The Ramayana Part 32

Thy n.o.ble course alike pursue In secret as in open view, And every nerve, the love to gain Of ministers and subjects, strain.

The happy prince who sees with pride His thriving people satisfied; Whose a.r.s.enals with arms are stored, And treasury with golden h.o.a.rd,- His friends rejoice as joyed the Blest When Amrit crowned their eager quest.

So well, my child, thy course maintain, And from all ill thy soul refrain."

The friends of Rama, gathered nigh, Longing their lord to gratify, Ran to Kausalya's bower to tell The tidings that would please her well.

She, host of dames, with many a gem, And gold, and kine rewarded them.

Then Rama paid the reverence due, Mounted the chariot, and withdrew, And to his splendid dwelling drove While crowds to show him honour strove.

The people, when the monarch's speech Their willing ears had heard, Were wild with joy as though on each Great gifts had been conferred.

With meek and low salute each man Turned to his home away, And there with happy heart began To all the G.o.ds to pray.

Canto IV. Rama Summoned.

The crowd dismissed, to high debate The monarch called his peers of state, And, counsel from their lips obtained, Firm in his will his will explained: "To-morrow with auspicious ray The moon in Pushya's sign will stay; Be that the time with happy fate Mine eldest son to consecrate, And let my Rama, lotus-eyed, As Regent o'er the state preside."

He sought, within, his charioteer, And cried "Again bring Rama here."

To Rama's home Sumantra hied Again to be the prince's guide.

His coming, told to Rama's ear, Suggested anxious doubt and fear.

He bade the messenger be led That instant in, and thus he said: "Tell me the cause, omitting naught, Why thou again my house hast sought."

The envoy answered: "Prince, thy sire Has sent thy presence to require.

My sender known, 'tis thine to say If thou wilt go or answer nay."

Then Rama, when he heard his speech, Made haste the royal court to reach.

Soon as the monarch was aware His dearest son was waiting there, Eager the parley to begin He bade them lead the prince within, Soon as he pa.s.sed the chamber door The hero bent him to the floor, And at a distance from his seat Raised his joined hands his sire to greet.

The monarch raised him from the ground, And loving arms about him wound, Then pointed to a seat that shone With gold for him to rest upon.

"Aged am I," he said, "and worn; In life's best joys my share have borne; Rites to the G.o.ds, in hundreds, paid, With gifts of corn and largess made.

I yearned for sons: my life is blest With them and thee of sons the best.

No debt to saints or Brahmans, no, Nor spirits, G.o.ds, or self I owe.

One duty now remains alone, To set thee on thy father's throne.

Now therefore, Rama, hear my rede, And mark my words with duteous heed: This day the peoples' general voice, Elects thee king of love and choice, And I, consenting to the prayer, Will make thee, darling, Regent Heir.

Dread visions, each returning night, With evil omens scare my sight.

Red meteors with a fearful sound Shoot wildly downward to the ground, While tempests lash the troubled air; And they who read the stars declare That, leagued against my natal sign, Rahu,(265) the Sun,(266) and Mars combine.

When portents dire as these appear, A monarch's death or woe is near.

Then while my senses yet are spared, And thought and will are unimpaired, Be thou, my son, anointed king: Men's fancy is a fickle thing.

To-day the moon, in order due, Entered the sign Punarvasu,(267) To-morrow, as the wise foretell, In Pushya's favouring stars will dwell: Then on the throne shalt thou be placed.

My soul, prophetic, counsels haste: Thee, O my son, to-morrow I As Regent Heir will sanctify.

So till the coming night be pa.s.sed Do thou and Sita strictly fast: From worldly thoughts thy soul refrain, And couched on holy gra.s.s remain.

And let thy trusted lords attend In careful watch upon their friend, For, unexpected, check and bar Our weightiest counsels often mar.

While Bharat too is far away Making with royal kin his stay, I deem the fittest time of all Thee, chosen Regent, to install.

It may be Bharat still has stood True to the counsels of the good, Faithful to thee with tender trust, With governed senses, pure and just.

But human minds, too well I know, Will sudden changes undergo, And by their constant deeds alone The virtue of the good is shown.

Now, Rama, go. My son, good night!

Fixt is to-morrow for the rite."

Then Rama paid the reverence due, And quickly to his home withdrew.

He pa.s.sed within, nor lingered there, But sought his mother's mansion, where The dame in linen robes arrayed Devoutly in the chapel prayed To Fortune's Queen, with utterance checked, That she her Rama would protect.

There was Sumitra too, and there Was Lakshma? led by loving care: And when the royal choice they knew Sita in haste was summoned too.

Absorbed, with half-shut eyes, the queen Attended by the three was seen.

She knew that Pushya's lucky hour Would raise her son to royal power, So fixed with bated breath each thought On G.o.d supreme, by all men sought.

To her, as thus she knelt and prayed, Rama drew near, due reverence paid, And then to swell his mother's joy, Thus spoke her own beloved boy; "O mother dear, my sire's decree Entrusts the people's weal to me.

To-morrow I, for so his will, Anointed king, the throne shall fill.

The few last hours till night shall end Sita with me must fasting spend, For so my father has decreed, And holy priests with him agreed.

What vows soever thou mayst deem My consecration's eve beseem, Do thou, sweet mother, for my sake And for beloved Sita's make."

When the glad news Kausalya heard, So long desired, so long deferred, While tears of joy her utterance broke, In answer to her son she spoke: "Long be thy life, my darling: now Thy prostrate foes before thee bow.

Live long and with thy bright success My friends and dear Sumitra's bless.

Surely the stars were wondrous fair When thee, sweet son, thy mother bare, That thy good gifts such love inspire And win the favour of thy sire.

With thee I travailed not in vain; Those lotus eyes reward my pain, And all the glory of the line Of old Ikshvaku will be thine."

He smiled, and on his brother gazed Who sate with reverent hands upraised, And said: "My brother, thou must be Joint-ruler of this land with me.

My second self thou, Lakshma?, art, And in my fortune bearest part.

Be thine, Sumitra's son, to know The joys from regal power that flow.

My life itself, the monarch's seat, For thy dear sake to me are sweet."

Thus Rama to his brother said, To both his mothers(268) bowed his head, And then with Sita by his side To his own house the hero hied.

Canto V. Rama's Fast.

Then Saint Vasish?ha to the king Came ready at his summoning.

"Now go," exclaimed the monarch, "thou Enriched by fervent rite and vow, For Rama and his wife ordain The fast, that joy may bless his reign."

The best of those who Scripture know Said to the king, "My lord, I go."

To Rama's house Vasish?ha hied, The hero's fast by rule to guide, And skilled in sacred texts to tell Each step to him instructed well.

Straight to Prince Rama's high abode, That like a cloud pale-tinted showed, Borne in his priestly car he rode.

Two courts he pa.s.sed, and in the third He stayed his car. Then Rama heard The holy sage was come, and flew To honour him with honour due.

He hastened to the car and lent His hand to aid the priest's descent.

Then spoke Vasish?ha words like these, Pleased with his reverent courtesies, With pleasant things his heart to cheer Who best deserved glad news to hear: "Prince, thou hast won thy father's grace, And thine will be the Regent's place: Now with thy Sita, as is right, In strictest fasting spend the night, For when the morrow's dawn is fair The king will consecrate his heir: So Nahush,(269) as the wise relate, Yayati joyed to consecrate."

Thus having said, Vasish?ha next Ordained the fast by rule and text, For Rama faithful to his vows And the Videhan dame his spouse.

Then from the prince's house he hied With courteous honours gratified.

Round Rama gathered every friend In pleasant talk a while to spend.

He bade good night to all at last, And to his inner chamber pa.s.sed.

Then Rama's house shone bright and gay With men and maids in glad array, As in the morning some fair lake When all her lotuses awake, And every bird that loves the flood Flits joyous round each opening bud.

Forth from the house Vasish?ha drove, That with the king's in splendour strove, And all the royal street he viewed Filled with a mighty mult.i.tude The eager concourse blocked each square, Each road and lane and thoroughfare, And joyous shouts on every side Rose like the roar of Ocean's tide, As streams of men together came With loud huzza and glad acclaim.

The ways were watered, swept and clean, And decked with flowers and garlands green And all Ayodhya shone arrayed With banners on the roofs that played.

Men, women, boys with eager eyes, Expecting when the sun should rise, Stood longing for the herald ray Of Rama's consecration day, To see, a source of joy to all, The people-honoured festival.

The priest advancing slowly through The mighty crowd he cleft in two, Near to the monarch's palace drew.

He sought the terrace, by the stair, Like a white cloud-peak high in air, The reverend king of men to meet Who sate upon his splendid seat: Thus will V?ihaspati arise To meet the monarch of the skies.

But when the king his coming knew, He left his throne and near him drew Questioned by him Vasish?ha said That all his task was duly sped.

Then all who sate there, honouring Vasish?ha, rose as rose the king.