contined from vol 8 issue 41

Words of brother’s deep devotion Rama heard with grateful heart,
And with Sita and with Lakshman for the woods prepared to part: Part we then from loving kinsmen, arms and mighty weapons bring, Bows of war which Lord VARUNA rendered to Videha’s king,
Coats of mail to sword impervious, quivers which can never fail, And the rapiers bright as sunshine, goldenhilted, tempered wen,
Safely rest these goodly weapons in our great preceptor’s hall,
Seekand bring them, faithful brother, for me thinks we need them all!” Rama spake; his valiant brother then the wondrous weapons brought, Wreathed with fresh and fragrant garlands and with gold and jewels wrought,
“Welcome, brother,” uttered Rama, “stronger thus to woods we go,
Wealth and gold and useless treasure to the holy priests bestow,
To the son of saint Vasishtha, to each sage is honour due, Then we leave our father’s mansions, to our father’s mandate true!”

MOTHER’S BLESSINGS

Tears of sorrow and of suffering flowed from Queen Kausalya’s eye,
As she saw departing Sita for her blessings drawing nigh, And she clasped the gentle Sits, and she kissed her moistened head,
And her tears like summer tempest choked the loving words she said: “Part we,
dear devoted daughter,
to thy husband ever true, With a woman’s whole affection render love to husband’s due! False are women loved and cherished, gentle in their speech and word, When misfortune’s shadows gather,
who are faithless to their lord, Who through years of sunny splendour smile and pass the livelong day,
When misfortune’s darkness thickens, from their husband turn away,
Who with changeful fortune changing oft ignore the plighted word,
And forget a woman’s duty, woman’s faith to wedded lord,
Who to holy love inconstant from their wedded consort part, Manly deed nor manly virtue wins the changeful woman’s heart! But the true and righteous woman, loving, spouse and changeless wife,
Faithful to her lord and consort holds him dearer than her life,
Ever true and righteous Sita, follow still my godlike son,
Like a God to thee is Rama in the woods or on the throne!” “I shall do my duty, mother,” said the wife with wifely pride, “Like a God to me is Rama,
Sita shall not leave his side, From the Moon will part his lustre ere I part from wedded lord,
Ere from faithful wife’s devotion falter in my deed or word, For the stringless lute is silent, idle is the wheel-less car, And no wife the loveless consort,
inauspicious is her star! Small the measure of affection which the sire and brother prove, Measureless to wedded woman is her lord and husband’s love,
True to Law and true to Scriptures, true to woman’s plighted word,
Can I ever be, my mother, faithless, loveless to my lord?” Tears of joy and mingled sorrow filled the Queen Kausalya’s eye, As she marked the faithful Sita true in heart, in virtue high,
And she wept the tears of sadness when with sweet obeisance due,
Spake with hands in meekness folded Rama ever good and true: “Sorrow not, my loving mother, trust in virtue’s changeless beam, Swift will fly the years of exile like a brief and transient dream,
Girt by faithful friends and forces,
blest by righteous Gods above, Thou shalt see thy son returning to thy bosom and thy love! Unto all the royal ladies Rama his obeisance paid, For his failings unremembered,
blessings and forgiveness prayed, And his words were soft and gentle, and they wept to see him go, Like the piercing cry of curlew rose the piercing voice of woe,
And in halls where drum and tabor rose in joy and regal pride, Voice of grief and lamentation sounded far and sounded wide! Then the true and faithful Lakshman parted from each weeping dame,
And to sorrowing Queen Sumitra with his due obeisance came, And he bowed to Queen Sumitra and his mother kissed his head,
Stilled her anguish-laden bosom and in trembling accents said: Dear devoted duteous Lakshman,
ever to thy elder true, When thy elder wends to forest, forest-life to thee is due,
Thou hast served him true and faithful in his glory and his fame,
This is Law for true and righteous,—serve him in his woe and shame,
This is Law for race of Raghu known on earth for holy might, Bounteous in their sacred duty,
brave and warlike in the fight! Therefore tend him as thy father, as thy mother tend his wife,
And to thee, like fair Ayodhya be thy humble forest life, Go, my son, the voice of Duty bids my gallant Lakshman go, Serve thy elder with devotion and with valour meet thy foe

CITIZENS’ LAMENT

Spake Sumantra chariot-driver waiting by the royal car, “Haste thee, mighty-destined Rama,
for we wander long and far, Fourteen years in Dandak’s forest shall the righteous Rama stray, Such is Dasa-ratha’s mandate, haste thee Rama and obey.” Queenly Sita bright-apparelled,
with a strong and trusting heart, Mounted on the car of splendour for the pathless woods to part,
And the king for needs providing gave her robes and precious store,
For the many years of exile in a far and unknown shore, And a wealth of warlike weapons to the exiled princes gave, Bow and dart and linkéd armour,
sword and shield and lances brave. Then the gallant brothers mounted on the gold-emblazoned car, For unending was the journey and the wilderness was far, Skilled Sumantra saw them seated,
urged the swiftly-flying steed, Faster than the speed of tempest was the noble coursers’ speed.
And they parted for the forest; like a long unending night,
Gloomy shades of grief and sadness deepened on the city’s might,
Mute and dumb but conscious creatures felt the woe the city bore, Horses neighed and shook their bright bells,
elephants returned a roar! Man and boy and maid and matron followed Rama with their eye, As the thirsty seek the water when the parchéd fields are dry, Clinging to the rapid chariot,
by its side, before, behind,

TO BE CONTINUED