The Ramayana Part 71

The prince with cheering words addressed His weary men, and bade them rest Where'er they chose and he, With priest and deacon by his side, To Bharadvaja's dwelling hied That best of saints to see.

Canto XC. The Hermitage.

The prince of men a league away Saw where the hermit's dwelling lay, Then with his lords his path pursued, And left his warrior mult.i.tude.

On foot, as duty taught his mind, He left his warlike gear behind; Two robes of linen cloth he wore, And bade Vasish?ha walk before.

Then Bharat from his lords withdrew When Bharadvaja came in view, And toward the holy hermit went Behind Vasish?ha, reverent.

When Bharadvaja, saint austere, Saw good Vasish?ha drawing near, He cried, upspringing from his seat, "The grace-gift bring, my friend to greet."

When Saint Vasish?ha near him drew, And Bharat paid the reverence due, The glorious hermit was aware That Dasaratha's son was there.

The grace-gift, water for their feet He gave, and offered fruit to eat; Then, duty-skilled, with friendly speech In seemly order questioned each: "How fares it in Ayodhya now With treasury and army? how With kith and kin and friends most dear, With councillor, and prince, and peer?"

But, for he knew the king was dead, Of Dasaratha naught he said.

Vasish?ha and the prince in turn Would of the hermit's welfare learn: Of holy fires they fain would hear, Of pupils, trees, and birds, and deer.

The glorious saint his answer made That all was well in holy shade: Then love of Rama moved his breast, And thus he questioned of his guest: "Why art thou here, O Prince, whose band With kingly sway protects the land?

Declare the cause, explain the whole, For yet some doubt disturbs my soul.

He whom Kausalya bare, whose might The foemen slays, his line's delight, He who with wife and brother sent Afar now roam in banishment, Famed prince, to whom his father spake This order for a woman's sake: "Away! and in the forest spend Thy life till fourteen years shall end"- Has thou the wish to harm him, bent On sin against the innocent?

Wouldst thou thine elder's realm enjoy Without a thorn that can annoy?"

With sobbing voice and tearful eye Thus Bharat sadly made reply: "Ah lost am I, if thou, O Saint, Canst thus in thought my heart attaint: No warning charge from thee I need; Ne'er could such crime from me proceed.

The words my guilty mother spake When fondly jealous for my sake- Think not that I, to triumph moved, Those words approve or e'er approved.

O Hermit, I have sought this place To win the lordly hero's grace, To throw me at my brother's feet And lead him to his royal seat.

To this, my journey's aim and end, Thou shouldst, O Saint, thy favour lend: Where is the lord of earth? do thou, Most holy, say, where roams he now?"

Then, by the saint Vasish?ha pressed, And all the gathered priests beside, To Bharat's dutiful request The hermit graciously replied: "Worthy of thee, O Prince, this deed, True son of Raghu's ancient seed.

I know thee reverent, well-controlled, The glory of the good of old.

I grant thy prayer: in this pursuit I know thy heart is resolute.

'Tis for thy sake those words I said That wider still thy fame may spread.

I know where Rama, duty-tried, His brother, and his wife abide.

Where Chitraku?a's heights arise Thy brother Rama's dwelling lies.

Go thither with the morning's light, And stay with all thy lords tonight: For I would show thee honour high, And do not thou my wish deny."

Canto XCI. Bharadvaja's Feast.

Soon as he saw the prince's mind To rest that day was well inclined, He sought Kaikeyi's son to please With hospitable courtesies.

Then Bharat to the saint replied: "Our wants are more than satisfied.

The gifts which honoured strangers greet, And water for our weary feet Hast thou bestowed with friendly care, And every choice of woodland fare."

Then Bharadvaja spoke, a smile Playing upon his lips the while: "I know, dear Prince, thy friendly mind Will any fare sufficient find, But gladly would I entertain And banquet all thine armed train: Such is my earnest wish: do thou This longing of my heart allow, Why hast thou hither bent thy way, And made thy troops behind thee stay?

Why unattended? couldst thou not With friends and army seek this spot?"

Bharat, with reverent hands raised high, To that great hermit made reply: "My troops, for awe of thee, O Sage, I brought not to thy hermitage: Troops of a king or monarch's son A hermit's home should ever shun.

Behind me comes a mighty train Wide spreading o'er the ample plain, Where every chief and captain leads Men, elephants, and mettled steeds.

I feared, O reverend Sage, lest these Might harm the holy ground and trees, Springs might be marred and cots o'erthrown, So with the priests I came alone."

"Bring all thy host," the hermit cried, And Bharat, to his joy, complied.

Then to the chapel went the sire, Where ever burnt the sacred fire, And first, in order due, with sips Of water purified his lips: To Visvakarma, then he prayed, His hospitable feast to aid: "Let Visvakarma hear my call, The G.o.d who forms and fas.h.i.+ons all: A mighty banquet I provide, Be all my wants this day supplied.

Lord Indra at their head, the three(365) Who guard the worlds I call to me: A mighty host this day I feed, Be now supplied my every need.

Let all the streams that eastward go, And those whose waters westering flow, Both on the earth and in the sky, Flow hither and my wants supply.

Be some with ardent liquor filled, And some with wine from flowers distilled, While some their fresh cool streams retain Sweet as the juice of sugar-cane.

I call the G.o.ds, I call the band Of minstrels that around them stand: I call the Haha and Huhu, I call the sweet Visvavasu, I call the heavenly wives of these With all the bright Apsarases, Alambusha of beauty rare, The charmer of the tangled hair, Ghritachi and Visvachi fair, Hema and Bhima sweet to view, And lovely Nagadanta too, And all the sweetest nymphs who stand By Indra or by Brahma's hand- I summon these with all their train And Tumburu to lead the strain.

Here let Kuvera's garden rise Which far in Northern Kuru(366) lies: For leaves let cloth and gems entwine, And let its fruit be nymphs divine.

Let Soma(367) give the n.o.blest food To feed the mighty mult.i.tude, Of every kind, for tooth and lip, To chew, to lick, to suck, and sip.

Let wreaths, where fairest flowers abound, Spring from the trees that bloom around.

Each sort of wine to woo the taste, And meats of every kind be placed."

Thus spake the hermit self-restrained, With proper tone by rules ordained, On deepest meditation bent, In holy might preeminent.

Then as with hands in reverence raised Absorbed in thought he eastward gazed, The deities he thus addressed Came each in semblance manifest.

Delicious gales that cooled the frame From Malaya and Dardar came, That kissed those scented hills and threw Auspicious fragrance where they blew.

Then falling fast in sweetest showers Came from the sky immortal flowers, And all the airy region round With heavenly drums was made to sound.

Then breathed a soft celestial breeze, Then danced the bright Apsarases, The minstrels and the G.o.ds advanced, And warbling lutes the soul entranced.

The earth and sky that music filled, And through each ear it softly thrilled, As from the heavenly quills it fell With time and tune attempered well.

Soon as the minstrels ceased to play And airs celestial died away, The troops of Bharat saw amazed What Visvakarma's art had raised.

On every side, five leagues around, All smooth and level lay the ground, With fresh green gra.s.s that charmed the sight Like sapphires blent with lazulite.

There the Wood-apple hung its load, The Mango and the Citron glowed, The Bel and scented Jak were there, And Apela with fruitage fair.

There, brought from Northern Kuru, stood Rich in delights, the glorious wood, And many a stream was seen to glide With flowering trees along its side.

There mansions rose with four wide halls, And elephants and chargers' stalls, And many a house of royal state, Triumphal arc and bannered gate.

With n.o.ble doorways, sought the sky, Like a pale cloud, a palace high, Which far and wide rare fragrance shed, With wreaths of white engarlanded.

Square was its shape, its halls were wide, With many a seat and couch supplied, Drink of all kinds, and every meat Such as celestial G.o.ds might eat.

Then at the bidding of the seer Kaikeyi's strong-armed son drew near, And pa.s.sed within that fair abode Which with the n.o.blest jewels glowed.

Then, as Vasish?ha led the way, The councillors, in due array, Followed delighted and amazed And on the glorious structure gazed.

Then Bharat, Raghu's son, drew near The kingly throne, with prince and peer, Whereby the chouri in the shade Of the white canopy was laid.

Before the throne he humbly bent And honoured Rama, reverent, Then in his hand the chouri bore, And sat where sits a councillor.

His ministers and household priest Sat by degrees from chief to least, Then sat the captain of the host And all the men he honoured most.

Then when the saint his order gave, Each river with enchanted wave Rolled milk and curds divinely sweet Before the princely Bharat's feet; And dwellings fair on either side, With gay white plaster beautified, Their heavenly roofs were seen to lift, The Brahman Bharadvaja's gift.

Then straight by Lord Kuvera sent, Gay with celestial ornament Of bright attire and jewels' s.h.i.+ne, Came twenty thousand nymphs divine: The man on whom those beauties glanced That moment felt his soul entranced.

With them from Nandan's blissful shades Came twenty thousand heavenly maids.

Tumburu, Narad, Gopa came, And Sutanu, like radiant flame, The kings of the Gandharva throng, And ravished Bharat with their song.

Then spoke the saint, and swift obeyed Alambusha, the fairest maid, And Misrakesi bright to view, Rama?a, Pu??rika too, And danced to him with graceful ease The dances of Apsarases.

All chaplets that by G.o.ds are worn, Or Chaitraratha's graves adorn, Bloomed by the saint's command arrayed On branches in Prayaga's shade.

When at the saint's command the breeze Made music with the Vilva trees, To wave in rhythmic beat began The boughs of each Myrobolan, And holy fig-trees wore the look Of dancers, as their leaflets shook.

The fair Tamala, palm, and pine, With trees that tower and plants that twine, The sweetly varying forms displayed Of stately dame or bending maid.

Here men the foaming winecup quaffed, Here drank of milk full many a draught, And tasted meats of every kind, Well dressed, whatever pleased their mind.

Then beauteous women, seven or eight, Stood ready by each man to wait: Beside the stream his limbs they stripped And in the cooling water dipped.

And then the fair ones, sparkling eyed, With soft hands rubbed his limbs and dried, And sitting on the lovely bank Held up the winecup as he drank.

Nor did the grooms forget to feed Camel and mule and ox and steed, For there were stores of roasted grain, Of honey and of sugar-cane.

So fast the wild excitement spread Among the warriors Bharat led, That all the mighty army through The groom no more his charger knew, And he who drove might seek in vain To tell his elephant again.

With every joy and rapture fired, Entranced with all the heart desired, The myriads of the host that night Revelled delirious with delight.

Urged by the damsels at their side In wild delight the warriors cried: "Ne'er will we seek Ayodhya, no, Nor yet to Da??ak forest go: Here will we stay: may happy fate On Bharat and on Rama wait."

Thus cried the army gay and free Exulting in their lawless glee, Both infantry and those who rode On elephants, or steeds bestrode, Ten thousand voices shouting, "This Is heaven indeed for perfect bliss."

With garlands decked they idly strayed, And danced and laughed and sang and played.

At length as every soldier eyed, With food like Amrit satisfied, Each dainty cate and tempting meat, No longer had he care to eat.

Thus soldier, servant, dame, and slave Received whate'er the wish might crave.

As each in new-wrought clothes arrayed Enjoyed the feast before him laid.