Part 31

As for the purpose of protecting his brother, Lakshmana was watching him out of sincere affection, Guha burning in grief addressed that descendant of Raghu, saying--"This O child, is the easeful bed that hath been prepared for thee. O prince, do thou as thou listest, lie down upon it. These (foresters) are inured to this hardship; but thou art worthy of ease. We will wake up during the night for guarding Kakutstha. There is none on earth dearer unto me than Rama. This I tell thee truly and I swear by truth itself. Through his grace I hope in this world to attain high fame, and great religious merit as well as completely secure profit and pleasure. I will bow in hand in company with my kindred adequately guard my dear friend reposing with Sita. Always ranging in this forest, nothing herein is unknown to me. I shall vanquish even any mighty body of fourfold forces (that may come up against us.)" Thereupon Lakshmana said,-- "O sinless one, protected by thee ever having thy sight fixed on virtue, we do not fear to live in this place. But how with Dacaratha's son lying down on the ground along with Sita can I indulge in sleep or what is the use of my living and enjoying happiness? Him do thou behold with ease asleep on the grass in company with Sita, who was incapable of being borne in fight by the gods and the Asuras. Hfm do thou behold, who was obtained by Da$aratha as his son through various kinds of prowess, _mantras_ and asceticism, and who is crowned with virtues beseeming such austerities, etc. Rama being banished, the king will not live long and the earth will shortly be widowed." Having bewailed aloud, the women have, methinks, (by this time) ceased through fatigue, and the king's residence is still. I cannot hope that Kaucalya, the king, and my mother are yet alive. If they are, it is for this night only. Even if my mother live looking up to Satrughna, yet this is my grief that that mother of a hero, Kaucalya will breathe her last And that palace filled with people attached unto Rama and flooded with the light of delight, will, visited with the calamity that will befall the king meet with destruction. How will the life of that high-souled king not seeing his magnanimous son, his eldest son, remain in his body? And the king dying, Kaucalya will die after him and then my mother will depart this life. Frustrated in his desire, my father, foiled in his endeavours to confer the kingdom on Rama, will, exclaiming 'All is lost,' 'All is lost,' give up the ghost. Sirely they are blessed that when the time shall come when the king will die, will perform the funeral rites of that descendant of Raghu. They will happily range the capital of my father, furnished with fairlooking terraces, with its high ways laid out orderly, having lordly edifices and palatial residences, graced with excellent courtezans, abounding with cars, elephants and horses, resounding with the notes of trumpets--the abode of all auspiciousness--filled with portly and contented folks, rich in gardens and villas, and celebrating popular festivities. If Dacaratha live we shall returning from the forest, behold that high-souled one observing noble vows. If we remain in peace, we shall returning from the forest with that one firm in promise, enter Ayodhya." As the high-souled son of the king oppressed with grief was thus lamenting sitting up, the day broke. When that son of the foremost of men, intent on the welfare of the subjects had spoken thus truly, Guha, out of extreme affection for (Rama), shed tears afflicted with grief and hurt like an elephant suffering from fever.

SECTION LII.

"When the morning broke, that illustrious one having a spacious chest, Rama, addressed Sumitra's son, Lakshmana, graced with auspicious marks,--"This is the time of sunrise: the reverend Night hath departed. O child, this gracefully sable-hued bird, the coel, has begun to warble, and I hear the cries of peacocks uttering notes in the woods. O amiable one, we will cross the Jahnavi, fast rushing to the ocean." Hearing Rama's words, that enhancer of the delight of friends, Sumitra's son, conveyed them unto Guha and the charioteer; and then stood before his brother. Hearing of Rama's speach and accepting it, that lord of the Nishadas speedily summoning his counsellors spake unto them saying, --"Do ye without delay bring to this bathing-place a strong and elegent boat furnished with a rudder and steered by a helmsman, such as is capable of ferrying (people) comfortably." Hearing this mandate of Guha. his potent counsellors procuring a goodly boat, informed him of it. Then with joined hands, Guha spake unto Raghava, saying,--"The boat is ready, worshipful one. What more shall I do in thy behalf? O thou that resemblest the son of a celestial, here is the boat for thee, O foremost of men, to cross over the river that goeth after the ocean. O thou of excellent vows, do thou ascend it." Thereupon the highly energetic Rama said unto Guha the following words,--"I have attained my end through thee. Do thou at once get on board the baggage." Then donning on their mail and equipped with their bows, quivers and swords, the Raghavas along with Sita descended unto the Ganga. Then coming forward in humble guise before Rama cognizant of virtue, the charioteer said with joined hands,--"What shall I do (now)?" Thereupon Dacaratha's son touching Sumantra by his goodly right hand, said,-- "O Sumantra, do thou again repair unto the monarch, but let thy senses be unclouded." "Do thou" said he unto the charioteer, "turn back. So far I have come (in obedience to the order of the monarch;. Now, renouncing the car, will I repair unto the mighty forest on foot" Finding himself thus commanded, the charioteer, Sumantra grieved at heart spoke unto that best of men, the descendant of Ikshwaku. "That Destiny owing to which you will have to pass your days in the forest like a low person, along with your brother and wife, has in this world been withstood by none. I deem the Brahmacharyya mode of life, or study, or meekness or sincerity as attended with no fruit, since you have come by calamity. O Raghava, living in the forest with Vaidehi and your brother, you, O Lord, attain a state (of supreme excellence), having, as it were, conquered the three worlds. O Rama, it is we, wretched that we are, that are undone, as we, deprived of your company, shall come under the sinful Kaikeyi expressing great misery." Having said this, the charioteer, Sumantra, seeing Rama intent upon going to a distant land, wept for a long while in heaviness of heart. Then when he had dried up his tears, and sanctified himself by touching the water of the Ganga, Rama again addressed the charioteer in sweet words, saying,--"I do not find any one that is a friend of the sons of Ikshwaku like unto thee. Do thou so act that king Dacaratha may not grieve (for me). The lord of earth hath been deprived of his senses by grief, hath grown old, and is oppressed by the weight of desires (thwarted). Therefore it is that I tell thee this. Whatever that noble- minded lord of earth commands for the pleasure of Kaikeyi, should by us be done with alacrity. It is for this that those lords of men, kings, govern,--viz., that others may not thwart their purposes. O Sumantra, do thou act so, that the mighty monarch may not come across any thing unpleasant, or be attacked with chagrin through grief. Do thou saluting him for me say these words unto the aged monarch, who has his senses under complete control, and who hath never seen misfortune before. 'Neither I nor Lakshmana grieve for being ejected out of Ayodhya, or that we shall have to abide in the forest. After these fourteen years have gone by, you will see Lakshmana, Sita. and myself come to you speedily.' Having thus, O Sumantra, in my name again and again spoken to the king, to my mother and to Kaikevi along with the other revered ladies do thou communicate unto Kaucalya our welfare conveying unto her at the same time Sita's and Lakshmana's salutations to her feet as well those of myself who am her eldest son. Do thou also tell the king,-- 'Do you spedily bring Bharata; and when Bharata has come, let him be invested with royalty. And when you have embraced Bharata and installed him in the kingdom, you no longer be overpowered with grief on our account,' And tell Bharata,--'As thou bearest thyself unto the king, so it behoves thee to bear thyself to all thy mothers, without making any distinction at all. As Kaikeyi is unto thee, so without distinction is Sumitra, and so also without distinction my mother Kaucalya. Governing the kingdom as the heir- apparent with the view of compassing the pleasure of our father, he will be able to secure happiness both in this world and the next." Told by Rama to go back and instructed in this wise, Sumantra having heard everything, addressed Kakutstha from affection, saying,--"It behoves you to forgive what I say plainly from affection, without letting myself be overwhelmed with emotion, and with due reverence for you. How can I, O child, without you return to that city! which seems as if afflicted with the grief incident to the loss of a son? Having then seen my car with Rama on it, the hearts of the people and the palace now will in all likelihood burst when they shall see it without Rama. Surely the city will be distressed on beholding this empty car, like a host seeing a car with its hero slain and the charioteer alone left in the field. Thinking in their minds that you although actually at a great distance from them, are before them, the subjects (not finding you) will renounce food (and thus destroy themselves.) You yourself witnessed how the subjects overwhelmed with grief on your account, conducted themselves when you were being banished unto the woods. They will on seeing me with the car, burst out into lamentations exceeding a hundred times in bitterness those in which they indulged when you set out for the forest. Shall I say unto the worshipful one,--'I have conveyed your son to the home of his maternal uncle. Do you not grieve'. I will never tell such a lie. Yet how can I speak this truth which is so very unpleasant? And ever abiding by my command and used to carry your friends, how can these excellent horses bear this car without you? Therefore, O sinless one, I shall not be able to go to Ayodhya without you; and it behoves you to permit me to follow you to the forest. But if you forsake me who beseech you, I will as soon as left by you, enter into fire along with the car. I shall, O Raghava, by means of this car, withstand all those impediments that shall present themselves against your ascetic austerities in the forest. I have through your favour experienced the pleasure of driving the car. I expect at your hands the pleasure of living in the woods. Be you propitious. It is my wish to remain in the forest with you, and do you say, affectionately--'Do you remain by my side'. And these horses, O hero, will attain to a supreme state if they serve you during your abode in the forest. Living in the forest, I will serve you with the crown of my head; and I will entirely renounce Ayodhya or the celestial regions themselves. Even as a doer of evil deeds cannot enter the metropolis of the mighty Indra, I am incapable of entering Ayodhya without you. And this is my desire that the term of exile over, I may carry you back to the palace on this very car. Remaining with you in the forest the fourteen years will pass away dwindled into a moment, but without you, they shall assume the proportions of an hundred years. O you bearing affection towards your servants, it does not behove you to forsake your servant having regard for you, ever abiding by the way that is wended by the son of his master, and observing the duties of his pesition." Thereupon Rama kind towards servants, said these words unto Sumantra as he besought him thus humbly in various ways, "O thou that bearest attachment unto thy master, I know that thou regardest me highly. But do thou listen as to why I send thee to the city from hence. Seeing thee returned to the city, my youngest mother Kaikeyi will believe that Rama has gone to the woods. Then well pleased on my having repaired to the woods, she will not entertain any apprehension anent the righteous monarch, thinking that he is untruthful. This is my first wish that my youngest mother may obtain her son's kingdom, properous and well protected by Bharata. Do thou, O Sumantra, bear thyself unto the palace to compass the end of both the king and myself, and do thou communicate in the desired way what I have said unto the respective parties." Having said this unto the charioteer and consoled him again and again, the energetic Rama spoke unto Guha the following words fraught with reason, "O Guha, I should not now reside in a forest inhabited by men. I should certainly now abide in an asylum in proper guise. In harmony with the wishes of Sita and Lakshmana, I, imposing on myself in the interests of my father selfdenial and wearing that ornament of ascetics, a head of matted hair, will go (to the forest). Do thou therefore bring me starch from the banian." Thereupon Guha speedily brought the starch for the prince; and prepared matted locks for himself, Rama and Lakshmana. And that mighty- armed chief of men wore matted locks. And those brothers Rama and Lakshmana dressed as mendicants, and wearing heads of matted hair, appeared like saints. Then entering upon the Vanaprastha mode of life, Rama along with Lakshmana assuming the vow of that life, observed unto that adherent of his, Guha,--"Do thou, my friend, vigilantly protect the army, the exchequer, the fort and the provinces; for a kingdom demands all the exertions (of the king thereof)." Then taking the permission of Guha, the descendant of Ikshwaku, holding his soul in calmness, set out with his wife and Lakshmana. Seeing a boat at the river-side, that son of Ikshwaku desirous of crossing the swift-coursing Ganga, spoke these words,--"Do thou ascend, gently, O foremost of men, the boat that stayeth here, after the making the virtuous Sita ascend by taking her by the hand." Hearing his brother's command, that strong-willed one, furthering everything, having made Mithila's daughter ascend, ascended himself. That energetic elder brother of Lakshmana next ascended himself. Then the lord of the Nishadas, Guha, incited his kinsfolk. Having got on board the boat, the exceedingly puissant Raghava for securing his welfare, recited _mantras_ fit to be recited by Kshatriyas and Brahmanas. Then that mighty car-warrior, Lakshmana, sipping water from the river as laid down in the scriptures, bowed down to it along with Sita in gladness of heart. Then telling Sumantra, Guha, and the forces, Rama ascending the boat, ordered the boatmen (to proceed). Then the boat decked out by the helmsman, moved by them, and urged on by the pulls of the goodly oars, proceeded apace in the water. Having arrived at the middle of the Bhagirathi, that blameless one, Vaidehi, with joined hands, addressed the river, saying,-- "O Ganga, protected by thee, may the son of the intelligent and mighty monarch, Dacaratha, execute the mandate (of the latter.) Having spent complete fourteen years in the forest, he will return in company with his brother and myself. Then, O worshipful one, O thou of auspicious fortune, having returned safely, I will, O Ganga, worship thee, thou that crownst every desire. O thou that wendst in three ways, O revered one, thou envelopest the regions of Brahma. Thou appearest in this world as the spouse of the Ocean- king. I will, O respected one, bow down unto thee, O beauteous one, I will hymn thee, when, with good fortune returned, the foremost of men has obtained the kingdom, I will to please thee give away unto Brahmanas hundreds and thousands of kine, cloths, sapid rice, and vessels of wine by thousands, and _pillaos_. O worshipful one, I will worship thee on Rama having returned to the city. And I will worship all the gods that dwell on thy banks, as well as the holy spots and fanes, as soon as, O sinless one, that mighty-armed one without sin will, coming back from his abode in the forest, enter Ayodhya in company with his brother and myself." Having thus addressed the Ganga, that blameless one ever obedient unto her husband, swiftly went to the south bank (of the river). Going to the (other) bank of the stream, that best of men, and subduer of foes stood along with his brother and Vaidehi. Then that long-armed one spoke unto the enhancer of Sumitra's delight, saying,--"Be thou, whether in society or solitude, intent upon protecting Sita. Of course it behoves us to protect her in lone places. Do thou, O son of Sumitra, go ahead; and let Sita follow thee. I myself will go in your wake, protecting both yourself and Sita. Surely, O foremost of men, we should now protect each other. We have not yet performed any of the arduous tasks. Today Vaidehi will know the grief of a life in the woods. And today she will enter the forest destitute of the concourse of men, devoid of fields and gardens, uneven, and containing pits, etc." Hearing Rama's words, Lakshmana went ahead; that descendant of Raghu, Rama, followed Sita.

On Rama having speedily crossed the Ganga, the distressed Sumantra who had been gazing at him stedfastly, being no longer able to discern him, turned away his eyes and, overcome with grief, shed tears. And having crossed that mighty river, that high-souled one, that bestower of boons, resembling in prowess a Lokapala, without delay entered the flourishing and smiling Vatsas crowned with goodly crops. And then the two (brothers) having slain the four kinds of beasts, viz., boars, _risyas_, _prishatas_ and _maharurus_,[149] and taking their flesh, in the evening took refuge under a mighty tree, feeling the demands of appetite.

[149] Varieties of deer.-- T.

SECTION LIII.

Having taken refuge under the tree and performed his evening devotions, that foremost of those capable of charming others, Rama, addressed Lakshmana, saying,--"To day is the first night (which we must spend) outside the inhabited tracts without the company of Sumantra. Thou ought not to suffer thy mind to be uneasy on that score. From tonight forth, we shall have to guard her vigilantly; for, O Lakshmana, the preservation of what she has as well as the securing unto her of what she has not, rests with us. We will, O son of Sumitra, anyhow pass the night; let us ourselves procuring (leaves) and spreading them on the ground, anyhow lie down on it." Saying this, Rama lying down on the ground although worthy of a costly bed, spoke these excellent words unto Sumitra's son,--"O Lakshmana, surely the king sleeps uneasily to day, and Kaikeyi having attained her end ought to be satisfied. Will not that revered lady, for the purpose of having Bharata established in the kingdom, take the king's life, when she shall see Bharata arrived? Forlorn and old and deprived of me, I do not know what he will do, his soul possessed by desire, and having come under the influence of Kaikeyi. Viewing this calamity (that has overtaken us) and the disorder that has taken place in the senses of the monarch, I deem even lust as more potent than either virtue or interest. O Lakshmana, what man is there ignorant though he be, who for the sake of a female forsaketh as my father has done me, his son following his foot-steps? Ah! Kaikeyi's son Bharata with his wife is really happy--he that enjoys the sole sovereignity of the delighted Kocalas. Now that our father has grown old and I have taken refuge in the forest, he will alone experience the supreme felicity in the kingdom. He that renouncing interest and virtue, followes lust, speedily gets himself involved in troubles even like king Dacaratha. O amiable one, I think that Kaikeyi has been born for making an end of Dacaratha, sending me into exile, and conferring the kingdom on Bharata. At present for imparting me pain, Kaikeyi intoxicated by the tide of good fortune, will afflict Kaucalya and Sumitra. Thy mother, the revered Sumitra, will be smitten with grief on our account. Do thou, Lakshmana, tomorrow morning repair unto Ayodhya: I alone will go unto Dandaka along with Sita. Thou wilt be the protector of the helpless Kaucalya. Kaikeyi is surely mean-minded, she perpetrates wrongs from malice. O thou cognizant of virtue, she may administer poison unto my mother. Surely, O child, in a former birth, women were bereft of their sons by my mother, O son of Sumitra; and it is for this that this misfortune has befallen her. Having been brought up and reared with great pains by Kaucalya, I have left her at the time when her labors ought to have borne fruit. Fie on me! Let no woman, son of Sumitra, give birth unto a son like me who have imparted such infinite pain unto my mother. O Lakshmana, I consider my mother's female parrot as more sharing her affection, since she is heard to say, 'O Suka, do you bite the foot of the foe?' What am I, O repressor of foes, now to do for her, bewailing, of slender fortune,--she that hath not profitted in the least by her son, and who stands in no further need of his good offices? Surely my unfortunate mother, Kaucalya, bereft of me, lies down on the ground, overwhelmed will woe, and plunged in an ocean of grief. O Lakshmana, enraged, I alone, without doubt, can rid Ayodhya--the Earth herself--by means of my arrows. But improper is the display of prowess for no reason. O sinless one, I am afraid of unrighteousness and of the next life; and for this it is that, O Lakshmana, I do not install myself in the kingdom."

Having in solitude for a long while piteously bewailed thus and in other ways, Rama sat silent in the night with tears in his eyes. Thereupon Lakshmana consoled Rama spent with lamentation, like unto fire deprived of its radiance or the ocean of its tide. "Surely, O Rama, O foremost of warriors, on your having come out, the city of Ayodhya is shorn of its splendour like the night deprived of the moon. This is not fit that you should grieve; for thereby, O foremost of men, you make both Sita and myself grieve. Raghava, deprived of you neither Sita nor I can live for a moment, like fish taken out of water : without you, O repressor of foes, I wish to see neither my father, nor Satrughna, nor Sumitra, nor heaven itself." Then viewing from where they sat at ease their well-laid bed under the banian, those virtuous ones (Rama and Sita) went to it. Hearing Lakshmana's excellent and appropriate words with which he gladly assumed a life in the woods, that subduer of foes, Raghava, in the name of righteousness, at once folly granted him the permission to dwell with him for the entire fourteen years. Then like unto a couple of lions dwelling on a mountain-summit, at that lone spot of the extensive forest, those powerful perpetuators of the Raghu race, began to dwell without fear.

SECTION LIV.