Chapter XXXI: Section XXXI

Those heroes, Rama and Lakshmana, their interest secured, with glad hearts passed that night there. And when the night had passed away and the morning come, they together appeared before the saint, Vicwamitra, and the rest. And having saluted that foremost of ascetics resembling flaming fire, they of honied speech spake unto him words exceedingly lofty.--"These servants of thine, O best of ascetics, have come before thee. Do thou command, O chief of anchorets, what command of thine are we to execute?" Thus addressed by them, the Maharshis with Vicwamitra at their head spake unto Rama, saying,--"A highly meritorious sacrifice, O foremost of men, is to be celebrated by Mithila's lord, Janaka. Thither shall we repair. And thou, O great among men, must accompany us, and there behold a wonderful jewel of a bow. And formerly this bow of immeasurable energy, and dreadful, and exceedingly effulgent at the sacrifice, had been conferred in court by the celestials (on king Devarata). And neither gods nor Gandharbas, neither Asuras nor Rakshasas nor men, can fix the string upon it. And desirous of being acquainted with the prowess of this bow, many kings and princes came; but they in spite of their mighty strength, failed in stringing it. There, Kakutstha, thou wilt behold that bow belonging to the high-souled king of Mithila,--as well as his exceedingly wonderful sacrifice. That rare bow, O foremost of men, furnished with an excellent device for griping it, had been solicited by Mithila's lord as the fruit of his sacrifice; and the celestials conferred it upon him. And now, O descendant of Raghu, in the residence of king, the bow is worshipped like a deity with _aguru_, _dhupa_, and various other incenses." This having been said, that foremost of ascetics, in company with Kakutstha and the saints, departed. And on the eve of setting out, he addressed the sylvan deities, saying,--"Luck! I will, with my desire obtained, go from forth this Siddhacrama unto the Himavat mountain on the north of the Jahnavi." Having said this, that tiger-like ascetic, Kucika's son, along with other anchorets having asceticism for their wealth, set out in a northerly direction. And as that best of ascetics proceeded, he was followed by Brahmanas upholding the Veda, carrying the sacrificial necessaries on an hundred cars. And birds and beasts dwelling in Siddhacrama followed the high-souled Vicwamitra having asceticism for wealth. And then followed by the body of devotees he dismissed the birds. And having proceded a longway, when the sun was sloping down, the ascetics rested on the banks of the Sona. And when the maker of day had set, having bathed and offered oblations unto the fire, those ascetics of immeasurable energy, placing Vicwamitra in their front, sat them down. And Rama also together with Sumitra's son, having paid homage unto those ascetics, sat him down before the intelligent Vicwamitra. Then Rama of exceeding energy, influenced by curiosity, asked that foremost of ascetics, Vicwamitra, having asceticism for his wealth, saying,--"O worshipful one, what country is this, graced with luxuriant woods? I am desirous of hearing this. Good betide thee, it behoveth thee to tell me this truly." Thus addressed by Rama, that one of high austerities and excellent vows began in the midst of the saints to describe the oppulence of that region.

SECTION XXXN.

Once upon a time there was a mighty son of Brahma, of high austerities, named Kuca. And he was cognizant of duty, and ever engaged in observing vows and honoring good men. And that high-souled one begat on Vaidarbhi, sprung from a respectable line, and endowed with all noble qualities, four sons like unto himself, and possessed of extraordinary prowess--Kucyamva, and Kucanabha, and Asurtarajas, and Vasu, resplendent and breathing exhaustless spirits. And with the deisre of enhancing Kshetrya merit, Kuca said unto his truthful and virtuous sons,--'Ye sons! do ye engage in the task of governing,--and thereby acquire immense merit.' Hearing Kuja's words, those four foremost of men and best of sons addressed themselves to founding seats for their government. And the highly energetic Kucamva founded the city of Kaucamvi; and the righteous Kucanabha, the metropolis of Mahodaya; and the magnanimous Asurtarajas, Dharmaranya; and king Vasu, Girivraja, best of capitals. This city with these five mighty mountains shining around (otherwise) called Vasumati belongs to the high-souled Vasu. And the river known by the name of Sumagadhi flows through the Magadhas. And in the midst of the five foremost of hills, it looks like a garland. And this Magadhi, O Rama, belongs unto the high- souled Vasu, taking, O Rama, an easterly course, and flowing through fertile fields furnished with corn. And, O descendant of Raghu, the virtuous-souled Rajarshi Kucanabha begat an hundred peerless daughters on Ghritachi. And it came to pass that they endowed with youth, beautiful, and like unto the lightning in the rainy season, decked in excellent ornaments, coming to their garden, were merrily singing and dancing and playing on musical instruments, O Raghava! And as they perfect in every limb, and unparalleled on earth in beauty, and endowed with all qualities, and furnished with youth and grace, were in the garden, like unto stars embosomed among clouds, that life of all, the air, beheld them and said,-- "I seek for ye: do ye become my wives. Do ye renounce this human guise, and attain long lives. Youth verily is unstable, specially with the human beings: do ye attaining unfading youth, become immortal:" Hearing this speech of the Air of ever fresh energy, the damsels ridiculing it, said,--"Thou rangest the hearts of all creatures, O foremost of celestials, and we also know thy influence. Wherefore, then, dost thou dishonor us? O foremost of celestials, we are the daughters of Kucanabha, O divine one. And god as thou art, we can dislodge thee from thy place; but we refrain from doing so, lest thereby we lose our ascetic merit. May, O foolish one, that time never come, when disregarding our truthful sire, we following our inclination, shall resort to self choice. Our father verily is our lord and prime god. Of him even shall we become the wives unto whom our father giveth us away." At these words of theirs, that lord and adorable one, the Air, exceedingly enraged, then entered into their bodies, and broke all their limbs. Their bodies being thus broken by Air, those damsels, exceedingly agitated and overwhelmed with shame, with tears in their eyes entered the residence of the king. And finding his supremely beautiful and favorite daughters with their limbs broken, and woe- begone, the king bewildered, spake,--'Ye daughters, what is this? Who is it that thus disregards virtue? By whom have ye all come by this crooked form? And why demonstrating your grief, do ye not answer me?' Having said this, the king heaved a deep sigh and became eager to hear all about it."