Chapter LXXVIII: Section III

And when they had raised unto their heads their clasped hands resembling lotuses, the king responding unto them addressed them in welcome words fraught with their good; "Exceedingly pleased am I, and incomparable also is my influence,--because ye wish to behold my dear first born installed as heir-apparent." Having greeted them thus, the king in their hearing spoke unto Vasishtha, Vamadeva, and other Brahmanas saying,--"This is the holy month of Chaitra; and the groves look beautiful with blossoms. Do ye now prepare for the installation of Rama." When the king paused, there arose a mighty tumult from the multitude. And when it subsided, that lord of men, the king, addressed that foremost of ascetics, Vasishtha saying,--"It behovcth thee, O worshipful Sir, to order for things, necessary for the installation of Rama." Hearing those words of the monarch, Vasishtha--chief of anchorets--ordered the counsellors staying before the king with clasped hands, saying,--"Do ye early in the morning in the Agnihautric ball of the monarch provide and store up- gold, and gems, and articles for worship, and _Sarvaushadhi_[109] and white garlands, and fried paddy, and honey and clarified butter in separate vessels, and cloths fresh from the loom, and a car, every kind of weapons, and the fourfold forces, and an elephant with auspicious marks, and a couple of chowris, and a sceptre and an umbrella, pale colored, and an hundred furnished golden pitchers of water, and a bull with horns plated in gold, and an entire tiger-skin, together with all othet necessary articles. And do ye embellish all the door-ways of the inner apartment as well as those of the entire city with garlands, with sandal paste and fragrant _Dhupa_. Do ye on the morning of the morrow bestow upon the principal Brahmanas goodly and refined rice mixed with curds and milk.--so that hundreds of thousands may be fed, and gratified, bestowing on them at the same time clarified butter and curds, and fried paddy, and moire than sufficient _Dakshinas_. To-morrow as soon as the sun will rise, the _Swastivachana_[110] will be finished. Do ye invite the Brahmanas, and prepare seats (for them). And do ye set up flags, and water the high ways, and let courtezans whose profession is music, adorning themselves stay in the second apartment of the king's residence. In the abodes of the gods and under the Chaitya[111] trees, should be separately placed fragrant blossoms, together with boiled rice and other edibles, and with _Dakshinas_. And let the warriors properly arrayed, enter the courtyard of the monarch which is welling up with festal glee mailed, and accoutred with leather fences and long swords." Having issued these orders, those two Vipras entered upon their work (as priests;) and did what remained to be done after making that known unto the lord of the earth. When everything had been got ready those foremost of the twice- born ones gladly and well-pleased presented themselves before the master of the earth, and said unto him, "Everything as ordered has been done." Then unto Sumantra, the effulgent monarch spake, saying,--"Do thou speedily bring the virtuous Rama hither." Thereupon saying, "so be it," Sumantra at the mandate of the king brought thither in a car Rama the foremost of car-warriors. The kings of the North, and the South and the East and the West, together with the _Mlechas_ and the Arya princes, with those inhabiting mountains and forests were then paying homage unto him (Dacaratha) even as the celestials do unto Vasava. Stationed in his palace, the royal saint Dacaratha in the midst of those princes, like Vasava in the midst of the Maruts, saw his son, resembling the king of the Gandharvas, approach, gladdening the subjects like a shower, when they were oppressed with the heat of summer--even Rama of redoubtable prowess among men, long armed, and of mighty strength, and bearing the gait of a mad elephant, "with a countenance fair as the moon, of presence prepossessing to a degree, and captivating men's sight and hearts by reason of his beauty generosity and other qualities. And as he was approaching, the lord of men eyed him steadily, without experiencing satiety.

Making Raghava descend from that excellent car, Sumantra followed him with clasped hands as he proceeded to the presence of his father. Accompanied with Sumantra, Raghava, the descendant of the Raghus, for the purpose of beholding the monarch, began with rapid steps, to ascend the palace resembling a peak of the Kailasa hill. Rama humbly approaching his father with clasped hands, and announcing his name bowed low and worshipped his father's feet. Thereupon seeing Rama at his side with clasped hands, and in lowly guise, the king took hold of Rama's clasped hands, and drawing his beloved son, embraced the latter. Then the king desired Rama to sit upon a seat prepared expressly for him, excellent, and flaming and garnished with gold and gems. Raghava shed lustre on that noble seat, as the unclouded sun at his rising lighteth up the _Sumeru_ hill with his rays. That entire assembly looked beautiful in his presence, like the cloudless, autumnal sky crested with stars and planets, in the presence of the moon. The king experienced delight, beholding his dearly beloved son, like unto his own image, richly adorned, reflected on mirror. And even as Kacyapa addresseth Indra of the celestials, the king--the best of those possessing sons-- addressed his son, well seated, in these words, saying. "Born of my eldest wife worthy of myself, thou crowned with the best qualities, art my worthy son, O Rama dear unto me. Thou hast by thy virtues drawn unto thyself the hearts of the people, therefore do thou during the conjunction of the moon with the Pushya constellation, receive the office of heir-apparent. Thou art by nature crowned with virtues. Notwithstanding thy great virtues, I will, 0 son, from affection tell thee what is for thy profit. Practicing greater humility, do thou constantly restrain thy senses. Do thou renounce the ills that come through anger and lust. Replenishing thy exchequer and arsenal do thou, acquainting thyself with the state of things personally and otherwise, administer justice and thereby enlist the affection of the courtiers and other subjects; for the friends of him that swayeth the earth, pleasing the people to his satisfaction, rejoice even as did the immortals on obtaining ambrosia. Therefore, do thou, O son, disciplining thyself thus address thee to thy task." Hearing this, Rama's well wishers, ever doing his pleasure, speedily going out, acquainted Kaucalya with everything. Thereupon that foremost of her sex Kaucalya ordered gold and kine and various kinds of gems to be given to the tellers of the glad tidings. Then Raghava, having been honored by the multitude and saluted the sovereign, ascended a car, and repaired unto his shining residence. And the citizens, hearing those words of the monarch, as if fraught with some speedy good fortune unto them, made their obeisance unto that lord of men, and repairing to their homes, with delighted minds, worshipped the gods.

[109] Consists of Mura Valerian and such like drugs.--T.

[110] A religious rite, preparatory to any important ceremony, in which
the Brahmanas strew boiled rice on the ground, and invoke the
blessings of the gods on the rites about to commence.--T.

[111] The religious fig.--T.