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Book Iii. Canto Ix. Sita's Speech

Canto Ix.: Sita'S Speech.


Blest by the sage, when Raghu's son

His onward journey had begun,

Thus in her soft tone St, meek

With modest fear, began to speak:

'One little slip the great may lead

To shame that follows lawless deed:

Such shame, my lord, as still must cling

To faults from low desire that spring.

Three several sins defile the soul,

Born of desire that spurns control:

First, utterance of a lying word,

Then, viler both, the next, and third:

The lawless love of other's wife,

The thirst of blood uncaused by strife.

The first, O Ragnu's son, in thee

None yet has found, none e'er shall see.

Love of another's dame destroys

All merit, lost for guilty joys:

Rma, such crime in thee, I ween,

Has ne'er been found, shall ne'er be seen:

The very thought, my princely lord,

Is in thy secret soul abhorred.

p. 238

For thou hast ever been the same

Fond lover of thine own dear dame,

Content with faithful heart to do

Thy father's will, most just and true:

Justice, and faith, and many a grace

In thee have found a resting-place.

Such virtues, Prince, the good may gain

Who empire o'er each sense retain;

And well canst thou, with loving view

Regarding all, each sense subdue,

But for the third, the lust that strives,

Insatiate still, for others' lives,--

Fond thirst of blood where hate is none,--

This, O my lord, thou wilt not shun.

Thou hast but now a promise made,

The saints of Danndak wood to aid:

And to protect their lives from ill

The giants' blood in tight wilt spill:

And from thy promise lasting fame

Will glorify the forest's name.

Armed with thy bow and arrows thou

Forth with thy brother journeyest now

While as I think how true thou art

Fears for thy bliss assail my heart,

And all my spirit at the sight

Is troubled with a strange affright.

I like it not--it seems not good--

Thy going thus to Damdak wood:

And I, if thou wilt mark me well,

The reason of my fear will tell.

Thou with thy brother, bow in hand,

Beneath those ancient trees wilt stand,

And thy keen arrows will not spare

Wood-rovers who will meet thee there.

For as the fuel food supplies

That bids the dormant flame arise,

Thus when the warrior grasps his bow

He feels his breast with ardour glow.

Deep in a holy grove, of yore,

Where bird and beast from strife forbore,

S'achi beneath the sheltering boughs,

A truthful hermit kept his vows.

Then Indra, S'achi's heavenly lord,

Armed like a warrior with a sword,

Came to his tranquil home to spoil

The hermit of his holy toil,

And left the glorious weapon there

Entrusted to the hermit's care,

A pledge for him to keep, whose mind

To fervent zeal was all resigned.

He took the brand: with utmost heed

He kept it for the warrior's need:

To keep his trust he fondly strove

When roaming in the neighbouring grove:

Whene'er for roots and fruit he strayed

Still by his side he bore the blade:

Still on his sacred charge intent,

He took his treasure when he went.

As day by day that brand he wore,

The hermit, rich in merit's store

From penance rites each thought withdrew,

And fierce and wild his spirit grew.

With heedless soul he spurned the right,

And found in cruel deeds delight.

So, living with the sword, he fell,

A ruined hermit, down to hell.

This tale applies to those who deal

Too closely with the warrior's steel:

The steel to warriors is the same

As fuel to the smouldering flame.

Sincere affection prompts my speech:

I honour where I fain would teach.

Mayst thou, thus armed with shaft and bow,

So dire a longing never know

As, when no hatred prompts the fray,

These giants of the wood to slay:

For he who kills without offence

Shall win but little glory thence

The bow the warrior joys to bend

Is lent him for a nobler end,

That he may save and succour those

Who watch in woods when pressed by foes.

What, matched with woods, is bow or steel?

What, warrior's arm with hermit's zeal?

We with such might have naught to do:

The forest rule should guide us too.

But when Ayodhy hails thee lord,

Be then thy warrior life restored:

So shall thy sire 1 and mother joy

In bliss that naught may e'er destroy.

And if, resigning empire, thou

Submit thee to the hermit's vow,

The noblest gain from virtue springs,

And virtue joy unending brings.

All earthly blessings virtue sends:

On virtue all the world depends.

Those who with vow and fasting tame

To due restraint the mind and frame,

Win by their labour, nobly wise,

The highest virtue for their prize.

Pure in the hermit's grove remain,

True to thy duty, free from stain.

But the three worlds are open thrown

To thee, by whom all things are known.

Who gave me power that I should dare

His duty to my lord declare?

'Tis woman's fancy, light as air,

That moves my foolish breast.

Now with thy brother counsel take,

Reflect, thy choice with judgment make,

And do what seems the best.'

p. 239

Footnotes

238:1
Gorresio observes that Das'aratha was dead and that Sit had been informed of his death. In his translation he substitutes for the words of the text
'thy relations and mine.' This is quite superfluous. Das'aratha though in heaven still took a loving interest in the fortunes of his son.
the authenticity of host cant be established ssh| the authenticity of host cant be established ssh
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