Chapter CLVI: Section LXXXI

Then seeing that the night in which had been performed the auspicious preliminary ceremonies, was about to be spent, eulogists and genealogists hymned Bharata with consecrated hymns. And then sounded the kettle-drum, beaten by a golden stick, announcing the departure of the night; and people sounded conchs and other instruments by hundreds furnished with soft and loud sounds. And as if fillihg the heavens, those powerful blasts of the trumpet repeatedly rendered Bharata burning in grief the more aggrieved. Then awaking and silencing those sounds with saying--"I am not the king," he said unto Satrughna, "Behold, O Satrughna, in what a mighty wrong the people are engaged, on account of Kaikeyi. The king Dacaratha has gone away throwing down on me (the burden of) this misery. The royal grace founded in righteousness of that magnanimous and virtuous monarch is wandering even like a boat on water having no helmsman. And he who is our mighty master hath been banished into the woods by this mother of mine! who had (in doing so) renounced virtue." Seeing Bharata lamenting thus senseless, the ladies afflicted with sorrow began to wail in winsome accents. As Bharata Was mourning thus, the highly famous and virtuous Vasishtha accompanied by his disciples entered the court of the Ikshwaku king: built of entire gold, charming, dazzling with gems and gold: like unto Sudharma itself. Sitting down on a golden seat furnished with an elegant cover, that one versed in all the Vedas commanded the envoys, saying,--"Do ye speedily with collected minds bring hither Brahmanas and Kshatriyas and warriors and counsellors and generals of forces and Satrughna with the other princes, and the famous Bharata and Yudhajit[170] and Sumantra and others that are engaged in our welfare." Then there arose a mighty hubbub occasioned by people coming up in cars, horses and elephants. And when Bharata arrived, the subjects rejoiced as they used to rejoice on Dacaratha's arrival; and as rejoiced the immortals on the arrival of him of an hundred sacrifices. And then the court resembling a moveless ocean containing whales and serpents,[171] and gems and conchs and gold-mines, being graced with the presence of Dacaratha's son, looked splendid as it formerly did with that of Dacaratha himself.

[170] One of the counsellors.--T.

[171] _Naga_ may also mean hypopotamus.--T.