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IF
RAMAYANA
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C. I. E.
M.A., OxoN
FELLOW OF THE CALCUTTA
UNIVERSITY.
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SIXTH EDITION.
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f^i
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iZ
h**"
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"
The IMnidyan
^
^
Dds is more
popular and more honoured by the
people of the North-Western Provinces than the Bible is by the
corresponding classes in
England."
GRIFFITH.
:M
ft
a b a d
RAM NARAIN
LAL.
^^
IT
^IT
t/N
IP
of Tulsi
8' luy
fip
INTRODUCTION.
The Sanskrit R^m^yana
of VAlrafki has
been
published
more than once, with all the advantages of European ediIt has also
torial skill and tlie most luxurious typography.
been translated both in verse and prose, and, in part at least,
into Latin, as well as into Italian, French and English.
The more popular Hindi presentment of the same great
national
print,
be read
lithograph or baz^r
has
single Book
in
of a
probably in consequence of its modern date, is less disfigured by wearisome interpolations and repetitions while,
if it never soars so high as Valmlki in
some of his best
passages, it maintains a more equable level of poetic
diction, and seldom sinks with him into such dreary depths
of unmitigated prose.
It must also be noted that it is in
no sense a translation of the earlier work
the general
;
A hanHsotne
Baptist
INTRODDOTION.
11
Rim-charit-m^naR,' and
the
to
'
Iliad
popular favourite.
unintelligible.
educated Hindus
poems
who
liave
unanswerable argument
all
probability, the
much acquaintance
only
with both
poems.
In both, the
tion.
obviously
a table of contents, and
explain
the story from Ndrad, and taught
They give
Vdlmiki learnt
Kusa and Lava; thus corresponding
in
how
it
to
no respect, with
and
INTRODUCTION.
had
to
fled
their prayer,
Ill
INTRODUCTION.
IV
visit to his
In the seventh, or last, Book, the divergence is, if anymore marked. It consists with V^lmiki of 124
first 49 of which are occupied by a dialogue between Rama and the Rishi Agastya, who relates the story of
Ravan's birth and his conquest of the world. In the 50th
canto Ruma dismisses his monkey followers to their homes :
and it in only is this one passage and in occasional reference
to the glory and happiness of RAma's reign that there is any
coincidence with the Hindi 'Sequel.' The remainder of
the Sanskrit poem relates the exile of Sita and the
Asvamedh sacrifice; after which Rama and his brothers
ascend to heaven. All these topics are totally omitted by
Tulsi DAs, who substitutes for them the story of Kdkabhnsundi and a series of laboured disquisitions on the true
nature of Faith.
thing, still
cantos, the
INTRODUCTION.
gloss, written
in the saint's
life.
The poem
^ffT
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ftr^ft
II
11
Ji.
For the redemption of mankind in this perverse Kali Yug, VAlmiki has
born again as Tulsi. The verses of the Ramdyana composed in the
been
TretaYug are a hundred crores in number but a single letter has redeeming power, and would work the salvation of one who had even committed
;
Now
the faithful,
again, as a blessing to
has
he taken birth and published the sportive actions of the god. Intoxicated
with his passion for Rama's feet, he perseveres day and night in the accom-
plishment of his vow, and has supplied, as it were, a boat for the easy
passage of the boundless ocean of existence. For the redemption of man
in this perverse Kali Yug, Valmlki has been born again as Tulsi.
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INTRODUCTION.
VI
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VI
INTRODUCTION.
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INTRODUCTION.
VI II
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11
INTRODUCTION.
IX
Prnja Bas.
He had great love for his wife without asking his leave she went home
he forgot all about himself and hastened there too. She
" Have
was greatly ashamed, and went away iri anger, saying
you no love
for Mraa ? My body is but a framework of skin and bone."
When he
he felt compunction
heard these words, it was, as it were, the daybreak
and left her and sped to the city or Kasi. There he made his abode, worsuipping the lord publicly, making a rigid vow, and thirsting exceedingly
:
to her father's
for a vision.
A certain ghost, who had secured the remainder of the water he had
used in washing,! was grateful and told him of Hanuman. "A recitation
of the Ramayana has a special charna for his ears
he will be disguised in
mean attire, but is always the first to come and the last to leave." Thus
with
him
went
in
full
him
as
he
he
confidence, and in the
left,
recognizing
wood, knowing him to be in truth the god, ran and embraced his feet,
"You shall not escape me." Perceiving his
crj'ing with a shout of joy:
intense devotion, he assumed the form in which he is famous, and said
"Ask of me what you will." "lam ever craving to behold with my very
He told him the place for
eyes the incomparable beauty of King Rama."
meeting. From that day forth he was longing till the time came, thinking
'When shall I behold his beauty? Raghunath came, and with him
Laksh man, both mounted on horseback, in green raiment (like huntsmen).
Why should he notice them ? "Afterwards came Hanuman and said
" Have
"I did not give them even a glance
you seen your dear lord ?
turn now and speak to them again."
;
Uima give an alms even to me, a murderer." On hearing the delightful name, he called him into his own house, and gave him of
the ofEerinys to the god, and purified him and sang the praises of his
Beloved. The Brahmans met in conclave and summoned him before them,
saying :~"How has his guilt been remitted that you could thus take and
eat with him apart?"
"Read your books; their real meaning has not
therefore your faith is dud and your blindness has
penetrated your heart
"
"
not been removed
We have read and examined our books the virtue
but can a murderer be absolved 1
of the name is truly as you have said
" Tell me how I
Please explain that."
may convince you." They said
" If Siva's bull will eat from his
hand, then will we receive him into our
company." He gave him of the temple offerinirs in a dish, and they returned to the place where he had made the vow. There he cried -" Saturate
thou knowest how the matter
their souls with the glory of thy name
stands, what can I say ?" On h'-aring those words lie graciously accepted the
of
shout
there
vvas
Victory Victory
oflPering
joyous
;
Some
thieves
She replied
My husband is dead, and I am about to perish with
will restore him to life
I
him." " The word has passed my lips
worsihp
"
But you must adopt
thou Rama." Then he called her kinsfolk and said
wife.
A ghost
is
R-2
INTRODUCTION.
a religious
They hearkened to
they all became
life."
you,"
courteously that he agreed and went. They arrived before the king, who
with honour, gave him an exalted seat, ami said in gracious
received
tones :' Let me see a miracle; it is noised thiougliout the world that you
"
He said - " It is false know that Rama is all
are master of everything
'*
How i.s Rinia to be seen? " he said, and threw him into prison.
in all."
He prayed within himself "
gracious Hanuman, have pity upon me."
hm
That very moment thousands upon thousands of sturdy monkeys spread all
over thep'ace, clawing bodies, and tearing clothep, and great was the alarm.
They broke open the fort, wounding the men, destroying everything where
could one fly for safety ? it seemed as though the end of the world had come.
Then his eyes were opened by this taste of a sea of calamities, and he cried,
" Now
wayer all my treasure it is he only who can save me." He came and
" Bet" If
you give me life, live pray speak to them."
clasped his feet
The king whs overwhelmed with confusion.
ter watch the miracle a little."
Then he stopt it all and said - " Quickly abandon this spot, for it is the
abode of Udma." At th<' word he quitted the place and went and built a
new fort, and to this day any one who abides there falls ill and dies.
;
fold."
"
INTRODUCTION.
Kl
was the abode of Rjlma and in compliance with this request the emperor left it and founded the new city, thence
named Shdlijahanab^d. After this Tulsi Dds went to
Brinda-ban, where he had an interview with Ndbhd Ji
he settled there and strenuously advocated the worship of
Sita Rdma, in preference to that of R^dha- Krishna."
;
truth
1
was afterwards able to verify this conjecture, as Mr. Leonard, the
Assistant Secretary of " the Calcutta Asiatic Society, was kind enough to lend
me his copy of Price's " Hindi and Hindustani Selections," a work to which
It was
Professor Wilson refers more than once in the course of his essay.
1
find that
published in Calcutta in 1827, and has long been out of print.
as many as 50 pages of it are occupied with extracts from the Hhakt-Mdla
but with the exception of some 18 stanzas from the mul of Ndbha Ji, all the
rest is in simple narrative prose
and the compiler in his introduction specially mentions that the work itself was rarely to be met with in the Lower
Provinces, and that his extracts were taken from a copy in Mr. Wilson's
library.
[Sanskrit and Hindi being two languages, as distinct as Latin and
Italian, the above remarks were never intended (as a reviewer wrongly supto
detract in any way from the peculiar merits of one of the greatest
posed)
Sanskrit scholars that England has ever produced and to whose works no one
I
Is
INTBODUOTION.
Xll
thieves
in the
modern poem
Bhakt-Sindhu
writ^lr
when
at a loss
for
facts
The greater
Chitrakiit, the place of his birth.
life was certainly spent at Benares, though he
some years
in visits to
part of
his
also passed
Chitrakiit, Allah-
Soron, Ayodhyd,
He died in the Samhat
1680
year
A complete copy of the RAmdyana in his own handwriting was once in existence at Rdjapur, but it was stolen
about the year 1800 by a devotee, who on being pursued
threw it into the river. It was eventually recovered by a
net, but not till it had been greatly damaged by the water
Book II, the AyodhyA, which forms the centre of the volume,
;
'
'
'
INTRODUCTION.
Xlll
The list is
copies of this first edition are now very scarce.
not unfrequently extended by the addition of the following
minor works, as to the genuineness of which there is considerable doubt, viz., the Rdma-Salak^, the Hanum^n Bdhuka,
the JAnaki Mangal, the Pdrvati Man gal, the Kark^ Chhand,
the Rora Chhand and the Jhulnd Chhand.
An autograph
MS. of the Rdm Agyii was preserved in the temple of Sita*
Ram at Benares, which Tulsi Das had himself founded, till
the Mutiny, but was then lost.^
His theological and metaphysical views are pantheistic in
character, being based for the most part on the teaching
of the later Vedantists as formulated in the Vedanta-S^ra
and more elaborately expounded in the Bhagavad Gita,
which is the most popular of all Sanskrit didactic poems.
The whole visible world, as they maintain, is an unreal
phantasm, induced by ignorance or illusion, and it is only
by a concession to conventional speech that it can be said
to exist at all.
The sole representative of true existence is
the supreme spirit, Brahm, conceived as absolute and
unchangeable unity invisible, eternal and all-pervading,
but having no relation to the world since that would
involve a notion of dualism
and for the same reason void
of cognition, will, activity and all other qualities a potentiality, in the ordinary use of language, rather than an
actual entity. All phenomena, whether material or spiritual,
including even the gods of Vedic mythology, are simply
fictions of the mind
But the worship of the inferior divinities and compliance with the external ritual of religion,
are considered to purify and prepare the intellect for the
reception of higher truths. They are therefore salutary and
;
I
1 For the information as to this and the Rajapur MS.
am indebted to
Pandit Bhdn Pratdp, Tiwari, of Chandr, who also tells me that he has in his
possession a manuscript of the poem which professes to he copied from an
original dated Sanibat 1700 that is, only 20 j'ears after the author's death.
This he would gladly lend for collation, if a critical edition of the text
which is much required should ever be undertaken. At present the best
;
edition
is
Ram
INTEODUOTION.
XIV
god
" A
wrought in a rose
spiritmil star
Of light ill Paradise, whose only self
Is consciousness of glory wide diffused."
Except
is
destiny
popular morality. For good deeds and evil deeds and the
god that recompenses them, all alike belong to the unreal, to
the fictitious duality, the world of semblances while the socalled Supreme Being is no proper object of worship, being
a mere cold abstraction, unconscious of his own existence or
of ours, and devoid of all attributes and qualities. To correct
this practical defect and supply some intelligible motive for
withstanding temptation and leading; a pure and holy life,
the supplementary doctrine of Bhakti, or Faith, was
;
developed.
Some one
Hindu Pantheon was no longer regarded as a partial emanation of the divinity, but was exalted inio the complete
embodimerjt of it. A loving devotion to his personality was
then enjoined as a simple and certain method of attaining
to endless felicity
The
in an incarnate
Redeemer and
The
done
in
XV
INTRODUOTION.
In selecting Rdma
the gradual deification of its teacher.
as his ideal of the divine in preference to Krishna, Tulsi
Dds has .certainly improved upon the teaching of the
^
Bhagavad.
all
phenomena
to a
strange mys-
nature, that
the earth, and
is probably at the roof of life itself; invisible and insensible,
and exhibited only in its effects. Such a theory as we see
from our author's own case is by no means incompatible
with a belief in a divine incarnation the difficulty is to
establish by historical proof that such and such a character
RAma or Krishna, or whoever it may be was really born
out of the ordinary course of nature, really performed the
marvellous acts ascribed to him for the deliverance of the
saints, the overthrow of the wicked and the establishment
terious
all
was again
The whole
of Tulsi Dds's
Supreme Being
omnipresent,
special
all-pervading
impersonality,
1 In a Chinese inscription, of the year 1021 AD, that has been discovered at Buddh Gaya, he is thus addressed "O great master, merciful to the
people, sympathizing with all creatures, although thou dost not manifest
thyself, still thou art a most efficacious God."
:
INTRODUCTION.
XVI
?
The difficulty is one that has its
root in the nature of things ; and no solution of the mystery
can be found but in the recognition of faith and reason as
two distinct human faculties, with the infinite and the finite
asjtheir separate provinces. In the words of Saint Ambrose
non in dialect tea complacuit Deo salvumfacerc populum aiium.
God would not be adorable if he were not incomprehensible
:
speaking, a religion at
all.
just discrimina-
as
human
invention.
There be
By
that which mouldeth them. Unto all suchWorship what shrine they will, what shapes in faith
'Tis I who give them faith.
I am content.
The heart thus asking favour from its God,
J>arkened but ardent, hath the end it craves,
By
The
lesser blessing
but
'tis I
who
give.
INTRODUCTION.
XVll
Me in my true self.
Imperishable, viewless, undeclared.
Hidden behind my magic vail of shows,
I am not seen by all I am not known
Unborn and changeless to the idle world.
But I, Arjuna, know all things which were,
And all which are, and all which are to be,
Albeit not one among them knoweth Me."
"
Not comprehending
The words Blind are the eyes Which deem the Un"
manifested manifest
emphatically condemn the worship of
on
the
incarnation,
any
ground that it involes an inadequate
Tulsi Dds, on the other hand, inconception of the Deity.
they derogate from the divine perfection, who
of personality and reduce it to an abstraction.
Against such theologians he hotly protests as when he cries
'^
Let them preach, in their wisdom who
{VII Ghhand 5)
contemplate thee as the Supreme Spirit, the Uncreate, inseparable from the universe, recognizable only by inference
Lord will ever
and beyond the understanding but we,
hymn the glories of thy incarnation." Nor does he want
supporters even in this nineteenth century, who give the
same answer to the old question Can the attribute of PerThus Lotze, in his
sonality be ascribed to the Absolute ?
"
If
Outlines of the Philosophy of Religion, argues as follows
all the predicates of unconditionateness are to be valid for
the highest being then one condition of this validity lies
precisely in the addition of a last formal predicate, viz.,
All hindrances of perfect
that of personal existence.
personality we can imagine as not existent in the Infinite
On this account we conclude with the assertion Spirit.
which is exactly the opposite of the customary one
that Perfect Personality is reconcilable only with the
sists that
divest
it
approximation
to this is attainable."
introductory portion of the first Book of th'^ Rd,macurious as containing the author's vindication of his
They
literary style as against his critics, the pedants.
attacked him for lowering the dignity of his subject by
However just his
clothing it in the vulgar vernacular.
defence may be, it has not succeeded in converting the
and the professional Sanskrit pandits
opposite faction
who are its modern representatives, still affect to despise
his work as an unworthy concession to the illiterate masses.
With this small and solitary exception the book is in every
one's hands, from the court to the cottage, and is read, or
heard, and appreciated alike by every class of the Hindu
community, whether high or low, rich or poor, young or
The
yana
is
R-3
INTRODUCTION.
xviii
The
old.
purity
of
its
equally well
being unconsciously regulated by the genius of the language, are no more puzzling to a Hindti than the colloquialisms of Sam Weller or Mrs. Gamp are to an English
reader of Dickens.
writer in the
proposal.
INTRODUCTION.
similar
work
XIX
but
by Indian
it
is
'
'
'
'
in wearisome reiteration.
Everybody wonders and weeps
and smiles and embraces everybody else and dissolves in
the last
tears, while every hair on their body stands on end
two performances being so specially Tulsian, that it ceases
to be an exaggeration to describe the eyes of his dramatis
personce, in the words of Orashaw, as
;
Two walking
'
'
'
proportions.
INTRODUCTION.
XX
fail to elicit
which
is
an anidote
to poison.
chivalry.
than
INTRODUCTION.
XXI
have
form
Hardw^r
Presidency
from
to Calcutta.
when
published the
first
instalment
translation, I was still at Mathur^, in a congenial atmosphere of Hindd associations. After my transfer to Bu-
of
my
landshahr in 1877,
disadvan-
Muhammadanized
district,
At the outset
translator, there
Of the two current recensions of the older poem, the one generally followed by Tulsi D4s is the Bengal, which is the text given by Gorresio in big
1
handsome
edition.
INTRODUCTION.
3adi
after making some little progress in the second book, I discovered that there was already in existence for that particular section of the poem an English version, published in 187 1,
by AdAlat Kh^n, a Muhammadan Munshi of the College of
Fort William in Calcutta. I at once procured a copy of it
and it is only proper to acknowledge that it was of considerIt does not, however, encroach very
able assistance to me.
the
ground that I had intended to occupy.
largely upon
The Munshi appears to have written solely with a view to
lighten the labours of his own pupils and of others who, like
them, were preparing for a special examination. Despite
not a few misapprehensions of the sense, such persons will
it
quite as useful for their purpose as my
But in the attempt to secure
not more so.
literal accuracy, and also, no doubt, from the fact that
English was not the mother-tongue of the translator, the
language employed is throughout so curiously unidiomatic
probably find
translation,
if
may be com-
receives me,
The
sin
if
keeping him
back
moment."
The uncouthness
idea of what
is
INTRODUCTION.
XXlll
letter, or
F. S.
GROWSE.
THE RAMAYANA
OF
TULSI DAS.
BOOK
I.
CHILDHOOD.
Sanskrit Invocation.
I
of the
and hope, without whom not even the just can see
the
Great Spirit. I reverence, as the incarnation of
God,
of faith
moon
is
through
everywhere honoured.^
whom
I
beloved of
Rdma
of life
and death
fest, as
rope
and by whose
feet as
to
by a bark those
who
will
may
symbols,
is
R-4
CHILDHOOD.
2
In accord with
all
texts,
in the
Rdm^yana
whose name ensures success, be gracious to me, accumulation of wisdom, storehouse of all good qualities
Thou, too,
the lame
and
the
favour
dumb
whose
becomes
eloquent,
by
!
age.
also in
my
thou that
heart,
thfe
destroyer of
upon me,
feet of
my
whose words
ate,
Kdmadeva.
like
a flood
of
sunlight on
the
Chaupdi
1
1.
my
pure extract
body
Sambhu,
beautiful,
forehead as a filak,
mirror of the human
good.
By
auspicious, ecstatic.
it
Applied
it
to
the fair
the mastery of
the
all
reverend
guru's
feet,
1.
Siva,
CHILDHOOD.
fades away,
rubies,
in
the
actions
Dohd
By applying
is
diamonds and
alike become clear,
like
R^ma,^
of
all
explored.
1.
this collyrium as
were
it
to
the
the eyes,
and
all
Ghaupdi
The dust
of
collyrium, like
a soft
is
to
and charming
remove every
Brahman saints, potent to remove the doubts engendered by error. In my heart, as with my voice, I reverence the whole body of the faithful, mines of perfection
whose good deeds resemble the produce of the cotton plant
great
in its austerity,
purity,
in
its
mated.
Their congregation
Brdhma
as the Sarasvati
and prohibitions
is all
and
with motion
ritual,
for faith in
contemplation on
dealing with precepts
Ganges
own
traditions
and Prayd,g
all
the
ills
to all,
by
by the
on any day,
pious devotees,
is
this
of
itself,
CHILDHOOD.
Dohd
At
this
of holy
PrayAg
stands,
and
life all
four rewards.^
2.
Chaupdi
3.
the crow
mystery.
impossible
it is
without
its fruit
when by
perfection.
By
it
attainable
wisdom
it
are reformed: as
RAma and
is
its
is
flowers
the wicked
man
head, he
still
the
company,
like
poets,
all
the
gem
in
a serpent's
have failed
expound the
to
that
is,
pleasure,
Vilmiki confessed to Rdma that he had once been a hunter and taken
of many innocent creatures, till he fell in with the seven
Rishis, who
converted him and taught him to express his
penitence by constantly
the
word
As this contains exactly the same letters
repeating
nidra, mdra.
as the name Rima, it acted as a
spell and advanced him to the highest
degree of sanctity.
2.
the
life
was by
CHILDHOOD.
pre-eminence of a saint
me
for
to tell it
is,
as
it
were, for
DoM3--4.
I
who
equable temperament,
sheds
its
saints,
fragrance alike on
both
me
Again,
charity,
and
Ghaupdi
out cause
Ye
infolding hands.^
4.
delight to vex
who
desolation and
gain
as
over
who
are
an
weep
eclipse to the fullprosperity
moon glory of Hari and Hara who become as a giant with
a thousand arms to work another's woe
who have a thou-
neighbour's loss
is
rejoice in
sand
e^^es to detect a
settle
flies
on ghi,
quick as fire,
rich in crime and sin as
;
^
implacable as the god of hell;
Kuveris in gold like an eclipse for the clouding of friend;
selves
as
hailstones,
to
everything
them-
sacrifice
destroying a crop
of others' faults
delighting in
to tell
and
and hear
of
like the
much
1.
Though the right hand is the one by which it has been plucked, and
the left that in which it is held and preserved.
In the following lines the pot-t defends himself by anticipation against
2.
possible objections, and roundly abuses the whole army of critics.
3.
Yama, the Hindu Pluto, is here ctilled Msihishesa, from mahisha a.
buffalo,' that being the animal on which he is represented as riding.
4.
Rivan's gigantic brother, Kumbha-isarn, obtained as a boon from
Brahma, that whenever he had satisfied his voracious appetite the slumber
of repletion might be of the longest and deepest, and* that he might
only
'
CHILDHOOD.
Dohd
know when they hear of
'c
5.
who regard
philosophers,
but
my
I clasp
Ghaupdi
I
However
crow,
it
will still
carefully you
be a crow and a
a difference
torture
by
their presence
thief.
may bring up
I propitiate at
once
who each
by
as opposite as a lotus
and a
leech,
or the Ganges
river
KarmnasA.
whatever
is to
Dohd
is
6.
the
or
to all
but
him good.
'/
at
fire,
vile at
vileness
causing death.
Why
Chaupdi 6.
enumerate the faults and defects of the bad and
fathomable ocean.
as vice,
poetry,
and Nilrdyan himself in tortoise form as the pivot on which to work, the
and demons combined to churn the milky ocean. Thus were produced
from its depth the moon the sacred cow, Surabhi or KamAdhenu the
jfods
OfeLILDHOOt).
God hath
the
it is
Vada
that has
distin-
i
The heroic legends and the
guished one from the other.
Purdnas also, no less than the Vedas, recognize every kind
of good and evil as creatures of the Creator pain and plea:
sin
the
;2
Mdrw^r and
ceticism
good and
the rich
butcher
the
dhA
life
the
plain of M^lwii
of
life
the
the
desert of
Brahman and
evil.
Doha
!7
7.
extracts
of
water.3
Chaupdi
When
7.
men
this
faculty of
result
of
judgment
of the truth
their
fate,
humanity, may
body so to speak and corrects it, and,
sorrow and sin, cleanses it and glorifies them.
;
removing all
If the bad through intercourse with the
good do good, their
inherent badness is not effaced. An impostor of fair outward show may be honoured on account of his garb, but in
the end he is exposed and does not succeed, like
Kdla-nemi,
The good are honoured, notwithstand-
or Ravan, or R^hu/*
1.
'
dill
not
know
sin,
St.
Paul.
i>*
taken as the opposite to Kasi, in
conaequence
of its being the birthplace of Buddhism.
3.
To the swan (raj-hans) is ascribed th^ fabulous faculty of beinc' able
*
to separate milk from water, after the two have been mixed
together.
4.
Kala-nemi by assuming the form of an ascetic
imposed for a lime
upon Hanuman, as Kavan did UDon 8ira and even Vishnu, at the churning
of the ocean, was at first deceived
like one of
by Hahu, who
2.
Mi.gadha (Bihar)
appeared
gods.
the
OHILDHOOt).
ft
wards
if it
water,
joins
it
cording
to the character of
maina
is
Rama
it
trained,
becomes
learns either
but
copying a
it
to
repeat the
name
Purina
while water,
and
air
for
combined
rain-cloud.
Doha
planets, medicines,
fire,
of
mere
With
may make good ink, and be used even
become an earth-refreshing
The
Ac-
sinks.
or to give abuse.
refuse
mud and
^3-ft
S- II.
water,
are good
their
difference in
the
moon
is
pervaded by the
spirit of
feet of all
birds, ghosts,
departed
Kinnaras, demons of the night
reverence with
Grandharvas,
be gracious
ancestors,
pents,
to
R^ma,
pray ye
all
me.
Ghaupdi
four
By
modes
inhabiting the
hand
8.
of birth^ are
air,
or
i,
i,
CHILDHOOD.
the strength of
you
but
all.
my
and
ability is little
his
unfathomable.
acts
am
malignant
wherewith
fools
to
their
of
may
laugh,
adorn themselves.
Perverse
one.
little
who pick
and
Every one
is
pleased
whom
like
the rivers,
flood of their
Dohd
of the
moon.
'"
12.
may
laugh.
Chaupdi
The laughter
The goose
am
chata/c
As they have no
verse.
9.
me
ridicules
so the low
and
vile
the crow
the swan,
abuse pure
Rdma,
my homely speech
and poor wit are fit subjects for laughter, let them laugh
If they have no
it is no fault of mine.
understanding of
true devotion to Lord, the tale will seem insipid enough
but to the true and orthodox worshippers of Hari and Hara
I
If
the story of
Raghubar
Rdma
devotion to
ment
to
make
no poet, nor
in every art
will
by
itself
The
nor accomplished
and science
though
singer's
be sufiicient embellish-
all
Though
though unskilled
CHILDHOOD.
10
letters
and
defects
sentiment and
of
divisions
infinite
rhetoric,
and excellences
of verse,
on a
me.
Dohd
13.
and
all
the
declare
and record
white sheet
fair
That though
it
and
to
style,
my
known throughout
has a charm
y,
its
own,
men
of
Ghaupdi
that
all
of
is
inauspicious,
murmured in
The most elegant
ever
prayer by
lovely
woman adorned
unclothed.
feeblest
versifier,
if
of
R4ma,
is
heard and repeated with reverence by the wise, who extract what is good in it, like bees gathering honey
though
;
the
possessed
my
soul
fails to exalt ?
in incense
vulgar use,
Rdma,
is
there anything
Thus smoke
but
forgets
its
a sweet scent.
yields
my
subject
the
world.
enrapturing
is
Chhand
My
language
is
that in
1.^
Though rapturoas
Yet
Tulsi's rivulet of
CHILDHOOD.
11
M'*"
DohdUio.
From
will
its
be most grateful
to
every one.
my
verse
though
my
speech
Rdma, and
will
is
it
rough,
tells
the
its
so,
therefore
Chawpdi
or on a lovely
Similarly, as
for
beautiful exceedingly.
is
it is
prayer that the Muse leaves her heavenly abode and speeds
to earth
without immersion in the fountain of Rama's
;
labour and trouble count for nothing. An intelligent poet understands this, and sings only of Hari, the
redeemer, and his virtues. To recount the doings of
deeds
all
common
Muse
the soul,
is
people
loathes.
mere
Genius
as
it
which the
gracious shower
poetry.
Dohd
16.
IJ
12.
12
CHILDHOOD.
of falsehood,
Rima, but
Among them
the
first
rank
but were I to
all
tell
my
ever
is
give
would so
list
for offering so
many
Let none of
apologies
who-
troubled in
of wit than I
no pretensions
of
me
hearers blame
the
my vices,
vessels
Rdma.
to cleverness, I
How
mere
fleck of cotton as
infinite
majesty
am
tremble
When
I think of
Rama's
as I write.
Dohd
17.
it.
Ghawpdi
All
know
able, yet
For
modes
13.
Veda
of effectual worship.
There
is
to
unutter-
expound
many
it.
different
supreme
spirit,
passionate to the
humble
who
whom
in his
mercy ever
refrains
to
be
nmcb
Uiter date.
13
CHILDHOOD.
his
own
;i
all-
bowing
I, too,
my
thus becomes
head
to
Rdma's
a
path
which has been made easy by the divine bards who have
trodden it before me.
Dohd
As when once
i 5
18.
it is, is
14.
Chaupdi
my
desire.
most good
faith
and
sincerity.
oured
water
glory
all
it,
the
silly
or poet-
power, that
for
is
is
of
any worth,
all.
favour
all will
dered with
of this,
and
silk,
my
for
even coarse
cloth, if
embroi-
theme.
Dohd
A
able
1
clear style
19.
-?,
Qharib nawdz.
in the poem.
This
is
the
first
Persian
forgett-
CHILDHOOD.
14
ing his natural hostility, will repeat the strain. But such
a combination is not to be acquired without genius, and
deeds
swans sporting
look on
me
in
Manasa lake
the
ances.
.,
'
Sorathd2.
of
Hari's
make
allow-
who com-
faultless,
like a boat in
which
to
existence, without ever dreaming of weariness, while recounting Rama's excellent glory. I reverence the dust on the feet
of
Brdhma, creator of
been produced men, good and bad as of old from the same
source came at once ambrosia, the moon, and the cow Kima;
Dohd
20.
-^
accomplish
all
sages,
my
pray
Be gracious
to
me and
fair desire.'
Chaupdi
15.
Again
Ganges, both
sin
a
and
beautiful
streams
by single draught
cleansing
holy
or immersion, whose name as soon as uttered or heard at
I
adore as I would
my
guru,
or
my
as
to
of
'
15
CHILDHOOD.
daily benefactors, servants
Sita's lord
and courtiers
attendance on
in
their benevolence
relate
may
Rama's adventures
only by
It is
his
Whoever
in a
devout
spirit,
in a
way
favour that
moon and
my
stars.
Whether
grant
me
felicity.
Dohd 21.
am awake or dreaming,
the effect of
my
song, though
Sarjii,
the
holy
cleansing from
city
all
come
as
to
16.
of
earthly impurity.
city,
true
it
Chaupdi
I reverence
if
for
whom
all
the Lord
had no
rest. 2
I salute also
reverence
glory was
diffused
CHILDHOOD.
16
over the whole world
moon,
vice.
make obeisance
Be gracious to me as to
parents of RAma, that come of
and
in word, deed
whose creation
in
greatness, ye
felicity, I
heart, saying
the
surpassed
Sorathd
for
creator
himself.'
as a lovely
reverence the
Rama's
^^
S.
feet that,
Ghaupdi
I salute the
King
Rdma
who Had
feet of
R4ma.
display
of
Thou
who
to
become incarnate
in
emblazonment.
RAma's pure
siidan
c, Satrughna),
constant companion
and
(i.
told
the
to
by
consuming
of
the
fire in
Wind,
also to
hero,
the conqueror
Rdma
Sorathd
The Son
generous
bow
Ripu-
Bharat*s
Hanum^n,
himself.
4.
Rdma,
CHILDHOOD.
17
18.
Chaupdi
them
for
all,
found Rdma.
though conteniptible
I
worship
herents.
men
in
all
demons
or
all
ad-
unselfish
his
'
Raghundth
^
Doha
all their
22.
R^ma and
Sita, the
Chaupdi
I
adore the
source of
name
all light,
of
RAma
necessary to salvation
power, Ganes obtain the
For there are two other
and Balarama.
adore.
fire,
by Raghubar,i the
Veda
the source of
good
the incomparable
raa
whom
so with
19.
as borne
whether of the
all
the
the
Mmas
place
besides
among
the gods
Rdma-chandra,
viz.,
;2
by
its
Parasurd-
to
R-6
CHILDHOOD.
18
it
V^lmiki attained
to purity
the
of his
ambrosia.
^'^
Dohd2S.
Devotion
to
Rdma
is
DAs
like the
Bhadon.
Ghaupdi 20.
and
to hear, or to
it
were of
felicity in the
remember
most delightful
to utter,
My
love
inflamed as
is
speak of
of
man
Nir^yan
and as sweet
to
to the
tongue as Hari
Jasodi.
1
One day when Siva had finished eating, be called to his wife PArvati
come and take her food too before it got cold. She pleaded that she had
not yet finished repeating, according to her daily wont, the thousand names
of Vishnu
whereupon her husband instructed her that it would suffice
If she said the mere name of R4ma
once, for that had as much virtue as all
the thousand. She at once believed him and complied
and the god was so
at
her ready faith that in her honor he assumed the ArdhanAri,
pleased
half
half
female
or
form.
male,
to
CHILDHOOD.
Doha
19
24.
Emma's name.i
Ghaupdi
21.
servant.
lord, who,
unspeakable and uncreated. They are
sometimes wrongly distinguished as greater and less, but the
wise will understand my explanation of the difference be
is
rightly understood,
tween them.
form
if
is
to a
knowledge
still
of the
without know-
The mystery
tion.2
cannot be
told,
the
name
of
it
of
but delightful to
unspeakable and
those who have intuition
acting as a witness
deity,
is
interpreter to both.
Dohd
Place the
1
The
above the
2
name
allusion
is
to
of
RAma
the form
25.
as a jewelled
the letters
line.
all
this
name
will
r/<'5. a Kempis.
fortis ad protegendura.
Suo sanctissimo nomine, quod quinque Uteris constat, confert quotidie
Pelhert.
veniam peccatoribus. /".
Noraen tiium devote nominari non potest sine nominantis utilitate.
cogitandum,
S, Bo7iaventura.
Nomen solum sufficit ad raedendum nam pestis tam efficax nulla sic haeret,
quae ad nomen non cedat continuo. Ricardus de S. Laurentio.
ab igne. 5. Bridget.
Spiritus maligni difEugiunt, audito nomine, velut
Omnes daemones verentur hoc nomen, et timent, qui audientes statim
eam.
tenebant
S. Bridget.
de
animam
unguibus quibus
Irelinquunt
Gloriosum et admirable est nomen qui illud retinent, non expavescent in
;
puncto, mortis.
S.
Nomen plenum
Bonaventura.
est
omni dulcedine
et suavitate divina.
Honorius,
CHILDHOOD.
00
of your lips
and out.
and there
will
be
light, as
you
will,
both inside
Chaupdi 22.
As his tongue repeats this name, the ascetic wakes to
life, his thoughts free from passion and all detached from
the world; he enjoys the incomparable felicity of God, who
is unspeakable, unblemished, without either name or form.
Thus
RAma- worshippers,
all
they are the most dear to the lord who wisely rely upon his
name. His name is great in the four Vedas and in all the
Doha
is
26.
RAma, the
the
Chaupdi
23.
either as
unconditioned
or as incarnate
my mind
the
name
is
it
has prevailed
CHILDHOOD.
to
its
My
sway.
on
this as an exaggeration
my
2^1
must not
friends
it
reme
is like
in the
wood
is
easily
of the
Sup-
either potential
is
or visible externally
proachable but
which
fire,
take
confidently
and therefore
Brahm
or
is in
is
not valued
and
till it is
is
so called.
Thus
Supreme, and in
till
he
revealed
is
name
as a jewel
^ q
^
27.
name
the whole
soul,
energized by the
Doha
the
in our very
and wretchedness,
slavery
in definite shape,
is
and transcends
is infinite
my judgment
is
himself.
Ghaupdi 24.
From
the form of a
man and by
their happiness.
By
his
name has
To
to
R^ma
felicity.
ascetic's wife
;i
but
took
incessantly
corrected
R^ma
Rdma wrought
the
de-
the
fear
of
death
;2
the Lord
Ahalyd, the wife of the Rishi Gautama, bavin been seduced by the
god Tndra, was cursed by her indignant lord, and doomed to remain alone
and invisible in the forest for thousands of years, till Rdma should come
and redeem her
2 Here is a olay upon words which cannot be preserved in the translation, for in the first half of the couplet the word bhava is to be taken as
a name of Siva, while in the second half it means life or rather death,
since,
according to Hindii ideas, all conscious life is merely a preparation for
" This
inevitable death. Compare Milton's expression
earthly load of
death called life, which us from life doth sever."
1
sjt
ft
CHILDHOOD.
ed
all
Dohd 28.
Mr^
Raghunith conferred immortality on Savari and the
but his
vulture Jat^yu2 and his other faithful servants
name, precious theme of the Vedas, has delivered innumer;
able wretches.
Ghaupdi 25.
Rama,
as
Sugriva and
all
countless supplicants,
shining
forth
gloriously
in
the
thereon,
ye faithful. RAma killed in battle
all his family, and returned with Sfta^ to his
Ravan and
own city, a
to
his praises
Dohd
^\
29.
The name
is
Rdmayan^.
1
Dandaka is the name of the pathless forest near the Godavari, where
Sfta was stolen away by Rivan.
2 The bird JatAyu stopped the chariot in which Slta was being carried
off by R^van and was mortally wounded by the giant, but lived long enough
In return for his faithful services
to give R4ma tidings of his beloved.
R&ma and Lakshnian themselves performed his funeral rites.
3 Sugriva, the monkey chief, as told at full length later on in the
and Rdma rewarded him by
poem, assisted R^ma in his search for Sita
installing him as sovereign of KishindhyA in the place of his brother B6ii.
Similarly, Vibhishana was made king of Lank^ in the room of R4van.
4 Of these hundred crores it is said that Siva distributed 33 crores to
each of the three worlds. The one crbre that remained over he similarly
divided into three sets of 33 l*khs each ; the odd lakh into three sets of 33
thousand each thn odd thousand again into three sets of three hundred
each the odd hundred into three sets of thirty-three each, and finally the
one remaining xloka iuto three sets of ten letters each. The two letters
that remained over, being the two consonants in the name of R^ma, he kept
for himself, as containing the gist of the whole matter.
;
23
CHILDHOOD.
GJiaupai 26.
attire,
power
of curst
saints, sages,
Ndrad
name
By
and
ascetics
too
its
acknowledged
and Hari as Hari is dear
the world
by repeating this
name PrahUd, through the Lord's grace, became the crown
of the faithful. 1 Dhruva in his distress repeated the name
of Hari,
to
Doha
The name
of
of all that is
RAma
good
is
in
30.
the
the
the
tfV
this
wicked world
and whoever
1 Prahlid, the pious son of the impious Hiranya Kasipu, who was destroyed by Vishnu in the Narsinh avatar, was made equal to Indra for life
and finally united with Vishnu.
his
home with
as the pole-star.
3 According to the history given in the 6th Skandha of the Sri Bhagavat,
Ajdmil was a Brahman of Kanauj, of most dissolute and abandoned life,
by a happy chance the youngest of the ten sous whom he had by a prostitute
was named Ndrdyan, and the father when at the point of death happened to
summon him to his side. But the god Narayan, thus casually invoked, himself came in answer to the call and rescued the guilty soul from the demons
that were about to carry it off to hell.
The story
An
of the elephant
is
bad seized him by the foot while bathing, and though he struggled desperately for 2,000 years, he was unable to rid himself on his enemy,
and at last was deserted by all his wives and children. He then began to
give himself up for lost; but reflecting on the pertinacity of the alligator, he
came to the conclusion that the creature must be the embodiment of all the
sins he had committed in previous existences and that God alone could save
him. He therefore addressed a fervent prayer to N^rdyan, who thus invoked
by name came down from heaven and with his discus Sudarsan cut off the
alligator
alligator's
prostitute, Pingala.
story
of
the penitent
24
CHILDHOOD.
Chavpdi 27.
In
or future
is
in
that love of
RAma
contemplation
is
in*
name
in the
age,
Dv^par
an ocean of
is
commotion
first
and impure
the
saints
In the
all virtue.
age, temple-worship
in this vile
the fruit of
sin, in these
life,
fearful
times,
and by meditating on
it all
the might of
Hanum^n
to
wicked world.
^
to
destroy
the
enemy
of
By
repeating this
Chaupai 28
name, whether
in joy or
in
sadness,
ing upon
it
and bowing
whose mercy
is
my
;
mercy inexhaustible.
Thou
art
my
good
OBlLDfiOOD.
lord, I t6y
Rich or poor,
villagei^
bad
their
king-
ability.
their
This
crown
one who
is
the
is
he
way with
R^ma
is
is satisfied
DoTia 32-33.
lA^-ifir
The merciful Rdma will regard the love and zeal of his
poor servant, he who made a ship out of a rock and wise
monkeys and bears; although I am a byword,
and every one says RAma is exposed to ridicule, in that he,
ministers out of
My
enough
tremble
notice.
presumption
is
Chaupdi 29.
indeed very
The
think of
it
but
lord listened
am
Rdma
and with
his
own
eyes attentive-
The
lord
is
not
mindful
of a
chance
of Sugriva,
Dohd
34-36. tfC
m ^Mil^
The monkeys
too that
R-7
CHILDHOOD.
26
himself
no master so generous as
is
Ghaupdi
Now
30.
as I have heard
it,
as
it
while
I relate
the story
Kdka-bhusundi, known
to
RAma.
it
to
Bharadvdja.
These
to
listeners
and
reciters
were of
equal virtue
actions.
in the
plum
palm
of the hand.
spoken.
"^^'^
Dohd 37-38.
As
for
Sukir-khet
quite a
myself, I
(i.e.,
child
How
my
it,
master at
when
was
Ghaupdi
But
I
my
31.
understood as
it
of
down
my
the
ideas
little
sense, judgment,
and
comprehension
Hari and
ability that I
using
possess.
all
The
27
CHILDHOOD.
Story that I have to tell clears
every other error and delusion,
my own
and
The
ocean of existence.
cross the
the intellect
for
resting-place
does
it
Rdma
of
story
to
is
universal delight
doubts as
a raft on which
is
de-
venom of
passion a match to enkindle the fire of wisdom the cow of
plenty in this iron age an elixir to make good men immorstroyer of wordly impurity
an antidote
the
to
tal
snake
to
demons
of
army
assembly of saints
Jamun^,
to
saviour of
tulsi
to
put
all
the
all
living creatures
DAs
of the sea, so
immoveable as the
like the
weight of creation
of death
like KAsi, the
;
as dear to Tulsi
like as
in the
conceived
death
a destroyer of
as
as dear to
as
own
his
Rdma as
the pure
heart's desire
as
and devotion
of love
to
Raghubar.
Doha
The
story of
intention like
Rdma
is
39.
S^l
and a good
is
Ghaupdi 32.
The legend
stone
ly
Rdma
of
is
like
the
wisdom
His perfection
is
delectable wishing
adornment
of saint-
world,
a true teacher of wisdom, asceticism and spirilike the physician of the gods to heal
tual contemplation
and
Rdma
life
Sita
the seed of
CHILDHOOD.
*58
anger, and
of lust,
up
of life to attack
sensual impurity
of
of the
sun
like a
shower on a
rice-field
refreshing the
desire
like Hari
servants
poet's
mind
votaries
virtue
like the
;
stars
in the clear
like the
and composure
liever's soul
all
is
the reward of
swan
like a
to
of the
enjoyed by Rama's
that
felicity
assembly
like the
autumn sky
abundant
flood of
Ganga's purifying
stream.
DoTia
40-41.
f'^'*
i.v%
^ '
the dry
moon
all,
but are
that
No one
is to
be astonished
if
himself; I
know
to
Rima,
for
is
no limit
in the
world to
As Agaatya was one day worshipping by the sea-side, a wave came and
of his altar furniture, thereupon in three draughts he
drank the whole ooean dry.
I
20
CHILDHOOD.
and verses
incarnate,
number
millions in
of the
some thousand
are
Rdmdyana
myriad diverand
have
been
in
countless
sity,
ways.^ So in^
sung by sages
no
but
listen
doubts,
dulge
reverently and devoutly.
;
Doha
^2.
j-j^t
Rdma
is
infinite,
his
perfections
and understanding
will therefore
infinite,
men
wonder
at
and
his
of enlightened
nothing they
hear,
my
Chaupdi 34.
Having in this manner put away all doubt, I place on
head the dust from the lotus feet of my master, and
may
my
attach to
and bowing
my
head
ures say
Rama was
born
when
the spirits of
offer
homage
to
script-
all
holy
men,
RaghunAth,
glory.
Doha
43.
Sarjd and
tiful
form
is
Chaupdi 35.
CHILDHOOD.
30
The
city,
through
the
all
number
modes
Rama's heaven,^
exalting to
worlds,
beautiful, celebrated
so all-purifying that
is
countless
as
is
of
Avadh
body
at
which
is
who hear
mere name
lake of
soul like
of lust
its
from a forest on
fire
with
it
the
Rama's
mad phrensy
of
serves to
acts
an elephant escaping
plunges into it and gains
lust,
and beautiful
impurities of the
wicked world
and buried
in the
first
own
made by Mah^deva
soul
till
at
an auspi-
repeat
hear
it,
Dohd
44.
i(\j
Um^
Now
ner
it is
how
it is
the world.
lake
it
and
in
what man-
-^
Chavpdi
By
the blessing of
Sambhu
36.
mind regarding
the
come
into
R^m-charit-mdnas,
1
The compound may also mean giving a home to Rima and probably both meanings are intended.
2 From this it will be seen that the name which Tulsi DAs himself gave
to his poem was not 'the ii^miyana,' but the Rim-chtnit-rainas,' a name,
which may be interpreted to mean either the lake or the soul of Kama's
In the ^^tanza above translated the word is first taken in the one sense
acta.
and then in the other, and as there is no English word with the same double
signification, some obscurity is unavoidable.
S The words may also bear the
following secondary meaning; I relate
the whole history, showing how the
great soul became incarnate, and why
it dwelt in the world.
which
SI
dHILDHOOi).
devotion, which
describe,
shower
falls
in
sweet,
is
beyond
its
holy drops
and
grateful
him
are
of rain-water
When
its
is
Rdma
while
of
fall
it
gives
such a
new
to the earth
life to
they are
fill it
and refreshing.
Doha
45.
This pure and holy lake has four beautiful ghats, viz.,
the four charming dialogues contrived by divine wisdom.
Chaupdi 37.
are
its
its
ambrosial water
stanzas as
its
the similes as
its
pretty wavelets
the
and
the incomparable
couplets as many-coloured lotus flowers
the
as
and
pollen, filaments and
sense, sentiment,
language
:
composition,! the
penance, abstraction
styles
of
prayers,
1 The nine poetical styles (or Indian Muses) are the Sringar-ras, or erotic
the Hasyaras, or comic; the Karuii4-ras, or elegiac the Bir-ras, or heroic; the
Raudra-ras, or tragic the Bhavanak-ras, or melancholic the Vibhatsa-ras, or
satiric: the Shant-ras, or didactic and the Adbhut-ras, or sensational.
;
3t
OHILDHOOt).
which examples are given, are all beautiful living creatures in the lake; eulogies on the faithful,
the saints and the holy name are like flocks of water-birds;
and asceticism,
of
phases
devotion
of
and
groves, and
mango
the expositions of
of tenderness
all
the
of birds.
The
hearer's
where sportive
Dohd 46. ^^
emotion is some grove, garden or parterre,
birds symbolise his delight and Piety the
Chaupdi
Those who
38.
lant guardians of the lake ; the men and women who reverently hear them, these excellent people are like its owners.
Sensual wretches
and crows
that have
no part in such a pond nor ever come near it for here are
no prurient and seductive stories like snails, frogs and scum
on the water, and therefore the lustful crow and greedy
;
crane,
if
There
is
much
in
many
tigers, lions
and serpents
the various
wild delusion
Dohd
47.
is
a raging flood.
company
them this
lake
is
Raghundth,
for
CHILDHOOD.
Again,
becomes
if
33
Chaupdi 39.
one
laboriously makes his way to
any
it,
but
it
he goes away in
of him he
gards with
from the
affection.
They reverently
Rdma
re-
sincerely devoted to
Rima
will
friend,
clear
like
theology for
pious
its
soul {or
two
fair
banks
all
Dohd
48.
\yi)
The
Avadh,
full
of
all
Chaupdi 40.
Sarju, as it were the glory of Rd-ma has
united with the Ganges of devotion
and the magnificent
river Son, like the warlike power of Rama and his brother,
The
beautiful
R-8
84
CHILDHOOD.
-o
and wedding procession of Um^ and Siva are like the innumerable fish in the water; the joy and gladness that attended Rama's birth are like beautiful awa^mft d^ %ees and
the ripple of the lake.
Doha
The
49.
of the four
childish sports
the
queen and
Chaupdi 41.
The charming
gleam
story of Site's
many
ingenious questions
on the stream
the
;
crowding travellers the wrath of Bhrigun6th like the rushing torrent Rama's soft speech like the
the marriage festivities of Rdma and
well-arranged ghats
sions
show
like
Lakshman
the thrill of
preparations for
like
is
Dohd
many
calamities.
50.
the
Bcum
like
is
the winter
at all times.
daughter
of the
The
story of the
snowy mountains
Lord's
birth
35
CHILDHOOD.
Rama's
spring;
banishment
intolerable
the
like
is
hot
the
and story of the rough journeyings
blazing sun and the wind his encounters with fierce
demons, by which he gladdens the hosts of heaven, are
like
weather,
the prosperity of
his
reign,
his
excellent water
autumn
;^
faithful wives, is
undefiled and
as the
coolness.
its
unvarying
Doha 51.
Their looks and words
laughter, the true
at
If
four
brothers,
Chaupdi 43.
suppliant address and self-depreciation and modesty
My
effect
thirst of desire
world
comforting with
who do
those
the world
has ruined,
it
turning back,
are wretches
hapless creatures,
Doha
Thus
have
The
six
Hindu seasons
Sisir,
and
to
;
^,-
which
allusion
here
is
winter
'
^H
5254.
whom
made
are
Hemant,
CHILDHOOD.
36
in
it,
ceed with
my
I will first
delectable story.
I pro-
repeat in sub-
my
laying
the
meeting
of the
se-
two
Ghaupdi 44.
skilled
in divine
know-
men
mitageso charming
is
at
to-
Doha
55.
and declaring
the
faith in
classification of primordial
God
to
entities
spiritual detachment.^
Chaupdi 45.
After thus bathing every day that the sun is in Capricorn, they again return each to his own cell, and every
year there
is
a similar rejoicing
when
'
;'
'
CHILDHOOD.
On
37
the holy
all
him
in
afraid
saint's glory,
"
mildest of tones,
in
all
and ashamed
the
and
thus addrest
if
Veda
the
of
mysteries
speak, but
to
finally
Sir, I
am
not, I lose
speak
a great opportunity.
Doha
This,
clared by the
wisdom
is
sir,
maxim
56.
the
of all
in his breast
who
and
saints,
that there
is
is
also de-
no sound
father.
46.
Ghaupdi
Remembering
lord,
bare
this, I lay
my
Rama's name
is
immeasurable
so
who
is
take pity,
folly
the
tell
;
my
The might
it.
saints,
of
the
immortal Sam-
the
of
perfection
wisdom and
goodness,
of
in
king
of saints,
its use.
ask of you,
my
whose
infinite
There
acts are
distress
pur^ri
me,
who isthisRdma? be
lord,
prince of Avadh,
by the virtue of
compassion enjoins
it is
in his
is
known throughout
by the
the
battle.
this Rama, my lord, or another, whose name Triever repeating ? Ponder the matter well and tell
wisest and most faitliful of men.
it
is
Chaupdi
me
47.
Tell
CHILDHOOD.
38
with a
you
smile,"
is
known
Wishing
to
to
you;
un der-
affectation
Listen then,
of great simplicity.
my
son, with
repeat the fair legend, which vanmonstrous error, as dread Devi vanquished
quishes every
demon Mahish^sur, but which is drunk in by the saints
When a similar
as the light of the moon by the ehakor.
the
Doha
And
noting both
58.
all difficulties
vanish.
Ghaupdi 48.
a time, in the second age of the world,
Once upon
bhu visited the Rishi Agastya
of
the
world,
the
faithful
Sam-
BhavAni.
tain-lord
Dandaka
forest.
Dohd
59.
Siva
he
is.*
39
CHILDHOOD.
Sorahtd
5.
not
interview
filled
his
an
wistfulness.
man
only
come
to
but
do not go to meet him, I shall ever regret it
At the
that he could do he could not hit upon a plan.
true.
all
Chaupdi 49.
has
R^van
obtained the boon of death at the hands of
If I
of a false deer
and treacherously
in his
When Rdma
man
the loss
distressed
of
his
like
mistress, he
by
wanders through the forest in search of her, he and his
brother and he who knows neither union nor bereavement
;
manifested
all
Dohd
Rdma's ways
wise can comprehend them
60.
different.
Chaupdi 50.
Then
it
Sati's soul,
doubt arose,
'To Sankara,
gods, men and
the
lord's emotion, a
universally
great
adored and
CHILDHOOD.
40
is
what love
felt
Dohd
it
is.
61.
man
Chaupdi 51.
According to what Siva says, though Vishnu in heaven's
behalf assumes a human shape, he remains all-wise
yet
:
here, as
if
he
quite at a loss,
is
hunting
his wife,
for
this
his
heart and
Sati
tain
Chhand
2.
Seers and sages, saints and hermits, fix on him their reverent gaze,
And in faint and trembling accents Holy Scripture hymns his praise.
He, the omnipresent spirit, lord of heaven and earth and hell,
To redeem
men
to dwell."
Sorathdd. ^l*^
The reference
to such texts
the UpanishAds ;
following
turn back, together with the mind, not reaching him"
''The eye goes not thither, nor speei-h, tior mind" (Kena,
9).
( raiuirivii. II,
"
The process of ('hrisI, r,).
Onthi[jknblc, unapeakiible" [Mandukya, 7].
tian theology is simihirly negative and agnostic: it sets forth what God is
rnther
than
what
He
is
since it is impossible for the lower nature to
not,
know the higher.
1
is
as the
in
41
CHILDHOOD.
52.
Chaupdi
"
As
here in
mind
leave you
is
so great that
it
will not
after
'
'
'eflected,
-*'
There
not yield to
vill
is
my
arguments
come
)rdained will
to pass,
so
her doubts
why
whatever
Rdma
has
longer
"
iiscussion ?
DohdQ2.
^^^
-f
Chaupdi
53.
le,
things alike
mere thought
the
Sati
of
attempted to
nature
is.
heart,
the
all-wise lord
Rama,
whom
effect of his
own
and added,
'
Where
is
Doha
When
63.
returned
great awe came upon her and she
full of fear and distress.
R-9
to
Mahddeva,
CHILDHOOD.
42
my
would not
Rdma
folly to
tress
Ghaupdi, 54.
but must go and expose
now what answer can I give ? Her dis-
listen to Sankara,
'
tion,
his brother
and Sita
in
doctors
Innumerable
him.
to
ministering
excelling
at his feet
all
in
Sivas
and
majesty, bowing
Dohd
of
11
Sati too
plicity
64.
form,
assumed by
according
their lords,
to
appearances
Each separate
in marvellous multi-
the various
55.
R^ma was
of
she closed her eyes and sank upon the ground. When
again she looked up, she saw nothing, and oft bowing her
head
at
Rdma's
feet,
Dohd
When
well, saying,
put him
05.
to the test
?'
truth,
if all
how
were
did you
43
CHILDHOOD.
Chaupdi 56.
remembered
the
test,
that
was confident
Then Sankara
mouth.
The
will of
reflected, in great
Sita's form,
will
be
all
if
heaven and
distress
now
I treat
cancelled,
and
her as
it
will
Doha
My
love
criminal.'
was sore
At
mind
of
my
'
my
wife,
be a sin
thus he
talxen
past devotion
me.
to
66.
;'
as Sati has
-^
too great to
distress.
Chaupdi 57.
bowed
his head
having
last,
at
Rdma's
feet
and
'
Sati
lord,
again he
'
Doha
it all,
senseless
of
though
woman
67.
deceive
to
that I am.'
him
dis-
silly
and
^
'
Sorathd
but see
how
if
7.
of
lovers
the
44
CHILDHOOD.
lie,
at once
causes a
separation.
Chaupdi 58.
and
reflecting on what she had done,
Deep
no words could express her infinite sorrow, and she kept
in thought
with pleasant tales, relating various legends all the way till
he came to KaiUs. Then recalling his vow, he seated
himself under a fig-tree in the attitude of contemplation
Dohd
There
a soul
like
68.
knew her
grievously;
not
was
an age.
Chaupdi 59.
"
When shall I
growing more sick at heart,
emerge from this sea of trouble ? I who put a slight upon
Rama and took my husband's word to be a lie. The Creator
has repaid me and has done as I deserved. Now,
God,
Ever
thyself
that
can
live
without
Sankara.
I take
and
whom
the
Vedas hymn
as
Literally translated, the above passage would stand thus :-" Vrishaketu, perceivine that Sati was distrest, began to amuse her with pleasant
tales, relating various legends all the way till VisavnAth arrived at Kailds.
Then recalling his vow, Sambhu seated himself under a fig-tree in the
attitude of contemplation arid by an immediate control of all his members
Sankara passed into a lonjr and unbroken trance." As the use of many
different names, Vrisha-ketu,
VisvanAth, Sambhu, and Sankara all to
designate the same uerson, viz., Mahadeva is
an English
to
1
likely
reader, I have in this and similar passages omitted
stitated the personal pronoun.
perplex
45
CHILDHOOD.
remover
Him
of distress.
hands.
this
Ghaupdi 60.
Thus sorrowing and weighed down by grievous and unutterable pain, the royal
when
the immortal
lady
his
trance
and*
He gave
her a seat
in
his
presence and
divine
Doha
By
sacrifice for
were
70.
all
a great
Ghaupdi
61.
all
pro-
Sati
beautiful procession going through the sky, with the .heavenly nymphs singing so melodiously that any saint's medi-
she asked
it, and
whereupon he explained. Then was she
glad when she heard of her father's sacrifice and thought,
tation
Siva
"
its
If
going
reason
my
to stay a
of
make
It
it
an excuse for
46
CHILDHOOD.
to leave her lord, that she long dare not speak, remembering her transgression but at last with soft and timid voice,
overflowing with modesty and affection, she said
;
Doha
'
There
is
71.
great rejoicing at
my gracious lord's
permission
my
father's
will duteously
Chaiipdi 62.
Said he, -' It would please me well
culty, as you have not been invited.
house
with
go and see
but there
is
diffi-
all
it.'
of
love
sor
Said
to depart.
Ghaupdi 63.
When
Sati
went
Sambhu
she could
nowhere
at
the
slight upon her lord, that the former pain she had felt was
not to be compared to her present emotion. There are
47
CHILDHOOD.
Dohd
This insult
to Siva
73.
to
Chaupdi 64.
"
Hear,
all
blasphemy
is
spoken against
if it is
run away.
my
in
is
father rue.
it.
the saints, or
Whenever
or
Sambhu,
to close
The
a bull as his
and
as his crest
the flames
con-
up from
Dohd
When Sambhu's
74.
they
but the great
saint Bhrigu, seeing the destruction, came and saved them.
began
When Sambhu
wrath,
Chaupdi 65.
news he sent Birbhadra
got the
is
the
show her
was born
form
in the
Himalaya. From
his
in
out
to
it
in brief.
Sati
love to Siva.
of Pdrvati, as the
On
daughter of King
prosin
fit
48
CHILDHOOD.
Dohd
Strange trees of
and
many
^\
75,
fruits,
hills,
and mines of
Ghaupdi
66.
birds, deer
which was as
by the
fied
in
all
by Girija's coming as a
glorified
man is
glori-
spirit of faith.
On
its
praises.
too bowed her -liead before him and sprinkled the whole
house with the water sanctified by his use. Then the king
to
Dohd
"
all
0,0
76.
or future,
and who hast traversed the whole universe, tell me, best of
saints, after well considering the matter, what there is good
and what bad about my daughter."
Ghaupdi 67.
The
saint
"
replied
husband.
Firm
a wife
to a
and
she shall be worshipped throughout the whole world, and in her service shall be
fruition of every desire. Through her name woman shall be
in
49
CHILDHOOD.
Dohd
77.
cj
hair, a
with
celibate
true, they
became sad
but
UmA
and
rejoic-
alike,
dants,
'
They cannot be
revived
him
false
:'
Dohd-7S.
Said the saint, "'Hear,
Himavant, what fate has
written on the forehead, nor god nor demon, man, serpent,
nor saint,
is
able to efface.
Chaupdi
Yet one mode
69.
of
escape I will
a marriage with
That is
and Uraa for
I
to
say,
they
all
shed
joy.
R-10
CHILDHOOD.
50
fire
The powerful, my
Ganges impure.
would
call the
are always
friend,
Ganges.
DohdlO.
The
fool
who
in the pride of
to
copy
them, saying it is the same for a man as for a god,' shall
be cast into hell for as long as the world lasts.*
knowledge presumes
Chaupdi 70.
that wine
it
is
bhu
is
auspicious.
But
it is
he
hard
to propitiate
him
him
is in
;
yet
every way
if
penance
satisfied.
then, your
undergone,
quickly
If,
daughter will practise penance, Tripuriri will be able to
and though there may be many
erase the lines of fate
is
is
bridegrooms in the world, the only one for her is Siva, and
none else. He answers prayer, relieves the distress of the
faithful,
unless he
is full
is
of
though he practise
infinite
Let no one but a superior being ever even in thought practise the
persons.
same. Seeing, then, that the saints are uncontrolled and act as they please,
how can there be any restraint upon the Supreme, when he has voluntarily
assumed a body."
Granted those reasonable limitations which the Hindu
mind, with its tendency to exaggeration, was unfortunately so prone to neglect,
the sentiment is essentially true and is recommended by Catholic theologians Thus Cardinal Newman writes. " It never surprises me to read anything unusual in the devotionp of a saint. Such men are on a level very
different from our own, and we cannot understand them.
hold this to be
an important canon in the lives of the saints,
according to the words of the
ai.ostle. -'The spiritual man judges all
things, and he himself is judged of
no >ne.' But we may refmin from judging, without proceeding to imitate.
The sains are beyond ua. and we must use them as
not as copies.
I
patterns,
but the
poured into
it.
CHILDHOOD.
Dohd
51
80.
'
71.
Ghaupdi
and
his position
If the bridegroom
and family are unobjectionable and such as
befit
let
member
this,
burning hereafter."
at his feet.
fire
Dohd
81.
Ghaupdi 72.
Now, if you have any love for your child, go and thus
admonish her, 'Penance is the means of approach to Siva,
and there
is
no other way
of escaping sorrow.
N^rad's
"
When she
doubt not; he is in every way irreproachable.'
heard her husband's words she was glad of heart and at
CHILDHOOD.
52
mother
the
of
the
universe,
fair
Listen, mother,
and lovely
Bhav^ni, her
all-wise
Dohd
**
the
82.
to the vision I
am
about
to tell
instructed
you
me
Chaupdl 73
Go, mountain-maid, and practise penance, reflecting
Your parents, too,
that Ndrad's words are infallibly true.
.
are pleased with the idea, for penance is full of peace and
puts an end to pain and sin. By the virtue of penance the
Creator
made
the world
by the virtue
of
penance Vishnu
it.
It is
vision.
face,
Dohd 83.
Then came Vedasiras^ and instructed them all and
when they had heard of Pdrvati's glory they were comforted.
;
Chaupdi 74.
But Um/i, cherishing in her heart the feet of her dear
lord, went into the forest and began her penance. Though
her delicate frame was little fit for such austerities, she
all food and became absorbed in prayer, her
devotion so growing day by day that all bodily wants were
For
forgotten, and her soul was wholly given to penance.
a
fruits
for
a thousand years she ate only roots and
abandoned
1 Vedasiras, a son of
Mirkandeya
Plvari, the Progenitor of the BhArgava
his
wife
53
CHILDHOOD.
and
at last
fast.
of
the
whence she acquired the name of aparna (' the leafAt the sight of her emaciated frame, Brihma's
leaves,
less').
Doha 84.
"
of the
Hear, daughter
cease
accomplished
all
mountain -king
these
your desire
intolerable
is
afflictions
Chaupdi 75.
Though there have been many saints, both resolute and
wise, not one, Bhav^ni, has performed such penance as this
submit now
to
to
be ever
to call
you,
know
prediction."
When
From
when
the day
body he became a
name, and
Doha
Even
exempt from
earth
world
85.
bliss,
lust,
with his
;
Chaupdi
Now
76.
R^ma
1
instructing
daily
The
bel tree
saints
increased.
in
Then
(^gle Marmelos)
is
the generous
and merciful
54
CHILDHOOD.
benignity,
and
compassion.
Dohd
*'
86.
^^
Now,
request
you."
77.
Chaupdi
"
it is not what I
approve, yet when
he must not be gainsaid. I must needs
to your order, for obedience is the highest duty.
If a
would prosper, he must do, without thinking, as he is
Said Siva,
Though
a master speaks
bow
man
told
in
"
bow
you are
your commands."
was pleased when he heard Sankara's reply so full
knowledge, and religious feeling, and said,
way my
every
The
of
faith,
benefactor, and
to
Dohd
'*
Go
them thus
in
to Pirvati
and make
to
fetch
87.
trial of
her
and
her love,
then
all his
doubts."
Chaupdi 78.
When
Whn
moving terms,
"
I greatly
55
CHILDHOOD.
See,
relying only on the truth of Nd.rada's prophecy.
of
for
the
extent
madness.
I
the
saints,
unchangemy
long
able Sankara as
my
husband."
Doha 88.
The Rishis smiled on hearing her speech, and said
You are a true daughter of the parent rock but tell me
:
"
who has
home
Ghaupdi 79
Did he not advise Daksha's sons, and they never saw
their father's house again ? It was he, too, who ruined Chitra"
ketu's family,
and
also
Hiranya kasipu's.i
Whoever listens
Ndrada's advice, be it man or woman, is certain to bea homeless beggar. Seemingly pious, but deceitful at
heart, he would make every one like himself. And now you
to
come
are'led
outcast,
away by
a
his words,
worthless,
shameless,
tattered
to
marry a very
wretch; with a
after
CHILDHOOD.
56
be had from such a bridegroom as this ? Better forget the ravings of the impostor. For he married Sati only
because other people suggested it, and soon abandoned
to
her and
her
left
to die.
Doha
89.
Ghaupdi 80.
you will hear my words,
if
have thought of an
and honourable,
so pleasant
praise
die
Gold,
Nor
my
the
will
change
house be
word
my
is
again,
not
of
his
spiritual adviser
whoever doubts
of
Doha
Mah^deva
is full
of faults, while
happens
90.
itself
Vishnu
is
all-perfect;
it
to fancy.
Ghaupdi 81.
If,
reverend
submitted
life
for
to
sirs,
your advice;
Sambhu,
it
is
too
but
now
late
to
would have
my
$7
CHILDHQOJD.
If
lion
lives,
will either
wed Sambhu
or remain a virgin.
N^rada's admonition, even though Mah^deva himself and again told me to do so. I, who am styled
the mother of
return
home
the
at
When
is lost."
cried"
fall
world,
your time
mother Bhav^ni,
Doha
91.
United as Maya to the god Siva, the parents of the uni!" then bowing the head at her feet and thrilling
verse
left,
Chaupai 82.
And
sent
When
entreaties
he was invincible
Knowing
neither age
of
nor death,
Dohd
Re- assured them,
a
son
him
is
92.
saying,"
of
in fight.
Chaupdi 83.
R-11
58
CHILDHOOD.
the
of obtaining
has
left all
be a
will
Kima,
Sambhu
and
to
in the hope
on
the
other
He,
hand,
husband.
absorbed in contemplation.
sits
what
Though
I propose.
it
Send
will
and
'
And
they told
reflecting a
little
him
their distress.
He
me
heard, and
"
Sambhu's
after
dis-
no good,
Chaupdi 84.
Yet
is
I will
other
And as he went he thought within himself,' Siva's displeasure will surely be my death.' Therefore he hastened to exhibit his power, and for a time reducflowers in his hand.
If
Love
is
provoked, the
in a
moment
vows and obligations, self-control, ceremonial observances, knowledge and philosophy, virtuous practices,
religious
Chhand
3.
is
DohdU.
Ic^
K&madeva's attendant
is
59
CHILDHOOD.
Ghaupdi 85.
was a craving
In every heart
for love
its
And when such was the case with inanimate creation, what
to speak of man ? Beasts on land and birds in the air,
need
day.^
and
ascetics,
Chhand
When
his influence.
4.
his sway,
Two
still
SorathdS.
None
is
nigh to
whole world returned
grew calm, as
when
86.
this
Sambhu. On
'0'^
his heart,
Ghaupdi
For two hours
triumph
to itself.
at
once
When Love
looked at Siva, the invincible and unapfeared then returned shame too strong
he
proachable god,
resolved
for words and,
upon death, he formed his plan of
ness.
at the sight.
During
CHILDHOOD.
db
Chhand
5.
At love's touch the dead were quickened, blossomed all the wood so dark,
While a breeze soft, cool and fragrant, fanned the love-enkindled spark.
Laughs the lake with many a lotus, hum the bees with drowsy sound.
Swans and parrots chatter gaily, gladly dance the nymphs round.
Dohd
Though he
tried every
95.
trick
and manifold
device, yet
Ghaupdi 87.
Seeing a mango tree with spreading boughs, he in his
then fitted a shaft to his flowery
folly climbed up into it
;
bow, and in his great passion taking aim and drawing the
string home to the ear, he let fly and lodged the five arrows
Then
in his breast.
his eyes,
and looking
Sambhu
awoke.
all
he opened
Then
tree.
Siva unclosed his third eye, and by its flash K^madeva was
reduced to ashes. A confused cry went up through the
universe from the gods in their dismay, from the
demons
thorn. 1
Chhand
6.
The
Till
Dohd
98.
*'
pervade
all
things.
him
hereafter.
I
With
KilidAsa.
this
KuMra
Sambhdva
of
61
CHILDHOOD.
When
Ghaupdi 88.
Krishna becomes incarnate
its
be
shall
shall not
On
fail."
I
Jadu
in the family of
world of
to relieve the
now
and the other gods heard these tidings they first went to
Viakuntha, and thence, with Vishnu, Brahma and all the
rest, into the presence of the merciful Siva, and each of
them
sang his
separately
power whose
"
crest is the
said,
Tell
Said
Brahma,"
praises.
Then
the gracious
a bull,
me,
ordered I speak.
Doha
In the mind of
love-smitten,
97.
is one idea.
Sankara is
and we would fain with our own eyes see his
all
the
gods
marriage.
Ghaupdi
89.
this
glad
sea
well,
the
"
Then the gods sounded their kettledrums and rained down flowers, and cried," Victory,
joyfully,
So be
victory to the
it
King
of
heaven
"
!
Then, perceiving
it
was
the proper time, the seven sages came and were despatched
by Brdhma to the Himalaya where first they sought
Bhavdni and addressed her in mild but deceptive terms
:
Dohdm. ]\^
*'
took Ndrada's
for the
god
of
6^
CHILDHOOD.
Chaupdi 90.
Bhavdni replied with a smile, "
wisest of sages, you
Love has been consumed
have said well. Your words
*
by Mahddeva'
to
liable
an
change.
and
him
to
heart,
as he
be such
is, I
if,
knowing
my vow
to
accomplishment.
Your saying
Hara has destroyed Love betrays great want of judgment. Fire, my friend, has an unalterable nature, and ice
that
cannot exist
perish
Doha
On
99.
Chaupdi 91.
And
told
pondering
on
summoned
the
the
for joy
on read-
it,
were commenced.
Dohd 100.
All
the gods
V^
different vehicles
on
;'
63
oaiLDHOOD.
and
for joy,
all
was
Chaupdi 92.
Siva's attendants
to dress their
began
and crown
his serpent-crest
of
and bracelets
moon on
Brdhmanical cord
of
lion's skin
of
arranging
with snakes
lord,
matted locks
his
for
his
a wreath
In such ghastly
and
instruments
of
*'
own
each on his
but
still
'
carriage.
the procession
is
fine
sight,
Doha
101.
'
own
retinue,
'^
Chaupdi
93.
ately,
at the
head
of his
own
Mahddeva
followers.
smiled
too,
his attendants.
On
in
their
motley
attire,
riding every
kind of
64
CHILDHOOD.
Ghhand
7.
gruesome panoply,
With skulls for wine-cups filled with blood, from which they quaffed with glee
With head of dog, or ass, or hog, a host no tongue can tell.
Ghosts, goblins, witches, every kind of denizen of hell.
Sorathd
\\^
9.
demons went singing and dancing with wondercontortions, such as never were seen, and uttering all
All the
ful
Ghaupdi 94.
Like bridegroom, like procession
an
extraordinary
it
every
hill in
can count, and every wood and sea, river, stream and lake,
were invited to attend and assuming forms of exquisite
beauty, with all their retinue, male and female, they
all
flocked
the
all
to
First of
tastefully
that, after a
arranged them,
seemed a contemptible
architect.
Ghharid
8.
flags
Dohd
The
102.
all
aglow.
*?
Ghaupdi 95.
was known that the marriage procession was
hand, the stir in the city and the brilliancy of the
When
close at
it
and
all
due
equipment
formal reception.
When
the
started
army
of
for
the
gods they
65
CHILDHOOD.
were glad of heart, and yet more so when they beheld Hari.
But when they perceived Siva's familiars, every beast they
rode started back in affright. Grown men summoned up
courage
to
stand,
straight back
all
What can we
them could only reply trembling all over,
is
it
no
it
is
?
marriage procession,
beyond telling
say
but the army of Death the bridegroom, a maniac, mounted
on a bull with snakes and skulls and ashes to adorn him.
;
Ghhand
9.
!"
Doha 103.
The
fathers
Siva's familiars,
Do
not be afraid
there
no cause
is
for fear."
Ghawpdi 96.
sacrificial
the house
all
of
women
Mahadeva advanced
tremble.
to the
that
the
with tears,
made you
*'
Ghhand
How
can
To think
so beautiful,
and
10.
What a thorn bush is our wishing- tree, the fruit for which we cried
From mountain-top, in sea or Are, I'll cast me down with thee
Welcome disgrace, so they be gone this wedding ne'er shall be."
12
CHILDHOOD.
66
Dohd
All the ladies
'
104.
who
sad,
Ghaupdi
to
97.
what does a barren woman know of the pangs of childWhen Bbavdni saw her mother's distress, she
birth ?"
"
Be not troubled,
answered thus placidly and discreetly,
my mother, with these thoughts, for God's plans are unalIf fate decrees me a mad husband, then why
terable.
should any one be blamed ? Can you blot out the handwriting of the
Creator
Then
refrain
from
profitless
re-
proaches.
Ghhand
11.
all
Dohd 105.
At that time came Narada, and with him the sages (for
they had heard the news), and at once betook themselves to
the king's palace.
Chaupdi 98.
Then Narada instructed them
all,
and recited
in full
"
the past history, saying,
Maina my words are
Hear,
true ; your daughter is Bhavdni, the mother of the world,
!
Sambhu's inseparable
half
who
of
human form.
First she
was born
in
Daksha's house,
67
CHILDHOOD.
Sati
how
(ie.,
Siva,
Chhand
For the crime
12.
Now
And
Dohd
On
"\
106.
and
dispersed,
moment
in a
his
all
was
city.
Chaupdi 99.
again
ever their age,
feet.
All the
fell
again and
alike,
Songs
of joy
jest
sat
down, began
to
in pleasant strain.
Chhand
13.
At
last
they
With growing
Dohd 107.
and reminded Himavant of the
came
Again the sages
time was fit, sent and sumthe
and he, seeing
marriage
moned
all
the gods,
CHILDHOOD.
68
Ghaupdi
Whom
100.
to
each
by her handmaids, richly adorned. All the gods beholding her beauty were enraptured. What poet in the world
in
The
divinities
Chhand
still
who
re-
spouse of Mah^-
14.
A myriad tongues were all too few to sing her matchless grace
When gods and muses shrink abashed, for Tulsi's rhyme what place
With downcast eyes the glorious dame passed up the hall, and fell,
:
Doha 108.
\'>''^
At the injunction of the priests, both Sambhu and
BhavAni paid divine honours to Ganes. And let no one be
perplexed on hearing
this,
but
know
Chawpai 101.
with Vedic
When
to Siva.
were glad
ritual,
and the
the
father,
hands,
all
the gods
defies
description
rejoicing.
men-servants and
raiment,
69
CHILDHOOD.
jewellery, things of all sorts,
and wagouloads
and
of grain
golden vessels.
Chhand
15.
Thus great and more the dowry's store that King Himachal brought
Yet falling low at Siva'.s feet he cried that all was nought.
The gracious lord cheered his sad sire in every way most meet,
Then Maina came, most loving dame, and clasped his lotus feet
Doha
"UmA, my
lord, is
dear
to
109.
me
as
and pardon
my own
all
soul
take her
her offences
this is
Chaupdi 102.
After
Sambhu had
'
love,
herself.
Running
the ground to
to
clasp her
feet, in
transport of affection
Chhand
Still
16.
Midst beggar's blessing, richly bought, forth rode the royal pair
The glad gods rained down flowers, and sounds of music filled the air
'
Dohd 110.
Then went Himavant most lovingly to escort them, till
with many words of consolation Mahddeva bid him return.
Chaupdi 103.
Then he came
70
CHILDHOOD.
own
realm, and
to depart.
Sambhu
arrived at
How
Kail Asa.
to his
shall I
when thus occupied by Sambhu and Bhaand mother of the world, and their attendants ? They began to indulge in sport and dalliance, and
every day was some new pleasure. Thus a length of time
was passed and the six-headed child (Kartikeya) was born,
tell its
delights
who vanquished
all
sung by
in battle the
demon T^raka.
books, and
the sacred
His birth
is
his
of
And
Ghhand 17.
knows the story of the birth and the glory
this is
so
why
Man
or maid,
who
Siva took
UmA
shall
tell,
briefly I
pause on the
or sing true
and
how
well,
to wife,
Dohd
of
111.
Girij^
*4
are an
and her beloved
be
how
describing them ?
Chaupdi 104.
When
this pleas-
whom
Gauri's lord
is
dear as
life.
Blessed
is
He who
thy
loves
Rdma.
For who
no fault thus
is
left his
so faithful to
R^ma
made
as Siva,
who
for
71
OHILDHOOt).
of
unswerving
And whom
fidelity ?
Dohd
I
does
Rdma
hold more
112.
Rama,
Chaupdi 105.
understand your character and disposition
listen
I
therefore while I proceed to recount Rama's adventures.
cannot say how glad I am at this meeting with you to-day.
Though Rama's deeds are beyond measure, and not a
has been
it
bow
them
tell
all,
my
who
thoughts on
of the
queen of
speech. For Sarasvati is as it were but a puppet, and R^ma
When he finds
the manager who plays the hidden strings.
in
hand,
believer, he graciouly
true
is
the lord
sets
dance in the
her to
To him,
the merciful
RaghOf
and
all mountains the most beautiful was Kailds, since Siva
Umd had made it their home
courtyard of the poet's fancy.
un^th, I
bow
before
commencing
Dohd
'
lis.
pious souls
came there
to
all
But enemies
of Hari
Chaupdi 106.
and Hara, who had no love
virtue,
place.
On
this
sun
fragrant
of its beauty
for
way
to the
tree,
which
ever stirred by
the
hottest
favourite haunt.
it,
and in an excess
as fair in
his
own hands
sat at ease
his
arms
his
body
of great
72
CHILDHOOD,
loins,
his
gleams
toe-nails like
dispel the
to
and
splendid
and
his
his feet
of light
more
face
his decorations,
Dohd
With
twisted
his
114.
of hair for a
coils
crown
with the
Ghaupdi 107.
were Quietism embodied
the great mother BhavAni, approachIn recognition of her love he received
Then
Pdrvati,
who
is
it
my
to
three worlds
and gods,
all
greatness
known throughout
is
moving or motionless,
do homage to your lotus feet.
things
Dohd
You
"0
tale,
wisdom and
all
men
serpents,
\W
115.
power and
of all
the great
storehouse of medita-
of asceticism
knowledge
is
the
as the
Ghaupdi 108.
have found favour in your sight,
be your own devoted slave, then, my
blissful being, I
If,
How
Rfima.
to
dise
plexity.
The
Blima
is
saints,
who preach
;
salvation,
declare
that
v
CHILDHOOD.
73
the Pur^nas, all sing his praises you too, oight and day,
great conqueror of Love, reverently repeat his name. Is
this R^ma the son of the King of Avadh, or some other
;
DoM
If a king's son,
then
how
and so
116.
Supreme God
the
/3^
by the
distrest
When
of his wife,
loss
compare his
my mind
is
acts
com-
pletely distracted.
Chaupdi 109.
my
Instruct me,
who is the
Be not wroth
regard to him
lord, with
my
though
was
too awe-stricken
to
my mind was
tell
In the wood,
beheld the
you,
it.
so dull that I
did not
already
and
the
is
past
past
Rama's virtuous
my
Declare
deeds.
infatuation
is
gone,
to
it,
Dohd
my head
Laying
117.
to
tell
me
your
feet,
and
all
Raghubar's
and philosophy.
Chaupdi 110.
Though
woman
not entitled
is
forbid mystic
and
it is
king,
in
for
declare to
instruction
to a
I call
an account of Rdma.
the
a visible body.
cause
Then,
why
my
initiation, yet I
woman
me
to
in
tell
great
distress,
First,
the invisible
lord,
am
me
Brahm assumed
of his
incarnation
E-13
CHILDHOOD.
74
tell
me
all
Doha 118.
Then tell me, gracious lord, of his marvellous
how with all his subjects the jewel of Raghu's
ceeded to his own abode.
Next
me
tell
my
me,
what
111.
is
is
faith,
have omitted
Rdma
to
line pro-
it all
and
means ; explaining to
the intelligence that so absorbs the
lord
what
in full detail
wisest saints
Chaupdi
what
acts,
many
me
Tell
other
also,
mysteries
You, as the Vedas say, are the great teacher of the three
"
what can other poor creatures know ?
When
worlds
;
Siva heard
glad
his
the whole of
filled
his
Doha 119.
For a brief space MahAdeva was lost in contemplation
then recovered himself and began with great joy to tell the
tale of
RAma.
"Not
to distinguish
Chaupdi 112.
between the
false
'is
home
in
for a
a rope
like
of bliss
all
who
and bane
repeat his
of woe, as
Dasarath's courtyard."
name.
Come
to
After thus
me,
to sport
paying homage
'*
to
All bless-
is
75
CHILDHOOD.
Rdma's history
and it
world
as
is
potent
Thou
art.
as the
Ganges
asked for
to sanctify
tlie
Doha
the blessing of
By
hast
Rama's
feet.
120.
Rama,
sleep
know
well
Chaupdi 113.
But you have so ordered your certainty as to benefit all
who speak or hear. For the ears that hear not Rama's
name
are
mere snake-holes
who sing
those
RAma, which
demons a delusion ?
Dohd 121.
and
to
Who
is
the good
RAma, which
man
13"]
the heavenly
like
is
who tend
cow, that
fulfils
every
it.
Ghanpdi 121.
The
away
frighten
Rdma
story of
tain-king.
and
How
sweet
is
his lives
scriptures to
to
endless
attempt
yet,
to tell
them
to the best of
Your
my
ability
and as the
most
CHILDHOOD.
76
becoming and
too
am
like,
profitable,
pleased to hear:
for
'
Doha
This
demon
is
what
is
said
122.
by the
\'5S
wretches
vile
whom
who
heretics,
the
are the
Ghaupdi 115.
the mirror
unlearned
and blind reprobates
Ignorant,
of whose mind is clouded by a film of sensuality
lustful,
;
many
influence go
utterly astray
in
the
world
Hari's
;
for
delusive
whom
no
strong delusion
that no
ravings.
their
..c^^
'
Soarthd 10.
to
in
There
is
all
doubt and
daughter of the
words shall disperse all
Listen,
my
Ghaupdi 116.
no difference between the material and the
this be
so declare saints
is
77
CHILDHOOD.
who
is
understanding
ignorance
and
in
and pride
Lord of all, the ancient of days
Dohd\2S.
:
^ A
head.
Chaupdi 117.
"
a clouded
at the
s'?y,
own
moon through
error,
but senselessly
who, seeing
dim, or
is
who gaze
doubled.
their finsfers
heavens.
The
the organs
of
the
of sense,
in the world
tens
is
susceptible of enlightenment,
every delusion
is
subject to him
;
Rama
enligh-
him centre
shines bright
as
Doha
false as the
in
124:.
all
of
/'
of a
gleam
polished shell, or as a
the
sun's
caused
mirage
rays, yet no one, at any time,
by
or
can
rid
himsf^lf of the delusion.
past, present
future,
Though
1
Even inanimate nature has an uncons(;i()us intellifretice
reason.
order and activity pervade the material universe, the mineral as well
as the animal and vegetable kingdoms.
Mivart.
;
'
78
CHILDHOOD.
(haupdi 188.
And such
the world in
is
its
yet
it
feet,
catch
every scent.
is
utterly
m^^
tion.
Doha
every way
beyond descrip-
125.
whom
he
is
sungf,
and
King
of Kosala.
Chaupdi 119.
By
blest
the
power
of his
all
Raghubar, who
whom
reads
abandoned
the most
exalt to the
regioris of
the
any creature
sovereign of
name
all
I see
hearts.
of sinners
By repeating
cancels
the
his
name
accumulated
many
to
Supreme
Spirit,
on
this
sobriety and
On
every virtue."
tion to
passed away.
1
CHILDHOOD.
Dohd
7Q
126.
ft^
Again and again, clasping her lord's lotus feet and suppliantly folding her hands, her whole soul overflowing with
affection, Girij^
Chaupdi 120.
"
My
regarding
am
in
me
and
am made
as your
to
Now
though I
have
found
woman,
really
grace
those my former questions. If R^ma
own immediate
servant,
if I
the
invisible
desire to be instructed in
Rama's
Ihhd
The
history,
/^*/
Kdmadeva, was
praise was thus
127.
many words
of
pleased to speak,
Sorathd 11"
^
f^^
the Rdm-charit-manas, or
old
^^>'"''
13.
Bhusundi^ declared
of the birds.
it
in auspicious strains
lake
of
Rdma's deeds, as of
pure
in the
and
his all-glorious
names
are infinite,
and
his history
Umd
tell
Hari's
and
his
them
virtues and
manifestation
as best
can;
with respect.
1
Kdka-kihnsuiifii, oiiinuall}^ a 5Su(1ra of A.yodhya, was by virtue of his
birth in that bolv place and the intercession of a saint of Ujjain born again
as a Bid man
His exclusive demotion to H&ma could not suffer him to
Lonias
so
{Adka).
His story
is
the
theme
for
of his
discourse,
CHILDHOOD.
80
Chaupdi 121.
to the grateful tale of Hari's
Listen, GirijA,
and
great
grasp
for to
my
Veda and
sages, the
E^ma
mind, Bhavdni,
or speech
of intellect, or soul,
yet, as
beyond the
saints and
partly
and
is
to
the
Whenever
Dohd
Destroys the evil spirits
the
of salvation
way
and
128.
diffuses
the
maintains
of
brightness
his
Rama's
incarnations.
Chaupdi 122.
Singing his glory, the saints escape the waves of life,
and it is for their sake only that the Compassionate assumes
The causes
a body.
many and
of
various, each
Rtima's
incarnations
have been
other.
I will relate
Bijaya
Brahman's
demons
first
illustrious hero
laithful
PrahUd
is
widespread.
If
CHILDHOOD.
Dohd
Then
8^1
129.
all
Chaupdi 123.
by the deity, they did not attain to salvathe Brahman had doomed them to three births.
Though
tion, for
killed
They then were once the cause why the cherisher of the
assumed a body, and at that time his parents
Kasyapa and Aditi were incarnate as Dasarath and
Kausalya of glorious memory. Thus it was that in that
age of the world he descended from heaven and wrought
faithful
deeds on earth.
savingf
distrest
and waging
In another age,
ineffectual
battle
Sambhu warred
him against
Dohd
By
130.
When
Chaupdi 124.
And
Rama
Each
avatiir
various
it
has
its
then assumed a
human
form.
to tradition.
*'
On one occasion
At
saint
and a votary
uttering a curse ?
mitted
Tell
me
of
to become incarnate."
"
Ndrad is a wise
was astounded,
Vishnu's what was his reason for
What
offence
it
is
subject to passion."
R-14
passing
CHILDHOOD.
Dohd 131.
irf
Then answered Mahddeva with a smile,
neither wise wor fool
have him
man
"There
to be.
Sorathd 14.
I sing the glory
of
Rima;
listen
I^'^
Bharad-
devoutly,
and do thou,
Tulsi, put away the intoxication
pride and worship Raghundth, the destroyer of death.
v^ja
is
is
of
Chaupdi 125.
In the Himalaya mountains is a very sacred cave close
to the holy Ganges.
Seeing this pure and delightful her-
When
saw the
sage's
rob
me
miser
of
is
my
as
kingdom.'
much
afraid of
interference
as is
a thievish
crow.
Dohd
132.
When
Chaupdi 126.
Love reached the hermitage,
his
deceptive
and a humming
of bees.
delightful air,
soft,
cool
fragrant,
in every
and
while
skilled
variety of
ri
83
CHILDHOOD.
trespass on his
guardian
In
for a
dire
feet,
clasped the
addressing him in accents of the deepest
Chaupdi 127.
There was no anger in Narad's soul, who in friendly
terms replied to KAmadeva and reassured him. Then, bowing the head at his feet and accepting his commands, they
both retired, the god and his companion and repairing to
Indra's court there related all their own doings and the
;
saint's
clemency.
As they
all
were
as-
him
all
Love's
In acknowledgment
doings.
of his affection
it
as dark as possible."
Doha 134.
Good
as
the advice
Chaupdi 128.
accompaniment
84
CHILDHOOD.
Then he passed on
to the
with a smile,
Reverend sir, 'tis long
did me this honour.' Then Ndrad declared all
universe
of the
resist
it.
Dohd
Then spoke
*'
gance
love
135.
flattering terms,
of
shall
rmembrance
perish at the
of
your
doings.^
Ghaupdi 129.
saint, that infatuation prevails in a soul that is
Know,
Ndrad
'
in his pride,
Compassionate saw
It is all
your favour,
my
Lord.'
The
vants
is
the
vow
that
have made.
Then Ndrad
leave, swelling
while Vishnu gave orders to the spirit of deluListen now to his strange contrivance.
with pride
sion.
Dohd
136.
's^^
He
Vishnu's
own
in
capital,
"Siva's speech is so
too.
CHILDHOOD.
85
Ghaupdi 130.
And
inhabitbd
and
When
of the people.
proceeded
he had heard
to the palace,
gave him a
seat,
Doha
And
*
i>^
about
137.
to see, saying,
good or bad
her.'
Ghaupdi 131.
vow
of chas-
quite fascinated
" Her
bridegroom must be one of the imdelight.
in
invincible
battle, reverenced by all creation such
mortals,
heart's
and
that
after saying
his daughter
or penance
am
Dohd
I to
138.
I must on this occasion make myself exceedingly charming and beautiful, so that the princess may be pleased
when she sees me and give me the wreath of victory.
CHILDHOOD.
86
Chaupdi 132.
Hari for the gift of beauty in going to him
much
there will be
delay but I have no other such friend,
will ask
and
this is
offered
to
him
to
help
me"
So he
The
in a vision.
and he rejoiced
in heart,
He then with
plished.'
saint's eyes
brightened
saying,* My
at the sight
object will be
accom-
way can
success
my
sionate
for
lo, I
am
to
himself
Dohd
N^rad
Hear,
that
highest good
haste to accomplish
When
your slave."
wrought, he smiled
"
Make
the
Compas-
of the deception
he had
139.
I will assuredly
and naught
else;
prove vain.
Chaupdi 133.
If
will
grant
a sick
it.
by the power
of the delusion
The
what
saint
you."
was so demented
The
attire.
beauty
is
in
grand
*
made him
all description.
Every one recognized him
N^rad and bowed the head, knowing nothing of what had
hideous beyond
as
taken place.
Now
there were
Doha 140.
two of
there
secret.
Dressed like
Siva's attendants
who
II
CHILDHOOD.
to be spectators of the
87
looking about.
Chaupdi 134.
Both went and sat down in the same group with the saint
so proud of his beauty
and in their Br^hmanical attire
attracted
no
notice.
they
They say in jest so that Ndrad
;
might hear,
man such
charmed with
excellent beauty
his appearance
and
The
Sambhu's
understand
monkey
face
at
the sight,
Dohd
And
141.
with
the wreath
of victory
in her
lotus hands.
Chaupdi 135.
let
sitting in his
moment on
pride.
The
the spot
saint in his
form
as a king,
Thus Lakshmi's
garland.
lord
carried
disturbed
like a
in
his infatuation
attendants said
The
him the
the bride,
saint
to
was much
his reason
of a hole in
with a smile,
cast on
off
88
CHILDHOOD.
J \"
Dohd
*
Go
^'
142.
false
the night.
again a saint,
if
you
dare.'
Chaupdi 136.
Looking again in the water he saw himself in his proper
form
yet still he was not content at heart, but his lip
;
made
mock
of
me throughout
the world
On
the
way
demons met him, and with him RAma
and the princess. With a smile and in gentle tones he said,
Where goes the saint, like one distracted ?' On hearing
?'
the conqueror of
*
-*'
utterly mas-
infatuation
to
look
upon
are notorious;
deceit
Intoxicating liquor
selfish
and perverse
Chaupdi 137.
Utterly self-willed, with no one over you,
and bent on
heart.
ing you.
Now
shall receive a
due return.
Be born
CHILDHOOD.
89
Doha
The
by the
distrest
wife.'*
144.
loss
of
your
A*
^'^
Ghaupdi 138.
was removed, there appeared neither RamA
nor the princess and the saint fell in great fear at the feet
When
this
ing," May my
cious god,
curse be
'
It is
my
made
of no effect."
Said the graSaid the saint,' I have spohow shall my guilt be expiated?'
will.'
"
Siva; never
whom
to
let
your
shaken.
me.
Think on
this as
know
He on
true love
DohdU5.
\V>^
Chaupdi 139.
two followers saw him on the road rejoicing and
In great alarm they drew near, and
his right mind.
Siva's
in
we
made
their supplication
"
:
great saint
dying
in battle at his
hands you
nor ever be born again." After bowing their head at his feet,
both went their way and in due course were born as demons.
R-15
90
CHILDHOOD.
<
!i
Doha
146.
iJ
In one age this was the reason why the lord became incarnate, to gladden the gods, to comfort the saints, and to
ease earth of
its
burdens.
Chaiipdi 140.
Thus
but
all of
of diverse kinds,
ment.
For as Hari
verses
about him,
scripture
and the
is
without
which are
The
faithful.
are
there endless
heard and
repeated by
adventures of
end, so
delightful
tive
sages.
lord, is
sportive,
He, the
to
his
Sorathd 15.
There
is
Chaupdi 141.
Hear,
which
daughter
I will
of the
proceed to
King
of Kosala.
The
Brahm became
whom
lord,
Bhav^ni, you
your senses, and still to
the recital of his adventhis day have a touch of disease
in Sati's
form
lost
all
and
**
tinued,
CHILDHOOD.
91
"
Dohd 147.
I
am now
about to explain
'
(listen,
man
to heaven).
Chaupdi 142.
brated
in the scriptures.
God,
in his
all
God's commandments.
^'
Sorathd 16.
But
in a palace complete
impracticable.
'
is
with grief,
devotion to Hari.'
Chaupdi 143.
among
all
success.
holy places as
Glad
of heart.
to
Naimisha, famous
specially sacred
and
liberal of
and
as the resolute
them
to visit
92
CHILDHOOD.
'
'
Dohd 148.
and
Devoutly repeating the twelve-lettered charm i
whole
soul
directed to the lotus feet of V^sudev^.
with their
,
Ghawpdi 144.
Meditating on the Supreme Brahm, they live on leaves
and
fruits
and
they gave up
roots.
and
roots
fruits for
as before Hari,
water only.
In heart an
"
endless craving,
that we might see with our eyes the
very God, without parts or passions without beginning or
end whom the preachers of salvation contemplate whom
;
servants,
this
Dohd
In this
on water
six
149.
\
I
air.
Ghawpdi 145.
For ten thousand years they gave up even this and
remained both standing on one leg. Now Brdhma, Hari
and Hara saw this interminable penance and repeatedly
came near
boon
;'
to
move.
knew
had
all their
Though
but for
his
least
solemn voice
saying
Ask your
this single
'
saying,
to a
Then
skeleton, there
the omniscient
object in
The
twelve-lettered
charm
is
Om Namo
Bhagavate VAmderaya.
93
CHILDHOOD.
Dohd
150.
Manu
thus spoke,
Ghaupdi 146.
"
Hearken,
on whose
the dust
bounteous of
found
boon
in
all
good
accessible to
protector of suppliants
if,
or
feet is
have
fav^our in
Let
me
desire to see
the
swan
in
Siva's
breast,
attributes
all
thou
the woes of
that healest
manifested himself,
Dohd
In hue as the lotus or
cloud
of
151.
the
of
universe
^ ^u
the sapphire
dark as a rain-
be compared
to
it,
Ghaupdi 147.
With
autumnal moon
with lovely cheeks and chin and dimpled neck, red lips and
gleaming teeth, and a nose and smile more radiant than a
moonbeam
forehead a sectarial
in his ears
bud and
swarm
a glance to
crisp curling
hair like a
of bees
94
CHILDHOOD.
Dohd
152.
with a qUiver at
\'|^
Jamund
by the play of
whose eyebrows a world flashes into existence, even Slta,
enthroned at Rama's side. As Manu and 8atanipa beheld
all
alike perfect
of
Hari
them up,
Dohd
^[^
153.
gift
of."
Ghaupdi 149.
On
prayer,
"
lord,
in timid accents,
lotus feet,
attainment.
far
as
It is easy,
my meanness
my
is
concerned,
it
is difficult.
its
full
Like a
to
ask
power, so
my
95
CHILDHOOD.
heart
troubled by doubt.
give you."
Doha
"
boon
15^.
r^ I
On
the (Jompassionate,
your equal:
?^
'**'I
"
myself,
Then seeing
son."
Ghaupdi 150.
and hearing his sincere words, said
So be it.*""^ Where can I go to find
Satariipa with
her hands
"
you please."
husband has wisely asked is what
boon
my
most
desire.
But
it
is
great presumption
it.
You
still
clasped,
my lord,
I too
the
should
though in your
the
is
attained by your
servants
155.
Dolici
own
me even
that
that
bliss,
that state,
knowledge, and
that existence."
Ghaupdi 151.
modest
and deeply touching petition, the
Hearing
"
Fear not; whatever your
Compassionate gently replied
mind desires that I have granted.
mother, your superthis
other petition,
me
fool for
of a son ?
my
lord.
Is there
96
CHILDHOOD.
said," Be
so
it
now, as
order,
go and dwell
at Indra's
capital.
Sorathd 18.
There,* father, enjoy yourself freely
as the
King
be your son.
Chaupdi 152.
Voluntarily assuming human guise,
will
manifest
my
tion of
my
people.
who
listen reverently
ocean of
life.
visible world
Even
the
over
the
whom the
self-same shadow of me here
Primal Energy, by
I will accomplish
your desire true is my promise, true, aye true." Again
and again thus saying, the compassionate lord vanished
out of sight, and the wedded pair, full of faith in the
!
when
their
and then,
their
abode
in
immortals.
Dohd 156.
Such was the pious legend which Siva related to Um6.
Hearken now,
Bharadv^ja, to yet another motive for
Rama's incarnation.
Chaupdi 153.
and hoary tale as it was
There is a world-famous
Sambhu
to
repeated by
Girij^.
called
country
Kekaya, and Satya-ketu was its king. A
Listen, great saint, to the holy
champion
in
glory,
of religion
gallant sons,
quality.
great
magnificence, virtue
The
staunch in
elder
to the
CHILDHOOD.
97
perfect,
affection without either flaw or
disguise.l
and
their
To
mutual
to
and with-
Dohd
157.
the land
Chavpdi 154.
The prime
minister,
was as devoted
the
to
all
In
all his
the sole
monarch
of the
Doha
158.
and
religion.
Chaupdi 155.
The
free
from
all
annoy, grew in
1
I TRMfJ
thii nouolet a.^ follows
Bhaihi hhaihi param snniti, nakald'uh-hbal-varjita priti : the penultimate syllable ot samiti being lengthened
vietii gratia
Such a license is of frequent occurrence but in this particular instance in appears to have troubled the copyists, who have made various substitutions all more or less injurious to the sense.
of the Daifcyas.
2 The regent of the
planet Sukra (Venus) is the preceptor
:
or Titans.
R-16
CHILDHOOD.
devoted
or the Brdhmans.
ancestors,
All
the
duties
which are
the
Dohd
159.
\9r^
Chaupdi 156.
In his heart there was no aiming after advantage, but
such was his supreme knowledge and intelligence that he
dedicated to God the whole merit of all his thoughts, words,
and
actions.
and
went, with his retinue equipt for the chase, into a dense
forest of the
deer.
ing amid the foliage like RAhu with the moon in his clutch
orb too large to bo contained in his mouth, though his
;
its
The
rage will not suffer him to entirely disgorge it.
monstrous boar with its splendid tusks, as I have described
them, and
vast limbs
its
when he heard
started
of
the tramp of
and pricked up
it,
its ears.
Dohd 160.
On seeing
'
the
breaking away.
li
99
CHILDHOOD.
Ghaupdi 157.
saw
the
horse
When it
coming on with speed, the beast
took to flight swift as the wind, keeping close to the ground
as it went, and ever regarding the shaft which the king
had at once fitted to his bow. Taking steady aim he let it
but the boar saved himself by his wiliness, and rushed
fly
;
length
Though
elephant.
exertions,
still
When
cave.
him
so determined slunk
way
in this
that there
Doha
forest.
161.
I
Hungry and
thirsty
Ghaupdi 158.
As he wandered through
spied a hermi-
the forest, he
had
left his
army on
the field of
battle,
knowing
that his
own in the
much mortified
Too proud
to
of
bh^nu
as
he drew near
Doha
162.
thirst,
he pointed out
100
CHILDHOOD.
him a
to
and
fine
much
drank, both he
ghidness.
Chaufdi
159.
a^ain.
Know
th^n, reverend
sir,
that I
am
am
quite
moved
the minister of
have
"
King
Pratdpabhdrju
my way,
and by great good fortune have been brought into your
presence. To get a sight of you was no easy matter, and I
in
am
satisfied that
something good
"
My
son,
it is
is
about
Doha 163-4.
is
easy to find.
is
the road
furthered
or itself
Very
not
start to-
in
its
comes and
off.
Chaupdi 160.
"
city
<i^<^
you
lYl
me."
befall
to
The night
lost
well,
my
lord, I
obey your
command
"
;
and so
saying the king tied up his horse to a tree and came and
With many flattering speeches he bowed at his
sat down.
extolling his own good fortune, and at last in modest
and winning terms put the question, "Regarding you, my
lord, as a father, I make bold and beg of you to look upon
feet,'
me
was honest
CHILDHOOD.
In
101
by
right.
his
king's
^^
Ghaupdi
"
Said the king,
Philosophers like you, with whom all
self consciousness has been extinguished, ever conceal their
own
and are
personality,
in
their outer
garb be wretched.
claim aloud in men's ears that
are, is
you
is
it
whom
the poor
Hari
"
liness,
matter.
Dohd
and
till
spoken
now
to
any one;
come
for worldly
it
to
166.
to
honour
nor have I
me,
is like
and
fire,
consume."
Sorathd 19.
Says Tulsi
and
its
voice
is
appearances,
save
Hari,
with-
fair
Chaupdi
"Therefore
by
it
OHILDHOOD.
102
but love you in return for the faith and confidence you have
placed in me and if I were to send you away, my son, it
:
ing him
brother,
Ektanu
his
for surely I
power,
"
(one
pray, the
am your
At the
dawn
first
my name was
167.
meaning
of this
^/^
of creation
Ektanu, for
name,
servant."
Dohd
*'
"My
said,
body).
"Tell me,
asked further,
name,
till
in
completely
is
this
my
reason that I
have never
Chaupdi 163.
Marvel not in your mind, my son
difficult for
By
penance.
for
nothing
too
is
possible."
The
commenced
wisdom
narratives.
The
to his influence,
Said
examples
king, as he
**
king,
listened,
to tell
of
and
yielded completely
him
his
knew you
upon me,
took
true name.
though you
quite in
it
good
part.
Sorathd 20.
"
asceticism
and proceeded
the hermit,
many legends
of
the birth,
tales of
Hear,
king
it is
a political
pr
CHILDHOOD.
"
Your name
Satyaketu.
103
Chaupdi 164.
Pratdpa-bh^nu, and your father
is
man knows
a spiritual
sir,
is
king
everything, there
no need of another's
telling.
you in
asked me.
for
but ask
him
"
suppliantly,
humaa
Yet, as I see
grasp
my
happy
come within
all
I will
my
ask an im-
for ever.
Dohd
May
have
d^^sire
lord so gracious,
\^^
168.
free
may
foe
every
for a
last
hundred ages."
Chaupdi 165.
king, so be
hear
it.
The age
is
BrAhman
is
shall
there
how-
is,
bow down
Br^hmans.
virtue of penance a
it
By
be-
the
them
to
your
will,
Hearken,
king, if you escape a Brdhman's
never be." On hearing his
shall
destruction
curse, your
promise the king was glad," Then, my lord, my destruc-
solemn truth.
be prosperous for
all
time."
Dohd 169.
"
Amen,"
sir,
i^
'^
CHILDHOOD.
104
*'
intent,
Ghaupdi 166.
'*
For
warn you,
the matter
repeat
you true
it
will be
come
if it
that
sir,
your ruin.
is most inexpedient to
a third pair of ears^ I tell
If you divulge this secret, or
it
to
Brahman
his feet
"
;
who can
a spiritual director
most
Brahman
the curse of a
terrible.
is
something
c
"
Doho
170.
can
lord,
Chaupdi 167.
king, there are diverse expedients
"Hearken,
There
is,
involves a
and
among
me
to
difficulty.
Its contrivance
for
to
and thus
gentle tones,
the great
"
am
It is,
in a
my
show kindness
dilemma."
lord, a
to the
small
the dust."
Dohd 171.
\\
^
'
CHILDHOOD.
"
Be gracious,
and take
tress,
my
105
this trouble
on
my
behalf."
Chaupdi 168.
Perceiving that the king was altogether under his influthe
ence,
king
hermit,
tell
your
to
for
object
is
show yourself
devoted
be
to
-" Hearken,
me,
I will
assuredly accomplish
you.
If,
I can-
in
know-
Go now and
make a vow for a whole year,
Dohd 172.
\0^%
and every day entertain a new set of a hundred thousand
Brihmans with their families while I, as long as the vow
their house will, I tell you, be in your power.
scheme
lasts, will
Chaupdi
"
In this way,
and
will
all
Br^hmans
the
perform
will be in
sacrificial services,
169.
And
your power.
you a sign.
trouble,
They again
I will give
come
little
too, will
I will
not
meet again.
power, will
Dohd
"
173.
''
you
I will
of all this."
17
CHILDHOOD.
106
Ghaupdi 170.
The king,
Then came
care ?
the
Deep
sleep
that
battle
it.
Dohdl74:.
powerful
foe,
lightly regarded
left
to this
is
and moon.
Ghaupdi 171.
to
to settle
your enemy
yourself of
all
if
my
in great joy
am
advice.
:
The
story.
I
ready
Free
without tak-
I will
sweep away the enemy, root and branch, and in four days
will be back again." Having thus cheered the hermit king,
the arch-deceiver went away in his wrath, and conveyed to
tho palace Prdtapa-bhdnu still asleep, both him and his
horse the king he put to bed beside his queen, and
horse he tied up in the stall,
;
Doha
Again he carried
175.
the
CHILDHOOD.
107
Ghaupdi 172
While he himself assumed the priests form and went
and lay down on his sumptuous couch. At daybreak the
king woke and was astonished to find himself at home.
When
there
it
was
When
coming.
^ '^
Dohd 176.
The king was delighted to recognize the guru, and was
too infatuated to
invited a
Ghaupdi 173.
The
and in accordance
with sauces and condiments more than any one could count.
After dressing a great variety of meat, the wretch introduced
dish some pieces of a Brahman's flesh. He then
all the Brdhmans to the feast and washed their
into the
summoned
feet
and
politely
showed them
to their places.
But
directly
heavenly voice
Up
senses, overmastered by
1
The
six
while the
king, distracted
and out
of his
'salt,'
lavana
pungent,'
katu
'
CHILDHOOD.
108
Dohd
Then
cried the
Br^hmans
177.
regardless of
in their wrath,
in
demon's
Ghaupdi 174.
"
the
in
perish
heaven,
uttered
neither food
"""'
Do..
"
not
Though
the
you,
past
is
T^
178.
unalterable
is
fated fails
Brahman's curse
is
terrible thing."
Ghaupdi 175.
Br^hmans went their way. When
the people of the city heard the news, they were much
vexed and abused Fate, who had begun upon a swan and
So saying,
ended
priest
Then
in
all
making
to the
the
a crow.
palace and
the hermit
of princes
came
in
all
all
the family
the tidings.
directions
a host
city.
all
his
Day
after
champions
fell
in
fight,
after
a Brahman's curse
can
never
fail
of
accomplishment.
CHILDHOOD.
109
Doha
Hearken,
heaven, for
vvhoever incurs
Bharadv^ja,
him a grain
like the
Meru, a feather
^^i
179.
the
anger of
of dust
angel of
death,
snake.
Hearken, reverend
Chaupdi 176.
in due time
sir
family,
arms, a formidable
younger brother, Ari-mardan, became the valiant Kumbhakarn, while the minister Dharma-ruchi became his halfthe world-famous Vibhishan, the
brother,
of
As
Vishnu.
born a
fierce
demon crew
all-wise votary
at
will
wicked,
tell.
"
Dohci 180.
'
Though born
in the
Chaupdi 177.
The
nigh
to
ask a boon."
The Ten-headed
"
Son,
am
well pleased,
110
CHILDHOOD.
Sarasvati
to
world
will
be laid waste."
So he sent
slumber.
Doha
Then he went
boon
:"
to
and he asked
181.
Vibhfshan and
for perfect love of
"
said,
Son, ask a
God.
Ghaupdi 178.
After granting these boons
Brahma
became
Delighted at having obtained so good a wife, he next went and married his two
brothers. In the middle of the ocean is a three- peaked
and called
'
Dohd 182-83.
>.^ - ':-n'\
The deep ocean was its moat, washing its four sides
and its massive walls were of gold, set with jewels in a way
that
defies
whom
chief.
Ghaupdi 179.
There had dwelt great demon warriors, but all had been
slain in battle by the gods and now by Indra's commission
;
their lives.
of the city,
and was
impregnable,
site,
111
OHILDHOOD,
quarters to his followers according
made them
all
quite happy.
sallied
of flowers
as a trophy.
DohdlS4.. IrlO
Again, from mere lightness of heart, he went and overthrew KaiUs, and after thus testing the prowess of his men
of war,
waxed
yet
before.
180.
number
of his sons,
army and his allies, his conquests, his might and his
superior wisdom, all grew day by day more and more, in
the same way as avarice grows with gain.
Thus, too, his
his
Kumbha-karn, was
champion with-
to
other
Dohd 185.
demons were
Kumukh,
held the
the
dauntless
world,
place among
could stand in
first
whom none
champions
who was ever harassing the
And many
able
who
before
city of heaven.
teeth
Atikdya
Chaupdi 181.
skilled in every kind of fraud,
without ever a thought of piety or pity. One day the Tenheaded was seated in court and reviewed his innumerable
Taking form
at will,
retainers, sons
"
Hearken,
all
ye
demon
of
heaven are
my
CHILDHOOD.
112
enemies, nor dare
at
the sight of
effecting
to
my
which
their death,
I will declare
now
listen to
Go
to
Dohd
the forthwith the faint and
1 slay
186.
Chaupdi 182.
Again he called for Meghnad and exhorted him to yet
greater courage and resentment," The strong and warlike
gods, who venture to confront you, you must vanquish and
bring here
father's
in
commands.
himself sallied
the son
perform his
In this manner he ordered all, and
Up
chains."
forth,
rose
club in hand.
to
As he marched
the
labour overtook
the
An
interpolation.
"
him, he said with a smile,
Saint,
where are the gods ? show them to me." N^rad was not
pleased to hear of his villainy, and forthwith sent him to
White-land.
When
away
113
CHILDHOOD.
threw him up into the air then after going a long way
scratching and clawing, she gave him a good shake and
pitched him with great violence into the middle of the sea.
;
Senseless, but
Doha 187.
by the Brdhman's blessing
unmoved
he
still alive,
all
by joy or sorrow.
either
Ghaupdi 183.
After taking and pillaging the Ndgas' capital, the
enemy
man
in the
place
flocked to
see the
man and
wo-
sight," Where on
with
"
at
hesitation.
188-189.
and ever bent on mischief, the
Do/ia
Shameless,
pitiless,
ten-
Ghaupdi 184.
Where ever he found a stray god or Brdhman he frightened him into payment of ransom, and this is the way he
went on day and night, the black-hearted
haste he
Bdli,
came
to
the seat
ruffian.
Then
in
of the
monkey-king
Pampapur,
and beheld the beautiful lake that would charm the
absorbed in contemplation.
headed, and Ravan shouted in a fury,
R 18
"
You wretched,
CHILDHOOD.
114
senseless, hypocritical
then
came
me
meet
at
once
in battle.
Doha
Unless you can vanquish
demon
Ghaupdi 185.
I want no fighting
"
Said B^li,
190.
me
Away,
be wise and
effect
and
at
day as
him
he raised
for the
his
hands
One
RAvan
Doha
Ocean was troubled
to sink,
mine
is
at
191.
Rdvan's might
What
rival of
'
Ghaupdi 186.
Then he went and saw where Rdvan stood, by whose
in
giant arms the water was agitated. Potent in artifice as
strength of limb,
Lankd and kept him tied up for some days in his stable a
his
sight of wonder for his wives. He was ashamed to tell
RambhA
and
ever
asking,
name, though the wise king was
and her companions danced about him and set a lighted
The saint Pulastya came
torch to each of his ten heads.
and
set
him
free.
Dohd
On
192.
CHILDHOOD.
115
Ghawpdi 187.
Urvasi was abashed at seeing him,' but Ravan addressed
'
going
him an answer.
Who are
She was
too
seized her by the hand, though she was the wife of Kuver's
perish.'
seated,
to
He
at the sight.
Doha
Submitting
to the curse,
193.
Chaupdi
he sent
four
messengers
to
so in a fury,
188.
holy
man's
hermitage,
Supreme
Spirit
and asked them of their welfare, saying, -' Tell me, is all
well with Lanka's king ?' "Reverend sir, all is well with
him, and he wants your tribute-money." On hearing this
speech he was much alarmed, and forgetful of his vow
which he had
and made
it
banded
filled
together.'
It is
not,
"
own body,
Go tell the
king,
Dohd
If the jar is
family."
194.
The messengers
in
haste
to the
CHILDHOOD.
116
Chaupdi 189.
Rdvan was
sengers then told him what the saint had said. On hearing the curse his heart burned within him, and he said,
"
Take the jar away to the north and carefully put it in the
sacrifice,
the
off
also returned to
lord,
though worsted
the
wind
fire,
earth to
of
in turn
Do7i
left
195-196.
^A'^'V\^
By
his
counsel exercised
the Tovely
men
Ghaupai 190.
Whatever he
than
it
whom
took to
Indrajit to
told
tell
at heart
and
foul of
1
how
The whole demon crew,
hear now
he gave orders.
do was done in
less timel
The word
Sita
meaoing a farrow.'
to|
villainous^
werej
117
CHILDHOOD.
ready for any outrage, disguising themselves by the assumption of various forms and acting in every way contrary to
the Veda, in order to eradicate religion.
Wherever they
find a
cow
or a
town or village
in existence
Brdhman,
Brdhman, they
;
once set
at
fire
to
the city,
no respect
is
paid either
or spiritual instructor
there
is
or
to
scripture,
no
faith in Hari,
sacrifice,
Chhand
At a hint
Not a moment's
vow
it
rest,
but he hied on
should be the
To
18.
in
its
quest,
with a
last.
lawlessness
all
holy sounds
Sorathd 21.
The
-J-fT
yond description
Ghawpdi 191.
Seeing the general persecution of religion, earth was terrorstricken and dism.ayed,' the weight of mountains, lakes
and seas is nothing so heavy as this one tyrant.' She saw
distress.
them.
perverted,
to
CHILDHOOD.
118
Ghhand
19.
Gods and
to
all
heifer,
piteous moan.
'All
vain
is
help
of mine,
put an end
to this cruel
^'^
my
oppression."
Chaupdi 192.
All the gods sat in counsel," Where can we find the
We must go to
Lord and make our cry to him ? Said one,
'
home
way
of the Lord,
he
is
is in
the ocean.
Nay,
me any
Lord
is not.
alike, but, as
well Know,
is
Present in
all creation,
revealed
by love.
animate or inanimate,
revealed like
fire by love."
and
Brdbma
words
were
all,
exclaimed,
My
approved by
Well said, well said.'
^
Doha 197. ^\ \
is
Chhand 20-21.
"
To
the
King
of
of
creation in distress
Priests
ing, best,
boll's brief
triumph end-
all
men
fair.
bolder,
way ?
CHILDHOOD.
119
now
to
I pray.
me,
Mukund
Though
in
great
Life's
All
In
all
life's
Gods and
saints
this
tempest rages,
fly
in
Doha
198.
'
^].
this
removed
all their
Chaupdi
"
193.
Fear
severe penance
them the
full
CHILDHOOD.
120
Nirad
heaven with
my
who
'^
to his own
Go and worship
M
realm after thus
in-
form as monkeys."
Chaupdi 194.
rest.
to his
that
Taking birth on
earth as monkeys of incomparable strength and dignity,
warriors with rocks and trees and claws for weapons, they
they executed gladly and without delay.
mountain and
The king
line of
of
forest
Raghu, well
the
jewel of the
and wise,
Dohd 200.
%\^
humble devotion
Chaupdi 195.
One day
fell at
and go-
many
entreaties
in
abode
and
told
you will have four sons, who will bo famous throughout the
three worlds and rid the faithful of all their fears."
Then Vasishta summoned Saint Sringi to perform a sacrifice for the birth of a son.
The saint devoutly offered th
121
CHILDHOOD.
is all
Doha 201.
Then
that
the
had
fire
be done.
to
god vanished,
Ghaupdi 196.
He
and
world was
fulfilled
and
till
glory.
Some
little
time
was
thus happily
Doha 202.
Auspicious was the conjunction
auspicious house
auspicious the
of
the planets in
moment
an
auspicious the
week and
of the
of the
all creation,
constellation
the saints
blowing
all
with
soft, cool,
nor cold,
fragrant breezes
R-19
122
CHILDHOOD.
hills
When the
of
them
troops of Gandharvas
saints
fashion tendered
him
in
own
his
service.
Dohci 203.
of a saint.
and bright,
By
whom
all
Whom
saints
and
the source
of
every
Who
race.
Though we know by
revelation, heaven
creation, in each hair upon thy body
In
my arms
far
may be
all
found.
mystery supremest,
most pro-
of a sage the
found."
Smiled the lord at her' devotion and would fain have set
in motion the magic that dazzles the crowd.
Telling all he had done and the triumphs he had won
that his mother of her son might be proud.
123
CHILDHOOD.
"
cried,
My
soul
is terrified
by these
in this is
my
wild,
for
greatest delight,"
at
once in fashion
made
Know
Doha 204.
For the sake
who is beyond
all
of
Ghaupdi 198.
On
baby's
cries,
all
heaven
full of love
to rise,
lord,
it is
come
to
my
house."
Thus
to play,
to the court
its
'
Doha 205.
Then after performing the Ndndi-mukh Srdddh^ he
completed every caste observance, and the king made
offerings to the Br^hmans of gold, cows, plate and jewels.
The
city
Ghaupdi 199.
of flags and banners and
was
full
festal
CHILDHOOD.
124
Showers
of flowers fell
in bliss.
of
troops of
women who
time,
that he had,
musk, sandal
Dohd
muddy
with perfumes.
2QQ.
Chaupdi 200.
Both Kaikeyi and Sumitra too gave birth to a lovely
At that time the joy, the auspiciousness, and the
boy.
The
7 Night going to
king could
it were
at the
vision, faded into twilight, where the dusky clouds of incense were shot through with red gleams of ahir the piles
:
of jewels in
it.
Dohd 207.
none
how
month
'
^'
was noticed
still at
gaze,
125
CHILDHOOD.
Ghaupdi 201.
There was not one who observed the strange event, and
sun set still chanting Rama's praises. The gods,
at last the
saints
and Ndgas
too,
the spectacle,
re-
turned home, congratulating themselves on their good fortune. I will even tell you of a deception I practised myself
;
Hearken, Girijd, for I know your steadfast faith. Kd,kabhusundi and I were there together in human form, without
any one knowing it. Full of rapture, love and delight, we
whom
rests
the mercy of
R^ma
can attain
Only
to
the
knowledge
and
-
Doha 20S.
All were
blessings
satisfied
all sorts of
apparel.
'
May
all
Chawpdi 202.
In this
one
and wonderful
I will tell
them,
king, to the
best of
my
Veda by
his
bearer
and supporter
of
the
world
is
name Satrughna
('
destroyer of enemies
')."
CHILDHOOD.
126
Dohd
<X
209.
name
of
Lakshman
(*
of auspicious
Chaupdi
naming them
After
the
appearance
').
203.
saint
"
said,
king, your four sons are the very Veda itself ;
the saint's treasure the believer's all in all the darling of
;
Siva,
who
from his
Even
and
is
earliest
devoted himself
R^ma
loveliness,
eye.
was
itself
in the
her
own dear
^ a^ >
Dohd 210. ^
The omnipresent god, who has neither passion nor quadarling.
lity,
With
all
the beauty of
a myriad
loves
dark of hue as
the
dis-
tiger's
CHILDHOOD.
feet^
127
face flushed
lips
charming
most delightful to hear with
as the lotus, and heavy brows and a fair
;
prattle
the
ground
to his beauty,
Dohd
The
all-blissful god,
and transcends
who
all intellect,
211.
is
-^31
of his parents
Chaupdi 205.
In this way R^ma, the father of the universe, showed
himself the delight of the people of Kosala and they who
;
parents.
that has
subdued
all
life,
whether
in
Rama
is
bere identified
with
:
CHILDHOOD.
128
god
city
is
arms, and
So
in his cradle.
singing to
him nursery
songs,
Ghaupdi 206.
One day his mother, after washing and dressing him,
put him to sleep in his cradle, and prepared an offering
When
the service
the
great fright she ran to the nursery and there found
child again sleeping but coming back once more she still
saw the boy. Then she trembled and was much disturbed
;
saw two
fault, or is this a
distress,
'
saying,
'Are
my
senses at
his mother's
Doha
and exhibited
to
213.
c*''-
with
body
Ghaupdi 207.
many mountains,
with time,
fate,
rivers, oceans,
merit,
life
free.
which
With
129
CHILDHOOD.
hymned
his
father as
my own
his mother,
praises,
saying,
Dohd2i4:.
'2
3*t
Chaupdi 208.
Hari indulged in every kind of childish amusement, to
the great delight of his attendants
and after a little time
;
all
the
brothers
court-yard.
her
to
as
fast as
he could.
He whom
be incomprehensible, of
whom
is
all
*i
Dohd
215.
*^'
<*
'^
mouth
full of rice
and curds.
Chawpdi 209.
His pretty innocent childish sports have been sung by
Sambhu and the Vedas, and he whose
Sarasvati Seshn^g
soul does not
by God
to
warm
to
no purpose.
and
When
their father
all
grown
R-20
130
CHILDHOOD.
Rdma went
study.
to
all
When they
The
him to
knowledge.
four Vedas are but the breath of his mouth, and for
to
showed
was ravished
at
woman
Dohd
Rdma was
man
or
Taking
go
gracious to
woman, young
all
to
hunt
Ghawpdi
him
to the forest
and each
beast, slain
straight to heaven.
Taking
life.
210.
would
as a companion, he
there selecting
for
king
sight,
man and
216.
the
by his
death the
it
his meals in
the
to
went
company with
his
He gave
his
mind
to
of
Doha 211.
The
who
all- pervading,
The
^''^
God,
many
Ghaupdi 211.
have now sung all these his doings hearken attentively to the remainder of my story. The great and wise saint
I
131
CHILDHOOD.
for sacrifice,
The
'
"
The Lord has become incarnate to reI have now an excuse for going
him and after entreaty made will bring back with
Then he
reflected,
me the two
brothers.
him who
of
is
Now I
the abode of
will feast
my eyes
all
ness."
p,
*
Doha 218.
.:
after
king's court.
Ghaupai 212.
When
of
religious honours,
"
saying,
There
is
uo one so blest as
am
moon.
favour
is
unparalleled
and
what
is
coming
"
Tell me,
is
Then
and was as
brothers
I will
is all I
Doha 219.
desire.
^-
'--^
Give them,
king, gladly, without any selfish folly for
it
will
be
a
and honourable act, and it will
meritorious
you
;
them."
Chaupdi 213.
When
132
CHILDHOOD.
and
fast
all
Ask
without consideration.
treasure,
and
will
is this
soul and,
pretty
little
sir,
me
life of
"
In
my
my own
of
grew dim,
all I
the body
have,
and
at once.
me
as
horted him, and the king's doubts were dispelled. Obedienthe sent for the two boys and pressed them to his heart
and fervently exclaimed, " My two boys are my very life
but you, holy sir, are now their only father."
ly
Dohd 200.
the boys to
Glad
%W
the saint,
again and
mother's
to their
feet.
^M
ed heroes set forth, oceans of compassion, resolute of purpose, the whole world's champions.
Chaupdi 214.
Bright-eyed, broad-chested, long of arm, dark of hue as
with quiver at side pendent
the lotus or the taradl tree
;
"
acquired,
recognize
and as he went he pointed out T^rakd, who on hearing InWith a single arrow Hari too!.
voice rushed up in a fury.
but recognizing her submission gave her a place in
Then the saint knew he had found his
her
life,
his
own heaven.
lord,
Bribmaaya-deva
is
133
CHILDHOOD.
Doha 221.
taking the Lord to
After
over
to
roots
men
and
of
fruit to eat,
holy
of
his
'.
7..
knowing him
to
be ever gracious to
life.
Ghaupdi 215.
At daybreak Raghurai said to him, "Go and make
ready the sacrifice, and fear not." The brotherhood began
to guard the
preparing the oblation, while he remaine
i
sacrificial fire.
host.
When
demons
to
saint respectfully
lord,
which
is
any living creature near it, and observing a remarkable stone inquired of the saint about it, who in reply
"
gave him the whole history.
^ /# ^
^-^
Dohd 222.
deer, or
"
her.
"
Chhand 28-31.
At the touch
she awoke
134
CHILDHOOD.
high behest.
all
She
She dared
praise,
-*'
Great Spirit,
Save me,
save, thy succour I crave, holy god, sinful
wretch though I be,
Rdvan's conquering foe, joy of all else below, who toil
as the bee
May my
Which on
Siva's head descended, this day have condesto rest and on this vile head of mine."
cended
Thus
Dohd 223,
Thus
^H-H
is
compassionate beyond
our deserts, Worship him, says poor Tulsi DAs, and cease
from
all
Chaupdi 216.
world-purifying Ganges.
brother reverently saluted it, and R^ma was delighted beyond measure, as the son of G^dhi told him the legend
135
CHILDHOOD.
how
earth.
Then
the Lord and the hermits performed their ablutions and the
Brdhmans received manifold gifts. The hermits' champion
When Rama
to the
ever delightful.
Dohd 224.
was bright with flower-gardens, orchards and groves, the haunt of innumerable birds
and full of fruit and flowers and verdure.
On
all
Chaupdi
The beauty
21
7.
wherever one
went there was something to charm the soul. Handsome
bazfe and gorgeous balconies all studded with jewels, as
of the
city is
not to be told
though the Creator had fashioned them with his own hand
thriving bankers and traders, very Kuvers of wealth, sitting
;
with
all their
rant
waters
bright as
all
if
squares and
constantly sprinkled with frag-
fine
prosperous,
and accomplished.
all that
Doha 225.
With
set in
lived
was
words
to describe.
136
QHILDHOOD.
Chaupdi 218.
All
the
city
gates
of
adamant, and were thronged with princes and their retinues of mimists, bards and heralds. The vast and well-built
stables were at all hours of the day
grove, a most agreeable and convenient spot, the descendant of Kusika exclaimed, " This is just what I like, let
us stay here, Raghubir." "Very well my lord," answered the
mango
gracious god
When
train.
all their
news
come -
Dohd
hermit
that the
226.
'5-
'
to
meet the
prince of sages.
Chaupdi 219.
Bowing
to
the
saluted
him
all
his blessing.
the
hermit
Then
train
the
and
congratulated
bloom, the joy of all beholder's ravishing, the senses of the whole world. When Ragbupati came,
All were
all rose and Visvamitra seated him by his side.
charmed
two brothers
their
to
mean
'
bi.s
'
ffuni (^atdnand)
the
and
<;hief
of his kiusmen,'
his kinsmen*.
may
eyes
filled
and the
also be taken
CHILDHOOD.
137
beholding
Dohd 227.
feeling himself overpowered with love, the king
restrained
discreetly
himself, and bowing his head at the
Though
tion
Ghaupdi 220.
"
my
Tell me,
lord,
Supreme
who
children.
bulwarks
Spirit,
whom
of a
of the
My
king
well,
living
creature
smiled
to
your word
that
does
is
"
always true
not
there
is
not a
Rima
*'
them
to help
me.
Dohd 22^.
"^^^
my
sacrifice
and vanquished
all
the
demons
in battle."
Ghaupdi 221.
"
Said the king,
saint, when I behold your feet I
cannot tell how richly I am rewarded for any former good
deeds.
And
This
without a body).
2 The two manifestations are nirgan and aagan, the bodiless and the
embodied.
(i. ^.,
R-21
CHILDHOOD.
138
Hear me,
soul.
sir,
it is
like
man." Again and again the king gazed upon the Lord
with quivering body and heart bursting with emotion.
Then with courteous phrase and bowed head he escorted
of
city
which were bright and cheerful at all times of the day and
the
finally, after further homage and proffers of service,
king took his leave and returned to the palace.
;
Dohd 229. ^
r'
little,
it still
"
and rested
brother's side now
wanted an hour
by his
to sunset,
Ghaupdi 222.
Janak's city
at heart a great
himself.
"
Sir, Lakshman
permission of his guru to speak, said,
wishes to see the city, but out of respect for you is afraid
If you will allow me, I will show him the place
to speak.
good
the
benefactor of
all faithful
servants
Dohd
230.
7-
all
-^
'
the city
gladden
Chaupdi 223.
After bowing at the saint's feet they went, these two
brothers, the delight of the eyes of the whole world. When
139
CHILDHOOD.
the children in the market-place
saw
their eyes
Clad in
with graceful
kinds of pain
Dohd
..
*^
231.
from head
all-beautiful
to foot
and
Ghaupdi 224.
When
see the
like
the citizens
town,
beggars
they
all left
to pillage a treasury.
When
"They surpass
in beauty a
thousand loves
neither
among
gods, nor men, nor demons, nor serpents, nor deified stains
has beauty such as theirs ever been heard of. As for
Vishnu with his four arms, Brdhma with his four heads,
and Purdri with his five faces and wondrous attire, and all
the other gods, there
beauty,
my
friend,
is
can be compared
to theirs.
"
Dohd
232.
--
CHILDHOOD.
140
Ghaupdi 225.
Tell me, friend,
is
there
any one
in
such beauty ?
Said
one in gentle loving tones,*' Hear, my dear, what I have
been told. This pretty pair of young cygnets are the two
at the sight of
sons of
The
f
and lotus
eyes,
who
is
his mother.
Dohd
233.
'J-S-^
the road
set-
ting free the sage's wife, the two brothers have come here
On hearing this all the ladies
see the tournament."
to
were delighted.
Ghaupdi 226.
"
Here is a
Said one, after regarding Raima's, beauty,
bridegroom worthy of J^naki. If the king does but see him,
he will abjure his vow and insist upon a marriage with
them." Said another," The king knows who they are and
has received both them and the saint, with all honour. He
has not, however, gone back from his vow, but mastered
by fate persists in his folly." Said another, "If God is
good and
is
this,
my
man
according to his
is
Dohd 23^.
otherwise there
is
no dhance of
my
'^s^
seeing him
it is
only a
141
CHILDHOOD.
long accumulation of merit in previous existences that
warded by such intercourse."
Ghaupdi 221
*'
Said another,
bow
hard
it is
really a
Siva's
frame
spoken well;
maiden
said,
is of
test."
''I
this is
Said another,
one."
most unfair
is re-
delicate
Hearing
have once and
an-
this,
slight in appearance
again
their
strength
is
great.
Sita,
he predestined for her this dark-complexioned brideOn hearing these words all were glad and softly
groom."
*'
exclaimed,
May
it
Doha 235.
^^
Chaupdi 228.
Now
midst
of a fair
In
altar
the
had
somewhat greater
them what
this is
and that
is
142
CHILDHOOD.
'^
Doha 236.
their affection, finding
in
thus,
a pretext
for
frequently
brothers.
Chawpdi 229.
When
votion,
they
lovingly
explain
the
by their deeach
different places,
When
guru
in alarm at
Terror
itself is
all
returned
being so late
and
he,
to
their
by whose awe
the transcendant
virtue of devotion.
Doha 2S7.
';
they
Chaupdi 230.
was dusk the saint gave the word, and all
performed their evening devotions, and in the recital of
sacred legends spent two watches of the solemn night,
When
Then
began
of
it
shampoo
men longing
to
meditation, even
love,
At
when
these
shampooed
himself retired to
rest,
their master's
so ordered
while
lotus
feet.
Lakshman pressed
his
of
behold practise
they,
affectionately
last
R<ma
his feet
143
CHILDHOOD.
'
Sleep,
my
brother,'
and
at last
still in
Dohd
When
his lap.
238.
]r^^
was spent, at the first sound of cockcrow Lakshman arose and next, before the saint, woke the
lord of the universe, the all-wise Rdma.
the night
Ghaupdi 231.
After performing
all
and going
to bathe,
beautiful
garden
the king's,
of
ance
it
put
to
its
;
abund-
while the
peacocks danced responsive to the music made by the feathered choir of chdtak, fcoil, parrot and chakor. In the midst
of varied
hum
|^
of bees.
Dohd 239.
^'
Ghaupdi 232.
After looking all about and asking leave of the gardeners
they began in high glee to gather leaves and flowers.
At that very time Sita too came there, having been sent by
her mother to visit the shrine of Girijd. With her came all
her young and lovely companions, singing glad songs.
Now GirijA's shrine was close to the lake, beautiful beyond
When she and
description, the delight of all beholders.
her attendants had bathed in the pool, she approached the
goddess with a glad heart, and after adoration paid with
144
CHILDHOOD.
much
and returned
When
V ^^
Doha 240.
in,
her body all in a tremble and her eyes full of tears, they
asked in gentle tones,' Declare the cause of this rapture.'
Chaupdi 233
" There have come
to see
and
sightless
eyes are
dumb."
damsels were
All the
stole
away
Every one
them
is
the hearts
grateful
to
Sita,
we
in the city.
really
must see
women
the
of all
restless
with longing.
old love,
Dohd2U. ^V?
Remembering Ndrad's words, she was
filled
with holy
a startled fawn.
Chaupdi 234.
When
hands and
said to
moon on
in that
direction,
eyes became as
immovably
fixed
as
and
like the
upon
though Nimi, the
CHILDHOOD.
145
fled in confusion
it
of
form
in visible
;
or as
if
all
but
all
where can
world,
I find
flash of torchlight
and hackneyed
are stale
V^^
'
Chaupdi 235.
"
Brother, this
whom
is
Janak
for
alone
my
knows the
ordinarily placid
bosom
is
agitated
my
God
lucky
side
rebuff."
Dohd 243/
Thus discoursing
amoured
flower,
to his
brother,
he drank
in the loveliness of
Chaupdi 236.
Sita kept
looking anxiously
all
round, in doubt as to
Wherever
22
fell
her f^wn-like
CHILDHOOD.
14Q
glance,
it
seemed a rain
Then
y^"
Then emerged
the
cloud.
Chaupdi 237.
Two
wing on
their
they
of leaves in his
incarnate
left
hand, the
Do/ia 245.
attire,
their lion-like
self-conaciousness.
my
dark prince,
V^
the two
waist
glories
of the
amiability,
they lost
all
147
CHILDHOOD.
Ghaupdi 238.
Yet one summoning up courage, grasped Sita by the
hand and said, *' You can at any time meditate upon
now
"
Then the
princes ?
modest Sita unclosed her eyes and saw before her the two
scions of Raghu.
As she gazed on Rdma, all beautiful
Gauri
not
why
from head
to foot,
look
at
the
come again
at
this
It is late,
mother,
On
time to-morrow."
said, as
in
if
hearing this
fear of her
Then summoning up
resolu-
tion, she fixed the image of Rdma in her heart and turned
to go but again she thought how entirely it all depended
;
upon her
sire,
'
Dohd 246.
and under pretence of looking at a deer, or bird, or tree,
again and again she turned her head, and each time that
she beheld the beauteous
ed not a
Rghubfr her
love
was augment-
little.
Ghaupdi 239.
unyielding bow made her wild
and as she went she kept in her heart the image of the
darkhued swain. When the Lord perceived that she was
The thought
of Siva's
"
charming sketch
of her infinite
on the moon
mother
of
is
the partridge
whose body
is
great
destruction
148
CHILDHOOD.
of all
being
own supremacy
delighting in thy
>
Chaupdi 240.
The four-fold rewards of life are easy
of attainment
by
thy servants,
and
all,
Thou
happy, whether they be gods, or men, or saints.
knowest well my heart's desire, for in the heart of man
thou ever dwellest
there
is
no need that
I declare
it
aloud
thee."
thus spoke,
"
Hearken, Sfta
my blessing is effectual
your heart's desire shall be accomplished. N^rad's words
are ever truth itself
soul
is set shall,
the
bridegroom upon
whom
your
indeed, be yours.
Chhand 32.
The dark-complexioned youth, upon whose innate beauty
your soul is set, shall indeed be yours. The All-merciful
in his wisdom knows your loving disposition." On hearing
^
-
to the
to throb.
2'^l.
to
their guru,
inwardly
of all guile.
The
and performed
bis
149
CHILDHOOD,
taking food,
The
duties.
saintly
glorious
moon was
and
its
of night is not to be
but after-
The queen
for
she
Chanpdi 242.
She waxes and wanes, is the curse of love-sick maids,
and is devoured by Rdhu whenever the appointed time
she causes anguish to the chakwa and
comes round
;
daughter
extolling
to thee."
Sita's
now
night being
at
his
feet
brother,
Dohd2^d.
"
At the dawn
of
day the
dimmed, so
the princes waxed faint
of the stars is
lily
at the
>. ^
?^7
news
of
brightness
your coming
all
for
Chaupai 243.
bright though they be as the planets, they cannot
CHILDHOOD.
The
all rejoice in
lotus, the
ehakwa^ the
night's defeat
and
so,
all
will
retire
haste to
whom
happy man
"
and
all
The
with
and who
is
thd
rests."
my
lord,
much
Then
the
all
over the
city,
and every one put away his work and came thronging in,
men and women, young and old, and even children in arms.
When Janak saw the enormous crowd he gave orders to
"
Go round at once to all the
his practised servitors,
people and marshal them to their proper seats."
Dohd 251, v^'b
respectfully seated
them
151
CHILDHOOD.
both
all,
to their respective
Then
fied,
Ghaupdi 245.
two princes
forth the
stept
like
beauty beauti-
other
fair,
of princes
spectator
like
two
full
seemed
to see in
the
princes
conception
the Lord, as a
visible
presentment
of the
Terrible
eyes.
'
Dohd
as
it
joy
252.
of heart
in utterly
incomparable form.
Chaupdi 246.
By sages the Lord was seen in his divine majesty with
many faces and hands and feet and eyes and heads. And
how did he appear to Janak's family group ? Like a noble
Quietism
appeared as their
Sita,
ces seen
by each
Dohd 253.
i^
CHILDHOOD.
162
Ghaupdi 247.
grace of form that a myriad Loves
a
too mean
comparison with beaming face, that
all
would put
facile
to
irresistibly
nose
locks with
line,
enclosing as
it
were the
bliss of the
creation.
Dohd 254.
Adorned with a necklace
three spheres of
.'
of elephant pearls^
and a
tulsi
By
Chaupdi 248.
from a yellow brace with
hand and bow on their left shoulder with a
arrows in
tint,
and, in
over.
Every
one who saw them was made happy, nor could for a minute
take his eyes off them. Janak, too, rejoiced to behold the
two brothers.
his
feet,
and
Then went he
differentially
to the saint
related
and embraced
history,
self
special miracle.
The
The kunjara-mani, as
is a pearl supposed to
elephant.
it
was a
it is
hf-re
be found in
gratified.
^^
CHILDHOOD.
Doha 255.
There was one
ful
above
all
153
Chaupdi 249.
At the sight
the Lord
grew sick at
heart, like the stars at the rising of the full moon for they
felt inwardly assured that beyond all doubt Rdma would
of
all
the chiefs
succeed in
or even
And
garland of victory.
so
still
glory of victory
and pride
of
homewards, abandoning
strength. There were other kings, blind and insolent fools,
who mocked at such words and cried, " To break the bow
all
is
difficulty,
but unless
it
be broken
Sorathd 25.
jj
R^ma
will certainly
those proud
marry
for
princes
Dasarath's gallant sons ?
;
7-
in
battle
Chaupdi 250,
thus scoff and throw away your lives to no purpose
imagined sweets stop no man's hunger. Listen to this my
Why
solemn warning
mother, and
be
R^ma
is
the
the father of
the
difficulty.
R-23
'
154
OHILDflOOD.
,,
:,
of
flowers
the
spectacle,
of joy.
noM
256.
1^1
Then
moned Sita and obediently she came, with
seeing the fitness of the time,
;
her lovely
all
Her beauty
mother
ness,
is
not to be
told
the
is
me
look
chatterer
is
the
to
distress on account
nymph
of
Rati
to
so lovable;
is
in
and as
is
sore
for
rxry
> o^
^
Dohd 257.
Even then, though Lakshmi the source of all beauty end
bliss, had thus been born, still the poet would shrink from
saying that she could be compared to Sita.
Chaupdi 252.
and
with
her her attendant maids, singing
She came,
sweet-voiced songs the mother of creation, of incomparable
:
lists,
all
beholders,
men and
'''155
CHILDHOOD.
women
alike,
hands as she
upon a rich
treasure.
Doha 258.
from awe
and
Chaupdi 253.
Not a man or woman, who beheld the beauty of Rdma
and the loveliness of Sfta, could close his eyes for a second:
but
all
heart
made
"
Brahma,
God, quickly
remove Janak's obstinacy and make him right-minded as
myself.
supplication
to
breaking
the world
marriage to Rdma
shall be pleased but obstinacy, if
the last be as a consuming fire in his
his
in
same ardent desire, sayThe dark youth is the match for Sita." Then
ing,
Janak summoned the heralds, who as they came proclaimed
his state and dignity, and bade them go and declare his vow.
They went, but in their heart was little joy.
bosom."
"
Doha 259.
The heralds
call
"
%^ X~
Hearken,
all ye princes
you our sovereign's vow, and with upraised
heaven to witness it.
we announce
hands
cried aloud,
to
Chaupdi 254.
Though your mighty arms be as the moon, yet SiVa*s
famous bow is as terrible and unyielding as Rd.hu. When
it
albeit sturdy
champions
they
156
CHILDHOOD.
and
hell,
at
bowing
haste,
their
heads,
With
did not
Doha 260.
the bow
those foolish kings
with-
it.
After straining at
out being able to stir
it
all
Those, indeed,
it.
go near
commenced, before
and many a close
move
ere they
flushed face
it,
sense at
-J
in turn
though
absorbing the force of
Chaupdi 255.
Next ten thousand kings all at once attempted to raise
yielding as little as a
it, but it was not to be moved and
virtuous wife at the words of a gallant. All the princes
appeared as ridiculous as a hermit who has no religion.
Their mighty glory and renown and heroism were utterly
worsted by the bow, and with
much
own
place in the
assembly.
dismayed, he cried aloud as
lovely bride, a
who
'
it
man
it.
Chaupdi 256.
Tell
dissatisfied
or.
157
CHILDHOOD.
refused to try his strength on Siva's bow, but
let
alone
lift-
who
could
Now
let
no
break
my
made myself
my
all
vow,
religious
what can
no men
in
do
merit
is
Had
the world, I
gone
the girl
known, sirs,
would not have
Dohd
But
knit.
262.
"
May
Chaupdi 257.
there never be repeated in any assembly, where
is
present, such a
scandalous speech as that now uttered by Janak in the presence of the greatest of the clan. Hearken, thou sun of
the simple truth, without
have
thy permission, I will lift
only
as a marble, and will
ease
much
the round world with as
break it in pieces like an ill-baked potter's vessel, and tear
the lotus-like solar race
up Mount Meru
I state
I
if
will
what
is
it
Dohd 263.
to
^yfC
convince you.
-v
snap it like
swear by thy holy
I will
CHILDHOOD.
158
Ghaupdi 258
all
the
all
and
quivered
over
all
Then RAma with a sign checked Lakshmade him sit beside him, while Visvaspoke in gentle
"Up, Rdma, break this bow of
Siva's
Si ta
with excitement.
and
assembly and
was glad of
the whole
and
and
its
tones,
relieve
Janak,
my
time,
On
Dohd 264.
his feet,
soul rose
in his
at
young
lion.
^1
sun climbling
return of day.
Ghaupdi 259.
of
arrogant shrivelled
away
up
like
the
and the
the
false slunk
relieved of
of
the kings
saints
feet
all
forth,
every
As he moved,
love.
over
their
body with delight, worshipping the spirits of their ancestors and the gods, and recalling their own past gocxi
**
deeds, saying,
father Ganes,
stalk."
my virtuous acts be
Rdma
may
snap the bow as
If
of
it
any avail,
were a lotusil
OfilLDHOOt).
15^}
Dohd 265.
ler
I'
'
inxiety,
Chaupdi 260.
Girls, every one is bent on seeing the show, and as for
e.aying what would be for my good, there is no one who will
"
lell
the
(jessive
king plainly
obstinacy of
These are two mere boys thisexyours is wrong R^van and Banasur
:
touch the bow, and the kings with all their pride
it
how then give it into the hands
(3ould not
were conquered by
of these boy-princes ?
Mount Meru.
girls,
gently answered,
lightly regarded.
"
small to look
at,
but
at its
Dohd2QQ.
charm
is
a very
little
all
it
dry,
be
and
and his
hell.
"
thing, yet
off
Ah,
sharp-witted maiden
yet he drained
clean gone
sun
is
^9
it
the
overpowers Brahma
gods
and a mere
Chaupdi 261.
bow and arrows are but of flowers,
Love, too, though
has brought the whole world under subjection. Fear not
his
me
Rdma
at these
will assuredly
words
break
of her attendant,
god
in turn,
Be gracious
to
praying
me,
reward
my
bow
the weight of
it is
the
with a view to
l60
CHILt)HOOD.
^^
7
trifle."
Doha 267.
''i.
in a tremor.
Ghaupdi 262.
and here a
how can
^siris
diamond
flower to transpierce a
left
me
now,
own
impart thy
heaviness
to the
of
Dohd 268.
^^
Chaupai 263.
In her lotos mouth her bee-like voice
it
not.
lies
bound
for
Abashed
sum-
me
feet,
will
at all
and
am
confidence,
really
If
enamoured
there
of
who knoweth
-"
union
for
is
any truth
Raghupati's lotus
men's hearts,
all
wherever there
will follow
is
true
beyond a doubt."
161
CHILDHOOD.
With her eyes fixed upon the lord she recorded this
ing vow and he, the most merciful, comprehended it
;
lovall.
Dohd 269.
When Lakshman
had
Chaupdi 264.
"
Ye elephant warders, ye
is
serpent and
tortoise,
boar,
it
be ready."
distress
of
the regrets of
Sita,
arm was
with no helmsman
to
essay
7^'^ 3'
Dohd 270.
R^ma
first
Sita,
who
as statues
still
be crossed, and
it.
all
stood
dumb and
them
to
moment
of
Chaupdi 265.
Perceived her to be so terribly agitated that a
What good
what
avails regret
dead
? or
Thinking thus
Lord was enraptured
lost ?
and
up
is
the rain
when
the
crop is
a chance has once been
to
after
the
when
R-24
to his
guru, he took
as he grasped
it
in
CHILDHOOD.
162
his hand,
he bent
it
gleamed
seemed
it, it
and again as
of heaven.
see,
Though
all
he had lifted
it
from the ground and raised it aloft and drawn it tight, and
in a moment broken it in halves the awful crash re-echoed
;
Chhand
So
33.
Sun
horses of the
started from
the
hands
to their ears,
and
all
began anxiously
Rdma had
^^^
Sorathd 26.
All the deluded crowd
Siva's bow' were
drowned
in the
waves
of
the
Rama's might.
Chawpdi 266.
The Lord
of the bow,
and
mitra's love,
tossed
the
like
clear
music
Rama's presence.
in the
Brahma and
sky
the heavenly
the
the
bow
world.
defies
joy kept
The
description.
saying,' Rama
DoU
271.
-X
\^^
CHILDHOOD.
163
Chaupdi 267.
all
kinds of music
and
strains.
parched
rice-field
in every
and
at a fall of rain
swimmer on reaching
a shallow
Rdma
word and
Sfta
advanced
every limb
panions,
who
"l"^^
and
the
/^
Rdma.
Dohd 272.
to
of infinite beauty in
fair
Ghaupdi 268.
Resplendent in ttieir midst as the Queen of Love among
the loves, she held in her lotus hand the fair wreath of vie
tory,
enriched as
it
saying,
wall,
Invest
till
him with
At the
word she raised the wreath with both her hands, but was
too much overcome by emotion to drop it till as the lotus,
flower and stalk, shrinks at the moonlight, so her hand and
arm drooped in the glory of his moon-like face. At the
;
handmaids break
upon
his breast.
CHILDHOOD.
104
^.
Sorathd 27.
'
When
Both
music
in
Chaupdi 269.
in heaven there were sounds
of
the
lays
of
Earth,
praise.
and
will
votive
wed
Sita.'
torches and,
gifts in profusion.
and rhapsodists
texts,
hell
R^ma
regardless
by Raima's side was as resplendent
Sita
as
if
Dohd 273.
'I
^
^
fate of
Chaupdi 270.
Then, as they looked on Sita, the kings were inflamed with
frantic degenerate fools
desire, and waxed wroth of soul
though he has broken the bow, he has not yet gained his
end for who shall marry Sita while we still live ? If the
;
shame," The
165
CHILDHOOD.
acquired something
afore,
when God
new
Was
it
Doha 274.
^ 7
of
folly
feast
your
Lakshman's wrath.
Chaupdi 271.
Like a crow
offering
or a
the birds^ of an
as a
man who
is
mind
as a reviler of Siva
;
affection. Sita
"What
of
is it
down.
For fear
of
R^ma Lakshman
up and
With
fiery
at
the
Chawpdi 272.
Seeing
the
tumult,
Then
it
all distrest
and
Garur
is
is
to say,
CHILDHOOD.
166
ashes
Of
hawk.
of a
swoop
pallid
furnace
fire of
and arms
with
and string
of
beads
his loins
and
Dohd
276.
in
hermit
so he
drew near
to the kings.
Chaupdi 273.
When
attire,
they
own and
all
rose in
his father's
to
He
Dohd 277.
<
^^^
^
,
Chaupdi 274.
Janak
told
him
167
CHILDHOOD.
"
Tell
me
Show him
me
to
fool
day
the
bow ?
overthrow
I will
city
were
minute pass
Dohd 278.
like
^v
an age.
"
Ghaupdi 275.
Lord, the
me
"
At
and cried,*'
my enemy
was Sahasrabihu.
servant
is
among
When Lakshman
killed."
heard
the
saint's
as a child,
he
words,
"
sir, I
bow
in
'l^Cf-
*'
Ah
Ghaupdi 276.
Said
all
Lakshman with
bows were
alike.
a smile,
What
^"
gain or
thought, holy
what
loss
sir,
that
can there be
^
j
168
CHILDHOOD.
for a
two
new
but
it
one,
and
was no
bow
Rdma by
directly he touched
fault of his
"
mistake took
it
it,
snapped
then, reverend
why
sir,
in
be
childhood an ascetic
am, but a
fiery
time after time have bestowed her upon the Brdhmans. See
here, you king's son, the axe with which I lopped of Sahasrabdhu's thousand arms.
.^
Doha
Do
2S0,
^^^
Chaupdi 277.
holy sir,
replied with a quiet smile,-'* Ah
and
a
warrior
think
indeed,
keep brangreat
you
yourself
dishing your axe before me, as if with a mere puff of breath
Lakshman
manical thread that you are of Bhrigu's line, say what you
In my family there is no
like and I will bear it patiently.
feet,
a million
are unnecessary.
Dohd
2Sl.
>^^t
169
CHILDHOOD.
Chaupdi 278.
"
ment and he
I
shall be a
loudly protest
no fault of mine.
it is
my
temper."
my
of death,
and
Said Lakshman,
"So long
Doha 282.
Heroes perform valiant deeds in fight, but do not themselves publish them
cowards finding a foe before them in
:
Chaupdi 279.
now would
me
On
this
Do}id2S3.
^ ^^
y^
The
R-25
Kusika
is
"
Everything
Visvamitra.
170
CHILDHOOD.
understand."
to
Said Lakshman,
Chaupdi 280.
''
Is there any one, Father, ignorant
of
to
heavy.
and then,
sir,
will at once
open
my
purse."
alack
Alack,
"
creditor,
When
and
Bhrigu-bar, you
you
he
all the
still
are, I only
verend
sir,
'
They all
Lakshman
ti's
it
in
a sign to be quiet.
oil
on the
increase,
fire of
Bhrigupa-
RAma quenched
Chaupdi 281.
have compassion on a child, and wreak not
your wrath on such an unweaned infant if he had any
idea of your glorious power, how could he be so foolish as
"
My
lord,
The double
2 Every
father, his
mother and
his
guru.
v/2.,
his
in
171
CHILDHOOD.
for thus
becometh a
it
saint, so
fair in
at heart,
lips
and
it is
have sucked.
me."
3 fO
Doha 285.
Lakshman with a smile,** Hearken,
passion is the root of sin those who are under its
Said
set
saint,
influence
Ghaupdi 282.
If
it,
it
mended and
call in
rage,
cried to
of
golden
At
jar full of
this
Lakshman
reproof and
away
all
poison."
Do}id2S(5.
smiled, but
<
Of i
R^ma
submissively approached
putting
petulance of speech.
Ghaupdi 283.
Clasping his two hands together and speaking
in
most
172
CHILDHOOD.
lord,
of a child.
Be pleased, your
I, my lord, am the offendei:.
reverence, to visit everything on me, your servant, whether
it be favour or anger, or death or bonds.
Tell me quickly
the mischief
the means,
king of
saints,
*'
done
in
anger
V^
Doha 287.
When
enemy,
alive.
Ghaupdi 284.
hand moves
My
not,
breast
me
On
pain."
bowed
hearing
"
his head,
this, the
Even your
pity
is like
a blast of
wind
and the words you speak would strip a tree of its blossoms.
If a saint's body is thus parched even by pity, God help
"
See now, Janak, keep this
him when he is angry."
"^
child
away
of death.
he
is
Why
do you not
so
small
to
look
at
to
and yet so
the saint,
Dohd 2SS.
Then
**
said
^'/"-^^
parasurAm in tones
of
fury to
Rima,
173
CHILDHOOD.
It
Chaupdi 285.
your suggestion your brother utters these
and your humility and folded hands are a
at
is
sarcasms,
mockery.
Give
your name
of Rjima.
your tricks
and your brother too."
his axe
"
on
Though
but
high,
the fault
is
Rdma
R^hu does
crescent moon.
Cease,
great
sir,
Dohd
your servant.
^ (^
2S9.
am
holy
Brdh-
Chaupdi 286.
For seeing you equipt with axe and bow and arrows, the
child took you for a knight and challenged you for though
he knew your name, he did not recognize your person, and
;
know you
did not
What
We
Rama.
You have
the long
In every
man, pardon
my
to
my
way
name
of
R^ma
of the axe.'
am your
inferior
as
all
a Brdh-
offence."
Gun, which
the
and the
list
is
174
CHILDHOOD.
Doha 290.
Again and again did
addressing him by his titles
till
exclaimed
Bhrigupati
Rima
*
of
intreat
'
Saint
and
his rage
in
his
'
namesake,
Holy Brahman,'
You
as per-
are
Chaupdi 287.
You persist
now what kind
my
cial ladle,
in
me
taking
of a
Brflhman ;I
for a
Brdhman
will tell
you
am.
ing
oblation
thus have
whom
war
To you my
glory
is
before you
speak
is
What
reason have
I to
your anger
The
a trifling one.
fault
nought when
man
but
Bhrigunith
truth,
is
head in fear
I treat
"
saint,
excessive
a
at
my
touch.
Dohd 291.
Hear the
is
bow broke
old
be proud
R^ma
you say
set
you at
a Brah-
my
Chaupdi 288.
god, demon, king or warrior, whether
Any
strength or
him would
my
I
superior,
who
will challenge
my
me
to
equal in
combat,
For one
there
meet
power
of
is
not a descendant of
in battle
fear
but so great
the
is
^o
fears
175
CHILDHOOD.
nought
of
Rima's,
opened
and let
On
else."
'*
Rdma,
my
the eyes
bow
of Vishnu's
doubts be ended."
strung itself of
ed at heart.
its
own
accord
'
^
y
D6hd 292.
He acknowledged
Chaupdi 289.
"
to
the
of the lotus race of Raghu,
Sun
Glory
fire that consumes the serried ranks of the demons
to the friend of gods,
to the
glory
to
glory
the
passion
passion
glory to
are
fathomless as ocean
glory
to
him who
is
How
myriad Loves.
who is
much
that
as
it
was unseemly
'
cowards
the
fled
j
in
selfall
.^
'
Dohd 293.
now
their kettledrums
and
all
Chaupdi 290.
There was a tumultuous clash of instruments of music
and a display of all things pleasant and auspicious. Troops
of fair faced, bright-eyed
maidens joined
in
176
CHILDHOOD.
who
do."
broke
this is well
known
to
orNiiga.
/3v
on
Dohd2M.
man
go and perform according to family usage whatever practices are prescribed in the Veda, after consultation
with the Brdhmans and elders and your own guru
Still,
Chaupdi 291.
to
Avadh
to invite
"
king Dasarath"
Tis well,
gracious sir,"
Vjuo-^The pria^e^ responded gladly
and sent a messenger to Avadh that very moment. Then
he summoned all the burghers, who came every one of them,
:
own
lions
made and
erected."
triumphal arches
and they,
pillars
of
.j-ys
-^^
Dohd 295.
with leaves and fruit of emeralds and ruby flowers ; such a
gorgeous show that the Creator was quite disconcerted at
;*
I
the sight.
Chaupdi 292.
encrusted with emeralds, and so like in form
^
^i
177
CHILDHOOD.
and
colour,! that
betel
leaves
no one could
fashioned
in
tell
gold so
them from
real,
with
ing and
in
laying
made
lotuses of mosaic
with
rubies,
omen
and
in their hands.
filled in
of exquisite beauty.
'3-Y
^ ^'^
Dohd 296.
made most lovely mango-boughs
of
Chaupdi 293.
Next they made charming festoons as it were Love's
own nooses and many golden vases with silken flags and
banners and waving chauris and elegant lamps all studded
with gems. It is impossible to describe the various pavilions
and
in particular the
to
its
attempt
descripcanopy for Rama, the bridegroom, the
beauty and perfection, flashed its radiance
centre of all
through
all
three worlds.
there
1
Another reading, instead of sa-ras, saharna, is sural sa-parva, 'straight
and knotted.'
2 F'tr sindfmr, 'an elephant.' another reading is dndw, vermilion,' but
this canni)t oe corrct, sinoe the chauks or squares, to which reference is
here made, are always marised out witti some whit-i material, ordinarily
flour, though in a king's palace strings of pearls might be substituted.
3 The fourteen spheres are as follows, viz, first, seven above the earth
Bhur-lok, Bhuvar-lok, Swar-lok, Mahar-lok, Jan-lok Tap-lok. and Satya-lok
and seven beneath the earth -Atal, Bital, Sutal, Rasdtal, Mahdtal, Taldtal,
and Fital.
'
R-26
178
CHILDHOOD.
Doha
S'X^
2d7.
For the magnificence of the city wherein dwelt the goddess Lakshmi, in disguise as a woman, was more than even
S^rad^ or Seshndg could tell.
When
Chaupdi 294.
Rama's sacred birthplace,
see the beauty of the city.
At the royal
they rejoiced to
moned them
his presence.
they delivered the letter, and the king in his joy rose to
As he read it his eyes filled with tears, his
receive it.
to
letter
all
At
utter a
word
either good
or bad.
letter.
Ghaupdi 295.
On
hearing
it
irrepressible joy,
Then
to
"
''
One is
you really seen them with your own eyes ?
and
fair
both
with
bow
other
are
the
quiver,
dark,
equipt
and are of tender age, and with them is Saint Visvamitra."
;
it is
clear
tell
me now
of
their
state
179
CHILDHOOD.
from the day that the saint took them away till now I
have had no definite news of them. Tell me how Janak
for
knew
smiled
"
man
At these
them."
fond
words
^aj
^^
Dohd 299.
jewel and crown
Hearken,
who have
so blest as you,
of the
the
messengers
fuf-
of kings
for sons
there
Rdma and
is
no
Laksh-
whole world.
Chaupdi 296.
There
is
no need
hearted heroes
who
glory and
their
Why
cold.
say,
irradiate
the
three
my
who
to
lord,
how
is
they were
lion-
Before
is
recognized ?
to see the
sun
great warriors
as
they were,
one of
The
they are
spheres.
all
the
three worlds
assembly.
^ ^
Dohd SOO.
'"^
-^
Then R^ma,
Lakshman,
his
withdrew
in a fury,
own bow
to the
and
after
to test his
woods. Nor
is
is
the
at sight of
an elephant before a
sir, can regard anything else on earth." At this
and
affectionate speech of the heralds, so loving,
eloquent
as
two sons,
180
CHILDHOOD.
grand and
and began
heroic, the
to offer
"
ears, crying,
them lavish
Not
so, not so
"
;
and
Vasishta, and
*2
Chaupdi 298.
them the saint was highly pleased and
After hearing
said
to
n L
^^^
301.
Do?irf
Then
were charmed
all
"
rivers
to
queen Kausalyd no
equals for piety
less
in the whole
world, either
you have no
now
or in the
Who,
past, nor hereafter shall have.
king, can be more
blest than you, who have a son like R^raa nay, four heroic
;
all
and amiable.
Happy,
time.
? T,'/
^
Dohd 302.
On
Go
Then he
to
called
all
news.
He
them Janak's
aloud
all
all
and both
181
CHILDHOOD.
again ere he turned to the door, the king repeated the glory
and the exploits both of Rdma and Lakshman, adding,
"
It is all
their blessings.
Soratha 28.
"^^
2 /"
peror Dasarath
Ghaupdi 300-
many
in
as they
left,
attired in raiment of
colours.
of
music and
the
as
every house,
were
fulfilled
streets
for
although Avadh
in
and festoons
of
and
netted
at
and garlands
dij(>h
of flowers.
Dohd 303.r
S'
^^
design.
Troops
practised
of girls
all
Ghaupdi 301.
assembled at different places, who had
or
modes
of
182
CHILDHOOD.
fawn-like eyes,
was put
to
to
omen was
and
Sita.
small for
The
it,
joy
and
it
spells
Dohd 304. 5
What
palace of
Dasarath, in
full the
too
^
magnificence of the
of highest
Ghaupdi 302.
called Bharat
"
Go and
prepare horses
once for Raghubir's
marriage procession." When they heard this order, both
brothers were full of excitoment.
Bharat sent for all the
chief officers
start at
all
were red-hot
iron.
Of
First they
made gorgeous
were the
and
mettlesome,
well-proportioned
it
different
colours
they would race the wind and outstrip it. The princes
who mounted them were all like Bharat, graceful, and gorgeously attired, with
filled
in
hand and
Bdsrdg
mukh
terahi
well-
183
CHILDHOOD.
Doha
^ -^ ^
305.
in sword-play.
Chaupdi 303.
the warriors staunch in fight sal-
lied forth
city,
all their
to these chariots, and all were so beautiful and richly caparisoned that even a saint would be enraptured at the sight
;
skimming
the surface
of
the
word
charioteers gave
to their
masters,
Dohd 306.
3 V >who all mounted in turn, and the procession began to form
outside the city all, whatever the object on which they
were bent, were met by auspicious omens.
;
On
the magnificent
Chaupdi 304.
elephants were splendid canopies,
rank
were
horse to be
fit
for sacrifice
ears.
184
CHILDHOOD.
shoulders
list of
who
but
could
own
set of appliances ?
Doha
All were glad and fearless
?3 3
307.
of heart,
"
When shall
ing with excitement in every limb, saying
we feast our eyps with the sight of the two heroes, Rima
:
The
on
elephants' bells clanged with a fearful din
sides there was a creaking of wheels and a neighing
horses
the
a tempest's roar,
all
of
and no
pavement was
all
Women mounted
on
and
description.
ready two chariots and yoked them with steeds that would
outrun the horses of the Sun, and brought them in all their
beauty before the king not S^radA herself could do them
justice
was
more splendid.
still
first
iX
the other
U
^
his
Chaupdi 306.
By
beside Vrihaspati.
After perfurming every ceremony prescribed either by family usage or the Veda, and inspecting
and with
gods
his
thoughts fixed on
Rma. The
beneficent
flowers.
185
CHILDHOOD.
line of
and small.
The
challenging
attack
soldiers
foot
leaped
the jesters
and
danced as
practised
if
kinds of
all
Dohd^OQ.
^^..r
measurdancers
note with surprise that they never make a step out of time.
Chaupdi 307.
But
it is
fair
and auspicious.
On
to
if
woman was
seen
a fox showed
and in front a cow was suckling
deer came out on the right, an indication
a herd of
a Brdhmani-kite pronnsed
of everything
good
also a
sydma
met bearing curds and
fish
all
success
man was
and two learned Brdhmans
;
Dohd 310. i ^^
Every good and auspicious omen, and every bestower of
desired reward, seemed all to have met at once as if to verify
themselves.
Chaupdi 308.
Every good and auspicious omen was ready at hand for
him whose glorious son was the incarnate God, a bride-
groom
like
a bride as
Sita,
and
with the pious Dasarath and Janak for the two parents.
When they heard of the marriage, all the good omens
R 27
J"
CHILDHOOD.
136
has
dance and say :-'* Now at last the Creator
this
In
denotes."
name
be what our
really made us to
set forth, with noise of horses and
manner the
to
began
procession
When Janak, the glory
of drums.
elephants and beat
he had all the
of the Solar race, heard of its approach,
different
stages had convenient
rivers bridged, and at
in splendour with the
vied
rest-houses erected, which
one
heaven and were supplied everything that
Ever
discovering
could desire -beds, food and linen.
home.
own
their
travellers
the
all
forgot
some new charm,
city of
DohdSn.
'3 5'^
was known that the procession was close at
the drums was heard, a deputahand, and the beating of
and chariots and
tion went out to meet it, with elephants
When
^
^
it
and horse.
foot
Chaupdi 309.
salvers and costly
Beautiful golden vases and trays and
as sweet as nectar
dishes! of every "kind, laden with cakes
fruit and,
indescribable variety, with much luscious
and
of
the
in short, everyihing.of the best, did
ness send as
an offering.
king in
his
glad-
jewels of
train
of
"
parched
tion
and
all
porters
rice
with their
baskets
with
their
of
curds and
When
the deputa-
full
was
full of
excitement
rapture
while the
body quivered
no less charmed by the preparations made
were
guests
for their reception and beat their drums.
Dohd 312.
2'^
marched in their
they joined their ranks and
of
sake
the
company like two oceans
joy as one body for
and com e together.
bounds
of bliss that had burst their
For
a little
For hhajan,
'
dislics,'
'
food,'
but incorrectly,
187
CHILDHOOD.
Ghaupdi 310.
The nymphs
address.
them
The king
in charity
and hymns
of praise
Doha SIS.
Obedient
T^"^^
her
Ghaupdi 311.
apartment found it a
no, one, however, had an inkling of the
mysterious power that had been exerted, but took it all as
Janak's doing. Rdma alone recognized the influence of
veritable paradise
to see
his
their guru,
again
to
see
speak
their
to
sire
filled
to
his
ing travellers
who have
spied a pool.
CHILDHOOD.
188
'
Doha 314.
When
the king
he rose in
deep flood
of bliss.
Ghaupdi 312.
prostrated himself before the saint, again and again
sprinkling on his head the dust of his feet. Visvamitra
He
took
him
to his
his welfare.
to his heart,
intoler-
affectionately
and
in turn they
saluted
of the
utmost
Dohd sio.
^m
The
affection.
all-merciful and
greeting for
all,
Chaupdi 313.
At the sight
for their toilsome
of
RAma
the
drums
the
nymphs
of
heaven danced
rels,
189
CHILDHOOD.
The whole city was exceedingly delighted that the procession had come before the day fixed for the wedding, and
were supremely happy, praying God
and nights
to
Doh
"
R^ma and
316.
J^>^
and the
perfection of beauty,
two kings the perfection of virtue :" thus would say all the
people of the city whenever they happened to meet
:
Chaupdi 314.
"
Sita
is
Rdma
the
of
Dasarath's
have been born into the world as Janak's citizens and have
beheld the beauty of Jd-naki and Rd.ma who is so superlatively blest as we are ? and we have yet to see Rd-ma's
;
felicity in
of
Dohdsn.
::%?.
to fetch her.
Chaupdi 315.
There
who, dear
will be all
girl,
Every one in
and Lakshman
every one
who has
beautiful in every
seen them
"
limb, so says
"
:
saw
them
190
CHILDHOOD.
man
neither
nor
woman
could
to foot
fain
in
every
express
fails
parable to them
it,
for there
Ohhand
No
its
nothing com-
tell
while again
is
34.
and
their
amiability
themselves.
*'
Sorathd 29.
^^
'*
:
(^
streaming eyes
it
all
about."
Chaupdi 316.
In like
manner they
all
expressed
as Sita's suitors,
and returned
to their
saw the
brothers,
own homes,
they
extolling
all
Rama's
At length
spent, to the joy alike of citizens and guests.
the auspicious, day arrived, in the cold season, in the
pleasant
month
of
Aghan.
care-
when
zodiac, the age
moon, the conjunction of the stars and the day of
Of this he sent
the week were one and all propitious.
of the
wise
fact declared
it
their astrologers to
that Janak's
hearing
be very gods.
this
191
CHILDHOOD.
Dohd
It
SIS.
^H^
Ghaupdi
3.1.7.
"
The monarch cried to the family priest
What is
now the cause of delay ? At once Sat^nand summoned the
ministers, who all came bearing festal vases
conches,
:
went with
all
ceremony
to the visitors'
the king and the saint sallied forth with all their host.
Doha 319.
Brdhma and
all
yr/
pomp
and magnificence
of
Ghaupdi 318.
Seeing the auspiciousness of the time, the deities rained
flowers and beat their drums. Siva and Brdhma and
down
all
mounted
their chariots
and came
in
and
<i/i^?iM
'
'
^
jl
'
'
'
192
CHILDHOOD.
crowds
to see
all
the marvellous
decorations
the
at
desses seemed like the stars at the rising of the full moon.
Above
all
at finding his
work nowhere.
'^
own handi-
c7
"^
"^
Dohd 320.
/
*'
But Siva admonished them all
Do not give way
such surprise recover yourselves and reflect that this
:
to
is
Chaupdi 319.
whose name destroys all that is
in whose hand are the four great ends
evil in the world
such are Sita and Rjma, says Love's desof human life
troyer." When Sambhu had thus admonished the gods, he
again urged on his noble bull. Beholding Dasarath march
of
The crowd
was
of saints
full of joy
and
their
limbs trembled.
In the
like incarnate gods ministering to him.
midst shone forth the beautiful boys as it were final Beatitude manifested in its four phases. As they gazed on the
seemed
pair, of golden
with violent
sight of
Rama, and
the
glorified
flowers.
-4
Uohd
Again and again as
UmA
'
"^
I)"^^
321.
and Mahfldeva
*\
foot,
their
1
Phe four grades or ph is".h of apirarga, i /.. final beatitude, are
salokafd, residence in the same heaven as f;od san'ipatd boing in the same
form as god *o/rt/;yrtfa, being in actual contct with god; and myujyatd,
complete absorption into god.
;
103
CHILDHOOD.
Ghaupdi 320.
On
his
bright raiment outshone the lightning his wedding adornments of every kind were most exquisitely fashioned
his
;
face
how
his eyes
so
short,
moved the
soul.
his
shone
forth
his
side
By
charming brother, makhis
mettlesome
steed
and
bound on the way, as
ing
plunge
marvellous that no words can describe
As
Rdma
ed for shame
it
bards
birds
bestrode, he blush-
was beyond
all
telling,
as
it
might be
and rubies
bridle
too
and
Dohd
322.
response
to a
by the stars
was
as beautiful as a peacock,
of
fitful
the
that dances in
is
irradiated
lightning.
Ghaupdi 321.
But not Sarad^ herself could do justice to the noble
Sankara was enchanted with
steed on which R^ma rode.
his beauty,
fifteen
When
off
again as Brahma.
R 28
When
wise Indra
194
CHILDHOOD.
looked at
and
the
a great blessing
at the sight of
R^ma, and
there
in
Chhand
36.
There was exceeding joy in both royal courts the welhin resounded with multitudinous kettledrums
the gods
rained down flowers and shouted in their joy, Glory,
;
glory, glory to
handmaids
to
the
prepare
lustral rite.
of
Dohd 323. y\
With many lights and torches and festal preparations
every kind, a bevy of graceful dames proceeded joyously
Chaupdi 322
With fawn-like eyes and face of moonlike brightness,
each one was beautiful enough to rob Rati of all self-conAttired
ceit.
covered
all
in costly
garments
of different
they
of the bells
moved,
All
elephant.
colours,
with
on their
all
kinds of
than
the
koil to
feet,
,,
and
Chhand
37.
In their ecstatic joy as they went to receive the bridegroom with melodious song and sweet music, who could
I
eyes.
195
CHILDHOOD.
tell
down
flowers and
and
,
their every
limb
-^
Doha 324.
The joy of Si ta's mother on the beholding Rdma's gallant appearance was more than a thousand S^radas and
Seshndgs could tell in a hundred ages.
Chaupdi 323.
Restraining her tears out of regard for the suspiciousness of the event, the queen with gladness of heart performed the lustral rite, and deligently completed the entire
ceremony
festal
in
The
usage.
chanting, and
rich carpets
of
different sorts
were
and the
the earth
much
and
in
less
Ckhand 38.
the bridegroom was seated on the throne and
the lustral rite was performed, all rejoiced at the sight,
scattering around him jewels and raiment and ornaments
When
196
CHILDHOOD.
all
their
life.
V
Dohd 325.
The barber and torch-maker and singers and dancers,
who gathered up theofEerings that had been scattered about
bowed their head and invoked blessings upon him
R'ima,
1
Ghaupdi 324.
Janak and Dasarath joined most
joy.
in
affectionately
the
Since
Brdhma
first
we
have seen and heard of many marriages, but never till this
day have we seen a match so perfect in all respects, and two
such wellmatched fathers." At the sound of this voice from
The custom
of distributing pieces of
money among
the crowd
is
still
'
of legal pharaseology.
197
CHILDHOOD.
Ghhand
39.
Janak with
his
were astonished
own patron
divinity,
to
Vasishta as to his
but the
^ft
Do/ia 326.
Chaupdi 325.
Again he did homage to the lord of Kosala, taking him
to be the peer of Mahddeva, yea, none other
with clasped
hands and in humble phrase extolling him and enlarging on
;
Then
his
to all the
wedding-
With
gifts
tlie
who
Who
them
them homage
could
as
gods and
led
them
not,
paid
to exalted seats.
Ghhand 40.
who was who, when
tell
all sides.
When
The guardians
and
and
198
CHILDHOOD.
to
"
Dohd 327.
As
the
partridge drinks
'^
Chaupdi 326.
had arrived, Vasishta
On
"
called,
Go now and
went gladly, and on hearing his message the queen with all
her attendants was delighted, and sent for the Brahman
ladies
performed
all
of the tribe,
bloom
of their youth,
all
'
of joy
so amiable
the
that
and
lovely, in the
ladies were
charmed
of
to the pavilion.
Chhand
^i:[.
the
forgot their
fining,
tive
marks
'
OHILDHOOD.
^^ ^
DohvmS.
Among
199
among
the Graces.
Chaupui S27
Her beauty
is it and so little
saw
her approach, so
my
wedding guests
exquisitely charming and every way divine, they all did
When
wit.
homage
is
indescribable, so great
the
to
Rama was
filled
At the sight
of her,
in
auspicious wise
manner
saints
recited
joyously
city.
In
Sita arrived at
the
all
cere-
monies.
Ghhand 42-43.
After the ceremonies the gurus directed the glad Brah-
mans
to
received
with joy.
him by
man
the
accepted
any holy
fancied
at
all
rites
family
throne.
The mutual
love
sense,
or
intelligence,
it
with
which Sita
much
to
of
the
upon
and
;
it
-.
burnt
^^
sacrifice,
Rama
exceeds
or speech, or perception
?
Dohd329.
At the time
look
how
'
the
Fire-god in
200
CHILDnOOD.
Chaupdi 328
consort, Sita's
C?
the glad king and queen take and place before Rama
golden vases and costly jewelled trays full of holy water
Chhand 4447.
began
the city there were singing and music and shouts of victory
and
desire
"
these holy
feet are
bathed
heaven of their
glad acclaim of all. The two family priests join the ^^fljids
The
of the bride and bridegroom and recite their descent.
mystic union
all
is
completed, and
saints
at the sight
were
full
Brdhma and
of joy.
As
the
bride's parents
the glorious
201
CHILDHOOD.
Lakshmi
^1
down
Ghaupdi22%.
per-
to
Rama's glorious
and bashfulness, at
and
like
All the
Janak forgot
all
K^ma-
incarnations of
witness
spectators
another
at
were enraptured
about themselves.
Joyously the
applied the
all
vermilion
description
and
the
red
powder
his
it
arm seemed
decorated her
that
filled
his
beyond
like a serpent
thirs-
lotus
hand.
Then by
seat together.
Ghhand ^S-5l.
own
virtue
R-29
it
were
blossoming anew.
CHILDHOOD.
202
There was rejoicing
wedding, how can
my
all
it
be described
? I
MAndavi,
Srutiklrti,
forming every
the
summoned
and Urmild.
rite,
all
king gave
Bharat
to
first
in
Lakshman Janaki's
away
klrti,
lovely
younger
sister
and
finally
gave
Ripu-siidan the bright-eyed and charming Srutino less amiable than beautiful. As bride and brideto
groom
contrast. ^ they
edly applauded the beauty of the scene, and the gods rained
down
living soul.
The king
and
of
Dohd 331.
^'i^
Avadh gazed with delight on
them
their brides
cognate ends of
life.^
Ghaupdi 330.
All the princes were
yond description
jewels.
profusion
and
of
rites as
immense value
was
full of
kinds in
;
be-
gold and
the greatest
elephants,
chariots,
203
CHILDHOOD.
as beautiful as the
it
most graciously. To every one who asked was given whatever he desired, and what remained over was taken to the
all
guests' quarters.
Then with
Ghhand 52-55.
After courteously entreating all the marriage guests
with high ceremony, gifts, apologies and compliments, he
joyfully proceeded with much devotion to do his humble
homage
pitiated
to
the saintly
the gods,
addressed them
all,
throng.
pro-
spoke
love
command. Take these girls as your handmaidens and graciously protect them, and pardon me my
The glory of the
sin and presumption in inviting you."
freely yours to
his
down
flowers
as
the
cousin in terms of
royal
past
The
monarch proceeded
all
telling,
and
deities
rained
the
guest-
to
benefit from a
such
scanty offering,
it
botb
CHILDHOOD.
204
DoU
*^
332.
with modest
Ghaupdi 331.
Dark in hue and fall of untaught grace, his beauty put
his lac-stained feet gleamed like
to shame a myriad Loves
some lotus, the haunt of bee-like saintly souls his pure and
;
and the
little bells
bangles
him
hearts
all
off to
his
all
his
perfection
lustrous were
fringe of
gems and
pearls
head a most bewitching spot, while on his head the auspicious marriage-crown shone glorious with knotted pearls
and gems.
Chhand 5659.
The knotted gems and the crown and
hearts
ravished
all
or earth
who
did not
of his beauty.
of the
attendants,
who with
205
CHILDHOOD.
and
all
who escorted
Then might
life to
the four
happy
couples.'
their lord,
ness,
'
ing
Then
Victory.'
their brides
approached their father, and such was the glory, the felicity and the rapture that it seemed to overflow the court
like a torrent.
Chaupdi 332.
was a magnificient banquet,
there
Again
Janak sent and invited
stuff
all
the visitors.
sallied
to
which
Carpets of richest
forth with
his sons.
loving
Rdma's
devotion
past
all
telling
enshrined
in
dishes,
made
all of
and
stitched
/
Doha 334. ^ *y
_:
206
CHILDHOOD.
Ghaupdi 333.
After
the
making
words can
tell,
remember
mentioned
in
infinite variety of
all their
sacred
the
books and
an
i^inds
indescribable
were moved
all
they
to
Dohd3S5.
-"^
And Janak
in
own apartment.
Ghaupdi 334.
There was ever some new rejoicing in the city, and the
whole day and night seemed gone like a minute. At early
dawn
the best of
As he gazed upon
and
the
to
gallant
princes
was beyond
all tell-
hands
in
Now
all
to
to
sum-
itpana,
S7nd?ia,
207
CHILDHOOD.
JA^
DoJid 336.
Vdlmlki and
all
the other
ascetics,
Ghaupdl 335.
before them
all
of
them
declaring
with
saints,
it
to
receiving their
after decorating
in every possible
upon the
and
of paradise,
many
a phrase of studied
the king,
the pride
joy
humility,
On
life.
of the
solar
begging fraternity
and gave them, according as each desired, gold, or apparel,
or jewels, or horses, or elephants, or chariots. They all left
glory, glory, glory,
loudly telling and singing his praises
race, rejoiced,
'
Sun-gods*s
Rdma's wedding
beyond
all that
^
/
Dohd 337. a. b
lord
and
the
bowed his head
Again
again
feet
"
rejoicings
thousand tongues.
I a
race.'
at
king of saints,
is
Visvamitra's
the result of
Chaupdi 336.
a thousand different
The
no one liked
to
kinds of
entertainment.
In this man-
many days were spent, and the guests were fast bound
the
cords of love, till Visvamitra and Sat^nand went and
by
"You must now let Dasarath take his
told Videha's lord
ner
mb
sarahat
biti
208
CHILDHOOD.
leave,
even though you cannot part with your love for him."
his min-
'
Dohd 338.
"
Make
known
it
All hail
!'
"
f:
At these words the ministers, Brihmans, counand princes were greatly moved.
to depart."
sellers
Ghaupdi 337.
When
was noised
as
it
unhappy
as a lotus that
fades
in
the
up on
evening.
their
Every
was
arrival
of
all
kinds.
Doha 339.
The dowry, moreover, given by Videha's king was im'^
'^
Chaupdi 338.
When
the
Janak despatched it
were about to start,
to
when water
fish
falls.
it
might
209
CfllLDHOOt).
*'
May you
reminded her
tion
?'
Doha
340.
'
Why
has
^7
Then came the joyous Rama, the glory of the Solar race,
with his brothers, to Janak's palace to take leave.
Chaupdi 339.
Ail the people of the city, whether
to see the
men
or
women, ran
Said
ture; so feast your eyes on their beauty for the last time.
All four princes have been most welcome visitors who can
say friend, what we have done to deserve that god should
;
hungry
his
tree of paradise
who approaches
or as
am
Hari's feet, so
image
hood."
in
In
your heart, as
it
in a serpent's
manner
Doha Sil.
The
quisite
the eyes
1-%
beauty
lamp around
their heads
and
scatter gifts.
1
lathis line rukh may be the Persian word meaning
more probably the Sanskrit 7'ush, 'displeasure.'
R-30
'
face
;'
but
it la
210
CHILDHOOD.
Chaupdi 340.
Rama's beauty, they affecagain and again, nor are conscious of
brothers and
him
entertain
lovingly
Then seeing
at
these words the queens grieved sore and were too overcome
by love
to
to
thought
of all
men.
Know
and
well
to all
to
that Sita
is
dear as
life to
all
the
You
l^J
Rdma
Chaupdi 341.
So saying, the queens still clung to his feet and their
seemed lost as it were in the quicksands of love. On
voice
211
CHILDHOOD.
of love
but
summoning up
courage they called their daughters and again and again gave
them a maternal embrace then leading them a few steps
would take them to their arms yet again with ever-growing
:
Time
mutual
love.
for yet
one more
last
after
time they
their
attendants
m
Tf^
Do}idU2.
Every one
left
and
were so over-
all,
Chaupdi 342.
and
mainas, that JAnaki had kept in
pet parrots
golden cages and taught to speak, cry in their agitation
Where is the princes'? and, on hearing, which of them was
The
'
'
not robbed of
were thus
told ?
all
distrest,
his eyes
full of
tears.
As he
gazed upon Sita, all his courage deserted him and his
eminent asceticism lasted but in name. As he clasped
Jdnaki
to his
him
self,
of his stern
of the
to
philosophy
counsellors admonished
wise
All his
to his
heart
be got ready.
The whole
court
Chaupdi 343.
his
customs.
He bestowed upon
her
212
CHILDHOOD.
maid-servants and
all
own
her
favourite attendants.
As
she went on her way the citizens were in distress, but all
good signs and auspicious omens were forthcoming. Brah-
chariots
and
elephants
and
horses,
was
and there
As he
every
their lotus
of
great ting as he
omen
was
to
way with
Doha 344.
his thoughts
good occurred.
of
feet
>
^7
flowers, the
on Ganes,
heavenly
nymphs
sang for joy, as the king of Avadh set forth for his capital
'midst the clash of jubilant music.
Chaupdi 344.
Courteously the king(]ismissed the burghers and reverently bade
him. After again and again reciting his praises they turned
home with R^ma in their heart. Though Kosala's lord
Once more
turn
to
beg you
distance.' At last he
sire
you have come a great
dismounted and remained standing, his
back,
on
"
:
whom my
How
can
I fitly
express
my
unworthiness^
Dohd
"
Si5.
I
Kosala's king in return showed the profoundest respect
to the father of the bride and his retinue ; and as they em-
felt,
213
CHILDHOOD.
Janak bowed
Chaupdi 345.
head to the throng
his
the
sons-in-law,
of
saints
his gracious
"
Rfima
how can
saints
tell
thy praise
re-
a treasure of beauty,
and clasping
amiability and accomplishments
lotus hands he cried in accents begotten of love
and
all.
swan
for
of the
Mdnas
lake of the
tise their asceticism; devoid of anger, infatuation, selfishness and pride the all-pervading Brahm, the invisible, the
immortal, the supreme spirit, at once the sum and negation
;
whom
of all qualities;
whom
philosophy
selfsame in
all
fails to
V^
Doha 346.
_
^
Source of
vision
material
for
nothing
whom God
reach of him to
is
world
is
my
beyond the
propitious.
Chaupdi 346.
Thou
me
hast magnified
me
in every
somewhat
to say
or thy perfections
-
know
for I
made me thy
this,
have
this
good fortune
Raghunath; yet I have
tell all
ground
my
of confidence that
thou art easily appeased by the slightest evidence of affectionand therefore time after time I implore with clasped
On
my
deserting
Rdma,
in
whom
pleasure ever
courtesy saluted his
all
father-in-law, holding
and affectionately
sire,
or Visva-
mitra, or Vasishta.
214
CHILDHOOD.
Doha 347.
Then
the king
Ghaupdi 347.
At
last, after
many
speeches,
Rdma
is
now
beyond
my
am persuaded
to
leave
Dohd
348.
Rdma
and feasted
their
drew near
to
Avadh.
Ghaupdi 348.
'Midst the beat of kettledrums and noise of
many
tabors
when
all in
his
began to decorate
and squares and
perfumes
215
CHILDHOOD.
soil,
exquisite workmanship.
Doha 349.
In house after
all
the
kind were
Rdma.
Chaupdi 349.
At that time the king's palace was so resplendent that
the god of love was distracted by the sight of such magni-
It
in
loveliness the
were
too
Doha S50.
J 7^
upon the Br^hmans, after
worshipping Ganes and Mahadeva, and were as rejoiced as
Poverty would be on finding the four great prizes of life.
Each
gifts
Chaupdi 350.
mother was so overcome with love and deher feet refused to walk and the whole body was
roj^al
light that
paralyzed.
gjlad
Sumitr^ arranged
roots, rice.
216
CHILDHtJOD.
blades of wheat,
bunches
so
of
exquisitely
of
pigment, parched
yellow
and
grain,
own
for Love's
the
the
The auspicious
birdlings.
and
offerings
With
prepared.
Dohd 351.
With golden
their
offerings,
^'\^
and
their
body
hands, laden
with
"T
paradise which seemed to the beholders as cranes in gracethe lustrous jewelled festoons resembled the
rainbow the maidens on the house-tops, now in sight and
ful flight
now
the
beat of the
tlie fitful
drums was
of
flashes
lightning;
the
clamorous, as
the
of
line
yuru gave
made
Sambhu and
all his
his entry
Girja and
retinue.
Dohd 352. 3 ^ ^
was
omen
auspicious the gods beat their drums
Every
and rained down flowers, while the heavenly nymphs
;
Chaupdi 352.
.
Bards,
minstrels,
rhapsodists,
mimes
and players
In all
217
CHILDHOOD.
ten regions
of the
victory intermingled
Veda.
men on
earth
The magnificence
telling, and the joy was
The citizens made a pro-
of the procession
was past
all
contain.
still
more
glad.
^ ^
Dohd S53.
,S
In this manner,
the gate
of
Ghaupdi 353.
Time
of love that is
beyond
all
bliss
of
happiest
moment
of their life.
As her companions
look
all
loveliness.
Dohd
354.
^c^y
^
,1?^
After performing
all
R-31
218
CHILDHOOD.
Chaupdi 354.
After seating the brides and their grooms on four
thrones so magnificent that they seemed as if made by
Love's
own hands,
homage
all
their
to lave
scatter
their
exultation as a devotee
man
man
restored to
quence
sight
or a warrior
in battle.
3^^;
^^
returned
home
the queens,
of
married.
As
matrons performed
the royal
brides
the
his brothers
and
to
their
grooms
himself on
be-
Chaupdi 355.
In due fashion
was
satisfied.
Humbly
they begged of
all
them
to their
all
who had
in
joy each to
his
own
abode.
clad
of jubilant
219
CHILDHOOD.
music.
Anything that a beggar begged was at once
bestowed upon him by the glad king, and every attendant
and every minstrel band was overwhelmed with gifts and
compliments.
All profoundly
i>V^
mans proceeded
.^
/_
DohdS57.
to the palace.
Chaupdi 356.
Under Vasishta's
directions he
reverently performed
them
ate civilities
him
at a
and
gifts.
To
at parting.
homage, saying
the
My
lord, there is
no
man
in the world
Again he adored
humility and devotion.
wish.
his lotus
feet
watching
his every
Dohd
35S.
ln>
The princes and their brides, the king and his royal
and again did reverence to the guru's feet
consorts, again
Chaupdi 357.
and deep devotion he placed
With humility
before him his sons and everything that he possessed. But
the great saint asked only for the accustomed offering, and
of heart
invoking upon him every blessing set out with joy on his
homeward way, with the image of Rdma and Sita impressed
upon his heart. Then were summoned the Brahman dames
of the tribe
fair robes
and
220
*?
CHILDHOOD.
ornaments
too
whelmed with
bir's
over-
The gods, who witnessed Raghumarriage, rained down flowers as they applauded the
courtesies.
spectacle,
->
of
o-^
J^
Doha 359.
to his
own realm
all
Chaupdi 358.
The king showed every one all possible honour, and
with a heart
full to
little
was
they listened
filled
with delight
to
the
all
The king
told
it all
like a hired
encomiast, and
the
After bathing
summoned
his
Chaupdi 359.
Lovely women sang
1
^^
'
The tuoiini
in a
in the west
nd the word might be bo translated, were it not
essential for the suasini to be herself married and with her husband
bridesmaid
that
It is
alive.
CHILDHOOD.
221
after one
then
own
to his
abode.
more look
at
The
display of
that time
SArad^s or Seshn^gs or by the Veda, or Brdhma, or Mah6deva, or Ganes how then can I tell it, any more than an
:
to
-" The
After
gentle
a strange house
l^
DohdSQl.
feet.
Ghaupdi 360.
On
made ready
the
bed, which was of gold and set with gems, with various
and white as the froth of milk, and
tell.
were sweet-scented garlands, and a beautiful canopy flashing with lustrous gems which defied description no one
;
who had
not seen
it
could
imagine
it.
leave
Doha 362.
:,
How
to slay those
Subdhu and
all their
host
222
CHILDHOOD.
It
Chaupdi 361.
vow,
was by the
saint's favour, I
my
son, that
God
and J^naki
home married.
returned
human
it is
only by
have prospered.
fruit,
now
To-day
my
son.
God ought
The days
take
not to
all."
Doha 363.
-1
/
;
As he
Chaupdi 362.
and piquant
women
wise.
in sleep.
closed at
little
eventide.
mouth gleamed
In
every
house
itself that,
"
The matrons
their blessing
upon
their
and
face
223
CHILDHOOD.
in
ablutions and
the
customary
and completed their morning devotions ere they returned
to their sire.
Ghaupdi 363.
command
at his
took
them
to his
bosom. Then
The whole
at the
sight of
their eyes
supremely blest.
and Visvamitra and were conducted to exalted thrones.
Father and sons reverently adored their feet, and both the
holy
men
sacred
ed.
was exceeding
joy.
Doha 365.
Thus passed
and
festivity
the
days
in
2^
perpetual
of
5?
delight, happiness
Avadh was
full to overflow-
Ghaupdi 364.
After calculating an auspicious day, they
loosened
the
were
in raptures
be born
at
leave, but
and begged
Avadh.
to stay on.
Day
affectionate
entreaties
and
was loud in
nature, the
great saint
1
A few days before marriage the wrist is bound round with a piece of
cloth containing particles of difiEerrnt things that are supposed to possess a
hidden virtue
and this is not taken off again till after the marriage is
;
completed.
224
CHILDHOOD.
When
his praises.
the way,
saying:" My
and
have
is
yours, and
I,
my
sons,
my
is
lovingly escorting
all telling,
past
him
Dohd
The moon
R^ma and
his brothers
till
366.
^ ^ty
went
of Gfidhi's
race
Chaupdi 365.
The VAmadeva,
to
himself
At his
crowd dispersed, while the king and his sons entered the
Everywhere the glory of Rama's wedding was
palace.
his holy fame was diffused through the three
and
sung,
worlds.
all
attendant
tongue
of
praises of
on
RAma
my
the lord's
the serpent
and salvation
life
the
of
the
hope
of
thus sanctifying
song.
Ghhand 61-62.
For the purpose of sanctifying his song has Tulsi told
of Rima's glory but the acts of Raghubir are a boundless
;
that
that
225
CHILDHOOD.
his
and
to everlasting felicity.
to Hari's
incomparable
The
faith.
love of Raghubir's
like
feet,
and in
extinguishes at once the fire of covetousness
this assurance Tulsi Dds devotes his every thought and
flood,
word and
Doha 367.
The times
are evil
the body
is
stained
is
wise
Sorathd 31
(
Have
of
delusion.)
listens to the
happy
filth
vvitlj
there
so thinketh and in
32.
much time
ness
who
tale of
{^TJiiis
in
sleep
awake from
joy.
childhood, composed hy
Rdma^s
deed^s^
that
world.']
R-32
the dark-^
^^
BOOK
II.
AYODHYA.
229
AYODHYA.
AYODHYa.
Sanskrit Invocation.
all
of ashes
of
Raghu
of the lotus
success and
and
face;
prosperity.
in
Doha
my
I.
From
left side,
Raghu.
hand,
on his
Rama's sp
otless
fame, the
home with
his bride
good things.
Chaup^i.
returned
Rama
Thn
showers
of
happiness
women
were
alike,
perfect beauty
description,
it
its
brilliant
pearls, all
The magnificence
and of
was beyond
precious
of the capital
Ga-
of the Creator.
zing on Rdmchandra's moon-like face, the people were perthe queens and all their attendants were
fectly happy
;
enraptured
desire bear
fruit
tell
and
still
and saw
for
230
AYODHYA.
ami-
ability.
Doha
2.
to
prayers
lifetime
MahAdeva
would entrust
One day
the
"
Rama
monarch
Chaupni.
sat enthroned
in
in
his
court with
own
all his
nobles.
kings were solicitous for his patronage, and the very gods
desired his friendship. No man so blest as Dasarath in the
three spheres of the universe, or in all time
past, present
or
to
had
come.
happened
face in
it
Words
fail
to
who
The king
hand, and looking at his
set his crown straight.
Close to his ear was a
RAma,
to take a
mirror
in his
"
white hair like old age whispering
king, make
Rima regent, and thus accomplishment the purpose of
:
your
life."
Doha
3.
full of joy,
the
body
went and
Ghaupdi.
Said the king
Rdma
is
now
per-
fect in every
same
it
231
AYODHYA.
it can
only
your holy feet. I have now a desire at heart
be accomplished, my lord, by your good favour." The
saint was pleased to witness his sincere devotion and
;
said
"
me your commands.
king give
Doha
4.
on
Chaupdi.
he saw the guru so amiably disposed, the king
When
"
:
My
lord, invest
R^ma
by the
By my
sight.
to pass,
everything happily
I
remain
in the
but
have
score whereof,
this
has brought
this one desire
blessing Siva
still
It will
heart.
at
lord's
if I
When
to
have nothing on
saint heard
the
repent"'
Dasarath's noble words, he experienced the greatest delight
"
the lord whose averted face all creaHearken,
king
:
and
tures lament,
whom
to
passionate
Rama.
Doha
Quick,
all
5.
the preparations
when Rdma
is
but
at
once Uiake
proclaimed regent."
Chaupdi.
his servant,
'
crying
All
glad news
me
hail,'
"
:
to install
seems good
to the palace
and summoned
He bowed
To-day
R^ma
to
as
my great
him the
to the council,
the head,
to
If the proposal
with
gladness to impress
prepare
232
AYODHYA.
the
mark on
royal
to
rejoiced
shower
hear
Rdrna's
these
of rain on
the
brow."
gracious
which
words,
young plant
of
his
fell like
With
desire
"
lord of the world,
clasped hands he made his petition
live for ever
the deed you propose is good and beneficent
The king was
haste, my lord, let us have no delay."
deliglited by his minister's assent, like a creeper that
:
it
Dohd
6.
"
with
all
speed."
Ghaupdi.
In gentle accents the glad saint spoke and said
water from
fruits
all
of
all kirids
"
:
herbs,
Bring
roots,
both of wool and silk and every other material, with jewels
and
all
that are
fit
tliat
there
all
number
are
in
the world,
Then
after repeating
"
said
Erect in
:
the city
of
Dohd
7.
Make ready
own
special work.
saint,
Chaupdi
that any one had been given by
that he regarded
'
as the very
M*^^.
first
read panas,
thing to be
'the jaok-fruit
233
AYODHYA.
"
away.
Dohd
8.
Chaupdi.
First they took
who brought
the
news
filled
for
;
crowd
of
then worshipped
vowed
"In your mercy grant me
the local divinity and the gods and the serpents, and
them future
this boon,
sacrifices,
that
Rdma
praying
prosper."
Dohd
9.
33
234
AYODHVl..
Ghaupdi.
his lotus
hands folded
servant's
house
distress
yet
it
is
Since
my
prerogative,
me know,
Let
"
:
thus spoke
For a lord
to visit his
wanted me.
Rdma
feet,
in prayer
my
fitting, sir,
all
and more
in
blest.
for
it is
Dohd
On
10.
Rdma, glory
Raghubir
to speak thus"
:
it is
like
you
Ghaupdi.
After eulogizing R4ma's high
qualifications
and ami-
much emotion
explain-
ed
1
The 16 modes of showing honour are as follows : (I) a/;t. a seat ;
(4) sndn, a bath
(3) pAdya, water for the feet
(2) (ii'gha, lustral water
(6) gandhdkxhat, perfumes
rinsing the mouth
(5) drhamaii, water for
and rice, the former only being offered to Vishnu, tiie latter to Mahsideva
;
(7)
vastra,
temple offerings;
(11)
{9)
mukhahasta-jal,
(I'A) puga-pkal, betel-nut
and
(14)
dakth'md
a gift
As
lustration.
(16)
nirdjdn,
the reception of a guest and some
But here, as
at his departure, they would never be all performed at once.
in many other paralled phrases, a difinite number, the highest that couJd
under any circumstances be predicated of the subject, is used to express,
merely the general idea of completeness.
;
at
2d5
AYODHYA.
and
were
all
This is
all our rejoicings have taken place together.
the one flaw in a spotless line that the eldest only should
short
be
enthroned without
his
younger
Doha
These
brothers."
all
unworthy
joy,
and was
11.
full of love
of affection
by
and
the
moon
of the
lily-
of
Ghaupdi.
music of every kind, and the de-
All prayed
for
and market and place of resort, men and women were say**
When will to-morrow come and the
ing to one another
:
auspicious
moment
which God
in
side,
They were
all
"
saying
all
Whe
will
accomplish our
R^ma
will
take his
might
arise
^
;
Dohd
12.
*'
236
AYODHYA.
Ghaupdi.
hearing this prayer of the gods, she stood
On
thinking sadly
am
like
still
lotuses."
more
"
hesitate
of
**
for
sorrow as from joy and (as for his people) they, like all
other creatures, have their share in pain or pleasure, under
the law of necessity go therefore to Avadh and befriend us
;
Time
gods."
after
her
feet, till
she
"
the
yielded and went, though still thinking to herself
on
dwell
crew
are
high,
gods
raeanspirited
though they
:
flew to the
low
city of Dasarath,
as
it
Dohd
Now
13.
Kaikeyi had a wicked handmaid, by name Manfirst distorted and made her a
thard.
Chaupdi.
the preparations
joyous festivities, the music and the singing, she asked the
"
What mean these rejoicings ? " When she heard of
people
:
soul
was
afire
and she
who has
plotted,
to defeat
spied a honeycomb
my
propitiatinp
my
good
will.
237
AYODHYA..
flood of tears. Said the
an impudent
queen laughing
"You were
always
girl,
you a lesson."
but breathed hard like some venomous serpent.
Doha
14.
hump backed
girl.^
Ohaupdi.
"
who
Why,
is
there to encourage
me
whom
is it
who
in
me
a lesson, and
any impudence?
With
well to-day
Rdma, whom the
again
king is now associating with himself on the throne ? God
has been very gracious to Kausalyfi and after seeing her,
if
not with
left ?
of
you mischief-maker,
I will
Dohd
15.
women
and added
to boot,
and
slaves, Bharat's
mother smiled
Ghaupdi.
"
least
happiest of days.
1
fare
It
for him.
first of
all
-.
238
ATQDHTA.
race that the eldest- born should be the lord, and the younger brothers his servants.
II R^ma is really to be crowned
girl, what you will and I will give it
no difference between KausalyA and the
There
you.
is
am
crowned king ?
Doha
I adjure
16.
at
tell
declare to
*'
have been
satisfied
my
who
Henceforth
offend
am, since
I too will
my
lady
as
only
speak
please you,
you.
mistress pleases, or else will remain silent
God has given me a deformed body and
night.
my
a slave
we must
all
reap as
well-meant words.
while
wretch that
pile,
day and
made me
we have sown and take as we
?
is
Shall I
only
my
me, mistress,
it
was a great
fault
Dohd
On
on
my
part.
17.
be a friend.
239
AVODHYA.
Chawpdi.
now
mischief-maker
;"
scheme
"
:
given
You
ask, but I
me
the
name
am
of
your friends and true enough Rama did love you once, but
now those days are past; in time friends become foes. The
;
Doha
about.
it
18.
Chaupdi.
is
your son
for she
lord.
Bharat's mother
thorn in Kausalyd's side she is too deep and crafty for you
to fathoui
the king has greater love for you than for any
one else, and like a rival she cannot bear to see it. For her
;
Now Rama's
him
to fix
promotion is
and I too
it,
like
quences
!"
I
Sdr/i-sdti, literally
7|,' is a name for the malignant star Saturn,
one of wbose revolutions occupies a period of 7J years.
'
240
AYODHTA.
Dohd 19.
With innumerable crafty devices she planned her cunning
tale, telling
whereby
Ghaupdi.
Overmastered by
For the
and
it is
may
God repay me for it Should RAma be crowned to-morrow,
God will have sown you a crop of misfortunes. I draw this
the truth at any cost.
If I
line
on the ground,
lady,
fly in a
but
on no other conditions.
Dohd
20.
she was
all in
Kekaya's^ daugh-
like a
fiirmftr
ancJ
beinj;
241
AYODHYA.
Then Humpback
plantaia stalk.
bit
innumerable crafty speeches kept consoling the queen saycourage,' courage,' till with her ill-teaching she
ing
*
warped her
favourite, as
ugly crane.
right eye
ill
dream
again.
a turn
By
no bend-
became a
but in
do, friend ? I
right from
is
;
is
like a
ing straight
folly I did
my
not
am such an innocent
tell
you.
What
can
left.
Doha
21.
to this
day
have never of
:
Chaup
Rather would
go and spend
i.
my days in my father's
house than live a servant of a rival wife. Whomever God
I
all
of
yet increase
"
Why
disgrace ?
be king, this
act
upon
it,
much
can
is
certain.'
you a
tell
positively
way
Bharat shall
madam, you
will only
under an
If,
:
obligation to you."
"
do
so,
Doha 22.
would throw myself down a well if you told me to
or even abandon my husband and son. Speak, then
Meaning proHably
what she said.
1
to
to
remind
iierself
that she
he an interpolation, as
R-34
must be careful
it is
in
said not to be in
242
AYODHTA.
why should
I not do
Chaupdi.
Taking Kaikeyi
Hump-
Do
mingled with deadly poison. Says the handmaid
you or do you not, my lady, remember the story you once
:
me
told
of the
for
banishment
son,
relieve
to
your soul
the
kingdom
RAma
?i
Ask
for your
late
If
Dohd
give heed to
23.
design
Go
to the
sulking-room
make
all
your arrange-
too readily."
Chaupdi.
by the
fulfil
my
your support.
To-morrow
my
if
God
will
Aforetime Dasarath
in the
Dandaka
forest, to
243
AYODHYA.
root
the end
token
ruin for
its
of resentment,
counsel. But
rejoicing, for
fruit.
she undid
Doha
All the citizens in
tive preparations,
to
24.
were busied
their delight
hall of audience
with fes-
was crowd-
Ghaupdi.
Delighted at the news, not a few of Rama's boyish
friends went to congratulate him, and the Lord, sensible of
palace
"
:
Is
there anyone in
Raghubir?
the
What-
ever future births fate has in store for us, God only grant
us this, that we may always be the servants of Sita's lordly
spouse
of every
flame; for
There
is
no
who
is
not
spoiled
evil
by
communications?
Doha
25.
eventide the happy king repaired to Kaikeyi's apartments, as it were Love incarnate visiting Obduracy.
A.t
Chaupdi.
of the
chamber
of
wrath and could scarcely put his feet to the ground for fear.
He, under whose mighty arm the Lord of heaven dwells
Uati's spouse.
and
beloved
was terribhis
the
Anxiously
king approached
on
to
the
see
distressed
her
condition,
ly
ground in
lying
244
lYODHTA.
and coarse
old
away
my
in gentle tones
"
:
Why
are
heart's delight ?
Ghhand
1.
"
vulnerable point.
king took H
Tulsi, the
Under
all
the
influence
of fate,
says
Sorathd
1.
/y
"
Tell me the cause of
Again and again the king cried
your anger,
beautiful, bright-eyed dame, with voice as
melodious as the koil, and gait as valuptuous as the
:
elephant.
Chaupdi.
Who
is it,
my
dear,
Who is
it
with
and how
that I
Could
I tell
the moon.
RAma must
at once,
On
my
darling, put
this unseemly
Dohd 26. ,'
away
attire."
oath, the wicked queen arose with a smile and resumed heti
royal attire, like a huntress who sets the snare on marking'
the chase,
245
AYODHYA.
Ghaupdi.
At the sound
festival."
of these
give
for the
king could not penetrate her crafty schemes, for she had
been tutored in every villainy by a master and skilled as
;
show
of hypocritical affection
and on her
lips
Dohd
'
in her eyes
but
y^
27.
me,
tell
sir,
when has
promised me two
Chaupdi.
come to
boons, and
it
"
The king
it.
Do
not tax
me
lie,
but for two requests make four and you shall have them.
is
not
and
1
made
virtue,
On
to
No number
of sins
is
It
life
eqaul
in the
make
meaning
it
to lose
differently.
2 Some manuscri-pt for
246
AYODHYA.
When she
amiable."
to his
Doha
The King's
2^.
'('
as a pleasent
desire being
word, the
were the
it
forest,
and the
Chaupdi.
"
Grant
cond
my
Hear,
me
for
beloved,
what
is
the desire
my
of
and
heart.
my lord, accomplish my
beg with clasped hands,
desire) may Rdma be banished to the woods for 14 years
At
there to dwell in the penitential garb of a hermit."
(I
faint, as the
grew
wood
at the
swoop
of a falcon
the mighty
monarch was
by lightning
with
as
his
and uprooted as
ing.
it were by an
elephant at the time of bearKaikeyi has desolated Avadh and laid the foundation
of everlasting calamity.
Dohd2d.
What
a thing to
happen
at
\^
such a time ?
as at the
is
am undone
time of heavenly
destroyed by ignorance."
(^haupdi.
In this
manner
_
tuh a statement ia held in reverence even by
rpputation on earth
Brihma himself By truth a witness is purific'l from sin by truth justice is arlvancPfl
therefore the trutii should be spoken by witnesses of
every caste." I have often thought that if these four lines were printed
or engraved in bold characters in ttie Sanskrit original and set up in our
courts of justice they might have a wholesome effect.
,
tpst
247
AYODHYA.
"
bought
for a price
If
my
to the heart,
you
Answer now,
Raghu's truthful line. Refuse me the boon you promisWhen you
ed, break your word and be publicly disgraced.
engaged
to
ful of
made
parched grain.
a promise
When
they gave
Sivi,'
life
Dadhichi^ and
and wealth
word."
to a
Dohd
30.
handBali,^
keep their
to
salt
applied
Si
1
King Sivi (or Saivya), the son of Usinara, had already offered 92
great sacrifices, and was hoping to complete the full number of a hundred,
which would have exalted him to the highest dignity in heaven,
a feat
when
Vriira,
3 King Bali, the son of Virochana, had so extended his empire that he
had acquired dominion over the three worlds. Indra, to id himself of so
dangerous a rival, applied to Vishnu who asssuming the form of a dwarf, as
the son of Kasyapa, appeared before Bali and begged an alms. The king
He said he only want< d as much
promised to give him wha'ever he asked
land as he could pace in three steps
This modest requ< st was granted
without hesitation
whereupon he at once developed himself into a giant,
and with the first stride covered the whole earth, and with the second the
heaven. For the third step he planted his foot on Bali's head and crushed
him down into the infernal regions, of which he became the sovereign.
i
248
AYODHYA.
"
:
me
in
Ghaupdi,
as
ill-counsel
for
its
whetted on the
and cruelty
hilt
Humpback
"
will rob
its
sharp edge
grindstone.
She
for
me
or
either of life
"
honour
two eyes.
not
fail to
tell
and making
due preparation.
all
Bharat
of
Doha 31.
empire ana
^^
is
devotedly attached
to royal usage,
swear by
R^ma
that I
away your
to
is
displeasure,
tell
me.
arranged
all
it
without
failed.
Put
garb
yet a few
There was only one
festal
Bharat shall
be Regent.
me,
your second petition, really an
pained
thing
unreasonable request. To-day your bosom burns with
unwonted fire is it anger, or do you jest, or is it all really
days and
that
true ? Tell
that he
is
me
amiability
Dohd32.
Have done, my beloved, with
'^%^
tnis,
be
it
raillery
or
249
AYODHYA.
displeasure
rejoice in the
;
make
may
Chaupdi.
Rather might a
its
head-jewel
but there
my
my
I tell
my
dear,
no
is
you
wretched
my
life for
true case
me
prudent wife,
without
my
very
and be disgraced
R^ma
is
good,
me
is
^
Doha
At daybreak,
now
if
Rama
33.
yy
king,
Chaupdi.
So saying, the wretch rose and stood erect, as it were a
swollen flood of wrath that had risen in the mountains of
with streams of passion, terrible to behold, with
its banks,
her stern obduracy for its
sin, turgid
the two
boons for
the
was
that
it
all true,
my
head and
I will
the loss of
Rdma, be
will be
at ease all
ill
give
it
in
your
it
Solar race.
at once,
but do not
long."
R-35
Demand
will,
kill
me
me by
of
or your heart
250
AYODHYA.
Dohd
Ws
Seeing that
^<
disease
34.
'*
his head,
Chaupdi.
The
seemed
that he
had uprooted.
like
to
to say, ask,
ask
To laugh and
''
be called the
Is
it
jest
possible, sir^, to
and
same
at the
and yet be
munificent,
woman,
7^
to
Dohd
is
35.
no
fault
of yours
my
S^^
On
some
"
:
It
demo-
Chaupdi.
Bharat has never dreamed of desiring the royal dignity
but by the de^-ee of fate evil counsel has lodged in your
breast. All this is the result of my sins I can do nothing
,
God
is
Avadh
shall flourish
again under the sway of the all-perfect RAma all his brethren shall do him service and his glory shall spread through
;
three spheres
the
remorse, though
we
of
creation
die,
Now
but
this,
speak not
to
me
again so long as I
live.
You
too
'J
251
AYODHYA.
will repent at the last,
miserable woman,
"
the tiger-ha#-4hus ha^-4ea4-t4re cow
who ^aimm^jat
Dohd
The
"
Why
36.
'a/I
the
to
like a
funeral
pile
that
is
ever
'y
burning.
Chaupdi.
While
sung
his praises
All tokens of
they wounded the king, as he heard them.
him
as
the
little
of a widow
as
adornment
rejoicing pleased
who ascends
from
Doha
37.'V^\
who exclaimed
be the reason
of
servants
why
slept,
beholding Raina.
to-day of all
and ministers,
"
:
What can
Chaupdi.
to
wake
to
at
Go Sumanta, and
commence
to-day
rouse him
the work."
Suman-
at its
terrible
to
252
"
AYODHYA.
"
On
be-
all
good,
"
Dohd
"
not
38.
slept all
night
'
/''
me
till
the reason.
Chaupdi.
Go
at
R^ma
here,
"
feet scarcely
'
What
'
will the
shown
to his
declared the
own
ki!\g's
Remarking the
father.
state of disorder in
which
be a
to
R^ma
little
accompani-
anxious.
^'
Dohd
When
39.
condition,
like
parched and his body all aflame, like a poor snake that has
been robbed of the jewel in its head. Seeing the furious
Kaikeyi near, like death counting the minutes, the pitiful
and amiable Raghundth, though he now for the first time
saw sorrow, and had never before heard its name even, composed himself as the occasion required and in pleasant tones
253
AYODHYA.
"
:
Tell
"
Rdma
is
cause of
the
me, mother,
may endeavour
to
this
put an end
the king
my
to it."
is
very
fond of you he has promised to grant me two requests,
and I have asked for what I wanted
but he is disturbed
Listen,
of a scruple
rid
account.
on your
/
,
Doha
On
promise
he
is
obedient to his
is
'
40.
thus in a
If
strait.
commands and
lies in
it
your power, be
Chaupdi.
and spoke stinging words so composedly that
Cruelty itself was disturbed to hear her. From the bow of
her tongue she shot forth the arrows of her speech against
She
sat
were some yielding target as though Obduracy had taken form and become a bold and practised archer.
Sitting like the very incarnation of heartlessness, she exthe king as
pounded
to
it
history.
of -every- joy,
R^ma,
the sun of
smiled inwardly
mands
who
a son
cherishes his
father and
mother
is
not,
Doha
I
is
also
41.
to join the
my
hermits in
father's order
the
and your
approval, mother.
Chaupdi.
Bharat, moreover,
the
kingdom
go not
me
to the
first in
in
whom
I love
any assembly
of fools.
They who
plant,
or refuse
ambrosia
to
ask for poison, having once lost their chance, will never get
254
it
AYODHYA.
apfaiu
One
see,
special
mother, and
so exof^edin^ly disturbed.
my
He
faihnr can be so
ponder this
cann
in
when
remains,
still
anxiety
your heart.
see the king
niid^rstand. mother,
)t
is
me
offence on
my
adjure you to
Dohd
42.
tell
how
a trifling matter.
:
there
me
the truth."
Lf
as straightforward as
be.
Chaupdi.
Seeing RAma's readiness, the
with much show of false affection
Having been
These
mouth were
Magadha
like
part,
like
fair
Gaya and
but
Rama
the
Ganges, which
in its
Dohd
At the remembrance
of
*^
43.
Rama,
his side.
jj
the king's
Taking/
swoon
advantage
informed
opportunity, the minister huuibly
him
of
left
of the'!
RAma's
arrival.
be thus dismayed a- the mere
1
Being 8<) stout of heart, why should he
And bfiiiif so oioiis, ho^v is it pos^^ioie that he can
thoutjhr ot losing me ?
There mu**! be something
wrd
r
his
hesitate for a moment about keeping
I
fear 1 n^v done A-nmj^ an displeaseti him.
else in ihe bcksironnd.
of a hermir'n life he
2 The queen rhouvfht t) h-Tg^lf :
P.y his prai-^es
to he woods insteid of himself, or
hopes may t>e persuaded to send Bnarai
to wheedle me out of my resolve.
he
his
i
by
ready compliance,
hopes
"]
255
AYODHYA.
Chaupdi.
When
RAma had
come, he summon-
ed up courage and opened his nyes. The minister supported his sovereign to a seat, where the king saw Rama falling
at his feet.
In an agony of affection, he clasped him to his
bosom, like some snake that has recovered the jewel it had
As the monarch continued gazing upon Rdma, a flood
lost.
of tears
came
petition
thou
generous
move my
art
satisfied,
easily
recognize then in
me
Doha
to
54.
disregard
my
and
all,
at
re-
u^ < ^
^^
distress.
As thou
and
compassionate
a poor suppliant
give
Rama
the sense
home, forgetful
for once
Chaupdi.
Welcome
disgrace and
perish
mount
my
to
spoke not a word, while his soul quivered liue a pip'd leat.
Perceiving his father to be thus overpowered with love,
Raghupati spoke again with a view to his mother, in
demanded
You
"
:
Father,
if I
and
let
me know
of
this
at the
Dohd4:5.
Put away,
rejoicing your
father, the
and
little
not speak
speak a
anxiety
affection has caused
first ?
After
and on hearing
^i
AYODHYA.
256
"
commands
Blessed
is
birth
his
whose father
is
If
existence.
back, and
then
it
command,
be your
my
mother,
will
throw my-
once more at your feet and then start for the woods."
Having thus spoken, Rama departed, while the king in his
anguish answered not a word. The bitter news spread
self
affects the
was as
forest
is
on
Wlierever
fire.
it
was
Dohd
46.
l^
ed into
of
there.
Choupdi
"It was a well-contrived plan, but God has spoilt
it."
What could
In this fashion they kept abusing Kaikeyi
this wicked woman mean by thus setting fire to a new-thatch*'
ed house
yet wishes
who
among
branch
the
to see
cruel stubborn,
of the tree
line
such perversity
man's mind
is
who sitting on a
Raghu's
has hacked down the stem and in the
reeds of
life
257
AYODHYA.
What
is
there that
devour
is
fire will
;
not
Ghaupcii.
God
first
thing quite
ordained one thing, but now ordains somedifferent, and what he would show us now is
has granted
the
well,
wicked
woman
her
request.
He has
wilfully brought
misery upon himself, and in yieldto
a
has
woman
lost
all good sense and discretion."
ing
all this
tion of
are false
Bharat
Rdma's dearest
is
friend.
Dohd
48.
^"
Habischandra,
R-36
AYODflYA.
^,58
Ghaupdi.
One reproached
the Creator,
utterly effaced
friends,
have always
said, as
woods
for
Dohd
lj
49.
state, or the
(haupdi.
Reflect
need
there for
is
Rdma
is
Rdma
to be
go and
live
ment
what
If
in
clearly
and
let
to
it
what
1 tell you,
nothing will prosper
only some jest of yours, speak out
know. Up quickly and devise a plan to
If this is
me
Chhand
Devise a plan
your family.
to avert
Be instant
2.
in diverting
^59
AYODHYA.
and labour
the woods,
Sorathd
life,
Avadh without
2.
without
as the night
its
tutored in villainy by
J^^
lord
to
it,
advice
having been
Humpback.
Ghaupdi.
went
pride
'
Thus
before."
the
all
of the city
were
woman
joy in his
of
Raghu's
in
The Glory
was as
RAma went
breaking
at
line
its
to his mother,
his soul,
with
fearing only
y
^ "^
,<-
chain
which he
rejoices exceedingly.
Ghaupdi.
his
around him
body
all
her lap,
breasts.
Her
260
AYODHYA.
when
is
happy moment
the
paragon of
to
piety, amiability
Dohd
For
51.
its
existence
i" 3
whom
Chaupdi.
Go
at
once,
my
darling, I
beg
of you,
take something nice to eat, such as you like, and then, dear
boy approach your father I, your mother, protest there
:
much
On
delay.'
way
to do.
causeless alarm
my
happiness,
mother,
consent.
Dohd
52.
depends on your
^n
your feet
make
not your
mind uneasy."
Chaupdi.
Raghubar's sweet and dutiful words pierced like arrows
through his mother's heart. At the sound of his chilling
1
father's vow.
261
AYODHYA.
shower
in the rains.
Her eyes
tiger.
all
when an
as
telling,
a fish
like
over,
^lepfenrt- shrinks
at
the
roar of a T
filled
.2
face
to
for giving
He had
all
who
for
me my
Tell
the destroying
is
fire of
Doha 53.
After a look at Rama's face the minister's son explained
to her the reason.
On hearing his account she was struck
dumb words fail to describe her condition.
=
Chaupdi.
She could neither detain him, nor yet say Go either way
her heart was distraught with cruel pain: as though for
moon' one had written
eclipse ': God's hand is ever
;
'
'
against us
soul
"If
Duty and
all.
her
to
keep
my
nothing and
into exile,
will
be a sin
son,
it
my
friends
will
my
abhor me.
If I
order him
remembering
that
Rdma and
Bharat were
both
A popular Flindi couplet says that every creature in the world rejoices
the coming of the rains, except four, viz., the dk and jawasa plants,
which flourish only on dry soil, and the saltpetre manufacturer and the
carter, who cannot ply|their trade
Ak, jawasa, agara, chauthe gariwdn,
Jyon jyon chamake bijli, tyon tyon tajepran.
2 the line, as I translate it, stands thus
Manja Manahun min kalian
the
As to the meaning of the word mdnjd see the note on page 86
vyapi.
that
sickness
a
Commentators explain it^as
prevails at the beginning of the
as
rains or, as the scum raised on the water when the rains first brek
1
at
the juice
of
a plant.
If it
swallows the
Another reading
drunk."
is
Mdnjd-hi
Mai minjanu
or,^
mdpi,
for mdti,
rate, it dies
if it
disgorges
it,
it
goes blind
such
is
262
AYODHYA.
disposition
"
words
father's
i>
Do/ia 54.
he promised you
Though
the
kingdom
and
now
Chaupdi.
only your father's order, then go not
hold your mother still greater.^ If both father and mother
bid you go, the forest will be a hundred times l)etter than
if it is
Yet, boy,
Avadh, with its god for your father, its goddess for your
mother and birds and deer to wait upon your lotus feet. At
the end of life retirement to the woods is the proper thing
tender age.
if
you abandon
'
say
your mind
it,
me
take
my
life
if
of love
request
or
if
all
son,
'
in despair.
Dohd5r).
do not press niy suit with a show
agree to your mother's
really feel
ry
you go alone,
at least I
to forget
me.
Chaupdi
May
all
you, noble boy, as closely as the eyelids guard the eyes. The
term of banishment is like the water of a lake in which the
may
find
to the
them
woods
all alive
ah
translate,
some copies
reaii
Jdi
263
AYODHYA.
relatives,
whole
the
bereavement
city in
good deeds has gone, and awful death conThus with many mournful meanings she
fronts them."
to
clung
women.
through and
all telling.
past
his
At that moment
Sita,
the
news, rose in
Chaupdi.
In tender accents her mother gave her her blessing, and
at the sight of her delicate frame was more distressed than
ever.
model
and thought
"
of beauty,
The
lord
of
my
life
passionate prayer
Seeing her let fall
:
she
is
"
Do/id 57.
is
is
progeny
Sita
is
very
^
^7
of the
son
your kindred.
law
my
Hearken,
as
is
sun-god
it
her father-in-
of the lily-like
Chaup'H.
I
again
have found
eye and
my
amiable,
beautiful and
264
AYODHYA.
that I have
my
being.
God
be the end.
will
her in
my
lap,
on the hard
And
who would
Raghun^th
Can
the partridge,
Elephants,
the
wood
set in
ah,
Dohd5S.
and many
lions, goblins,
my
is
son,
the
fierce
charming
animals roam
trea of
life fit
to
Chaupdi.
Kiriit
women,
as hard as the
A hermit's
stone insect, the woods are no trial to them.
wife again is fit for the woods, who for the sake of penance
has renounced all pleasures. But how, my son, can Sfta
live in the
picture of a
woods,
If
she remain
at
home fend
call
me
mother^she
will
y\
Dohd59.
replied in tender
and began to
pleasures and troubles
lation,
life,'
clearly
before Janaki
all
the
of forest life,
a play upon words which it is impossible to prejdn FrAn, the ordinary expression for the breath
being presented to the eye by the conjunction of prdn with the first
1 Ii) the
original
serve in a translation
of
set
syllable of Slta's
is
'
name Janaki.
265
AYOPHYA.
Chaupdi.
as
speaking diffidently
in
the
My
A,
order
is
this
the
service
of
mother-in-law
husband's parents.
Whenever my mother
to a family.
is
in
There
is
no
recalls
me
to
blessing
other duty so paramount as reverential submission to a
mind and
is
my
Dohd
The reward
of virtue
by submission
60.
/'Z
to Scripture
Chaupdi.
I shall
again
soon
hearken,
fulfil
fair
my
father's
The days
to
my
advice.
will
If,
my
rue
it
in
terrible,
path
is
you will
the end.
The forest is exceedingly toilsome and
with awful heat and cold and rain and wind the
;
and
stones,
studies,
R~37
AYODHYA.
266
and your
walk without protection for yonr feet
is most
the
road
while
so
soft
and
are
lotus feet
pretty,
and there are huge mountains, chasms and
difficult
have
to
and
behold
able, terrible to
lions
is
dismayed.
Dohd
1
The ground
will be
61.
9^
Ghaupdi.
There are man-eating demons who assume all sorts of
deceptive forms the rainfall on the hills is excessive, and
;
There are
gangs
of
the
of
terrible serpents
goblins that
forest
and
steal both
fierce
The
you,
dame, you are not fit for the woods people will revile me
on hearing of such a thing. Can the swan that has been
nurtured in the ambrosial flood of the M4nas lake exist in
;
Can
the
the luxuriant
mango
UaHl, bushes
home
feoii,
groves, take
Ponder
this,
my
pleasure in a jungle of
fair
bride,
and stay
at
n'
own good
Do?irf 62.
to
her
does
not at once
good."
1 Yet take good hede, for ever
drede that yecoude not sustain
The t homey wayes, the deep valleys, the snow, the frost, the rain,
The cold, the hete, for dry or were, we must lodge on the plain,
And us above, none other roof, but a brake, bush or twayne,
For ye must there in your hande bere a bowe ready to drawc,
And as a thief, thus must ye lyve, ever in drede and awe.
The Ntit'browne maid.
I
267
AYODHYA.
Chaup
On hearing
i.
tender and winning words of her husband, Sita's lotus eyes filled with tears, and his soothing
advice caused her as burning pain as the autumn moon
the
came
to
her
So great
is
Doha
63.
boun-
my
lilies of
the
Raghu
race,
hell.
Ghaupdi.
Dear are father and mother, sisters and brothers dear
are^my companions and my many friends but father-in;
law and mother-in-law, spiritual director, generous associates, and even sons, however, beautiful, amiable and
affectionate, nay, my lord, all love and every tie of kindred,
woman
of
bereft
her lord.
Ease
is
you,
that could
soul,
as
my
give
river
soul, there is
me any
without
nothing
Without
hell.
in the
whole world
comfort.
water, so,
With you, my
my
lord, is a
woman
as long
Doha
64.
will be
'^
my
my
city,
all will
be well.
my
and
AYODHYA.
268
Ghaupdi.
The
me
sylvan
like
and twigs
couch
will
bulbs,
and
Every moment
will
fruits
stately halls of
Avadh.
shall
recounted,
terrors,
my
lord, the
fountain of mercy,
to
my
roots-
lord
repast,
its
with
all
Consider
supplication ?
my
lord
heart.
is
jewel of
this,
make long
comparable
me
full of
not.
Why
compassion
/ /v
Dohd
65.
think, if you keep me at Avadh, that I can surmost beautiful, help of the
the end of your exile ?
Do you
vive
till
and
of love,
Ghaupdi.
go along the road I shall never weary, every
moment beholding your lotus feet. In every way I shall
minister to my beloved, and relieve him of all the toil
of the march. Seated in the shade of some tree, I shall lave
your feet and rapturously fan you, and gazing on your
body stained with sweat and blackened by the sun, what
thought, my dearest lord, shall I have for my own hard
times? Spreading grass and leaves on the level ground,
your slave will all night shampoo your feet, and ever gazing
on your gracious form, nor heat nor wind will ever vex me.
as
Who will
penance
to be
Dohdm.
My
AYODHA.
269
Ghaupdi.
Rdma made
dition,
'
If I
sure,
insist
upon leaving
her, I
me
There
woods.
to the
is
at
once make
his
"
:
Return
my
change
my
son,
lot,
when
I shall live to
When
'
and
my
may
Ah
that
again shall
my
'
Raghu's
line,'
my darling'
my own son,' and
my arms
that I
I call
you
child,'
'
of
eyes
"
Chaupdi.
Seeing that his mother was so agitated by affection that
she could not speak and was utterly overwhelnied with dis-
tress,
of the scene
Dohdm.
When
1
That
y-
to say,
must be hard-hearted,
for, if not, I
"^
270
AYODHYA.
she took her leave, after again and again affectionately bowing her head at her lotus feet.
S(fa,
When Lakshman
may
Chaupdi.
heard the news,
all
eyes full of tears, and ran and clasped his feet in an agony
of affection.
He could not speak, but stood and s'ared
aghast, like
some poor
within himself:
"
fish
G')od
drawn out
d.
what
will
happen
All
my
What
happiness and past good deeds are gone for ever.
will Righunnth tell m^ to do?
Will he k^ep me here, or
take
me
with
him?"
him thus
Dohd
or
and mother,
born
reserve to the
commands
of
their
69.
to
some purpose
otherwise
Consider
upon the
Chaupdi.
and hearken to
this, brother,
feet of
mother.
my
advice
wait
Neither Bharat
for me.
upon
priest
if
not, brother,
it
will be
Dohd 70
Overmastered by
love,
^K
271
AYODHYA.
"
anguish to his feet
ray lord, I am your slave and
leave
master
me, then what cau 1 do ?
you my
in
Chaupdi.
my
confusion
find
it
excellent advice
sir,
of the faith
biit in
Valiant leaders of
impracticable.
from
my
heart
the
all
love iu
the
world,
all
claims of
me
who aims
"
j
Ghauf'di.
'*
come and
sorrow
all
gone.
heart as a blind
as glad
of
and
sight,
with
Lakshman
"
disposition
212
AYODHYA.
Rdma and
Sfta and
woman
is at
Chaupdi.
wherever
is
and Sita go
is
day.
If
R4ma
to the
dearer than
life, is
ed friend of
all
to
my
tune, and
too
A
bar
ah,
not,
woe
is
me - if from an
!
unfeigned
mother indeed
if
'
Dohd73.
Thinking
it is
is
a son
lust, or passion, or
aside
all
is
my admonition.
Chhand
This
is
my
admonition,
my
3.
son
see that
R4ma and
Sita
273
ATODHYA.
and
live at ease
in
and
their friends
to
remember
relations
and
their
the
all
Having^ given her son such instruction and commands (says Tulsi) she again invoked upon
him her blessing " May your love for Sita and Raghubfr
"
be constant and unsullied and ever renewed
pleasures of the city."
Sorathd
Having bowed
his
head
r'
3.
at his
1^
mother's
he
left in
flies
feet,
Ghaupdi,
He went
to Jdnaki's
lord,
and
his soul
rejoiced to
re-
were
soul
in as great
wringing
distress as
their hands,
birds
beatthat
hall
grief immeasurable,
The minister
raised
the
Doha
74. r\ '\
honour
is lost
me your
blessing and
time of rejoicing ?
to any beloved object,
this
R-38
^
*"
274
ATODHTA.
and taking
king arose
him
sit
RAma
"
down
is
Ragbupati
my
Hearken,
son
that God, after weighing good and bad actions and mentally
Doha
75.
y t
But
for
one
to sin
Chaupdi.
The king
in his anxiety
honest expedient,
righteous, brave
going
the forest,
might
enjoy with
seemed
The
Doha
76.
Oj
Chaupdi.
he cannot rid himself of his too great kindness and love, and will never tell you to go, though he forfeit
life to
*.
(
the king
275
AYODHYl.
his virtue, his
and
this
act as
of
to
me?'
In his distress
knew what
to do.
But
no one
assumed
the
hermit's
quickly
head to his father and mother went
Rdma
forth.
Dohd
Having
77.
equipment
wife and brother,
Brdhmans and
his
guru,
after reverencing
bewilderment.
all in
Chaupdi.
out and stood at Vasistha's gate the beholders
were consumed as with fire by the anguish of parting. With
kindly words Raghubir consoled thetn all and, summoning
He came
Next
them
and
all ."
best friend in
act, all
He
my
my
whom
Dohd
So
R4ma
is
in gentle tones
78.
r/
Chaupdi,
thus exhorted them
lotus
all,
he cheerfully
and invoking
276
ATODHYl.
and yet
life flits
not
*'
and go
'*
friend,
Dohd
^*^'
79.
Ghaupdi.
my
the
lord,
When
Sita
is
daughter
there are
mother-in-law
come back,
You can
the desert.
perils in
many
now with your own
father,
now with
not,
it
will
end in
my death what
;
can
me."
crying
"
Lakshman
do
fell
God
is
to the
them back
to
against
ground,
me, R^ma,
^ /)
"
Dohd
SO.
head and
his
the
place outside the city where were Sita and the two brothers.
Chaupdi.
There Sumanta declared to them the king's message and
respectfully made RAma ascend the chariot. When Sita and
277
ilYODHYA.
ma
to
mounted and drove away, they mentalAvadh. As the bfreaved city saw Rd-
The gracious
follow him.
and they
turned homewards, but again came back overmastered by
lord said everything to console them,
their affection.
pressive as
Avadh appeared
the dark
to
them
night of death
home seemed
like
the
as
wild beasts
many
their
grave,
retainers like
The trees and creepers in the gardens all witherthe streams and ponds were fearful to behold.
of death.
ed
Dohd
All
the horses,
cattle, the
81.
elephants and
'
Y*^
tame der, the town-
koila^
swans, parrots,
wild
woman
of the woods,
who had
Unable
to
the people
Dohd
Young and
of the
82.
278
AYODHYl.
Chaupdi.
heart
his
But
in their fotidness
much
of
ing their innate affection, Raghurdi was reduced to perplexity. Worn out with grief and toil the people fell asleep
helping to beguile them and when
of
the
watches
two
night were spent R^ ma affectionately
*'
Father drive the chariot so as to
addressed his Minister
a divine delusion
efface
the
there
is
no other way of
/>/
DohdSS. Oif
Rdma, Lakshman and Sita then mounted the car, after
bowing the head toSambhu's f^et, and the minister drove
it
Chaupdi,
At day break the people all woke, and there was a great
They could no how distincry, that Raghubir had gone.
guish the tracks of the chariot,
in all
when a ship is
terror. One suggest-
as
like
distress.'
kept them
alive.
^'\
^
Doha 84.
Men and women alike began to fast and make vows to
secure his return, like the poor chakwd and the lotus when
I
-7
279
ATODHYA.
Chaupdi.
at
way
the city
his obeisance.
it
also,
On beholding the
Sringavera.
alighted and with much joy made
of
Rama
The
Minister,
Rama was
atjd
as
Lakshman and
glad as any of
Sita saluted
them
for
the
upon
its
flood,
instructing
the
his
Minister,
younger
grandeur of the
Dohd 85
the
of
R^ma,
champion
supreme wisdom and
existence,^
all
the
9^
is the holy God
bridge over the ocean of
though he acts
like an ordinary
man.
Chaupdi.
When Guha,
he was glad
his
great quantity of
out to meet him with
With a pro-
him by
his side.
health indeed
**
The
sight
am most
of your
lotus feet,
highly favoured, as
all
:
The ' tran-^inigiar ions '-.a.vri^" through which
pass would be enrlless, a limitless ocean [sagara) from which
none ci'ul<1 escape, weie it I'Ot that Hama hus giver) himself to be the bridge,
Amihaiat here irn ans simply 'like.' It is almost
sehi, over the abjss.
impossible to translate this anfi similar phrases at once liierally, concisely
and intelli^rihly
for birth and life, which we are tauijht to regard as
(Jompare Milton's
blessings, are to the Hindu ihenlogian a curse.
"This earthly load
.
.
Of death called life, which us from life doth sever."
1
Sansi'lti-sagarii-Hetii
the soul
lias
t'>
280
kYODntA,
will admit.
my lord
My
my
land,
favour of entering:
servants and
my
shall be
abedtT;
my good friend,
me other commands.
me
treat
the envy of
are yours,
Do me
but
the
one of yf>ur
as
*'
men."
all
very true
is
you say,
given
my
Ail that
has
father
S"
Dohd 86.
^
For fourteen years I must dwell in the woods and adopt
the rules, the dress, and the diet of a hermit to stay in a
On hearing this, Guha was much
village is forbidden."
;
grieved.
Chaupdi.
Seeing R^ma, Lakshman and Sita
the
citizens
to
"
affectionately
protested
be so beautiful,
What
kind
of
well to give our eyes such a treat." Then the Nishdd chief
on reflection decided upon a beautiful sinsapa^ tree, and
took
it
be most excellent.
to
their respects
formance
to the per-
for him a charming bed of grass and soft leaves, and brought
him leaf-made bowls filled with all such fruits and vegetables as he knew to be sweet and wholesome and good.
Dohd S7. fa
of
the
fruits
the Minister and Sita and his brother, the jewel of Raghu's
line lay
down
to sleep,
while
Lakshman shampooed
his feet.
Chaupdi,
he l<new his lord to be asleep, he arose and softly
bade Sumanta take rest, while he himself fitted an arrow
When
to his
bow and
took
up the
position of a
marksman
at a
little
The sinsapa
is
shisbam
tree.-
281
AYODHYA.
When
the Nishdd
saw Rdma
was troubled
with excess of love, his body tlirilled with emotion, his eyes
flowed with tears, and he thus in tender accents addressed
Lakshman
"
:
is
altogether
beautiful,
nor can the courts of heaven be compared to it its charming pavilions, inlaid with precious stones, seem to have
;
Dohd
Rich and luxurious are
flowers
88.
^/
its
of every description,
with
soft
all
Chaupdi.
kinds of coverlets and pillows, and matresses as
of milk,
Rdma
own
companions and
family and
associates,
now
is
all
as
his men-servants
tenderly
The
Janak
fame
of world-wide
as their
whose
Sita,
and maid-
own
life,
is
whose father
father-in-law
of heaven
his
is
whose spouse
King
R^mchandra is now sleeping on the ground is not
God against us all? Are Sita and R^ma fit- dwellers of the
desert ?
Well do men say, Fate is supreme.'
Dohd 89. ij >
The foolish daughter of Kekay^ has wrought sad misis
chief
by bringing
this trouble
on
Rdma and
J^naki on their
day of rejoicing.
Chaupdi.
She has become the axe at the root of the tree of the Solar
race, and through her wickedness has plunged the whole
world in woe." Seeing Rdma and Sita asleep upon the
R-39
282
AYODHYA.
**
No man is the
the essence of wisdom, sobriety and faith
cause of another's joy or sorrow
all is the fruit of one's
:
own
and
actions, brother.
evil,
friendship, enmity
delusion.
all
Dohdgo.
f3
this is the
way
in
the world.
Chaupdi.
many kinds
of
dreams
world of
in this
the material,
Then ensues
spiritual
RAma
is
God, the
it
totality
of
incomparable,
Veda
declares
cannot define.
Dohd
91./V
In his mercy he has taken the form of a man and performs human actions, out of the love he bears to his faithful
On
283
AYODHYA.
Chaupdi.
Haviog thus
but
fix
your
of
Rama's
virtues, the
the joy of the world awoke. After performing every purificatory rite he bathed, the all-pure and wise, and called
some milk of the bar tree, and bound up the hair of his
head into a knot, as did also his brother. On seeing this,
Sumanta's eyes filled with tears. Sore pained at heart,
with doleful face and clasped hands he made this humble
for
"
'
scruples.'
Do}id92.
Thus spoke
only as you
tell
He
me."
weeping helplessly as a
_^
but woe
fell
1^
is
me
can do
child.
Chaupdi.
"
Do/ia 93.
answering you.
^-i
liberality.
He
offered so
many
for his
great
formed
AYODHYA.
284
Ghaupdi,
prop
left,
fish
out of water.
She has a happy home both with her own mother and
with her husband's parents, and she can live when she
pleases at either,
till
Chaupdi.
The piteousness
ness of his affection are more than I can express. On hearing his father's message, the All-merciful tried in every
'*
and the affliction
Only return
way to persuade Sita
:
your parents, your guru, and all your friends and relations will be at an end"
Replied Vaidehi to her husHearken most dear and loving lord, full of
band's words
can a shadow exist apart
compassion and infinite wisdom
from its substance ? Where is the sunlight without the
of
"
much my
are as
father-in-law,
the
and
if
it
not
my own
answer you,
Dohd95.
Yet, sire, take
moon
is
not ?
"
benefactor as
impropriety.
you
the
she turned
You
when
ill
of
lotus
me
if
it
is
father or
my
the height of
^^ ^
^
in
feet of
my grief
my lord's
withstand
son
all
my
285
AYODHYA.
Cliaupdi.
I
have seen
my
father's
such a
my
blissful abode, I
My
spouse.
have no
Imperial father-in-
would advance
to
Avadh
dear to
his family be
his
me
law as
mountainous,
full of
and streams, wild Kols and KirAts, and beasts, and birds
all is delightful, if my dear lord be with me.
Do/ia 96.
Fall at the feet of
law and
tell
count, for I
^Cf
father-in-law and
my
am
perfectly
happy
in the
to
my
mother-in-
grieve on
my
ac-
woods.
Chaupdi,
of
my
wanderings
of the
march
soul and
bow and
On
dear brother,
my
me
at all
be not
speech,
confounded.
Rdma
cannot be withstood
Bowing
his
head
Fate
is
at the feet of
Sita,
286
AYODHYA.
[^
Dohdd7.
moaned
"
as he drove, continued
of his chariot,
gave way
to his grief
RAma and
the
and beat
his
Nish^d
head and
When
Ghaupdi.
even brute beasts are so distrest
at
his
loss,
how can his subjects and his father and mother exist with"
out him ?
Having thus perforce dismissed Sumanta, Rima
went on his way and came to the bank of the Ganges.
When he
it,
Chhand
4.
Rdma, swearing by
shoot
me
I will
Lakshman may
not take
you across,
\J\
On hearing
Chawpdi.
"
then gaily cried
Do anything to save your boat, bring
time has been lost take
water at once and bathe my feet
:
me
boatman
is
across."
;
1
As much as to say
We thought the NishAd king a pattern of piety,
but even he is outdone by this rude ferryman,
:
AYODHYA.
287
whose three strides the whole universe did not suffice. i The
Gauges rejoiced on beholding his toe-nails,2 and the sound
words was relieved
of his
of
all
anxiety.
On
*L
receiving
rious !"
<
Doha
98.
'7
to
the other
Chaupdi.
ferryman
'*
What have
not
already received, my
poverty and all
their attendant ills have been removed I have laboured for
lord ? sin, sorrow,
Now, gracious
full.
favour
at the
upon me
I will
thankfully accept."
Doha
Lakshman and
^>,
'
99.
the
ferryman would take nothing; the All-merciful then dismissed him with the gift of unclouded faith, best of all boons.
Chaupdi.
the lord of Raghu's line bathed and bowed his
head in adoration to Mahadeva :'^ while Sita with clasped
Then
1
Rama is here indentifie 1 with Vishna who in the form of a dwarf outwitted king Bali see note to page 19, Volume II.
2 From beneath which it had issued at its birth.
3 The word in the text is Fdrathi, or in some manuscripts Pdrthita,
a derivative of
a king,' and here -it would
the earth,' meaning
prlthi,
:
'
seem
denoting Mahadeva.
'
288
AYODHYA.
"
mother,
return in safety with my
husband and his brother and again adore you." On hear-
my
accomplish
desire that I
may
loved of Raghublr
your glory
of the spheres,
and
all
meekly do you
service.
address
to
my
utterances true.
iOf
Dohd
100.
shall return in safety to Kosala with
You
and
his
your beloved
Chaupdi.
On
to
"
find
it
so
propitious.
Then
said
the
Return home."
lord
to
Guha
make
wood where he goes
him
that I swear
by Raghu bir
in the
to
do as he
shall
shapely
hut
After
to stay.
command me."
Guhas
delight,
who
Dohd
Then directing
bowing
his
head
to
his
the
lOl.
\<J^
intention to
Ganes and
his
way
Siva,
and
woods.
Chaupdi.
That day he halted under a tree, and Lakshman and his
attendant supplied all his necessities. At dawn, having
289
AYODHYA.
and
all
for
his glorious
umbrella,
waves
of the
to disperse all
Doha 102.
His attendants pure and holy
with
all
they desire
to declare his
guerdoned
Vedas and Purdns,
anchorites,
immaculate
virtue.
Chaupdi.
Who can tell the power of Praydg, a lion to destroy the
elephantine monster Sin? On beholding the beauty of this
"ing of sanctuaries, Raghubar, the ocean of delight, was
delighted, and with his holy mouth he discoursed on its
greatness toSita, his brother and his companion. After making it an obeisance he visited the woods and groves, dilating
So he came lo
mere thought of which confers all happinessand after gazing upon it, rapturously bathed and
paid homage to Siva and to the divinity of the spot in all
as he
due form. Then came the lord to Bharadvaja
to his
took
him
the
saint
at
his
himself
feet,
prostrated
breast in an ecstacy of joy past all telling, as though he had
the
R-40
290
lYODHtA.
Ghaupdi.
After enquiring of his welfare, he conducted him to a
seat and indulged his affection in doing him honour. Then
much
and herbs,
roots, fruits
Rdma, with
Sita,
all
complacent tones
"
:
sweet
all
Lakshman and
Then
their
Rdma
cried Bha-
my
my
pilgrimages, and my vigils
prayers my meditations and my detachment from the world
;
nought
in
beholding you
favour grant
me
lotus feet.
happiness
every desire is satisfied. Now of your
this one boon, a life-long devotion to your
n
;
my
that he
all
may
do."
Ghaupdi.
hearing the saint's words, Rdma was confused, yet
revelled with delight in so exquisite a display of faith. Then
On
proceeded he
saints
endowed
honour."
is
he.
renown
the
all in
to
to
All
monks, hermits
BharadvAja's
their obeisance and rejoiced
made
They
after
blessed
his beauty.
At daybreak he bathed
bowing his head to the saint
highly
whom
filled
When
able happiness.
all
"
:
Holy Father,
unto them
to declare
illustrious
291
ATODHYA.
Chaup
Lakshman and
his
i.
"
smile
to
The
knew
the road.
many
previous existences
to the saint and received his permission to
who in
had done many good deeds. Then
having bowed
Doha
Rdma
Courteously
ed with their heart's
U^
106.
own
body.
Chaupdi.
The dwellers on the bank, when they heard of his
val, left whatever they were doing and ran to see him.
arri-
On
and pity
friend,
"
:
What kind
who have
of father
be,
to exist
292
AYODHYA.
Dohd 107.
\ V
Then Raghubir urgently exhorted his guide, who
submission to his commands took his way home.
in
Chawpdi.
"
the
and her
Many
glory.
You have
all
travellers
marks
of
on
on
we
will
accompany
and then
Bohd
As they
return."
^'
108.
'^
over with
but the All-merciful gently and courteously dismissed them.
Chaupdi.
All the towns and
villages
'
noma's
feet
compared
to
it.
The
in
which
Rima bathed
the trees
by the dust of
complete.
Rdma's
life
good fortune
AYODHYA.
293
Dohd 109.
^^^
The clouds gave him shade, the exultant hosts of heaven
rained down flowers, as RAma proceeded on his
way looking at the rocks and woods and birds and deer.
Chaupdi.
Whenever
Sfta,
woman
came
out near
man and
own
private affairs, and as they gazed on their beauty obtained the fruition of their eyes and were made
happy for
At the sight
ever.
tears, their
of the
their
all-enraptured,
state
of
mind
though a beggar
had discovered a
telling his
to
prove
filled witli
the
RAma would
pile of
neighbour
One
value of sight."
as indescribable
"
:
as
heavenly jewels.
Now is the time
another,
Doha no.
\ij^
fine
Chaupdi.
alike
face, so fixed
in
294
lYODHTA.
'
With
their hair
graceful heads, with broad chest, strong arms, and large deep
eyes, with face like the autumnal full moon, glistening with
beads of moisture,
Chaupdi.
the loveliness of the two brothers
is
past
all telling
it
is
light.
The
village
women drew
feet,
"
Noble lady,
simplicity whispered the question
a petition, but, like women, are afraid to make it.
:
their
in
we have
Pardon
whom
Doha 112.
'7
the one dark, the other fair, but both beautiful and
of delight, with face like the
homes
like
Chaupdi.
that
would put
to
shame
myriad
how
at the earth
was abashed
the pretty
maid
"
The
and graceful,
is
by name Laksh-
my younger brother-in-law while he, the dark comand arms, the all-beautiful
plexioned, with the large eyes
man,
with the gentle voice :" here veiling her moon-like face
with the border of her robe she looked towards her husband,
and her eyebrows with a side-long glance like a pretty
295
AtODHYA.
khanjarO- thus by signs indicated to them her
the village women were as delighted as beggars
robbed a
pile of jewels.
All
lord.
who have
/>
Dohd
113.
Falling at Sitas feet in their great affection, they invoked upon her every blessing
May your happy wedded life
last as long as Earth rests on the serpent's head.
:
Chaupdi.
dear to your lord as Parvati to Siva.
Yet, lady, cease not to have some regard for us again and
again with clasped hands we beseech you, if you return by
be
May you
as
the moonlight.
became sad,
their
filled
with
at
heart
God has given us a treasure only to take it away
again I" Then reflecting on the ways of Fate and taking
courage, they fixed upon the easiest road and explained it
to them.
:
DohdlU.
\/
the woods, and with
him
Raghundth
Lakshman and Janaki and they all returned home, but
with many fond speeches, and in heart accompanied them.
took his
way
to
Chaupdi.
alike on their
ex-
moon
whom
pleasure ?
If
The kkavjan
is
way barefooted,
many kinds
a species of wagtail.
of
296
AYODHtA.
carriages.
If
they are to
lie
to erect
Dohd
splendid palaces
115.
y\p
great artificer
has
made
many kinds
so
of dress
and orna-
ment.
Ghaupdi.
they are to eat only fruits and herbs,
of the world are thrown away"
Said one
If
all
the delicacies
"
They are so
must have been spontaneously produced and
not made by God at all.
In all the works of God of which
the Vedas speak, that either the ears can hear, or the eyes see,
:
beautiful, they
When
much
that he
am
essayed
labour, nothing
to
them
came
the
in
of
tell
where
he saw them,
make
an
their
match
God was
:
so
but after
thus in spite he
woods
Said another
it,
and
is
has
"
*'
:
Dohd
\
116.
With such
tears
difficult a
road."
Ghaupdi.
All the
is
the
chakwi
at
of their soft
feet, the very earth shrinks, as shrinks
our heart. If the great God must send them to the woods,
and rosy
why
may ask
of
If
there be
let it
be.
2D7
AYODHYA.
friend, that
ple
we keep them
who had not come in time, and thus had missed seeing
and Rdma, when they heard of their beauty, asked anx-
Sita
'
How
'
Doha 117.
The women and children and
V'-^
the aged
wrung
their
mother
Happy
who gave them birth and happy the city from whence they
came ? Happy the hills, and plains, and woods, and towns,
and every spot which they visit. Even the Creator who
made them is pleased nay, is absolutely in love with them."
The delightful history of Rdma, Lakshman and Sita thus
:
-n
^R
^
Doha 118.
manner the Sun of the lotus-like
\
In this
dened the people on the road, as with Sita and the son
Sumitra he proceeded on his travels through the woods,
Ghaupdi.
Rdma walked
and Love
or, to
Rohini
is
ransack
R-41
298
lYODHYA.
and
left.
of her lord
them both,
Dohd
who beheld
brothers, joyously
to
R^ma
the
went
119.
'
at
two
once at
life.
Chaupdi.
And to this day any soul in which the vision of the wayfarers, RAma, Sita and Lakshman abides, finds the path
that leads to RAma's home, path that scarce a saint may
Then Haghubi'r, knowing that Sita was tired, and
find.
observing a fig tree close at hand and cool water, there rested and took some roots and fruits to eat, and after bathing
at
He found
age.
lovely wooded
his way.
VS
came
forth to
meet him.
Rdma prostrated
Chaupdi.
himself before him, as
the holy
man
which
Sita,
ate.
299
AYODHTA.
of
bliss.
and future,
in
banished him.
iP^
Dohd 121.
"
My
father's promise,
won
for
me.
Chaupdi.
In beholding your feet, holy sir, all my good deeds are
rewarded. Now, wherever it may be your order, and no an-^
chorite be troubled
there be no
tion
of
for those
there build a prety hut of grass and twigs and rest awhile,
kind
sir."
On
seer exclaimed
True, true
Raghu
It is
line,
bridge of Revelation.
Ghhand
4.
who
in behalf of the
it
demon
host.
Sorathd
Your semblance,
4.
r1
is
be-
illimitable,
300
AYODHYA.
Chaupdi.
of life,
found you. In behalf of the saints and the gods you have
taken a human body and speak and act like an ordinary
Fools are bewildered, but the wise rejoice, as they
king.
see or hear of your doings
Doha
You ask
of
trembling, tell
you a place."
122.
is true,
set us.
yi
'
Chaupdi.
On
the
hearing
abashed and smiled
Rdma was
to himself.
"
in tones of
blessed streams of your traditions, and though ever replenthe full, their heart shall be your
filled
chosen abode.
to
for
your presence, as
there
Sfta.
Dohd 12Z.
\'^'l
swan in the clear hyperboreal
lake of your renown gathers up the pearls of your perfections in his heart, RAma, fix your home.
Whose
;
301
AYODHYA.
Chaupdi.
They whoever
odour
who
been offered
to
first offered to
you
you
R4ma
Rama, your
soul,
dwelling-place.
They who
ing your holy name, and adoring you with their family;
who perform the varied rites of oblation and sacrifice who
;
Br^hmans, and give them liberal donations who regard their own guru even more than you, and serve him
with all honour and affection,
2
feast
Doha
who ask
of all
124.
'^
^^
to
Rdma
be their
Sita
abide,
brothers.
Chaupdi.
Who
unmoved by
and
so
is
is
heart,
Raghuriya.
friendlyto all
are alike
to
who
They who
whom
whom
own
R^ma,
you,
heart your auspicious abode.
to
Doha
125.
life
and
be their
'i
'
'
and companion,
302
AYODHYA.
father,
(hiupdi.
all
hopes on you, and have an affection for all your worshipHe who has left
in their heart dwell, you and Sita.
pers
all,
all alike, if
and arrows
and who
faithful slaves
his
bow
in heart,
Dohd
126.
'^
Chaupai.
a beautiful
is
hill finely
The sacred hill of Ohitra-kiit is one of a small group that forms the
Bpurofthe great VinHhyan range. It isHimafndin the rao<lern district of Bjlfidn, close to the town of ITarwi and ahout 6<i miU-s from Pray^g
(Allahabad). A river flows at its hasn, now called the ^'aisuni (the "Sanskrit
warm as milk'), which has some fine waterfalls before it joins
Payoshni
the Jamiind. The MundAkini. so frequently mentioned, is only a small
tributary stream which enters the Haisuni near the villhgc of Sitipur,
where are a number of handsome temples The hill is about three miles in
circumference, antl a narrow paved path runs the whole way round. This
was constructed about laO years ago by one of the Mdj^s of the neighbouring
stale of Panna for the convenience of pilgrims pertorming the ceremony of
The two principal fe'e days are the K^m-navmi
circumambulation.
(Kama's birthday) in the mor)th of Chait, and th^- Diw&li in Kartik, About
20 miles from Chitra-kiit on the bank of the JamunA is the town of Kdjapur, which was founded by Tulsi Das, where he lived for several years, and
1
last
'
303
AYODfiYA.
tigers, deer
and
birds.
power
branch
of
strangle and
has a sacred
river
mentioned in
penance.
of the
It
the wife of
Dvhd
127.
2?
declare.
and
tell
Chaupdi.
"
Ragubar,
It is a
bends round
it
asceticism and
this evil
of
charity for
age for
huntsman
saying,
like a
its
its
arrows,
and
all
its
now
here."
ravine
string,
the sins of
Lakshman showed
is
the
So
at close quarters."
at
their head.
In the
garb
of Kols
Doha
128.
Vl^
by Lakshman and
where a manuscript of the Rdmayana in his own handwriting is still preHe imposed some curious rf^sirictions upon the inhabitants of the
No private houses,
place, which are still to tliis day reliyiou-ly obsfived
however wpalthy the owners msiy be, are allowed to be built of any mateual
but mud and wood, stone bpinjr reserved exclusively foi the temples and no
barber, potter or dancing-yirl may live within the limits of the town when
their services are required, they have to be called in fr<m some other village.
served.
She
Ansftya, the wife of Atri, was one of Daksha's 24 daughters.
severe penance for ten thousand years, and by virtue of the religi-
practise*!
ous merit that she had thus acquired she created tlie river Mandakini, and by
its waters maintained the fertility of the country through a ten years
drought.
AYODHYA.
304:
Chawpdi.
flocked to Chitra-kiit gods, serpents, Kinnars
Then
and
Digpdls.
gazed with joy on that most longed-for vision. Showering
"
down flowers and exclaiming At length,
Lord, we have
found our Lord," the heavenly host in piteous wise declared
their
intolerable
As soon
homes.
several
distress,
Raghunandan's stay
they
heard
the
news
of
company draw near, Rima prostrated himbut they all took him to their bosom, and
self before them
invoked upon him blessings,2 knowing that they would be
accomplished. As they beheld the beauty of R6ma and
S'ta
to
.
'
Dohd
After
ail
129.
honours paid, the
due
all their
good deeds
o L
saintly
throng
to
Ghaupdi.
When
the Kols
as
Motionless as
RAti
is
'
305
AYODHYA.
figures in a picture they stood
Doha
"Now
have
length that
at
sing for us
is
sight
prince of Kosala,
Ghaupdi.
and road and
the forest,
filled
whereon
take
to
up thy abode
tigers.
have
all,
my
here at
We
at ease.
will
our eyes
excellent spot
all
seasons of the
do thee service in
The
we
what a bles-
forest
beasts of
your arrival.
my lord,
we have
found a protector
all
130.
We
do not hesitate
to
command
^
Doha 131.
Veda cannot utter nor the
I
The
lord,
whom
the
saints
It is
men
of
Rdma
loves
his
understand
understanding. He charmed
set forth,
all
Parlpo-she,
[taripushta.
'
abounding
with,'
who
ye
this,
the foresters by
frauglit
R-42
with,'
is
In this
for the
Sanskrit
'
306
AYODHYA.
fashion the two brothers and Sita dwelt in the forest, delighting gods and saints. From the time that Raghu-n^yak
the
bore fruit
pC
fragrant.
Dohd
132.
'
(haupdi.
boars and deer forgot their
The Ganges,
mada, daughter
of
The mountains
of the
Himalaya, and
forest.
the Nar-
Jamun^,
Mount Mekal, and the sacred Godjivari,
Rdma's
the
home
discoursed of the
Mandii-
of all the
hills
there
be,
Chaupdi.
All creatures with eyes, who looked on RAma, felt wiih
Things
delight that now they had lived to some purpose.
without
life,
feet,
were gladdened
rocks,
AYODHYA.
holiest of the holy, that
how can
307
when
and when
of the infinitely
blessed,
would be past
forest
even by a hundred
telling
thousand
How
service, with
an
DoU
For ever gazing on the
134.
feet of
K^
Rdma and
Sltaand
con-
scious of their love for him, not even in his sleep did Laksh-
man dream
home.
Ghawpdi.
In Rama's
of city,
memory
company
Sita lived so
and
roots.
was a
DoU
'
135.
'
as no
Here
of Vishnu,
2 Sdthari
leav2s,
'
308
AYODHYA.
Chaupdi.
affection
grew most sad, but restrained himself knowing that the time was out of joint.
At the sight
and
Lakshman
Sita
became distressed also, like the shadow
that follows a
man.
When Raghunandan
and
his brother,
being self-restrained
his votaries as sandal-wood
to
when applied
he would begin
to the breast,
Doha 136
some
to relate
l^
as resplendent
as
Chaupdi.
The
liord
brother as
the
eyelids
over the
pupil of
the eye
while
No words
can
tell
nister to
ed,
and
Hoping, as
the sooth, to
direction.
to
get the
first
glimpse of
AYODHYA.
309
'
DohdlSl.
At the sight
said: "now,
are
a
learned
man and a
Sumanta, cease mourning
you
submit
to
adverse
fortune."
With
philosopher,
patiently
;
Rama's
loss.
to look
RAma's
loss.
harness, jibbing,
lying
jewel.
Dohd
The sight
of the Minister
He
very sad.
138.
its
head-
i>l^
'
charioteer.
Chaupdi.
After
making over
more sorry
at leaving
drove
Avadh
off to
the charioteer,
Guha
tell.
returned home,
The Nishdd's
in deeper distress,
"
became a sink
?
its
Raghu-bir
it
of
when
This
bereft of
Ah
departure
seeing that to-day
!
fool that
my
vile
it is, it
why
missed
cried
does
its
it
not
take
opportunity,
had
to flee
from the
battle-field.
who has
310
AYODHYA.
Do/lrf
^^
139.
The
Minister's grief was like that of some learned Brahwell read in the Vedas, a man of good repute, of integrity and birth, who has been entrapped into drinking.
man
Or like some
is
him
desert
who
His eyes so
ister's heart.
ly see
whom
he could scarce-
his ears deaf, his senses all confused, his lips dry his
tongue cleaving to his palate, the breath of life only restrained by the bar of Rama's promise to return
all the colour
;
face,
Avadh
in
in the face
when they
it,
bewilderment
Dohd 140.
I
When
have
to
answer them,
my
run
Rdma
me.
to
(>
to question
me and
thunderbolt.
Ghaupdi.
When
what shall
Good God
say to them
When
the
sorrowful king,
whose
life
When
and R^ma, he
news
of
Lakshman,
Sita
worth a straw.
AYODHYA.
DoU
My
heart bereft
water, but
is
this
it
of
cracks not
'
141.
beloved
its
311
/I
is
like clay
drained
of
of torture
He passed
under a
Avadh
tree,
and
in the dark.
the
day sitting
opportunity to enter
the
the
it
fish
DohdU2.
ic^%
When
much dread
as a
haunted chamber.
Ghaupdi.
to see,
me where is
all
him
in great
broken.
excitement
With no
no
ears to hear,
the king.'
'
Tell
when
has waned.
every adornment, he lay on the ground in utter wretchedness, sighing as piteously as Yay^ti^ after he had been
1
Yayati as a reward for his many sacrifices was exalted to heaven.
There Indra met him, ceremoniously conducted him to the throne, and then
craftily drew him out to speak of all the meritorius acts he had done.
The more he boasted, the more his virtue evaporated, till at last he was left
without any merit at all. The gods then turned him out of heaven and
Indra was able to resume the vacant throne.
312
AYODHYA.
Doha 143.
The Minister on seeing him cried
At the sound
liJ
'
Oj
All hail
and bowed
!'
king started
is Rdma ?'
and
exclaimed
'0
where
Siimanta,
up hurriedly
to the
ground.
Ghaupdi.
by his
side,
and with
welfare
drowning
him
seated
where are
Sita ?
Raghun6th,
them back, or have they sought the
words the Minister's eyes streamed with
8ita,
He
Lakshman and
like a
tears.
give
tidings of
mind Rdma's
to
Calling
Overpower-
me
'*
:
"
I promised
beauty and amiability, he sorrowed yet more
him the kingdom and then imposed exile; he obeyed with
Breft of such a son
soul unmoved either by joy or sorrow.
:
I yet
can live
who
so guilty a monster as
Dohd]U.
Take me, my friend,
Lakshman are. If not,
I ?
1*)"^
to the place
I
tell
Chaupdi.
"Friend, tell me of
Again and again he implored him
some
means for speedson.
contrive
comrade
fleariven,
my
and
me
Lakshman
Sita."
RAma,
showing
ily
Summoning
:
up courage
*'
:
Sire,
your majesty
a scholar and philosopher, a model of courage and endurance, and a constranr, attendant of holy assemblies. Life
is
and death
in prosperity,
313
AYODHYA.
in adversity
men
wise
upon you
the good of
bank
all
depends
Dohd]4:5.
Their
Consider the
first
of the
and stayed
halt
was
at the
^S''
TamasA
on the
their second
to
Chaupdi.
Then Rdma's
Lakshman
bow and
arrows.
Seeing my
addressed me thus kindly
my
father,
There
Father,
Father, give
my
salutation to
at his
mourn
pleasant and
feet
entreat
not for
him with
all
profitable
feet.
humility, saying,
me my banishment
;
to
and
to the forest is
is
Ghhand
By your
favour, father, I
go
5.
enjoy
complete happiness.
them
to
Sorathd
5.
A'
may live
happy.
">'
Chaupdi.
my
best friend
who
R-43
Say
to
314
AYQDHYA.
when he
Bharat, too,
comes,'
Now
the royal
subjects in word,
sound
polity.
the
Cherish your
and
brother, as a brother,
Fulfil
to
all
your duty,
mother
in dutifulness to father,
and kindred, and take such care of the king, sir, that he may
never regret me. 'Lakshman gave vent to some angry words,
but Rdma checked him, and begged of me again and again,
me by
adjuring
Then
it
was that
at a sign
line
went
Raghu's
Glory
with a heart as of adamant.
anguish,
age?'
and
How
manner the
stood looking on
can I describe my own
his way,
who have come back alive, bearing Rama's messWith these words the Minister stopped speaking,
self
who
AYODHYA.
Dohd
Avadh was
king's
palace
315
147.
'^
The breath
When
is
treaty of
mine,
my
spouse,
and you
Slta.
Dohd
again
^.^
148.
/ ^'^'^
cold water.
Chaupdi.
effort sat
up
*'
:
is
"
Thus miserably moaning,
law, the princess of Videha ?
the night seemed an age long and as though it never would
end. The blind hermit's curse^ came back to his mind,
1 The incident to
which such brief allusion is here made is told at full
length in the Sanskrit Ramayana, where it occupies nearly 200 lines. One
day, when Dasarath was still a youth, he was out shooting, and had taken
up a position near the bank of the Sarju, where he hoped to get a shot at
some tiger or buffalo as it came down in the evening to the river to drink.
Hearing a splash in the water, he left fly an arrow. From the cry that
followed, he learnt to his dismay that he had shot a young hermit, who had
been filling his pitcher for the use of his blind and aged parents. His dying
words were to implore the king that he would carry the warer to the hermitage and inform the bereaved couple of their son's sad fate. He did so, and
was told that as a punishment for his crime he. too, should hereafter die of
The time should be far distant, because the blow
grief for the loss of a son.
was dealt unwittingly, and his confession had further lightened his guilt
had he concealed the deed, he and the whole of his line had perished for evef*
:
316
AYODHTA.
Raghubar
you.
fulfil
me
my
than
love's
life,
engagement? Ah
already
have lived
Ah,
DohdUd.
and
R^ma
Crying R^ma,
once more R^ma, Rdma, RAma
lb'%P
'
'
again
Rdma
'
!
and yet
!,'
of
Ghawpai.
his reward both in
loss
bewept him
an agony of
his
in
him
in
lamentations
till
BdhdlbO,
Then
/6"|
their grief
many
by
the
legends befitting
wisdom that he
displayed.
Ghauydi.
After filling a boat with oil and putting the king's body
in it, he summoned messengers and thus addressed them
:
"
Hasten with
all
speed
to Bharat,
to any-
body about the king only tell Bharat when you arrive. The
"
On receiving the
guru has sent for you two brothers.'
'
317
AYODHYA.
shame the
begun
at
would
Directly these
troubles
had
omens he saw
;
ill
conjectures.
gave alms, and with elaborate ritual poured water over the
emblem of MahAdev, and with heartfelt prayers implored the
god for the prosperity of his parents, his family and his
brethren.
,^
Doha
151,
^^
As soon
on their arrival.
mands he
offered
Chaupdi'
like a year.
On
mind
'
that I had
In this
wings
to fly !'
him
he thought
A moment
seemed
sounded in uncanny places, asses and jackals uttered presages of ill, which pierced him to the heart as he listened.
Even
the lakes
and
rivers,
groves and
gardens,
seemed
forlorn
if
Dohd 152. I
The people who met him did not speak, but bowed and
passed on. For the fear and dismay in his mind Bharat
could not ask
Is all well ?
'
Ghaupdi.
streets
When
318
AYODHYA.
lamp
Bharat saw
lotuses
in
the
all
when smitten by
a wild hill-woman
who has
'
my
Sita
father
and
my
Seeing
Is all well in
was
all
own family
well,
my
and
"
Say, where
and where the other queen-mothers ? where is
"
dear brothers, RAma and Lakshman ?
:
Doha 153.
On
woman*8
eyes
filled
Cha7ipdi.
"
My
son, I
Crying
upon
"My
the
ere you
heaven."
distress, like
father,
ground
left,
God somehow
to
my
On
an elephant
father, alas,
in grievous affliction.
of
my
"
father
"
I
he
fell
my father, commend me
to
R^ma."
ing her son's words Kaikeyi replied, as one who drops poison
wound, and with a glad heart, vile wretch that she
into a
was, recounted
all that
Dohd 154.
Bharat forgot his father's death when he heard of Rama's
knowing himself to be the cause he was
banishment, and
Ghaupdi.
Seeing her son's distress she comforted him, in such a
manner as when one applies salt to a burn " The king, my
:
word hechara.
319
AYODHYA.
no
is
boy,
fit
he won
glory and
wound
applied to a festered
was your
this
birth?
vile desire,
to
keep the
fish alive.
Doha
155.
Chaupdi.
Wretch
it
evil design in
felt
'*
your
When
you
hour of
of his senses
heart
such a mine
who
special
enemy.
ever you
may
hence out of
Tell
me
my
Dohd
to
What-
face
up,
156.
out of a
I ?
but
womb
it is
hostile to
useless for
me
R^ma;
to say
you."
When Satrughna
burned
own
sight,
Chaupdi.
heard of his mother's wickedness he
AY0DHY4.
320
many
was
jewels.
filled
poured.
on her
hump
that she
Her
hump was
fell flat
aloud.
"
services
so all vile
from
Dohd
In sordid
157.
frost.
Ghaupdi
When
fell
this sight
see
own
condition
**
:
Mother,
let
me
my father where is Sita, and where Rdma and Lakshmy two brothers ? Why was Kaikeyi born into the
;
man,
world
ing
me
curse
or
if
born,
why was
of
my home
wretched as
fire
Who
the
so
spheres
have
been
am, on whose account, mother, you
?
My
in
the
three
father dead,
R6ma
is
banished,
Woe is me, a
calamity
torintolerable
with
the
reeds, fraught
amongst
all this
Dohd 158.
Hearing Bharat speak so tenderly, his mother again
took courage and arose and lifted him up and clasped him
to her bosom, while she wiped the tears from his eyes.
Chaupdi,
to
321
AYODHYA.
as though
R^ma
said
She
is
All
Rama's mother,
it
natural to her."
is
Seat-
Now, my
child, I adjure you to compose yourtimes are evil and cease to lament.
soothingly;
self
Think no more
of
your
blame
to
any one
against me.
my
son
is
his
father's
command
God who
live
Doha
At
remember that
Do not attach
is
it
He has made me
unalterable.
and vexation
loss
attire
me now
159.
With
a cheerful
Chaupdi.
countenance and a soul unmoved
by
anger or attachment, he did all in his power to comfort us.
Sita hearing he was off to the forest, went too in her devo;
tion to
Rdma's
feet
Lakshman
also,
my
spirit after
them.
place before
adamant."
Doha 160.
leave
my
a sou,
as
well
the
hundred-
\V\
of affliction.
R-44
322
AYODHVA.
Ghaupdi.
Bharat, nay, both brothers, wept piteously. Kausalya
clasped them to her bosom, and comforted Bharat in every
way with words of excellent wisdom. With appropriate
maxims from
ed with Bharat.
or a city of
child
BrAhmans
the crime of
murdering wife or
of
every mortal or
the seers
may
all
lU
Doha i^L
the
fate of those
who
forsake the
feet of Hari
if,
Ghaupdi,
Those who
who talk
sell
the
of others' faults
of all creation
boastful,^
who
backbiters,
covet
;
for the
their
may
no regard
neighbour's wife
of salvation,
piety
come
my
ill
if,
consent.
example
who worship
to a like
of the good,
who
reject the
way
Hari and
me
if,
mother,
Ghhand
Hearken, mother
am
dwells in
1
my
in all
knew
All-merciful.
deeds
between true
lol%pawara^
of this plot.
6.
it.
to
read,
AYODHYA.
323
affection
the ground. Again his mother took and clasped him to her
bosom, knowing him to be indeed a votary of Rdma's
Doha
162.
'>'^;
friend.
Chaupdi.
Rama
than
is
life to
avoid
him.
life,
water, a sage
fire,
to
persist in folly
milk and her eyes filled with tears. As they sat and made
such long lamentation, the whole night was spent. Saints
Vamadeva and Vasishtha came and summoned all the
Ministers and nobles and did everything to console Bharat
topics.
\^^
thing to be done.
Ghaupdi.
1 That is to say, he would not allow them to ascend the funeral pile with
the body of the king and perish with him as Saitig.
324
lYODHYA.
of rice,*
executed accordingly a thousand times over. For his purification he gave abundant gifts cows, horses, elephants, all
;
kinds of carriages,
Dohd
164.
I'^J
was
gratified.
Ghaupdi.
All the ceremonies that Bharat performed on his father's
came
and summoned
all
sat
extolled
to his promise,
who by
his death
had
was drowned
in love
and
grief.
Dohd 165
'*
Hearken, Bharat"
sages'* Fate
is
life
and death,
Ghaupdi.
One
the tenth,
ball
is
when
till
325
ATODHYA.
my
son
king Dasarath
Brahman who
is
not
be pitied.
to
Pitiable the
pitiable the
ment and
whom
life
to
as his own
who regards
hospitality nor the service of Mahddev
who insults a Brahman, who is boastful,
his subjects are noi as dear
of
who breaks
his
of
his
gurut
Dohd 166.
overcome by delusion,
sakes the
path
enamoured
of the
governance
of
religion
pitiable the
lost his
ascetic
for-
who
judgment and
is
self-
Chaupdi.
pitiable the anchorite
delight in pleasure
takes
own
parents, their
pitied
fourteen spheres.
of Hari
his glory
all
is
your
father, Bharat.
Brdhma,
Dohd 167.
what way can any one magnify him,
who has such noble sons as Rdma, Lakshman, you and
Satrughna ?
Tell me,
my
The king
is
son, in
Chaupdi.
altogether fortunate
it is
vain to lament on
326
AYODHYA.
his accouQt.
grief
the throne,
fulfil
your
Rdma
he
life, is
a father,
your head
my
son,
his
command
it will be in
every way for
ParasurAra, to obey his father's order, slew his
and Yaj^Ati,
mother, as all the world bears witness
to the royal
your good.
own
;i
Dohd
They who
can
168.
ing right or wrong, they are vessels of honour and glory and
dwell in the palace of the king of heaven.
Chaupdi.
You must
make good
certainly
the king's
word
cherish
fault. It is laid
down
in the Veda,
crown
to
whom
and approved by
it.
all
men,
Reign
queens
will
knows your
The legend
He was
of YayAti
the second son of
throne.
He had two
is
327
AYODHYA.
part
affection."
Dohd
169.
1^
"
You
The ministers with clasped hands exclaimed
must needs obey your guru's command when Raghupati
:
seem good."
Chaupdi
"
took
My son, you have
Kausalyd
courage and cried
father's
aad
your
your guru's commands, which you must
and
respect
affectionately carry out. Cease to lament, know:
it
ing
to
R^ma
is
in banishment,
summon up
Seeing
God
resolution.
guru's
command
"
Chhand
when he heard
7.
was
overcome his lotus eyes rained with tears that bedewed the
his mother's pathetic appeal, Bharat
his
SorathdQ.
y\^^
Clasping his lotus hands, Bharat, the champion of
honour, stoutly made answer to them all in noble words
that
seemed as
if
dipped
in nectar.
Chaupdi.
"
The injunctions
ATODHTA.
328
and as
the best
all for
to deliberate
or
me
to
soul
is
follow
my
according to
my
this clearly,
my
prayer,
my
and
presumption
tress
My
tell
you
though I understand
Hearken then to
yet,
discontent.
still
father
me
is in
to be
Doha no.
II S
heaven, and Sita and R^ma
king
is it
my
from
in exile,
and
this
Ghaupdi.
My
gain
robbed by
is to
mother's wickedness.
my
have been
feet of
mass
of jewels is of
of no use is
any enjoyment
to a
all is
this
me
Dohd
desire,
you
171.
In your
lost to
shame.
Ghaupdi
all and believe
in a king
required a righteous disposition. If you persist in giving
the crown to me, earth will sink into hell.
What guilty
is
wretch
is
equal
to
me, for
whom
Sita and
RAma
liave
been
329
AYODHYA,
exiled ?
I,
to
it all
unmoved.
yet live to
all
jeers.
Holy
a greedy king,
I,
I tell
heart,
him.
in losing
wrongdoing,
see the palace with no
after enjoyment.
my
all this
sit
and
listen
Rama there,
R^ma eschews
am hungering
the hardness of
Chaupdi.
can cling to a body born of Kaikeyi
will have a surfeit of misery
if, bereaved of my beloved,
If
it
my
worthless
life
life is still
dear to me,
to see
Sita,
I shall
and
and
cry out
to
all
my
all
destiny
Dohd
this is only
but
why
my
should
too
the
due
my
173.
am by fate,
1 The thunderbolt is said to be made from the bones of the Rishi Dadhlwho devoted himself to death iu order that the gods might be supplied
with arms against the Kalakeya Asuras, by whom they were oppressed. When
his bones had been fashioned ioto thuaderbolts by Tvashtri (the Vedic
Vulcan) Indra hurled them against his enemies and slew their leader, the
cloud demon Vritra.
2 According to Hindu physicians all organic disorders of the human
frame arise from derangements of the blood or one of the three humors of the
body, kapha, phlegm, vciyu, wind, ov pitta, bile. The vitiated humor which
is specified in the text is wind, hat.
chi,
R-45
330
AYODHTl.
Chaupdi.
son of Kuikeyi.
befits a
is
tell
me
allow my-
to
desired by all
is
You
talk
at
men.
random as
me who
and
answer
shall I
everything that
me
for
am
will
mother, tell
excepting myself, who else is there in the whole animate or
inanimate creation that does not love Sita and RAma as their
own
life ?
gain, thisis
are
moved by
is all
you say
anxiety, kindness
and
affection,
\^^
Dohd 17^.
Rama's mother
is
and anything
so
utterly
guileless
and bears me
my
remorse.
Chaupdi.
The guru,
making
is
like a
ready for
is
plum
my
in the
coronation
against me.
Except
is
an ocean of wisdom,
palm
:
of his hand.
when God
is
RAma and
He
against
Sita there
heaven
Dohd
I
see
declare before
Rima's
feet,
the
you
175.
ail
fire in
AYODHYA.
331
Chaupdi.
other remedy can I discover
what care I for life ? This wish alone
No
without Raghubar
is
my
stamped upon
at
me
all.
Raghurdo
home
disposition, such a
is
so
of
be for
my
good
after hearing
my
Dohd
Though born
will
know me
of
17Q.
evil
and
am
Chaupdi.
Bharat's words pleased all, imbued as they were with
the nectar of piety.
The people suffering from the baneful
all
the
vehemence
'
praises
to
as
The queen-mothers,
charm.
Rdma
my
Rdma
ah,
seeing that
is
lord
is
at the
sound
of a healing
in the city
of their affection
His body
if
the
Bharat,
how can we
say otherwise,
as your life ? If
as precious to
you
any
you your mother's sin, the
wretch, with all who are his from generation to generation,
The
shall have their abode in hell for hundreds of ages.
churl in his folly
jewel
is
ascribe
to
not
infected
serpent (in
poison and subdues pain and poverty.
Dohd 177.
By
all
means
let
us follow
Rdma
to the
woods
Bharat
AYODHYA.
332
of despair,
Chaupdi.
own
Bharat was
to
whose
affectionate
disposition,
whole world.
life
'
to
'
who
"
:
life's
Dohd
No
best reward ?
78.
Perish property, house, fortune, friends, parents, kinsmen and all, that does not help to bring one to R^ma."
Chaupdi.
In every house carriages of all kinds were making ready,
and the start to-morrow was a heart-felt joy. Bharat pon-
home
me
to injure^ one's
'
own
lord
is
a crowning sin.
much
good
others
them
his intention
work, he told them off for the posts for which they
were severally fit. When he had thus diligently posted the
in their
guards he proceeded
Rdma's mother.
Dohd 179.
to visit
droha,
'
injury.'
to be
love,
not
he sympathized with a
for dnhai,
333
AYODHYA.
to
Bharat
summoned
*'
Take
all
forest, sirs,
ehahwa and
and said
to
Rdma
when
in watching,
them
the
in
at
start
once."
the materials
all
for
sacrifice.
Brahmans renowned
host of
own conveyances
of the
is
palanquins
all set
in
which the
different
beyond description.
Doha
After
making over
The elegance
180.
^^
^
Chaupdi.
All
when a herd
of elephants
makes
that
sight of
Rdma
Sita
as
Re-
The people
foot.
My
to
mount your
softly said
and with
if
his brother
mounted the
chariot.
They
334
AYODHYA.
halted the
bank
of
Doha
Out
of devotion to
some
one meal and
water,
to eat
181.
nothing but
that at night,
of dress and food.
to
drink only
make
fruit, others to
ail
otily
luxuries
Chaupdi.
After resting at the Sai^ they started at dawn and drew
near to the city of Sringavera.**
When the Nishad heard
the
"
is
poison stock."
Dohd 182.
Having thus reflected, Guha cried to his kinsmen
on the alert, up and sink the boat and close the ferry.
"
:
Be
Chaupdi.
lay
down
this frail
body
and mean as
am
to join battle
'
'
'
335
AYODHYA.
all this
If I
is
a great
war and
fight
on
my
lord's
spheres.
hands
full
among
the
If I lose
my
life for
he foot
mother's youth."
Doha
183.
his followers,
of
for
Ghaupdi.
"
Hasten, brethren,
after hearing
to
my command
fully responded,
the
gallant
warriors,
spear
bowed before
king Guha
Seeing his gallant warriors so fit and ready,
he addressed them each by name with courteous phrase.
Dohd 184.
"
day's
"
Do not
work
play
for
me
me."
false,
At
my
brethren
this they
this is a great
cried with vehemence,
;
Ghaupdi
By RAma's favour and your might, my lord, we will
leave the enemy without a single fighting-man or horse.
While life lasts, we will never draw back our foot, and will
make the earth one heap of corpses and skulls." When the
Nisluid lord had inspected his gallant
band he cried
"
Beat
336
AYODHYA.
the
sneezed on the
left.
ledge
Dohd
185.
men, and stop the pass, and all join to discover the mystery. When we know whether he is a friend,
an enemy, or a neutral, we can then lay our plans accor-
my
Close up,
dingly.
Chaupdi.
We
hat-
So saying, he began
bulbs, roots and fruits,
make ready
a present,
and sent
for
fish,
large
pdthinSf^
saw
of
off,
As soon
good fortune.
He, on
his chariot
and advanced on
Guha
foot to
declared his
making obeisance
laid his
Rama's
meet him
home and
forehead to
the ground.
Dohd
186.
The pkthin
is
kinct of she-li^h,
AYODHYA.
337
and the people extolled the manner of his love. There was
a jubilant cry of Glory, Glory', as the gods applauded and
"
rained down flowers upon him.
Though this man is in
'
every
way
vile,
shadow requires
Rama's
brother
has
embraced
him in his arms
yet
ablution,
and
cries
Riima, R'ima,'
clasped to his
me who
will refuse to
reverence
it
again,
it
is
known
Doha 187.
Even a Chandal,! a Savara, a Khasiya, a stupid foreigner,
an outcast, a Kol, or a Kirat, by repeating the name of Rdma
becomes most holy and renowned throughout the world.
Ghaupdi.
has been so for ages
who is there
"
cannot
told
the greatexalt
?
As
the
Raghubir
gods
It is
whom
no wonder,
it
thousands of generations.
'
'
'
1 The word translated
Chandal is in the original Swa-pach literally a
dog-cooker,' i.e., either one who feeds on dog's flesh, or who cooks food for
dogs a dog-keeper.' A Savara is a wild mountaineer. The Khasiya is a native
of Khasa, a hill tract in Northern India. The word for foreigner is Jaman,
which originally denoted specially a Greek, an Ionian, and
i.e., Yavan,
then came to mean any foreign barbarian. Accustomed as our ears are to
the division of mankind into Greeks, and Barbarians, it is a little strange to
find the Greek selected as the typical barbarian.
'
'
R-46
'
AYODHYA.
338
Dohd
IHS.
who adores
natural delusion.
Chaupdi.
After
witnessing his
devotion and
"
blessing
years."
The
May you
too
citizens
live
were as glad
to see
him
as
if
he
"
Here is one who has
had been Lakshman and cried
lived to some purpose whom Rama's our brother has taken
When the Nishad heard
to his arms and embraced."
:
at
heart
At a signal
all his attendants, having learnt their maswent on and made ready tents under the trees
and rest-houses by the ponds, gardens and groves.
ter's will,
Chaupdi.
When
339
AYODHYA.
"
Thy
beg
sands,
the very
cow
of all happiness,
and Rama."
Doha 190.
When
to their tents.
Chaupdi.
to
with
many
reverence to
all
the queens,
him
the sp^t
love, as
that the
longing of his
fierce
Doha 191.
where Raghubar had rested under the sacred sin.sipa tree.
With great reverence and devotion Bharat postrated himself.
Ghauydi.
he spied the delectable grassy couch, he again
made obeisance and reverently paced round it. He put
upon his eyes the dust of the foot-prints, with an enthu-
When
dim and
people of
lustreless
Avadh
compare her
with
all life's
through
Sita's
father,
pleasures and
all
"
They are
all the
and
absence,
To whom can
conversant at once
philosophy
Her
father- in-
AYODHYA.
340
law, the sun-like monarch of the solar race, was the envy
Her husband is the beloved
of even the lord of heaven.
that
it is
any one
is
great.
Doha
Vt^
192.
Ghaupdi.
Lakshman
so
to
be fondled
nor will be
is there,
so
wind, how can he bear the hardray heart would shame for hardness
to the hot
been exposed
Rdma
at his birth
was the
light of
all
ties.
his
stole
praise
R^ma
every heart.
could reckon up
all
my
lord's virtues.
The image
dence
grass
how wonderful
Raghu, the
on the ground on
Ghaupdi.
of pain, the
king cherished him like the tree of life, and day and night all his mothers
guarded him as the eyelids guard the eyes, and as a serpent
guards the jewel in
its
head.
A.
And now
nothing
he
to eat
is
roaming on
foot
all evil,
thou hast
341
AYODHYA.
undone
my
best beloved
cursed be
my
wretched
that
self,
less
is
blame-
Ghhand
The ways
8.
has
it
made your
R4ma
Sorathd
Rdma
is
compassion
1-
yijV
full of
One would
praise
would say the king had sown the greatest love they reproached themselves and praised the Nishad who can des;
and distress
the night
and
at
all
daybreak began
the passage.
to land
Bharat
them all.
Doha 194.
took count of
V^
342
AYODHYA.
mother's feet and bowing the head to the guru, he sent the
Nishdds on ahead and started the host.
Chaupdi.
He made
and started
all
cried:
"
your horse."
all
away
for
pity.
Dohd
At the third watch
'
Rdma,
crying
Sfta
of the
195.
Rdma,
Sita
with irrepressible
affection.
Chaupdi.
The
drops of dew on a
The whole company were distressed, when they
Bharat had made the day's march on foot. After
on his
blisters
lotus bud.
heard that
that
ascertaining
did
homage
went and
the parti-coloured
Brdhmans.
all
flood
dark and white waves, his body throbbed with emotion and
"
he clasped his hands in prayer
queen of the holy
:
in the
know you
'>.
to
343
AYODHYA.
Doha
I crave not
196.
but only
to
R^ma
Ghmipdi.
more every day. Though the cloud neglects her all her
life, and while she begs for rain, casts down upon her
thunder and hail, yet were the chatalc to cease her imporshe would be
tunity,
affection,
and
is
much
despised
honoured.
came a
soft
my
to
"
upright
R^ma
as
you are."
Dohd 197.
As he heard the
^b
Chaupdi,
The inhabitants
affection
him as his own good angel incarnate, and ran and raised
him up and took him to his arms and gave him the blessing
he desired, and made him sit down. He bowed his head
344
and
AYODHYA.
shrinking into the inmost recesses of shamegreatly distrest lest the saint should ask any
sat,
facedness
"
question.
Bharat
our power.
Sarasvati
who
stole
away her
senses.
Ghaupdi
If
'
No one
will be
by the wise
authorities
sung unsullied,
me
will excuse
and
while
reply,
both accepted
my
your glory,
son,
the
will
both be honoured, for every one admits that this is accordingiboth to custom and the Veda that he takes the throne
to
whom
you
The
it.
truthful king
to confer
upon
Rdma's banishment
summoned
of sovereignty
and
its
is a monstrous wrong,
which the whole world is grieved to hear of but the queen
was demented by the power of Fate, and in the end she has
higher duties.
whoever says
Had you
wretch.
Rtoa would
done.
you
reigned,
it
You
Doha
to
is
is
is
excellent
a vile
hear of
it.
199.
and ignorant
would have been no sin, and
are
still
better
your pre-
Raghubar
Ghaupdi.
^
your wealth and the very breath of your life is
there any one with good fortune equal to yours ? Nor, my son,
is it strange that you should act thus
you are a son of Das-
This
is
arath's
Hearken, Bharat
in Ra-
AYODHYA.
fond of you
I
345
And
Raguhbar has
life of
pleasure.
to
Dohd
to
him.
200.
to
passionate devotion.
Chaupdi.
Your
my
moon
its
glory,
lotuses
was
are exceedingly
enamoured
it
of
it,
of splendour,
stain for
the nectar
all,
Rdma's
of
evil
nectar of devotion to
deeds
Rama,
reach of the
|Cing
Your disobedience
to
R-47
346
AYODHYA.
a mine of
telling
He has no equal
say more ?
why
in the world.
Dohd 201.
manifest,
whom
his
Through
never
wearied
of beholding.
Chaupdi.
You have
created an
Hearken, Bharat ;
philosopher's stone and yet fear poverty
a hermit and ascetic dwelling in the
I tell no falsehood
!
forest, I
when
fruit is
favoured.
Bharat,
universal renown."
with emotion.
in
down
Praydg and
to his
Shouts of
goodness and
Glory, Glory,' resounded
flowers.
congratulate you
you have achieved
So saying the saint was overwhelmed
As they hearkened
assembly rejoiced
rained
'
Bharat was
his
lost in
rapture at the
sound.
Dohd 202.
V'
Ghaupdi.
In a conclave of saints and in this so holy a place,
truth must needs be spoken any oath is superfluous and
**
vain
if
in
sin or vileness
I
were
such a spot
to
austerities, brought down the Ganges from heaven to earth, and with its
vivifying flood watered and restored to life the ashes of the sixty thousand
8f)ns of his
Kapila.
whom
347
AYODHYA.
therefore
the
of
speak honestly
heart.
am
R^ma,
knows the
too,
my
secrets
mother has
done,
I
father's death,
all
Doha
203.
ground on a
posed
to the
litter of
This
the
is
is
ever consuming
my
mind
My
my
advantage,
and
fixed the
made
term of banishment as
it
were a horrible
spell.
When
remedy."
ly
at the sight of
Rama's
feet all
Doha 204.
"
Be our welThe great saints comforted him and said
come guest accept such herbs and roots and fruits as we
:
can
offer,
On
heart
and be content.
"
Chawpdi.
hearing the saints' words Bharat was troubled at
the time was not one for feasting, and yet he was
348
At6DHYA.
At
mand
last,
com-
The
my lord,
is my highest duty."
Bharat's words and called up
all his
my lord,'
"
They bowed
and gladly
set
go and gather
the head and said
:
guished guest,
Dohd 205.
**
by the
loss of
Rdma
show them
all their
hospitality
Chaupdi.
The
Fairies
bowed
to his
Rama's
brother
whole
is
of the
So saying, a
number
of
First the
all
bright
Dohd 206.
Then, as the saint had ordered, Bharat and his family
had theirs assigned them, which astonished even the Creator
349
AYODHYA.
by their magnificence
so
great
the
power
of the holy
ascetic's penance.
When
Ohaupdi.
Bharat beheld the saint's power, the realms of
him
as
trifles.
all
The luxu-
that
Thrones, couches,
gardens
like nectar,
his
cool,
Doha 207.
and Bharat
compulsion
night, as
dawn
as her mate,
by
till
broke.
Chaupdi.
Then he bathed
at
his
acquainted with the road, he set out resolutely for ChitrakiU supported on the arm of Rdma's friend, he seemed, as
;
According to Hindu belief the chakioa and his female mate, the chakwi,
doomed for ever to nocturnal separation. Even though they may be
caught and imprisoned together in one cage they cannot enjoy each other's
In the same way Bharat, though detained for
society till the break of day.
1
re
the night by the saint's order at the hermitage in the midst of luxury, could
not enjoy it by reason of his vow. Valmiki represents him as less abstemious, and, in describing the banquet, maltes mention of wine and flesh
meat of various kinds venison, wild boar, peafowl and partriilges - all of
which Tulsi D4s has omitted in concession to modern prejudices.
350
AYODHYA.
and
history of the
soothing accents
R^ma
its
emotion.
The clouds
and refreshingly
Dohd 208.
him shade and the air breathes soft
Rama's road was not thus, as it is now
afford
:
for Bharat.
Chaupdi.
All created things, whether living or lifeless, that
of the
name
of
Rima
saviour of others
brother
treads ?
This
mindful
is
saw
for salva-
of
curse of transmigration
whom Rdma
fit
is
remember.
to
But Bharat
is
why should he
As
gazed upon
saints,
"
:
turn out well for the good and badly for the bad."
Then
Dohd 209.
Rdma
is
an ocean of
must
bestir ourselves
Chaupdi.
Hearing the speech, the teacher of the gods smiled, to find
*'
the thousand-eyed so blind, and said
Leave tricks alone;
it will be all trouble in vain
any deception here would be
:
absurd.
AYODHYA.
of the lord of delusion
fered once,
351
must recoil on the contriver. I interwas Rama's wish, but any under-
knowing
hand work now would only do harm. Listen,
it
king
is Rama's nature never to be angry at any sin against himself, but whoever sins against one of his servants is consumed in the fire of his wrath. Popular tradition and the
Vedas abound in such legends Durvdsas^ knows well
it
faithful to
And
is
is
his ?
Dohd 210.
Think
any servant
of
burden
of regret.
Ghauydi.
advice, king of the gods Rama has the
greatest love for his servants he is pleased at any service
done to a servant, while enmity to a servant is the height of
Hearken
to
my
enmity
to himself.
of his
own
actions, still
fitting devotion.
Dohd 2il.
Any worshipper
of
R^ma
is
zealous for
the
good of
compassion
[with whom Rama
is full of
of
Vishnu
here identified] and thereby excited the jealousy of the irascible sage
trivial
Durvasas, the most intolerant of all the adherents of Siva. On some
the ground, but
pretext he cursed the king, who at, once fell s^-nseless to
Vishnu was ready at hand to succour his faithful follower and sent his fiery
(iiscus
Uurvas:is, which chased him all over the world and up into heais
upon
where the gods said nothing could be done
and humbly begged pardon of Ambarisha.
ven,
for
him
till
he went back
352
AYPDHYA.
king,
who
is
pers.
Ghaupdi.
an ocean of truth and a well-wisher of the
You are troubled by
gods, and Bharat obeys his orders.
own
selfishness
there
is
no
in Bharat
fault
it is a
your
"
delusion on your part.'
When the great god heard the
The
lord
is
words
Bharat went on his way, while saints and sages looked and
Whenever he sighed Rdma's name, it seemed like
praised.
the bubbling over of love.
at his
words
description.
and as he gazed on
its
their emotion is
half-way, he
came
to the
filled
with
Encamping
beyond
Jamuna,
tears.
Dohd 212.
A.S he and his retinue gazed on the lovely stream, the
colour of Raima's body, he was plunged into a sea of desolatill
tion,
Chaupdi.
came from
counted.
of
With
apparel and ornaments all of the very simplest.
Minister's
the
and
them tlieir servants and friend
son,
invoking Lakshman, Sita and Rfima. Any spot wherever
R^nia had encamped or rested they lovingly saluted.
to
this
colic
ot
353
AYQDHYA.
Doha 213.
At the news, the dwellers by the roadside
household work and ran after them
left their
were overcome with love and joy and had their life's reward.
Chaupdi.
"
another
Friend, are they Rama
and Lakshman, or not ? In age, figure, complexion and
to
an equally
girl,
affectionate disposition.
is
Nor
is
in
not
foot,
elephants and
some
"
There
nature.
Doha 214.
*'
He
travels
on
foot,
feeding only on
wild
fruits,
and
Chaupdi.
Bharat's brotherly devotion and his
course of action dispels all sin and sorrow. Anything that
To
and hear
tell
of
state they
lamented
"
He
is
not
a
"
fit
son
It is no
mother as Kaikeyi." One said
for such
to
us.
What
kind
so
been
has
that
God
the
to
blame
queen
are we, outcasts from the world and the Veda, women
of low birth and mean livelihood, whose home is a wretched
R-48
354
AYODHTA.
and wonder
"
in every town,
had sprung up
as
though the
tree of paradise
in the desert.
Dohd 215.
At the sight
of Bharat, the
good fortune
of the
people
by the
will of providence
to the people of
LankA.
Chaupdi.
Hearing these praises of his own and Rama's many virtues, he went on his way, ever mindful of Raghunith.
and Rima.
If
there
woods,
met him a
what part
of
the
forest
Kirit, or Kol,
were Lakshman,
RAma and
the
Videhan princess. They told him all the news of the lord,
and at the sight of Bharat reaped their life's reward. If
any person said We have seen them well,' they were
counted as dear as R^ma and Lakshman themselves. In
this manner asking courteously of every one, he heard the
whole story of RAma's forest life.
Dohd 216.
*
at
an end." Each
in-
dulged his own fancy, and as they marched all seemed intoxicated with the wiue of love, their limbs relaxed, their feet
355
AYODHYA.
unsteady on the ground, and the accents of their voice infrom excess of emotion. Then was the time that
articulate
ground with
The
cries of
royal host
'
Glory
to
Rama,
the
life of
J^naki
'
!
Doha 217.
Bharat's love at that time was such
could describe
heaven
is
that not
Seshndg
it is
Chaupdi.
loved of
R^ma
Raghuu^th
while
it
with an army, being tortured in body by the fever of separation from his lord
all were sad, wretched and downcast,
;
altered."
On hearing
dream, the healer of sorrows grew sorrowful and his
"
This dream, Lakshman, bodes no
eyes filled with tears
good we shall hear of something that we by no means
Sita's
wished."
Purdiri
Chhand
9.
'V^j
reverencing the saints,
Sorathd
7.
When
356
AYODHYA.
Chaupdi.
became anxious
What can be the
cause of Bharat's coming ? Then came one and said
There
is with him no small army in full equipment.' Hearing this,
Again
Sita's lord
'
R^ma was
disturbed
greatly
father's
Lakshman saw
'
:
Bharat
but
is
at
last
he calmed
and
said to be good
was troubled
at heart,
'*
I
and spoke out as he thought the occasion demanded
asked
but
am
sometimes
I
before
impertinence
speak, sire,
:
Dohd 218.
my
You,
lord, are
you love
ability
like yourself.
;
crown
all
Chaupdi.
worldly man,
who has
mad and
was well-taught,
good and clever, and, as every one knew, was devoted to his
but now that he has become king, he breaks
lord's feet
down in his course all the bounds of duty. A wicked and
infatuated and so betrays himself. Bharat
ill-disposed brother
that
R^ma
is alone in the
If
he had
all
mad
on getting dominion.
Dohd 219.
The Moon-god debauched his guru's wife Nahusha
mounted a palanquin borne by Br^hmans and who fell so
low as Vena, the enemy of established usage and the Veda ?
:
AYODHYA.
357
Chaupdi.
Sahasra-bdhu,
Trisanku
Indra,
all
were brought
to
Bharat has
disgrace by the intoxication of kingly power. ^
planned this clever scheme, so as not to leave himself a
single
enemy
mistake, in
in the field
despising
Rdma
with a
vengeance,
when he
sees
all
pugnacity.
of
remain
quiet,
me
my
hand?
1 The
pride of kings and its ruinous results are here Illustrated by reference to six famous mythological personages. The first is the great Moongod, who in the wantonness of power robbed his own spiritual instructor,
Vrihaspati, of his bride Tara, and had by her a son named Budha, the regent
of the planet Mercury.
Of this legend mention has already been made in a
note after dohd 201.
For punishment, he bears for ever in his face the
marks of the brand set upon him by the injured husband.
Nahusha was the grandson of Hurii-ravas, the founder of the lunar
race of kinss, who reigned at Pratishthana on the Ganges opposite Frayag.
When
dead.
enamoured
of Ahalya,
the wife of
358
AYODHYA.
Dohd 220.
Am
Ghaupdi,
Bharat a lesson
contempt
of battle.
for
It is well
I shall manifest
my
If
to their aid, in
Rama's name
battle."
Dohd 22 i.
Lakshman spoke
so furiously
the sage Gautama, an^l visited her disguised as her husband. The sage saw
as he left her room and cursed him with perpetual loss of vlrilitj.
Ahalyi was changed into a stone till Rima should come and deliver her,
him
see
Book
I.
Teisanku was
359
AYODHYA.
on
and longed
in terror
to flee
away.
Chaupdi.
tell,
was heard
a voice
in the air,
of
any business, whether right or wrong, should be done deliberately so every one agrees. They who act rashly and af;
On
this voice
hearing
both Rdma and
Sita addressed
it maddens
any
not
who
has
been
in
trained
the school of philosophy.
king
But hearken, Lakshman in the whole of God's creation I
;
Doha 222.
He would never be
Chaupdi.
race,
who from
known
to
distin-
guish between the good and the evil choosing the milk of
goodness and discarding the water of evil, he has illumined
the whole world with his glory." As Raghurai thus recited
he
became
Bharat's virtues and amiable disposition,
;
drowned
in a
sea of love.
1
Who
360
AYODHYl.
Dohd 223.
The
gods,
Bharat,
*'
all
who
save you,
all
describe
"
gods they were more glad than can be told. Now Bharat
and all his host bathed in the sacred Manddkini. Then
leaving the people on the bank and having asked
permis-
sion from his mother, his guru and the Minister, he set out
Doha 22^.
me
be
-L^H
Taking
to
my
Ghaupdi.
whether he spurns me as a black-hearted wretch, or welcomes me as his servant, my only refuge is at llAma's feet
he is the best of masters, the fault is all his servants. The
chdtak and the fish are celebrated throughout the world for
the thoroughness and constancy of their vows of love." With
these thoughts in his mind he went on his way, his whole
body rendered powerless by excessive love and trepidation
mother's sin, as
it
were, turning
361
AtODHYA.
Doha
Auspicious omens began
225.
to occur,
after
"
Sorrow will
hearing them and making a calculation said
will
succeed
but
in
will be
the
end
there
away,
joy
pass
:
distress again."
Chaupdi.
words
his servant's
Knowing
to the
hermitage.
to
be
When
he went on
all true,
who
rejoice
on escaping
to a
and the rocks for his capital with Peace and Goodwill for
his virtuous and lovely queens a king perfect at all points
;
a suppliant at
Rama's
feet,
in
mind,
J^ohd 226.
undisputed sway
in his capital
all
was
all
joy,
towns, villages
Chaupdi.
cells about the woods were his
and hamlets
the
The
wolves,
birds and
all
wonder
many
beasts of
its
parts.
cries of
mad
The
army complete
in
din of kettle
drums
of
R-49
God,
362
AYODHYA.
erdourage
Doha 227.
Beholding the beauty of
Rdma's
hill,
is
overjoyed
when
of his penance.
Chawpdi,
Then
fruit, affording a
mass
all
of black
that
pleasant shade in
and purple, as
all
if
river, sir,
own
lotus
altar.
Dohd 228.
There the well-instructed Sfta and
Rama
Ghaupdi.
As he
advanced reverently
love. When they saw the prints of Rama's feet they rejoi<
ed like some beggar on finding the philosopher's stone, an(
applied the dust to their head, heart and eyes, with as mucl
1
the
/ttwtaZrt,
Bengalensis.
363
AYODHYA.
delight as
were absorbed
in
makes
fools wise
fools ?
'
DoU 229.
Raghu-bir, the ocean of compassion, after churning the
depths of Bharat's soul with the Mount Meru of bereavement, brought out from it the nectar of love.
Chawpdi.
The two
but Bharat could see his lord's sacred hermitage, the charmhome of everything delightful. As he entered it his
ing
He saw
before
him Lakshman
is
rewarded
affectionately
He,
like
Rati and
Kamadeva
in
Bohd 230.
midst of the circle of saints, Sita and Rama
shone forth as fair as Faith and the Supreme Spirit incarnate in the council chamber of wisdom.
In
the
Ghawpdi.
He, his brother and their guide were so absorbed that
1 The idea would seem to be that Rdma, though the benefactor of the
whole world, was obliged in the forest to go armed, to protect himself agair^st
attack.
364
AYODHYA.
ing
lord
Mercy, mercy,
and master
all
'
forgotten. Cry-
he
fell flat
on the
mind
but on
affection,
to his
;
lord.
what poet
obedi-
Though
Raghun^th, who
started
tion
in
greets you."
On
"
:
It is
hearing
Bharat,
this,
Rdma
up
and his quiver and bow and arrows in another.
Dohd 231.
Whether he would or no, the All-compassionate took
and raised him up and clasped him to his bosom. Those
who witnessed the meeting of Bharat and Rama lost all
self-consciousness.
Ghaupdi.
How
meeting be described ?
were beyond any poet.
and
actions
words
Their thoughts,
utmost
love self, reason,
Both brothers were filled with the
can such an
affectionate
mind
attain to
it
If the
poet has a
model, he
can work out his meaning by the force of words, and players
dance when they have an accompaniment
but the love of
;
Rima and
r\
Bharat
sweet music?
know no other
'
365
AYODHYA.
their folly
Doha 232.
After affectionately embracing Satrughna, Rdma greeted the pilot and then Lakshman too as a brotlier conrte;
Chaupdi.
he had fondly embraced his younger brother,
Lakshman next took the Nishdd to his bosom. Then the two
When
saints
consciousness.
When
it
ceased to
act.
all the
people of the
When
he
the
Ocean
of amiability
delighted and
man
friend of Rdma's, as
spilt
upon the
366
AYODHYA.
to
it
pick
Rdma
Faith in
up.
is
all
in
any one
world equal
in the
to the
great Vasishtha
Doha 234.
on seeing him was overjoyed and
Lakshman
so
glorious
their
in
Finding
Chaiipdi.
the people sad, R'ima, the all-merciful and
all
all-wise
citizens with
his
praised
will
Rima
affection
rapturous
good fortune.
begone as the
sf)rays of
Rdma
the frost,
for
do
to
once in a thousand
reflected at
many
water-jars.
his
delicate
sun
All
the
pilot
and
saluted Keikeyi,
similarly the
embraced the
Seeing
some
first of all
piety.
Dohd 235.
Raghubar embraced
*
all his
is
CJiaupdi.
AtODHYA.
367
command
at his
Doha 236.
Taking with them
hermitage.
Chaupdi.
Sita
saint's
feet
manner
and received
The
affectionate
which she greeted the guru's wife and the Brahman ladies is beyond description. Again and again she
kissed all their feet and received their benediction rejoicin
When
queen-mothers looked
the
at Sita,
cruel thing
while
summoning up
law
ly
courage,
benediction
May you
long
most tender-
their heart
live a
came
happy wife
the loving
'
!
Chaupdi.
Sita and the queens being thus agitated by emotion, the
First he expoundlearned guru bade them all be seated.
ed to them the instability of the world and spoke a little
of the joys of heaven, and then announced the king's death.
368
AYODHYl.
sore shaken.
them
On
like a thunderbolt,
8ita
Lakshman,
and
fell
upon
the queens
all
Dohd 238.
At daybreak, according
saint, the lord
to the
Raghunandan
reverently
if
He became
all prosperity.
logians say, a bather in the
is
After his
purified.
passed,
Rama
merely invoked
pure, in liKe
is
the source
manner
as,
of
theo-
"
:
My
lord, all
the
in heaven,
too
and there
is
no one
left at
greatly
Ayodhya.
:
but do,
have said
sir,
as
you
think best."
Doha 239.
"0 Rdma,
sion,
it
wearied,
bulwark
let
them
rest for
Ganges are concentrated the virtues of all holy places any one
and it is therefore a work of 8U[)ereri)gation for
him to invoke any other power. He cannot make himself downer than he
nor could Uama, the all-pure, become purer by any
had become already
1
who
In
till*
bathes
in it is purified,
369
AYODHYA.
Ghauydi.
hearing Rdma's words, the assembly was in dismay,
like a ship tossed on the ocean
but when they heard the
On
saint's auspicious
speech,
it
was as
in their favour.
if
the
titnes they
bathed in the
sacred stream, the mere sight of which destroys any multitude of sins and ever feasting their eyes ')n the incarna;
tion of blessedness,
and again and again prostrating themand rejoiced. Then they went
to see
evil
the torrents
so soft,
or body
the
fruits, flowers
forest beautiful
beyond description.
Dohd 240
The ponds were gay with lotuses, the haunt of cooing
waterfowl and buzzing bees, while forgetful of mutual antibeasts roamed
pathies,
in the
forest
and birds
of varied
plumage.
Ghauydi
The
Kols,
Kirats and
Bhfls,
the
inhabitants of the
arranged.
all telling
it,
fruits
The people
accept
roots,
With humble
offered
a liberal price,
to
of each.
them
and name
to take
it
back,
in the
saying
in
admitted into your presence,an honour as difficult of attainment for us as for the desert of M^ru to be watered by the
Ganges. Rama is merciful and the Nish>ds' patron as is
;
R-50
AYODHYA.
3?0
Doha 241.
Consider this in your mind, and without more demur recognize our affection and make friends with us
accept these
;
fruits
is
not to steal
and run
off
sin,
On
removed."'
much
affected
speech,
good fortune.
Ghhand
All
hearing this
began
to
praise
their
10.
little of his
own
devo-
line (saysTulsi)
Sorathi
Day
roamed
9.
^ t^%^
felt
the
as great delight, as they
day
people
through every part of the forest, as the frogs andi
after
all
oi
the rains.
Chaupdi.
The
in excess ofi
371
AYODHYA.
equal attention.
upon
and he Delusion's
No one
Sita
lord.
won over
power
all
but
Rima
of delusion,
the queens
by
her services, and they being pleased gave her both instructioa and benediction.
Looking at Si'ta and the two noble
brothers, the wicked
and Kaikeyi
now prays in her heart
Is there no escape for me ? Does 1
God refuse me even death ? as it is declared in the Vedas
queen repented
bitterly
"
and by popular
that
if
Rdma
tradition,
Now
a restingplace."
"
mind
Good God,
this
will
in hell can
Rama
Doha
return
to
Avadh
you find
ev^ery one's
or not
"
'
24:2.
mud
"
was Fate
It
injury, as
ten
by
when
secured
in
in trouble
my
about water.^
Chaupdi.
mother's f()rm that did
me
is
this
smit-
In
hail.
is
There
is
nothing
now
left for
me
to do.
He
The fish thinks to himself, There is novv only a little mud lefr, in
which I can just manage to live if that too dries up, what on earth am
The two days are
to do for water ?
In like manner Bharat was thinking
now nearly over when they are gone and 1 am left without Rama, how shall
'
'
'
be able to survive
372
AYODHYA.
Doha 243.
After saluting the guru's lotus feet and receiving his perwhile all ihe Brdhmans, nobles
mission, he took his seat
:
and ministers
of state
in council.
Chaupdi.
The great sage addressed them in words appropriate to
'*
the occasion
Hearken, ye counsellor, and you, wise
:
Bharat.
Solar
word
of his
guru and
and mother
his father
destroy-
in
this Iron
and
all
age
the
spell in the
ponder
it
in
your heart
Rdma's commands.
Dohd 244.
If we observe RAma's pleasure and commands, it will
be well for us all now, wise sirs, think it over, and all re-
all
are obedient to
solve to do whatever
may
Rtima's coronation
source of happiness and
to be brought back to
be decided.
Chaupdi.
will be agreeable
tlie
one way
Avadh
How
sure
is
he
will act.*'
worldly wisdom
to all, as a
to felicity.
it
was
Bharat spoke '* In the Solar race there have been manyj
kings, each one greater than the other all owed their birti
:
good or
ill
373
AYODHYA.
of
God.
And, as
all
blessing that
immoveably.
Doha
And
yet
245.
me
advice of
such
is
my
ill
When
fate."
sprung up
Ghawpdi.
"
but a wise
man
whole going
will
the half
sacrifice
when he
sees the
at heart
been restored
to life
and
Rdma
if
sacrificed little
queens all wept, for their pain was equal to their joy.i
"
Said Bharat
What the saint has proposed is already
as good as done he has granted me the one thing above all
:
others that
forest
most desired.
there
is
nothing
I will
stay
all
my
life
in
the
Doha 246.
Rama and
Sita
know my
my
heart and
lord,
you are
full of
Chaupdi.
Hearing Bharat's words and seeing his love, the saint
and the whole assembly were transported out of themselves.
Bharat's vast generosity was like a sheet of water and the
saint's proposal like a
to cross
I
woman
standing on
its
brink, anxious
two
to find either
374
AYODHYA.
Who can describe Bharai's magnaniCan the ocean be contained in a river-shell ? The
saint was inwardly at heart charmed with Bharat, and
accompanied by the assembly went to R^ma. The lord
saluted him and led him to a seat of honour and on receiv-
mity
sat
all
down.
Then spoke
DoU
of
piety,
247.
you dwell in the hearts of all and know what they really
wish or do not wish now advise what will be best for your
subjects, your mothers and Bharat.
:
Chaupdi.
A man
his
own
play."^
"
My
On
lord, the
replied
attend to your wishes
:
order,
to
saint
Siva be
my
witness,
whatever
will
please
Bharat
is
the
Doha
248.
respectfully to
philosophers and
men
of the world."
Chaupdi.
Seeing the guru's love for Bharat, Riraa's heart rejoiced
Therefore we come for advice to you, being too much excited an
1
having too great a personal interest in the matter to judge for oiirscilvus
calmly and impartially,
375
AYODHYA.
he knew Bharat
for
exceedingly,
be a champion of
word and deed his own
to
righteousness, and
In obedience to the guru's
made this sweet, gentle and excellent reply
in thought,
faithful servant.
you,
my
lord,
and by
my father's
feet that
whom
at him,
my
All
tell
my
swear by
the world
who
love the
Bharat's blessedness,
shown by you
younger brother,
"
in all
commands, he
:
When
I look
thus praise him to his face. Whatever Bharat says, that will
be good for us to do." Having so said Rdma remained silent.
Doha 249.
Then
"
Put aside
all
diffidence,
my son, and tell the Ocean of mercy, your own dear brother, what you really have at heart."
Ghaupdi,
Hearing the saint's address, and having already received Rdma's consent, he was satisfied of the good-will both of
his
quivering all over his body, and his lotus eyes filled with
"
The king of saints has already
the moisture of affection
:
I know
is there for me to say ?
spoken for
my lord's amiable disposition, that he never shows displeasure even to the guilty and for me he has a special tenderness and love even in play he never gave me an angry look.
me
what more
From
my
lord's
when beating me
gracious ways
would allow me to win.
;
in any
game he
Doha 250.
I
say a
am
too
much overcome by
his love,
affection
and modesty
;
day my
have not been satiated with the sight of him.
to this
to
376
AIODHYA.
Chaupdi.
God
my
worse.
and
shells of a
Not a shadow
fathomless ocean.
own
my
my
sins, I revile
am
heart, but
I really fortunate
Rama
for
mother,
beaten
all
of
blame or
it is
the fruit of
my own undoing.
to
my
search
round.
my
my
it is
come
Dohd25i.
the presence of my
guru and in this holy place, I speak my true
the saint and Rdma know whether my affection
and
my
sentiments
is
my
in
words true or
false.
Ghaupdi,
witness to the king's death, the
result of his uncompromising love, and to my mother's
wickedness
the
torment.
is
and
am
When
all
this, I
can
still
and
endure the
Sita,
and
how
kara
my
witness,
my own
to break.
A.nd
now
1
The kodo (Sanskrit ko/lrava is \hv Paspalum fnimcntareum or .u-rohiCHla tuin, which bears a small grain of inferior quality, eaten only \>y the boor.
AYODHYA.
377
of
them forget
their
Doha 252.
Chaupdi.
hearing these lamentable words of Bharat's, fraught
with distress and love, humility and discretion, the whole
On
by reference
moon
wise
the
all
various
to
of the liles
"
solar race,
know that
To my mind, brother,
ways
the
ancient legends,
of the
men
renown
of highest
present or future,
and
for
past,
fall
and
religion,
who
Sin, Delusion
of every
name, glory
is
ill
own
are destroyed
in this
world
Chaupdi.
Be Siva
my
witness
surmises
to
no purpose
come up
love
Do
the world,
close to
at the
sight of a fowler,
intelligence.
know you
thoroughly, brother
do anything that
The
king, to
how can
R-5I
378
AYODHYA.
VOW
if
now break
is
greater
in
short,
speak
Dohd 254.
Set your
out;
will
mind
do
it
ease
at
at
When
once."
they heard
Rama,
the
Ghaupdi.
But the king of heaven and all the gods were alarmed
and began to think Things will all go wrong.' Though they
took counsel together, nothing came of it
mentally^ all
'
had recourse
to
Ritma
for protection.
of the faithful
R^ma
Remembering
the story of
ear
other plan,
sir,
lies
R6ma
accepts
in the
is
no
service done
temper."
Bohd
255.
Ghaupdi.
of Sita's lord is as
good as a
1 If they had pone to him in person their whole scheme would have
been frustraJed, for Rdvan woald have heard of it and thus have become
to their side.
37D
AYODHYA.
a way.
See,
subdued
R^ma with
never
sir,
the Lord,
Indra,
fear,
that Bharat is
knowing
power
he has
easy,
Rama's shadow."
who knows
the heart,
mind. After
much
came
deliberation, he
to the
conclusion
"He
obeying Rdma.
in
is
in this is
showing me no
Doha 256.
Then
ded favour."
clasped in supplication,
hands
Ghaupdi.
"
myself or have
and
others
master kind
my
to
say for
me
My
now can
guru
is
say
pleased
set
and
ture
the
tradition,
Lord only
is
and
good;
any
of
is
is
tell
Your
paradise, which
me by whose goodness
is
he
one in particular.
Doha
All
1
This
257.
Your mercy
is
that
its
shade
for
man may lose his way by mistaking the points of the compass
manner 1 was alarmed through my ignorance of the course that your
mercy was taking.
his guide, a
in like
380
AYODHYA.
relieves
every sorrow,
Chaupdi.
Now
master,
my
Now,
Mine
good
anxiety
is
gone
my mind
of compassion,
is
my
lord.
my
;
lord returns to
but obedience
Ayodhya, every
to orders will
be a
the ornament of
beatitude.
Listen,
sire, to this
with
my
me all
I
;
my
one
have brought
if
you approve,
Doha 258.
Send me and my brother
Chaupdi.
is
381
AYODHYA.
If
Doha 259.
and without reserve
lord cheerfully
my
and
reverently obeyed,
all this
On
Ghaupdi.
hearing Bharat's guileless speech the gods were glad
of heart
the people of
all
woods were
dwellers in the
the
it
sent
them
for
at
sight
attire
grieved.
once.
At the
The
Tell me is all
great saint asked the embassy the news
well with the king of Videha ?' At this question the noble
'
heralds with a
sire,
makes
all
well
Your courteous
Doha 260.
otherwise,
my
lord,
is
welfare died
and Avadh.
ChoMpdi.
heard of king Dasarath's
All who at
death, every one was mad with excess of grief.
that time saw Videha thought that name a truly appropriate
one^
As he
his court
1
perplexity,' is explained by the Hindu
Avarera, which I translate
The word is not
oonomentators as meaning the same as f/hdt or j)ench
or
other
Fallon's
in
Dr.
Hindustani-English Dictionary that I
given
any
have seen. Aat is for ant.
2 Janak's visit and the long discussions that follow it, which occupy
almost all the remaindi r of this book, are the invention of Tulsi Dds, and
find no counterpart in the Sanscrit poem.
3 Videha, meaning literally
out of the body,' and Janak being out of
his mind, beside himself, as we should say, for grief,
'
'
382
AYODHYA.
was sore
ministers,
He enquired
distrest.
'Consider and
tell
of all
liis
done.'
difficulty,
After reasoning
four clever
spies
meant well or
ill,
to
to
king resolved
send
to
Avadh,
and return in haste without being seen.
Dohd 2QI.
The
spies went to
Avadh, ascertained Bharat's movements and saw what he was doing, that he had started for
Chitra-kdt, and then went back to Tirhut.
Chaupni.
On
announced
in
The guru,
the
citi-
zens, the ministers and the king were all agitated with grief
and love at the report. Restraining his emotion and glori-
summoned
and captains, i
and having stationed guards for the palace, city, and realm
and made ready horses, elephants, chariots and conveyances
fying Bharat, he
his
warriors,
The
saint at once
The people
Dohd 262.
Avadh were all delighted
of
to
hear of Ja-
nak's arrival
Chaupdi.
Sdfuini,
dictionarv.
which
translate
'
captains,'
is
in
any
383
AYODHYA.
On
spent.
the
to stay.
morrow
all
worshipped Ganes, Gauri, Siva and the Sun; then reverenced the feet of Lakshman's lord and offered up their prayers,
"
:
the
women
hold-
and
all,
and
Rdma
install
Doha 263.
and
his
brothers
Avadh's king."
and
may we
with Rjima
die
still
When
*'
and gentleness."
Thus
to
qualities, all
'*
began
There are few people
so meritorious as we,
affectionately telling
magnify their own
Rdma's good
good fortune.
in the
whom
his own."
Dohd 2QL
At the time when
of the
all
tfi
in love, they
heard
1
That is to say, in the attitude of beggars tlie women holding out the
skirt of their dress to catch whatever may be thrown into it, the men holding
;
ATObHYA.
384
Chaupdi.
led the way,
Raghundth
accompanied
b}^
his brothers,
As soon as king
the guru, the Minister and the people.
Janak saw the holy hill, he dismounted from his chariot and
no one
and excitement
to see R6ma,
from the toilsome journey,
and Sita and who without a
it.
lu their eagerness
felt
saluted
was with
R^ma
his
host advanced,
When
of love.
pain or
pleasure
In this
in sight,
feet
first
of
for
him and
his army.
Dohd 265.
Rdma
river of pitifulness
water of tranquillity
to the
flowing into an
hermitage, as it were a
ocean full of the pure
Chaupdi.
flooding the banks of
speeches
and lamentations for the wind and
with sighs
its bank
with grievous anguish for its rapid current, and terror and delusion for its
many eddies and whirlpools with sages for ferrymen and
wisdom for tlie huge boat, which can no-how be got across
while the poor Kols and Kir^ts of the woods are the forlorn
When it reached the hertravellers wearied with waiting
mitage,
it
was
sudden rush
come with
as
of waters.
courage or shame
Extolling king D isarath's majesty, virtue and amiability, they sorrowed like men drowned in a sea of sorrow.
left.
Chhand
Drowned
in a
alike, in utter
11.
bewilderment,
all
angrily and
reproachfully
385
aYodhya.
*
exclaiming.
What
anchorites,
saints,
Gods,
and sages witnessed Janak's
says Tulsi--was like a broad river
is this
?'
ascetics
Sorathd 10.
When
all
^1'^.
Ghaupdi.
By
pelled,
and
lotus
how
This
is
in the light of
like the
the
expand
then
whom
beings,
Rama
is
for
him
women
much
less
so.
Dohd 266.
At daybreak the royal sou
all
Chaupdi.
of
MithiU
as
also
Vasishtha, the
king
and Sat^nand, Janak's family
:
guru
priest,
of the So-
who while on
earth had explored the path of heaven, began long exhortations full of religion, morality, asceticism and
philosophy.
of
R-52
of Janak's ancestors.
386
AYUDHYA.
a reference
ancient legend till Raghunath suggesevery one sirjce yesterday has gone with"
out water." Said the saint
R^nia has spoken in season
many
to
*'
him
ted to
Sire,
two-and-a-half watches of the day are now spent." Understanding the saint's pleasure the king of Tirhiit replied
"
It is not good for us to eat bread here."i The king's word
;
went
to bathe.
Doha 267.
At that very moment arrived the people
bringing large baskets laden with
of the
woods,
and
Ghaupdi.
love
fruit
all
made
the beauty of
the
and
flowers and
and sweet as
nectar,
Dohd 268.
were courteously sent to all, in baskets full, by RAma's
guru on which they made their repast, after reverencing
;
Chaupdi.
In this manner four days were spent, in which the
people saw R^ma and were happy. In both camps there was
1
This refers to the custom which forbids a
the house of his son-in-law.
Hindu ever
to
take
food in
387
AYODHYA.
"
SIta and
Rdma.
It is
Life in the
sand
for
is
in the
day
roots
and
fruits, so
go.
l)ohd2Q9.
We
"What
claimed.
luck can
spontaneous devotion
be like
Rdma's
to
happiness" they
it
feet in
all ex-
?"
both camps.
Ghaiipdi.
In this
in afPectionate
words, which
who
returned.
mothers-in-law were at
ravished
it
ascertained that
it
was
On
On
allowed.
both sides
there was
they
drew
lines
with
their
toes
mother
"God's
astray, using
the
Doha 270.
We
swans only
in the inaccessible
Mdnas
lake,"
38^
AYODHYA.
Chaupni
said sadly
Sumitrd
queen
'*
Upon
this,
then destroys
Said Kausalyd
loss
are inscrutable;
whether
to give
way
to
all,
sorrow
God's schemes
king's
whether
it
"
replied
effects of action
God
life
or
was a
are, as
him
Noblest of noble
or
madam,
have said,
loss to
friend,
gain."
and think
mother
Sita's
women, consort
of
Avadh's
right in the
"
am
Chaupdi.
sity,
'
all
the
389
AYODHYA.
Doha 272.
"
la,
of the wisest, of
men
Chnupdi.
Having found a
fitting
opportunity, speak,
madam,
to
if
of yourself,
am
greatly disturbed
so profound that
he stays
about
Bharat,
surmise evil."
is
When
they
if
made
bold to say
gone."
At
this
*'
:
still
Madam
till
Suraitrl
Kausaly^ rose
and
is
affectionately
Doha 273.
"
said,
now
Chaupdi.
Seeing her affection and hearing her modest speech,
Jauak's queen clasped her holy feet " Madam, this modes:
ty
servant in
vflni
who
Who
is
there on earth
by Yajnavalkya
of a saint,
madam,
390
AYODHYA.
Dohd 274.
So saying, she
request for Sita
her feet
embraced
all
Chaupdi.
her old domestics
in
such manner as
eaoh case was most befitting. When they saw her in hermit's dress, they were all distrest with exceeding sorrow
in
came
Rdma and
the guru^
to his
bosom
Prayag with his love for Sita conspicuous as the spreading bar tree, on which devotion to Rdma appeared like the
child, clutched for support by the king's bewildered senses
as by the sage Chiranjlv when on the point of drowning.'
led
When
was
filled
courage.
Chaupdi.
Janak looked at her in her anchorite's dress, he
"
with love and consolation
Daughter, you have
:
your
summoned up
brilliant
of universes.
The Gan-
ges has only three great sites^ on earth, but the congregations of saints that have been made by you are innumerable."
391
AYODHYA.
her to their anus and gave her kiud instructions and invoked rich blessings upon her. Sita could not speak out,
'*
It is not well for me to spend
but was anxious at heart
The queen saw her wish and explained
the night here."
:
it
to the king,
position.
Dohd 276.
After again and again embracing her, they graciously
gave her leave to depart. Having now an excellent oppor-
Ghaupni.
When
as
or the soft light of the moon, he closed his tearful eyes and
his
body
somewhat
tion; but
ness,
of theology, statecraft
whatever
my
if I
ability,
would
tell
Bharat's great-
Ganes,
Briihma,
its
the
shadow.
inspired
when they
are enraptured
has a
it
flavour of
purity
like
the
Dohd 277.
His perfection
toplasm
is
limitless
know none
is
like
in
he
any balance
The
wit of the
at fault.
Chaupdi.
dame, as impossible to describe as it is imHearken, lady;
possible for a fish to walk on dry land.
Rama knows, but even he cannot describe Bharat's illimitable greatness. If Lakshman returns and Bharat goes to the
He
is,
fair
392
AYODHVA.
forest,
RAma's
cess.
feet has
Bharat's belief.
is
Doha 278.
He would never be
Rdma's
to
"
sorrow
Chaupdi.
discoursed of
affectionately
thus
"
:
My
approached his
and on receiving permission spoke
Bharat and the people and my mothers
his feet,
lord,
distresr
ai'e
woods.
lord, as
hands."
So saying,
you,
Rdma was
greatly abashed.
on seeing
his disposition.
RAma,
seem
to
to do,
my
is in
your
The
saint
'*
Without
both camps
like hell.
Dohd 279.
Rdma,
life,
the joy of
their
Any
joy.
one,
life of their
my
against him.
Chaupdi.
Perish
love for
Rdma's
lotus feet
wisdom unwisdom,
in
are
and
religion, in
which
is
no
which love
for
Rdma
is
not
supreme
they
AYODHYA.
are
you know the heart of every one. Your comrule all, and every motion is thoroughly manifest to
unhappy
mands
6\)6
and
retired, the
and repeated
to
"Now,
all
without
prejudice to religion.
Dohd 280.
men, you are the wisest among the most
king
wise, the champion of true piety who save you can at this
time end these troubles ?"
of
Ghaupai.
and by the
and
asceticism
philosophy
saint's address
Rdma
into exile,
affection
and return
in
wisdom."
eSort,
allowed.
"Son
Bharat,"
He
is
ness, he
said
"you
Rima's character.
Dohd 2S{.
devoted to truth, a zealot in religion out of kindendures inconvenience without murmuring; but if
;
to give, speak."
Ghaupdi.
At this Bharat's whole frame quivered and his eyes
filled with tears; but putting a strong restraint upon him"
self he replied
My lord, I love and revere you as my
:
father,
my own
R-53
family guru
father
394
AYODHYA.
and mother
have none.
and
other sages,
ocean of wisdom
me
regard
to
Can
am
at this
assembly
enquire
my
little
difficult.
is
of me,
Duty
all
to a
mouth
It is
Pardon
declared in the
and
answer, though
rae, father
in this light,
assembly and
am
all this
love.
Doha 282.
Have regard to Rdma's wishes, so pious as he is, and
remember tliat I am but a servant do as all approve and
;
all,
Chaupdi.
heard Bharat's speech and witnessed
his generosity, he and his court burst out into praises.
soft and
delicate but severe
Simple but profound
When
the king
news
all
the
lilies
RAma, by whom
the moon.
by
The
accustomed waters.
gods, seeing
first
the gods
On
hearing
un-
fish in
the emotion of
Bharat so
full of
devotion to
in
to
RAma, were
their
relfishness.
despond
began
Rdma's kindness made the company
of
The
sight of
heaven unspeakably
dismayed.
Dohd 283.
Indra cried sadly
modesty
we
'*
:
Rama
we must combine
is
to devise
shall be undone."
Chaupdi.
in flattering terms
"
:
Protect,
395
AYODHYA.
When
artifice
and said
"
:
You
tell
me
to
selfishness
you
Mount Meru.
The
you
me
tell
is exceedingly
cannot see through Bharat's purpose, and yet
to pervert it. What
can the moonlight rob the
it
moon
Bharat's heart
rada withdrew
to
at the
approach of night.
Dohd
The
284.
Chaupdi.
R^ma,
the glory of
Raghu's
Success or de-
When Janak
approached
them all with
received
line
honour.
thinking
hands."
Bharat's
feat is
"
villainy,
terms appropriate
in
the
to
"
Upon
this
all will
speak
is
may be
sir,
this is
my
con-
sence of yourself,
obey
and
In
the
for
pre-
me
to
pleased to give
tones
swear by yourself
am
ready
to
comply."
Dohd
285.
On
AYODIIYA.
396
Chaupdi.
Bharat saw the distress of the assembly, and bein
same way
subdued
Seeing
his emotion,
the
in
as Agastya
Earth
Ra-
were the
it
womb
cretion
Clasping his
his soul
there
came
to
his lotus
intelligence,
mouth
piety and
righteousness.
Oohd 286.
With
was
Rdma
he thus spoke
Chaupdi,
**
and
My
my
lord
is
my
master
factor, reader of
heart
my
fection of amibility,
learned, the all-wise
the
;
can be so bad as
am. In
my
infatuation I have
come here
Agastya
is
said to
tlieraselvea before
again.
397
AYODHYA.
never have
contumacious, and
my
who even
Yet
order of Rdma's.
cancel an
could
in thought
have been thus
it
as
service.
Doha 287.
Out
of his
my
fair
Chaupdi.
the
ill-conditioned,
the godless, the reckless, so soon as you hear that they have
as suppliants
Though you
see faults,
points,
is
Dohd
288.
who now has corrected his servant and treated him with
honour, and made him the crown of the head of the just.
Who is there, save the all-merciful, who, whether we will
or no, maintains our fair
fame
Chaupdi.
Whether
it
childishness that
came here
in
affection or
despite of your
from mere
commands,
398
AYODHYA.
this great
sin as evidence of
my
disposition
my
have now
displayed
of his
own
fidelity.
in
great audacity
discarding respect
august assembly and speaking boldly or humbly,
just as the fancy movt^d me but pardon me, sire, for I am
in grievous perplexity.
for
this
Doha 289.
a great mistake to say too
wise
man or good master.
really
It is
set
me
much
Be
to a true friend or
all right.
Ghaupdi.
swear by the dust of my lord's lotus feet, the glorious
consummation of truth, virtue and happiness with an oath
I
ing or dreaming, is
devotion, without any
ends
owr>
in
as
this
life
or the next.
submission
There
is
no duty so
let
this favour."^
honoured
and
all
with
love,
after
hearing]
Ghhand
Raghurao
12.
king of MithiU,
all
kindness
hia
my
'
39^
AYOEVBYA.
affection
Sorathd
?c;l
11.
own
happiness, killing as
it
Chaupdi.
Though king
gain
Pjikaripu's^
ways
are like
those of a
crow
own
crafty,
R^ ma was
it is
the principal Vedic divinites, while Siva, whom he places in a much higher
sphere and regards ns one of the manifestations of the Supremo Spirit
while Indra and the other** are mere demi-go is is a power for whose cultus
the Vedas, though searched from beginning to end, would fail to supply
earliest
first
semi-inarticulate
utterances of
nascent
humanity
2
of his
400
AYODHYA.
distress
water
confluence of a
at the
river with
the
sea.
Thus
**
Indra
like a
is
dog
in his
ways."
V*-
Dohd 290.
upon
all,
according
to the
circumstances of the
in-
dividual.
The Ocean
of
Chaupdi
compassion saw
tlie
people distrest by
motionless as pictures,
gazing upon
R-^ma,
nervously
were absorbed
of MithilA
tell its
greatness
the ambitious
little
love;
Seeing only
I,
Tulsi,
It is
design
know
shrink in
in
saints
the
vehemence
to utter the
of
motions of
fection,
the
merings
of a childJ
my
my
Dohd 291.
Bharat's bright fame
is
as the
bri^^ht
moon
rising in
401
AYODHYA.
Bharat's generosity
is
Ghaupdi.
scarce fathomable by the Vedas
was
in,
parallel.
the merciful
Whoever invokes
difficult
matter
is
and
Raghurdj, the
main-
tainor of justice
of hearing,
and salutary
affection,
champion
also in the
end
"
:
Brother Bharat,
conversant
of righteousness, perfectly
all the
3t? V
Dohd 292.
for purity of thought, word and act, your only equal, broIn this venerable assembly and in such
ther, is yourself.
distressing
younger brother be
all
the virtues
of
my
told ?
Chaupdi.
Brother, you
know
affection of
verence due
to
thoughts of
all
and
indifferent, or friends,
ces
suggest.
My
words,
brother,
in
the absence
of
my
undone.
If
R-54
wrong
402
AVODUYA.
the whole world
will not
have averted
i^lithiU
be in confusion
had ordained
brother, fate
Such trouble,
it.
Doha 293.
The
State
land,
power
of the
guru
Religion; our
all
Ghaupdi.
My
followers
forest, are
and
let
me obey
ment
and
Power.
though
joint
difiiculty.
Dohd 294.
servant
is like
hand, or
Hearing
foot, or
eye
a master
is
Ghaupdi.
they heard Raghubar's speech, imbued as it were
with the nectar of an ocean of tenderness, the whole assem-
When
403
AYODHYA.
merciful
Now,
whatever may
sire,
1 dutifully
Doha 295.
^*
be
But,
I
may
it?
Chaupdi.
have one great desire at heart, but
terms
kiit
with
beasts,
and shame
his lord's
"
for fear
"
all its
its
feet."
makes the
It is
the
forest so auspicious,
sages
may
direct,
bowed
The
there
and joyfully
Dohd 296.
when they heard
most delightful
conversation between Bharat and Rama, praised the whole
family and rapturously showered down flowers upon them.
*'
selfish gods,
this
Chaupdi.
Blessed be Bharat and glory to our lord
Rdma."
cried
1
One of the temples of Chitra-kilt Dears the name of Charan-paduka,
and has been erected over a rock which is said to bear the impression of
Rama's foot. Supposing there were any truth in the legend, it would seem
rather from the name that it ought to commemorate the place where Rama
gave Bharat his sandals,
404
AYODHYA.
Rama
and
the spectators
all
of the pure.
effectionately
The
extolled
the saint.
plea-
Doha 297.
Then
the hill
said Atri
to
Bharat
there deposit
*'
There
is
unsullied, in-
comparable."
Chaupdi.
On
and
elders,
known
no one,
my
till
servants,
and
word and
1
holy places.
religiously bathes in
will
act."
VAlmiki
makes no mention
Bharat-ki'ip', it is now
to Ohitra-kiit.
pilgrims
it,
of
this well.
principal
stations visited by
the
405
AYODHYA.
Doha
All then
went
to
298.
Raghunath,
him
places.
Chawpdi.
in loving
discourse on
having received permission from Rama and Saint Atri, attended by all their retinue in simple attire, proceeded on
foot to visit Rama's wood.
Earth, in confusion of heart at
being trodden by their delicate and unshod feet, smoothened herself, and cleared away
all tlie
the grass
all
made
a soft carpet
the deer
Dohd 299.
And what
est friend
great matter
is
if
Rama's dear-
when he yawns.
Ghanpfii.
In this
who saw
were abashed.
Seeing all so
and
various
localihe
the
sacred
asked
about
divine,
ponds
his faith
love,
the
birds
and
deer, the
trees
heart gave
him the
and spiritual
efficacy.
himself at another
here sitting
down
Bathing
at
name, virtues
406
AYODHYA.
his
love
gods of the wood were charmed and gave him their blesThe third watch of the day was half spent when he
sing.
returned to gaze upon the lotus feet of his lord.
Dohd 300.
In
five
Chauptii.
On
Brdhmans and
Bharat, the
gathered together
was
the king of
admired his generosity, thinking. Never was there a masBharat in his wisdom unter so considerate as Reima is
'
"
:
My
my
every
me
me
For
to
go and serve
Avadh
at
till
the
appointed time.
Dohd 301.
But,
teach
me
Your
are
citizens,
true and
The sorrows
are a delight
less gain.
is
over.
Chaupdi.
your kinsmen, and
real,
and bound
The
without
all
my lord,
all
your subjects,
highest heaven
mind
sire,
to
th
is
a worth-
fancies, the
the protector,
AYODHiA.
of suppliants will be our
my
calculations.
have combined
my lord,
this
protector,
my great
and
distress
it
like a
all-wise
Rama,
meek and
All
swan
lord's forbearance
it
who heard
Bharat's
had separated
the milk
of error.
Dohd
The
my
Pardon,
and shrink not from instruct-
offence,
his brother's
in this world
My own
to
prayer applauded
and both
our deliverance.
will secure
d07
302.
Chaupdi.
"
for
me and
forest.
So
us, neither
Whoever observes
the injunctions of
guru
or father
and
stumbles.
feet.
Bohd 303.
chief should be
and nourishes
like
to a nicety
each separate
member
of the body.
408
AVODHVA.
Chaupdi.
as
if
Rdma and
Sita
Dohd 304.
As he bowed and begged permission to depart, Rama
took and clasped him to his bosom.
Wicked Indra finding
a sad opportunity
made
Chaupdi.
But
his villainy was a good thing for all; the hope that
the time of exile would soon be over was the life of their
life.
R^ma would
died of
it.
The
24,
Book
consonants
t,
page
18.
in the
name KAma
for
a paueKyric
409
AtODHYA.
Dohd 305.
even they, seeing the unparalleled and boundless affection
of R^ma and Bharat, were overwhelmed in body, soul and
speech, lost all reason and restraint.
Ghaupdi.
If
People
would think any poet harsh when they heard him describe
the parting of Rdima and Bharat
Eloquence herself, remembering the unspeakable pathos of the scene, would be
;
dumb
struck
with confusion.
Raghubar
arms.
Knowing
to
first
embraced
take Satrughna
In both
ministers began each to set about his own work.
camps there was sore distress at the news, as they com-
menced
receiving his
saints, the
commands,
set out
Dohd
306.
Lakshman,
too,
Ghaupdi.
Rama and
many
his brother
to the
king with
"
ness, sire,
After reverencing the saints, Brdhmans and nobles, and taking leave of them as though they
were the equals of Hari and Hara, the two brothers ap-
his
R-55
410
AYODHYA.
of Visvamitra,
;i
good ministers and all with courteous speech and address, as was most befitting. The Ocean
of compassion respectfully dismissed them all, men and
women, high, middle-class and low.
court, the citizens, the
Dohd 307.
the Lord kissed the feet of
Bharat's mother and embraced her, and escorting her to the
p^lki that he had in readiness, effaced all her alarm and
With
sincere
affection
distress.
Ghaupdi.
After saluting her father and mother and the court, Sita
came back purified by the love of her beloved. Reverently
she embraced
her mothers-in-law,
all
with an affection
Again and
Lakshman,
all
force
and against
their will.
Dohd 308.
The Lord with Sita and Lakshman kissed the feet of the
back to
guru and the guru's wife, and turned and came
amazement.
and
with
hut
their leafy
mingled pleasure
Ghaupai.
The
sorely grieved at
heart to leave.
departed
Tli^the Sanskrit Riimayana Jkbali is represented as being, or profcsshe alone openly advised KAma tn
ing to be, an atheist. In this character
wisest
for as there was no life after death, the
return to Ayodhya as king
as possible out of the present lite whiu
plan was to get as much enjoyment
;
it
lasted.
AYODHYA.
411
friends.
affection,
discoursed to
that faith
and deed.
creature at
all
woe-begone.
down
The
several spheres.
The
lord
Dohd
With
Sita
leafy hut as
their
;
they
mind.
309.
incarnate.
Chaupdi.
Vasishtha, the
R^ma and
case at leaving
up
mind
in their
all
paced
Rama's
Janak stayed
All
all his
directions, settled
down
quietly in
Rama's
Dohd 310.
fasting and praying to see him once again, discarding all
personal adornments, pleasure and enjoyment, and living
only in the hope of his return.
412
AYODHYA.
Ghaupdi.
Bharat exhorted his ministers and trusty servants, and
they executed his orders, each in their appointed sphere.
mission
will
now
live a
is
The
of penance."
life
and replied
"
:
saint
Whatever
always best."
Doha 311,
sandals, the
champion
hair gathered
dress,
and
up
of
into a knot
life in food,
enjoyment.
The
to
Nandg^nw,
is
at the sight of
a few miles
froi
413
AYODHYA.
Dasarath's wealth
vomit
all
Bharat dwelt as
city
trees. ^
of
in-
A man
champa
enamoured of Rdma spurns
garden
as to be
so highly blest
in that
yet
different as a bee in a
like
Lakshmi's delights.
DohdS{2.
no such great achievement for Bharat, the very
shrine of the love of R^ma even the chdfak and the swan
This
is
constancy,
Chaupdi.
Day by day
his
his soul
was unclouded
up and the lotuses blossom. His tranand prayer were like stars
in the pure
stant
remembrance
of the
his
faith
like
his
the
con-
amidst a galaxy of
fail to
ity,
stars.
of his virtues
Dohd
313.
referred to
them
Chaupdi.
his
eyes.
1
it.
in
in
flower,
it is
his
his
but
said that
"
414
AYODHYA.
in every
was
of life
of every blessing
sinful age
is
it
the
elephant host of sin
the joy of the faithful
pacifier of every kind of affliction
the liberator from the burden of existence the essence of
delusion
the lion to
quell the
the ambrosia of
Rama's
love.
Ghhand
If
13.
devotion to
Rdma and
self-restraint
Sita
ambrosia of
full of the
practised such
to set
RAma
before you ?
Sorathd 12.
All, says Tulsi,
ence
vow and
m
\
of
who make
-t
life.
[Thus endeth
Tulsi
Dds for
the
the bestowal of
'
into
composed by
BOOK
III.
THE FOKEST.
THE FOREST.
THE FOREST.
Sanskrit Invocation.
joygiver
of sin
moon
of the sea
the
intelligence the
the sun of the lotus of asceticism the destroyer
of
the
healer of
distress
sin cleansing
Rama.
the large
bound
Sita
behold
lotus
eyes
of
charmers.
1.
ISorathd
..
417
Uma,
who
the saints,
are learned in
but
fools,
have sung
and charming
hearken now
to the best of
affection
to
the
my
ability
shown by the
all-holy
acts
the
citizens
of
the
incomparable
and Bharat
:
Lord,
that he
of a
the foot
foolish
R-oG
crow,
in
its
utter
THE FOREST.
418
Stupidity.
made ready
The
All-merciful
poor, even he
and played
it
R^ma, ever
of
full
whom
was upon
the wicked
this trick.
Ghaupdi.
to flight
in soul as
discus.
and every
city of Siva
down
sit
who
his
can befriend an enemy of Rama's ? Hearken Garur
own mother becomes his death his father is changed as
:
it
turns to poison
friend
does
him
all
;2
ambrosia
harm
the
of
*'
Quarter, quarter,
crying
immeasurable,
is
ignorance of
fruit of
thee
mind,
my own
and
I
merciful Raghurdi
immeasurable
Knew thee
actions
now my
his
feet,
Thy might
majesty; ia
have reaped thi
Lord, succour me, for
not.
When
thy
the Merciful
hear<
In the Sanskrit R^mavana this incident of the crow forms the sal
ject of the 105th cnnto of the Ayodriya Kind, Gorresio's edition.
2 SanninUy * the destMver,' here denotes Yaraa, the Indian Pluto.
3 The Vaiiararu is the Hindu htyx, or river of hell, which the dea
have to cross before entering the infernal regions. It is represented as
impetuous and filthy torrent, full of blood, hair and bones and every kit
of impurity.
1
419
THE FOREST.
this
death was
him
set
2.
committed such an
infatuation he had
in his
Although
offence that
^
,
Sorothd
free
who
so merciful as
is
Baghubir?
Ghaupdi
R4raa stayed on
that were like the
at Chitra-kut
scriptures or
he thought to himself
There will be a crowd
one
of me."
that
knows
now
So the two,
here,
every
brothers with Sita took leave of all the saints and went on
At
last,
When
their way.
the holy
man was
On
him.
seeing
R4ma
beauty,
ducted him
to his cell,
upon
Chhand
'*
3.
saint
supremely
and join-
his beauty,
hymned
his praise
1.
the merciful,
the tender-hearted
Mandar
full
vice
to
blown lotus
glory
of existence
quiver and
THE FOREST.
420
race
bow
of
enlightened
Lakshmi's lord
intelligence
;
mine
the
of
saints.
of existence,
who
in the
tost
hope
of salvation,
delightedly^ worship
of sense, are
thee,
advanced
to
own sphere
thy
in
heaven.
worship thee, the one, the mysterious Lord, the unchangeable and omnipresent power, the eternal governor of the
world, the one absolute and universal spirit
men day
after day.
I reverently
adore thee,
this
hymn,
will
Dohd 2.
"p
Again with bowed head and folded hands the saint
made supplication and cried, Never,
Lord, may my soul
'
feet.
Chaupdi.
was
embraces
The
1 This epithet is
but it would seem to be intended simply
peculiar one
as a periphrasis for Upendra, the lesser Indra,' a well-known title of Vishin
the
dwarf
incarn ttion, was born as a son of Kasyapa
Indra.
nu, who,
Sachi's lord,' being ncconnted the eldest of Kasyapa's sons.
here called
2 Mudd is here the instrumental case of mud, delight.'
3 The whole of this Ohhand is in loose and occasionally ungrammatical
Sanskrit, like the language of the GAthas in Buddhist literature.
4 The interview with Atri and Anasi\vA is narrated at the end of the
AyodbyA KAnd in one recension of the Sanskrit Rimayana.
;
'
'
THE FOREST.
421
>^
and
ed her
in
mother,
and
but a husband,
vile
tried
in
an unlimited
is
Vaidehi,
the
is
instruct-
"
limited degree
blessing
time of adversity.
not.
that
Though
diseased,
to
her husband's
feet.
and saints
mind
all
The
say.
best
man
other
living
so firmly
is
dream
settled
of there
"
in
being any
she
who
is
restrained by
want
of opportunity.
Who
woman
attains to salvation,
if
Sorathd
An
utterly
4.
woman who
wicked
is
band has a happy fate when she dies so sing the four
Vedas and so too in these days sings Hari's poor friend,
Tulsi.
Hearken, Sita
these words
woman
if
;
you love Rdma like your own
that I say are for the good of the world."
name
for
|
'
422
THE FOREST.
Chaupdi.
hearing this Jdnaki was overjoyed and reverently
bowed her head at her feet Then the All-nierciful said to
On
"
the saint,
would go
some other
to
wood.
me
Continue
to
who
thus modestly be speak me. N )W I understand the cleverness of Lakshmi who lias left every other god and worships
you alone.
Of a truih there
is
the heart."
it is ?
how then
H >w
can
the
saint
I,
my
you read
strong-minded
he
as
was,
trembled
in
Chhand
Trembling exceedingly
in
2.
"
Dds
Dohd 3.
//
Rama's praises remove the pollution of this wicked
the source of beatitude and
age, subdue the soul, are
;
RAma
religion,
avails
else
nor knowledge,
against
it
and worship
nor
meditation,
RAma
only.
who
nor
penance
dLicard trust in
all
THE FOREST.
The Lord
head
Ghaupdi.
gods and men and
of
R^ma
423
saints, after
sage, proceeded
bowing
his
wood.
to the
The
first
rivers
and
after
made
all
heaven.
As they went along
demon Viradha met them. While he was
a canopy in the
road the
the
yet
Doha
4.
"
:
of Sanuara's lake. I
Chaupdi.
Hearken, gracious Raghubir, the swan
had taken my departure to the halls of
is
coming
into the
forest.
lord, in all that is good, but you have graciously acknowledged me as your humble servant. Now, sire, I have
my
no request to make
I
have accomplished my vow,
ravisher of the soul of the faiihful, to wait in expectation of
;
body.
till I
have practised
to discard
sacrifice,
my
prayers,
424
THE FOREST.
Doha
May
"^
5.
is
ever in
my
RAma, dwell
for
!"
Chaupai.
he had thus said, the fire of his devotion consumed his body, and by RAma's favour he ascended to Vaikunth.^
The saint was not absorbed into the divinity for this reason,
When
that he
When
tion,
'
into
hymns
of praise,
On hearing
this,
Raghubir's eyes
with tears.
He raised
his
Doha 6.
arms and vowed to
them
all in
demons
turn at
their hermitages.
Chaupai.
Saint Agasiya had a learned disciple, by
devoted
faithful
name Sutikshna
God
in thought,
1
According to VAlmlkl it was not Vaikunth, but Brahma's sphere, to
which he was translated
III 9. 36.
2 The reward of faith (hhakti)\a the admipsion to the actual presence
of the divinity in the sphere where he specially reigns
Absorption into the
divinity implies the extinction of indivi' ual ixistence and individual coniin<l
bonuin
of
the
Kummuin
sciousness,
therefore, though
mnny Hindu sects,
it is not so of tliose who cherisn a
personal love for any particular incarnation a love which can only be satisAed by a consciousDess of the presence of
tbe beloved.
425
THE FOREST.
be gracious to even a
will
tice in
'
is
my
friend
who goeth
none
to
other.'
To-day
my
eyes
The
of existence."
saint, philosopher as
way
his
He
could not
remember
see his
all
discription.
who he
ment
as the
stealthily
all
from behind a
tree.
liis
soul.
The
was struck
saint
motionless
in
the
middle of the road, and his body bristled like the jack-fruit
with every hair on end. Then Raghundth drew near, rejoicing to witness the emotion of his servant, and tried many
rouse him
ways
to
up
snake that
dark-hued
Rdma
showed forth
R-57
426
THE FOREST.
Doha 7.
X<^
growing bolder at heart, after again
and again clasping his feet, conducted the Lord to his hermitage and did everything in his honour.
At
Ghaupdi.
Hearken, Lord,
"
:
hymn
my
wit
thy praise
is
to ray
Thy
supplication
immea-
is
greatness
fire to
mate
for
forest of delusion, a
sun
to ani-
herd of
may he
lotus
conqueror
home
moon
Siva's soul
adore.
Garur
to
appa-
company
of
the
heaven
of compassion,
tion
passion,
the
illimitable,
him
people
the
RAma,
the
forest
of
dispeller
of
the All-beautiful
pride and lust
to cross the ocean of life, the champion of
avarice,
bridge
adore.
may he
With unlimited
might
of
righteousness
all
wood-roaming conqueror
all
of
yet in his
character of thr
427
THE FOREST.
mayhe
bride,
know him
my
abide in
thoughts.
my
in
Rcima.
heart,
Never be
this
sain't speech,
"
bosom
and in
Know,
his
delight
that
Saint,
"
I
any boon and I will grant it you." Said the saint
have never begged a boon, nor can I discern between true
and false. Whatever seems good to you,
Raghurdi, that
:
me my own
wish.
DohdS.
my
self
lord
equipt with
moon
in the
%%
bow and
heaven
of
my
Chaupdi.
said Lakshmi's lord, as he joyously started on
"
It is a long time since
his visit to the Rishi Agastya.
'So be
I last
it,'
came
to live in this
hermit-
to
Heaven
And
428
THE FOREST.
f^ ^t
the saint's
hermitage.
*'
them
to his
affection.
'
man
so blessed
their delight
stayed,
as I am.'
was
to
Do/ia 9.
As he
sat
in their
they seemed
upon
on
the
autumnal
moon.
gazing
his person,
like a
Qhawpdi.
Then
is
bevy
all
fastened
of partridges
"
My lord, nothing
you know why I have come, and thereGive me now
there is no need to inform you.
said
Raghubir
fore, sire,
joy.
V^-
to
the saint
virtue of
stand a
vast
my
little
devotion to you,
of
your greatness.
clustering
fruit the
countless multitude
devoured
by
This fruit is
only one in existence.
and inexorable fate, but even he
harsh
1
The word in the text is d,unri which represents the Sanskrit udumhara^
tht ficus glomerata.
It bears large clusters of fruit, and every single fig in
every clqster is always fall of insects,
429
THE FOREST.
heart
for
your lotus
ible
and
Though you
feet.
beyond
eternal,
adoration of
the
the
I
saints, yet
are
supreme
reach of
spirit, indivis-
perception,
the
Brahm and
this,
Rati.
Raghur^i,
is
there,
On
Rh ma
arrived at Panchavati.
Doha
%y
10.
Chaupdi.
From
Rama
took
and without
up
fear.
his abode
there, the
1 The
curse had been pronounced by Bhdrgava, whose daughter Abja
had been violated by Danda, son of Ikshaviu, who was then king of counHis populous realm at once became a wild forest waste, inhabited only
try.
by wild beasts and demons.
2 The interview with the vulture-king Jatayu, thus briefly despatched
in two lines, occupies the whole of the 20th canto in the Sanskrit Aranyakand. It was on this occasion that he made the promise to protect Sita
which subsequently cot him bis life.
430
THE FOREST.
inanimate creation,
my own
have
for
to
me
Maya
have
special master.
left all to
Speak,
sire,
and answer
it
for
me,
tell
Dohdll.
Instruct me,
and the
and
soul,
from
free
**
my
that I
grief,
may
will explain
between God
the
Ghaupdi.
whole matter
in brief
hearken,
brother, with attention of mind and soul. It is from egoism and distinctions between mine and thine, that the
is
understand
that.
Now learn
its
divisions
utterly
down
of life
viz.,
of
self-consciousness,
all
things;
and
who abandons
universe,
supreme
he, brother, is to be
fortune,
of
if
reckoned chief of
Doha
12.
ry
^
^
is to
God
stoics,
of whit'h the
of grass.
That
spirit equally in
composed as
is
the
sees
God
^
;
all
After piety,
knowledge
1
Or
it
regarding
may
itself
Chmifidi.
and
asceticism
;
is
the
be thus translated
*That is to be called soul, which doubts
whether it be a delusive manifestation or really God.'
:
THE FOREST.
i33
But that
giver of salvatioa.
is faith,
brother,
which
is
at
it
stands
the fruit
Secondly,
to scriptural
will be
of this
pres-
detachment
&c
will strengthen
soul for
my
done
as
heart
persistency in
prayer
in
deed and
in
well as in
to one's
and
loads
Dohd
1
who
take
up
my
in thought,
am
ever, brother, at
it
13.
to ray incarnation.
Chaupdi.
On
at his
in
lojd's feet.
discourses
on asceticism,
'
devotion,'
to
'
and
of
spirit.
432
THE FOKEST.
morality.
sister,
came
herself,
the sun-stone
life
melts at the
that
went
to the
"
him
me
like
There
here
is
is
not another
man
nor a
like you,
woman
to
at Sita
"
Hearken, fair lady, I am his servant it
gentle tones
is not right that you should be in subjection to any one.
My lord is the mighty king of Kosala, and whatever he
:
'^'^vodoes
is
all
done
expects to take
at
A servant who
pleasure.
a beggar who expects honour, a
for wealth, a profligate who hopes
his
own
his ease,
of
The bridegroom
shame." Then
herself
in a
for
in a
shape of
terror.
And Lakshman
nose2 and ears
to
Ravan
off
her
in defiance.
1
That i.s to say apparently, whatever his age may be, whether he be of
the same age or nlH enough to be a fHther, or young enough to be a son.
2 The traditionary scene of this event is laid at NtVsik, which is supposed to derive its name from Nnsika, a nose.' The suburb on the Opposite
bank of the river Ooduvari is still called Panchavati.
'
433
THE TOREST.
Chaupdi.
to look
upon
She went
being
omens
all
of
ill
death-doomed.
defied
the
near,
Ghhand
As he strung
his massive
3.
his long
quiver by his side and clasped the bow in his mighty arm
fitted the arrow to the string, he glared with the glance
of a lion on a herd of elephants.
and
Sorathd
6.
'
'
and
R-58
could not
discharge
THE FOREST.
434'
life
Though he has
beauty.
able a hero
v^
is
brother.'
Declare to him this that I have said and quickly
come back with his answer." The heralds went and told
Rdma. He smiled to hear them and said
I am a warrior
and
am
this
caste
wood
like you are
wretches
hunting
by
''
am
that I
game
tracking.
When
knew
made
a rush,
the strength of their foe and shafts and weakinds began to rain upon R^ma. But Raghubir
cleft them in twain, making them of no more account than so
for they
pons
of all
THE FOREST.
many sesaraum
seeds,
own arrows.
Chhand 5-6.
Then
435
";
serpents.
to
in
many
battle
his
'
became furious
brothers
foe
He
let
to
fly
pieces
the
bolts
huge
fitted
to his
bow.
hands and
an arrow
the hideous
feet
were scat-
fall.
and
fro.
Kites,
crows
Chhand
7.
ghosts,
made
they
fell
terrible
hands that they had seized one might fancy all the children
of Battle-town were
flying kites. The mighty champions ]ay
dead and vanquished, witli mangled bodies.
Seeing their
;
army
routed,
demons innu-
436
THE FOREST.
with ten
own
Though they
his
to the
fell
valour and joined in the fray, and would not die, but made
the strangest sight.
The gods feared, when they saw the
in
till
of the
enemy
all
Dohdm.
perished fighting,
^"^
'
each in his
own splendid
carriage.
Chaupdi.
fell at
her lord's
feet,
he
took
fixed
Thus
the blessed
satis-
R6ma
You have
drink
that
lost
thought
all
<^f
A kingdom
without
enemy
is
at
your gate.
yon
consider
;
policy, wealth without religion, good works without consecration to Hari, knowledge without discretion, these
all
or the possessor.
ment, a king by
An
ascetic is quickly
ill-counsel,
wisdom by
undone by
conceit,
attach-
modesty by
437
THE FOREST.
An enemy,
sickness,
are never to be
much
fire, sin,
accounted
trifles."
Doha
In her distress
17.
xA
down
in the
midst of the
to
think
Chawpdi.
they heard this, the assembly
When
"
Lankd
who has
her.
The sons
rose in confusion
lifted
:
cut
off
"
intrepid of archers,
many
young
girl,
the sex
whom
nose and
sister.
such
for
made
senses
thfi
made
When
name
is
army."
but
When
in
an
instant
of, 1st,
his
the loveliest of
is
Creator has
the
Rama
It is his
her.
of
is
intended
to he
fire ail
over.
understood
in its
two
438
THE FOREST.
Dohd 1.
After consoling SArpa-nakhA and forcing himself to say
much to her, he went to his palace in a great state of
all
night.
Ghaupdi.
"
Among gods, men and demons, serpents and birds,
there is none who can withstand my servants and Khara
;
Dohd
19.
Rdma
invented.
14%
When Lakshman
roots, fruits
Chaupdi,
Hearken, most lovely and amiable of faithful wives, I
am going to act a fantastic human part. Be you absorbed
into fire until I have completed the destruction of the
demons." As soon as Rdma had finished speaking she
"
pressed her lord's feet to her heart and entered into the
fire, leaving only an image of herself, of exactly the same
appearance and the same amiable and gentle disposition.
Lakshman
did not
When
like
selfish
it is
439
THE FOREST.
Doha
20.
Ravan put
in
mind and
all
alone ?
"
Chaupdi.
whole matter before him and added
the
*'
Raghupati, who when he went to protect the saint's sacrifice, smote me with a pointless arrow, and in an instant
well to
man my
him
will
do no good.
Doha
21.
Ghaupdi.
Consider the welfareof your family and go home." When
he heard this, he was furious and abused him soundly:
"You
,were
ple,
rich
man,
a physician,
See Book
I,
chaupai 211.
440
THE FOREST.
for
Chhand
My
loved,
and
shall
the feet
soul
brother.
8.
eyes will
be happy.
shall imprint
with
the All-merciful
of
Hari,
who
confers salvation,
my
Sita
best be-
upon
and
too
my
his
arrow
to the string
As he runs
after
me
to
^^
seize
me
with his
bow and
my
Chaupdi.
drew near
When
the Ten-headed
to the
wood, Mdrfcha
When
Sita
with loveliness in
kind
hearken,
as to defy
with
jewels.
bespangled
all
*'
Raghubir,
every limb, she cried
this deer has a most charming skin;
its
sir,
of
it all,
his
the lord
roam the
cautioned
forest;
Lakshman
"
:
too,
nor Siva
mimic
is
deer.
able
Now
Many demons,
to contemplate,
close at hand,
if
brother,
thought and
occasion require
flight
the
all
RAma
it."
pursued
Veda cannot
attain,
hastened in pursuit of a
now
fleeing at a distance,
THE
441
FOK^fclibT.
atone time
in sight, at
itself
and
let fly
the deer
fell to
ground with a
the
wisdom recognizing
his
inward
Rdma, who
gave him such a
name
love,
flowers and
hymned
the
"
own
to.
U"^
of
Chaupdi.
As soon
the
Raghubir returned;
hand and the quiver by his side.
Sita heard the agonizing cry, she called to Laksh-
bow gleaming
When
man in
in
"
"
:
Go
in haste,
your brother
is
world
as having fallen
But when Sita urged him with taunting words, Lakshman's resolution -f'rsuch was Hari's will
was shaken he made over cliarge of everything to the
forest and its gods, and went after the R-^hu of the
moon^
into
is
any
difficulty."
like
Rdvan.
When
the Ten-headed
(p^
by night nor eat food by day, even that Ravan came looking
this side and that, as furtively as a cur bent on thieving.;
After he had turned his steps, GarAr, to this vile course, not
a particle of his majesty, or intellect, or strength of
bodj__,
was
him.
say
is
hateful to me."
Then Rdv
R-59
in
showed himself
in
his
^n
THE rOREST.
142
his
feet.
Dohci 24.
Chaupdi
"
Ah
what
for
fault of
of distress, health-giving
the
and loving lord is far away; who will tell him of my calamity that an ass is devouring the oblation intended for the
gods!" At the sound of Slta's woeful lament every created
;
()
made
The
sad.
carrying away, as
it
fal-
mountain.
*'
Stop you
villain,
how
Sita
him
"
:
Is
1
Mainaka is tlic only peak which is said to have retained its wings
In<lra clipped those of the other mountains.
2 Mainika's lord is the Ocean, which R4 van and the other demons had
chiirne
and Garur, tlic king of the birds,' has Vishnu for his lord, with
when
'
whom Uavan
THE FORFST.
that
perceived
443
cried,
hands. "^ At
the vulture
to
Rdvan,
in
peace
my
if
"
it
advice
j-l
this,
Hearken,
and go home
surrender Janaki
not, despite
"
:
he
it
will
turn
having sheltered
and rent
his body.
feats of
courage.
chariot
and drove
in haste in
no
little
Sita in the
alarm.
Sfta
was
power
of a
huntsman.
the rocks, she cried out Hari's name and dropt her scarf.
In this manner he went off with Sita and put her down in
Asoka
the
forest.
Doha
25.
S'-f
'
S S
"
Chaupdi.
his brother coming, he was seized
with a new and greater fear "
brother, have you left Sita
alone and come here against my order, though so many
My mind
misgives
me
that Sita
That
there, so
i8
to say, 'as a
has he come to
'.
THE FOREST.
444
When
fault of mine."
Sita,
^/
my
JAnaki,
precious
Site, so
"
Lukshman did
all
he could
to
swarms
of
bees, have
flowers; the
lightning,
gliding serpent
the lotus,
the
at heart.i
endure
l^*^
\
this
disclose yourself,
my
beloved ?
"
In this
manner
the lord
searched and
separation.
fection of bliss, the uncreated
r^
hands upon
all
his pain
was forgotten,
Ghaupdi,
RA van's
doing; he
daughter.
He
1
The different objects here mentionerl from the Hindu poet's stock in
trade upon which he invariably draws for comparisons when he wishes to
describe the charms of a lovely woman
with clustering hair like swarms of
bees, teeth white as buds of jasmine, lips like the pomegranate, eyes brip:hf as
flashes of lightniner, breasts swelling like coconniUs, waist like a lion's,
gaitj
like an elephant's <&c., &c.
Now that Sita is gone, who excelled each of them
in the very point on which they most prided themselves, they may again
bear themselves quoted as perfect.
:
THE FOREST.
piteously as an osprey.
see you
R^ma
"
:
have kept
now,
most merciful,
Remain
alive, father."
445
alive,
my
lord, only to
would depart."
Said
of
has come in
bodily form
me
to
before
live
my
eyes
?"
any longer
what need
is
Raghurai's eyes
"
he replied
Father, it is your own
good, deeds that have saved you. There is nothing in the
world beyond the reach of those who devote their soul to
with tears as
filled
When
ascend
to
you
in
gorgeous yellow
attire,
with dark-hued
hymn
of praise
Ghhand
"
9.
to
the embodied
who
R^ma
full of tears
of
of the
his
supreme
spirit,
446
THE FOREST.
the world.
is at
whom
the
accessible,
unfailing com-
when they have laboriousmind and senses; even R^ma, the spouse
LaUshmi, who is ever at the command of his servants,
forter,
ly
He who
like
subdued
of
their
of the three
may he abide
spheres,
pure."
my
in
make
[^
Doha 27.
Rama
all
with his
due ceremony.
Ghaupdi.
miserable of
ascetics
men
desire.
are they
Hearken,
who abandon
Uma
the
most
and become
Hari
The two brothers in their search for Sita visited and examined many woods, tangled with creepers, dense with trees,
and swarming with birds, deer, elephants and lions. As
they went on their way they overthrew Kabandha, who
'*
DurvAsas^
declared the whole history of the curso.
who
trouble
Brihmans
Dohd
guile in
28.
do
told
the strength of this promise lie ventured to rhallenp;e Irulra to battle, who
his thunderbolt apainst him and dn^vo his head and shouldt^rs
down into his body, which was thus made a horrible headless shapeless
trunk. To keep him from starving, since he needs must live, his arms were
made a league long and a huge month was openetl in his belly In the text
as translated by Griffith, there is mention of a sage Sthiila-Siras (Great-head)
who l>a<l bc^en annoyed by Drinu and therefore cursed him but the passage
has rather the air of an interpolation, and does not appear in Gorrosio's edition.
The meaning of the word hnhandhn is a headless trunk.'
lannohed
'
THE FOREST.
447
service
the
to
Ghaupdi.
though he curse, beat and abuse you, is
so declare the saints. A Brdhstill an object of reverence
man must be honoured, though devoid of every virtue and
Brdhmao,
When
With
lotus eyes,
mighty
two brothers.
stood the
fair,
embraced their
feet.
Savari
fell
and
in love that
no speech came to her lips, but again and again she bowed
her head at their lotus feet, then reverently brought water
and laved
their feet
and
conducted them
finally
to a seat
of honour.
Doha
29.
delicious fruits
roots,
to
her.
Chaiipdi.
How
can
descent and
is
*'
ti
dullest
to boot
the lowest of
of all
save
ship
name
worri
is
that
of faith
SavUra,
tive
of
woman
who
hymn
of
is
'
'
THE FOKEST.
448
man
without faith
The
virtue,
first
will
ability.
step in faith
is
to
explain
communion with
Doha
The
feet
nor
of
without water.
faith
is
the
the
me
saints
the
io^
an incalculable step
third,
of
30.
to
my
with a
i)raises
guileless purpose.
Ghaupdi.
The
fifth,
and the
repetition,
the saints
in yet greater
or dejection.
exultation
lady,
Verily,
whoever possesses
or irrational,
degree.
highest
The heavenly
result
of
w ""^-^.jyeature
prize,
at
lady, have
that
Ghhand
10.
(tha,
Accordin;^ to
who
directctl
the Sanskrit
Kama
H.^raAyaua
to apply to Sugriva.
it
IHE FOREST.
449
face
Dohd
He gave
salvation to a
;'
31.
woman
of
Chaupdi.
When
left this
When
me.
the
'
caution
The
never
tures
to
be
scriptures,
a king,
depended upon
and a woman
in
is
beautiful
it is
frightful.
Love, finding
me
your bosom,
how
absolutely alone,
brother,
and on
resolutely
encamped against
me
R-60
it
were,
460
THE FOREST.
Chaupdi.
The huge
trees
that he has
divei*se pavillioas
stately
palms
his
spread
it
were the
plantains and
the
amazement
many kinds
the
different flowering
of
all
and
of warrior chiefs
encampments
separate
murmuring cuckoos
the
ted elephants, and the herons his bulls, camels and mules
are his
waterfalls
the
the
is
the
partridges and
no describing the
war horses
are his
is
VohdSS,
^>^.b'
and pride
weapon
is
of
nothing but
love,
harsh speech
Uma, Rdma
is
woman
while anger's
Chaupdi.
without attributes, the lord of
all
whom
I
is
to say,
whom
shown
favour.^
I tell
you,
451
THE FOREST.
Umd, what
and
all
is
my
conclusion
the world
is
real
is
a dream.
Doha
Under
'
was as
unembodied supreme spirit
its
distinguish as is the
difficult to
under the
34.
veil of delusive
all in
placid repose at
days of the righteous that are passed in peace.
Ghaupdi.
Lotuses of
many
was a buzzing
humble-bees
there
bees, both
honey-makers and
while swans and waterfowl were so noisy
of garrulous
you would think they had recognized the Lord and were
The geese and cranes and other birds
telling his praises.
The
saints
magnificent forest-trees
the
all
and the mango.i Every tree had put forth its new leaves
and flowers and was resonant with swarms of bees. A
delightful air, soft, cool
motion, and
Dohd'35,
The
1
trees laden
it.
A^
lo the ground
with fruit bowed low
wio
i?
the
Michelia champaka,
like
handsome
THE FOREST.
452
a generous soul
whom
Chaupdi.
this
with great delight, and then with his brother sat down in
There
to
hymn
own home.
all
his praises
The
All-merciful rested in
In submission to
woe.
my
curse^
must go and
Rdma
visit
endures
all this
weight
may
In dulcet tones he
As he prostrated
Lakshman
himself,
R^ma
Dohd 36.
1^
Perceiving that his lord was well pleased, Nsirad made
much supplication and clasping his lotus hands addressed
him in these words
:
The malmri, called in the text by another of its Sanskrit names, rakula,
is the Mimusops elengi.
Its fragrant star-shaped flowers are much used by
Hindus for garlands and supply the native silversmiths with a very favourite
pattern.
The kadamh
which grows
is
wilfl in
pastoral adventuf&s.
The tamala
THE FOREST.
453
Chaupdi.
Hearken, most generous Raghu-ndiyak, beautiful and
beneficent, at once unapproachable and easy of approach,
grant me, my lord, the one boon that I ask though you
"
know
all
it
without
"
hearts."
can
Reverend
pers? There
is
lent of saints,
mine that
to
abandon
not ask
it
of
my
lord has
This
is
is nothing of
never allow yourself
many
There
me.
to a believer
this confidence in
*'
said
my
would refuse
and
the secrets of
father,
nothing
may
know
my
presume
to ask.
Though
sin,
surpass
all
nohd37.
soul rejoiced
^t^'
moon
names
as the
soul."
'
so be
exceedingly and he
;\'
as
stars in
brilliant
it.'
bowed
his head
at
his
lord's feet.
Chavpdi.
Seeing Raghundth
winning tones:
so gracious,
"0
Raghurdi
power and infatuated me hearken,
was anxious to accomplish a marriage, why was it, my
*'
Hearken,
lord, that you did not allow me to do so?"
delusive
saint,
will
mother
at
once rescues
The wise
it
her affection to
are, as
it
were,
my grown up
sons
454
THE FOREST.
my
protected by
my
infant children.
former by
strength, the
The
their
and anger.
latter are
own, and
both have
to fight against
know
this
wisdom,
still
love
Doha
Lust, anger, greed and
all
38.
vanity,
Philosophers
of
that incarnation
is
woman.
Chaupdi.
saint, to the teaching
Hearken,
saints
Woman is
of
the
Pur^nas, the
summer to dry up
like
growth
and deaden
autumn
like the
of evil propensities
all
dewy season^
devotional
and frogs
to revive the
of
lily-
to foster
Woman, again,
is like
Doha
Wanton woman
ment, a mine of
ing
all this, I
all
is
39.
the root of
unhappiness
all evil,
a source
therefore,
of
saint,
tor-
know-
Ghaupdi.
to
tears.
'*
Tell me,
is
to his
servants ?
All,
it is
who
to
will
Matsara^ translated
gnats,' also means
selfishness,' and may be
intended in that sense here, as both meanings suit the context equally well.
2 Sisira,
the dewy season,' consists of the months, M^gh and Ph^lgun,
that come between the winter and the spring.
'
'
'
455
tHE FOREST.
enquired further
wisdom
*'
:
me, my
Raghubir,
burdens, what are the marks of a saint?"
lord
tell
lightener of
in
all
earth's
Listen, reverend
and I will tell you what are the qualities of the saints,
by virtue of which they hold me in their power. They have
are sinless, pasovercome the six disturbing influence^
sir,
immeasurable
they are
enjoyment
meditation
Doha
Mines of
with
virtue, free
all their
40.
doubts solved
of the world
home
precious
and
my
Chaupdi.
Who
are abashed
praised,
denial,
their
my feet
an absolute
and
composure, discrimination, huniility and knowledge
for doctrine in strict accordance with the Vedas and Pur^;
nas
1 According to
the Sankhya philosophy there is an original eternal
germ, or primal source of all things, except soul, which is called Hrakriti.
From it are evolved certain vikdras, or productive products, or modifications,
which occasion all the diversity of material phenomena, and which may
therefore be designated
disturbing influences.'
'
THE FOREST.
466
;
acts
who
are
always
and have no
good of others
either
hearing or singing my
but are devoted to the
selfish object,
the
characteristics of
his
worshippers."
After
again and again bowing his head at his feet, Narad returned
to the city of Brahma. Blessed, says Tulsi D^s, are all they
who abandon
Dohdii.
People who hear or recite the sanctifying praises of
Rdvan's foe, even without asceticism, prayer and meditation, are
in R-^'ma.
soul
is like
let not
Woman
be as the
R^ma and
"
that cleanses
from
BOOK
IV.
KISHK1 NDHY A
R-61
459
KISHKINDHYA.
KISHKINDHYA.
Sanskrit Invocation.
BEA.UTIFUL as the jasmine or the lotus, of surpassing
strength, store-houses of wisdom, all glorious and accom-
mortal
men
of true
religion,
the
wayfarers
may
Brahm
of
exterminator of
the
all
im-
the imperishable, the quintessence of the beauty of blessed Sambhu's moonlike face, the
purities of this
sinful age,
Sorathd
How
is it
possible
1.
it
to
the
a
home
life,
of
a treasury of knowledge and the desDull indeed of soul is the man who worships
place of salvation,
troyer of sin.
not him,
who when
all
is
so merciful as Sankara?
Chaupdi.
R^ma again proceeded on his way and drew near to the
mountain Rishyamdka.^ There Sugriva dwelt with his
able strength,
of
antelope.
its
460
KISHKINDHYA.
rough
for
your
What
tread.
soft feet to
is
the reason,
Your body
my
too
you
and exquisitely beautiful to be exposed to the
Who are
intolerable sun and wind of these wild regions
masters,
that
this
visit
forest
is
delicate
Dohd
Or has
1.
your human form, for the good of the woild, to bridge the
ocean of existence and relieve earth of its burdens?"
Ghaupdi,
*'
We
mand
in
obedience
to
trying to find.
body
thrilled
as fhe gazed
1
Nam, the original or eternal Man, the divine imperishable spirit that
pervades the universe, is always nssociated with NarAyana, which, as u
In Manu, 1.
the Son of the original Man.'
patronymic from Nara, means
10, Nara is apparently identified with NArdyana: the waters, it is said, V>eing
or
PnramAtmsi.
called NArA, as produced from Nar, the eternal Spirit,
which is also styled N4rAyann, as having its first place of motion on thr
In the more systematic theology Nara and NdrAyana are distinct,
waters.
the former being regarded as a sage or patriarch, while the laUer is a god.
In epic poetry they are the sons of Dharma by Murti, or AhinsA, and are
emanations of Vishnu, Arjuna b-ing identified with Nara, and Krishna
with NArAyflna. In some places Nara and Ndrayana are called devau, tlu^
two gods'; or jmrva-deran the two original gods'; or rishi, the two sages';
or pit ranav rislii tat faniau,
the two most ancient and best of sages or
tapamn the two ascetics or maha-muyii, the two great munis. J/om'V/WilUamn, sub verbo,
'
'
'
'
'
'
'
401
KISHKINDHYA.
At
last
he collected
"
my
asked, sire, in
ignorance
delusive
your
power
my
In the
first
self led
me
place
of soul,
2.
the influence
in error,
lord.
Doha
why
Under
wandered
and perverse
but
mere man.
hymn
of
and therefore
and then
astray.
Ghaupdi.
Although,
sire,
my
faults are
not
first
fettered
free
by your grace. Therefore I make my cry to Raghuand know no other saving mode of prayer. As a
bir,
in
his
then again
master, or a
set
child in its
So saying, he
Lord."
fell
in
much
his
him
body.
to his
tears
of joy.
"
Bearken,
self vile;
to
none.
For
he,
Hanumdn,
he
is
is
Doha
3.
second
to
*?
God who
is
manifested in creation."
Ghaupdi.
When
the
Son
of the
was
at
Wind
at
this rock,
In return
462
KISHKINDHYA.
mind
set his
at rest.
In
every
monkeys
manner he told them all the particulars and took them
both with him and gave them stools to sit upon. When
will despatch millions of
direction."
in
this
it
blessing to have
a great
He
been born.
pied
with
allies
!'
'
this thought,
The monkey's mind was occuIf God would only give me such
#
Dohd
Hanuman
sides
fire
holy
concluded.
;
When
*'
Chaupdi.
been concluded, nothing was
Rdtna and Lakshman told all their adven-
kept in reserve
tures.
4. l
The
One day when
was
my
ministers deep
'
'
recover Janaki."
Dohd
The
friend's
All-merciful and
**
speech.
Tell
5.
Almighty rejoiced
to
hear
liis
Chaupdi,
"
love
My
lord,
was past
name came
to
BAli
all
and
telling.
our town.
our mutual
403
KISHKINDHYA.
at defiance
too
of the
Wait
me
for
clude that
made
a fortnight,
have
brother,
caves of the
month, Khardri
out
my
accompanied
into one
been
killed.
tremendous stream
When
Bdli,
Raghubir,
wander
my
When
mind.''
For fear
wife.
of
merciful
him,
me a severe beating,
me everything that
am
The
ill
curse^
at ease in
troubles,
were uplifted
Dohd
6.
"
life.
Chawpdl.
They, who are not distressed at the sight of a friend's
They, who do not
distress, are guilty of grievous sin.
think
it
the
most
natural
thing
possible
to
regard
as a
mere grain
of
grain of sand,
Meru
seems
to
464
KISHKINDHYA.
To
to press frieudship.
restrain from
evil
to
paths and to
all
good qualities
publish
and conceal the bad to give and take without any distrust
to be always ready to assist with all one's power,
of mind
;
and, in
your
face,
is
an enemy
in
the
whom
my
"
:
to
strength
At
of
killing
Without
an
effort,
this exhibition of
bound-
palm-trees.
B41i.
increased
bowed his head at his feet, in the greatest delight, knowing him to be the Lord. Knowledge sprung up in his soul,
"
and he spoke and said
By my lord's favour my
mind is set at rest
I will abandon pleasure, fortune,
:
to the
feet.
of the world,
are effects of
worship^ of your
This mention of
palm-trees' would not be intelligible without a r*
There it is told how after IIAtna by ;i
ferencc to the Sanskrit Kamiiyana.
slight touch of liis foot had sent Hying a hundred leagues through the air
Dundubhi's
enormous
the giant
skeleton, Sugiiva still doubted whether
were a raateh in strength for Kali. wIjo had liurled the bo<ly an cjual ili
tancc, while it was still clothed with llesh and therefore of much grcatci
To convince him, Udma shot an arrow from his, wliich cleft seven
weight.
palm-trees that stood in a line one after the other, pierectl the hill behind
them anil sped downwards to the nethermost hell, wlience again it returned
and dropt into the <iuivcr at Kama's side, from which it had been taken.
2 Aran'ulhak,
a worshipper,' '\^h)V avail k,ik, from
lie
root rad/i,
In tin; Hindi glassary it is ex
propitiate,' with the intensive prefix a.
plained by Mctxfk, 'a servant,' as if connected with arara.
'
li
'
'
^65
KlStlKINDHVA.
delusion,
friend,
by whose favour
of all sorrow; as
when
realities.
Bdli
man dreams
is
my
greatest
RAma, destroyer
that he has
been
fight-
may
Rama
heard
bow
true
in his
hand
my
When
the monkey's
leave all
fail."
Rdma,
Clardr,
who makes us
all
dance
like so
all
sprang
and
two
DoU
7.
"
be
my
lord."
Chaupdi.
So saying, he sallied forth in all his pride, thinking no
more of Sugriva than of a blade of grass. The two joined
combat
with his
upon him as a
Raghubir
self."
of
"You
mistake
ful
which resounded
;
this is
no brother
of
did not
R-G2
460
KISUKIiJDUi'A.
strength.
Doha
of
way, while
8.
/c)
Sugriva had tried every trick and put forth all
his strength and had given up in despair, Rtoa drew an
When
when he
fitted the
to his bowstring.
of affection, the
words
of his
ed towards
sire, for the
advancement
of religion,
my
life,
have you
killed
lord ?"
my
me,
"
Hearken, wretch
daughter-in-law and an
whoever looks upon one of
in
Doha
9.
guilty as
am,
sin.
the
Hearken
without any
You knew
wife's warning.
**
slain
Rdma
1
my
obtain, sire, at
my
lord
death a place
in
to-day,
heaven."
Chaupdi.
heard this most tender speech, he touched
"
the soundness of
I restore
Bali's head with his hands:
When RAma
your body
merciful
retain
your
life."
throughout their
life,
Said B^li
"
;
Hearken, All
467
KISHKINDHYA.
But
by the virtue
K^si bestows heaven upon all
has come in visible form before my very eyes can
alike,
at
I ever,
my
lord,
He has become
visible
to
my
eyes,
whom
laborious suppression
and control
sive
of the
scarcely the
accompanied by
of
me
senses. Seeing
me
pride,
the victim of
to retain
my
exces-
But
body.
be born,
may
a fool
as to insist
RAma.
my
like
my
discretion,
hand.
servant."
Doha
After
making
10.
Rama's
body
as placidly as
when
feet,
a wreath of
knowing
it;
and
Rdma
Chaupdi.
dismissed him to his
and Tdrd
imparted
to
"
The
1
The eight means of mental concentration (according to Patanjali, the
founder of the Yog*i system of philosophy) are Yania, forbearance,' restraint.'
37 yaw.';/, religious Observances' Asana, 'postures' Prdnaydnia,
breathing in a peculiar way Pratydhdra
suppression of the breath', or
restraint of the senses '; Dhdmiia, 'steadying of the mind
Dhydna, contemplation ; and Sdmddhi, 'profound meditation,' or rather, a state of reli'
'
'
'
'
'
'
468
KISIIKINDHYA.
bod}^ which
is
composed
and
'
is
of
no v^lue.
;
she asked,
that
a perfect faith.
0,
Uma,
the lord
R^ma
dances us
up and down like so many puppets. Then
he gave orders to Sugriva and he performed all the funeral
Rama next directed his brother
rites with due ceremony.
all
to
accompany him.
Dohd
11.
0,
UmA,
there
is
Angad Prince
It is
the
Imperial.
Chaupdi.
no such friend as
way with
all
Rdma
in the
world,
men and
saints, to
this,
and added
"
:
in all
the
principles of state-
the
may
weather is now
;
in
know
any
be caught in
craft,
left
I
over and
the
monkey
The hot
I
will
encamp on the
in royal state
1
Akasa, 'ether.' is the subtle ancJ ethereal fluid, supposed to fill and
pervade the universe and to be the peculiar vehicle of life and of sound
Monirr Willinmn.
469
KISHKINDHYA.
Rdma
remained
in
Doha
12.
Mr
The magnificent
trees
forest
flower
all in
Lord and
his
In the
form of bees, birds and deer, the gods, saints and seers
service to their
lord.
From
was
told
statecraft
many
a tale
and wisdom.
the season of
Doha
"
See,
Lakshman, how
13.
who
rejoices
when he
enamoured
of asceticism,
Ghaiipdi.
flashes fitfully
vile
1
In the Sanskrit Raraayana the hill is called Prasravnna ; but >he two
words bear much the same meaninp:. The text might also be translated,
remained on thp hill during the early rains.'
2 In England a cloudy sky is associated with gloomy ideas, and the
But in India it is the
bright sunshine with everything that is cheerful.
reverse.
When the clouds gather and thunder is heard, every one rejoices
470
KTSIIKIXDIIYA.
The
mountain endures the buffeting of the storm, as the virtuous bear the abuse of the wicked.
The flooded streamproudly along, like mean men puffed up with a
The water by its contact with the earth
becomes as muddy as the soul when environed by delusion.
lets
rush
wealth.
little
The
when
in a
good man
developes
of the ocean,
.
bosom
is
and the
Doha
14.
4>
'^n^
of heretics,
by the wrangling
Chaupdi.
On
all
croaking of frogs,
like a
their leaves
tlie
is
as goodly a
like
flies
like
women
cultivators
show
band
fields are
ruined
weed
of
when
dusty
religion
The
as the
glitter in the
a mustered
ridges of the
like, the
to
footpath
is put out of sight by passion.
makes
The fire
a well-governed
as in
wicked come
pretenders.
night,
The
The diligent
who root up
age.
However much
of
swarms
Hari's
of living
worshippers.
it
so lust
The
rain, no grass
takes no root in the
may
gleams with
earth
so the people
471
klSHKlNDUYA.
multiply under good government.
wayfarers stay and rest, like a mau's bodily senses after the
attainment of wisdom.
Doha 15.
wind
disperses
strong
At times a
'
all
the pious
Chaupdi.
Now
returned
thing
see
The whole
is.
Lakshman, how
earth
is
of
autumn has
covered with
the
flowering
kdns grass, as though the rains had exposed its old age.
The rising of Canopus^ has dried up the water on the roads,
like as
greed
every river
is
is
The surface
dried up by contentment.
and lake
depths are
of
as pure
diminished, like as
the
enlightened
gradually lose all notions of self. The wagtails know the
autumn season and come out once more, like virtuous deeds
in
an auspicious
the earth
is
is
There
time.
is
neither
mud
nor dust
well versed in
state
policy.
The
who
by
as a worshipper of Hari,
patron.
faith of
is
who has
is
a slight
every other
like the
Dohd
King and
discarded
autumn shower,
16.
472
KISHKINDHYA.
Chaupdi.
sounds
as a
bad man
at the
sight
another's
of
prosperity.
The
thirst, like
a rebel against
The moon by
night subdues
like
as the
sight
of a
saint
is
Dohd
Under
the influence
17.
of the
its
insect
is
Ghaupni
The
anyhow get
tidings of
Sita.
If 1
would
in
her, I
only she
may
effort to rescue her.
now
if
still
liv^es,
only once
an instant recover
come, but
could
brother,
Wherever she
would make an
all
about me,
treasure, his
city
his hands.
his
KISHKINDHYA.
Doha
Then
18.
"
saying
473
Now
the
Son
of the
Wind
alarmed
Hanumdn,
understanding. Now,
me
of
all
my
despatch a multitude of
spies, legions of
that
all special
head
at his feet
Lakshman entered
(he
monkeys
all
and
the
of
set
They
policy.
forth.
Seeing him
city.
all
bowed
to
ran away.
Doha
19.
city
'
of
to
the
people,
Chaupdi.
at his feet
till
terribly
alarmed
you and
Hearken,
Hanumdn
take
Tdra with
Hanumdn
hymning
"
:
the palace
feet
conducted him
to
couch.
The monkey king also bowed his head at his feet, but
Lakshman took him by the hand and embraced him.
''
There
is
nothing,
my
lord, so
intoxicating
R-63
are.
as
pleasure
sowing dissension
KISHKlNDHYA.
414:
in a single
On
moment
it
hearing this
Hanum^n
of
told
hiui
spies
had
already started.
Dohd 20.
Then Sngriva with Angad and the other monkeys went
forth with joy, preceded by Lakshman, and arrived in
RAma's presence.
Chaupdi.
cried
My
lord,
it
has been
his head at
no fault
his
of
feet
and
Your
mine.
who
is
libidinous of animals.
A man
who
is
your equal,
RaghurAi.
It is a virtue not
it is
only by yonr
and one there can accomplish it." Then
"
You are as dear to me a
Raghupati smiled and said
own
brother
Bharat.
Now
take thought and make an
my
;
effort to
Dohd 21.
While they were yet thus speaking, the troops of monkeys arrived of all colours and from all parts of the world, a
monkey
Chaupdi.
Uma, saw
army of monkeys
only a fool would
came
and
bowed
the h^ad at
try to count them.
They
RAma's feet and gazing upon his face found in him tlieir
true lord. In the whole host there was not a
single monkey
I,
to
whom Rdma
this
Raghur^i,
who
is
This
is
nc
omniprespni
475
KISHKINDHYA.
and
They
pervading.
Make
my
hands."
Dohd
22.
No
sooner had they heard this speech than all the monkeys started at once in every direction. Sugriva then
called Angad, Nila and Hanum^n
:
Ghaupai.
"
Sita. Strain
ing Rama's
the
every faculty to devise some way of accomplishobject. The sun is content with back service and
but a master must be served back and
with front,
fire
i
any subterfuges. Discard the unrealithe world and consider the future so shall all the
ties of
troubles
the end,
for
brother,
to
This
is
worship
Rdma
without any desire for self. He only is truly discriminative, he only is greatly blessed, who is enamoured of the
The
invoking Raghur^i.
Hanuman.
The
lord,
to
make
obeisance
was
knowing what
lotus hands touched
his finger for he knew
his
off
to
last
Iiis
head and
his devotion
Say everything
and my constancy, and come quickly."
my might
Hanumdn thought
'
sense of
'
flint.'
is
used
in
the
476
KISHKINDHYA.
Dohd
champion
own
about their
all
of the gods.
23.
river, lake,
in
and
Rdma's con-
bodily wants.
Chaupdi.
Wherever
they took his
it
life
with a single
distrest,
hill,
blow.
and
if
in
the ground
all
with geese,
the wing and all kinds of birds making their way into it.
Then Hanumin came down from the mountain and took
them
all
lead the
way they
lost
this
to
2^.
woman^ was
Dohd
cavern,
in
with
sight,
mnnyj
sitting,
Chaupdi.
From a distance they all bowed the head before her and
made enquiry and explained their circumstances. She then
"
said
Take water to drink and eat at will of this luscious
:
fruit."
*'
eyes and so leave thf* cave you will recover Sita, do not
The warriors closed their eyes, and when the>
fear."
;
1 In the Sanskrit
self-hinlne
'
RAmkyana
her
name
is
given as Swayamprabha,
Hi
477
KISHKINHDYA.
The
lord
Doha
faith.
25.
heart
Rama's
to the
feet,
the
"
The
Ghaupdi.
Now
tlie
to
themselves
what are we
do
to
"
:
It is
"
and
if
we go home
It is a case
him." Again and again Angad told th?m all
a
When
doubt."
the
chiefs
without
heard
of death
monkey
:
we
get news
we
of Sita
all
"
unless
sagacious prince."
appropriate admonition
to be a man
know that he
:
made
in
My
son, do not
imagine
R^ma
is
incarnate.
Dohd2Q.
Of his own
behalf o
bodily form
among
abandoned
all
478
KISHKINDHYA.
Chaiipdi.
He exhorted him
"
at
once;
I
past.
am dying
for
a feast.
want
of a
eat
I will
them
all
up
we were right in
we
must
die.'
At
the
day
saying
sight of him they all
rose up, and J^mbavAn was mightly disturbed at heart
trembled
to
to
When
the
monkeys
began
When
in
alarm and
after
he
assuring
drew near
them
of
to
snfety
glory to Raghnpati.
Dohd 27.
Take me to the sea-shore and make him an offering of
sesamum seeds; with the help of my instructions you shall
"
recover her
whom you
seek."
Chaupdi.
he had completed the funeral rites for his brother
**
on the seashore, he told them his own history.
Hearken,
brothers
in
We
our
two
first youth mountmonkey chiefs.
When
my
pride went
closer.
My
fell to
He
I
in
rid
me of my
In the Sanskrit
which
also, like
inveterate pride.
"
Chandrama,
the night-raakei.
479
KISHKINDHYA.
will take the
ofE
by the king
and
Your wings
purified.
Hearken
On
business.
the top of
R-Wan
there lives
my
to
saint's
mount
Triktit
absolute
in
when you
has
come
true
prophecy
words and set about your lord's
The
if
sits Sita, a
Dohd
is
security,
prey
to grief.
28.
assistance.
Chaupdi.
me
reassure yourselves
by Rama's favour.
see
soul,
fear,
and
So
in
the greatest
"
the bears,
am now
strength
is left
strides,^
then
As he
too old
and not a
my body when
in
particle of
my former
full of vigour.
29.
stature to
an
him
Chaupdi.
"
but I am rather
leap across
doubtful about getting back again." Then said Jdmbavdn
You are quite competent; but why should we send our
Angad
said
will
The
fifth in
dwarf, which
was the
480
KISHKINDHYA.
leader ? Hearken,
"
why
is
ing
it
is
and
it is
splendour, as
'*
comeback with
the news.
Chhand 2.
With his hosts of monkeys Rama
mons and recover Sita and gods and
;
will destroy
saints
the
de-
all will
Any
DohdSO.
If
any man
or
woman
will study
p7
the glories of
u6th, the panacea for all the ills of life, Siva will
in everything that he desires.
to
Raghu
make him
prosper
SoratM
Hearken then
the fowler
many
who
more than
2.
^ W\
hut-
so
to his praises,
all
birds.
"
Kishkindhya," composed
[Thus endeth the hook entitled
wisdom and continence
hestoroal
the
TuUi
of
pure
Ddsfor
by
into the holy lake of Hdmaa
descent
the
fourth
being
;
'
the world.]
BOOK
V.
THE BEAUTIFUL
11-64
THE BEAUTIFUL.
483
THE BEAUTIFUL.
Sanskrit Invocation.
whom Brahma,
Sambhu, and the Serpent-king incessantly worship; the
theme of the VedAnta; the sovereign of the universe
the
peace of
final
emancipation
the
lord,
R^ghu
man
the jewel
of
kings.
V'
'^
reverence
the
first
name
all
the
store-house of
Raghupati's
iioble
Chaupdi.
\^
fl
On
so
cheerfully,
Hanumdn
"
Wait for me here, my
was greatly rejoiced at heart.
however
friends,
great your discomfort, with only roots,
herbs, and fruits for your food, till I return after seeing
Sita the task is one I am most pleased to undertake." So
;
to
them
all
ing Raghubir,
the
Son
of
the
Wind
leaped with
all
his
484
THE BEAUTIFUL.
^^
ease his
for
Dohd
[.
told
Main^ka
to
toil.i
1.
business.'
Chaupdi.
\>
mother
0-
cried:
of
r'
me
a meal.'
On
"
When
hearing these words, the Son of the Wind replied
I have performed Rdma's commission and have come back,
:
have given
l^^and
my
news about
lord the
Sita, then I
will
would not
me
let
him
till
go,
at last
he said
*
:
You cannot
^once became
thirty-two.
^^
her jaws, the monkey made his frame twice as large again.
When she had made her mouth a hundred leagues wide,
himself to a very minute form and went into
came out again then bowed and asked
and
mouth
her
"
The purpose for which the gods
permission to proceed.
sent me, namely, to make trial of j^our wisdom and
strength, I have now accomplished.
Dohd 2.
Lhe reduced
^^
that
RAma
requires of you."
Chaupdi.
female demon^ dwelt in the ocean,
Mainaka
is
a rock
land.
2 In the Sanskrit
of R^hu.
in the
R&m&yana
narrow
her
strait
name
is
who by magic
given
as
Sinhik^,
the
mother
485
THE BEAUTIFUL.
caught the birds of the
the air as they look
air.
down upon
the
upon it^and she was able to catch the shadow, so that they
could not fly away; and in this manner she always had birds
to eat.
'
monkey
as he was,
and
'
shore.
all
with the bees buzzing in their search for honey the diverse Ui
^^
and
fruit,
and
But,
Uma,
this
was not
at all the
but the gift of the Lord, who devours even Death himself.
^Mounted on the height, he surveyed Lank^ a magnificent J*^
fortress that defies description,^ with the deep sea on all 4 /
four sides around
its
golden walls
Chhand
Its
of dazzling splendour.
1.
all
Who
could
demons
of every
and
chariots,
formidable
host
beyond all
The woods, gardens, groves, and pastures,
description.
the ponds, wells and tanks were all superb
and the soul
shape,
of a
saint
would be ravished
at
the
of
sight
the fair
another in the
defiance.
different
Thousands
courts,
warriors of huge
the city on all four sides
bulk were
of
elsewhere
sedulously guarding
horrid demons were banqueting in the form of buffaloes,
men, oxen, asses and goats. Tulsi D^s for this reason
gives
of
486
life
THE BEAUTIFUL.
by Rama's hallowed shafts
anil thus
became assured
Dohd
3.
Ghaupdi.
i-
/;,^tempt of
me
?^
every thief in
fist
practice,
that
The monkey
"i"
"
When Brdhma
rious deeds,
my
son,
that I have
Dohd
4.
results from
communion with
the saints,
Ghaupdi.
j.
Enter the
city
2 Nara-hari stands for the more common Nar-sinha //rt/v and stinha
both meaning 'a lion' and here denotes not that particular incarnation,
but Vishnu generally.
v
THE BEAUTIFUL.
487
saw him
all telling.
in
-.
of Sita
in the
room.
He then
it
fascinated
every belK)Ider.
Doha 5/
The beauty
insignia was
springs of
of the
indescribable.
tulsi,
the
Chaupdi.
/.
"Lankfi
the abode of a
is
gang
of
"
began
to repeat
Rjima's
name
'"
myself known
to
him?
good
man
any
Brdhman, he raised
Vibhishan heard him, he
the form of a
Assuming
As soon
speech.
undertaking.''
his voice in
in prayer.
as
saying,
"Tell
Doha 6
Hanuman
own name.
then told
At the
infinite virtues,
soul
recital
both quivered
was drowned
in joy.
and
all
the
w'^-
recollection
of
his
his
tf-^i
THE BEAUTIFUL.
488
Chaupdi.
"Hearken, Son
Wind my
of the
am
condition
between the
friendless
here
is like
teeth.
:
race will
if
"
me."'
he
of
is
Listen, Vibhishan, to
ever affectionate
ever, a creature
morning makes
to his
my
servants.^ Say
who am
and
man go
Doha
So mean am I
shown favour even
hearken,
yet
to
7.
me."
friend
His eyes
Raghubir has
filled
with tears as he
Chaupdi.
'*
know
of a truth that
discoursed on Rdma's
excellences,
calm.
Vibhishan then
on and
of Sita's
ken, brother;
mode
told
of
him
he
felt
of all that
life, till
Hanum^n
in forget-
As he thus
well be miserable."
may
an unspeakable
had been going
cried
"
;
Hear-
Wind
Assuming
the
same form
prostrated
himself
in her
as at
first
he went
to the
Asoka
first
To
twibt tho
husband.
hair in a single
braid
is
a sign of niouring
for
an absent
THE BEAUTIFUL.
Doha 8.
Her eyes fastened on her own
489
feet,
tree,
to
he
do ?"
women
to
talk Sita over,
by blandishments, bribes, threats
and misrepresentations. " Hearken, fair dame," he cried,"
I will make Mandodari and all my other queens your handI
maids,
plucked
swear
it,
if
a blade of grass,
Ponder
'*
lord,
replied
at the light of a
Hearken,
glowworm
*'
Doha
9.
I tell you, you are but a glowworm, while the very sun
only an image of Rdma." On hearing this bold speech
he drew his sword and cried in the utmost fury
is
Ghaupdi.
have outraged me
"Sita, you
If
your head
you do not at once obey my
;
I will
cut
off
*'
if
my
end
for
of
or
to
my
Rdma's
loss
your sword
1
distress,
literally
scimitar'
R-65
is,
is
of
490
THE BEAUTIFUL.
On
'
if
I will
she does
draw
my
to the palace,
ses,
terrify Sita.
Chaupdi.
them, by name Trijati, was devoted to Rdma's
service, prudent and wise. She declared to them all a dream,
how that they for their own sake ought to show Sita rever-
One
"
of
In
my
to death the
The
at Sita's feet,
DohdU,
which they dispersed in every direction. But Sita
was troubled at heart
At the end of a month^ this vilej
after
'
Chaupdi
my
may be
1
For
helper in distress
The realm
this
cried toTrijatA
"
Mother, you]
quickly devise some plan that I
:
intolerable bereavement
is
noj
of
in that dirpction.
Muhararaadans even, at the present
day. are much influenced by the same superstition.
2 As appears from what follows, it is not death that she
dreads, but the
long interval of a mouth, which has to elapse before her death takes place.
THE BEAUTIFUL
491
and then
thus be attested."
When
to listen to
such an
she heard
is
no
fire to
home.
be had
at
answer
to
am. Ye Asoka
trees,
me
of
sume my body."
single
that hear
my prayer,
my pain and you
me with fire to con;
moment seemed
like
an age
to
bereavement.
Dohd
12.
it
in her hand.
Chaupdi.
she had looked at the lovely ring, beautifully engraved with Rdma's name, she was all astonishment, for
she recognized it, and her heart fluttered with mingled joy
When
Who can conquer the unconquerable RaghuThis cannot be any trick of Maya." All sorts of
fancies passed through her mind, till Hanumdn spoke in
riii
to recount
R^mchandra's
praises.
As Sita
"
The tale you tell is
whole story from the very beginning.
so grateful to my ears; why do you not show yourself, friend?
is
derived from a
'
near.
without
'
'
pain.'
The
492
THE BEAUTIFUL.
sunk
to the
am RAma's messenger;
my
attests
truth I
*'
bewilderment.
in
ground
Noble J^naki,
"
Tell me how can
you as a token."
with
consort
man?"
He
then
monkeys
explained how
they had come together.
Rdma
me
gave
for
Doha
13.
On
Ghaupdi.
be one of Hari's worshippers, she
an intense affection for him her eyes filled with tears,
On
felt
perceiving him
to
Tell
"
;
me now
was sink-
my
friend, I
Hanum^n,
but in you,
how
is
the blessed
Raghurdi
should he
is
monkey,
of his voice
you
is
affect
such cruelty
ber
me
Will
my
"
eyes
swam
Seeing S
ten me."
the
with tears.
my
remem-
gladdened by the
Words
failed,
her
replied in gentle
Do
to
"
Lady,
and his brother are both well, save that the All-
monkey
your lord
ta
Alas
brother
his
*'
is
RAma's
affection
not imagine,
madam,
is
Dohd
14.
R4ma's message." So
him and his eyes filled
listen to
with tears.
Then he proceeded
tion
The
**
Every thing
fresh buds
upon
Chaupdi.
her of Rdma's forlorn condi-
to tell
burn
like fire
night seems
493
THE BEAUTIFUL.
moon
bed
softest
serpent.
declare
it
Nothing
? for
my
relieves
there
torture,
who
no one
is
like
is
Know
such
to
will
to
whom
of
can
The
understand.
my
my
beloved, only
soul
is
always
As
Rdma's message, she be-
be the profundity of
came
the breath
and
with you.
sun.
of lotuses
my
love."
upon
his
listen to
my
speech, discard
all
anxiety.
Dohd
The
demon crew
arrows as a flame
15.
are like
moths and
Raghupati's
be stout of heart, madam, and rest
be consumed.
all
Chaupdi.
If Raghubir only knew, he would make no
Rdma's shafts, like the rays of the rising sun, will
the darkling
demon
host.
will
to
delay.
scatter
Wait
arrive
patiently,
madam,
for
*'
Are
all
the monkeys,
my
the
demon warriors
disquieted."
appearance.
THE BEAUTIFUL.
494
Dohd
"
16.
the
Chaupdi.
As she hearkened
to the
virtue
tion
again and again he bowed his head at her feet, and
*'
with clasped hands spoke thus
Now, lady, I am fully
rewarded for your blessing is known to be effectual. But
;
hearken,
madam,
this
grove
demons."
will
am
frightfully
trees
is
'"
hungry and
"
see
Know, my
the
that
son,
am
if
you
only
eas\\
Dohd
17.
feet.
Chaupdi.
He bowed
his head
A number
of
the fruit
of stalwart
'*
trees,
watchmen on the
RAvan despatched a number of
ground."
On
hearing
this,
laid the
his champions.
like
495
THE BEAUTIFUL.
alive,
ran
off
took with
He
shrieking.
it.
Dohd
he crushed, some he
18.
cried
'*
My
laid
lord, this
low in
monkey
is too
Ghaupdi.
When
my
him
monkey and
this
this
his teeth,
tore
his
antagonist.
enchantments
vanquished.
Dohd
19.
its infinite
Brahma
2
that
should never
fail.
to
Hanuman
falsified.
it
in
a promise
order that
tHE BEAUTIFUL.
496
Ghaupdi.
He launched
the
he
a host as
heard that
tlie
the palace to
any number
of snakes.
Dohd
his soul
then
grew
20.
the monkey,
sad.
Ghaupdi.
"
demons
**
to
King
death
of
LankA
Speak, wretch
a lesson
stubborn
to
b.)w
497
tHE BEAUTIFUL.
Doha
the slightest exercise
By
21.
of
he it is
animate and inanimate, exists
whose messenger I am, and it is his beloved spouse whom
you have stolen away.
mass
of creation
Ghaupdi.
and
also
gained renown
in
like
monkey
only object
I
is to
implore you
and attend
my
to
who
relieves
his
cease
to
tell
you.
Doha 22.
R^ma
is
ocean of compassion
turn to
him
Kharari
is
for protection,
a very
and
the
f(n'
ever
Chaupdi.
Lanka.
The glory
feet to
of saint Pulastya^
is
stainless as
the
moon do not make yourself a spot on its brightness. Unless Rdma's name be in it, no speech has any charm
;
66
vanity.
tHE BEAUTIFUL.
498
RAvan, a modest woman, however richadorned with jewels, is a shameful sight and so is
Without her
ly
clothes,
Rdma, gone
at once,
gotten
not gotten at all. Those rivers, that have no perennial source, flow only after rain and then soon dry up again.
as
if
enemy.
Doha
Arrogance
is
a root
23.
fruitful of
many
thorns; abandon
Ghaupi'i.
Though
in
words
the
full of
to give
**
Hanuman
you will acknowledge the error of your
well."
On hearing the monkey's words, he
I
know
soul,
said
ward
to slay
life."
"
in a fury.
"
It is against
and bowing the head made humble petition:
an ambassador must not be killed. Punish
all statecraft
:
him
in
other,
this is
sound counsel,
him
'
:
Dohd
bind
it
friend,*
Let the
to
one an-
RAvau on hearing
monkey go
it,
first.
A monkey
"
exclaimed
All
Sire."
with
The poor
is
proud
rags steeped
tailless
24.
of his tail
in oil
**
(so
he went on
and then
to
say)]
Chaupai.
wretch can then go back and fetch his
499
THE BEAUTIFUL.
smiled to himself
me.' Obedient
making
to
to
hear
Rdvan's
their foolish
'
this.
Sdrad,
command
preparations.
know,
the
Not
will
help
demons began
rag was left in
his
tail.
Doha 25.
That instant the forty-nine winds, whom Hari had sent,
began to blow the monkey shouted with roars of laughter
^
on
fire,
at
wits'
their
end
Alas
save us
now
-^
As
I said, this is
my
cry
of
:
the
for
plnces.
who
will
time,
1
ber,
house
the
reason
why
it
In the Veda, the Maruts, or winds, are said to be sixt.y-three in numIn post-Vedic literature
forming nine Ganas, or troops, of seven each.
they are described as the children of Diti, either seven, or seven times seven
in number.
After Diti's elder sons, the Asuras, had been subdued by India,
their mother implored her husband Kasyapa, the son of Marichi, to bestowon her an Indra-destroying son. Her request was granted but Indra, with
his weapon Vajra, divided the child, with which she was pregnant, into fortynine pieces, which commenced uttering grievous cries, till Indra in com.Vr'wirr WiUinmi
passion transformed them into the Maruts, or Winds,
sub-verbo,
;
THE BEAUTIFUL.
500
Dohd
26.
his tail
Ghaupdi
Be pleased, madam, to give me some token, such as
R<ima gave me," She unfastened the jewel in her hair and
"
gave it him.i The Son of the Wind received it gladly. Salute
.
"
him
my
lord,
you never
son,
suppliant's friend
relieve
me
'
:
my
then from
my
grievous dis-
tress.*
not
come within
given
me any
tome both
and
comfort
me
for
Tell
alive.
you now,
my
alike."
Dohd 27.
He did everything he could to console Sfta and inspire
her with confidence, and then bowed his head at her lotus
feet and set forth to rejoin RAma.
Ghaupdi.
it,
terrible
noise
were overtaken
monkeys
to hear.
1
In both recensions of the Sanskrit R^mAyana, Sita gives Hanuman
the jewel before he destroys the grove and sets the city on fire.
The seconti
interview is not mentioned at all in the up-country text.
2 The son of Indra, to whom allusion is here made, is
Jayanta. who had
attj^cked Slta in the form of a crow.
See page 190, Vol 2.
501
THE BEAUTIFUL.
delighted as
"
Your
if
they have
been
new
given a
spell of life.
All greeted
is
so glad
him with
as
much
delight as
an expiring
fish
when it gets back into the water and they set out
with joy to rejoin Rima, talking as they vvent of all that
had lately occurred. When they had reached the Madhu-
feels
the
with
watchmen
tried to stop
them,
fisticuffs.
crying out that the prince had laid waste the garden. Sug"
riva rejoiced at the news:
The monkey must have returned, after successfully
Tf
Si'ta,
eaten the fruit of the Madhu-ban." While the king was thus
reasoning within himself, Hanumdn and his party arrived.
excellently.
Hanuman
R6ma
was.
went and
fell at
Dohd
Raghupati
with
much
with us,
in
his infinite
and asked
affection
my
all
the
monkeys
their feet."
lord,
now
that
29.
tenderness
greeted them
of their welfare.
"
All
is
all
well
lotus feet."
Chaupdi.
Said J^mavant
lord on
whom
''
THK REAUTIFUL.
502
for ever
gracious to him
saints will be
men and
gods,
to-day
My
too
much
All-merciful
whole
of
thousand tongues
Rama
of
HanumAn
how Jdnaki is and how
joy clasped
"
bosom.
to his
she keeps
Doha
"
"
for a
ed to inform.
accomplished, and
has been
the task
By my
life in
Tell me,
her body."
my
son,
30.
Your name
is
her feet
fetters for
flit
how then
is it
possible
away
Ghaupdi.
When
hair."
message
brother,
also ?
"
*'
tears.
Embrace
friend
crying,
suppliant's distress
"
And
the feet of
of
in heart,
my
the poor,
lord
and his
reliever of the
am
devoted
me
my
eyes,
In this furnace
taking flight.
fanned by my sighs, my body is as it were a heap of cotton
and would be consumed in a moment, but my eyes drop
such a flood in self-commiseration that it cannot catch fire.
Sita's distress is so utterly
pitiful that
it is
Dohd
fM-e
it
it.
31.
THE BEAUTI^'UL.
503
Ghaupdi.
hearing of Sita's distress, the lotus eyes of the Lord,
"
When in
the abode of bliss, overflowed with tears.
On
thought, word
what ought he
*'
There
know
of
no misfortune,
is
misfortune
my
"
Said
my
steps,
Hanumdn
you and
to
me
What
as you.
what
my
can do."
to
my
can I
return
mind.
to
obligation
you
will
Again
of the
gods gazed upon the monkey, his eyes filled with tears and
his whole body quivered with emotion.
Dohd
As
face,
32.
lie
fell at
'
my
Lord God.'
Ghaupdi.
Again and again his lord sought to raise him up, but he
was so absorbed in devotion that he would not rise. (As
he called
to
mind
such an
hand way
off
lord so gracious,
"
to
burn down
Hanumdn
his fort."
replied in
Seeing his
terms of singular
modesty
to
routed the
demon
it
was
all
THE BEAUTIFUL.
504
my
was uo strength
it
of
lord.
Doha
33.
happy
for
'
ever."
of
my
Faith,
the
is
lord,
me
this else
greatest of
unattainable
blessings
On hearing the monkey's pious request, the Lord,
boon."
;
'
Bhav6ni, responded
Rama's true nature
worship
to
of
So be
it.'
caii
and he who
virtue
the
faith
take
Rdma.
in
When
assembled
the
'
glory, glory,
march
to the
spheres.
Dohd
In obedience
tains
came
to
Sugriva's
in, differing in
34.
summons
colour,
all his
but
all
hosts of cap-
unequalled in
Chaupdi.
at the
Lord's
lotus
Rdua
feet,
beheld
those
all
the
monkey
host,
1
Hadaranala, tlio subuiaiiiie tire, is represented in raytliology as a being
with a body of Hauic. l)Ut the head of a mace (badava) which
sprang from
the thighs f)f tlic patriarcli Urvaanct fell into the ocean.
505
THE BEAUTIFUt.
RAma
his wings.i
then sallied
forth exulting,
and many-
since
in
him abide
all
as if to tell her.
Every good omen that
was converted into an omen of ill for Rdvan.
could adequately describe the army on the road, with
side throbbed
befell her
Who
bears,
how they
Ghhand 1--2.
The elephants
reeled, the
mountains
tottered,
know
were over.
Myriads
enormous fighting monkeys pressed onwards, snapping, and snarling, singing glory to Rama's
conquering might and hymning the praises of Kosala's
upon myriads
of
lord.
Doha
to
be had.
35.
^ ^
In such wise the All-merciful marched onwards, till he
arrived at the seashore, where the host of bears and fighting monkeys began to devour all the fruit they found.
1
This conceit has a very unmeaning sound when expressed in English.
The allusion is to tlie legend which represents all the mountains as once
having had wings, till they were clipped by Indra while the word pakska
which primarily means
has also the secondary signification of
a wing
;
'
'
favour.
R-67
THE BEAUTIFUL.
500
Ghaupdi
On
living in great
fear, ever since the time the monkey had left, after burning
down the city. Every one kept at home, thinking to him-
"There
was informed
still
more
is
of
distrest,
feet
ment
in
husband, cease
*'0
to
his wife.
As a frosty night comes upon a
bed of lotuses, so has Sita come for the ruin of your race.
him back
Hearken,
nor
my
lord
Doha
Rama's arrows are
many
frogs
Sambhu
you.
36.
like serpents,
has a mind
ill
wretches will
at ease.
all
If the
be eaten
and even
in prosperity
and embraced
her,
ceeded
council-chamber.
to the
troubled at heart,
While he was
and then
full of inordinate
'
saying,
conceit
pro-
Heaven
is
against
my
lord.'
THE BEAUTIFUL.
507
his ministers,
Tell
account can
all
Ghaupoi.
all
again bowing took his seat on his throne and after obtaining
"
As you graciously ask of me my
permission spoke thus
:
opinion,
declare
it.
my
ability.
If
you
own
moon
on
its
Doha 38.
Lust, passion, vanity, and covetousness are all paths that
lead to hell adjure them and worship Raghubir, whom all
:
Rama,
my
brother,
Chaupdi,
no mortal king, but the sovereign
is
Fate of Fate
itself,
the
Supreme
Spirit,
and
of
Brdhmans,
of the earth
and
of the
gods
who
in his
infinite
It is
THE BEAUTIFUL.
508
champion
of the
Cease
immortals.
the head.
Veda and
to fight
against
Raghun^th
of every
sup-
my
lord, give
Know
of a
truth,
Rdvan, that it is the lord, he who has for name the saviour
from every calamity,' who has now appeared among us.
'
Doha 39.
I lay my head at your feet and utter
have
done with pride, arrogance and conmy prayer
These are the words which Saint
Rdma.
and
ceit,
worship
this
them
to you, Sire."
Ghaupdi.
One
of his
wisest
counsellors
"
Take
to heart,
my
son, this
who
will rid
me
of
them
"
MAlyav^n
Vedas and Pur^nas declare, either wisdom or unwisdom finds a dwelling. Where wisdom dwells, there too
so the
final destruction.
enamoured
the whole
of this Sita,
demon
who
is
Dohd
My
my
brother,
words
much
to
in
race.
clasp your
good part
your advantage."
40.
feet
restore
Rdma
it
to
take
will
be
THE BEAUTIFUL.
509
Ghaupdi.
the words that Vibhishan spoke were wise and
and
prudent,
supported by the authority of the Vedas and
Though
owing to me, you villain, that you have been able to live at
all
and yet, fool as you are, you take the side of my
;
Can you
enemies.
tell
whole
in the
arm.
you
had better go to them, if you want to preach." So saying,
he spurned him with a kick but he still continued to clasp
;
him by the
if
feet.
"
would be
saints,
You
it
return
good
all
Rama
is
overpowered by
Raghubir lay no blame
;
fate
to
worship
the
is
for
virtue
evil.
me,
R^ma
of
the
Taking
his
through the
way
kill
air, pro-
41.
lord, are
father
to
Doha
"
my
lord,
This
for you."
that they
were
my
but,
far better
Um^,
are as
truth
I will
your courtiers,
now
my
me."
Ghaupdi.
left with these words, it was all
over with everyone of them. Disrespect to a saint, Bhav^ni,
brings speedy ruin on the most prosperous undertaking. As
After Vibhishan had
to
cent to
Ravan lost
revolved in his
about
left,
all
fortune.
all
who
"
anticipation
sanctified
at
them
am
Dandaka
was
and good
meet Rdma, and
his glory
to
how
blest
am
deer
forest
bosom, even
lotus feet in
THE BEAUTIFUL.
510
Dohd 42.
"
feet,
Chaupdi.
side the
to
ocean.
"
What do you
"
'*
he
that
may be an enemy,
are
vile
Chaupdi.
my
presence
mv own
life.
protect
him
as I
would
THE BEAUTIFUL.
Dohd
5ll
44.
monkey
Hanumdn.
he went,
as
taking with
Chaupdi.
The monkeys
him into
He beheld from a
respectfully escorted
Rama.
of the all-merciful
the presence
distance the
long arms, the lotus eyes and dark-hued body of the suppliant's friend, his lion-like shoulders and magnificent broad
chest and his charming face, that
K^madeva
limbs he at
lord, I
last
made bold
am Rdvan's
Champion
with a savage
race,
to evil as
an owl
Dohd
I
my
from
lord, save
my
of
My
have
temperament, as
45.
me
you who
come
of the suppliant,
is
of heaven, I
me, save
"
to
brother
himself.
Raghubir.
Chaupdi.
but at the sight the
So saying he prostrated himself
Lord arose in haste with much delight, being pleased to
hear his humble address, and took him in his mighty arms
;
to his breast
him by
and
"
his side,
family ?
Your home
is in
an
ill
How, my
place.
friend,
evil
THE BEAUTIFUL.
512
"
R^ma,
as one of
No
Now
your feet,
you have recognized me
your worshippers and have shown mercy upon me.
DohdAQ.
well with me, since
it is all
R^ma,
till he
worship
fountain of remorse.
soul,
after
dream
of rest to his
lust, that
forswearing
Chaupdi.
"
is
and quiver by
The
his side.
and
hate,
abides in the soul only until the rising of the sun-like lord.
Now
am
well,
and
all
my
fears are
in that I
over,
have
have never observed any pious practices, and yet the lord,
to whose vision even the saints have not attained, for all
their profound meditation
to take
me
to
his heart.
Doha
"
am
47.
grace
blessed beyond
is
Chaupdi.
*'
Hearken, friend
tics, as
I will
declare to you
my
characteris-
If a
man
who
children and
establishment
wife
life
and property
in short,
5l3
THE BEAUTIFUL.
my
soul to
He
feet.
all
regards
sorrow, or fear.
money
my
is
and
it
is
my
you are
have
like
benefit
joy,
soul as
that I
incarnate.
Doha
"
Good men
friends,
become
48.
who
uprightness, strict in
revere Br^hmans,
are steadfast in
men whom
are the
regard as
my own
soul.
Ghaupdi.
*'
are yours,
'
'
feet
now
in your
'
the sea. "It was not part of your wish, friend, but the sight
of me brings reward with it all over the world." So saying
Rdma marked
shower
of flowers rained
an
infinite
from heaven.
Doha
^9.
i^l'
all
R-68
the good
the ten-
THE BEAUTIFUL.
514
Chaupdi.
forsake such a lord to worship any other are
mere beasts without the tails and horns. All the monkeys
Men who
were charmed with the Lord's amiability, who had recognized a servant and claimed him for his own. Then the Allwho dwelleth in the hearts of all, assuming any form
wise,
though himself formless and passionless, the chamthe friend of men, and the destroyer of all
pion of religion,
"
Hearken monkey-king,
the demon race, spoke and said
at will,
valiant
ocean,
monarch
of
full
of
Lank^
alligators,
how
are
serpents
we
and
to cross the
different
deep
kinds
of sea monsters, of
of ocean.
Doha 50.
For being your family priest,' my lord, he will take
thought and suggest some scheme, by which the whole host
of bears and monkeys may cross the deep without any
trouble."
Ghaupdi.
"Friend, you have suggested a good idea let us try it
and may fortune be with us." This invocation did not please
;
Lakshman
he was
trust fortune,
my
much annoyed
at
Rama's words.
'*
Why
and
to sit still
to
own,
Dohd
who
disguised
51.
all
King Sagara, by whose sons the bed of the ocean was dug, which
thence called SAgar, was one ot Rama's ancestors.
1
is
THE BEAUTIFUL.
was going
that
515
on.
Chaupdi
they
extolled
loudly
of
intensity
the monkeys
they seized
his
and
magnanimity
in
the
When
their
"Hearken,
them go."
all
On
command,
the
let
monkeys ran
'
say
Doha
word
mand' Surrender
Sita
52.
of
and submit
yourself, or
it
will be
your death.'
Chaupdi
The spies bowed the head at Lakshma's
.
out
Still
praising his
generosity.
Rdma's praises, they arrived at Lank^ and
at
once,
*'
whom
death has
let
but
mand
me
monkeys muster,
prostrated
a smile
nigh.
now
set
drawn very
and
repeating
feet
The
fool left
Lankd
must
Tell
Tell me finally
soft-hearted enough to spare their lives.
about the hermits, whose soul trembles for fear of me.
THE BEAUTIFUL.
516
Dohd
53.
"
utterly dazed."
Chaupdi.
be not wroth, but take a blunt
soon as your younger brother
As
a blunt question.
Of your grace,
reply to
lord,
bestowed upon him the mark of soverThe monkeys, who had heard that we were your
joined him,
eignty.
my
Rdma
spies,
the
of
name
Rtoa and
of
us go.
You
ask,
my
lord,
Rtoa's army
such a host of
let
they
some
Dohd
54.
of
Each
of these
could count
all
their strength
monkeys
is
is
of creation as of
my
quer you
in battle.
excess of passion
They
'
Why
does not
Rdma
give us some
pents, or at least to
fill it
not con-
up with
piles of trees
and
ser-
and mighty
517
THE BEAUTIFUL
mountains, and then crush RAvan and lay him low in
This
dust.'
is
all
the
the
hold.
monkeys
if
they
Doha
"
55.
are born
monkeys
and,
warriors,
Rdvan,
moreover, they have the lord Rdma at their head.
a
even
Death
in
battle
could
himself,
myriad
conquer
they
times over.
Chaupdi
thousand Seshn^gs would fail to declare
Raima's glory and power and wisdom. With a single
"
all
A hundred
up a hundred
seas, yet so
prudent
is
he
went
On
He has put
his allies.
coward,
my
faith in the
words
of that
arrant
letter.
my
lord,
and took
wretch, to read
do you."
it
told
Ravan smiled
his minister,
the
out.
Dohd
56.
"
THK RRAUTIFUL.
518
Chaupdi.
The Ten-headed,
as he listened,
was
terror-stricken at
heart, but smiled with his lips and cried aloud for all to
"
Me who stretches oat his hands to clutch the sky
hear:
only falls to
the
ground
Said Suka
acount."
"
:
a devotee's idle
My
lord,
talk is of small
every word
true
is
be
Cease from
wise and abandon your natural arrogance.
wrath and hearken to my advice make an end, Sire, of
;
and
to
will not
do
When
this.
he
of
him
to
ask of you
of
giving up
spoke
wretch spurned him with his foot; but he bowed
it
Restore
your offences
Sire, is all
his
the
Sita,
head
to the ground before him and then went to join the allmerciful RAma, and after due obeisance told him all that
By Rama's
had happened.
rank
for
it
intelligence of a saint.
saint, after again
feet,
form of a
in the
to his
Dohd
Dullard Ocean
at
Rama's
own hermitage.
57.
made no answer
Chaupdi.
"
fiery
churl, to lavish
with a born
man
devoted to
self, to
of passion or love, is
hope
of a harvest."
all
the
same
So saying,
as sowing
RAma
the sand
in
519
THE BEAUTIFUL.
bosom
of ocean;
and
fish
were
all
sore distrest.
When Ocean perceived that these creatures
were burning, he filled a golden dish with all kinds of jewels
and humbly presented himself in the form of a Brahman.
Doha
58.
mean
it,
it
a
;
heeds neither
upstart
Ghaupdi
Terrified
Sire, all
my
Air, wind,
fire,
and slow
feet
Pardon me,
are
They have
to
change.
been produced by the delusive power that you sent forth
with a view to creation - so all the scriptures declare and
all,
remain, to secure
its
giving me this
my bounds. A drum, a clown, a churl, a beast, and a
in
are all
fit
By my
woman
an end
my glory will be
the scriptures declare the word of the Lord to be
unchangeable
do then
at
Dohd
to
"
and
said,
host
may
"
59.
some
device,
how
the
monkey
Ghaupdi.
"
Nala,
are two
My
lord, there
float
upon
the
waves.
will
by your
remembering your
power. In this manner,
lord, you will bridge the sea and the glorious deed will
my
too,
my
TK
520
be sung
in earth,
the
slay
at
heaven and
dwellers on
criminals."
The
BEAUTIFUL.
With
hell.
my mothern
shore,
who
are vile
once removed
it,
the valiant
of
his
leave.
Ghhind
8.
Dohd
The
virtues of
60.
of
every
intelligibly.
every river in their land, but creates instead a deep chasm in the ground,
wiih a constant supply of water, and blesses the riverless re^iion with
entitled
'
the Beautiful,'
Rdma*8
deeds.']
into
'
composed
of
BOOK
VI
LANKA
R-69
583
LANKA.
lanKa.
Sanskrit Invocation.
RAMA
Worship
the adored
of Love's
dispeller of all
enemy
the
mad
influence
the
of
May^
implacable destroyer
Brihma and
of
of
the wicked
fellows
all his
the sovereign
of
the
the gods
the
SANKARA
as glistening in hue as
lord
K^si
of
the
;
pollution that
a tree of Paradise to yield
distinguishes this sinful age
the ever adorable lord of Pdrvati the
fruits of prosperity
;
tude, difficult
the guilty
may
that
to obtain,
prosperity.
my
bow
year
is
is
a cycle.
Sorathd
1.
that the
and replied
my
lord, is
of life.
over."
J^mbav^n clasped
"
h^s
hands
LANKA.
524
Chaupdi.
"
little
What
"
floods of tears
that
what makes
is
foes,
and
On
it
person.
keys will find the task a mere pastime. Away with you, ray
sturdy raonkey troops, and bring hither heaps of trees and
On
rocks."
hearing
'
Glory
hurrahing.
this,
to
R^ma and
trees
set forth
'
all his
Dohd 2.
They plucked up and carried
mountains and
who set to work
and bears
the raonkeys
might
M^
off in
to
Chaupdi
which the monkeys brought and
gave them, were handled by Nala and Nila like mere pellets.
When the AU-raerciful saw the charraing construction of the
.
The enormous
rocks,
no words can
up here an image
at heart to
do
so."
On
of
*'
:
This
is
a most exceedingly
immeasureable dignity.
Sambhu: I have a great desire
tell its
hearing
this,
the
monkey king
sent
dear to
of mine,
if
hiraself a votary
525
LANKA.
me.
If
doom
is hell
he desire
;
he
to
is
a fool of no understanding.
Doha
They who
or
who
serve
Siva, his
i"
3.
me
till
Ghawpdi.
who make
All
pilgrimage
to
Ramesvar
will,
on
To
makes
all
who
serve
boon
me
unselfishly
Who-
of faith.
Rama's
selves
many
renown.
The
rocks,
nor
is this to
be,
Do7ia4.
it
of the
blessed
Rama
that the
rocks
are they
Ghaupai.
they had completed the bridge and made it thoroughly secure, the All-merciful was glad of heart at the
sight. The passage of the host was beyond all telling, with
When
R^ma mounted
gracious
upon the mighty deep.
showed themselves,
compassion
Then
all
the creatures of
in their anxiety to
the sea
and
LANKA.
526
could devour
no
all
less before
the
swarm
swarm
first
one of the
off
the
Lord,
and
in the
general
army marched on
monkey host ?
who can
describe
n
Doha
5.
(
of the
to flying
through the
air,
while others
Chaupdi.
When
the gracious
cle,
Rdma
On
can describe
smilingly
The throng
of
monkey
chiefs
was more
pitched his tent, and told all the monkeys that they might
go and feast on the goodly fruit and roots. On hearing
this
please
RAma
every tree
was
in
hear of their lord's great deeds. Those who had lost their
nose and ears went and told all to RAvan.
When he heard
of the bridging of the sea, the
cried in consternation
Dohd
"
What
he has bridged
the sea,
fall therein,
with
all
the springs
with
all its
527
LANKA.
Can
waters.
it
Chaupdi.
Then becoming
conscious
of
the
agitation
he had
You should
speech.
lord,
may be
difference
poor
my
fight,
little
with
one
of her
my
whom you
wit or strength.
to
But the
Madhu and
earth of
in
its
Kaitabha,
my
burdens.
lord,
Dohd 7.
Rdma's lotus
Bow
Sita
fate
your head at
then resign your throne
to
^'^
feet
Chaupdi.
He is
devour a
pitiful to the
man
demons and
down
all
creation.
who
is
the creator,
The
forest,'
in its very
The correspond-
LANKA.
528
humble
pride, my lord,
saints perform all their labours, for
is this
to
submit
to
my
Only
DohdS.
)0
Chaupdi.
R^van
my
the daughter of
raised
fool, to
boast of his
May^ from
own might.
beloved, you
the
ground
"Hearken,
is
there any
all
in
my power
what
knew
him.
again ? Consider
of
there is to be afraid
and
bears
men, monkeys
are our natural food."
DohdQ.
//
Chaupdi.
They have
all
spoken simply
to please their
in that
way.
master
single
but
monkey
LANKA.
520
what
know by
heart.
What
were none
of
Come,
sire,
devour,
me
tell
now,
and
What
they
say
my
idle
prayer,
he a mere
is
all his
army
to
Doha
10.
If
no need
of
if
my
lord, if
will
"
root have
to
to
lute,
seat.
number
of
kinnars
began
to
R-70
LANKA.
530
Doha
11.
The
ten,
Now
the valiant
Chaupdi.
crossed over with his
R^ma had
army
fine soft
monkey-king
deer's skin
hands he
him were his bow and quiver with
trimmed his arrows, while the prince of Lankd whispered
The highly favoured Angad
texts of scripture in his ear.
and Hanumdn caressed his lotus feet, while behind him
his lotus
sentinel,
Dohd
Thus
and
sat
12.
yu^^^^
all perfection.
his hands.
of benignity, beauty
moon
and cried
to
them
all
*'
:
lion,
Chaupdi.
dwelling in a cave of the eastern range, preeminent in might, majesty and strength, rends asunder the
that has
its
darkness as
it
The
stars scattered
about the sky like pearls are the jewels of beauteous night.
*'
But," said the Ijord, tell me, my friends, each one of you,
'
your opinion as
1
to the
Said Sugriva
partly,
to those
LANKA.
Hearken, R^ma, it
seen in the moon."
the moon,
is
Another said
its
"
531
third
suggested
from the moon a part of its essence, and this is the hole
that you see in the moon's surface showing the shadow of
:
"
the sky."
for poison,
it
parted lovers."
i\
rays,
tortures
i<i
/b''
VohdlS,
it
"
But Hanuman cried
Hear me, my Lord the moon
is your devoted slave, and it is your image enshrined in the
moon's bosom that causes the darkness," The all- wise
:
again.
Chaupni.
"
'
"
replied
Mark me,
gathered cloud.
On
Sire,
the
there
is
top of the
Lankd
hill
there
is
you take
incomparable music of the
cymbals and drums is the pleasant sound that you hear,
king of the gods." The Lord smiled and, perceiving his
for
lightning
while
the
bow and
fitted
an arrow
Dohd]4:.
to the string.
1%-f^
Having performed
LANKA.
532
Chaupdi.
"
Dohd
The jewel
is
15.
of the line of
Chaupdi.
His
Brahma, and
in every
doom
of fate, his
and his teeth the terrors of death his smile is Mayd his
arms the regents of the quarters
his face is the element
of fire; his tongue, water and his movements the creation,
preservation and destruction of the universe. The hairs
;
533
LANKA.
on his body are the trees and bushes that grow on the
earth his bones the mountains, and the net-work of his
his belly the sea, and his hinder parts*
veins the rivers
;
hell.
omnipresent Lord,
^^^ ^
DoJid 16.
who has
telligence, the
ciple
moon
Lord God.
of
cease to contend
Rdma's
feet,
Brdhma
and then
my happy
cherish a devotion
to
'
'
534
LANKA.
Chaupdi.
"
Won-
is
derful, indeed,
You have
enemy and
festations of the
my
but,
dear,
see
all
the mani-
me
told
through
declared
at
it
for in this
words, fair
"
Then
Dohd
In such diverse ways did
O-*^
17.
by nature
and further blinded by pride, entered the council chamber.
the lord of Lankd, fearless
Sorathd
Though
2.
r)iJ^
upon
it,
the
bamboo
at
and said
'*
Angad
this
"
:
The word Dhaymocluini would seem to be here itself used in an obsense as an illustration of the ambiguous language to which the
but
speaker refers. Its ordinary signification would be delivering from fear
1
scure,
;'
it
may
also Iw interpreted as
'
is,
535
LANKA.
virtuous, go to Lank^,
I give
my
son, in
my
in such a
way
Soraihd
Obedient
am aware
distinguished ability.
3.
my
'p,
Why should
service.
to the
^ 'o
"
Angad
your
enemy
requirements."
to his lord's
arose, crying
show favour becomes possessed of every virtue.
:
of
at his feet
whom
you
You have
graciously granted
for the
to the
All the
ground.
again
in store for
us now ?"
Thus they
all
in excessive dismay.
pondered
showed him the road
if
hered away.
Bohd
Then with
on
this side
18.
and
that,
LANKA.
536
One
of
the
news
report the
On
RAvan.
to
hearing
it,
to
the Ten-headed
"
On receiving
here."
gers ran and fetched the monkey-chief. In Angad's eyes
the Ten-headed appeared like the Black mountain endued
with
life
his
hair on his
arms
body
as
it
were
all
mouth, nose, eyes and ears like caves and chasms in the
rock.
Without the slightest trepidation of heart he entered
the Court, the son of Bali
most dauntless
of heroes-
The
but in R^ van's
Dohd
As when a
so after
lion enters
to the
19.
among
^<^
a herd of
bowing
ever fixed on Rdma's power.
mad
elephants,
seat, his
thoughts
Chaupdi.
"
" I
am an amMonkey, who are you ?"
bassador from Rdma, Rivan. There was friendship between
you and my father and on that account, brother, I have
come to you to do you a service. Of high descent, the
Rdvan asked
grandson
of
Pulastya,
you duly
Dohd
20.
/^
'
crying,
537
LANKA.
suppliant, save
me,' and
mind
at rest."
Ghaupdi.
Ah, you wretched monkey, take care what you are
Fool, do you not know that I am the declared enesaying.
"
my of
friend,
"
My name
is
once were on
Angad
am
"
was confused.
reply, he
with Bdli
but
if
Angad
I
is
whom you
On
terms of friendship."
hearing Angad's
admit, monkey, that it was so
that
Bali's
The
womb that
who
Tell
me now,
"
"
replied
old friend
Dohd
I,
am
forsooth,
io
21.
the destroyer
of
my
Who
Rd-
blind or deaf while you have twenty eyes and twenty ears ?
Ghaupdi.
What
whose
disgrace
feet Siva
sire to serve
my
all
the gods
your heart should burst asunder for entertainWhen he heard the monkey's fierce re-
R^van glared
at
him and
cried
"
Wretch, I suffer
I
the
abuse
because
understand
maxims
of stateyour
"
I have heard of
craft and religion."
Said the monkey
joinder,
all
showed
away another
and how you were so good and patient that
man's wife
in stealing
at the sight of
R-71
your messengers
LANKA.
538
am
Dohd
to see
you."
i\'l%
22.
my arms,
you impudent monkey, very Rahus as they have proved to
while
eclipse the full-moon-like might of the Lokp^ls
:
Hearken, Angad
tell
is
and forlorn
Your
counsellor,
while
Jambavan,
is
On
hearing this
demon king
now,
is
one
who came
exceptional strength, he
city."
so
field of battle.
Angad
is it
monkey, no doubt, of
first and set fire to the
*'
replied
Tell
me
the truth
a fact that a
your city
fire
pion,
one
is
to go,
Dohd
Is
it
true that a
order from
monkey
This
his lord ?
23.
J3''3i
why he
Ktivan,
least
is
quite
true,
any
and
am
All that
not in the
if
who thinks
it
a fine deed ?
Though
5^
LANKA.
no glory
it is
offence,
clan
is
RAma
mark
still,
hard
to
to kill
nae,
you,
Rdvan, the
The monkey
to withstand."
on
fire
pair of pincers
"
At
at all events,
man
get out a
A monkey
rejoinder.
the
Rdvan could
dauntless
that the
has,
to serve
Ghaupdi.
Bravo for a monkey who, regardless of shame, skips up
to
right well.
his duty
by
his employer
to
their
lord
it is
Though he had
laid
waste
your garden, killed your son and set fire to your city, still
you would not do him any harm. It was in reliance upon
your magnanimity, R^van, that I have been thus outspoken.
Now
that I
am
resentment."
Your
shame nor
excite
cleverness, monkey,
you
is
to
anger or
so great
that
it
my
father, I
of
you too,
thought
something.
upon you as a
monument of Bali's honour and renown, and that is why I
had
I not just
of
look
him and
let
him
go.
up
till
LANKA.
540
discovered by Sahasra-b^hu,
curiosity
for a
show,
till
as a
Saint Pulastya
Do
Bali's arm.
which
am ashamed
i^
24.
was held
to say,
tight
me
tell
under
the truth,
you ?"
Chaupdi.
Hearken, fool I am that mighty Rdvan, the action
of whose arms is well-known by KaiUs and his valour by
Siva for him 1 worshipped not with flowers but with my
"
own
heads, which
innumerable, when
took
I
with
worshipped Tripurari.
know
the might of
heart,
you
support the
world
whenever
closed
them
with
my arms
the hardness of
learnt also
in
times
The guardians
;
in their
fool, is
tusks,
off
conflict
my
their
chest
mighty
Dohd
This
exalt a
is
Rdvan
mere man.
at last
you
the
of
\\C
25.
light, while
beginning
to
you
wretch, are
understand ?"
Chaupdi.
On hearing
this,
Angad
to
"Give over
whose axe was like a fire
replied indignantly:
He,
sword was
forest of
A/dnkk
here
anger.'
flight,
how can
How
can
poem
wretched R4van
'
arms ; whose
in
541
LANKA.
Rdma
ordinary archer
is
fool ?
Ganges merely a
the
Kdmadeva an
Is
river
cow
the
is
of
cha-
Gardr a
ambrosia any liquid
grain
the
and
a
philosopher's stone,
Seshndg serpent,
much
is
dull of understanding
R^van, only a stone ? Hearken,
or
faith in Rdmaa
absolute
is Vaikunth an ordinary world,
;
common
blessing.
Doha
Fool,
how was
that the
it
2^.
1^1
monkey Hanumdn
escaped,
after
son ?
Hearken, R^van
Ghaupdi.
have done with conceit and worship
R^ma, the all-merciful. If you are foolish enough to provoke Rdma, neither Brahma nor Rudra has the power to
protect you.
Do
if
R^ma waxes
as
wroth
they were
if
in
battle,
so
his
many
balls.
arrows
fly
When
quick and
cast.
Doha
27.
" Have
you never heard of my brother Kumbha-karn
and my renowned son Indrajit and my own valour, by
which
Ghawpdi.
Fool, with the help of his
is
that
monkey
to
be proud
of ?
Birds in-
LANKA.
542
of strength,
fl(X)d
been
heroes have
beneath which
Who
drowned.
many
is
gods,
nien and
oceans ?
You have
if
told
your lord
is
way
in
mount Kailas
treat
foolish
monkey, sing,
What
hero
hands, cut
into the
off
fire,
is
as a
if
there equal to
his
own
heads,
R ivan,
and delighted
is
to cast
them
witness.
Chaupdi.
on
was
to
divine
Creator,
of
Bali
plete
but hearken,
if
body
dull of soul,
off
who with
make
his head
his
is
comwhat a hero
the business
a hero,
own hands
to pieces.
1 That i8 to
say. of how you cut off your ten heads as a
and how you uprooted mount KailAs.
sacrifice to
Siva
543
LANKA.
Dohd
29.
'
to
Chaupdi.
Boast no more in arrogant speech, but listen modestly
my advice. I have not come, Rdvan, as an envoy to pro-
of
enemy
heaven,
Your
his wife.
how
pride,
in Hari's
demon
messenger
a perfect spectacle.
Dohd
30.
-'
all
Chaupdi.
If
is
had done
no valour shown
man mad
with
disgrace, a
always
man
it
in
Vishnu, a hater of
would
so,
saints, a
reli-
body,
these
me
further."
On hearing
this, the
demon king
words.
fiercely,
cried in a
at all.
544
LANitA.
Dohd
^4
31.
^1
men
sand of
and night.
me
and day.
his
of
him, whom my
Cease your perverseness,
like
fool,
and come
to
your senses."
Ghaupdi.
When
he thus abused
RAma,
the
wroth.
monkey gnashed his teeth and taking him in his two arms
hurled him furiously to the ground. The earth shook, the
assembly quaked and took to flight as if driven by a hurricane of terror.
Rdvan
patched
to
When
his lord.
crying
four thunderbolts
that
nor either
the
R^van
Ketu or BAhu
those
is
are RAvan's
Dohd
The
in his
son of the
monkeys gazed
"
[L%
32.
The
no star,
was
laid
in
them
at his
astonishment
lord's feet
at the sight,
On
the other
and smiled.
"
Chaupdi.
In like
manner
mighty men,
and devour every bear and monkey wherever ye find one-
545
LANKA.
Go and
family
Ah
villainous woman-stealer,
compound
of all that is
mean
Hereafter you shall reap the fruit of this, when the bears
but when you thus speak of
and monkeys belabour you
:
Rdma
off
and
all,
in the battle.
Soraihd
How
4.
/' cr
a single arrow ? you are blind with all your twenty eyes ;
a curse on your birth, you baseborn fool.
RAma's arrows
are all athirst to drink your blood
for fear of
him
spare
demon.
Ghaupdi.
I
am
quite able to
it.
I, like a monkey,
no time in eating the fruit, but the gracious
R^ma has given me no order." On hearing this simile,
Ravan smiled -" Fool, where did you learn to tell such
lies
B^li never blustered like this
intercourse with the
would
lose
hermits has
a boaster."
"
If I
do not tear
waxed wroth
assembly
wretch,
this
Rdma will
champions
"
take to flight and I lose Sf ta."
Hearken,
all," cried
Rdvan,
"
seize this
R-72
monkey by
the leg
5^
LANKA.
though they
many
to the
their
fell
different
and with
and they bowed their
of
the gods
of a hypocrite,
which there
no shaking.
is
Dohd
33.
!f
ki^'^
Millions of warriors,
of
morality, though
foot
saint
assailed by
Chaupai.
When
his possessions.
of
the
How
can
soul of
the
RAma,
enemy
the
of
Rama's
Umd,
play
eyea universe and now again destroys it.
life
He makes
fail in his
"
left,
saying
Why
should
LANKA.
trouble myself any
547
T shall
have the
his
son
all still
when
they
witnessed
more disturbed.
DohdZi.
yi*i>
When
feet.
to the
him
he saw
palace,
it
"
Reflect,
my
Ghaupdi.
husband, and abandon
ill
counsel
it
is
such
great
acts.
monkey
Having
lightly
like a dauntless
lion
power.
miserable wretch, regard not his voice.
crowded with kings, you too were there in all your valour
but it was he who broke the bow and wedded Sita ? why
did you not conquer him in battle then ? The son of Indra
felt a little of his might when he had his life spared but
The
1 This line was drawn round Slta, as a barrier against the demons.
circumstance is told in the Sanskrit RdmAyana, and Talsi Dds, who refers
to it here, forgets that he had omitted to mention it in his own poem.
LANKA.
548
one of his eyes
lost
uncowed
still
Dohd
35.
this is
Chaupdi.
who bridged
army
the ocean as a
self-conceit.
is
near at hand,
now.
Dohd
36.
He
has slain your two sons and set your city on fire
my husband, let him have your answer.
to-day,
my
lord, adore the mercy of Rdma and thus win for yourself
;
Chaupdi.
He heard
his head
at his
him by
his side
he,
and then
was
who
with
said,
549
LANKA.
"
Ravan
is
answer
truly,
my
son of BAli, I am
what I ask you.
race, and the unbound-
son, to
demon
king's soul.
polity
and
came
they
feet of kingly
themselves
of
to
their
sovereign.
Doha
37.
Rima
him
all
the
fort.
Chaupdi.
heard his report of the enemy, he
"
Take counsel as to how
his ministers to him.
we should
Then
the
army
peaks of mountains in
their hands, roaring and leaping, bears and monkeys alike,
and shouting Glory to Raghubir, the sovereign of Kosala!'
then the heroes sallied
forth, with
'
that
Lank^ was
at their
most formidable
in the
strength of
the whole horizon,
550
LANKA.
Dohd
**
Rdma, glory
to
Glory
S^
to the
to
Lakshman, glory
such was the lion -roar
"
38.
mon-
of the great
Lanki was
heard
full of the
news with
the
impudence
his
by the decree
but Rdvan
*'
See the
of these
summoned
wonted arrogance.
his
monkeys,"
"
host.
These monkeys have come
fate
my demons wanted a meal "--so
demon
of
saying the wretch burst into a loud laugh' and God has
provided them with one, without their going abroad to seek
every direction, my warriors all, and
and monkeys and devour them."
Umii,
Rivan's conceit was as great as that of the sandpiper,
it.
Sally
forth in
when
it
and mighty
demons,
javelins,
pikes, swords,
its
legs in the
clubs,
air.'
On
receiving
sallied
forth,
Like foul
Dohd
folly.
39.
of every descrip-
tion,
Chaupdi.
music sounded
for
the fray,
of the warriors
was
stirred
And
551
Lanka.
selves.
excess
of
of warriors
myriads
fury,
lips in their
Glory and
upon R^van and here upon RAma.
If the demons cast down
the battle has begun.'
calling
victory,
Chhand 1.
monkeys and bears lay hold of the mountain crags and hurl them against the fort.
They join in
an
closer struggle,
antagonist by one leg and
seizing
him
to
the
dashing
ground, and if he takes to Hight
The
furious
With
combat.
a bold dash
Rama's praise.
Dohd 40.
Again, taking each a demon in his clutch, the monkeys
ran off and then dropt to the ground with the enemy
Strong
came
in the
power
the throng of
the fort,
made
it
demon
ring
women in dire
king, who had
forces
rallied his
back
in
sword.
over
all
of majesty
"
captains
city,
fled
the
If I
slay
After devouring
to
headlong,
There was a
routed,
host over-
by a strong wind.
battle, I will
monkey
The demons
throughout the
distress.
had been
the
grievous wailing
Rdma,
of
When
Ravan the
all
field of battle
think of nothing
LANKA
552
but your own safety." Oti hearing these stern words, the
chiefs were all frightened and ashamed.
Working themselves
into a fury
It is
the glory of a warrior to die with his face to the foe,' and
all
the
to the fray,
challenging
enemy one
javelin
of every description,
weapons
forward
the other,
Chaupdi.
Overcome with
"Hanum^n heard
were in distress, but the hero was kept at the western gate.
There Meghn^d led the defence, nor was it possible to force
was
its
Then
strength.
of soul
his foot
in
the
c!iest.
Another
charioteer,
car and
to his
seeirig
him
with speed.
Dohd
When Angad
42.
heard that
ed forward
to join in his
monkey
his
way
bound-
sports.
Chaupdi,
Maddened by
keys, mindful
Rdvan's palace,
rescue
'
!
the
at
battle
heart
and
of
pinnacle was
left
standing.
When
the
demon
chief
saw
LANKi
this,
he was dismayed
'
breasts
5Bi
women
while the
Now
two
of
these
all
struck their
monkeys
monkey
tricks, and proclaiming the praises of Rdmchandra, they
grasped each a golden pillar in their hand and cried, Let
us now make a beginning of destruction
With a roar,
crying,
have come.'
pestilent
with their
'
'
they rushed into the midst of the enemy's army, and began
laying them low with mighty strength of arm, here a kick
'
;
Worship
crying
Rima
or take
the
consequences.'
Dohd
43.
smashed
in pieces like so
many earthen
pots.
Ghaupdi.
and
full of
in a spirit of enmity.
so merciful.
are the
men
their errors
who
else
would be
Avadh
DohdU.
After crushing the host of the
i^^
R-73
LANKA.
554
Ghaupdi.
demon army,
the
where gnashing
heroes closed
teeth as the
of
there
fray.
The
valiant
of
different
of
rains, or the
autumn, masses
of
cloud
are driven
When
against
Dohd
Seeing the dense darkness
45.
all
lr)L
round, the
monkey
host
R4ma
Ghaupdi.
understood the secret of
555
LANKA.
in their flight,
prodigies of
performing
dashed them to
valour, or
catching
them by the leg hurled them into the sea, where alligators,
serpents, and fish snapped them up and devoured them.
Dohd 46.
^^
Some were killed outright, some were wounded, some
fled
back
to the fort
monkeys shouted
for
Chaupdi.
Seeing that it was
monkey host returned
Rdma
was
now
to
the
at
once forgotton.
On
upon them,
me
at
all
how
his
as
their fatigue
all
been killed
tell
"
As soon
lord of Kosala.
the
son, to a
few words
you carried
off
Slta
from me.
Ever since
and brought her here, there have been
of instruction
omens
of
ill,
more than
-,
of
death,
a very
fire to
Ghaupdi.
give back Sita and worship the All-merciful with loving devotion," His words
LANKA.
556
"
if it
He thought
sight again."
be killed by the All-merciful,'
and so rose and departed, uttering words of reproof. Then
"
See what a sight I will show you
MeghnAd cried in a fury
but do not appear in
within himself, *He wishes
you
my
to
still
monkeys again
town, as the
demons snatched up
description and
the
precipitous
part of the
in every
their
assailed
of
weapons
every
down
Thousands
of
Chhand 2.
them hurl down masses
the shock
of rock
is
missiles
when
as
bolt
falls from heaven and the thunderous noise like that of the
combat;
day.
their
they
48.
'^
join in
pieces,
Dohd
When MeghnAd
in
but
and
are.
"
Where
Chaupdi.
brother princes of Kosala, those
universe ?
Where
are
curse, that I
So saying,
mence
of passion
left fly
to his ear.
The
multitudi-
many winged
557
LANKA.
the ground
face him.
serpents.
flight,
bear or a
had
to
to
to
to
At each
bit the
flight
dust
Dohd 49.
7''
he sent forth ten arrows
lion,
Meghndd shouted
Ghaupdi.
up an enormous
at
Meghndd
Seeing
come, he mounted up into the air
chariot, driver, and
horses were all lost to sight. Again and again Hanuman
defied him to combat but he came no nearer and he then
it
it
and
after assailing
missiles of every
description
but the
if
a poor
little
Dohd
The demon
50.
7^
displayed
his
him whose mighty magic subdues Siva and Brdhma and all both great and small.
Mounting up
Ghaupdi.
rained down a shower of
firebrands while
ous shouts of
shower
"
kill
him,
tear
him
in pieces."
Now
LANKA.
558
storm made
must
it.
these
of
all
at the
this rate
at
the
we
idle
from the
field of battle.
Dohd6L
^^
fury, with
in
hand
Ghaupdi.
With blood-shot
eyes^ and
body
other side
of reddish
Ravan
hue
like
in the fray,
mountains
rend
the foe,
blows of the
with
teeth
at
another, and
both
rocks and
the
fist
*
:
seize, seize, seize, kill, kill, kill, strike off his head,
off his
filled
fro.
From
the nine
still full
of
1
In RAm Jasan's eHition, the one
I habitually
use, the reading is
chhatajatuiyan, which may be translated with blood-shot eyes,' an epithet
which appenrs appropriate to the context. In other editions is substituted
the more common expression
jalaja-nayan, with lotus eyes.'
2 Here the reading that I translate is
the rocks and moungiri-xila,
tains mentioned above as the
monkeys' missiles. Rim Jasan readajaya'
'
'
tila,
LANKA.
69
rapture.
Doha
Every hollow
in the
in
52.
ground was
^
/
when
filled full of
Chaupdi.
while the wounded heroes resembled so
of a
burn-
many dhdk
trees in
flower.
pled
blood, with
smoke
the
the
demon by
Neither could
force
and by
feint
its driver.
He
so smote
him
be thus
lifted ?
Chaupdi.
Hearken, Bhavdni who can conquer him in battle, the
fire of whose wrath would consume in a moment the four;
whom
rests
the favour of
Rdma.
As
it
was now evening, both armies left the field and began to
muster their several forces. The All-merciful, the ubiquitous Supreme Spirit, the invincible lord of the universe,
Hanumdn then brought
asked
Where is Lakshman ?
'
'
him forward.
he was much
When
distrest.
the
JAmbav^n
said
"
:
The physician
laKKa
560
Sushena
m^n
at
is at
him."
to fetch
all.
Doha 54.
Sushena came and bowed
HanumJin
his
head
at
Rdma's
lotus
feet
and
told
to
Chaupdi.
With Rama's
lotus feet
Wind
Son of the
the
his heart,
upon
impressed
So R^van went
When
On
the
to
the
he had
heard
the news, K^la-nemi beat his head again and again, crying,
"
Who can stop his path who burnt your city before your
regard
R4ma and
desist, sire,
worship
vain endeavours. Cherish in your heart the delight of all
eyes, whose body is dark and beautiful as the blue lotus.
pride, conceit,
slumber
this
When
the Ten-headed
is
Doha
mere food
me
delusion.
Ts
it
to die at the
to kill
to
devour?
"
55.
heard
KaU-nemi reasoned
wroth and
niglit of
whom
better for
in a
he was exceedingly
*'
It will be
this,
to himself:
Ghaupdi.
So saying he went and by the power of magic construcUanuted on the wayside a lake, temple and fine garden.
niAn espied the charming spot and thougiit to himself.
*
water and
attire,
man's
leave,
will
drink of the
rest.'
false
of delusion.
and he began
to recite
Rama's
praises.
Lanka.
"
saying
great
5(J1
battle is raging
my
all,
friend
my
intelligence
is
On
"
me."
Go
then and
will
to
bathe in
there
is
no
have seen
remarkably
clear-
then
gift,
by
understanding."
Doha
As he stepped
the
this
here, I
56.
the
monkey
Chaupdi.
"
from
By
guilt,
moved.
This
the truth of
monkey,
my
of
the great
re-
his
tail
moment
and
me
the charm."
He
then twisted
Rdma
!"
At the
Death he appeared
in his
ing this
Hanum^n went on
air
of
R-74
LANlCA.
56:^
Ghaupdi.
Struck by the dart he fell in a swoon to the earth, cry"
On hearRaghu's line
and
and
started
Bharat
this
ran,
sound,
up
grateful
ing
in the utmost haste drew nigh to the monkey.
Seeing him
wounded, he clasped him to his bosom and tried in every
'
ing
to revive
way
of
With a
late face
his eyes
at heart
disconso-
he
*'
:
If
enemy, has now caused me 'this additional distress
and
word
I
a
have
sincere
affection
deed,
thought,
in
for
Rama's
lotus feet,
"
up,'
crying,
Sorathd
king of Kosala."
5.
%0
Tell
me friend,
is
all
had taken
all that
place.
He became
feelings
monkey
unfitness
gallant
*'
:
Sir,
yOu
of
prince,
will be
he mastered his
the time
and
addressed
again
delayed in
the
your task
is
now
breaking.
will
send you
hands
563
LANKA.
Doha
"
my
lord, I
my
majesty in
have only
58.
to cherish the
thought of your
So saying,
Hanumdn took leave and after bowing at his feet set forth.
Ashe went, the Son of the Wind again and again extolled
himself the mighty arm and the
Bharat and his boundless devotion
to
amiable disposition of
tn his lord's feet.
Ghaupdi.
left
you
and
father
now your
is
stir in
exile
old
my
love,
my
to
response
involved
mother
and exposed
my
the loss of
If
But where
you do not
had known that
that
brother,
distress
yourself to
wind.
brother,
would never
and awake
is
not so to be had
Asa
to life.
bird
is
remember
utterly
this,
brother,
wretched without
myself at
preserves
Avadh,
sake of a woman.
I
me
alive,
his
want
of
show
foreknowledge and
other
social
similar
equal force against the inspired records of Christianity. From the Hindu
point of view, the answer given by Tulsi Dis sufficiently covers the difficulty
"
and corresponds precisely with the explanation of S. Jerome
Non quod
personam Domini separemns, sed qnod opera ejus inter Deum hominemque
:
divjsa sint,"
LANKA.
564
disgrace
matter, and
my
heart
is
no such great
so hard
life,
me,
I should find
what
a
friend
and
a
comfort
what
knowing
What answer can I go and give her ? Why do you
you.
"
Thus grievously sorrownot rise and advise me, brother ?
ed the healer of sorrow and his lotus eyes streamed with
tears
but Umii,
R4ma
is
to his
Sorathd
All the
monkeys were
lamentation,
till
6.
*6-^
in distress
Hanum^n
Chaupdi.
Rdma
rejoiced.
in the
same manner
he went
to
trouble succeeded
in
history of
ripu
Atikaya and
on the
field of battle."
who have
565
LANKA.
DoU
59.
On
to
prosper
Ghaupdi.
sorrow
"
!
Doha
60.
was
Ghaupdi.
After he had eaten the buffaloes and drunk the wine, he
roared aloud with a voice of thunder and sallied forth from
the fort without any escort,
Kumbha-karn.
forward and fell at his
loving
his brother
worshipper of
struck
me
maddened with
Rdma.
"
Brother,
wretch R^van
that
came
best
possible
all
the
demon
race
LANKA.
560
a lustre on
all
felicity.
Doha
61.
Chaupdi
On hearing
presented himself
"
the three
spheres
more, but ran off jabbering, the stoutest of them, and plucked up trees and rocks, which they hurled against him,
he
stir
from
flower-seeds.
his
position
upon the plain Nala and Nila and dashed down the chiefs,
hurling them this side and that. The monkey host scattered and fled in an utter panic, nor were there any to rally.
DoliciQ2.
%^
Having rendered insensible Angad and the other monkeys and Sugrivaas well, he clapped the king of the monkeys under his arm and went
off,
in his illimitable
might.
Chaupdi
descend
fame
of
to
it,
the world,
567
LAKKA.
safely
When his
passed
off,
Son
the
But
swoon had
of the
at
once
he,
him and
giant saw
but the
the hero
'
to the
Doha
Raising a shout of
rushed forward, and all
63.
'
victory
at
to
Maddened with
Chaupdi.
rage of battle,
the
Kumbha-karn
ad-
or nostrils or ears.
demon was
to
him
demons
any
the
Rdma saw
his
all rallied.
of the
But
enemy coming on
Dohd
"
universe had
to ravage.
cry.
When
monkey
army in
they
host, the
distress
in full array.
64.
LANKA.
568
collect
creants
"
:
let
me
test the
might
of these
mis-
Chaupui.
With bow in hand and quiver fitted to his side, Raghun^th went forth to scatter the ranks of the enemy. The
the hosts of the
ly^rd gave his bow a preliminary twang
Then he let fly a million of
foe were deafened by the din.
;
arrows, he, the god ever faithful to his promise the winged shafts sped like serpents of death. The terrible bolts
;
and
rise
how
Doha
Q5.
In a
the
the quiver.
Ghaupdi.
demon
a lion.
up mountains by the
root
and
strung his
bow and
let fly a
volley
The streams
of red ochre
of blood
stored in a
of his
shafts.
seemed
dense thunder-cloud.
on a mountain of soot.
terrible
569
UilfeA.
Doha
66.
and myriads
ground
myriads
monkeys, and dashed them to the
invoking the name of R^van.
the
of
like a lion,
Ghaupdi.
the
monkey
"
:
This demon
threatens to
of mercy, ever
At their stroke
they flew forth and entered into his body.
he rushed forth in a fury the mountains reeled, the earth
staggered- and tore up a rock, but R^ma shot away his
arm. Again he rushed on, with a rock in his left hand
;
Rdma
cut
its
wings.
off,
and
it
fell to
the ground.
of his
Dohd 67.
With a most terrible shriek he rushed forward with open
mouth. The saints and gods above cried out in their
*
terror,
Ghaupdi.
When
drew
the All-merciful
bow with
his
arrows
filled
he did not
rows he
death.
its
of the
gods, he
The
flight of
the ground.
rushed upon the foe, like a living quiver of
Then the Lord in his wrath took his sharpest arrow
fall to
still
off
his body.
R-75
The head
fell at
LANKA.
570
till
in two.
it
Then
it
fell to
it
monkeys, bears,
down
all
flowers
the gods
'
on the
Make
left.
Rdma
mis-
remained
field of battle.
Chhand
in
these
haste to destroy
words as he
3.
drops of
toil
on his lotus
face,
body specked with blood, while in both hands he brandished his bow and arrows, with the bears and monkeys
grouped
all
gues could
NotSeshndg with
his
many
ton-
Dohd 68.
demons were so vile and very mines of imhe translated them to his own sphere.
Umi, how
Though
purity,
around him.
tell all
the
men who do
not worship
the
divine RAma.
Ghaupdi.
the battle
day both armies retired
had thoroughly exhausted the stoutest warriors. But
by
At the close
of the
571
LANKA,
made
ther's
head in his
to-morrow of
es?
of
the virtue of
strength,
you, father."
and swarms
of
monkeys
On
assailed
the
fiercest
warriors.
of
victory
the battle,
Valiantly
Gariir,
Dohd
Meghn^d mounted
69.
air with a
his
laugh like
monkey army with terror.
Ghaupdi.
Spears, lances, swords, and scymetars were plied,
with
as dark all
its torrents.
kill, kill,'
could
who
and
tell
trees, the
not see
it
Seize, seize,
monkeys sprang
'
none
Snatching up rocks
but they could
Ravines, gorges,
roads,
knew
mountains
fallen in
bondage
and
fell to
to Indra.2
Hanuman, Angad,
'
'
LANKA.
472
distressed
Nala, Nlla, and every other warrior he sorely
then he assailed with his shafts Lakshman, Sugriva and
who
one unchangeable,
agent, the everlasting, the
performs all sorts of delusive actions,
but
juggler
his
own
master,
It
like
was only
to
is
ever
enhance
bound
Dohd
Umd,
age,
free
possible for
is it
70.
him
Oi tf
to
the
reason
why
human
strength, or
speech.
This
army
into confusion,
'
greater.
I
MeghnAd such
swooning
But he by virtue
foot
ground.
and swung
as a display of his
of the divine
573
LANKA.
Dohd
f^'^-f^
71.
dispelled, and
all
the
of false serpents.
monkey
host rejoiced
again.
Tearing up with their claws the trees and rocks of
the mountain, they rushed forward, while the demons fled
in utter
fort.
Chaupdi.
When Meghnad
greatly
ashamed
and went
recovered
from
his swoon,
the
face,
he
was
and arose
in haste to a
"
:
Hearken,
king of unbounded
On
to
hearing
his
upon
his
thunder
I
heart
"
If I
cried
aloud
may
Sivas give
of
him
help,
will
slay
him
yet,
in
the
name
Rdma."
Dohd
72.
LANKA.
574
ChaupcU.
When
the
monkeys
him making an
and
oblation of blood
buffalo's flesh.
They
sir;
all
tried to
they then
took to praising him.' When still he did not rise, they went
and pulled him by the hair, upon which he kicked out so
fiercely that they
ran away.
He pursued them
as they fled,
till
and beat them to the ground. Then he shot forth his mighty
spear against the Lord, but he warded it off and broke it
of the Wind and the prince
and smote him furiously; but his wounds
had no effect upon him. The heroes fell upon him once
more, but their enemy was not to be killed again he came
on with a terrible shriek. Then Lakshman made up his
in two.
had
risen again
mind
'
his
fly
like
and now
invincible
invisible.
and trembled.
him
full in the
doned
all
breast.
falsehood,
Dohd
73.
^^
K he
J*'*J**'.^^^
should turn from
why
fighting to sacrifice
Rdma drew
his
576
LANKA.
last breath.
Blessed indeed
thy mother
is
'
cried
Angad
and Hanumdn.i
Ghaupdi.
Without an
it
effort
Hanuman
death, the
of his
nown
of the divine
Raghublr.
;
When
sorrowful and
Rdvan.
Dohd
Then
74.
Chaupdi.
Rjivan gave them sound advice
self, his
men who
excel in giving
When
the
who put
it
night had
very plentiful.
passed and the day broke, the bears and monkeys again
Rdvan summoned
*'
his captains
and
If
in
enemy
For giving birth to such a gallant warrior and one who showed such
faith in the hour of death.
1
iANKA.
576
who may
challenge me."
whirlwind of blackness.
omens
of
ill,
not,
in the
overweening
arm.
Chhand
4.
huge packs
like
of dogs
messengers
of
made
a frightful
notes.
of
Dohd75. ltr%
How was it possible for him to have prosperous omens
good fortune, or even to dream of peace of mind, when
Chaupdi.
The demon
host
marched on
in countless
number
ele-
of
the wind
battalions of
inspired with
all
an army
of
from
its
deptlis, the
mountains shook.
The dust
rose in
clouds that obscured the sun, the wind failed, and the earth
of
music made
last
5?f
LANKA.
strain that gladdens the souls
With on accord
of heroes.
monkeys;
'
Rama
to the rescue.'
Chhand
death
mountains
5.
terrible bears
of diverse colours.
With
talons
many winged
and teeth and
rocks and enormous trees for weapons they all feel no fear,
singing the glory of Rama, the lion-like vanquisher of the
wild elephant R^van.
Doha
With
a shout of
76.
'
victory,
victory,'
on
Rdma and
raised
from both
in
com-
those on Rdvan.
Chaupdi.
tion
cried tenderly
"
:
My
shoes
"
to
a conqueror has a
different kind of
Manliness
chariot.
and courage are his chariot wheels unflinching truthfulness and morality his banners and standards
strength,
discretion, self-control and benevolence his horses, with
;
grace,
to
his
pure and
his stout
quiver,
R-76
bow.
his
His
pious
LANfeA.
578
he pays
There
compared
is
to this,
man who
religion.
warrior
Br^hmans and
to
of mail.
ness,
me
to give
own
On
a lesson."
lord.
Ghauydi.
Brdhma and
mounted
sages,
heaven above.
the
too,
all
watch the
their chariots to
I
with
other gods,
the
saints
and
from the
fray,
Umii,
bite,
they
them
for
clutch, they
missiles
to the
fell;
ground.
They
to
strike, they
wrench
the ground.
off
arms,
The bears
over them
look upon.
Chhand
The monkeys,
6.
their
bodies
They
beneath the
uttering
579
LANKA.
fierce cries,
of
battle.
'
overthrow,' were
Dohd
78.
ed
to a straw.
them, crying
'
arms and
he mounted
ten bows,
and essay-
turn, turn.
Chaupdi.
in wild
forth
and the
fury,
him.
Taking
in
maddened with
of his wrath.
lord Raghubir;
"Help, help, Angad, Hanum^n; save, save,
monster, as sure as death, will devour us all. When
this
in flight,
Chhand
He strung
bow and
he
fitted
an arrow
to
each
7.
arrows
they
serpents the heaven and the earth
were full of arrows the monkeys fled in all directions.
his
There was a
terrible
uproar, the
in
dismay"
the bears
Raghubir,
LANKA.
580
fountain of mercy
mankind."
Doha 79.
his
Seeing the distress of his troops, Lakshman slung
sallied
and
hand
in
his
bow
his
took
his
side,
quiver by
"
Ah
bowing
vile wretch,
his
head
at
R6ma's
Chaupdi.
kill bears and
you
feet.
monkeys
but
'*
now
look at me,
for you,
shafts,
Each
pieces.
his
smashing
of his ten
which seemed
chariot
the
let
like serpents
breast
he
fell
Chhand
The mighty
headed essayed
When
in his strength
and
8.
the hero
fell
to lift his
knowing him
to
ports
Dohd
When
80.
Wind saw
this,
he rushed forward
Chaupdi.
the knee but did not
fall
to
the
581
LANKA.
swoon,
strength.
remain
alive,
Lakshman away.
as he carried
sore
alive
At
this
sight
Rdvan was
amazed.
"
You
still
the
heaven. Then again they took bow and arrows and rushed
forward with the utmost impetuosity to meet the enemy.
Chhand
Again, by
their
9.
impetuous attack, they put him to conchariot and slaying his charioteer.
his
smashing
Rdvan fell fainting to the ground, his heart transfixed by a
hundred arrows. Another charioteer threw him on his car
and carried him to Lanka, while Lakshman in all his glory
fusion,
Doha
On
the one
preparations
hope
to
for
prosper
lO^
SI.
a sacrifice
fool to
to
make
yet
Ghaupdi.
On
"
went
at
As soon
as
it
"
You run away home
became furious
without shame from the battle and on getting here practise
sacrifice,
they
all
LANKA.
582
this hypocrisy
"
purpose.
Chhand
As he
10.
took no
notice, the
too,
Then
at
last
till
he rose,
terrible as death, and caught a monkey by the leg and hurled him away but seeing that the monkeys had thus succeeded in interrupting the sacrifice, his heart failed him.
:
Doha
82.
Rejoicing at having spoilt his sacrifice, the monkeys returned to Raghupati while the demon went off in a fury,
;
abandoning
all
hope
of
life.
ill
Ghaupdi.
Fearful
flew
and
omens
of
Fated
end
to the
demon
host as
it
for
vultures
he paid no heed,
There seemed no
to die,
fly
into the
of praise
fire.
On
-"He
songs
with him no longer,
On
R^ma,
play
knot on his forehead, beautiful with the flowers that had here
and there been caught (as they fell upon him from heaven).
With his bright eyes and his body dark of hue as a raincloud, rejocing the sight of every created sphere, he girded
1
Vak-dhydn, literally, 'the
contemplation of a crane,' i.e, the
affectation of being absorbed in divine contemplation, while really thinking
like the crane, which seems lost in abstraction,
only of worldly interests
hut is only waiting for a fish to pounce upon.
;
583
LANKA.
hand
his
With
its belt
bow of Vishnu.
Chhand 11.
bow Saranga
in his
hand and
his
beautiful
Brdhman's
foot,
when
the Lord
began
to
handle his bow and arrows, the elephants that support the
world, the tortoise, the serpent and the earth itself with its
mountains and
Doha
The gods
rained down
at the
rejoiced
flowers in
83.
sight of his
splendour and
'
abundance, singing
Glory, glory,
and
perfection.'
Ghaupdi.
like the
lances
like
gleams
of
ing of a frightful
tempest.
tails as
uprising of a
they stretched across
magnificent rainbow. The dust was borne aloft like a cloud,
fell like a
When Rama
in his
as
fell
sore smitten.
to the
cowards.
Chhand
12.
of blood, striking
cowards with
terror, rolled on between the two armies for its banks, with
LANKA.
584
with elephants,
and vehicles
birds,
a frightful flood
and horses
foot-soldiers,
for its
of every
count, for
its
lances for
its
snakes, bows
and shields
shoals of tortoises.
of their
84.
bones
its
for its
Dohd
The
aquatic
one could
scum.
marrow
Chaupdi.
in
it
and devour.
you wretch,
Vultures
sit
is
like
down with
birds
upon
Witches draw water
river.
roafds.
in
Many
bodies
float
them, as
if
in the air,
the infernal
Herds
song.
still
shout
of jackals snarl
'
victory, victory.'
Chhand
The heads
13.
cry
victory,
victory,'
while
the
headless
trunks
rush wildly about. Swords and skulls are inextricably involved, hero against hero, fighting and overthrowing.
the
That you must rorae and steal from me instead of foraging for yourself.
2 Hy ardfihaja/,
half in the water,' is meant a dying man who has been
t.'ikcn V)y his friend.s and
lail on the very edge of the river, so that he may
1
'
585
LANKA.
Doha 85.
Rdvan thought within himself
routed
am
all
my
The
demons
are
"
magic power."
Ghaupdi.
When
the gods
saw
despatched his
own
the Lord
that
in
chariot.
was on
foot,
Mdtali
brought
it
at
they
once
gladly, a
When
thought.
they saw Raghun^th mounted on a car,
the monkeys rushed forward with renewed vigour.
Their
Then Rdvan exerted his magic
onset was irresistible.
knew it to be a mere delusion, but Lakshmonkeys took it for real. They saw among
the demon host many Rdmas and as many Lakshmans.
Ghhand 14.
these
multiplied Rdmas and Lakshmans, the
Seeing
power. Raghublr
man and
the
and
rejoiced again.
Dohd
86.
for
my
captains are
all a- wearied."
Ghaupdi.
So saying, Raghunath urged forward his chariot, after
bowing his head at the BrAhmans' lotus feet. Then was the
king of Lanka full of fury and rushed to meet him, challeng"
him with a voice of thunder - As for the warriors
ing
R-77
5d6
LANKA.
in battle,
ambush
for
him
huntsman.
like a
You have routed the leaders of the demon host, and put to
death Kumbha-karn and Meghn^d. But to-day I will
make an end
-"
answered
greatness
True,
true,
have heard
all
let
about your
me
see
your
strength.
Chhand
15.
Do
me
if
The one
fruit only.
the third
talks
word."
Doha
On hearing Rama's
*'Now you are
to
challenge
for teaching
me
87.
speech,
me wisdom.
your
fear
life
dear."
Ghaupdi.
Having uttered
fly
this taunt,
forth, of
many
many
Rivan
in a fury
The
thunderbolts.
began
to let
shafts sped
them.
Raghubirj
mighty spear
it
with an arrow
587
LANKA.
and sent
discs
it
Then he
back.
and tridents
cast
against
him thousands
R^van's
aside.
artillery
of
effort
snapped
was as unavail-
to the
victory to Rama.'
ground, crying
but a
CMand
16.
laughed
Doha
He drew
darts
they
88.
quivering like so
many
serpents.
Chaupdi.
forth like
at
once
low the charioteer and his horses, breaking the car and
But
let fly
all
his efforts
rows.
The edge
of
his
all fell to
the ground.
Again Rtoa
LANKA.
588
after
ofE.
Time
for they
arms and heads, but they were no sooner smitten off than
and again the Lord shred
they were again renewed. Again
The king of Kosala mightily
off his heads and arms.
diverted himself. The whole heaven was full of heads and
arms, like an infinite
As though a multitude
of
Mhus
;^
could
of
set
Dohd
89.
As quickly
renewed again without end like the passions of a man devoted to the world, which increase ever more and more.
;
Ghaupdi.
he
cried
'
when
the sun
alack, alack
is
moment
it
was quite
obscured by a mist.
lost
to
The gods
'
The demon Mhu, having disguised himself as one of the gods, succeeded
in securing a draught of the nectar which
they had churned out of the
ocean. The sun and moon, who had detected the
impostor, gave information to Vishnu, who
thereupon cut oflE the monster's head and two of his
four arms.
As he could not rob him of the immortality that the nectar
had conferred, the severed head and tail were
metamorphosed into heavenly
Vxjdies, under the names of Rihu and Ketu, or the
ascending and descending
node of which the former still wreaks
vengeance on the sun and moon
now
and
by
again swallowing them.
1
nana.
Vidhm-ticda^-hteraMy
'the
moon-troubler,'
is
another
name
for
589
LANKA.
Where now
is
Rdma
"
cried
of
sped
to flight
but the Jewel of the race of Raghu, with a smile, made ready
his bow and with his arrows shot the heads through and
through
as
skulls in her
had bathed
in the river
to
worship at the
shrine of Battle.
Doha
Again R^van
spear
in his
90.
hurled
fury
it
forth his
mightiest
Chaupdi.
he saw the awful spear coming, he cried
my
in him who ever relieves the distress of the dest-
When
trust is
and
itute,'
Rama
exposed himself
struck, the
filled
at
Lord swooned
ing,
for a
"
:
Ah,
enemy alike
in his
it
mimicry which
Vibhishan saw his lord
while, a
of gods,
When
of the missile.
When
a fury
in
understand-
inasmuch
why
but
now death
is
dancing on your
Rama and
pate.
he
oppose
590
LANKA.
of
R^ma, and
the strength of
no account whatever.
look
in the face
him
closed with
but now
in the
might
Rdma
of
he
Chaupdi.
in
driver,
He
the ribs.
over,
Then R^van
who spread
his tail
fell
was borne
of
all
the
air.
He
laid hold of
and
skill
Supported
R4van
all his
strength
as
into collision
there
aloft
till
Wind.
Chhand
the Lord
blow.
He
fell
to the sup-
20.
by Raghubir, the
a violent
came
valiant
to
the
monkey struck
victory
to both.
ed
all their
rible
stoutest
of his ter-
arm.
Dohd
92.
Seeing them
to be so strong,
monkeys came on
he had recourse
again.
to magic.
Chaupdi.
In a
moment he became
invisible
5Q1
LANKA.
At the sight
monkeys
confronting him.
such an infinity of Rdvans, the bears and
Not one of them had the
in all directions.
a separate
Rd,van
of
fled
all fled
'
crying
Help, Tiakshman
help,
'.
Myriads
of
single
but
the monkeys took the apparitions for real enemies and fled,
monkeys and bears alike, crying in their terror Help, ojod
of mercy.'
Only Hanumdu, Angad, Nila and Nala, the
'
of
In a
scene,
to his
neighbour.
Inspired by
monkeys went
forth,
now reduced
to
one
fools,
my prey"
So
592
LANKA.
saying, he
made
and as the
a savage spring
go from
him
my
to the
ground.
Ghhand
22.
bow, and
volleys,
fitting ten
wounding
arrows
enemies
all his
string, he
to the
:
let fly
many
Doha
Then
Raghupati cut
committed
ofE
;
94.
but they
all
at a holy place.
Ghaupdi.
kSeeing the
the valiant
all
cut
off
?"
The son
of Bili, with
Nila, the
to
When
At
last
with a
to
Then
in
with his
Hanumin
tiie
LANKA.
and
593
all
all
the
Seeing
swoon, the valiant Jambav^n rushed forward, and with
him the bears, armed with mountains and trees, which
they
began hurling upon him. The mighty Ravan was enraged,
Ghhand
The blow smote him
23.
senseless, the
foot
king of the
Lord
on
Seeing him
him with his
lifted
RAvan
to the
'/.
On
all
During the night Trijata went to Sita and told her the
whole story. When Slta heard of the multiplication of the
enemy's heads and arms, she was sorely dismayed and thus
much
what
anxiety
be
is to
death
It
must be
my
ill-luck
which
that enables
me
me
me
to
support such
insupportable anguish
which keeps
speak crossly to Lakshman
alive under such pain, pierced through and through as
which made
R-78
LANKA.
594
am
enemy
will die
of the
gods
But the Lord
breast.
of Slta is
image
"
replied
if
him
Ghhand
24.
home
in
my
heart are
spheres of creation
the
all
is
;
if
my
an
still
Doha
96.
be forgotten
Rdma
off
will
in the heart."
Chaupdi.
this
height, her
to be a
Considering
good
I shall now see again the
omen, she took courage
Meanwhile R^van had woke at midgracious Raghubir.'
*
"
Fool, to bring
night and began abusing his charioteer
me away from the field of battle a curse on you for a vile
He laid hold of his feet and deprecated his
dullard."
:
wrath
and
he, as soon as
it
his chariot
LANKA.
595
forth again.
When they heard of Rdvan's
approach, the monkey army was greatly excited, and tearing up mountains and trees on every side the terrible
and
sallied
Ghhand 25.
The huge monkeys and terrible bears rushed
mountains
on, with
in their
utmost fury
him with
Dohddl.
;^t^
Ghhand Tomara.
that he
By
the magic
manifested
hand
human
skull,
of
Their horrible
blood, dancing and singing many a song.
seize and kill
echo all around, while dogs with
cries of
open mouth^ run to and fro. Then began the monkeys
'
'
to flee;
flight,
fire.
The bravest
of
all
them wrung
their
hands, crying
alas,
RAma,
host of
alas,
Hanumdns were
manifested,
R^ma
in a
dense
For mukh hayd, 'with open mouth,' some books read maTih hayci,
which would mean having scattered the sacrifice.' As no sacrifice has been
though the latter may also be
mentioned, the former seems preferable
understood as a general image of horror.
1
'
LANKA.
596
mass on every
With gnashing
side.
tail,
they shouted
tails
making
'
kill,
hold
fast,
a complete circle
teeth
never
all
let
and up-turned
him go' their
;
Chhand
27-28.
by a hedge
of
gleaming rainbows.
and
achievements of
Rdma
many ages
in his battle
Dohd
Tulsi ])5s, poor clown,
part of his glory,
to fly
enough
were cut
off
not killed.
up
is
like
98.
into heaven.
Though
his heads
and arms
Ghaupdi.
No
Vibhfshan.
than
597
LANKA.
only, sire,
by virtue
Ravan
depth of
Vibhishan's
hearing
On
lives."
ing; birds screamed over the distress of the world and comets
appeared in every quarter of the Heaven fierce flames broke
;
out on every side, and though there was no new moon, the
sun was eclipsed. Mandodari's heart beat wildly and statues
Chhand
29.
mighty wind
blew, the earth quaked, the clouds dropt blood, hair and
dust who could recount all the portents? At the sight
Statues wept, thunder crashed
in the air, a
of
bow
Dohd
and drawing the string
one shafts.
The
dismay
the
99.
to his ear
bolts of
in
he
let fly at
Raghu-n^yak flew
once thirty-
forth like
the
serpents of death.
Gha^ipdi.
One arrow
others
struck
off his
the body as
it
rushed
wildly on, till the Lord with his arrows smote it in twain.
At the moment of death he thundered aloud with a fierce
and
terrible yell
?'
'
The
Where
is
R^ma,
earth reeled as
that
may
Ravan
fell
challenge
the sea,
the
rivers,
the
598
LANKA.
Seeing
this,
S)ul entered
the Lord's
*'
sight.
tory,
to the All-merciful
glory to
"
Mukunda
while throngs of
Chhand 30"
Glory
to
31.
Mukunda,
the scatterer
ranks of the impious, the great First Cause, the comAll the gods in their joy
passionate, the ever Supreme."
showered down flowers and the kettle-drums sounded aloud,
of the
while on the
field of
battle
of a
seemed
like a
on a tamdl
his
swarm
W.ith
specks of blood,
tree.
'
100.
shower
with
of spotted
Dohd
With
body, spangled
of
glory to
Mukunda,
Ghaupdi.
her lord's heads, she fainted in
she set up a shriek, her hair flew loose, and there was no
strength left in her body
Wildly beating her bosom and
-" At
weeping, she recounted all his glory
your miht,
my lord, the earth ever trembled fire, moon, and sun were
:
bereft of splendour.
The
of
great
your
599
LANKA.
and
fate
my
arm,
creature.
the world; while the strength of your son and your kinsmen
surpassed description.
is left
of creation
this
even
was
in
my
your power,
Rdma and
stock
but
so,
lord,
all
now
seeing
you
things
Chhand
"
to
You
consume the
my
and
32.
forest of devildom
all
that fire
delighted to injure
own abode
bow
Dohd 101.
none other so gracious at Raghun^th, the great God, who has given you a rank, to which
"Ah my
the
lord, there is
company
of saints
can with
difficulty attain."
Chaupdi.
When
sages were
all
kumara and
of salvation,
enraptured.
women making
LANKA.
600
all
that he could to
console him.
At
command
mind
he celebrated
the
and
place.
Doha 102.
Mandodari and the others presented the dead with the
prescribed handfuls of sesamum seed and the queen then
returned
to the
palace,
recounting
to
herself all
Raghu-
pati's excellences.
Chaupdi
Again Vibhishan came and bowed his head. Then the
"
Do you
All-merciful called his younger brother and said,
and the monkey prince and Angad and Nala and Nila, with
Jambavdn and
of
my
father's
commands may
monkey and my
The monkey started at once, on receiving his lord's order,
and went and made ready for the installation. With due
the
hands
all
l)owed
the head
before
made them
all
glad.
Chhand 33.
He made them glad with words
nectar:-"
It
defeated arul
that
were sweet as
by your might
enemy has been
tliat Vibhishan has acquired
the kingdom
is
that the
601
LANKA.
Doha lOS.
/J/
The monkey host would never have been
ing to their lord's
words
tired of listen-
all
bowed
Ghaupdi.
of her
When Hanumdn
welfare."
entered the
senger.
brother
well,
madam, with
Riivan
battle
in
On
soul.
Chhand 34.
was overjoyed, her body thrilled and her
eyes streamed with tears, as again and again she cried
Sita's
soul
"
What can
tained
see
the
Doha
*'
in
Hearken,
your heart
my
son
104.
Hanumdn
may you
live
and prosper
Ghaupdi.
Rdma
and
told
him
of Sita's
welfare.
When
R-79
to
Lanka.
602
"
Go you with Hanumdn and respectprince Vibhishan
here."
Sita
escort
They all went at once to the place
fully
:
The demon
ladies
humbly do her
service
every description.
ever of
R^ma
On
all
four sides
in their
on foot, friend let the monkeys see her as they would their
own mother." Thus said the great Raghundth and smiled.
The bears and monkeys were delighted to hear his commands, and from heaven the gods rained down a profusion
To begin with, he placed Sita in the fire, for he
of flowers.
;
to
be revealed.^
Dohd 105.
For
this reason
harshness.
to
the
with seeming
All-merciful spoke
it,
began
make lamentation.
But Sita bowed
was
in thought,
to
Chaupdi,
her lord's
of this
rite;
command
and said
pure as
sh*-
"
Lakshman, be
show me the fire and be
When Lakshman
quick."
and kindled a
fire
was glad
of heart
1 The
meaning of the words Antara Sdkhi, the internal witness, or
witness of th
soul, would not be very obvious without a reference to the
Sanskrit text, in which Sita makes her prayer to the Fire-god, addressing
"
him thus
Thou,
Fire, knowest the secrets of the hearts {sarirantara
gocharah) oi fiW living creatures; be thou my witness {s&ksh'i); assume a
visible form and save me,
best of gods."
:
LANKA.
603
may
fire,
which
tests all
cool-
ing as sandal-wood."
Ghhand
35.
it,
alone
the world,
who
of milk.
]iH-l^^
Dohd lOQ.
The gods
music
of
down
and make
flowers
heaven dance,
all
of Janak's
'
glory to
Rdma
the beneficent.'
Ghaupdi.
Then came
and bowed
ever,
his
head
at his feet.
The
Rama's permission,
gods,
this
too,
selfish
as
"Friend
shown mercy
to
unaffected by
604
LANKA.
sion
incarnate as the
unerring, full of power and compasfish, the tortoise, the boar, the lion-
up
to sensuality,
fishness
thus
we
but now,
lord,
for refuge."
Dohd
107.
'
to
you
-i (
With clasped hands the gods and saints stood all round
him, thus making supplication; and his whole
about
Brfihma
at
last
Chaupdi.
immortal RAma, the blissful Hari, the
the
prince of Raghu's line, with his bow and arrows
lionlike lord to rend in pieces the elephant of earthly
"
Glory
to the
existence
the
all-
in
faithful
Vibhfshan
storehouse
of
virtue
and wisdom
I constantly
adore
605
LANKA.
Rj^ma, the
thoe,
in
arm, strong
sinful
even
supreme. Mighty of
renown, exterminator of the hordes of the
pre-eminent
of the
in
auspiciousness
undeserving suppliant
burden
the
passionless,
spouse
of Lalishmi.
and
wielder of
effect,
the
soul-created
arrows and
bow
dent
all
light of
mere quibble
of
not separate.
How
which
speech
fortunate,
is
my
who
life
we gods enjoy
the suppliant,
without devotion
in the world.
gone astray
to
separate from
Now,
it
and yet
monkeys
curse, Hari,
to
on the
you we have
all
me
lion to
esteeming that a
kings,
Dohd
As Brdhma made
the
blessing of a constant
108.
Chaupdi.
Then
son, his
his
his
1
Nadanti may be taken as the third person plural of the present
tence of the verb nad^ 'to rieclaie,' like vadanti from rad and R4m Jasan,
from the way that he has divided the words in the text, evidently so rejrarded
it.
But perhaps it is better to divide thus, na ddnti-hatha, instead of
nadanti kathd
danti-katha' being a common colloquial expression for a
verbal quibble, or an argument unsupported by authority.
'
LANKA.
606
brother
them
made
his blessing.
"
It
is
all
On
more
wisdom.
existence,
Um6,
after first
the mystery of
devotion to himself.
Having again and again prostrated
himself before the Lord, Dasarath proceeded with joy to
his abode in heaven.
Dohd
The Lord,
his
the king of
109.
Kosala,
rejoiced
together with
of the
"
gods
Glory
in
to
refuge of the
Rdma,
the
suppliant
home
equipt with
demon
host
when my
to
equal me.
my pride
Now after
;
1
In the Tomar raefre each line of the quatrain should consist of
an anapaest followed by two amphibrachs but many licenses are allowed.
;
LANKA.
much misery
607
feet,
but
my
desire
is
the king
of
whom
cognize
as thy servant,
and grant me
Chhand
Grant me
the
Kosala, the
me
Sita
of
Vedas
divine
and Lakshre-
Lakshmi,
faith.
38.
faith,
so
hymn
me
terror,
all
the
gods
Rama,
in thy
^^1
me what
direct
mercy,
On
to do."
worship thee,
,
Dohd no.
Now
made answer
Ghaupdi.
Hearken, king of the gods my bears and monkeys,
who lie on the ground slain by the demons, have lost their
"
on
my
account:
restore
them
life
all to
of heaven."
of creation
shower
life.
only
he wished
to
do Indra honour.
With
The shower
of
ambrosia
fell
on both armies
in the divinity.
all alive
partial
;
but
it
in-
was
LANKA.
608
the will of Raghupati.
titute as
Who
there so kind
is
host of demons,
Ravan obtained
translation
des-
monster
sensual
same sphere
the
to
to the
final
the
as
holiest of saints.
Dohd 111.
down flowers,
After showering
his
body quivering
with chocking voice
all over,
:
Ghhand
"
39.
doubt
of delusion
murky clouds
of the
fire to
of
all
gracious beyond
up the ocean of life
me
from
mount Meru
to
churn
conception
dweller of the highest sphere; avert
the stormy waves of tlie world or transport me
;
across them.
i!\
my
heart with
own
Dohd
When
1 will
your coronation,
come
de-
uprooter
lord.
112.
my
ceremony,
greatly
com-
"
passionate
When Sambhu
Ghaupdi.
had finished his prayer and gone away, then
609
LANKA.
"
vile servant,
every
battle.
now,
honour your
sire,
my
Inspect
my
treasure,
make
ser-
palace,
the
all
and
my
monkeys
happy.
eyes
with tears.
filled
Dohdin.
"
Hearken, brother
all
you say
my own
f^:^-/Hi
true
is
your house
in prayer.
1
may
"
mindful
all
"
over
but
may you
me, and
of
my
sphere, where
Chaupdi.
When
monkeys with equal joy clasped the Lord's feet and recited
Then Vibhishan proceeded to the
his glorious merits.
and attire. When
palace and loaded the chariot with jewels
set it before the
and
he had brought the car Pushpaka
"
Hearken, friend
Lord, the All-merciful smiled and said
:
car,
R-80
LANKA.
610
high into the air, throw down the dresses and jewels."
Accordingly Vibhishan mounted aloft into the heaven and
so full
of playfulness
the
is
All-merciful.
DohdlU.
whom
/ifV**^^
by contemplation,
he in his infinite
even
to
fails
itself
Veda
whom
fathom,
the
Um6,
monkeys.
compassion made merry with
to
He,
the
and vows,
forms of
all
Chaupdi.
After securing the dresses and ornaments, the bears and
monkeys clothed themselves with them and appeared
before
see the
no
to
you
one.'*
On
come with
affection,
your honour
words.
and
him
but we
Knowing
the low
UR a leader
universe.
When we
shame
Gariir ?"
is
you,
it
Now
return
remember me and
fear
reverently addressed
all to
Vibhishan.
for
"
:
What you
are confused
estate of us
Raghunith, are
say,
possible for
lord, is
my
on hearing such
we
die
of
so
LANKA.
DoMlW.
When
monkeys
their heart,
I"^^-'^''
the Lord
all
611
The monkey king, Nila, the king of the bears, Angad, Nala,
Hanumdn, Vibhishan also and all the other valiant monkey
chiefs were so overcome by their feelings that they could
not speak a word,
Chauydi.
When Rdma
he took them
his
bowing
all
his chariot
at the
Brahmans'
up
head
and,
feet,
after mentally
he directed the
'
The
shouting glory to Raghubir
throne on which the Lord and his consort were seated was
the car on
its
way,
all
on
its
fragrant
a speck
the
"
here
Said Raghubir
See, SIta, the field of battle
Lakshman slew Megh-n^d here the huge demons that
strew the plain were slaughtered by Angad and Hanumdn
:
here
fell
that
Dohd
IS^t--l^^^
IIQ.
Here the bridge was built and the symbol of the blessed
and Sita here both
:" the All-merciful
Mahddeva adored
is
LANKA.
C12
Sambhu.
made obeisance
them
to
all.
Ghaupdi.
forest,
and
all
world came
kdt.
to Chitra-
sped swiftly on. R6ma next pointed out to Sita the noble
that washes away all the impurities of this sinful
Jamund,
age.
"
Sita,
do
it
homage.
the holy
Ganges and
queen
said,
Praydg, the sight of which puts away all the sins committed in a thousand births. See again the most holy Tribeni,
See also the
the antidote of sorrow, the ladder of heaven.
city of Avadh, which heals
and
every disease in life."
pain
sacred
kinds of
iv^-try
Doha 117.
at
Tribeni
and bestowed
gifts of all
kinds on the
also.
Ghaupdi.
"
The Lord then spoke and enjoined Hanumdn
Take
the form of a young Brahman and go into the city.
Tell
Bharat of my welfare, and come back here yourself with the
news." The Son of the Wind was oE at once. Then the
Lord visited Bharadv^ja. The saint received him with all
possible honour and after hymning his praises, gave him
his blessing. The Lord
prostrated himself at his feet,
with his hands clasped in
prayer, and then mounted his
:
613
LANKA.
When
chariot
'
summon-
Then
the divine
Sita worshipped
In
feet.
:"
On
Guha
fell flat
The
all-merciful
and
all-wise
by
side
his
"
humility
and asked
Now
the spouse
Rdma,
to his heart
of his
of
He was
welfare.
all
lotus feet,
abode
him
is all
thee, thee
only do
wor-
ship."
Though he was only a poor low Nishdd, Hari
clasped him to his bosom, as though he were Bharat
Dull of soul, says Tulsi Dds, is he, who is so
himself.
Rdma's
feet,
other evil
passions and
Doha
The
wise,
who
listen to the
118.
achievements of
God rewards
R4ma and
of
R&ma,
there
is
no other
LANKA.
614
[Thus endeth the book
pure wisdom
Ramans deedsj
world.]
being the
entitled
sixth
that cleanses
of the
BOOK
VII.
THE SEQUEL
THE SEQUEL.
617
THE SEQUEL.
Sanskrit Invocation.
I
when mounted on
neck of a peacock
the
lotus foot,
beautiful
bright of hue as
yellow attired
in
ever gracious
with
attended by a host of monkeys
lotus-eyed
hand
of Kosala, wor-
the lord of
Ambika
DoWl.
t'l'^'
itself
*'^
brightened up
all
round, as
if to
announce the
lord's
\^
here,
>
Bharat's
right
ponder deeply.
Chaupdi.
"
is
my
chance
that
;
as I
R-81
my
soul
is full
of
618
TilE
SEQUEL.
anxiety.
C^
n*
.verse,
lord
were
to
consider
my
actions,
brother
the destitute
to
But
are so favourable.
if
my
R^ma
life
will
come
am
the omens
Bohd
2.
%-0
him seated on
mat
names
'
all
R6ma, Rdma,
with tears
tiaghupati,'
and
Ghaupai.
At this sight
\ .
Hanumdn was
words
loss
that
his
were as ambrosia
to his ear
"
:
now on
way with
these words
J.
glud tidings?"
*'
THE SEQUEL.
Hanum^n by name,
fountain
On
619
of mercy, a servant of
hearing this, Bharat rose 4^
meet him. The affection
too
for
great
heart
to
his
Again and again he asked of his welfare: "Hearwhat is there I can give you ?^after taking
Rama's."
ken, brother
'I,
thought,
nothing in the whole world to match this
news. Otherwise, I should be your debtor. Now tell me of
I
my
find
lord's adventures." ^
his feet
and
told
him
all
his
"
me
Tell
as one
Chhand
Did the glory
me
head at %
of the race of
1.
Raghu
ever
make mention
On
virtue,
of
animate and
all
Doha
"
that
My
is
lord,
to
Rdma
as
his
own
life
Sorathd
After bowing his
returned in haste to
Then
3.
the Lord
head
at
Rdma and
mounted
his
1.
Bharat's
feet,
the
monkey
Ghaupdi.
Bharat too returned in joy to Ayodhya and told his guru
all
'
Rama
city
^-
THE SEQUEL.
620
WheQ
^
the citizens
heard
the news,
all
with
procession
good omen.
be, without
stopping
bring either children or old folk. Every one was asking his neighbour, 'Friend, have you seen the gracious
^^Rdma?' ^Directly it knew the Lord was coming, the whole
to
city of
Avadh became
and
of
deli-
and fragrant.
^-
The water
a quarry of delights.
full of
joy
it,
raised
their
As the waves of
auspicious songs of joy.
ocean rise and swell at the sight of the full moon, so poured
sweet voices in
forth the
sight of
women
tumultuous noise
at the
R^ma.
Chaupdi.
On
Sun
of the
the solar
lotuses of
that
so
although
charming,
Vaikunth, which is indeed famous in the
Vedas and Pur4nas and celebrated throughout the world,
still it is not so dear to me as the city of Avadh
only here and
is
all
men speak
is
of
my
comprehend
this saying.
birth-place, and
man
to the
Here
is
north the
621
THE SEQUEL.
for
what a glory
-^
the
all
people
all
When
emaciated
saw
body by
Viimadeva and Vasishtha, greatest of sages, he dropt his
bow and arrows on the ground and ran to clasp his guru's
in
lotus feet,
both he and
and asked
with. us."
the
Raghu
of
their
Then
the
race,
his
The
Rdma.
welfare.
champion
the Lord
By your favour
of
the
made obeisance
to
faith,
all
all is
well
the
the
king of
Brahmans.
dark-hued
body,
and
his
lotus eyes
all
Ghhand
2.
he,
the Lord
the
sovereign
of
no similitude by which I
spheres.
can express the beauty of the meeting between the Lord
and his brother; it was as though Love and Desire in bodithree
the
ly
There
is
in a
stolen
to
THE SEQUEL.
622
that Bharat found
words
to
reply.
Hearken, \]m&
such
joy can
'*
Now
is all
it is
felt,
Dohd
As when
property
still
about him,
is
6.
along the
road, with
suddenly seized
stolen
at the waistbelt
by the
man
he has robbed, so
felt
was
at
all
The
citizens
were so
by
once forgotten.
by affection,
and appearing at one and the same time in multiplied
form, was thns in his benignity enabled to salute every one
with due ceremony.
The look of compassion, with which
agitated
illusion
all
this,
Umd,
is
When R^ma,
way. Kausalya and the other royal dames ran out to meet
him, like a cow that has lately calved at the sight of its
little one.
__^
In the raiHst of their joy, the sight of such fraternal nflfection reminderl them nainfully of the very Hifferent treatment they h-id experienced from
their own brothers, Bali and RA'an.
Or perhaps more simplj', they were
forced to recopnizc Bharat's superior claim, and kuew that they would have
to ijive up Rdma to him.
1
THE SEQUEL.
Chhand
623
3.
heart
sadly
at
ill
all
anguish of soul
still
ease.
Lakshman embraced
the royal
continued.
Ghaupdi.
mothers-in-law and rejoiced
They asked of her welfare and
greatly to kiss
their feet.
life
last for
and out
ever."
of regard for
"
All gazed
sacrificial
all
"
Lanka
Dohd 8.
As she looked upon the Lord and upon Lakshman and
Sita, her maternal heart was overwhelmed with felicity and
her every limb quivered with emotion.
THE SEQUEL.
624
Ghaupdi.
Vibhishan, SngWva, Nala and Nila, J^mhavan and the
generous Angad, with Hatmm^n and all the other monkey
chiefs
penance andv)vv.
mode
life,
of
When
highly to be reverenced by
that
we slew
the
demons
all
my comrades
were the
On
race
words,
it is by his favour
But hearken, holy
;
to
all
me
For
my
in the battle.
my sake they
me even than
safely
lost their
Bharat."
Then they bowed the head at Kausalya^s feet, who rethem her blessing, saying " You are as dear
me as Rama." The heaven was obscured with the
joiced to give
to
to the
palace, while all the fairest ladies in the city mounted the
tops of the houses to see him.
Ghaupfi}.
sorts
of
In different
places
women
their hearts
full of joy.
and
Girls
sacrificial
wave over
lamps, singing
ill,
the
Sun
of the lotus
SEQUEL.
of
Raghu's
growth
for
able to describe
them
its
glory
Rdma's absence,
beauty, the
for
Dohd
Avadh
^--Xl
10.
The
would be a theme
much even
line.
of the city
too
625
TflE
lake
of the sun,
;
had withered
at
ed
again, at the
sight of
Chaupdi.
The
lord
to
her
Dohd
The
saint thereupon
11.
al^i^
ordered Sumantra,
who no sooner
heard than he went with joy and quickly got ready a multitude of chariots, elephants and horses. Then he despatched
messengers in every direction to borrow stores of all good
things,
and
lastly
head at Vasishtha's
his
feet.
Chaupdi.
When
rained
the city of
down
R-82
R4ma
called
THE SEQUEL.
626
and directed
his servants,
"
Go
first
and
com-
my
assist
On
rest.
with his
to
R^ma summoned
bathe
of Bharat, the
a hundred myriads of
R^ma
Finally
meekness
Sesh-ii^gs
unloosed his
hair
the
brothers, even
three
all his
The blessedness
Bharat and
pious souls.
Lord, not
all
of the
would be able
own matted
to declare.
hair
and, after
" ""'
Dohd 12.
'J.tt-l'^
Forthwith JAnaki was attended in the bath with
all
Hearken, Garur
upon this occasion
Brdhma, Siva and all the gods and saints mounted their
chariots and came to have a sight of the Blessed one.
Chaupdi.
The
Rdma
bowing
his
head
to the
Br^hmans,
looked upon
Rama and
Sita,
upon
Then
As they
Then the Brahmans repeated their Vedic incanwhile in the heaven above the gods and saints
overjoyed.
tations
;
'
shouted
the
Victory.'
tila/c
same.
first
himself
to
made
do the
627
THE SEQUEL.
At
on
his
Chhand
Drums sounded
Kinnars sang and
4.
all
nymphs
Gandharvasand
of
and spears. With Sita by his side, the glory of the Solar
race outshone the beauty of unnumbered Loves; the soul
of
the
form
in its
all
the other ornaments that bedecked his limbs, his louts eyes
and stalwart chest and arms, a blessed vision indeed for
man
to behold.
a /]
Doha
The magnificence
assembly are past all
and the Veda may
T-
nj(/
')
1'^'
of the sight
telling,
tell it in part,
hymned
13.
it.
gods departed
all severally
each to his
own
Chhand
"
able in
thy
5.
arm
incompar-
affliction
sion, thee
we
of
compasHari,
THE SEQUEL.
628
life, full
be any,
lord, whom thou regardest with compassion, they
once are freed from all their troubles
so prompt to cut
at
short the
weariness of existence
Rama, we implore
thee.
They,
who
us,
intoxicated
gods might fail to secure, and yet I have seen them fall
from it again. They who confidently abandon every other
hope and continue thy disciples, by repeating thy name
cross the ocean of
whom we
lord
life
invoke.
this is the
of the
three
the
sanctifier of
spheres
the thunderbolt,
flag,
of
which
of
the wor-
by the
nails
saints,
marks
the forest.
We
whose bark
primordial germ
Pur4nas declare
dant flowers
"
whose
fruits are of
two kinds,
bitter
and
1
Many tribes assumed in modern .ind ancient times the name of
snakes (Nagas) whether in order to assert their autochthonic right to
the country in which they lived, or because, as Diodorus
supposes, the snake
had been used as their banner, their rallying sign or crest. At the same
time Diodorus points out, people may either have chosen the snake for their
banner, because it was their deity, or it may have become their deity because it was their banner.
At all events, nothing would be more natural
than that people who, for some reason or other, called themselves snakes
should in time adopt a snake for their ancestor, and
finally for their god. In
India the snakes assume, at an
early time, a very prominent part in epic
and popular traditions. They soon became what fairies or bogies are in our
nursery tales, and they thus appear in company with Gandhiirvas, Apsaras,
Kinnaras ice, in some of the most ancient architectural ornamentations of
India,"
ul/a.ir Mullet's Hihhert Lectures.
THE SEQUEL.
sweet
629
fruit,
to it
full of
buds
of creation.
Supreme
Spirit, the
Dohd
When,
in the
sight of
home
all,
became
J^
14.
'i
and returned
invisible
this
to their
Totakd.^
*'
fier
Hail to thee,
R^ma, the spouse of Lakshmi, the pacihave mercy on thy servant, harassed with the terrors
and troubles
of
Glorious lord,
existence.
sovereign
of
ornament
of
the
thy
arrows
fiery
terrestrial
sphere
most beauteous
noblest of
all
that
handle bow, arrows and quiver radiant as the sun to disperse the thick darkness of the night of pride, ignorance
;
1
The four coats of bark are the four Vedas the six boughs are thought
to be the six stages of existence, vie. conception, birth, childhood, manhood,
old age and death
or else the six natural impulses, vt^., hunger, thirst, excretion of both kinds, sleep, and sexual intercourse. The twenty-five branchlets are Prakriti, Buddhi, Ahankdr, the five Tan-mdt-ras, the five Mahdbhutas, the ten Indriyas, Manas and Purusha (see Note to Book VI., Dohd 16).
The two fruits are pleasure and pain, and the creeper Majd.
;
in
THE SEQUEL.
630
now,
thy holy
feet.
who have no
feet.
in
affection for
making mention
Thus
it is
happy
the
saint aban-
pure heart.
Raghu-bir,
name,
repeat
in prayer
of
Humbly
life.
the su-
^_
"
Dohd
Again and again
grant
it
Sriranga
I
2
15.
-"
'
the
monkeys most
delightful
residences
'
->/a?/.;rt/;,
it
seems impossible
'
HS.E
631
SEQUEL.
ChaupdiHearken, Garur
distresses
and sins
this sacred
of the world.
They who
discretion.
lovingly sing
or hear
it,
it
sung, ob-
world a
this
bliss, to
into
who hear
it,
Garur, this
sorrow
absorp-
the
were
all
some new
an evergrowing
of Brahma, Siva and
affection for
Rama's
delight;
the
In
people
to the lowest.
All
adored
felt
the saints.
The poor had clothes
given them in abundance and the Br^hmans were presented with offerings of every description. ^
-^^
Doha 16.
The monkeys were drowned in a joy like that of heaven;
all were devoted to the Lord's feet; day and night passed
unnoticed till now six months had been spent.
Chaupdi.
their
homes
moned
all his
so absolutely as
never
At
last
reverent obeisance.
done
me
how can
I praise
you
to
your
face ? I hold you all most dear for having left the comforts of
my
account.
My
younger brother,
my
THE SEQUEL.
632
crown
my
I tell
my
fortune,
of
you no falsehood
my
life,
so dear in
my
these are
but
wife,
them
man
to
real sentiments. It is
own
cherish his
my
adherents,
servants.
Doha 17.
J/^
Now, my comrades, return to your homes; there worship
me with steadfast faith and maintain your fervent devotion,
knowing me
to
benefactor
of the universe."
Chaupdi.
When
come
that
they forgot
who
come from.
were so over-
all
they were, or
their
and said
love
all
he could
to
and
with
dress,
first
command Lakshman
By
the Lord's
of
Lanka,
to
Dohd
IS.
^6^^ J
Then Angad
pregnate as
it
bowing
their head at
his
feet
withdrew.
arose and
"
Hearken,
all-wise,
all-merciful
and
all-blessed,
comBili,
THE SEQUEL.
633
I go, if I
men
tell
my home
to me ? Extend to me your protection, a mere child as I am
without knowledge, wisdom, or strength, and regard me
as one of the humblest of your servants.
Let me perform
me,
king of
apart from
my
lord,
what
is
me
to
go home."
Doha
19.
^^-^^f
He
clothed
Ghaupdi.
Bharat with his brother Satrughna and Lakshman proceeded to escort him, being greatly moved by his devotion.
Thus would
I stay, if
Rdma would
crying,
ing up in his mind Rdma's look and voice and gait, his
smile too and his embrace, with a last glance at his face and
many words
of fervent praper,
"
Let me spend ten days more in Rdnia's
besought him
service and then I will return to your feet, my master."
:
R-83
THE SEQUEL.
634
"
All-merciful."
Dohd
to
20.
J^if
C//
Y 1^-
B^li started
the Lord
Now
was overjoyed.
on his way,
of his devotion
hard as adamant,
comprehend
it
is
while
Hanuman
the
great god
now
soft as
Rdma's heart
the
who can
Ghawpdi.
Next the All-merciful summoned the Nishdd and gra"
Return
ciously presented him with jewels and raiment.
your home, but ever remember me, and in heart,
word and deed observe all the ordinances of religion. You,
to
my
of tears.
With
the
image
of his
lotus feet
all his
kinsfolk.
The
citizens,
his blessed
were
name.
^^
Devoted
to religion, the
to
own
caste
and stage
of life,*
fear, or sorrow,
or disease.
The anramus, or stapes of life,' are not to be confounded by tlie Engnader with what would be 'ordinarily r^esignated states of life
They
aie four in number
Ist, that of the
2nd, that of
liidhraachari, or student
'
lish
and
'
'
Vana-prastba, or ancborite
635
THE SEQUEL.
Ghaupdi.
In the whole of Rd,ma's dominions there was no one
suffered from trouble of
of
who
to the
pillars of religion^
alike
were
of highest heaven.
sickness even, but every one was comely and sound of body.
No
and
intelligent.
of his
A^^
Chaupdi.
its seven seas had only one king,
the
lord
This was no great matter for
of
Kosala.
Rdma,
The world
encircled by
the very
persons
who
actions of his.
They are the special rewards of such know2
ledge so declare the greatest of sages and ascetics
the
happiNot even Sesh-nAg or S^radd could describe
;
ness
and prosperity
of
Rama's
reign.
The four pillars of religion are truth, parity, mercy and charity.
2 For harad sunla, given in Ram Jasan's edition, the preferable reading
seems to be bar dam-sild.
1
THE SEQUEL.
636
generous and kindly dispoRed to his neighbour and submissive to the Brnhmans. Every husband was faithful to his
was devoted
Dohd23.
her husband.
the words
to beat
'
The
fruit
to
^^^
all
Ramchandra'e realm.
Qhau^ai.
were ever
trees of the
forest
their
full of flowers
and
peaceably together.
instinctive
animosities and
cool, fragrant
made
humming. Every creeper and tree yieldsweetness on being asked and the cows in sheer
The earth
lightness of heart dropt, their milk on the road.
ed
a pleasant
its
in the
were disclosed
remained
within
men
its
to
of Silver.
king
in the
to
Mines
of
mountains
be in truth the
of water,
shore for
Every
river
Age
to the taste.
The
sea
Dohd
24:.
^^
The
whenever asked,
in the days
Chaiipdi.
The
Jjor(\
celebrated
THE SEQUEL.
conferred iniiumberable gifts
637
Sita
to
of all sen-
her lord,
majVsty of
incomparable
and her meekness, sensible of the
the All-merciful and devotedly attached to his
lotus feet.
Though
suality.
there were
Kausalyd and
Umd, Lakshmi,
Doha
The
25.
/^y^
is
coveted
this
feet,
watch
his lotus
conspicuous.
face on the
The
points of
they made
all
their
prayer
to
God
attain.
for a
The Supreme
Spirit
that
transcends
all intelligence,
THE SEQUEL.
638
speech and perception
by material
that
is
the
or
phenomena,
even he
properties of things,
it
Chaupdi.
In the early morning after bathing in the Sarju he sat
his court, in the midst of Brihmans and snges, while
in
Rdma
listening
He took
attentively, though he knew^ them all of himself.
brothers
the
with
his
matrons
meals
his
royal
looking on
with the utmost satisfaction. Then Buarat, and Satrughna,
:
the
two brothers,
to
some grove,
where they would sit down and ask him all about Riima's
doings, and he would reply out of the depth of his wisdom.
It
was
told of Raima's
women
alike joined in
hymning
his praises,
Men
arid
Doha
27.
Mf^
Chaupdi.
AyodhyA
to
The appearance of the city made them forget all their asceticism.
The balconies encrusted with gold and jewels, the
splendid pavements laid in diverse colours, the magnificent
forts on every side of the
city with their brightly painted
battlements, as though the nine planets had been mustered
in array to belpaguer Indra's
the floors
capital, An)aravati
;
crystal that
at the sight
the soul of
the glistening
639
THE SEQUEL.
Chhand
Beneath the light
of
6.
resplendent with their thresholds of coral and pillars of precious stone and golden walls, such as the ('reator himself
inlaid with emeralds and gems.
were
stately palace-courts
lovely with inworked crystal,
and every gate was fitted with folding doors of gold
all
The
Dohd
^^^
28.
In every house was a beautiful and well-furnished picture gallery, where Rdma's achievements were so set forth
that the soul of a saint would be ravished at the sight.
Ghaiipdi.
pets,
own shadow.
and dancing
in
high glee
at the sight
teaching par-
rots
and mainas
ficent,
to
all
elegantly
laid out.
Chhand
7.
and grain-dealers
THE SEQUEL,
640
Every one was happy, every one well-conducted and comely, men and women, young and old, all alike.
n fine
went
to drink.
all
to bathe.
The most
different holy
description
Every
sin
groves,
its
was
its
were
there,
planted
effaced by a sight of
it,
with
its
woods and
Ghhand
8.
The many-coloured lotuses, the cooing of the numerous birds and the buzzing of the bees made the spot a
delightful one, where the parrots by the clamour seemed
the sight.
to
Dohd
How
is it
^^^"^
fused
30.
through
the
Anim^ and
whole of
the other
fairies
had
dif-
prosperity.
Chaupdi.
THE SEQUEL.
611
of
plexioned
who
champion
company
the
the
serpent Death
Love
the
giver of
happiness to his
people; a sun to scatter the thick darkness of doubt and
sorrow a fire to consume the dense forest of demons
;
who can
he
is
refuse to worship
the breaker of
the insect
swarm
ever uniform
of manifold desires
Tulsi
Lord?"
Doha
the
Dds's
own
gracious
,^7
J J
31.
Chaupdi.
From
First to
was
of Ignorance
show
an end
to
away out
wSbn^oi sight
to
at
By Karma, which
'
R-84
THE
642
as
Infatuation and
SEQUfiL.
ill
Envy,
with
skill.
standing
as the chakor
at ease
Discretion were
like so
Dohd2>2.
When
/"M
die away.
Chaupdi,
HanumAn went
his brothers
and
to visit a
still
youthful
to
look
at
One
in
Rdma's
actions.
The
stopt,
Rdma's
who
wisdom, as
of fire.
friction is
^DdhdZ'6.
J^i
Chauydi,
643
THE SEQUEL.
head before him and could not close their eyes for a moment,
so intensely were they fixed on the shrine of beauty, the
conqueror of the world, with his lotus eyes and dark-hued
When Raghubir
frame.
of
you sin
is
the greatest
The
annihilated.
of
blessings
once
at
it
consort^
is
severance
Doha
To
effects a
*^"0
34:.
leads to
final
the
of
greatest
beatitude,
:
so say the
poets, the
Vedas,
Ghaupdi.
unembodied
the
to
bliss,
the
embodi-
Glory
is
ous;
ignorance; the
the emotionless the universe
the destroyer
name-less
spirit
of
protect
us for ever,
Rdma
the universal
heart.
many-named, the
itself,
from the
i no measurable,'
is capable of two meanings : either
without pride,' from the root ma7i, to think.'
to measure ;' or
it
and the
between
the
jingle
Either will suit the context equally well, and
what chie^y suggested it to the pcet.
is
1
'
Aman
root ma,
'
'
following word
mam-pmd
probably
THE SEQUEL.
644
asunder the bonds of the world and its miserable contentions and destroying our sensuality and conceit.
Dohd
35.
t^-n
all-blessed
holy R^rna,
every desire of the soul,
love and devotion.
Ghaupdi.
Grant
and grant us
that,
Ragfhupati,
us,
Be propitious
our Lord, a very cow of heaven,
and worldly
this boon,
conceit.
of
hope and
fear, of
discretion
meekness,
swan
in the
Manas lake
of saintly souls
whose lotus
recovery of
the
time, destiny,
nature and
phenomenal existence
salvation
Scriptures
Tulsi Das's
own
feet are
ark of
lord."
.-
Dohd
36.
annihilator of
Having again and again hymned his praises and lovingly bowed the head, Sanat-Kum^ra and his companions returned to Brahma's sphere, after obtaining the boon they
had 80 vehemently coveted.
Chaupdi.
way
their
head
to
at
to
THE SEQUEL.
all their
645
doubts.
"
heart understood this perfectly and said,
wish to know, Hanumdtj?" Then replied
HanumAn
with
between
me and
On
Bharat."
"
my
Hearken,
^^^
Dohd37.
^^
have no doubts whatever, Sire not a shadow of disall-merquietude or distrust and this all of your mercy,
ciful and all-blessed.
I
Chaupdi
But
if I
loving-kindness
for I
am
of the saints
by your own
understanding.
in the notes that
"
good
for
the
of the
to the
fells
it.
DohdSS.
For this reason sandal-wood
in
fire
and
is
well
its
is
the
desire of the
world
of
hammered.
Chaupdi.
Without attachment
virtue
and generosity
to
sensual objects
store-houses of
THE SEQUEL.
646
in their joy
devoted to
and impatience,
conquerors
tender of heart, compassionate to the poor
sober, passionless
my name
me
as
my own
life
unselfish,
saint.
They
are never
disturbed in
their
DohdSQ.
or
>^^
they regard praise and blame as both alike, in their exmy lotus feet such are the treasurers
clusive devotion to
of virtue, the
whom
I love as
my own
are the
good, and
soul.
Chaupdi.
whom
one
when an
consuming
fire,
other's
which
itself.
The
is
prosperity
abused, they are as glad as if they had picked up a treasure
on the road. Devoted to sensuality, choleric, arrogant and
:
and
false in small
speaking plausible
Dohd
Injurious
to their
40.
v^rife
and
64?
THE SEQUEL.
wealth and gloating over his misfortunes men thus
and abominable are ruthless incarnate fiends.
;
vile
Ghaupdi.
Coveting dress, coveting bed addicted to lust and
gluttony with no fear of the realm of Yama before their
;
eyes
quarrelsome
and choleric
Brahman
devoted
to their
when they
own selfish
themselves
workers of other's
infatuatod
pleasure in the
Hari
of the world,
company
of the
ill
taking no
oceans of immorality, dull of understanding, lascivious, revilers of the Vedas, masterful with other men's goods,
:
and treachery
Brdhmans and
in their heart,
though outwardly
fair
seem-
ing.
Dohd
No
such
vile
41.
man
wretches of
existed in
the
first
and
second age, and only a few in the third, but in the fourth
there are swarms of them.
Ghaupdi.
no religion like charity and no
meanness like malevolence. What I now declare to you is
my
the
sum
brother, there
of the
philosophers.
Men who
undergo an enormous
so
infatuated that
interests they
is
in
in the
their
commit many
series of
devotion
sins
I reveal
transmigrations.
to their
of the
to others
Men are
own selfish
myself
to
them, brother, as
and assign
whether good or evil. The truly wise consider the matter
thus and worship me, regarding the world only as a burden;
they discard action with its result, good or bad, and devoutly
their destiny
THE SEQUEL.
648
adore me, the king of gods and men and saints. Thus
have I declared the characteristics of the good and the bad;
they
will
flood of existence.
not be submerged
/
in
the
b^
Dohd^2.
are
all
the products of
them
Maya
greatest merit
is
an imperfection of know-
is
ledge."
Ghaupdi.
hearing this utterance of the divine mouth, the
brothers rejoiced and their heart overflowed with love.
On
Hanuman
Rdma
also.
after time
something new
to record.
ricited the
He
whole
acts,
then went
story.
The
Creator on hearing
it
abstraction
powers
Supreme
on hearing his
hymn
listened reverently.
Doha
Spirit,
of praise.
43.
forgot their
The highest
(M
and intent
existence
Ram a's
history.
Ghaupdi.
One day by Rima's invitation all the gurus and BrAhmans and people of the city came together, and when the
and nobles had taken their seat in the assemly, the
Comforter of the pious made them this speech " Hearken
to my words, all ye people of the
city I speak without any
priests
THE SEQUEL.
selfish
motive at heart,
aggrandizing myself;
neither
and
listen
649
act as
you.
do not be afraid
that
is
it
to correct
good
be born with the body
great
surmounted
me.
fortune
to
of a
man, which
is
Doha
44.
human body
it is
The
ends in misery.
speak well
w^hich he
as a fair
may
wind
to
speed him on
his
course
easily procures
which would
else
Doha
all
my grace
with pious
the equipment
be beyond him.
45.
is
an ungrate-
hearken
to
my
R-85
/
^
Ghaupai^
Whoso
"^
^
will
in his heart.
THE SEQUEL.
650
is
difficult
cumbrous and
The
saints.
deeds
Now
there
are not
saints
their
is
fellowship
the
is
to
deed.
guile
One
Brdhmans.
to the
Doha
46.
other mysterious
all
Ghaupdi.
me what
Tell
neither abstract
meditation
is
mind void
may
of
trust in
man,
of faith
sacrifice,
simplicity of character,
one who
If
befall.
way
nor
necessary,
tell
me where
a worshipper of
called
is
is
his trust in
me
mine
But why
my
protract
discourse
to
perfect repose
homeless
passionless,
body
to
persistent in faith,
final
fections
my
the
(1^
Dohd
to
deliverance from
impious scepticism.
Devoted
47.
name, which
is
the
sum
of all
my
per-
THE SEQUEL.
65 1
the very
is
sum
of
transcendental felicity."
Ghaupdi.
hearing the gracious Rama's ambrosial speech, they
"
all embraced his feet
Fountain of mercy, you are our
our
father,
mother, our spiritual guide and our brethren,
On
life.
You,
for
one.
Sire,
ever
dreams
of
the
highest
object."
When
the glorious
theme
^^
DohdiS.
Um.'i, every man and woman among the inhabitants
of Avadh was the picture of satisfaction the supreme
was
felicity of heaven suffused the whole city when Rdma
;
king.
Ghaupdi.
possesses
my
soul.
The business
of a family-priest is
very contemptible;
the
me,
You
my
son.
Brahma, the
THE SEQUEL.
652
Spirit, will
Supreme
Raghu.'
Dohd
49.
pursue
Chaupdi.
Prayer, penance, pious observances, and doing one's
duty in life are different good actions based on the Scrip-
to a glorious end,
devotion to your lotus feet.
Can dirt be
removed by cleansing with dirt ? is ghi to be obtained by
a constant
viz. J
of
Dohd
My lord,
your clemency
my
all
my
50.
who
is
Rdma,
in
feet.
grant
future births
it,
may my
love for
diminish."
Chaupdi.
So saying. Saint Vasishtha returned home and the Allmerciful was greatly pleased at heart. Then, being ever
gracious to his servants, he took with him Hanumdn and
Bharat and his other brothers and in his benignity went
outside the city, where he ordered up the elephants, chariots
After inspecting them, he was pleased to
praise them all and then distributed them, giving each
person the one that he wished. The Lord, the remover of all
and
horses.
mango
THE SEQUEL.
grove, where Bharat spread his
653
own raiment on
seat,
with
all
the ground,
his brothers in
At
attendance, while the Son of the Wind fanned him.
this his body quivered with emotion and his eyes filled
There
with tears.
is
his
own mouth.
Doha
7v^
51.
At that time came the Saint Ndrad, with his lute in his
hand, and began
pregnant theme.
hymn Rama's
to
Ghaupdi.
"
lotus-eyed,
dark
merciful of aspect,
of
Brdhmans
helpless
arm
exterminator of sin
befriender of the
earth's grievous
antagonist
beneficent to
of the lotus
ingenious
Rdvan's
noblest of kings.
Glory
house of Dasarath, whose glory is
incarnation of beauty
moon
destroyer of Khara
to the
as a rain-cloud to the
delusions of
even
me
self,
Tulsi Dds."
Dohd
When
52.
1 /^
recital of
the
Rama's
654
THE SEQUEL.
Ghaupdi.
Hearken, Um^, to this glorious legend, the whole of
which I have now told to the best of my ability
But
Rflma's acts are hundreds of millions in
all
reckoning
them
R^ma
all.
infinite
is
and
may count
You
his names.
dust on the
acquires an imperishable devotion. The whole of the delectable history, which Bhusundi
birds, has now,
ly a fraction of
am
you.
Bhav^ni, what I
have heard the glori-
me,
tell
Umd rejoiced
you next."
to tell
repeated
to
modest and gentle accents thus reBlessed, yea thrice blessed am I, PurAri, to have
plied
heard the virtues of R4ma, that put an end to all the
ous narrative and in
"
terrors of life.
cry
Dohd
and
desire
that he
am
Rama,
Your mouth,
joy.
of Rdma's praises
pitchers of
my
is
/^
no longer in doubt
the Lord,
the
sum
my
but
soul drinks
have attained
know
of all
ears,
-y b
most clement,
By your clemency,
my
53.
the glory of
knowledge and
moon with
the nectar
refuses to be satisfied,
resolute
of purpose.
Chaupdi.
with hearing Rama's deeds
satiated
savotir.
The great
sages,
who
Rama's history
the praises
ears to hear
who
of Hari
a sure ship.
as pleasant
for is there
any one
takes no pleasure in
Even
to
in the
RAma's
the world-
world with
history
they
THE SEQUEL.
Rama
reciting your
lay, I
But
boundless delight.
655
whom
self-destroyers, to
have listened,
my
with
lord,
you have
Doha
Now
54.
'Y
in the form of a
marvel greatly
crow could be a votary of Rama's, and possess such self-control and knowledge and wisdom and such staunch devotion
I
to his feet.
Chaiip^i.
Hearken, Purari
one who
is
among
a thousand
ticsso
the
there
liberated from
a thousand of these
it is
loathes
a million asce-
among
may be one who
;
the
Supreme
bliss of
king of the g
Bat
Spirit.
who
be one
may be
among
knowledge
wise, one
may be
there
Scriptures declare
attains to perfect
yond
men
in the divinity,
>ds5^
there
is
be-
exempt from
beyond
one yet more
all
Dohd55.~VS)
difficult to find, a
vanity and
universe,
illusion
how
of the senses.
to
such
faith.
enamoured
to all
of
the
Tell me,
of
wisdom,
good qualities and resolute of purpose, what was
the reason that he had the body of a crow ?
Sire,
if
full of all
Chanpdi.
THE SEQUEL.
656
for leaving a
company
of saints
this story ?
Describe
to
me
and going
to a
crow
to
hear
of the interview
the nature
and delusion
faith in
hearing of
story, the
Rama's
every sorrow
springs up an implicit
for
from
feet
there
it
to
difficulty
man
crosses
Doha
56.
This was the very question which the king of the birds,
to the
Chaupdi.
My
story
that
Afterwards
was sorely
my beloved,
sorrowing
and wandered among the beautiful woods, and hills and
rivers and lakes, admiring the scene, but a sworn ascetic.
troubled at
for
lieart,
On each
pdkar and
Dohd
Its
and
of
water
many
cool,
57.
colours
while
flocks
r^
;
its
of
lotuses
abundant
swans murmured
THE SEQUEL.
their melodious
notes
657
made
delicious
buzzing.
Ghaupdi.
On
of the world.
of
of
ship of
under the pdkar, prayer and sacrifice in the shade of the
mango he mentally performed the temple ritual, having no
;
With loving
reverence he sung the varying cycle of Rama's deeds, in
the hearing of all the pure-souled swans that ever dwell
When I arrived there and saw the sight, an
in that lake.
tures,
my
to hear.
heart.
Dohd
58. -f
Ghaupdi.
have thus told you, Girijd, the full account of the circumstances under which I visited the crow. Hearken now
I
to the
him.
though
Supreme
R-se
who
is
absolute master
THE SEQUEL.
658
world; bat
Can
see
this be
Rdma, by the
repetition of
of
existence,
"
in snakey coils?
if
a wretched
demon
Chaupdi.
he could to re-assure himself, his
understanding was not enlightened error overshadowed
his soul.
Distracted by doubt and full of mental question-
Though he
did
all
tale,
me
sense, he
The same
makes
their infatuation
Dohd
S"
60.
So saying the teacher of the gods went his way chanting Rima's praises, again and again in his infinite wisdom
insisting on the might of Rdma's delusive power.
Chawpdi.
power
is
delusion.
unbounded
puppet, though
my
"
:
creation,
all
many
a time
has
it
it
made me
its
inanimate are of
THE SEQUEL.
Then
of the birds."
"
65d
Brahma
said
in gracious accents
Go
son of
him,
Vinata, and ask no questions of any other. There you will
power.
On
doubts."
DohdQl.
to
hearing Brahma's
P^
Then came
me.
He
me
reverently bowed
On
his difficulty.
ly responded,
road
Bhavdni
how can
settled
till
the saints.
RAma,
as
Ghaupdi.
head at
hearing his
:
sung
instruct
in diverse
you
God R^ma.
in
which
the
lord,
will
feet.
4 r
'
Dohd
Except in the company
Rama
is
of saints
there
is
no talk about 1
delusion
62.
is
feet.
Without
affection
Ghaupdi.
is no
there
finding Rd,ma,
though
and asce-
ticism.
full of all
recites
Rama's
tHE SEQUEL.
660
Go
reverently listen.
Rdma's
excellen-
ces
my feet and set out with joy. I did not myself instruct
him, Uma, for I understood the mystery of Rdma's grace.
Perhaps he had shown pride on some occasion and the Allmerciful wished that he should cure himself of this defect.
at
There was also another reason why I did not detain him
being a bird he understood bird language. The Lord's
;
is
great
who
is
so wise as not to
Dohd
Even
76^ i7
63.
very crown
of philosophers
and
saints,
the
spheres,
was overcome by
well have
its
his
why speak
of
when
Chawpdi.
Bhusundi's abode, that sturdy- hearted
and indefatigable votary of Hari's. At the sight of the rock
the trouble caused him by Mayd's
his heart rejoiced
Garur went
to
passed away. After bathing in the lake and drinking of the water, he went under the banyan tree with exulting soul. There assembled flocks upon flocks of birds to
wiles
all
doings.
He was just
on the point
of
politeness
Then
addressed him
a seat.
the
in
Do/i^64.
"
Now am
see you
what
is
^-
ir^
to
content,
visit,
my
lord ?"
*'
have
to
do
You have
THE SEQUEL.
661
Ghaupdi.
Hearken, father the object for which I came was attained as soon as I saw you.
Directly I beheld your most
;
nity
ble, sincere
and
On
affectionate,
so graceful
hum-
preme. joy was diffused over his soul and he began the recital
Raghupati's glory. First, Bhavani, he expounded with
of
Rama's
acts.
Then he
told
Narad's extraordinary delusion and of R^van's incarnaAfter this he sang the story of the Lord's birth and
tion.
After telling
'*v>
childish performances
with the utmost rapture of soul, he next told of the Rishi's
coming and
of
"
Raghu-bir's
marriage.
Chaupdi.
how
the citizens
how
after he
had
had
his sandal
662
back with him
of
SEQUEL.
TtiE
life,
to
Avadh.
Dohdm.
inter-
7^
Vir^dh's death, of
how Sarabhanga
Then he
dropped
v\
told
of
Ghaupdi.
He
told
him
purification of the
the
also of
Dandaka
in the
woods
tation to
tion.
of Panchavati,
Lakshman and
After this
to
he narrated
to
of
Khara
his
the
exhor-
with
talk
Marfcha.
Then he
all
de-
Rdma's bereavement.
performed the vulture's
how
the Lord
Kabandh
After this
he told
Dohd
67. -^
I.
/^
.:
Of
his interview
He
Ghaupdi.
sent out monkeys, who ran in
every direction search for Sita how they entered tlu* cave
and found Samp;iti how Hanum^n, when he had heard all
How
the
monkey king
the circumstances,
fire to
How
the
THE SEQUEL.
663
-fs^
over to the opposite side, and how the valiant son of B^li
went as an envoy. He described the various battes between
of
Ghaupdi.
The
the
death
car
Pushpaka and
at his
own
city
all
Then he
Bhusundi
full
told of
all its
tell,
and he cried
My
as I have told
it
it
Bhavdni.
to you,
all,
his soul
was
Sorathd
"
and
in raptures
Sfta
the
out for
set
When
of
satis-
between
mourning
Rama and
arrived
fight
of
how
how
the gods
demons, the
of Riivan, the
5.
^C
'^
By your
history.
best of
favour,
crowds, I feel a
ed
me when
him?
Ghaupdi
Seeing
all his
ways
But
a very grievous doubt arose in my soul.
stand that my error was a favour which the
now
under-
All-merciful
664
THE SEQUEL.
was pleased to bestow upon me. To appreciate the blessing of a shady tree, one must first have suffered from the
sun. If this delusion had not befallen me, how should I
have met you, father, and how should I have heard the
delightful story of Rdma which you have told me so fully
in all
all
its
This
details ?
is
By Raima's favour
of favour.
by your grace
all
my
of
RAma
I
?^-fj
Doftrf69.
On
when
a good
who
his
man
finds
an^
Uma,
tears.
and well-disposed
religious reading and a
intelligent
listener,
is
Ghawpdi.
Then
who had no
answered K^ka-bhusundi,
king
of
the birds
for doing
me
'*
:
My
lord,
slight
you are
in
a kindness.
it
was only a
By sending you.
Siva,
great saints
who
made
a puppet
of,
blinded,
whom
for
is
Nirad,
there one of
whom Love
or
Desire
J)oU
whom
me
tell
them
has
not
>
'
"^
THE SEQUEL.
beguiled
wanton
whom the
whom power
;
pride of
has not
665
wealth has
made
deaf
not
rendered
whom
or
the
Ghaupdi.
whom
any
by
self-conceit
blast of sorrow
whom
whom envy
whom
and
it
renown
of
full
The
desire
threefold tempta-
These
all
are Mayd's
awe
in
is
not sullied?
Is
of her,
why speak
of
other creatures ?
'
Doha
71.
'^^
ceit
to
this,
my
Chaupdi.
This Mayd, that sets the whole world a-dancing and
whose actions no one can understand, is herself set dancing
with all her troupe, like an actress on the stage,
king of
the birds, by the play of the Lord's eye-brows. For R^ma is
the totality of existence, knowledge and bliss,! the uncreatthe
the all-wise the home of beauty and strength
ed
'
R-87
THE SEQUEL,
G66
deceit
allspeech or perception
without personal
unconquered
seeing,2 irreproachable,
without illusion
the
the
Lord
Spirit, effort-
Supreme
Doha
For the sake
72.
^.-x/
-^
/ er-f
lord
deathless, pas-
passionless,
sphere
trascending nature
heart
without form,
interests,
of
God, our
preme sanctification has lived as it were the life of any ordinary man. As an actor in the course of his performance assumes a variety of dresses and exhibits different characters,
but himself remains the same
;
Ghaupdi.
Such,
derment
Garur,
Rama's divertissement,
is
bewil-
demons, but a delight to the faithful. Sensual libertines in their dulness of soul impute the delusion
to the
to
moon
is
man whose
of a yellow colour
eyesight
or
is in
when mis-
is
When
moving.
is
standing
still
round and
The words
in the Nydya
attribute 'and 'invariably pervaded.'
They are employed in making a
universal affirmation, or in affirming universal distribution
as, for example.
'
'Wherever there is smoke, there is fire ;' Wherever there is humanity, there is
mortality.' In such cases an Indian logician always expresses himself by saying that there is an invariably pervading concomitance of fire with smoke
'
'
and
of mortality
with humanity
'
i.e.,
'
another reading
is
THE SEQUEL.
round, the house, or whatever else
round,
it is
667
it
may
In this
way
dullards,
soul,
lay their
How
-o
domestic
affairs,
pictures of
m isery,
at the
bottom of a well
of darkness ?
easy to
of
a saint
is
bewildered on hearing of
all
and supernatural.
Chaupdi.
Hearken, Garur, I will tell you to the best of my ability an agreeable story, in illustration of Rdma's power; declaring to you in full
all
and
is
the cause
of
Pride has
its
on
its
body,
At
first
its
it
open.
to
it,
THE SEQUEL.
668
now
and my own
I will
tell
Chaupdi.
you the story, Garur,
stupidity
listen
of
Rdma's grace
Whenever
attentively.
am
The
child
Rama
my own
is
my
Ever
give my
eyes a treat indeed, and being in the trivial shape of a
crow I keep close to Hari and observe all his child like
lord,
sports.
Dohd
Whenever he rambles
hand, and
for
my
75.
^^
Garur,
^;
food I pick
very quaint
Ghawpdi.
Bhusundi continued
"
Rama's
story of
roamed about,
self
Here R6ma
rous nails that outshone the brightness of the moon, decorated with the four-fold stamp of the thunderbolt, the
the elephant-goad and the flag, and circled with
that made sweet music. Melodious, too, the
bangles
pretty
about
his waist fashioned of gold and bossed
belt
pretty
lotus,
with jewels.
THE SEQUEL.
//^^
DohdlQ.
With a
creased in
belly
the
gleaming with
;
Chaupdi.
With
roseate
tion of beauty
with lisping speech and ruddy lips and
two dear little pearly teeth above and below with chubby
cheeks and a darling nose and a smile as winsome as that
;
moon; with
of the
that
lotus eyes
and
and beautiful
body, he fascinated
all his
sported in
at the sight
dancing
sorts of
of his
ly ran to catch
flew
me,
blush to
he laughingthen he showed me a
piece of cake.
Doft.77.
I
When
tell.
away
y ,
^^^'^'-^
and he
all
I flew
away again
a-crying.
come by bewilderment.
Lord who is the totality
Can
of intelligence
and bliss?
Chaupdi.
This was what came into my mind, Garur, for R^ma had
sent forth his delusive power to entangle me. But this delu-
was
sion
by
it
as
in
no way harmful
other creatures.
Ptdma alone
is
to
me.
was not so
special cause,
my
affected
lord,
was
670
THE SEQUEL.
animate, or inanimate,
same
perfect
difference
his pride
subject
the Deity
tell
had the
be the
is
If all
me what would
subject to Mayd..
is
intelligence,
The
creature in
subjected
to
God.
is
one.
may
do.
"^'^'^
DoM78.
The
wisest of
Rama,
prayer
to
Though
sixteen full
host and
like a
is
tail
and horns.
all
the
beast without
moons were
the forests
to rise
and
starry
fire,
Chawgdi.
In like manner, Garur,
without prayer
to Hari, the
dispersed.
Igno-
knowledge
emanating from the Lord pervades his whole being. Therebest of birds, there is no destruction for a believer
fore,
:
his
faith
RAma
as
of
smiled to see
me
reel
in
The
error,
is
ever growing.
As
hold of me.
arms as
High
close to
me
arms
still
to lay
saw
his
.a
as ever.
DoU
mounted even
air,
his
79.
^"
to
back in
my
folds
the universe
of
flight,
two
and mounted
to the
utmost height
THE SEQUEL.
that 1 could reach, but
was
671
still I
then
dumbfounded.
Ghaupdi.
In
my
terror
them again
me
closed
and Sivas
stars
moons
innumerable
f^^-
DohdSO.
'^^^^'
Such as eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has
entered into man's mind to conceive, were all the marvels
that I
saw
how
is it
universe I stayed
made the round of
a
all
in this
manner
Ghaupdi.
its
own
Manu and
separate Creator,
its
own Regents
its
own Vish-
of the spheres
demons, cattle, birds and serpents, all the tribes of gods and
giants, and every living creature, but differing in form
with lands, rivers, seas, lakes, and mountains, and the whole
;
mechanism
distinct.
Each mundane
egg had its own peculiar aspect and in all its manifold deIn each world was a separate
tails was wonderful to behold.
its own men and women,
city of Avadh with its own Sarju
;
which
'
THE SEQUEL.
672
own
its
me
sports for
Rima
incarnate
y.
Doha
Garur,
with
to see.
rw^/i^
Si.
"^-^
repeated, but in
my
I visited,
of delusion.
Chaupdi.
to have been spent
my
travels
some
came
At
last,
my
after all
to
time.
little
different spheres.
in
many
worlds,
but
to
what
In
you.
saw
is
Rdma's
past
all
belly
telling.
saw
Then
saw the
again
ciful
two hours
saw everything
was bewildered
my
soul
entirely.
'
Dohd
'
S2.
me.
reasoned with
my mind
myself
in
every
way
could; but
had no peace.
ChauTpai.
my
my
senses.
'
the
mouth, but
believers.'
I fell to
THE SEQUEL.
lie at
673
once
As
reflected
my
arose in
made humble
again and
petition
DohdS3.
/^
'"/)'-
that I
am
powers
sum
or
be
it
the supernatural
of all bliss
from
qualities
attain unto.
"The
it is true, has
promised to give
not
he
said
would give me faith.
me every blessing, but has
Without faith what are any virtues or blessings ? like any
within myself;
Lord,
salt.
Of what avail is any
Garur,
Having thus considered,
-Doha 84.
'"y^
R-88
THE SEQ13EL.
674
search after, but few only find and that by the Lord's grace:
my lord R^ma, tree of Paradise to the pious, friend of the
suppliant, all-merciful, all-blessed, of your clemency grant
me
this faith."
Ghaupdi.
"
So be
it,"
of the
"
then continued in these most gracious words
Hearken,
crow you are very sagacious, and therefore no wonder that
:
you ask this boon. You crave faith, the source of every
blessing; there is none in the world so highly favoured as
you
for the
it
dwell
shall
in
your bosom
faith,
knowledge, divine,
science and
Dohd
None
forth
of
affect
the
you
errors that
;
with
my
85.
arise
you know me
to
^^'
favour shall
/Zv;
ken
to
my
words, and in
all
me
matter.
;
hear-
an unalterable devotion to
my
feet.
Ghawpdi,
Attend now
to this most
holy exposition of mine,
both simple and true and is implied in the Vedas
and other Scriptures. I will reveal to you my own peculiar
which
is
all others.
motionless.
1 love
them
all,
my
creatures
but
THE SEQUEL.
man
is
mans
of Brdhmans, those
me
675
most.
who study
the
again
wise
and
of
best
the
these
who come
of these
my
beloved of
all
are
my own
ser-
me and have
vants,
to
dear to
faith, is as
me
as
my own
Doha
Tell
me how
is it
this is
my
doctrine.
/3/
intelligent
soul
86.
be held dear
hearken,
down both
in the
father has a
number
of children,
each different in
open-handed
soldier, a clever
man of
is
in
all, if
me
viewed by
worships
me
Dohd
87.
my
best-beloved.
THE SEQUEL.
676
/So.
SorathdZ.
crow, I
as dear to
me
tell
me
as
Ghaupdi.
Time shall have no power over you, so long as you remember to worship me without ceasing." I should never
have tired of listening to my lord's ambrosial discourse
my body quivered all over and my soul rejoiced exceedingly.
My mind and my ears experienced a delight, which it is
beyond the power of tongue to tell. My eyes had the bliss
of beholding my lord's beauty, but how can they declare
After he had gladdened me by his
it? they have no voice.
;
mother as
his
started
up
if
in haste
then holding
ing words and clasped him to her bosom
him in her lap she gave him to suck, singing the while of
;
The
citizens of
/^^/J^
flooded with that joy,
to attain
garb.
least
atom
Garur,
if
they are
After this
Ghaupdi.
stayed some little time at Avadh, a specta-
have now
you the whole of this strange story of how I was bewitched by Hari's delusive power. From my own experience I warn you, Garur, that without prayer to Hari your
told
THE SEQUEL.
677
there
consistency in faith
How
it
slips
on water.
oil
there be
can
peace
enough
to kill
your-
self.
Chaupdi.
it is
is
no cessation
dream
vain to
of desire
so long
Can
of ease.
desire
Can
virtue be acquired
without
attendance on the
wise,
any more than vision can exist, Sir, without light ? Can
the mind be at rest when ill at ease, any more than the
sense of touch
dence there
is
is
no exercise
is
Dona
Without confidence there
tion
R^ma
creature
is
f j>J^
88.
no devotion
not
Thus consider,
without devo-
confi-
powers, and
no conquest over the terrors
of supernatural
Without
of
Rama
no
Ch'Hi^pdL
stout of heart,
1
The five elements, ether, earth, water,
properties are here enumerated.
and
air
and
their several
THE SEQUEL.
678
tlie
Thus have
Chaupdi.
declared to you, king Garur, according to
all
it
with
The
saints
nor have
to
Rdma's greatness,
eyes.
his glory,
infinite.
my own
power
all
have
his names,
boundless and
There
declare
them
fully.
yourself
down
to a gnat,
heaven
of
of
Raghupati
is
Rdma
it.
his flight.
in
unfathomable
beautiful
is
is
of
As masterful
in
myriad DurgAs
immeasurable
Dohd 89.
might as a myriad winds
in
expanse as
as bright as
interminable as a
myriad
fires,
myriad deaths
our very God,
as
as a
ii^repxesaible
Chaupdi.
The Lord
flexible
is
as a
myraid places
as unfathomable as a
my raid
of
as
accumulation of
myriad
Yamas
sin.
Himalayas
Raghu-bir
as
is
as
and
as a
as
myriad cows
of plenty,
as a
immoveable as a
Brdhmas
is
as potent to save as a
to destroy as a
THE SEQUEL.
Mayas
679
the illimitable,
incomparable Lord,
myriad Sesh-ndgs
the sovereign
of the
universe.
Chhand
9.
alone
one should compare the sun to a hundred myriads of fireflies, it would be utterly
inadequate. In like manner the
great sages have exercised their ingenuity in describing
Hari, and the Lord, appreciating their intention, has of his
great clemency listened kindly and approved.
Doha
R^ma
sound
it
90.
is
to
Abjure
all selfishness,
7.
Chaupdi.
Bhusundi's delectable discourse, the king
of the birds rejoiced and preened his wings.
His eyes
streamed and his soul was overcome with delight as he
On
hearing
meditated on the
ashamed
to think of his
existence,
Doubt
like a serpent
of
Rdma."
THE SEQUEL.
'^-l-'^i>'
Doh4Ql.
my
ignorance,
lord
and master,
question.
me, regarding
Qlfiauxiai.
You
are
all-wise
a perfect pliilosopher
Rama's
for
favourite servants
what, then,
is
intelligent,
a store-house of
the
and one
reason.
of
Sire,
in full.
excellent history of
R4ma's deeds.
Further,
my
lord, I
have heard from Siva that you do not perish at the time of
The god never utters an idle
the destruction of all things.
word, and therefore my mind is in doubt. For the whole
universe, my lord, with all creatures moving and motionless,
serpents,
men and
gods,
is
What
has no
is
upon you
ever
>- ^
8.
effect
is
? be pleased to
inform
as Death
me whether
it
Dohd
my lord, be so kind
my delusion vanished
Further,
it
was that
92.
as
^
'^ /
to explain to
directly I
me how
approached your
hermitage."
Chaupdi.
When
he lieard Garur's
The
681
sfeQtJEL.
listen, Sire,
penance,
with
full
and reverent
sacrifice, sobriety of
mind,
attention.
Prayer,
in this
body
happiness. It was
Rdma, and therefore
to
Garur, this
is
maxim approved by
be
Vedas and
shown to the
the
Ghaupdi.
of
An enemy
the
is
is
love
the one in
of
Rdma's,
appearance he rival Brdhma, will never be
extolled by any intelligent poet.
It was in my present
bodily form that my devotion to R^ma first took root, and
though
in bodily
in
my
sleep.
In different
births I
during
my
previous existences, in
which, by the blessing of Siva, no delusion oppressed my
and
yet,
my
lord, I recollect
many
understanding.
R-89
^7
THE SEQUEL.
682
y^/
^
..
Dohd
93.
tion to the
a former Kalpa.i
my
tell
will increase
it
the
is
now
will
your devo-
for every
remedy
you the
In
ill.
to
impiety
Chaupdi.
In that iron age I
man
there born as a
went
to the city of
all
though
in
Rama's
capital,
Now
had
at the
time no
hand takes up
in
It
The
sinfulness of
the
age had
stifled
religion
the
sacred
books were
all
tered
of piety.
No
Chaupdi.
regard was paid to caste or the four stages of
A Kalpa
life
is
THE SEQUEL.
683
everyone was bent upon attacking the Scriptures. Brjihsold the Veda
kings devoured their subjects no
mans
who
was
in false
Dohd
To assume
95.
be an
iniquity.
"^^
Sorathd 10.
All kinds of evil-doers were held in honour and respect,
and the
idlest babblers
in those
miserable days.
Ghaupdi.
to
the
woman and
addicted
to sensuality,
not listen, the other had never read. A teacher who takes
his pupil's money but does not rid him of his doubts falls
into an awful abyss of hell.
call
up
THE SEQUEL.
684
their children
of
filling
their
belly.
Doha 96.
People
who
Brahman
devoid
are
or their
this.
In
own guru
of spiritual
to
Sddras
gain a cowrie.
'*
best of Brjihmans
knowledge never
would kill a
than we
better
is
dis-
as good
as the
scoff.
Chaupdi.
Lecherous after their neighbour's wife, clever only in
trickery, clasped about with ignorance, violence and selfishness, these are the
yuga.
men who
are reckoned as
theologians
and philosophers.
next.
A Brdhman
is
unlettered,
and taking the highest seat exEvery one practises the duties of
pounds
some other
state of life
all
description.
'
Dohd
97.
''^
bereavement.
THE SEQUEL.
685
Vjut
invent
Ghhand Tomar.
Devotees build themselves costly houses and are carried
of the Iron
Age, Sir, are beyond all descripThey turn out a well-born and virtuous wife and
absurdities
tion.
woman's
not a
wife's
face
family usage.
as
he
kinsfolk,
in violation of
father
his
looks
own
family as his
courses and with
his
npon
enemies.
accounted noble
Brdhman
only
by his cord,
an ascetic.
Any one
Purdnas
is
known
is
The world
in the
neither rewards
to a
poet
DOM98.
/"'
Hearken, Garur
in the Iron
/^'^^/
Age
violence, pride,
is
enmity, heresy,
Ghhand.
a-hungered
fish.
is
is
sorely
their narrow
mind
is
THE SEQUEL.
686
placidity of
temper
is
obsolete.
Every one
is
all self-denial,
charity
and kind-heartedness
pamper
their
exceedingly.
torpor and
cast.
'
Dohd
Hearken, Garur
the Iron
99.
Age
is
mine
of
impurity
appointed means; in the Iron Age those who attain salvado so only by Hari's name.
tion
Ghaupdi.
In the Golden
spiritual
and wise
of existence
by meditating on Hari.
In the Silver Age men performed many sacrifices and dedicating their actions to the Lord so accomplished their
course.
In the Age of Brass men had no other
expedient
save the worship of Rama's feet
In the Iron
sound the depths of existence
simply
by
Raima's
In the Iron
Age men
chanting
THE sequel;
687
mundane
The power
existence.
the soul
is its
purified and
is
sin destroyed.
Doha
There
if
man
I'^^l
100.
in it,
no age to compare with the Age of Iron
to
has only faith and devotes himself
singing
is
Rdma's holy
praises, he escapes
further trouble.
Age one is of the most importance; to whomsoever God has given, let him practise almsgiving and prosIron
in the
per.
Ghauyax,
Much
general happiness are the note of the Silver Age.
with
and
some
truth
little
mingled joy
igmrance,
passion,
and terror
of soul, are
the
Great
themselves
has no
Iron
Age
feet.
religion.
juggler, Garur,
tions,
The
to
effect
may
influence of
the
Dohd
evil,
know
this
101.
Vo-
only be dispersed
lived,
all
Garur, for
Avadh,
to
another country.
to
Hari
sensuality.
many
at
till
Age
of Hari's de-
by prayer
^-
me
years
to
go
6d8
TflE
SEQUEL.
Chaupdi.
Ujaiyin mark me, Gariir a miserable outcast, poor and wretched. After some time 1 acquired wealth
and as before practised devotion to Sambhu. There was
I
went
to
showed no disrespect
upon
this
to
Hari.
hypocritically attended
me
me
seeing
Sir,
as his
own
son,
Wretch
that
was,
102.
with a soul
impurity, low-
if
persecuted
Sorathdli.
\\/\
full of
Vishnu.
My
/^
^
Dohd
but
my manner
I
of life
and
became exceedingly
by sober counsel ?
Chaupdi.
One day
the
Guru
me and
called
instructed
me
at
*'
Being
shipper of Hari, my heart, Garur, was all on fire.
such a low-born churl, after receiving education I became
like a snake that has been fed on milk.
Arrogant, perverse, ill-starred
ni^ht.
and
But he was
ill-bred,
worried
too tender-hearted to be
angry and
still
THE SEQUEL.
continued
wise admonitions.
his
689
whom
when promoted
it
puts the
fire,
fire out.
and
Dust
cloudship
on the road is held in contempt and submits
be trodden under foot of every one. If the wind carries
yet
while
to
it
to
lies
it
aloft, it first
or sullies his
stand
my
parable
Th
the mean.
sensible
wisest
the poets
of
maxim,
it is
all,
Sir
let
him
Churl as
was, with a
paid no heed to
DohdlOS.
\^^-^^
feel
the
slightest
atom
of resentment,
Ghaupdi.
"
You
heavenly voice proceeded from the shrine
no
shows
Guru
miserable, conceited churl, though your
wretch
were not
to
your wickendness,
punish you
ordinance would be violated.
against their
Guru
are
;
If I
scriptural
cast for
Villains
my
myriad successive exisAs for you, you guilty wretch, whose soul reeks
since you kept your seat, as it were some
in
with impurity,
R-90
^90
THE BKQUEL
unwieldy
boa-constrictor,
you
shall
become a snake
enter into the hollow of some huge forest tree and there
remain, vilest of the vile, in the form of the vilest of
creatures."
Dohd
Alas
alas
lOi.
me
l^^
Siva's terrible
moved
sion
this prayer
"
tion
his
all in
soul.
Chhand Bhujanga-praydt-^
adore the lord of lords the embodiment of salva;
the image
of
the Veda.
formless
who
germ
who
is
bow
incantation
themystic
dwelleth in
beyond
all
before
Om
the
speech, under-
merciful
Rugged
lous
adore thee,
the vehement,
the
exalted, the
intrepid, the
1
The aja-gar, here translated boa-constrictor,' is supposed to be too
unwieldy to move, an(i (levours only such animals as of themselves fall into
its mouth.
Hence the popular couplet of Mahik DAs
Ajagar kare na chiikari, pachchhi kare na kim.
Dkf Maliika yon kahe, s^b ka data RAm.
2 In the metre called Ji hujanga-praydt, vihich meskUB literally snakelik> montion,' each line consists of four Bacchics, or, to use the language of
Hindi prosody, four yayanas.
'
'
THE SEQUEL.
691
dispeller of delusion,
Conqueror
of
my
know nothing
all
times and in
of meditation,
all
places
or
prayer, or ritual,
bow
but at
Sambhu.
before thee,
Have mercy,
my lord, on a wretch so sorely afflicted by
and life's flood of troubles ;^ for thee only I wormy lord Sambhu."
ship,
old age
uttered by the
repeats
this
as
to Siva,
upon him
will
Doha
When
hymn
his propitiation,
105.
is
"
:
servant, grant
me
first
me and
devotion
will
to
"
show favour
thy feet
in
If
my
to
his
him.
After a
little
time
may
(jhaw^di.
On
to pass,
**
So
-7
THE SEQUEL.
692
be
it.
in
my
will visit
him with a
Br^hmans who
special favour.
I
I
are of
be in vain
father, cannot
thousand
knowledge
my
me
service.
Now
Hari
my judg-
capital and,
further,
By
shall spring
my
hearken, friend, to
to please
to
Hearken, Sudra,
Rdma's
in
R^ma
favour a devotion to
som.
way
fail.
ment.
by fasting and
is
ministering to
the Br^hmans.
regard
my
mighty
nu's terrible
is
by
the
rod
to ashes.
nothing
world too
On hearing
Amen.
Death and
Siva's
Then
promise,
Vish-
man may be
is
still
at heart
difficult for
to
smit-
which
fire
in the
obtain.
cried
of
these a
all
burn him
and there
trident,
discus,
bestow
you
;
to
your
\^^^
the
Guru
rejoiced
and
assume, Garur,
off
and takes
thus I assumed
many
to
him new.
me.
THE SEQUEL.
693
Chaupdi.
of the
Guru's mildness
of
god
So joining
to attain.
enacted
father
all
Rama's boyish
me
gave
attended, nor
lessons
but
my mind
jiave
Rdma's
grew bigger,
my
to
in
my
is
was
When
anything
every other
and 1 was wholly absorbed
me
devotion to
in
sports.
feet.
of plenty
to tend a she-ass ? I
Wherever
of his people.
in the
living
so
woods,
discovered
me.
told
of Hari's
tale
goodness,
was no check to my
had left me and
concern^
me
nal did
not
towards
satisfy
Doha
Remembering
1
worldly reputation.
Supreme.
107.
my mind
fixed
and
THE SEQUEL.
694
on Rama's
bar
feet, I
On
Seer Lomas.
head
seeing him
at his feet
in
bowed my
most humble
strain.
No
*'
incarnate God."
Ghaupdi.
Thereupon, Garur, the great saint spoke, briefly though
reverently,
of
Rdma's virtues
philosopher devoted
then,
himself
being
transcendental
to
formless
unwishful, nameless,
unchangeable,
approachable
only
by
as absolutely one as a
declare.
The
wave and
me
saint gave
its
water
so the
Again
cried,
holy father,
out
soul
it
RAma
to
my
which
is
head at his
worship
wisest of sages,
R^ma,
my
how
bowing
as
it
the
is like
were a
feet
my own
eyes.
heart.
Tell
me,
Devotion to
Incarnate.
fish
When
my
"
how can
it
exist with-
with
Vedas
have seen
my
may
fill
see
of the
THE
The
rejoinder ready.
Mark me,
Sir
saint at last
695
SEQUftl.
Dohd lOS.
t'^'^-I
Again and again the saint angrily expounded his theory,
while I sat still and argued the matter from every point of
my own mind
view in
duality, or duality
"
Chaupdi.
of the Blessed ?
Is there
whole world
like that of
being born as a
man
charity ?
Thus
Incarnation,
till
reasoned
listen
angry words
THE SEQUEL.
"
your soul
Wretch, as
so
on
is
my
Doha
was turned
Immediately
bowed my head
109.
into a crow.
and mindful
Then again I
of Rdma, the
Umd,
jewel of the line of Raghu, I joyfully flew away.
they who devote themselves to Rama's feet and abjure lust,
pride and choler, they see their lord present in everything
with what then can they quarrel ?
Ghaupdi.
Hearken, king of the birds; the saint was no way in
it was
Rdma who had stirred his soul. The Allfault
;
merciful
of
my
had confounded
When
love.
ness of
my
his intellect
the Lord
trial
the thorough-
On
senses.
by which R;una
me how
passion told
is
to
The
Rdma's deeds.
'the Lake of
When
cious words
covered
know you
1
this
to
By
secret
the blessing of
and
me
in
Sambhu, my
delectable fountain
these grason,
of
dis-
song I
be one of Rdma's most devoted servants and
;
'
pachhi^
THE SEQUEL.
therefore I have told
697
I lovingly
it all
to you.
bowed my head
is
at his
feet.
He touched my
head with his lotus hands and gladly gave me his blessing
"
Henceforth by my favour an unalterable devotion to RAma
:
Be
of all
for ever
your heart.
Doha no.
Rama's favourite an
;
good qualities
^''I^'"!*
illimitable; store-house
at will
and choos-
Chaupdi.
May
merit, demerit
Rama, the
May
the
nor circum-
unspeakably
esoteric as well as
the
On
mark me,
firm of faith
Brdhma's came from heaven
tion
*'
pass,
and
wisest of sages
When
he
is
my
to
the saint's
his
lotus
comfeet
leave
R-91
THE SEQUEL.
698
Rughu-bfr
of a
man
in
at the city of
Avadh,
go and stay
at his capital
Again, cherishing in
Garur, to
whole history of the reason for which I was changed into a
crow and have replied, Sir, to all your questions. The
I return,
efficacy of faith in
R^ma
is
truly marvellous.
Doha
Therefore
Rdma's
feet
love this
has
III.
\^\ '^y
form, in which
my
devotion to
have been
of faith I
of prayer.
Ghaupdi.
blunderers
a boat.
who would
On
swim
try to
in gentle accents
anxiety,
error
"By
your favour,
my
would ask
me.
enlighten
in
your
The
compassion be pleased to
and sages, the Vedas and
infinite
saints
Pur^nas,
all
as wisdom.
and
THE SEQUEL.
courteously replied
and wisdom
existence.
doctrine
I
is
me your attention,
give
There
699
Wisdom,
noblest of birds,
while
science
'
Doha
'
112.
a saint
at the sight of a
Here
12.
^"^
creation's bride
is
Chaupdi.
maintain no private theory of
is
own.
my
and the
is
a strange proceeding.
only
saints.
Garur,
this,
distracted
manifested as May^.
Delusion
is
Now
bright face.
self-re-
>^
feet.
Sorathd
Even such
be
appearance
But observe May
;
it
knows.
Maya
Faith,
Again, Faith
Mayd
is
of the
is
is
ever blessed.
and he
Maya
at
in
is
con-
Dohci 113.
THE SEQUEL.
700
Wisdom and
feet.
Ghaupdi,
unutterable utterance, which is
in truth incapable of expression though it may be mentally
The soul is a particle of the divinity, immortal,
conceived.
Attend,
my son,
to this
though imaginary is difficult to untie. Thus the soul becomes worldly there is no loosing the knot and it knows
no happiness. The Vedas and Purdnas have declared
;
many remedies
ment
of the
is
but there
rather increased.
is
no getting
The
it
entangle-
cannot see
how
the knot
When God
can be untied.
plication,
interior
free, the
escape
is
in
the
the
which she
faith,
is
bound
and the
in.
;
the
are, as
The
it
were, a
calf
which
with
heel-rope
and perseverance
the
is
1
The allusion is to two modes of catching parrots and monkeys, which,
Whether ever really practised or not, have at all events passed into a
A stick with a bait at the end and a string attached to it is so set
proverb.
in the ground that it revolves from the weight of the
parrot when it lights
upon it, and the bird confused by the motion fancies it is entangled in the
string, though it is really loose and might fly away if it tried. For the monkey
a large jar with a narrow mouth is sunk in the ground full of grain the
monkey puts in his paw and clutches a handful, but being unable to draw out
;
on account of the smallness of the jar's mouth, he fancies himself caught, though if he
opened his hand he could extricate it immediately.
Two apt illustrations are thus afforded of the way in which man allows himself be caught
by delusive phenomena,
his closed
fist
THE SEQUEL.
rennet
that
it
coagulates
who churns
the maid
it
into
701
Contentment
curds.
in the bowl of
discretion,
is
with
cord.
j^r'^
DohdlU.
'*\*'
and applying
both good and bad, Intelligence allows the ghi of
wisdom to cool, but burns all the scum of selfishness in
After kindling the flame of meditation
actions
ing from
the three
cotton
the
properties,
the
soul's
it
is
approaching
it
are
13.
of
and
the
>
^^,
kindled a splendid
fibre
Sorathd
In this manner
three conditions^
it
consumed by
torch of science
of vanity
it.
Chaupdi.
God
tinctions
is its
of
Delusion
the world.
procured a light2
Thus
chamber
dispersed.
sits in the
and
all
Intelligence
of
THE SEQUEL.
702
to loosen the
knot
should he succeed
him loosening
sends forth,
the
in
many
Sir,
untying
it,
the
Ganir, sees
difficulties
and
intent
and
at
them.
to attack
The
each of which
many
When
portals, at
him.
stir-
ring, they at
of knowledge.
When its light is put out,
no untying the knot, for Intelligence is undone by
Neither the senses nor the gods
this blast of sensuality.
the
es
there
^^
lamp
is
approve of wisdom
enjoyment. When
the breath of sensuality, who can light the lamp again as
before
^'
T>oU 115.
Then
the soul
is
'^
again subjected
to
all
the manifold
miseries of transmigration.
is
and
ter,
still
if
many impediments
those
sphere of
supreme
immensely hard
the PurAnas,
its
beatitude.
difficulty,
But
this
of attainment, as is declared
the
Vedas and
all
for
tra-
is
by the saints,
the Scriptures.
By
the
accord.
THE SEQUEL.
703
The wisest
know
this,
for
of Hari's
worshippers
of the
soul's deliverance
faith.
By
without
faith,
is
utterly
abolished.
Eating
mun-
for the
is
immediate
delight in
relief.
A man must
be a fool indeed
who
does not
it.
DohdlW.
^7
-v-cj.^
ir
With Raghundth
to
be the end of
to
all
theology.
alive
is
the power
hear
Chaupdi.
have thus stated and expounded the theory of Science;
now
Faith
in
in whose-ever heart
Rama
it
is
dwells,
it.
whose heart
this jewel.
Though
it
THE SEQUEL.
704
grace noue can find it. There is an easy device for finding
it, but luckless wights
go on wrangling. The Vedas and
Purinas are the holy mountain, the legends of Rama its
glorious mines the pious are the discoverers, and
is their pick-axe, while wisdom and asceticism,
counsel
good
their
are
Any creature who searches with a
Garur,
eyes.
many
will can
find
blessing.
have
in
my mind
Rdma is
Hari
is
the sea,
Any
in
itself
of every
is
of all desire,
one, Garur,
mine
persuasion of
crown
Faith in
but
it
Hari
the
are
is
winds that
and the
delight
saints.
R6ma easy
Dohd
117.
the
of attainment.
A ''A
ocean,
wisdom
mount
is
Chaupdi.
"Since, my lord,
you are pleased to be gracious to me, acknowledge me as
your disciple and resolve me these seven questions. Tell me
in loving tones:
first,
is
the most
what
is
Scriptures, and
Tell
me
further
made known
sin.
in the
In your infinite
to
me
also the
THE
SEQtTEL.
705
my
"
Listen,
It is the
motionless.
whether moving or
to this
any
than
fool living,
away
There
hands.
no pain
is
and no pleasure
like that
It is
indeed.
The good
wicked wretches
an essential characteristic
be charitable
to
Garur,
in the
to
in
others,
of the good,
word and
thought,
in
Garur
object of their
would
kill
own
to gain,
hail
of
as that of the
is
known
to be.
The
is to
good
is
do no harm
to
any creature
his
in
and there
is
no sin so
or
The bark
of
which
is
the tree
as
employed
off
is
92
useful
THE SEQUEL.
706
many
in
be
will
Hells,
born
form of a crow.
They who
Kaurava.
into the
world
in
the
will
fall
into the
hell
called
lusion
is
many
pains.
The
satiable greed,
and the
when
these
the
names
in-
of
inflame
three
phlegm
by the various
of selfish-
envy,
the
open sore
of
of a
malignant
terrible leprosy of
greed, the violent tertian ague of the three kinds of covetousness,^ the two fevers of jealousy and indiscrimination
but
why
Dohd
A man
118.
list of
Tt
diseases ?
^'
observances
penance,
almsgiving are
so
prayer and
2 but the
different remedies
meditation,
many
sacrifice,
to be coveted are
an exaggerated
dhists, who
THE SEQUEL.
707
Chaupdi,
Thus every
is
diseased, destracted
alternately
have
they
touch every one, but few only detect them. On detection the wretches diminish somewhat, but these tormentors
of the faithful are not completely
destroyed.
up even
fed on the
in the soul of a
diet of materialism
man
if
the grace of
By
the treatment
if
saint,
R^ma
every
conducted
is
in
They spring
unwholesome
in that of
disease
is
an ordinary
extirpated,
the following
manner,
which
administered.
By
it is
is easily
subdued
it
otherwise
disease
Sir,
all
gains strength in
weakness
the
in
this treatment
vehicle
self-control,
with a daily
of material hopes.
of
Narad and
the sages,
'
gical speculation
Sukadeva,
Brahma,
Siva,
all
Sanat-Kumdra,
in theolo-
Rdma
all
there
is
no happiness.
It
would
tend to the conservation of the individual and serve to prolong the life of the
Will is thus the will to live life being thar for which everything
species.
;
to suffer.
THE SEQUEL.
708
be easier for water
the son of a childless
to stay
on the back of a
woman
tortoise, or for
to be slain, or for
flowers of
Rdma and
fire
appear out of
ice
Doha 119.
vSooner shall butter be
^'*''
come out of sand, than the ocean of existence be traversed without prayer to Hari this is an indisputable conclusion. The Lord can change a gnat into Brahma, or make
oil
I declare
to
less
Slokd5.
^i-*^
you as an established truth, and
have
who worship
Hari
Ghaupdi.
Hari's unparalleled achievements, in full or in brief as my ability served me, and this
I
my
lord,
is the crowning dogma of the Scriptures to abandon sensuality and worship Rdma. Whom else can you
serve if you forsake the Lord Raghupati, who was compassionate even to such a wretch as myself. You are wisdom
itself and superior to delusion, but you showed me,
my
Garur,
lord, a great
which
history,
is
so holy that
it
me
and
good
is
hard
for a single
yourself
though
able, the
to get in the
moment.
See,
for
Rdma's
The company
am now
was
world.
THE SEQUEL.
709
"
Dohd
"^'^
120.
Blessed,
ray meanness
of the saints.
Rdma
for
have spoken,
my
lord,
according
mj
to
ability
Ghaupdi.
declared to be
nity
to
whom,
Garur, can
R^ma
compare
? Miracle-
working
with
whom
all
guiltier than
who
I.
Dohv 121.
He whose name
an
r-^*
of
every
kind
of trouble,
both
to
me
is
V^
Ghaupdi.
"
created
by May^
is
my
lord, the
710
THK SEQUEL.
all
the good
operate
for
like
butter
is
the
fire,
trials.
favour
so the
when
The
of others.
poets say,
itself is
tried
but
by
my
Regard me ever as
your servant."
Umd,
noblest of birds.
Doha
'>n
122.
at his feet,
Garur
munion with
grace
so the
the saints
it is
attainable
only by
Hari's
declare.
Chaupdi.
all
who approach
it
and
stimulating a devotion to RAma's lotus feet. Sins engendered of thought, word and deed are all absolved in those
who
recourse to
all
the
means
Pilgrimages
of grace, meditation,
to shrines,
self-control,
religious merit,
devotional
learning, morality
and exalted
intelligence, in short
all
the
to
it
RAma.
To
scarce any
THE SEQUEL.
711
Dohd 123.
y^^
scarce
it
attainable,
any one can now easily acquire it, by the repeated hearing
of this history, if only he believes.
Ghaupdi.
an accomplished scholar, he is renowned throughout the world for learning and beneficence,
he is truly pious and his kinsfolk's saviour, whose soul is
He
he
is all-wise,
enamoured
is
Rdma's
of
supremely intelligent
scriptural doctrine
is
is
fixed purpose,
Blessed
He
feet.
who is faithful
king who governs justly
to her
wife
blessed
is
the
Brdhman who
most conduces
to
works
of
piety
blessed
the hour
is
Doha 124.
Blessed
is
Though
at first I
is
the
''
";"
Uma -
mark me,
worthy of
veneration throughout the world and truly holy, in which
is born a humble worshipper of the divine Raghu-blr.
the family, yea
Chaupdi.
of
my
ability told
kept
it
secret,
it is
told
to
to
nor
who worships
repeated to
mind
ever be
that I have
not to be
It is
to the best
it
have now
persecutor of the
underto
any
not the
Neither must
Brdhmans, even
They
are
fit
for in-
712
THK SEQUEL.
Rdma's
struction in
history,
who have
who
dearly
a great
commu-
love the
for the
affection
feet
Guru and the precepts of morality and are submissive to the Br^hmans these are fit recipients.
But he
will derive a special delight from it who loves R^ma as he
loves his own life.
Dohd 125. ^'^^
Whoever wishes to love Rama's feet or to attain to final
of their
deliverance should
devoutly
with the water of this legend.
fill
the
pitchers of
ears
his
Ghaup4i.
The
story of
has power to
remove
all
told
has seven
is
Um^,
you,
age and
this evil
the Veda.
it
a healing
to
remedy
by those learned
in
beautiful
this road.
They who
everything
special favour
They who
assent to
it,
and gladly
existence as they would a
hear, or repeat
Umd
mere puddle
"
:
attained
all
my
my
a firm faith in
troubles are at an
Rdma
believer
and
the world
is
dear
for
have now
has resulted
and
lord's
love
end"
Ghaupdi.
This glorious dialogue between
fruitful in
my
grace,
desire
By my
V^^
Doha 12Q.
Through your
have heard
pleased to
sorrow
it
is
breaks
delights the
scepticism
is
there
men
nothing in
good
to a worshipper of Rdma.
By
refutes
to all
equally dear
Raghupati's favour I have sung to the best of
my
ability
THE SEQUEL.
his holy
713
world there
sacrifice,
its
characteristic
it is
saints
and
seers,
Chhand
12.
man
bodiments
repeat his
name
O Rdma,
if
adore thee.
of his
Rdma's sphere
trouble goes
straight to
R^^'ma
presides.
compassion and
alone
is
all-beautiful,
loving-kindness for
of
deliverance
lord like
whom else
can
R^ma, by whose
full
all-wise,
favour,
of
There
however
is
of final
no other
slight,
even
I,
1.
2 In this antithesis between the five stanzas and the five members of
council, who are not specifically designated, the latter would seem to stand
for five senses.
THE SEQUEL.
714
Dohd 127.
There
to the
is
no one so poor as
of existence.
Raghu-bir
Raghu, and rid me
As a
-/^
am and
poor as you,
of the race of
no one so gracious
remember
this,
of the grievous
glory
burden
by me.
entitled
of
defilement of the
Ramans
deeds^ that
world\
[the end.]
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