The Ramayana Part 78

Thus Rama soothed his brother's grief: Then virtuous Javali, chief Of twice-born sages, thus replied In words that virtue's law defied: "Hail, Raghu's princely son, dismiss A thought so weak and vain as this.

Canst thou, with lofty heart endowed, Think with the dull ign.o.ble crowd?

For what are ties of kindred? can One profit by a brother man?

Alone the babe first opes his eyes, And all alone at last he dies.

The man, I ween, has little sense Who looks with foolish reverence On father's or on mother's name: In others, none a right may claim.

E'en as a man may leave his home And to a distant village roam, Then from his lodging turn away And journey on the following day, Such brief possession mortals hold In sire and mother, house and gold, And never will the good and wise The brief uncertain lodging prize.

Nor, best of men, shouldst thou disown Thy sire's hereditary throne, And tread the rough and stony ground Where hardship, danger, woes abound.

Come, let Ayodhya rich and bright See thee enthroned with every rite: Her tresses bound in single braid(387) She waits thy coming long delayed.

O come, thou royal Prince, and share The kingly joys that wait thee there, And live in bliss transcending price As Indra lives in Paradise.

The parted king is naught to thee, Nor right in living man has he: The king is one, thou, Prince of men, Another art: be counselled then.

Thy royal sire, O chief, has sped On the long path we all must tread.

The common lot of all is this, And thou in vain art robbed of bliss.

For those-and only those-I weep Who to the path of duty keep; For here they suffer ceaseless woe, And dying to destruction go.

With pious care, each solemn day, Will men their funeral offerings pay: See, how the useful food they waste: He who is dead no more can taste.

If one is fed, his strength renewed Whene'er his brother takes his food, Then offerings to the parted pay: Scarce will they serve him on his way.

By crafty knaves these rules were framed, And to enforce men's gifts proclaimed: "Give, worship, lead a life austere, Keep l.u.s.tral rites, quit pleasures here."

There is no future life: be wise, And do, O Prince, as I advise.

Enjoy, my lord, the present bliss, And things unseen from thought dismiss.

Let this advice thy bosom move, The counsel sage which all approve; To Bharat's earnest prayer incline, And take the rule so justly thine."

Canto CIX. The Praises Of Truth.

By sage Javali thus addressed, Rama of truthful hearts the best, With perfect skill and wisdom high Thus to his speech made fit reply: "Thy words that tempt to bliss are fair, But virtue's garb they falsely wear.

For he from duty's path who strays To wander in forbidden ways, Allured by doctrine false and vain, Praise from the good can never gain.

Their lives the true and boaster show, Pure and impure, and high and low, Else were no mark to judge between Stainless and stained and high and mean; They to whose lot fair signs may fall Were but as they who lack them all, And those to virtuous thoughts inclined Were but as men of evil mind.

If in the sacred name of right I do this wrong in duty's spite; The path of virtue meanly quit, And this polluting sin commit, What man who marks the bounds between Virtue and vice with insight keen, Would rank me high in after time Stained with this soul destroying crime?

Whither could I, the sinner, turn, How hope a seat in heaven to earn, If I my plighted promise break, And thus the righteous path forsake?

This world of ours is ever led To walk the ways which others tread, And as their princes they behold, The subjects too their lives will mould.

That truth and mercy still must be Beloved of kings, is Heaven's decree.

Upheld by truth the monarch reigns, And truth the very world sustains.

Truth evermore has been the love Of holy saints and G.o.ds above, And he whose lips are truthful here Wins after death the highest sphere.

As from a serpent's deadly tooth, We shrink from him who scorns the truth.

For holy truth is root and spring Of justice and each holy thing, A might that every power transcends, Linked to high bliss that never ends.

Truth is all virtue's surest base, Supreme in worth and first in place.

Oblations, gifts men offer here, Vows, sacrifice, and rites austere, And Holy Writ, on truth depend: So men must still that truth defend.

Truth, only truth protects the land, By truth unharmed our houses stand; Neglect of truth makes men distressed, And truth in highest heaven is blessed.

Then how can I, rebellious, break Commandments which my father spake- I ever true and faithful found, And by my word of honour bound?

My father's bridge of truth shall stand Unharmed by my destructive hand: Not folly, ignorance, or greed My darkened soul shall thus mislead.

Have we not heard that G.o.d and shade Turn from the hated offerings paid By him whose false and fickle mind No pledge can hold, no promise bind?

Truth is all duty: as the soul, It quickens and supports the whole.

The good respect this duty: hence Its sacred claims I reverence.

The Warrior's duty I despise That seeks the wrong in virtue's guise: Those claims I shrink from, which the base, Cruel, and covetous embrace.

The heart conceives the guilty thought, Then by the hand the sin is wrought, And with the pair is leagued a third, The tongue that speaks the lying word.

Fortune and land and name and fame To man's best care have right and claim; The good will aye to truth adhere, And its high laws must men revere.

Base were the deed thy lips would teach, Approved as best by subtle speech.

Shall I my plighted promise break, That I these woods my home would make?

Shall I, as Bharat's words advise, My father's solemn charge despise?

Firm stands the oath which then before My father's face I soothly swore, Which Queen Kaikeyi's anxious ear Rejoiced with highest joy to hear.

Still in the wood will I remain, With food prescribed my life sustain, And please with fruit and roots and flowers Ancestral shades and heavenly powers.

Here every sense contented, still Heeding the bounds of good and ill, My settled course will I pursue, Firm in my faith and ever true.

Here in this wild and far retreat Will I my n.o.ble task complete; And Fire and Wind and Moon shall be Partakers of its fruit with me.

A hundred offerings duly wrought His rank o'er G.o.ds for Indra bought, And mighty saints their heaven secured By torturing years on earth endured."

That scoffing plea the hero spurned, And thus he spake once more, Chiding, the while his bosom burned, Javali's impious lore: "Justice, and courage ne'er dismayed, Pity for all distressed, Truth, loving honour duly paid To Brahman, G.o.d, and guest- In these, the true and virtuous say, Should lives of men be pa.s.sed: They form the right and happy way That leads to heaven at last.

My father's thoughtless act I chide That gave thee honoured place, Whose soul, from virtue turned aside, Is faithless, dark, and base.

We rank the Buddhist with the thief,(388) And all the impious crew Who share his sinful disbelief, And hate the right and true.

Hence never should wise kings who seek To rule their people well, Admit, before their face to speak, The cursed infidel.

But twice-born men in days gone by, Of other sort than thou, Have wrought good deeds, whose glories high Are fresh among us now: This world they conquered, nor in vain They strove to win the skies: The twice-born hence pure lives maintain, And fires of worship rise.

Those who in virtue's path delight, And with the virtuous live,- Whose flames of holy zeal are bright, Whose hands are swift to give, Who injure none, and good and mild In every grace excel, Whose lives by sin are undefiled, We love and honour well."

Thus Rama spoke in righteous rage Javali's speech to chide, When thus again the virtuous sage In truthful words replied: "The atheist's lore I use no more, Not mine his impious creed: His words and doctrine I abhor, a.s.sumed at time of need.

E'en as I rose to speak with thee, The fit occasion came That bade me use the atheist's plea To turn thee from thine aim.

The atheist creed I disavow, Unsay the words of sin, And use the faithful's language now Thy favour, Prince, to win."

Canto CX. The Sons Of Ikshvaku.(389)

Then spake Vasish?ha who perceived That Rama's soul was wroth and grieved: "Well knows the sage Javali all The changes that the world befall; And but to lead thee to revoke Thy purpose were the words he spoke.

Lord of the world, now hear from me How first this world began to be.

First water was, and naught beside; There earth was formed that stretches wide.

Then with the G.o.ds from out the same The Self-existent Brahma came.

Then Brahma(390) in a boar's disguise Bade from the deep this earth arise; Then, with his sons of tranquil soul, He made the world and framed the whole.

From subtlest ether Brahma rose: No end, no loss, no change he knows.

A son had he, Marichi styled, And Kasyap was Marichi's child.

From him Vivasvat sprang: from him Manu, whose fame shall ne'er be dim.

Manu, who life to mortals gave, Begot Ikshvaku good and brave: First of Ayodhya's kings was he, Pride of her famous dynasty.

From him the glorious Kukshi sprang, Whose fame through all the regions rang.

Rival of Kukshi's ancient fame, His heir the great Vikukshi came.

His son was Va?a, lord of might, His Anara?ya, strong in fight.

No famine marred his blissful reign, No drought destroyed the kindly grain; Amid the sons of virtue chief, His happy realm ne'er held a thief, His son was Prithu, glorious name, From him the wise Trisanku came: Embodied to the skies he went For love of truth preeminent.

He left a son renowned afar, Known by the name of Dhundhumar.

His son succeeding bore the name Of Yuvanasva dear to fame.

He pa.s.sed away. Him followed then His son Mandhata, king of men.

His son was blest in high emprise, Susandhi, fortunate and wise.

Two n.o.ble sons had he, to wit Dhruvasandhi and Prasenajit.

Bharat was Dhruvasandhi's son: His glorious arm the conquest won, Against his son King Asit, rose In fierce array his royal foes, Haihayas, Talajanghas styled, And Sasivindhus fierce and wild.

Long time he strove, but forced to yield Fled from his kingdom and the field.

The wives he left had both conceived- So is the ancient tale believed:- One, of her rival's hopes afraid, Fell poison in the viands laid.

It chanced that Chyavan, Bhrigu's child, Had wandered to the pathless wild Where proud Himalaya's lovely height Detained him with a strange delight.

Then came the other widowed queen With lotus eyes and beauteous mien, Longing a n.o.ble son to bear, And wooed the saint with earnest prayer.

When thus Kalindi, fairest dame With reverent supplication came, To her the holy sage replied: "O royal lady, from thy side A glorious son shall spring ere long, Righteous and true and brave and strong; He, scourge of foes and lofty-souled, His ancient race shall still uphold."

Then round the sage the lady went, And bade farewell, most reverent.