Canto Xii.: The Heavenly Bow.

He spoke: the younger prince obeyed:

Within the bounds his way he made,

And thus addressed, whom first he met,

A pupil of the anchoret:

'Brave Rma, eldest born, who springs,

From Das'aratha, hither brings

His wife the lady St: he

Would fain the holy hermit see.

Lakshman am I--if happy fame

E'er to thine ears has brought the name--

His younger brother, prompt to do

His will, devoted, fond, and true.

We, through our royal sire's decree,

To the dread woods were forced to flee.

Tell the great Master, I entreat,

Our earnest wish our lord to greet."

He spoke: the hermit rich in store

Of fervid zeal and sacred lore,

Sought the pure shrine which held the fire,

To bear his message to the sire.

Soon as he reached the saint most bright

In sanctity's surpassing might,

He cried, uplifting reverent hands:

'Lord Rma near thy cottage stands.'

Then spoke Agastya's pupil dear

The message for his lord to hear:

'Rma and Lakshman, chiefs who spring

From Das'aratha, glorious king,

Thy hermitage e'en now have sought,

And lady St with them brought.

The tamers of the foe are here

To see thee, Master, and revere.

'Tis thine thy further will to say:

Deign to command, and we obey.'

When from his pupil's lips he knew

The presence of the princely two.

And St born to fortune high.

The glorious hermit made reply:

'Great joy at last is mine this day

That Rma hither finds his way,

For long my soul has yearned to see

The prince who comes to visit me.

Go forth, go forth, and hither bring

The royal three with welcoming:

Lead Rma in and place him near:

Why stands he not already here?'

Thus ordered by the hermit, who,

Lord of his thought, all dutv knew.

His reverent hands together laid.

The pupil answered and obeyed.

Forth from the place with speed he ran,

To Lakshman came and thus began:

'Where is he? let not Rma wait,

But speed, the sage to venerate.'

Then with the pupil Lakshman went

Across the hermit settlement,

And showed him Rma where he stood

With Janak's daughter in the wood.

The pupil then his message spake

Which the kind hermit bade him take;

Then led the honoured Rma thence

And brought him in with reverence.

As nigh the royal Rma came

With Lakshman and the Maithil dame,

He viewed the herds of gentle deer

Roaming the garden free from fear.

As through the sacred grove he trod

He viewed the seat of many a God,

Brahm and Agni, 1 Sun and Moon,

And His who sends each golden boon; 2

Here Vishnu's stood, there Bhaga's 3 shrine,

And there Mahendra's Lord divine;

Here His who formed this earthly frame, 4

His there from whom all beings came. 5

Vyu's, 6 and His who loves to hold

The great noose, Varim 7 mighty-souled:

Here was the Vasus' 8 shrine to see,

Here that of sacred Gyatr, 9

The king of serpents 10 here had place,

And he who rules the feathered race. 11

Here Krtikeya, 12 warrior lord,

And there was Justice' King adored.

Then with disciples girt about

The mighty saint himself came out:

Through fierce devotion bright as flame

Before the rest the Master came:

And then to Lakshman, fortune blest,

Rma these hasty words addressed:

'Behold, Agastya's self draws near,

The mighty saint, whom all revere:

With spirit raised I meet my lord

With richest wealth of penance stored.'

The strong-armed hero spake, and ran

Forward to meet the sunbright man.

Before him, as he came, he bent

And clasped his feet most reverent,

Then rearing up his stately height

Stood suppliant by the anchorite,

While Lakshman's strength and St's grace

Stood by the pride of Raghu's race.

p. 244

The sage his arms round Rama threw

And welcomed him with honours due,

Asked, was all well, with question sweet.

And bade the hero to a seat.

With holy oil he fed the flame,

He brought the gifts which strangers claim,

And kindly waiting on the three

With honours due to high degree,

He gave with hospitable care

A simple hermit's woodland fare.

Then sat the reverend father, first

Of hermits, deep in duty versed.

And thus to suppliant Rma, bred

In all the lore of virtue, said:

'Did the false hermit, Prince, neglect

To hail his guest with due respect,

He must,--the doom the perjured meet,--

His proper flesh hereafter eat.

A car-borne king a lord who sways

The earth, and virtue's law obeys,

Worthy of highest honour, thou

Hast sought, dear guest, my cottage now.'

He spoke: with fruit and hermit fare,

With every bloom the branches bare,

Agastya graceed his honoured guest,

And thus with gentle words addressed:

'Accept this mighty bow, divine.

Whereon red gold and diamonds shine;

'Twas by the Heavenly Artist planned

For Vishnu's own almighty hand:

This God-sent shaft of sunbright hue,

Whose deadly flight is ever true,

By Lord Mahendra given of yore:

This quiver with its endless store.

Keen arrows hurtling to their aim

Like kindled fires that flash and flame:

Accept, in golden sheath encased,

This sword with hilt of rich gold graced.

Armed, whilom, with this best of bows

Lord Vishnu slew his demon foes,

And mid the dwellers in the skies

Won brilliant glory for his prize.

The bow, the quivers, shaft, and sword

Received from me, O glorious lord:

These conquest to thine arm shall bring,

As thunder to the thunder's King.'

The splendid hermit bade him take

The noble weapons as he spake,

And as the prince accepted each

In words like these renewed his speech:

Footnotes

243:1 The God of fire.

243:2 Kuera, the God of riches.

243:3 The Sun.

243:4 Brahma, the creator.

243:5 Siva.

243:6 The Wind-God.

243:7 The God of the sea.

243:8 A class of demi-gods, eight in number.

243:9 The holiest text of the Vedas, deified.

243:10 Vsaki

243:11 Garnd *

243:12 The War-God.

Book Iii. Canto Xii. The Heavenly Bow