The Ramayana Part 26

With cloudless l.u.s.tre rose the sun; The king, his morning worship done, Ordered his heralds to invite The princes and the anchorite.

With honour, as the laws decree, The monarch entertained the three.

Then to the youths and saintly man Videha's lord this speech began: "O blameless Saint, most welcome thou!

If I may please thee tell me how.

Speak, mighty lord, whom all revere, 'Tis thine to order, mine to hear."

Thus he on mighty thoughts intent; Then thus the sage most eloquent: "King Dasaratha's sons, this pair Of warriors famous everywhere, Are come that best of bows to see That lies a treasure stored by thee.

This, mighty Janak, deign to show, That they may look upon the bow, And then, contented, homeward go."

Then royal Janak spoke in turn: "O best of Saints, the story learn Why this famed bow, a n.o.ble prize, A treasure in my palace lies.

A monarch, Devarat by name, Who sixth from ancient Nimi came, Held it as ruler of the land, A pledge in his successive hand.

This bow the mighty Rudra bore At Daksha's(245) sacrifice of yore, When carnage of the Immortals stained The rite that Daksha had ordained.

Then as the G.o.ds sore wounded fled, Victorious Rudra, mocking, said: "Because, O G.o.ds, ye gave me naught When I my rightful portion sought, Your dearest parts I will not spare, But with my bow your frames will tear."

The Sons of Heaven, in wild alarm, Soft flatteries tried his rage to charm.

Then Bhava, Lord whom G.o.ds adore, Grew kind and friendly as before, And every torn and mangled limb Was safe and sound restored by him.

Thenceforth this bow, the gem of bows, That freed the G.o.d of G.o.ds from foes, Stored by our great forefathers lay A treasure and a pride for aye.

Once, as it chanced, I ploughed the ground, When sudden, 'neath the share was found An infant springing from the earth, Named Sita from her secret birth.(246) In strength and grace the maiden grew, My cherished daughter, fair to view.

I vowed her, of no mortal birth, Meet prize for n.o.blest hero's worth.

In strength and grace the maiden grew, And many a monarch came to woo.

To all the princely suitors I Gave, mighty Saint, the same reply: "I give not thus my daughter, she Prize of heroic worth shall be.(247) To Mithila the suitors pressed Their power and might to manifest.

To all who came with hearts aglow I offered Siva's wondrous bow.

Not one of all the royal band Could raise or take the bow in hand.

The suitors' puny might I spurned, And back the feeble princes turned.

Enraged thereat, the warriors met, With force combined my town beset.

Stung to the heart with scorn and shame, With war and threats they madly came, Besieged my peaceful walls, and long To Mithila did grievous wrong.

There, wasting all, a year they lay, And brought my treasures to decay, Filling my soul, O Hermit chief, With bitter woe and hopeless grief.

At last by long-wrought penance I Won favour with the G.o.ds on high, Who with my labours well content A four-fold host to aid me sent.

Then swift the baffled heroes fled To all the winds discomfited- Wrong-doers, with their lords and host, And all their valour's idle boast.

This heavenly bow, exceeding bright, These youths shall see, O Anchorite.

Then if young Rama's hand can string The bow that baffled lord and king, To him I give, as I have sworn, My Sita, not of woman born."

Canto LXVII. The Breaking Of The Bow.

Then spoke again the great recluse: "This mighty bow, O King, produce."

King Janak, at the saint's request, This order to his train addressed: "Let the great bow be hither borne, Which flowery wreaths and scents adorn."

Soon as the monarch's words were said, His servants to the city sped, Five thousand youths in number, all Of manly strength and stature tall, The ponderous eight-wheeled chest that held The heavenly bow, with toil propelled.

At length they brought that iron chest, And thus the G.o.dlike king addressed: "This best of bows, O lord, we bring, Respected by each chief and king, And place it for these youths to see, If, Sovereign, such thy pleasure be."

With suppliant palm to palm applied King Janak to the strangers cried: "This gem of bows, O Brahman Sage, Our race has prized from age to age, Too strong for those who yet have reigned, Though great in might each nerve they strained.

t.i.tan and fiend its strength defies, G.o.d, spirit, minstrel of the skies.

And bard above and snake below Are baffled by this glorious bow.

Then how may human prowess hope With such a bow as this to cope?

What man with valour's choicest gift This bow can draw, or string, or lift?

Yet let the princes, holy Seer, Behold it: it is present here."

Then spoke the hermit pious-souled: "Rama, dear son, the bow behold."

Then Rama at his word unclosed The chest wherein its might reposed, Thus crying, as he viewed it: "Lo!

I lay mine hand upon the bow: May happy luck my hope attend Its heavenly strength to lift or bend."

"Good luck be thine," the hermit cried: "a.s.say the task!" the king replied.

Then Raghu's son, as if in sport, Before the thousands of the court, The weapon by the middle raised That all the crowd in wonder gazed.

With steady arm the string he drew Till burst the mighty bow in two.

As snapped the bow, an awful clang, Loud as the shriek of tempests, rang.

The earth, affrighted, shook amain As when a hill is rent in twain.

Then, senseless at the fearful sound, The people fell upon the ground: None save the king, the princely pair, And the great saint, the shock could bear.

When woke to sense the stricken train, And Janak's soul was calm again, With suppliant hands and reverent head, These words, most eloquent, he said: "O Saint, Prince Rama stands alone: His peerless might he well has shown.

A marvel has the hero wrought Beyond belief, surpa.s.sing thought.

My child, to royal Rama wed, New glory on our line will shed: And true my promise will remain That hero's worth the bride should gain.

Dearer to me than light and life, My Sita shall be Rama's wife.

If thou, O Brahman, leave concede, My counsellors, with eager speed, Borne in their flying cars, to fair Ayodhya's town the news shall bear, With courteous message to entreat The king to grace my royal seat.

This to the monarch shall they tell, The bride is his who won her well: And his two sons are resting here Protected by the holy seer.

So, at his pleasure, let them lead The sovereign to my town with speed."

The hermit to his prayer inclined And Janak, lord of virtuous mind, With charges, to Ayodhya sent His ministers: and forth they went.

Canto LXVIII. The Envoys' Speech.

Three nights upon the road they pa.s.sed To rest the steeds that bore them fast, And reached Ayodhya's town at last.

Then straight at Dasaratha's call They stood within the royal hall, Where, like a G.o.d, inspiring awe, The venerable king they saw.

With suppliant palm to palm applied, And all their terror laid aside, They spoke to him upon the throne With modest words, in gentle tone: "Janak, Videha's king, O Sire, Has sent us. .h.i.ther to inquire The health of thee his friend most dear, Of all thy priests and every peer.

Next Kusik's son consenting, thus King Janak speaks, dread liege, by us: "I made a promise and decree That valour's prize my child should be.

Kings, worthless found in worth's a.s.say, With mien dejected turned away.

Thy sons, by Visvamitra led, Unurged, my city visited, And peerless in their might have gained My daughter, as my vow ordained.

Full in a vast a.s.sembly's view Thy hero Rama broke in two The gem of bows, of monstrous size, That came a treasure from the skies.

Ordained the prize of hero's might, Sita my child is his by right.

Fain would I keep my promise made, If thou, O King, approve and aid.

Come to my town thy son to see: Bring holy guide and priest with thee.

O lord of kings, my suit allow, And let me keep my promised vow.

So joying for thy children's sake Their triumph too shalt thou partake, With Visvamitra's high consent."

Such words with friendship eloquent Spoke Janak, fair Videha's king, By Satananda's counselling."

The envoys thus the king addressed, And mighty joy his heart possessed.

To Vamadeva quick he cried, Vasish?ha, and his lords beside: "Lakshma?, and he, my princely boy Who fills Kausalya's soul with joy, By Visvamitra guarded well Among the good Videhans dwell.

Their ruler Janak, prompt to own The peerless might my child has shown, To him would knit in holy ties His daughter, valour's lovely prize.

If Janak's plan seem good to you, Come, speed we to his city too, Nor let occasion idly by."

He ceased. There came a glad reply From priest and mighty saint and all The councillors who thronged the hall.

Then cried the king with joyous heart: "To-morrow let us all depart."

That night the envoys entertained With honour and all care remained.