculcated by thee), a mean character may appear as a noble one, one\nbereft of purity may appear pure, an inauspicious individual may seem\nauspicious, and one of vile ways may appear honest. If I adopt this\nunrighteous course, calculated to produce confusion of castes, and do\nacts not recognised by scripture, I shall, renouncing good, have to reap\nonly evil. Then what man possessed of consciousness and capable of\ndiscriminating between right and wrong, shall honor me, given to wicked\nways and deserving of universal reprehension? Whose is this course (that\nthou askest me to follow)? And by what way shall I attain heaven, by\nfollowing the present course, which would make me give up my vow? When I\nhave (first) myself set up desire as my standard of action, the entire\nbody of the people shall follow me: subjects take to the ways that have\nbeen adopted by their sovereigns. This eternal regal morality founded in\nkindness towards the subjects, is verily true. Hence a kingdom is\nessentially based upon truth; and this world itself is established in\ntruth. Saints and celestials for certain regard truth alone. In this\nworld a truthful person attains the regions of Brahma. Untruthful\npersons harass people as much as serpents. In this world virtue, which\nis said to be the root of everything, is itself established in truth. In\nthis world, truth is the Lord; in truth is established righteousness.\nEverything hath truth for its basis. No condition is superior to truth.\nThe Veda, which inculcates gift, sacrifice, _homa_, and asceticism, is\nbased on truth. One protects men, another his family; one is plunged in\nhell,--another is honored in heaven. Why should I not then obey the\nmandate of my father? My father was of truthful promise and of righteous\nways; and with the object of observing his promise, he laid on me this\n(for faithful performance). Having promised to my superior with an oath,\nI shall never through covetuousness or forgetfulness or pride rive the\nbridge of truth. We have heard that the gods and the _Pitris_ do not\naccept offerings from one inclined to untruth, or who is unsteady and of\nvolatile faculties. This duty of maintaining truth, whose influence\nradiates all over one's soul, I certainly find to be the prime one; and\nthis burthen hath (ere this) been borne by worthy people. And it is for\nthis that I reverence the same. I abjure that Kshatriya morality which,\nwearing the garb of righteousness, is in fact impiety, and which is\npursued by the low-minded, or the wicked, or the covetuous, or the\nsinful. A person commits a sin by means of his _physique_, but after he\nhath accurately cast it in his mind; and he hath also spoken an untruth\nwith his tongue. Thus a sin is threefold. The earth and fame and renown\nand auspiciousness pay court unto the truthful person. The good follow\ntruth,--therefore even truth is to be sought (by all). Therefore the\nseemingly excellent thing that thou, after having well ascertained it,\nhast said unto me in words informed with reason--'Thou hadst rather do\nthis'--appears to me wanting in nobility. How, after having promised\nunto my superior this exile of mine, shall I act up to Bharata's words,\nsetting aside those of my superior? I having remained firm in the\npromise I had made unto my superior, that noble lady, Kaikeyi, became\nexcceedingly delighted. Living in the forest, pure, with regulated fare,\nI shall, propitiating the gods and the Pitris with fruits, flowers and\nroots, (fulfil my vow). Satisfying the five classes,[192] I shall,\nretaining my simplicity and my religious faith, and being able to\ndistinguish between right and wrong, pass away the term (of banishment).\nHaving come to this scene of action, one should do that which is proper.\nEven Agni and Vayu and Soma reap the fruits of their own acts. Having\nacquired the appellation of Satakratu, the sovereign of the celestials\nhath gone to heaven; and, having performed rigid austerities, the\nMaharshis have attained the celestial regions.\" Having heard of the\nreasons couched in that atheistical speech which he could not allow to\npass without stricture, that one of fierce energy, the king's son,\ncensuring what Javali had said, again spoke, \"Truth, righteousness,\nprowess, kindness to creatures, fair spokenness, and worship of the\ntwice-born ones, gods and guests, these have by the pious been styled\nthe ways to heaven. Having duly heard that these are capable of\nconferring the _summum bonum_, and also come to the same conclusion by\nreasoning, Vipras, adequately and competely observing morality with the\nutmost care, are eagerly desirous of attaining those regions. I blame\nthis act of my father's, viz.-- that he took (for his priest) one of\nperverse understanding, who rangeth by help of such an intellect--who is\nfrightfully atheistic, and who hath swerved from the path of\nrighteousness. As a thief is, so is a Buddha, and know that in this\nmatter, an atheist is in a like predicament. Therefore, such an one,\nwhen capable of being punished like a thief for the good of the people,\nshould be punished like a thief; and let no Brahmana ever speak with an\natheist. Other Brahmanas than thyself, superior to thee, have, serving\nthis world as well as the next, performed various exellent acts.\nTherefore those Brahmanas, amen, who have spared life and in other ways\npractised morality, and have also given away in charity, performed\nausterities and served others, (perform sacrifices in consonance with\nVedas). And principal ascetics engaged in religion, surrounded by the\ngood, possessed of energy, having charity for their foremost attribute,\nvoid of envy, and their hearts free from all stain,-- are honored in\nthis world.\" When the magnanimous Rama of undiminished strength had\nwrathfully said this, that Vipra with supplications again spoke words\nfraught with morality and high spiritual truth. I do not speak the\nlanguage of atheists; nor am I an atheist; nor yet is it true that there\nis nothing (hereafter). On the occasion of things having reference to\nthe next world being performed, I am again a believer; and on the\noccasion of things' connection with this world being taken in hand, I am\nan atheist once again. O Rama, the time has gradually drawn nigh when\nfor the purpose of making thee turn back, it is necessary that I should\nspeak the language of atheism. But pacifying thee, I have (again) spoken\nthis (_i.e._ I am a believer).\n\n[192] _Parakramam_--The commentator says that the word means,\n Chandrayana and other rites.--T.\n\n\n\nSECTION CX.\n\n\nKnowing that Rama was wroth, Vasishtha said, \"Javali knoweth the\ndeparture of creatures to the next world and their return thence.\nAnxious of making thee turn back, he had spoken thus. Do thou now, O\nlord of the world, learn the genesis of creatures from me. Water was\neverywhere. The earth was constructed therein. Then sprang the\nself-create Brahma along with all the celestials. Having become a boar,\nhe raised up the earth, and along with his sons of subdued souls created\neverything. Brahma eternal, existing through all time and incapable of\ndecay, sprang from the sky. From him Marichi came into being, and\nKacyapa is Marichi's son. Vivaswat drew his birth from Kacyapa, and Manu\nfrom Vivaswat. Manu was formerly known as Prajapati. Ikshwaku is son\nunto Manu; and this world was first conferred upon Ikshwaku by Manu. Do\nthou know Ikshwaku as the first king in Ayodhya. The graceful Kukshi is\nknown as the son of Ikshwaku. And, O hero, Kukshi's son was Vikukshi.\nVikukshi had the powerful Vana possessed of exceeding energy for his\nson. Vana had the mighty-armed Anaranya of high austerities for his son.\nDuring the time of that foremost of righteous persons, the monarch\nAnaranya, drouth or famine did not occur (in Ayodhya); nor were there\nany thieves at that time. O mighty king, from Anaranya sprang king\nPrithu. From Prithu sprang Trisanku of mighty energy. This hero by\nvirtue of his truth telling went to heaven in person. Trisanku had the\nfamous Dhundumara for his son; and from Dhundumara Juvanasya was born.\nJuvanasya's son was the handsome Mandhata; and from Mandhata Susandhi\ncame into being. Susandhi had two sons; Dhruvasandhi and Prasenajit.\nDhruvasandhi had the illustrious Bharata, destroyer of foes (for his\nson) From Bharata sprang Asita--to whom sprang these hostile kings as\nfoes, Harhayas, Talajanghas and Sasavindus--heroes all. Having engaged\nwith them in battle, the king was excited (by them). And on the romantic\nHimavat, he became engaged in asceticism. It is said that at the time,\nhis two wives were gone with child. There one of the exalted ladies\nhaving eyes resembling lotus petals saluted Bhrigu's son furnished with\nthe splendour of a celestial, desirous of having an excellent son.\nAnother administered poison unto the other for destroying her foetus.\nBhrigu's son named Chyavana was at that time staying in Himavat.\nAppearing before the sage, Kalindi saluted him. Thereupon he returned\nthe greeting that had been made by that lady anxious to secure a boon\nfor the birth of a son. \"Thou, shalt, O lady get a son of mighty soul,\nwho shall be celebrated among men; and who shall be pious and\npowerful--the perpetuator of his race and destroyer of enemies\" Hearing\nthis, that noble lady having gone round him and paid in respect unto the\nascetic went to her home and gave birth to a son furnished with eyes\nresembling lotus-petals, and of sheen like that of the inside of a\nlotus. And because her co wife, had given her poison for destroying her\nfoetus, and as in consequence of this, he had come in contact with\npoison, he came to be called _Sagara_. The name of that king is Sagara,\nwho having been initiated in a sacrifice excavated the ocean,\nfrightening the people with the vehemence of his operations. Asamanja is\nknown to have been the son of Sagara. This wicked man while yet in life,\nwas banished by his father. Asamanja's son was the puissant Ancumat.\nDilipa is the son of Ancumat and Dilipa's son is Bhagirtha. From\nBhagiratha sprang Kakustha; from whom the Kakusthas came to be well\nknown. Kakutstha had Raghu for his son; after whom have been named the\nRaghavas. Raghu's son is the energetic Pravirda, who ate human beings.\nHe is known on earth under such names as Kalmashapada, Saudasa. We have\nheard that Kalmashapada's son was Sankhana, who having been endowed with\nprowess, found destruction along with his forces. Sankhana's son was the\nbeautiful and heroic Sudarcana. Sudarcana's son was Agnivarna and\nAgnivarna's, Sighraga; Sighraga's son was Maru, and Maru's Pracucruva's.\nPracucruva's son was the magnanimous Amvarisha. Amvarisha's son was\nNahusha having truth for his prowess. Nahusha's son was the exceedingly\nVirtuous Nabhaga. Nabhaga had two sons,--Aja and Suvrata. Aja's son was\nthe virtuous king Dacaratha. His eldest son art thou celebrated under\nthe name of Rama. Do thou receive thy own kingdom and look after the\nworld. Among the Ikshwakus, the first born becomes the sovereign. The\nfirst born existing, an inferior son cannot be installed in the kingdom.\nIt therefore doth not today behove thee to depart from the ever existing\nmorality of the descendants of Raghu. Do thou rule this earth filled\nwith gems, and furnished with high fame, do thou like unto a father\ngovern her containing many kingdoms.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXI.\n\n\nHaving thus addressed Rama, the royal priest Vasishtha again spoke unto\nhim words fraught with righteousness, saying, \"Unto a man born there are\nthree superiors, viz, the preceptor, O Kakutstha, and father and mother,\nO Raghava. O foremost of men, the father begets a person, the preceptor\nimparts wisdom and therefore is he called a superior. I, O subduer of\nfoes, have been the preceptor of both thyself and thy father. By doing\nwhat I say, thou wilt not lose the state of the righteous. These\ncourtiers of thine--these relatives, and these kings;--by protecting\nthem virtuously thou wilt not lose the state of the righteous. It doth\nnot behove thee to disregard the words of thy aged and virtuous mother.\nBy doing her bidding thou wilt not lose the state of the righteous. O\nRaghava, by acting as Bharata, who is soliciting thee, says, thou having\nthe morality of truth for thy prowess, wilt not be frustrated of the\nstate of the pious.\" Thus sweetly addressed by his preceptor personally,\nthat foremost of men, Raghava, replied unto Vasishtha, seated with him,\nsaying, \"What his father and mother always do in behalf of their son,\nand what they effect by way of provision and sleep and clothing and\nconstant swest speech, and sport, is difficult of being repaid.\nTherefore, what my father, king Dacaratha hath commanded me to do, must\nnot be falsified.\" Rama having said this, the broad-breasted Bharata,\nextremely depressed spoke unto the charioteer who was by, saying, \"O\ncharioteer, do thou speedily spread Kuca on the ground here. I will\nremain near the noble one until he be kindly disposed (towards me). Even\nas a twice born one deprived of his wealth lieth down (at the door of an\nunrighteous person), eschewing food and in darkness, will I lie down in\nfront of this cottage, until he betakes himself back (to Ayodhya)\" Then\nwith a dispirited heart finding Sumantra looking up to Rama, Bharata\nhimself spread Kuca and lay down upon it. To him spoke that foremost of\nRajarshis, the highly energetic Rama, \"O Bharata, my dear brother, what\nhave I done that thou hast down by me? It is a Brahmana who alone can\nobstruct a person by lying down beside him; but there is no rule by\nwhich a member of the military class[193] can lie down (in this wise). O\nbest of men, arise, renouncing this difficult vow; and, O descendant of\nRaghu, do thou from hence take thyself unto that best of cities,\nAyodhya.\" Being seated, Bharata, eying the citizens and the inhabitants\nof of the provinces, remarked, \"What for do ye not solicit the noble\none?\" Thereupon the citizens and the dwellers of the provinces answered\nthat high-souled one, saying, \"We perceive that the descendant of Raghu\nsays unto Kakutstha what is fit; and this exceedingly virtuous one\nstayeth by the words of his sire. Therefore we are incapable of suddenly\nsaying anything.\" Hearing their speech, Rama said, \"Listen to the words\nof these friends having morality for their vision. And, O scion of the\nRaghu race, hearing their utterances as regards both thyself and me, do\nthou decide. Arise, thou mighty-armed one. Touch me and then water.\"\nThereat arising, Bharata, having touched water, said, \"Ye courtiers, and\nye ministers, listen to me! I did not wish for my paternal kingdom; nor\ndid I sway my mother (towards obtaining the same); nor did I know that\nthe exceedingly righteous Raghava was to seek the woods. But if he must\ndwell here, and thus act out the mandate of our father, I also will\nabide in the forest for fourteen years.\" Astonished at the determination\nof Bharata, the righteous Rama eying the citizens and the inhabitants of\nthe provinces, said, \"Neither Bharata nor I can anual any sale or pledge\nor purchase effected by our father during his life. Therefore I ought\nnot to accept any substitute for living in the woods, who can but\ncontribute to my censure. Kaikeyi hath spoken what is proper; and my\nfather hath acted well. I know Bharata to be forgiving, and given to\nserving superiors. Everything in that high-souled one intent on truth\nappeareth beneficial. Having returned from the forest, I will in company\nwith this brother of virtuous character, become the worthy master of\nthis earth. The king having been made by Kaikeyi to consent (to her\nproposal), I have done as she told me. Do thou by acting in the way\ncalculated to free that lord of the earth, our father (from the debt of\npromise), do so.\"\n\n[193] _Murdhabhisikta--Murdha_, the head; _Abhisikta_, sprinkled; kings\n being consecrated by having poured on their heads, while seated on\n a throne, prepared for the purpose, water from some sacred stream,\n mixed with honey, clarified butter, and spirituous liquor, as well\n as two sorts of grass and sprouts of corn; the term applies to the\n _Kshetriya_ as identified with the king, the duties of royalty\n belonging specially to the military caste.\n\n\n\nSECTION CXII.\n\n\nObserving the meeting of the two brothers of unparalleled energy,\ncapable of making one's hair stand on end, the Maharshis struck with\nsurprise came to the scene. And remaining invisible, the ascetics,\nSidhas and prime saints admired those brothers, the virtuous Kakutsthas.\n\"Blessed is he whose sons these, two cognizant of virtue and having\ntruth for prowess are. Having heard their converse, we are delighted.\"\nThen the saints, desirous of the destruction of the ten-headed one,\nhaving become unanimous, speedily addressed that foremost of monarchs,\nBharata, saying, \"Born in an illustrious line, endeued with high wisdom,\nof high character and high fame, thou shouldst accept Rama's words, if\nthou hast a care for the happiness of thy sire. We wish that Rama may\nalways act truthfully in respect of his father. By virtue of his truth\nconnected with Kaikeyi, Dacaratha hath gone to heaven.\" Having said\nthis, the Gandharbhas, Maharshis, and Rajarshis each went to his proper\nquarter. Having paid homage unto those saints, Rama possessed of a\ngracious presence, hearing their words, was filled with joy, and looked\nlovely with his delightful countenance. But with his frame agitated\n(with emotion), Bharata with joined hands again addressed Raghava in\nwords faltering (with feeling), \"O Rama, taking into account the\nmorality of this race, it behoves thee to act in accordance with the\nsolicitations of my mother (and thine). I do not venture to govern this\nvast kingdom alone, or please the citizens and the inhabitants of the\nprovinces attached unto thee. And as husbandmen remain expecting rain,\nour kindred, and wariors and friends and adherents wait in expectation\nof thee. O exceedingly wise one, accepting the kingdom, do thou place it\nin the hands of some person. O Kakutstha, whomsoever thou wilt chose for\nperforming this office, will surely prove strong enough to govern the\npeople.\" Having said this, Bharata fell at his brother's feet; and\nsweetly addressing him--\"O Raghava\", solicited him once again. Takjng on\nhis lap that sable-hued one furnished with eyes resembling lotus-leaves,\nRama with a voice like that of a mad swan, spoke unto (Bharata), \"Thou\nhast at length attained the mental attitude that is natural and that\nalso comes of the training one receives at the hands of his preceptor.\nAnd, brother thou venturest greatly to protect the earth. Taking counsel\nwith courtiers, adherents and intelligent ministers, do thou achieve\ngrand tasks. Even if beauty forsaketh the moon, or Himavat his snow, or\nthe ocean overleaps its shores, I shall not forsake the promise of my\nsire. And, my brother, thou ought not to cherish in thy mind what thy\nmother incited by covetuousness or affection for thee hath done; and\nthou should act by her as one should by one's mother,\" When Rama\nresembling the sun in energy and like the moon of _Pratipat_ in\nappearance, had said this, Bharata said unto the son of Kaucalya, \"O\nnoble one, do thou take off thy feet thy sandals adorned with gold.\nThese shall protect what the people have got and secure unto thee what\nthey lack.\" Thereupon taking off his sandals, that highly energetic one\ngave them to the magnanimous Bharata. Bharata, bowing down unto the\nsandals, said, \"O hero, for four and ten years shall I, wearing matted\nlocks and bark, and subsisting upon fruits and roots, O scion of the\nRaghu race, expecting thy arrival, remain outside the city, having, O\nsubduer of foes, made over the task of government unto thy sandals. And,\nforemost of Raghus, if after the completion of the fourteen years, I do\nnot see thee, I shall enter into fire. Promising, \"So be it\" and\naffectionately embracing Bharata, and also embracing Satrughna, Rama\nsaid, \"Do thou protect thy mother Kaikeyi. Do not be angry with her.\nBoth Janaki and I conjure thee to do this, O descendant of Raghu.\"\nHaving said this, he forsook his brother, with tears in his eyes. Then\naccepting those burnished and garnished sandals, Bharata versed in\nmorality circumabulated Raghava, and placed the sandals on the head of\nan excellent elephant. Then having one by one honored that assembly, and\nhis preceptor and the counsellors, and the subjects and his younger\nbrothers, perpetuator of the Raghu race, steady in his own duty like\nHimavat itself, took leave of them. His mothers with their throats\ninvaded by the vapour of grief could not from distress of heart say\naught unto him. And Rama also having paid homage unto all of them,\nweeping entered his own cottage.\n\n\n\nSECTION CXIII.\n\n\nThen taking the pair of sandals on his head, Bharata in company with\nSatrughna well pleased, ascended the car. And Vasishtha, and Vamadeva\nand Javali steady in his vow, as well as the ministers, honored on\naccount of their counsels, went before. And going round the charming\nMandakini, thy went eastwards, circumambulating (at the same time) the\nmighty hill, Chitrakuta. And beholding various kinds of beautiful\nminerels by thousands. Bharata accompanied by his army went by the side\n(of the hill). At a short distance from Chitrakuta, Bharata beheld the\nspot where the ascetic Bharadwaja had built his habitation. Approaching\nthe asylum, the puissant Bharata descended from the car, and the son of\nRaghu then paid homage unto the saint's feet. Thereat Bharadwaja well\npleased said, \"Hast thou, my child, on meeting with Rama, done what it\nbehoved thee to do?\" Thus addressed by the intelligent Bharadwaja,\nBharata attached to righteousness answered the former, saying,\n\"Solicited by our preceptor as well as by myself, Raghava of steady\nprowess highly pleased spoke unto Vasishtha, 'I would faithfully perform\nmy father's promise for fourteen years; for even this is the promise of\nmy father.' Thus accosted, the eminently wise Vasishtha skilled in\nspeech replied unto Rlghava in these pregnant words, 'Do thou well\npleased confer (on Bharata) thy sandals decked in gold. Thereby, O\nexceedingly wise one, thou wilt be able to protect what the people have\nand secure unto them what they have not.' Thus addressed by Vasishtha,\nRaghava facing the east, conferred on me his sandals decked in gold, in\norder that I might carry on the government of the kingdom. Commanded by\nthe magnanimous Rama, I retrace my steps. I will go to Ayodhya, taking\nthe sandals along with me.\" Hearing these auspicious words of the high-\nsouled Bharata, the ascetic Bharadwaja said unto Bharata, \"It is no\nwonder that Rama hath acted nobly by thee, foremost among men and\npossessed of an (excellent) character and disposition, even as water\npoured out, floweth downwards. Thy father Dacaratha hath become freed\nfrom his debts, since he hath a son like unto thee, righteous and\nattached to virtue\". When the ascetic had said this, Bharata with joined\npalms paid his respects unto that highly wise one, by taking hold of his\nfeet. And after having again and again gone round Bharadwaja, the\ngraceful Bharata went to Ayodhya accompaniad by his counsellors. And\nreturning by means of cars and carts, horses and elephants, that army\nmarching in the wake of Bharata, spread wide. And after having crossed\nthe beautiful river Yamuna flowing in waves, they again beheld the river\nGanga of auspicious waters. And having along with his friend crossed\nover that river filled with beautiful waters, Bharata together with his\narmy entered the charming city of Sringava. And from the city of\nSringava he went to Ayodhya and again beheld it. And seeing Ayodhya\nbereft of his father and mother, Bharata burning in grief, said unto the\ncharioteer, \"O charioteer, behold that Ayodhya, which shorn of its\nsplendour and decorations, and plunged in grief, forlorn and silent,\ndoth not appear delightful.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXIV.\n\n\nArriving by means of a car emitting a low and solemn sound, that lord,\nthe highly famous Bharata speedily entered Ayodhya, ranged by cats and\nowls, with the doors of the people's dwellings remaining closed; like a\nnight enveloped in darkness; gloomy; and invisible; resembling the\nbeloved wife of Rahu's enemy, Rohini, brilliant with the lustre of the\nlatter, when she is forlorn in consequence of her lover being afflicted\nby that planet; like unto a mountain stream shrunk up, having its waters\nturbid and slightly heated, and its fowls burning in the heat; and with\nits fishes, alligators and other aquatic animals rendered lean;\nresembling a flame of fire devoid of smoke and streaming up in golden\nsplendour, next sprinkled with clarified butter, and lastly appearing\nwith its crest extinguished; with armour scattered all round, and sick\nelephants and horses and cars and standards,--and heroes lying dead,--in\ndistress; like unto an army in a mighty encounter; resembling the silent\nripples of the ocean raised by the gentle breeze, which ere now (in the\nshapes of surges) were heaving, brimming over with foam and sending\nforth roars; like a silent dais after the sacrifice is over, without the\nsacrificial appurtenances, without worthy priests; like unto the wife of\na youthful ox, exercised with anxiety on having been forsaken by her\nfavorite ox, staying in distress in a pen, abstaining from fresh grass;\nlike unto a string of new pearls divorced from noble, mild-gleaming\nrubies and other excellent gems; like a star on the expiration of its\nvirtue, moving from its' place, and dislodged from heaven, dropping to\nthe earth with its brightness contracted; like a blossoming creeper at\nthe end of spring with maddened _Bhramaras_[194] suddenly rendered\nnerveless in consequence of being caught by a forest fire; with her\nmerchants plunged in grief, and her shops and stalls closed; like the\nwelkin covered with clouds, and having its moon and stars hid; like an\nunclean, uncovered spot used for drinking, with all the wine drained,\nand scattered with broken bowls, and with the tipplers lying dead; like\nunto a reservoir with its terrace riven, filled with broken pots, and\nlying with its pillars crushed; like a long strong bow-string fixed on a\nbow furnished with nooses, falling off the bow to the ground, being\nsnapped in consequence of the pressure of the arrow; like a mare,\nsuddenly urged on by a rider skilled in battle, lying (on the ground),\nhaving been slain by the hostile forces.\n\nThat son of Dacaratha, the beauteous Bharata, while proceeding on his\ncar, addressed the charioteer as he drove that best of cars, saying,\n\"Why do I not hear as formerly the solemn sounds of song and\ninstrumental music spreading on all sides in Ayodhya? And there doth not\nbreathe around the aroma of liquor, or the perfume of garlands, or the\nincense of _aguru_ and sandal. And on Rama being banished, in this city\nis not heard the mild neighing of steeds, the rattle of vehicles, the\nroar of mad elephants, or the mighty clatter of arms. And on Rama having\nrepaired to the forest, youthful folk stricken with sorrow do not enjoy\nthe incense of _aguru_ and sandal, or costly fresh chaplets. And persons\nbearing variegated garlands do not walk abroad; and no festivities are\ncelebrated in the city stricken with grief on account of Rama. Surely,\nthe grace of the city hath gone away with my brother. Surely, that\nAyodhya doth not look beautiful like an autumnal night with showers\npouring down. When shall my brother, coming hither like a carnival,\ngladden all hearts in Ayodhya like rain in summer? And the highways\nshall be graced with young people elegantly attired and bearing\nthemselves bravely in Ayodhya.\" Having said this in grief, Bharata in\ncompany with the charioteer entered Ayodhya and immediately went to the\nresidence of his father, bereft of that foremost of men, like a cavern\nbereft of its lion. Seeing the inner apartment shorn of its splendour,\nlike a day deprived of the sun, mourned by the deities, and everywhere\nunclean, the self-possessed Bharata, mowed by grief, began to drop\ntears.\n\n[194] Black bees.\n\n\n\nSECTION CXV.\n\n\nHaving placed his mothers in Ayodhya, Bharata steady in his vow,\nkindling in grief, said unto his preceptors, \"I shall go to Nandigrama,\nand therefore greet you all. There I shall suffer all this grief on\naccount of Rama's absence. The king hath gone to heaven, and my superior\nis staying in the woods. I shall remain in expectation of Rama, assuming\nthe reins of government. Verily that illustrious one is the king.\"\nHearing this excellent speech of the high- souled Bharata, the\ncounsellors as well as the priest Vasishtha said, \"What, O Bharata,\ninfluenced by affection for thy brother thou sayst, is worthy of thee\nand is highly commendable. Who will not endorse what hath fallen from\nthee, ever engaged in serving thy friends, established in fraternal\nlove, and who hast entered upon a noble course?\" Having heard the words\nof the counsellors acceptable and welcome, Bharata said unto the\ncharioteer, \"Do thou yoke my car.\" Then with a cheerful countenance\nhaving spoken to his mothers, that graceful one ascended the car in\ncompany with Satrughna. Having swiftly ascended the car, both Satrughna\nand Bharata, right glad at heart, set out, surrounded by counsellors and\npriests. And going ahead, all the preceptors headed by Vasishtha\nproceeded eastwards, in which direction lay Nandigrama. And the forces,\nfilled with elephants and horses and cars, although not called, set out\non Bharata proceeding, as well as all the citizens. And ascending the\ncar, the virtuous Bharata attached unto his brother, speedily went to\nNandigrama, holding the sandals (of Rama) on his head. Then entering\nNandigrama in a short time, Bharata swiftly alighted from the car and\naddressed his preceptors, saying, \"This monarchy hath been consigned\nunto me as a trust; and these gold-decked sandals shall carry on the\nwork of government, protecting what the people have and securing unto\nthem what they have not.\" Then bowing unto the sandals which represented\nthe trust, Bharata burning in grief addressed the entire body of the\nsubjects, saying, \"Do ye speedily hold the umbrella (over these\nsandals). These represent the dear feet of the exalted one. Through\nthese sandals of my superior, will be established the regal morality (of\nthe kingdom). This kingdom from love hath been conferred on me as a\ntrust; therefore I shall govern it until Raghava comes. Again speedily\nputting these sandals on Raghava's feet, I shall behold them with the\nsandals on. On Raghava coming (back), I shall, my burden being cast upon\nhim, making over the kingdom unto him, engage myself in serving my\nsuperior. And having rendered unto Raghava the trust in the shape of\nthese sandals, this kingdom, and Ayodhya, I shall be washed from my\nsin.\" Henceforth wearing bark and matted locks, and in the guise of an\nascetic, the heroic Bharata dwelt in Nandigrama along with his forces.\nHaving consigned all rule unto the sandals, Bharata himself held the\numbrella and the _chowri_ furnished with hair. And the graceful Bharata,\nhaving installed the sandals of the noble one, always carried on the\ngovernment in subordination to them.\n\n\n\nSECTION CXVI.\n\n\nOn Bharata having returned, while Rama was dwelling in the woods, he\nnoticed affright among the ascetics, added to a desire to remove to\nanother place. And those ascetics that were living happily in the asylum\nin Chitrakuta, relying upon Rama (for their protection), he found to be\nwrought up with anxiety. And by means of signs by the eye and\ncontractions of the brow, they, afflicted with fear, were, alluding to\nRama, slowly speaking to each other. Perceiving their anxiety, Rama\napprehensive of himself, with joined hands addressed the patriarchal\nascetic, saying, \"0 reverned one, do ye find me deviating from the path\nof former sovereigns, or acting contrary to their practice,-- which hath\nperplexed (the minds of) these ascetics? Have the sages seen my younger\n(brother), the high-souled Lakshmana, do anything from inadvertance that\nis unworthy of him? Doth not Sita engaged in serving you, having to\nserve me, now minister unto you as a woman should?\" Thereat a certain\naged and decrepit ascetic, with his frame trembling, said upto Rama ever\nkind towards creatures, \"Where is the falling-off of that one of\nexcellent character, engaged in offices of beneficence,--more specially\nwith reference to ascetics? This fear arising from Rakshasas afflicts\nthe ascetics because of thee and they, extremely agitated, converse with\neach other (on the subject). A Rakshasa named Khara, a younger brother\nof Ravana, hath been harassing the ascetics dwelling in Janasthana. And\nDhrishta also a fearless and wicked Rakshasa feeding on human\nbeings,--and the unrighteous Avalipta, cannot bear thee, my child. As\nlong, my child, as thou hast been residing in this asylum, the Rakshasas\nhave been plaguing the ascetics. And they show themselves sometimes in\ndisgusting shapes, sometimes in horrible and dreadful ones,--in various\nfrightful forms capable of frightening folks. And they throw execrable\nand unclean things among the anchorets, and torment those that happen to\ncome before them. And they take delight in approaching asylums\nunperceived, and slaughtering ascetics, after having bound them by means\nof their arms. And on the occasion of sacrifices, they throw away the\nvessels containing sacrificial articles, pour water on the sacrificial\nfire and break vessels containing water. Eager to renounce this asylum\ninfested by those wicked ones, and removing to another place, the sages\ntoday have been exhorting me (on the subject). And, O Rama, ere this,\nthose wicked ones have slain ascetics. Therefore we would renounce this\nasylum. Not far from here is a picturesque wood abounding in fruits and\nroots. Thither shall I betake myself together with my own folks. Khara\nshall also annoy thee. If thou think it proper, go hence in company with\nus. O Raghava, although thou art vigilant, able, and in all ways\ncapable, it would be unpleasant for thee to dwell here now in doubt.\"\n\nWhen the anxious ascetic had said this, Rama could not console him by\nhis words. Then having paid homage unto Rama, and spoken to him and\nencouraged Raghava, the patriach ascetic renouncing the asylum, went\naway along with his own people. And Rama having (for a time) followed\nthe sage who was departing from that place, and having paid him\nrespects, being permitted by them, well-pleased, and advised (as to what\nit behoved him to do), came to his quarters reposing there.\n(Thenceforth) Raghava never for a moment left that asylum forsaken by\nthe sages.--Raghava having such qualities in his character as were\nlikely to stand the sages in stead, the ascetics (that remained behind)\never followed Raghava.\n\n\n\nSECTION CXVII.\n\n\n\"When the ascetics had gone away, Raghava reflected (as to his stay at\nthat place); and from diverse reasons, he did not relish remaining there\nany further. \"Here have I seen Bharata and my mother in company with the\ncitizens. Overwhelmed with grief on my account, they ever recur to my\nmemory. And in consequence of the troops of that high- souled one having\nquartered here as well as the dung discharged by his elephants and\nhorses, this place has got exceedingly dirty. Therefore will I go to\nanother quarter.\" Having settled this in his mind, Raghava departed\nalong with Videha's daughter and Lakshmana. And having arrived at Atri's\nasylum, that renowned one paid obeisance (unto the sage); and the\nreverend Atri also on his part received Rama as a son. And having\npersonally given Rama respectful reception and entertainment, the\nascetic regarded the exalted Lakshmana and Sita with a gracious eye. And\nhis aged wife having come there, Atri greeted her; and after she had\nbeen paid homage, the sage cognizant of virtue ever engaged in the good\nof all creatures, gladdened her (by presenting Sita unto her.) And that\nbest of sages said unto the pious fetnale ascetic, Anasuya, engaged in\noffices of virtue, \"Do thou accept Videha's daughter.\" And Atri related\nunto Rama matters connected with the female ascetic, engaged in offices\nof virtue, \"The people were ceaselessly burning in consequence of a\ndrouth extending over ten years. O sinless one, that one resembling thy\nmother is this, by whom furnished with rigid asceticsim and adorned with\nvoluntary penances, were created fruits and roots and the Jahnavi was\nmade to flow through the asylum; by whom were performed mighty\nausterities for ten thousand years,--in virtue of whose penances,\ndisturbances to the asceticism of the sages ceased,-- by whom ten nights\nwere brought within the compass of a single one. Let Vaidehi always\nresort to this aged ascetic devoid of anger, who is worthy of being\nbowed down to by all creatures.\" When the saint had spoken thus, Raghava\nsaying, \"So be it,\" turned his eyes to Sita, and thus spoke unto that\none knowing morality, \"O princess, thou hast heard what hath been\nuttered by the ascetic. For the sake of thy own welfare, do thou\nspeedily resort to the female anchoret. Do thou without delay resort\nunto the ascetic Anasuya, who is worthy of being associated with, and\nwho hath by virtue of her acts attained renown among men.\" Hearing these\nwords of Raghava, Mithila's daughter, the illustrious Sita, drew near\nthe righteous wife of Atri. Thereupon Sita, announcing her name, saluted\nthe pious and chaste Anasuya, old, with slackened joints, with folds all\nover her skin, and her hair hoary from age, whose frame shook\nperpetually, like a plantain-leaf in the wind. Having paid homage unto\nthat ascetic with her senses subdued, Vaidehi glad at heart, with joined\nhands, enquired after her welfare. Seeing the virtuous Sita engaged in\nrighteous acts, the old lady consoling her, said \"By luck it is that\nthou regardest righteousness. O Sita, having left thy kindred, and\nbanishing pride, thou hast, O honored lady, followed Rama staying in the\nwoods. They that love their husbands, whether living in the city or the\nforest, whether well or ill disposed towards them, attain great state.\nWicked, or libidinous, or indigent, a husband is a supreme deity unto a\nwife of noble character. Than the husband a greater friend find I none,\nO Vaidehi, who is worthy of being served both in this world and the\nnext, and who is like imperishable asceticism. But bad women whose\nhearts hunger after carnality, and who lord over their husbands, do not\nget acquainted with the virtues and demerits (of their husbands); and\nrange at their will. Mithila's daughter, surely women of this sort who\nare given to doing evil acts, reap infamy and fall off from\nrighteousness. But worthy women like thee furnished with excellences,\nsee a superior and better world, and range the celestial regions, like\npious people. Therefore following this one, and adopting the course of\nchaste women, do thou prove the associate in virtue of thy husband,--and\nthen shalt thou attain both fame and religious merit.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXVIII.\n\n\nThus addressed by Anasuya, Vaidehi devoid of malice, honoring her words,\nbegan, \"That thou shouldst instruct me is no wonder in thee. I know that\na woman's spiritual guide is her husband. Even if a husband should be\npoor and of a disreputable character, he should be ungrudgingly obeyed\nby the like of me. And to be said of one that is crowned with qualities,\nkind, self-controlled, of steady affection, righteous-souled, and who is\ndear as a father or a mother? The exceedingly strong Rama beareth\nhimself towards the other wives of the monarch as he doth towards\nKaucalya herself. Renouncing sense of self-importance, that heroic one\nconversant with righteousness, devoted to his king, regardeth as his\nmothers those on whom the monarch once cast his eyes. What my\nmother-in-law instructed me at the time that I was leaving for the\nlonely and fearful forest, is constantly present in my mind. And what\nalso my mother taught me in presence of fire on the occasion of the\nbestowal of my hand, is also remembered by me. And, O thou engaged in\nacts of righteousness, I have not forgotten the words that my relatives\nsaid unto me, viz, the asceticism of a woman is ministering unto her\nhusband. They did not teach any thing else. Having served her lord,\nSavitri is highly honored in heaven; and thou also, following the same\ncourse, by virtue of having served thy husband, hath secured heaven. And\nthis foremost of females, this goddess of heaven, Rohini, is not seen\nfor a moment without the moon. And prime women of this sort, firm in\ntheir husbands, are highly respected in the celestial regions by virtue\nof their pious acts.\" Hearing Sita's words, Anasuya, exceedingly\ndelighted, smelling her head, spoke thus, pleasing Maithili, \"By\nobserving restrictions, I have earned great asceticism. By resorting to\nthat energy, I would, O Sita, confer a boon upon thee, O thou of pure\nvows. O Maithili, thy words are just and proper. I am well pleased (with\nthee). Tell me, O Sita, what good shall I do thee?\" Hearing her words,\nSita, surprized, said with a smile, unto that lady equipped with ascetic\nstrength, \"All this hath been done by thee.\" Thus accosted, that one\ncognizant of virtue, was still more pleased, and said, \"I am exceedingly\npleased (with thy words). I will attain a desire of mine. This noble and\ngrand garland, this apparel, these ornaments, and this precious paste\nfor adorning the person, presented by me-- let these, O Sita, grace thy\nperson. These, worthy of thee will never be tarnished. O daughter of\nJanaka, daubing thy person with this excellent paint, thou wilt grace\nthy husband even as Sree doth the undeteriorating Vishnu.\" Thereupon\nMithila's daughter accepted those things presented unto her out of love,\nviz., the apparel, the paint, the ornaments and the garland. Having\naccepted those presents conferred on her from love, that illustrious\none, Sita, quietly sat beside the female ascetic with joined hands. Then\nas Sita was sitting, Anasuya firm in vow asked her concerning a thing\nthat was near her heart, saying, \"I have heard, O Sita, that thou wert\nwon by the renowned Raghava on the occasion of a self-choice. O\nMaithili, that story I should like to hear, related at length. It\ntherefore behoves thee to relate that unto me in detail.\" Thus\naddressed, Sita, saying unto the ascetic engaged in pious acts,\n\"Listen!\" began to tell the story. \"Mithila's lord, the heroic Janaka,\njustly ruleth the earth, engaged in observing the duties of Kshatriyas.\nAs he was ploughing a plain intended for a sacrifice, I rose from under\nthe earth; and (in this sense) I am the daughter of that king. Tending\nme, with my body covered with dust, Janaka, engaged in throwing handfuls\nof dust (to level hollow spots), was struck with amazement. Being\nchildless, he took me on his lap from affection, and saying--'This is my\ndaughter', conceived affection for me. Then there were uttered words in\nthe welkin, resembling those of a human being,--'O king, in all\nrighteousness, this is thy daughter.' Then well-pleased, my righteous\nfather,the king, lord of Mithila, receiving me, attained mighty good\nfortune. Consigned unto the pious eldest noble one (queen), desirous of\nhaving offspring, I was brought up by that mild lady, with the\ntenderness of a mother. (In time) seeing me fit for the company of a\nhusband, my father in distress was plunged in thought, like a poor man\nthat hath lost his wealth. Even if the father of a girl be like unto\nSakra himself on earth, he reapeth odium at the hands of his equals and\ninferiors. Perceiving this obloquy at a short distance, the king was\nplunged in a sea of anxiety, but could not cross it, like one that hath\nno raft. Knowing me as unborn from any female vessel, the lord of earth\nreflecting upon it, could not come upon a suitable and fit husband for\nme. Then as he reflected, this thought occurred to him 'I will\nrighteously celebrate the self-choice of my daughters'. In the great\nsacrifice of Daksha, the high-souled Varuna had well-pleased conferred\non Devarata an excellent bow with inexhaustible arrows and a couple of\nquivers. Incapable of being moved on account of its weight, the kings\ncould not even dream of bending the bow. Having obtained the bow, my\ntruthful father said, 'No fear!' inviting at the same time the kings to\nan assembly of sovereigns. 'He that, raising the bow, shall string it,\nshall doubtless receive my daughter for his wife.' Seeing that best of\nbows in weight resembling a hill, the kings saluting it, go away, unable\nto move it. And it came to pass that after a long time, this highly\neffulgent Raghava came to witness the sacrifice in company with\nVicwamitra. And Rama having truth for his prowess, and the righteous\nVicwamitra were respectfully received by my sire. Then Vicwamitra said\nunto my father, 'The descendants of Raghu, sons of Dacaratha, Rama and\nLakshmana, are anxious to behold the bow.' Thus accosted by the Vipra,\nmy father brought the bow, and showed that celestial bow unto the\nprinces. Thereupon, in the twinkling of an eye, bending it, the powerful\n(Raghava) stringed the bow and drew it. And is he drew it vehemently, it\nbroke in the middle in twain. And the sound of it was dreadful like unto\nthe bursting of a thunder-bolt. Then raising an excellent vessel of\nwater, my truthful father prepared to bestow me on Raghava. And bestowed\non Raghava, I was accepted of him, after he had consulted the wish of\nhis father, that lord, the master of Ayodhya. And inviting my\nfather-in-law, the old king Dacaratha, my father bestowed me on Rama,\nhaving a knowledge of self. And my father bestowed on Lakshmana for his\nwife, my younger sister, the beauteous and chaste Urmila. Thus was I\nbestowed on Rama on the occasion of that self-choice. And ever since I\nhave been devoted unto my husband, the foremost of those possessing\nprowess.\"\n\nHaving heard this grand story, Anasuya cognizant of righteousness,\nsmelling the head of Mithila's daughter, embraced Sita with her arms. \"I\nhave heard all that thou, describing the self-choice, hast spoken\nsweetly and beautifully in articulated letters and feet. O\nsweet-speeched one, I have been delighted with thy narration. But\nushering in the auspicious night, the graceful Sun hath set. And there\nare heard the notes of feathered ones, which, after having gone about in\nsearch of food are resting now for the purpose of sleeping. And these\nascetics having bathed, are wending their way in a body, carrying\nwater-pitchers, their barks drenched with water. And the smoke arising\nfrom the fire-sacrifice duly performed by the ascetics,--reddish like\nthe hue of the pigeon's neck, is seen, wafted by the wind. And trees of\nspare foliage appear dense (on all sides); and distance is no longer\nperceptible. And animals ranging in the night are going about all round;\nand those deer of the asylum are reposing on the daises. O Sita, the\nnight crested by the stars hath arrived; and, veiled in moonlight,\nappeareth the moon in the heavens. Go thou; I permit thee. Do thou seek\nthe society of Rama. I have been pleased with thy sweet converse. And, O\ndaughter of Mithila, do thou deck thyself before me. Do thou thus please\nme, my child, thou that lookest beautiful with excellent ornaments.\"\nThereat, having adorned herself, Sita, resembling the daughter of a\ncelestial, bowing down to the feet (of the female ascetic), directed her\nsteps towards Rama. And that best of speakers, Raghava, saw Sita, decked\nwith the ornaments affectionately presented by the ascetic; and he\nrejoiced thereat. Then Mithila's daughter, Sita, related unto Rama all\nabout her having been affectionately presented by the ascetic with\nattire, ornaments and the garland. Thereupon, witnessing the honor that\nhad been accorded unto Maithili,-- rare among men, Rama became well\npleased,--as also that mighty car-warrior, Lakshmana. Then Raghu's son,\nministered unto by the ascetic, happily spent the delightful night\nthere, with her face resembling the moon. On the night having passed\naway, those foremost of men, after performing their ablutions, enquired\nof the ascetics performing fire-sacrifices, who lived in the forest.\nThereat the righteous ascetics ranging the forest said that all the\nsides of the forest were infested by Rakshasas. \"Ferocious beasts\nfeasting on blood, and Rakshasas, O Raghava, living on human\nbeings,--wearing various shapes, abide in this mighty forest. These eat\nup ascetics leading the Brahmacharya mode of life, who happen to be\nunclean or heedless. Do thou, therefore, O Raghava, let them. This is\nthe path of the Maharshis, who procure fruits in the forest. By this way\nthou wilt be able to enter the impracticable wild, O Raghava.\" Thus\naddressed by the ascetic twice-born ones, and having been blessed by\nthem, that repressor of foes, Raghava, entered the forest in company\nwith his wife and Lakshmana, like the sun entering a mass of clouds.\n\nEnd of Ayodhyakandam.","title":"The R\u0101m\u0101yana, Volume 1. B\u0101lak\u0101ndam and Ayodhy\u0101k\u0101ndam","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":163350}