SECTION LXXIV.
Then when the night had passed away, the mighty Muni Viçwāmitra, having greeted the monarch, set out for the Northern mountains. And when Viçwāmitra had gone away, king Daçarātha, greeting Mitbila's lord, Vaideha, actively prepared for setting out for his own capital. And then the king of the Videhas gave a dower consisting of various things. And Mithilā's lord gave many hundred thousands of kine, and excellent woolen stuffs, and Kotis of common cloths; and elephants, and horses, and cars, and foot men, as well as an hundred damsels adorned, endowed with elegance, to form goodly waiting-maids. And well- pleased the king gave as a noble dower gold and silver and pearls and coral. And having given divers kinds of articles, that king, the lord of Mithilā, bidding adieu to the monarch (Daçarātha), re-entered his own capital. And the master of Ayodhyā accompanied with his high-souled sons, and headed by the saints in a body, started on the journey, followed by his army and attendants. And as that tiger-like one was on his way, in company with Rāghava and the saints, the fowls began to utter frightful cries all around, and the beasts on earth to stream in a Southern direction. And beholding them, that tiger like monarch asked Vasishtha, saying,— "Those birds of fierce aspects emit frightful cries and beasts stream in a Southerly direction. What is this? My heart trembleth and my mind is not at ease." Hearing the speech of king Daçarātha, that mighty saint spake sweetly, saying, "Hear what would be the result of it. These fowls of the air by their cries presage some dreadful impending evil; but these beasts betoken peace restored. Therefore do thou renounce anxiety." And as they were thus conversing, there blew a strong wind, shaking all the earth, and breaking down the trees. And a deep gloom enveloped the sun; and no quarter could be discovered. And enveloped in ashes, that host became stupified. And at that dreadful hour, Vasishtha and the other saints and the king with his sons alone retained their senses, all else were deprived of their senses, and the army was enveloped with ashes. And the king saw that repressor of kings, the decendant of Bhrigu, Jamadagni's son, dreadful to behold, wearing a head of matted locks, irrepresible like unto Kailāça, and unbearable like unto the fire at the universal dissolution, flaming fn energy, incapable of being looked at by the unrighteous, with his axe on his shoulder, equipped with a bow like unto the lightning, and fierce arrows, looking like Sivā the slayer of Tripura. And beholding him of dreadful appearance like unto flaming fire, the Vipras headed by Viçwāmitra, engaged in reciting mantras and offering oblations unto the fire,— those saints assembled together—began to converse with each other., saying,—"Is this one, enraged because of the slaughter of his sire, intent upon exterminating the Kshatriyas? Formerly, having slaughtered the Kshatriyas, he pacified his ire and mental ferment,—therefore, to annihilate the Kshatriyas once again can never be his endeavour." Having said this, the saints offered Arghya unto Bhrigu's son of dreadful appearance; and addressed him in soothing words, saying,—"O Rāma! O Rāma." Accepting that homage rendered unto him by the saints, that puissant one, Jamadagni's son, Rāma, addressed Rāma, the son of Daçarātha.