He spoke, and vanished into air, And left Valmiki wondering there. The pupils of the holy man, Moved by their love of him, began To chant that verse, and ever more They marvelled as they sang it o'er: * Behold, the four-lined balanced rime, Repeated over many a time, In words that from the hermit broke In shock of grief, becomes a sloke.' This measure now Valmiki chose Wherein his story to compose. In hundreds of such verses, sweet With equal lines and even feet, The saintly poet, lofty -souled, The glorious deeds of Rama told.
CANTO III. THE ARGUMENT.
The hermit thus with watchful heed Received the poem's pregnant seed, And looked with eager thought around If fuller knowledge might be found.
1 8ita, daughter of Janak king of Mithila.
* * I congratulate myself,' says Schlegel in the preface to his, alas, unfinished edi- tion of the Ramayan, ' that, by the favour of the Supreme Deity, I have been allowed ' to begin so great a work; I glory andi make my boast that I too after so many ages have helped to confirm that ancient oracle declared to Valmiki by the Father of Gods and men: Bum stabunt montes, campis dum flumina current, Usque tuum toto carmen celebrabitur orbe,' Canto III.
THE RAMA YAN.
His lips with water first bedewed,1 He sate in reverent attitude On holy grass,2 the points all bent Together toward the orient;3 And thus in meditation he Entered the path of poesy.
Then clearly, through his virtue's might, All lay discovered to his sight, Whatever befell, through all their life, Rama, his brother, and his wife: And Dasaratha and each queen At every time, in every scene: His people too, of every sort; The nobles of his princely court: Whatever was said, whate'er decreed, Each time they sate, each plan and deed: For holy thought and fervent rite Had so refined his keener sight That by his sanctity his view The present, past, and future knew, And he with mental eye could grasp, Like fruit within his fingers' clasp, The life of Rama, great and good, Roaming with Sita in the wood.
He told, with secret-piercing eyes, The tale of Rama's high emprise.
Each listening ear that, shall entice, A sea of pearls of highest price.
Thus good Valmiki, sage divine, Rehearsed the tale of Raghu's line, As Narad, heavenly saint, before Had traced the story's outline o'er.
He sang of Rama's princely birth, His kindness and heroic worth; His love for all, his patient youth, His gentleness and constant truth, And many a tale and legend old By holy Visvamitra told.
How Janak's child he wooed and won, And broke the bow that bent to none.
How he with every virtue fraught His namesake Rain a4 met and fought, The choice of Rama for the throne; The malice by Kaikeyi shown, Whose evil counsel marred the plan And drove him forth a banisht man.
How the king grieved and groaned,andcried, 1 'The sipping of water is a requisite introduction of all rites: without it, says the S&mba Purana, all acts of religion are vain.' COLEBBOOKE.
* The darbha or kusa, (Poa cynosure ides), a kind of grass used in sacrifice by the Hindus as verbena was by the Romans, 3 The direction in which the grass should be placed upon the ground as a seat for the Gods, on occasion of offerings made to them.
4 Parasurama or Raina with the Axe, See Canto LXXIV, And swooned away and pining died.
The subjects' woe when thus bereft; And how the following crowds he left I With Guha talked, and firmly stern Ordered his driver to return.
How Ganga's farther shore he gained; By Bharadvaja entertained, By whose advice he journeyed still And came to Chitrakuta's hill.
How there he dwelt and built a cot; How Bharat journeyed to the spot; His earnest supplication made; Drink -offerings to their father paid; The sandals given by Rama's hand, As emblems of his right, to stand: How from his presence Bharat went And years in Nandigrama spent.
How Rama entered Dandak wood And in Sutikhna's presence stood.
The favour Anasuya showed, The wondrous balsam she bestowed.
They sought; saw Indra face to face; The meeting with Agastya gained; The heavenly bow from him obtained.
How Kama with Viradha met; Their home in Panchavata set.
How £urpanakha underwent The mockery and disfigurement.
Of Trigira's and Khara's fall, Of Ravaft roused at vengeance' call, Maricha doomed, without escape; The fair Videhan1 lady's rape.
How Raina wept and raved in vain, And how the Vulture- king was slain.
How Rama fierce Kabandha slew; Then to the side of Parnpa drew, Met Hanuman, and her whose vows Were kept beneath the greenwood boughs.
How Raghu's son, the lofty-souled, On Pampa's bank wept uncontrolled, Then journeyed, Rishyamuk to reach, And of Sugriva then had speech.
The friendship made, which both had sought; How Bali and Sugriva fought. How Bali in the strife was slain, And how Sugriva came to reign. The treaty, Tara's wild lament; The rainy nights in watching spent. The wrath of Raghu's lion son; The gathering of the hosts in one, The sending of the spies about, And all the regions pointed out. The ring by Rama's hand bestowed; The cave wherein the bear abode. The fast proposed, their lives to end; Sampati gained to be their friend.
1 Sita. Videha was the country of which Mithila was the capital, 10 The scaling of the hill, the leap Of Hanuman across the deep.
Ocean's command that bade them seek Mainaka of the lofty peak.
The death of Sinhika, the sight Of Lanka with her palace bright.
How Hanuman stole in at eve; His plan the giants to deceive.
How through the square he made his way To chambers where the women lay, Within the Asoka garden came And there found Rama's captive dame.
His colloquy with her he sought, And giving of the ring he brought.
How Sita gave a gem o'er joyed; How Hanuman the grove destroyed.
How giantesses trembling fled, And servant fiends were smitten dead.
How Hanuman was seized; their ire When Lanka blazed with hostile fire.
His leap across the sea once more; The eating of the honey store.
How Rama he consoled, and how He showed the gem from Sita's brow.
With Ocean, Rama's interview; The bridge that Nala o'er it threw.
The crossing, and the sitting down At night round Lanka's royal town.
The treaty with Vibhishan made; The plan for Kavan's slaughter laid.
How Kumbhakarna in his pride And Meghanada fought and died.
How Ravan in the fight was slain, And captive Sita brought again.
Vibhishan set upon the throne; The flying chariot Pushpak shown.
How Brahma and the Gods appeared, And Sita's doubted honour cleared.
How in the flying car they rode To Bharadvaja's calm abode.
The Wind- God's son sent on afar; How Bharat met the flying car.
How Rama then was king ordained; The legions their discharge obtained.
How Rama cast his queen away; How grew the people's love each day.
Thus did the saint Valmiki tell Whate'erin Kama's life befell, And in the closing verses all That yet to come will once befall.
CANTO IV.
THE RHAPSODISTS.
When to the end the tale was brought, Rose in the sage's mind the thought; 'Now who throughout this earth will go, And tell it forth that all may know? ' THE RAM A? AN. Boo~k I.
As thus he mused with anxious breast, Behold, in hermit's raiment dressed, Kus& and Lava1 came to greet Their master and embrace his feet. The twins he saw, that princely pair Sweet-voiced, who dwelt beside him there. None for the task could be more tit, For skilled were they in Holy Writ; And so the great Ramayan, fraught With lore divine, to thes« he taught: The lay whose verses sweet and clear Take with delight the listening ear, That tell of Sita's noble life And Ravan's fall in battle strife. Great joy to all who hear they bring, Sweet to recite and sweet to sing. For music's sevenfold notes are there, And triple measure,5* wrought with care, With melody and tone and time, And flavours3 that enhance the rime: Heroic might has ample place, And loathing of the false and base, With anger, mirth, and terror, blent With tenderness, surprise, content. When, half the hermit's grace to gain, And half because they loved the strain, The youths within their hearts had stored The poem that his lips outpoured, Valmiki kissed them on the head, As at his feet they bowed, and said: ' Recite ye this heroic song In tranquil shades where sages throng: Recite it where the good resort, In lowly home and royal court.'
The hermit ceased. The tuneful pair, Like heavenly minstrels sweet and fair, In music's art divinely skilled, Their saintly master's word fulfilled. Like Rama's self, from whom they came, They showed their sire in face and frame, The twin sons of Rama and Sita, born after Rama had repudiated Sita, and brought up in the hermitage of Valmiki, As they were the first rhapso- dists the combined name Kusilava signi- fies a reciter of poems, or an improvisa- tore, even to the present day.
» Perhaps the bass, tenor, and treble, or quick, slow and middle time. We know but little of the ancient music of the Hindus.
3 * Eight flavours or sentiments are usually enumerated, love, mirth, tenderness, anger, heroism, terror, disgust, and surprise: tranquillity or content, or paternal tender- ness, is sometimes considered as the ninth.' WILSON. See the Sahitya Darpana or Mirror of Composition, translated by Dr. Ballantyne and Babi'i Pramadadasa Mittra in the Eibliotlwca Indica.
Canto V.
THE MM AY AN.
11 As though from some fair sculptured stone Two selfsame images had grown.
.Sometimes the pair rose up to sing, Surrounded by a holy ring, Where seated on the grass had met Full many a musing anchoret.
Then tears bedimmed those gentle eyes, As transport took them arid surprise, And as they listened every one Cried in delight, Well done! Well done I Those sages versed in holy lore Praised the sweet minstrels more and more: And wondered at the singers' skill, And the bard's verses sweeter still, Which laid so clear before the eye The glorious deeds of days gone by.
Thus by the virtuous hermits praised, Inspirited their voice they raised.
Pleased with the song this holy man Would give the youths a water-can; One gave a fair ascetic dress, Or sweet fruit from the wilderness.
One saint a black-deer's hide would bring, And one a sacrificial string: One, a clay pitcher from his hoard, And one, a twisted munja cord.1 One in his joy an axe would find, One. braid, their plaited locks to bind.
One gave a sacrificial cup, One rope to tie their fagots up; While fuel at their feet was laid, Or hermit's stool of fig-tree made.
All gave, or if they gave not, none Forgot at least a benison.
8ome saints, delighted with their lays, Would promise health and length of days; Others with surest words would add Some boon to make their spirit glad, In such degree of honour then That song was held by holy men: That living song which life can give, By which shall many a minstrel live.
In seat of kings, in crowded hall, They sang the poem, praised of all.
And.Rama chanced to hear their lay, While he the votive steed2 would slay, And sent fit messengers to bring The minstrel pair before the king.
They came, and found the monarch high Enthroned in gold, his brothers nigh; While many a minister below, And noble, sate in lengthened row.
1 Saccharum Munja is a plant from whose fibres is twisted the sacred string which a Brahman wears over one shoulder after he has been initiated by a rite which in some respects answers to confirmation.
54 A description of an Asvamedha or Horse Sacrifice is given in Canto XIII. of this Book, The youthful pair awhile he viewed Graceful in modest attitude, And then in words like these addressed His brother Lakshmap and the rest: 'Come, listen to the wondrous strain Recited by these godlike twain, Sweet singers of a story fraught With melody and lofty thought.'
The pair, with voices sweet and strong, Rolled the full tide of noble song, With tone and accent deftly blent To suit the changing argument. Mid that assembly loud and clear Rang forth that lay so sweet to hear, That universal rapture stole Through each man's frame and heart and soul.
* These minstrels, blest with every sign That marks a high and princely line, In holy shades who dwell, Enshrined in Saint Valmiki's lay, A monument to live for aye, My deeds in song shall tell.' Thus Rama spoke: their breasts were fired, And the great tale, as if inspired, The youths began to sing, While every heart with transport swelled, And mute and rapt attention held The concourse and the king, CANTO V.
AYODHYA.
* Ikshvaku's sons from days of old Were ever brave and mighty-souled. The land their arms had made their own Was bounded by the sea alone. Their holy works have won them praise, Through countless years, from Manu's days.
Their ancient sire was Sagar, he Whose high command dug out the sea:! With sixty thousand sons to throng Around him as he marched along. From them this glorious tale proceeds: The great Ramayan tells their deeds. This noble song whose lines contain Lessons of duty, love, and gain, We two will now at length recite, While good men listen with delight.
On Sarju's2 bank, of ample size, The happy realm of Kosal lies, 1 This exploit is related in Canto XL.
2 The Sarju or Ghaghra, anciently cal- led Sarayu, rises in the Himalayas, and after flowing through the province of Oudh, falls into the Ganges.
12 THE RAMAYAN.
Boole I.
With fertile length of fair champaign And flocks and herds and wealth of grain. There, famous in her old renown, Ayodhya1 stands, the royal town, In bygone ages built and planned By sainted Mann's2 princely hand. Imperial seat! her walls extend Twelve measured leagues from end to end, And three in width from side to side, With square and palace beautified. Her gates at even distance stand; Her ample roads are wisely planned. Kight glorious is her royal street Where streams allay the dust and heat. On level ground in even row Her houses rise in goodly show: Terrace and palace, arch and gate The queenly city decorate. High are her ramparts, strong and vast, By ways at even distance passed, With circling moat, both deep and wide, And store of weapons fortified.
King Dasaratha, lofty-souled, That city guarded and controlled, With towering JSal trees belted round,3 And many a grove and pleasure ground, As royal Indra, throned on high, Eules his fair city in the sky,* She seems a painted city, fair With chess-board line and even square.5 And cool boughs shade the lovely lake 1 The ruins of the ancient capital of Bama and the Children of the Sun may still be traced in the present Ajudhya near Fyzabad. Ajudhya 'is the Jerusalem or Mecca of the Hindus.
2 A legislator and saint, the son of Brahma or a personification of Brahma himself, the creator of the world, and progenitor of mankind. Derived from the root man to think, the word means originally man, the thinker, and is found in this sense in the Rig-yeda.
Manu as a legislator is identified with the Cretan Minos, as progenitor of man- kind with the German Mannus: * Cele- brant carminibus antiquis, quod unum apud illos memoriye et annalium genus est, Tuisconem deum terra editum, et filium Mannum, originem gentis condi- toresque.' TACITUS, Germania, Cap. II.
3 The Sal (Shorea E-obusta) is a valu- able timber tree of considerable height.
4 The city of Indra is called Amaravati or Home of the Immortals.
3 Schlegel thinks that this refers to the marble of different colours with which the houses were adorned. It seems more natural to understand it as implying the regularity of the streets and houses.
Where weary men their thirst may slake. There gilded chariots gleam and shine, And stately piles the Gods enshrine. There gay sleek people ever throng To festival and dance and song. A mine is she of gems and sheen, The darling home of Fortune's Queen. With noblest sort of drink and meat, The fairest rice and golden wheat, And fragrant with the chaplet's scent With holy oil and incense blent. With many an elephant and steed, And wains for draught and cars for speed, With envoys sent by distant kings, And merchants with their precious thinga With banners o'er her roofs that play, And weapons that a hundred slay;! All warlike engines framed by man, And every class of artisan. A city rich beyond compare With bards and minstrels gathered there, And men and damsels who entrance The soul with play and song and dance. In every street is heard the lute, The drum, the tabret, and the flute, The Veda chanted soft and low, The ringing of the archer's bow; With bands of godlike heroes skilled In every warlike weapon, filled, And kept by warriors from the foe, As Nagas guard their home below. a There wisest Brahmans evermore The flame of worship feed, And versed in all the Vedas' lore, Their lives of virtue lead. Truthful and pure, they freely give; They keep each sense controlled, And in their holy fervour live Like the great saints of old.
CANTO VI.
THE KING.
There reigned a king of name revered, To country and to town endeared, Great Dasaratha, good and sage. Well read in Scripture's holy page: 1 The Sataglmi i. e. centicide, or slayer of a hundred, is generally supposed to be a sort of fire-arms, or the ancient Indian rocket; but it is also described as a stone set round with iron spikes.
2 The Nagas (serpents) are demigods with a human face and serpent body, They inhabit Patala or the regions under the earth. Bhogavati is the name of their capital city. Serpents are still wor- shipped in India. See Fergusson's Tree and Serpent Worship.
Cento VI.
THE RAM AY AN.
13 Upon his kingdom's weal intent, Mighty and brave and provident; The pride of old Ikshvaku's seed For lofty thought and righteous deed. Peer 01 the saints, for virtues famed, For foes subdued arid passions tamed; A rival in his wealth untold Of Indra and the Lord of Gold. Like Marm first of kings, he reigned. And worthily his state maintained. For firm and just and ever true Love, duty, gain he kept in view, And ruled his city rich and free, Like Indra's Amaravati. And worthy of so fair a place There dwelt a just and happy race With troops of children blest. Each man contented sought no more, Nor longed with envy for the store By richer friends possessed. For poverty was there unknown, And each man counted as his own Kine, steeds, and gold, and grain. All dressed in raiment bright and clean, And every townsman might be seen With earrings, wreath, or chain. None deigned to feed on broken fare, And none was false or stingy there. A piece of gold, the smallest pay, Was earned by labour for a day. On every arm were bracelets worn, And none was faithless or forsworn, A braggart or unkind. None lived upon another's wealth, None pined with dread or broken health, Or dark disease of mind. High -so uled were all. The slanderous word, The boastful lie, were never heard. Each man was constant to his vows, And lived devoted to his spouse. No other love his fancy knew, And she was tender, kind, and true. Her dames were fair of form and face, With charm of wit and gentle grace, With modest raiment simply neat, And winning manners soft and sweet. The twice-born sages, whose delight Was Scripture's page and holy rite, Their calm and settled course pursued, Nor sought the menial multitude. In many a Scripture each was versed, And each the flame of worship nursed, And gave with lavish hand. Each paid to Heaven the offerings due, And none was godless or untrue In all that holy band. To Brahmans, as the laws ordain, The Warrior caste were ever fain The reverence due to pay; And these the Vaisyas' peaceful crowd, Who trade and toil for gain, were proud To honour and obey: And all were by the ^udras1 served, Who never from their duty swerved, Their proper worship all addressed To Brahman, spirits, God, and guest. Pure and unrnixt their rites remained, Their race's honour ne'er was stained.2 Cheered by his grandsons, sons, and wife, Each passed a 1 ong and happy life. Thus was that famous city held By one who all his race excelled, Blest in his gentle reign, As the whole land aforetime swayed By Manu, prince of men, obeyed Her king from main to main. And heroes kept her, strong and brave, As lions guard their mountain cave: Fierce as devouring flame they burned, Arid fought till death, but never turned, Horses had she of noblest breed, Like Indra's for their form and speed, From Vahli's3 hills and Sindhu's* sand, Vanayu5 and Kamboja's land.6 1 The fourth and lowest pure caste» whose duty was to serve the three first classes.
2 By forbidden marriages between per- sons of different castes, 3 Vahli or Vahlika is Bactriana; its name is preserved in the modern Balkh.
4 The Sanskrit word Sindhu is in the singular the name of the river Indus, in the plural of the people and territories on its banks. The name appears as Hidhu in the cuneiform inscription of Darius son of Hystaspes, in which the nations tri- butary to that king are enumerated.
The Hebrew form is Hodda (Esther, 1. 1.) In Zend it appears as Hencln in a some- what wider sense. With the Persians later the signification of Hind seems to have co-extended with their increasing acquain- tance with the country. The weak Ionic dialect omitted the Persian h, and we find in Hecateeus and Herodotus "I ySoc and i] 'IvSudf. In this form the Romans received the names and transmitted them to us. The Arabian geographers in their ignorance that Hind and Sind are two forms of the same word have made of them two brothers and traced their descent from Noah. See Lassen's Indische Alter - thumskunde Vol. I. pp. 2, 3.
& The situation of Vanayu is not exact- ly determined: it seems to have lain to the north-west of India.
6 Kara bo j a was probably still further to the north- west, Lasseii thinks that the u THE RAM AY AN.
Bool I Her noble elephants had strayed Through Vindhyan and Himalayan shade, Gigantic in their bulk and height, Yet gentle in their matchless might. They rivalled well the world-spread fame Of tiie great stock from which they came, Of Vaman, vast of size, Of Mahapadma's glorious line, Thine, Anjan, and, Airavat, thine,1 Upholders of the slues. With those, enrolled in fourfold class, Who all their mighty kin surpass, Whom men Matangas name, And Mrigas spotted black and white, And hhadras of unwearied might, And Mandras hard to tame.2 Thus, worthy of the name she bore,3 Ayodhya for a league or more Cast a bright glory round, Where Dasaratba wise and great Governed his fair ancestral state, With every virtue crowned. Like Indra in the skies he reigned In that good town whose wall contained High domes and turrets proud, With gates and arcs of triumph decked, And sturdy barriers to protect Her gay and countless crowd.
CANTO VII.
THE MINISTERS.
Two sages, holy saints, had he, His ministers and priests to be: Vasishtha, faithful to advise, And Vamadeva, Scripture-wise.
name is etymolpgically connected with Cambyses which in the cuneiform inscrip- tion of Behistun is written Ka(m)bujia.
1 The elephants of Indra and other deities who preside over the four points of the compass.
* * There are four kinds of elephants. 1 Bkaddar. It is well proportioned, has an erect head, a broad chest, large ears, a long tail, and is bold and can bear fati- gue. 2 Mfind. It is black, has yellow eyes, a uniformly sized body, and is wild and ungovernable. 3 Mirg. It has a whitish skin, with black spots. 4 Mir. It has a small head, and oheys readily. It gets frightened when it thunders.' Aiti-i-Alibari, Translated by H. Bloch- mann, Ain 41, The Imperial Elephant Stables.
3 Ayodhyd means not to be fought against, Kight other lords around him stood, All skilled to counsel, wise and good: Jayanta, Vijay, Dhrishti bold In right, affairs of war controlled: Siddharth and Arthasadhak true Watched o'er expense and revenue, And Dharmapal and wise Asok Of right and law and justice* spoke. With these the sage Sumantra, skilled To urge the car, high station filled.
All these in knowledge duly trained Each passion and each sense restrained: With modest manners, nobly bred Each plan and nod and look they read, Upon their neighbours' good intent, Mo»t active and benevolent: As sit the Vasus1 round their king, They sate around him counselling. They ne'er in virtue's loftier pride Another's lowly gifts decried. In fair and sremly garb arrayed, No weak uncertain plans they made. Well skilled in business, fair and just, They gained the people's love and trust, And thus without oppression stored The swelling treasury of their lord. -Hound in sweet friendship each to each, They spoke kind thoughts in gentle speech. They looked alike with equal eye On every caste, on low and high. Devoted to their king, they sought, Ere his tongue spoke, to learn his thought, And knew, as each occasion rose, To hide their counsel or disclose. In foreign lands or in their own Whatever passed, to them was known. By secret spies they timely knew What men were doing or would do. Skilled in the gr:unds of war and peace They saw the monarch's state increase, Watching his weal with conquering eye That never let occasion by, While nature lent her aid to bless Their labours with unbought success. Never for anger, lust, or gain, Would they their lips with falsehood stain.
Inclined to mercy they could scan The weakness and the strength of man. They fairly judged both high and low, And ne'er would wrong a guiltless foe; Yet if a fault were proved, each one Would punish e'en his own dear son. But there and in the kingdom's bound No thief or man impure was found: None of loose life or evil fame, No temper of another's dame. Contented with their lot each caste 1 Attendants of Indra, eight Gods whose names signify fire, light and its pheno- mena, Canto VIII.
THE RAMAYAN.
Calm days in blissful quiet passed; And, all in fitting tasks employed, Country and town deep rest enjoyed, With these wise lords around his throne The monarch justly reigned, And making every heart his own The love of all rnen gained. With trusty agents, as beseems, Each distant realm he scanned, As the sun visits with his beams Each corner of the land. Ne'er would he on a mightier foe With hostile troops advance, Nor at an equal strike a blow In war's delusive chance. These lords in council bore their part With ready brain and faithful heart, With skill and knowledge, sense and tact, Good to advise and bold to act. And high and endless fame he won With these to guide his schemes, As, risen in his might, the sun Wins glory with his beams.
CANTO VIII.
SUMANTRA'S SPEECH.
But splendid, just, and great of mind, The childless king for offspring pined. No son had he his name to grace, Transmitter of his royal race. Long had his anxious bosom wrought, And as he pondered rose the thought: ' A votive steed 'twere good to slay, So might a son the gift repay.' Before his lords his plan he laid, And bade them with their wisdom aid: Then with these words Sumantra, best Of royal counsellors, addressed: * Hither, Vasishtha at their head, Let all my priestly guides be led.' To him Sumantra made reply: ' Hear, Sire, a tale of days gone by. To many a sage in time of old, Sanatkumar, the saint, foretold How from thine ancient line, O King, A son, when years came round, should spring.
' Here dwells,' ' twas thus the seer began, ' Of Kasyap's1 race, a holy man, Vibhandak named: to him shall spring A son, 'the famous Rishyasring. Bred with the deer that round him roam, The wood shall be that hermit's home.
1 Kasyap was a grandson of the God Brahma. He is supposed to have given his name to Kashmir =Kasyapa-mira, Kasyap's Lake.
To him no mortal shall be known Except his holy sire alone. Still by those laws shall he abide Which lives of youthful Brahmans guide, Obedient to the strictest rule That forms the young ascetic's school: And all the wondering world shall hear Of his stern life and penance drear; His care to nurse the holy fire And do the bidding of his sire. Then, seated on the Angas'1 throne, Shall Lomapad to fame be known. But folly wrought by that great king A plague upon the land shall bring; No rain for many a year shall fall And grievous drought shall ruin all. The troubled king with many a prayer Shall bid the priests some cure declare: * The lore of Heaven 'tis yours to know, Nor are ye blind to things below: Declare, O holy men, the way This plague to expiate and stay.' Those best of Brahmans shall reply: ' By every art, O Monarch, try Hither to bring Vibhandak's child, Persuaded, captured, or beguiled. And when the boy is hither led To him thy daughter duly wed.'
But how to bring that wondrous boy His troubled thoughts will long employ, And hopeless to achieve the task He counsel of his lords will ask, And bid his priests and servants bring With honour saintly Rishyasring. But when they hear the monarch's speech, All these their master will beseech, With trembling hearts and looks of woe, To spare them, for they fear to go. And many a plan will they declare And crafty plots will frame, And promise fair to show him there, Unforced, with none to blame. On every word his lords shall say, The king will meditate, And on the third returning day Recall them to debate. Then this shall be the plan agreed, That damsels shall be sent Attired in holy hermits' weed, And skilled in blandishment, That they the hermit may beguile With every art and amorous wile 1 The people of Anga. 'Anga is said in the lexicons to be Bengal; but here certainly another region is intended situated at the confluence of the Sarju with the Ganges, and not far distant from Dasaratha's do- minions.' GORRESIO. It comprised part of Behar and Bhagulpur.
THE RAMAYAN.
Book I.
Whose use they know so well, And by their witcheries seduce The unsuspecting young recluse To live his father's cell. Then when the boy with willing feet Shall wander from his calm retreat And in that city stand, The troubles of the king shall end, And streams of blessed rain descend Upon the thirsty land. Thus shall the holy Rishyasring To Lomapad, the mighty king, By wedlock be allied; For »3anta, fairest of the fair, In mind and grace beyond compare, Shall be his royal bride. He, at the Offering of the Steed, The flames with holy oil shall feed, And for King Dasaratha gain Sons whom his prayers have begged in vain.'
* I have repeated, Sire, thus far, The words of old Sanatkumar, In order as he spoke them then Amid the crowd of holy men.'
Then Dasaratha cried with joy, * Say how they brought the hermit boy.'
CANTO IX.
RISHYASRING.
The wise Sumantra, thus addressed, Unfolded at the king's behest The plan the lords in council laid To draw the hermit from the shade: 4 The priest, amid the lordly crowd, To Lomapad thus spoke aloud: ' Hear, King, the plot our thoughts have framed,