He ceased: the ascetic dame replied: 4 Well, Vanars, am I satisfied. A life of holy works I lead, And from your hands no service need.' Then spake again the Vanar chief: 1 We came to thee and found relief, Now listen to a new distress, And aid us. holy votaress. Our wanderings in this vasty cave Exhaust the time Sugriva gave.
Once more then, lady, grant release, And let thy suppliants go in peace Again upon their errand sped. For King Sugriva's ire we dread. And the great task our sovereign set, Alas, is unaccomplished 5ret.'
Thus Hanuman their leader prayed, And thus the dame her answer made: Scarce may the living find their way Returning hence to light of day; Rut I will free you through the might Of penance, fast, and holy rite. Close for a while your eyes, or ne'er May you return to upper air.' She ceased: the Viinars all obeyed; Their fingers on their eyes they laid, And, ere a moment's time had fled, Were through the mazy cavern led. Again the gracious lady spoke, And joy in every bosom woke: ' Lo, here again is Vindhya's hill, Whose valleys trees and creepers fill; And, by the margin of the sea, Prasravan where you fain would be.' With blessings then she bade adieu, And swift within the cave Withdrew.
CANTO LIIL ANGAD'S COUNSEL.
They looked upon the boundless main The awful seat of Varun's reign, And heard hi» waters roar and rave Terrific with eacli crested wave. Then, in the depths of sorrow drowned, They sat upon the bosky ground, And sadly, as they pondered, grieved For days gone by and naught achieved. Pain pierced them through with sharper sting "V^hen, gazing on the trees of spring, Ti'iey-Bttrw each waving bough that showed The treasures of its glorious load, And helpless, fainting with the weight Of woe they sank disconsolate. Then, lion -shouldered, stout and strong, The noblest of the Vanar throng, Angad the prince imperial rose, And. deeply stricken by the woes That his impetuous spirit broke, Thus gently to the chieftains spoke: 'Mark ye not, Vanars, that the day Our monarch fixed has passed away? The month is lost in toil and pain, And now, my friends, what hopes remain? On you, in lore of counsel tried, Our king Suirriva most relied. Your hearts, with strong affection fraught, THE RAM AY AN.
Boole IV.
His weal in every labour sought, And the true valour of your band Was blazoned»wide in every land. Forth on the toilsome search you sped, By me — for so he willed it — led, To us, of every hope bereft, Death is the only refuge left. For none a happy life may see Who fails to do our king's decree. Come, let us all from food abstain, And perish thus, since hope is vain. Stern is our king and swift to ire, Imperious, proud, and fierce like fire, And ne' er will pardon us the crime Of fruitless search and wasted time. Far better thus to end our lives, And leave our wealth, our homes and wives, Leave our dear little ones and all, Than by his vengeful hand to fall. Think not Sugriva's wrath will spare ]\le Bali's son, imperial heir:. For Raghu's royal son, not he, To this high place anointed me. Sugriva, long my bitter foe, With eager hand will strike the blow, And, mindful of the old offence, Will slay me now for negligence, Nor will my pitying friends have power To save me in the deadly hour. No— here, O chieftains, will 1 lie By ocean's marge, and fast and die.'
'They heard the royal prince declare The purpose of his tixt despair; And all. by common terror moved, His speech in these sad words approved: ' Sugriva's heart is hard and stern, And Kama's thoughts for Sita yearn. Our forfeit lives will surely pay For idle search and long delay, And our tierce king will bid us die The favour of his friend to buy.'
Then Tara softly spake to cheer The Vanars' hearts oppressed by fear: 'Despair no more, your doubts dispel: Come in this ample cavern dwell. There may we live in blissful ease1 Mid springs and fruit and bloomy trees, Secure from every foe's assault, For magic framed the wondrous vault. Protected there we need not fear Though llama and our king come near; Nor dread e'en him who batters down The portals of the foeman's town.'1 1 Purandara, the destroyer of cities; the cities being the clouds which the' God of the firmament bursts open with his thun- derbolts, to release the waters imprisonec in these f ortesses of the demons of drought CANTO LTV. HANUMA:N'S SPEECH.
But Kami man, while Tara, best Of splendid chiefs his thought expressed Perceived that Bali's princely son A kingdom for himself had won.1 His keen eye marked in him combined The warrior's arm. the ruler's mind, And every noble gift should grace The happy sovereign of his race: Marked how he grew with ripening age More glorious and bold and sage, — Like the young moon that night by night Shines on with ever waxing light,— Brave as his royal father, wise A.S he who counsels in the skies:2 Marked how, for wearied with the quest, He heeded not his liege's hest, But Tara's every word obeyed Like Indra still by Sukra3 swayed.
Then with his prudent speech he tried To better thoughts the prince to guide, And by division's skilful art The Vanara and the youth to part: ' Illustrious Angad, thou in fight Hast far surpassed thy father's might, Most worthy, like thy sire of old, The empire of our race to hold.
The Vanars' fickle people range From wish to wish and welcome change.
Their wives and babes they will not leave And to their new-made sovereign cleave.
No art, no gifts will draw away The Vanars from Sugriva's sway, Through hope of wealth, through fear of pain Still faithful will they all remain, Thou fondly hopest in this cave The vengeance of the foe to brave. But Lakslnnan's arm a shower will send Of deadly shafts those walls to rend. Like Indra's bolts his shafts have power To cleave the mountain like a flower. O Angad, mark my counsel well: If in this cave thou choose to dwell, 1 Perceived that Angad had secured through the love ot the Vanars, the re- version of Sugriva's kingdom; or, a.- another commentator explains it, perceiv- ed that Angad had obtained a new king- dom in the enchanted cave which the Vanars. through love of him, would consenj to occupy..
* Vachaspati, Lord of Speech, the Precop- tor of the Gods.
3 Sukra is the regent of the planet Venus, and the preceptor of the Daityas.
Canto LVL THE RAM AY AN.
These Vanar hosts with one accord Will quit thee for their lawful lord, I And turn again with thirsty eyes To wife and babe and all they prize, Thou in the lonely cavern left Of followers and friends bereft.
Wilt be in all thy woe, alas, Weak as a blade of trembling grass: And Lakshman's arrows, keen and fierce From his strong bow, thy heart will pierce, j But if in lowly reverence meek Sugriva's court with us thou seek, He, as thy birth demands, will share The kingdom with the royal heir.
Thy loving kinsman, true and wise, Looks on thee still with favouring eyes.
Firm in his promise, pure is he, And ne'er will vex or injure thee.
He loves thy mother, lives for her A faithful friend and worshipper.
That mother's love thou mayst not spurn: Her only child, return, return.'
CANTO LY.
ANGAD'S REPLY.
' What truth or justice canst thou find,' Cried Angad, ' in Sugriva's mind? Where is his high and generous soul, His purity and selt'-c mtrol? How is he worthy of our trust, Righteous, and true, and wise, and just, Who, shrinking not from sin and shame, Durst take his living brother's dame? Who, when, in stress of mortal strife His noble brother fought for life, Against the valiant warrior barred The portal which he stood to guard? Can he be grateful—he who took The hand of llama, and forsook That friend who saved him in his woes, To whom his life and fame he owes? Ah no! his heart is cold and mean, What bids him search for Rama's queen? Not honour's law, not friendship's debt, But angry Lakshman's timely threat. No prudent heart will ever place Its trust in one so false and base, Who heeds not friendship, kith or kin, Who scorns the law and cleaves to sin. But true or false, whate'er he be, One consequence I clearly see: Me, in rny youth anointed heir Against his wish, he will not spare, But strike with eager hand the blow That rids him of a household foe. Shall I of power and friends despoiled, In all iny purpose crossed and foiled, — Shall I Kishkindha seek, and wait, Like some poor helpless thing, my fate? The cruel wretch through lust of sway Will seize upon his hapless prey, And to a prison's secret gloom The remnant of my years will doom. 'Tis better far to fast and die Than hopeless bound in chains to lie, Your steps, O Vanars, homeward bend, And leave me here my life to end. ]>etter to die of hunger here Tiian meet at home the fate I fear. Go, bow you at Sugriva's feet, And in my name the monarch greet. Before the sons of Raghu bend, And give the greeting that I send. Greet kindly Ruma too, for she A son's affection claims from me, And gently calm with friendly care My mother Tara's wild despair; Or when she hears her darling's fate The queen will die disconsolate.'
Thus Angad bade the chiefs adieu: Then on the ground his limbs he threw Where sacred Darbha1 grass was spread, And wept as every'hope had fled. The moving words of Angad drew Down aged cheeks the piteous dew. And, as the chieftains' eyes grew dim, They swore to stay and die with him. On holy grass whose every blade Was duly, pointing southward, laid, The Vanars sat them down and bent Their faces to the orient, While 'Here, 0 c >mrades, let us die With Angad,' was the general cry, CANTO LVL SAMPATI, CANTO LVL SAMPATI, Then came the vultures' mighty king Where sat the Vanars sorrowing, — Sampiiti,2 best of birds that fly On sounding pinions through the sky, Jatayus' brother, famed of old, Most glori us and strong and bold. Upon the slope of Vindhya's hill He saw the Vanars calm and still.
1 The name of various kinds of grass used at sacrificial ceremonies, especially, of the Kusa grass, Poa cynosuroides, which was used to strew the ground^in preparing for a sacrifice, the officiating Brahmans being purified by sittihg on it.
2 Sampati is the eldest son of the cele- brated Garuda the king of birds, THE These words he uttered while the sight Filled his fierce spirit with delight: 4 Behold how Fate with changeless laws Within his toils the sinner draws, And brings me. after long delay, A rich and noble feast to-day, These Vanars who are doomed to die My hungry maw to satisfy.'
He spoke no more: and Angad heard The menace of the mighty bird: And thus, while anguish tilled his breast, The noble Hanuman addressed: * Vivasvat's1 son has Sought this place For vengeance on the Vanar race. See, Yaiiia, wroth for Sita's sake, Is come our gulity lives to take. Our king's decree is left undone, And naught achieved for Raghu's son. In duty have we failed, and hence Comes punishment for dire offence. Have we not heard the marvels wrought By King Jatayus,2 how he fought With Havana might, and, nobly brave, Perished, the Maithil queen to save? There is no living creature, none, But loves to die for Baghu's son, And in long toils and dangers we Have placed our lives in jeopardy. Blest is Jatayus, he who gave His life the Maithil queen to save, And proved his love for Bam a well When by the giant's hand he fell. Now raised to bliss and'hign renown He fears not fierce Sugriva's frown, Alas, alas! what miseries spring From that rash promise of the king I3 His own sad death, and llama sent With Lakshman forth to banishment: The Maithil lady borne away: Jatayus slain in mortal fray: The fall of Bali when the dart Of Rama quivered in his heart: And. after toil and pain and care, Our misery and deep despair.'
He ceased: the feathered monarch heard His heart with ruth and wonder stirred ' Whose is that voice,' the vulture cried, ' That tells me how.latayus died, And shakes my inmo>t soul with woe For a loved brother's overthrow? After long days at length I hear The glorious name of one so dear. Once more, O V;inar chieftains, tell How King Jatayus fought and fell.
1 Vivasvat or the Sun is the father o Yama the God of Death.
* Book III. Canto LT.
s Dasaratha's rash oath and fatal pro mise to his wife Kaikeyi.
Book tV.
Sut first your aid, 1 pray you, lend, nd from this peak will I descend, rhe sun has burnt my wings, and I tfo longer have the power to fly.'
CANTO LVII. ANGAD'S SPEECH.
± noufh grief and woe his utterance broke, ^hejMrilsted not the words he spoke; 5ut, looking still for secret guile, Reflected in their hearts a while: If on cur mangled limbs he feed, We gain the death ourselves decreed.
Then rose the Vanar chiefs, and lent Their arms to aid the bird's descent; And Angad spake: There lived of yore A noble Vanar king who bore The name of Biksharajas, great And brave and strong and tortunate. Bis sons were like their father: fame Knows Bali and Sugriva's name. Praised in all lands, a glorious king Was Bali, and from him I spring* Brave Bama. Dasaratha's heir, A glorious prince beyond compare, His sire and duty's law obeyed And sought the depths of Dandaks shade. Sita his well-beloved dame. And Lakshman, with the wanderer came, A giant watched his hour, and stole The sweet delight of Rama's soul. Jatayus, Dasaratha's friend, Sw'ift succour to the dame would lend. Fierce Bavan from his car he felled, And for a, time the prize withheld. But bleeding, weak with years, and tired, Beneath the demon's blows expired. Due rites at Rama's hands obtained, And bliss that ne'er shall minish, gained. Then Rama with Sugriva made A covenant for mutual aid, And Bali, to the field defied, By conquering Bama's arrow died. Sugriva then, by Bama's grace, Was monarch of the Vanar race. By his command a mighty host Seeks Kama's queen from coast to coast Sent forth by him, in every spot We looked f«>r her, but find her not. Vain is the toil, as though by night We sought to find the Day-God's light. In lands unknown at length we found A spacious cavern under ground, Whose vaults that stretch beneath the niil Were formed by Maya's magic skill. Through the dark maze our steps were bent, And wandering there a month we spent, Canto LVJII.
THE RAM A? AN.
And lost, in fruitless error, thus The days our king allotted us.
Thus we though faithful ii a ve transgressed, And failed to keep our lord's behest.
No chance of safety can we see, No lingering hope of life have we.
Sugriva's wrath and Rama's hate Press on our souls with grievous weighlt: And we, because 'tis vain to fly, Jlesolve at length to fast and die.'
CANTO LVIII. TIDINGS OF SfTA.
The piteous tears his eye bedewed As thus his speech the bird renewed: ' Alas my brother, slain in tight By Ra van's unresisted might! I, old and wingless, weak and worn, O'er his sad fate can only mourn. Fled is my youth: in life's decline My former strength no more is mine. Once on the day when Vritra1 died, We brothers, in ambitious pride, Sought, mounting with adventurous flight, The Day-God garlanded vyith light. On, ever on we urged our way Where tields of ether round us lay, Till, by the fervent heat assailed. My brother's pinions flagged and failed. I marked his sinking strength, and spread My stronger wings to screen his head, Till, all my feathers burnt away, On Vindhya's hill I fell and lay. There in my lone and helpless s.tate I heard not of my brother's fate.'
Thus King ^ampati spoke and sigheql: And royal Angad thus replied: ' If, brother of Jatayus, thou Hast heard the tale I told but now, Obedient to mine earnest prayer The dwelling of that fiend declare. O, say where cursed Ravan dwells, Whom folly to his death impels.'
1 Vritra, ' tlje coverer, hider, obstructer (of rain) ' is the narne of the Vedic per- sonification of an imaginary malignant influence, or demon of darkness and drought supposed to take possession of the clouds, causing thjem to obstruct the clearness of the sky and keep back the waters. Indra is represented as battling with this evil influence, and the pent-up clouds being practically represented as mountains or castles are shattered by his thundeibolt and macle to open their re- ceptacles.
He ceased. Again Sampati spoke, And hope in every breast awoke: ' Though lost my wings, and strength de- cayed, Yet shall my words lend Rama aid. I know the worlds where Vishnu trod,1 I know the realm of Ocean's God; How Asurs fought with heavenly foes, And Amrit from the churning rose.2 A mighty task before me lies, To prosper Rama's enterprise, A task top hard for one whom length Of days has rifled of his strength. I saw the cruel Ravan bear A gentle lady through the air. Bright washer form, and fresh and young, And sparkling gems about her hung. •* O Rama, Rama! ' cried the dame, And shrieked in terror Lakshman's name, As, struggling in the giant's hold, She dropped her gauds of gems and gold. Like sun-lighib on a mountain shone The silken garments she had on, And glistened o'er his swarthy form As lightning flashes through the storm, That giant Kavan, famed of old, Js brother of the Lord of Gold.? The southern ocean roars and swells Round Lanka, where the robber dwells In his fair city nobly planned And built by Visvakarma's4 hand. Within liis bower securely barred, With inonsters round her for a guard, Still in her silken vesture clad Lies Sita, and her heart is sad. A hundred leagues your course must be Beyond this margin of the sea. Still to the south your way p.ursue, And there the giant Ravan view. Then up, O Vanars, and away 1 For by my heavenly lore I say, There will you see the lady's face. And hither soon your steps retrace. In the first field of air are borne The doves and birds that feed on corn. The second field supports jfche crows And birds whose food on.branches grows. Along the tfrird in balanced flight Sail the keen osprey and the kite. Swift through the fourth the falcon springs The fifth the slower vulture wings. TQp to the sixth the gay swans rise, 1 Frequent mentipn has been made of ;the three steps of Vishnu typifying the rising culmination, and setting of the sun.
? For the Churning of the Sea, see Book I. Canto Xj/V.
3 Kuvera, the God of Wealth.
* The Architect of the Gods.
THE RAM AY AN.
BOOK IV.
Where royal Vainateya1 flies. We too, O chiefs, of \ulture race, Our line from Vinata may trace, Condemned, because we wrought a deed Of shame, on flesh and blood to feed. But all Suparna's2 wondrous powers And length of 'keenest sight are ours, That we a hundred leagues away Through fields of air descry our prey. Now from this spot my gazing eye Can Ravan and the dame descry. Devise some plan to overleap This barrier of the briny deep, Find the Videhan lady there, And joyous to your home repair. INle too, 0 Y amirs, to the side Of Varun's3 home the ocean, guide, Where due libations shall be paid To my great-hearted brother's shade,' CANTO LIX.
SAMPATI'S STORY.
They heard his counsel to the close, Then swiftly to their feet they rose; And Jambavan with jo>ous breast The vulture king again addressed: ' Where, where is Sita? who has seen, Who borne away the Maithil queen? Who would the 'lightning flight withstand Of arrows shot by Lakshman's hand? ' Again Sampati spoke to clieer The Vanars as they bent to hear: * Now listen, and my words shall show What of the Maithil dame I know, And in what distant prison lies The lady of the long dark eyes. Scorched by the fiery God of Day, High on this mighty hill I lay. A long and weary time had passed, And strength and life were failing fast. Yet, ere the breath had left my frame, My son, my dear Suparsva, came. Each morn and eve he brought me food, And filial care my life renewed. But serpents still are swift to ire. Gandharvas slaves to soft desire, And we, imperial vultures, need A full supply our maws to feed, Once he turned at close of day, Stood by my side, but brought no prey. He looked upon my ravenous eye, Heard my complaint and made reply: Garuda. son of Vinata, the sovereign of the birds.
2 ' The well winged one,' Garuda, 3 Tlie God of the sea, 'Borne on swift wings ere day was light I stoc;d upon Mahendra's1 height, And, far below, the sea I viewed And birds in countless multitude. Before mine eyes a giant flew Whose monstrous form was dark of hue And struggling in his grasp was borne A lady radiant as the morn. Swift to the south his course he bent, And cleft the yielding element. The holy spirits of the air Can e round me as I marvelled there, And cried as their bright legions met: ' O say, is Sita living yet?' Thus cried the saints and told the name Of him \rho held the struggling dame. Then while mine eye with eager look Pursued the path the robber took, I marked the lady's streaming hair, And heard her cry of wild despair. I saw her silken vesture rent And stripped of every ornament, Thus, O my father, fled the time: Forgive, 1 pray, the heedless crime/ In vain the mournful tale 1 heard My pitying heart to fury stirred. What could a helpless bird of air, Re ft of his boasted pinions, dare? Yet can I aid with all that will And words can do, and friendly skill.'
CANTO LX.
SAMP ATI'S STORY.
Then from the flood Sampati paid Due offerings to his brother's shade. He bathed him when the rites were done, And spake again to Bali's son: 4 Now listen, Prince, while I relate Hew first I learned the lady's fate. Burnt by the sun's resistless might I fell and lay on Vindhya's height. Seven nights in deadly swoon I passed, f But struggling life returned at last. Around 1 bent my wondering view, But every spot was strange and new. I scanned the sea with eager ken, And rock and brook and lake and glenr , I saw gay trees their branches wave, And creepers mantling o'er the cave. I I heard the wild birds' joyous song, I And waters as they foamed along, : And knew *he lovely hill must be Mount Vindhya by the southern sea.
1 Mahendra is chain of mountains generally identified with part of the Ghuta of the Peninsula.
Canto LXL THE RAM AY AN.
Revered by heavenly beings, stood Near where I lay, a sacred wood, Where great JSiaakar dwelt of yore And pains of awful penance bore.
Eight thousand seasons winged their flight Over the toiling anchorite — Upon that hill my days were spent, — And then to heaven the hermit went.
At last, with long and hard assay, Down from that height 1 made my way, And wandered through the mountain pass Rough with the spikes of Darbha grass.
I with my misery worn, and faint Was eager to behold the saint: For often with Jatdyus I Had sought his home in days gone by.
As nearer to the grove I drew The breeze with cooling fragrance blew, And not a tree that was not fair, With richest flower and fruit was there.
With anxious heart a while I stayed Beneath the trees' delightful shade, And soon the holy hermit, bright With fervent penance, came in sight.
Behind him bears and lions, tame As those who know their feeder, came, And tigers, deer, and snakes pursued His steps, a wondrous multitude, And turned obeisant when the sage Had reached his shady hermitage.
Then came Nisakar to my side And looked with wondering eyes, and cried: ' I knew thee not, so dire a change Has made thy form and feature strange. Where are thy glossy feathers? where The rapid wings that cleft the air? Two vulture brothers once I knew: Each form at will could they endue. They of the vulture race were kings, And tlew with Matar lava's1 wings, in* human shape they loved to greet Their hermit friend, and clasp his feet. The younger was Jattiyus, thou The elder whom, I gaze on no»v. Say, has disease or foeman's hate Reduced thee from thy high estate?
, CANTO LXL SAMPATI'S STORY.
.h me! o'er whelmed with shame and weak With wound?,' I cried, ' I scarce can speak. My hapless brother once and I Our strength of flight resolved to try, 1 Matarisva is identified with Vayu, the wind, And by our foolish pride impelled Our way through realms of ether held. We vowed before the saints who tread The wilds about Kailasa's head, That we with follwing wings would chase The swift sun to his resting place. Up on our soaring pinions through The fields of cloudless air we flew. Beneath us far, and far away, Like chariot wheels bright cities lay, Whence in wild snatches rose the song Of women mid the gay-clad throng, With sounds of sweetest music blent And many a tinkling ornament. Then as our rapid wings we strained The pathway of the suu we gained, Beneath us all the earth was seen Clad in her garb of tender green, And every river in her bed Meandered like a silver thread. We looked on Meru far below. And Vindhya and the Lord of Snow, Like elephants that bend to cool Their fever in a lilied pool. But fervent heat and toil o'ercame The vigour of each yielding frame, Our weary hearts began to quail, And wildered sense to reel and faii. We knew not, fainting and distressed, The north or south or east or west, With a great strain mine eyes I turned Where the fierce sun before me burned, And seemed to my astonished eyes The equal of the earth in size.1 At length, o'erpowered, Jatayusfell Without a word to say farewell, And when to earth I saw him hie I followed headlong from the sky.2 With sheltering wings I intervened And from the sun his bcdy screened, But lost, for heedless folly doomed, My pinions which the heat consumed. In Janasthan, I hear them say, My hapless brother fell and lay. 1, pinionless and faint and weak, Dropped upon Vindhya's woody peak. Now with my swift wings burnt away, Reft of my brother and my sway, From this tall mountain's summit I Will cast me headlong down and die.
1 Of course not equal to the whole earth, says the Commentator, but equal to Janasthan.
2 This appears to be the Indian form of the stories of Phaethon and Daxlalua and Icarus.
THE RAM AY AN.
Book II CANTO LXII, SAMPATI'S STORY.
'As to the sainifc I thus coni plained My bitter tears fell unrestrained. He pondered for a while, then broke The silence, and thus calmly spoke: ' Forth fro in thy sides again shall spring O royal bird, each withered wing, And all thine ancient power and might Return to thee with strength of sight, A noble deed has been foretold In prophecy pronounced of old: Nor dark to me are future things, Seen by the light which penance brings. A glorious king shall rise and reign, The pride of old Ikshvaku's strain. A good and valiant prince, his heir, Shall the.dear name of Rama bear. With his brave brother Lakshman he An exile in the woods shall be, Where Ravan, whom no God may slay,' Shall steal his darling wife away, In vain the captive will be wooed With proffered love and dainty fooqi, She will not hear, she will not taste: But, lest her beauty wane and waste, Lord Indra's self will come to her With heavenly food, and minister. Then envoys of the Vanar race By Ram,a sent will seek this place, To them, O roamer of the air, The lady's fate shalt thou declare. Thou must not moverr-so maimed thou art Thou canst not from this spot depart. Await rfce day and moment due, And thy burnt wings will sprout anew, 1 might this day the boon bestow And bid again thy pinions grow, But wait until thy saving deed The nations from their fear have freed. Then for this glorious aid of thine The princes of Ikshvaku's line, And Gods above and saints below Eternal gratitude shall owe, Fain would mine aged eyes behold That pair of whom my lips have told, Yet wearied here I must not stay, But leave my frame and pass away.'
CANTO "fcXIIT. SAMPATI'S STORY.
1 With this and many a speech beside My failing heart he fortified, 1 According to the promise given him by Brahma. See Book I. Canto XIV.
With glorious hope my breast inspired, And to his holy home retired.
I scaled the mountain heigiit, to view The region round, and looked for you.
In ceaseless watch ings night and day A. hundred seasons passed away, And by the sage's words consoled I wait the hour and chance foretold.
But since Nisakar sought the skies, And cast away all earthly ties, Full many a care and doubt has pressed With grievous weight upon rny breast.
But for the saint who turned aside My purpose I had surely died.
Those hopeful words the hermit spake, That bid me live for 'Rama's sake, Dispel my anguish as the light Of lamp and torch disperse the night.1