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Book Ii. Canto Lxxxiii. The Journey Begun

Canto Lxxxiii.: The Journey Begun.


Then Bharat rose at early morn,

And in his noble chariot borne

Drove forward at a rapid pace

Eager to look on Rma's face.

The priests and lords, a fair array,

In sun-bright chariots led the way.

Behind, a well appointed throng,

Nine thousand elephants streamed along.

Then sixty thousand cars, and then,

With various arms, came fighting men.

A hundred thousand archers showed

In lengthened line the steeds they rode--

A mighty host, the march to grace

Of Bharat, pride of Raghu's race.

Kaikey and Sumitr came,

And good Kaus'aly, dear to fame:

By hopes of Rma's coming cheered

They in a radiant car appeared.

On fared the noble host to see

Rma and Lakshman, wild with glee,

And still each other's ear to please,

Of Rma spoke in words like these:

'When shall our happv eyes behold

Our hero true, and pure, and bold,

So lustrous dark, so strong of arm,

Who keeps the world from woe and harm?

The tears that now our eyeballs dim

Will vanish at the sight of him,

As the whole world's black shadows fly

When the bright sun ascends the sky.'

Conversing thus their way pursued

The city's joyous multitude,

And each in mutual rapture pressed

A friend or neighbour to his breast.

Thus every man of high renown,

And every merchant of the town,

And leading subjects, joyous went

Toward Rma in his banishment.

And those who worked the potter's wheel,

And artists skilled in gems to deal;

And masters of the weaver's art,

And those who shaped the sword and dart;

And they who golden trinkets made,

And those who plied the fuller's trade;

And servants trained the bath to heat,

And they who dealt in incense sweet;

Physicians in their business skilled.

And those who wine and mead distilled;

And workmen deft in glass who wrought,

And those whose snares the peacock caught;

With them who bored the ear for rings,

Or sawed, or fashioned ivory things:

And those who knew to mix cement,

Or lived by sale of precious scent;

And men who washed, and men who sewed,

And thralls who mid the herds abode;

And fishers of the flood, and they

Who played and sang, and women gay;

And virtuous Brhmans, Scripture-wise,

Of life approved in all men's eyes;

These swelled the prince's lengthened train,

Borne each in car or bullock wain.

Fair were the robes they wore upon

Their limbs where red-hued unguents shone.

These all in various modes conveyed

Their journey after Bharat made;

The soldiers' hearts with rapture glowed,

Following Bharat on his road,

Their chief whose tender love would fain

Bring his dear brother home again.

With elephant, and horse, and car,

The vast procession travelled far,

p. 192

And came where Gang's waves below

The town of Sringavera 1 flow.

There, with his friends and kinsmen nigh,

Dwelt Guha, Rma's dear ally,

Heroic guardian of the land

With dauntless heart and ready hand.

There for a while the mighty force

That followed Bharat stayed its course,

Gazing on Gang's bosom stirred

By many a graceful water-bird.

When Bharat viewed his followers there,

And Gang's water, blest and fair,

The prince, who lore of words possessed,

His councillors and lords addressed:

'The captains of the army call:

Proclaim this day a halt for all,

That so to-morrow, rested, we

May cross this flood that seeks the sea.

Meanwhile, descending to the shore,

The funeral stream I fain would pour

From Gang's fair auspicious tide

To him, my father glorified.'

Thus Bharat spoke: each peer and lord

Approved his words with one accord,

And bade the weary troops repose

In separate spots where'er they chose.

There by the mighty stream that day,

Most glorious in its vast array

The prince's wearied army lay

In various groups reclined.

There Bharat's hours of night were spent,

While every eager thought he bent

On bringing home from banishment

His brother, great of mind.
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