SECTION XXII.
Upon Vasishtha's representing this, king Daçarātha himself with a complacent countenance, summoned unto him Rāma and Lakshmana. And when the auspicious rites had been performed by both Rāma's father and mother, and when the priest Vasishtha had uttered mantras, king Daçarātha, smelling his son's crown, with a glad heart, made him over unto the descendant of Kuçika. Then there blew a Breeze free from dust and of delicious feel, on witnessing the lotus-eyed Rāma at the hands of Viçwāmitra. And as the high-souled one was about to set out, blossoms began to shower down copiously, accompanied with the sounds of celestial kettle-drums and the loud blares of conchs. Viçwāmitra went first, and next the highly famous Rāma with the side-locks, holding the bow. And him followed Sumitrā's son. And equipped with quivers, and with bows in hand, gracing the ten cardinal points and resembling three-hooded serpents, they followed the high-souled Viçwāmitra, like the two stalwart Aswins following the Grand-sire. And those effulgent ones of faultless limbs went in the wake of the ascetic, illumining him with their grace. And like unto those sons of his, Skanda and Bisākha following the incomprehensible deity, Sthānu, those youthful brothers of comely persons and faultless limbs, Rāma and Lakshmana, highly effulgent, carrying bows in hand, adorned with ornaments, and equipped with scimitars, with their fingers encased in Guana skin, flamingly followed Kuçika's son, beautifying him with their splendour. And having proceeded over half a Yojana, and arriving at the right bank of the Sarayu, Viçwāmitra addressed these sweet words unto Rāma,—"O Rāma! do thou, O child, take of this water: let no delay occur. Do thou receive the mantras Valā and Ativalā,—and thou wilt not feel fatigue or fever or undergo any change of look, and whether asleep or heedless, the Rākshasas will not be able to surprise thee. And, O Rāma, the might of thy arms will be unequalled in this world,—nay, in all the three worlds. There shall be none—thy equal. Do thou, O Rāghava, recite Valā and Ativalā, O child! And, O sinless one, when thou hast secured these two kinds of knowledge, none in this world will equal thee in good fortune, or in talent, or in philosophic wisdom or in subtle apprehension, or in the capacity of answering a controversialist; for Valā and Ativalā are the nurses of all knowledge. And, O Rāma, O foremost of men, if thou recitest Valā and Ativalā on the way. neither hunger nor thirst will exercise thee, O descendant of Raghu! And if thou recitest these, thou wilt attain fame on earth. Those sciences fraught with energy are the daughters of the Grandsire. I intend to confer them upon thee, O Kākutstha; and, O lord of earth, they are worthy to be conferred upon thee as thou art possessed of various virtues. Thou need not entertain any doubt about it. And if thou learn them like unto the exercise of asceticism they will prove of manifold good unto thee." Thereat Rāma with a cheerful countenance sipping water, with a purified body received those sciences from the Maharshi of subdued soul. And furnished with the sciences, Rāma of dreadful prowess appeared resplendent, even like the adorable autumnal Sun invested with a thousand rays. Then Rāma having rendered unto Kuçika's son all the duties appertaining to a spiritual guide, the three happily spent that night on the banks of the Sarayu. And although those excellent sons of Daçarātha lay down on an unbeseeming bed of grass, yet in consequence of the sweet converse of Kuçika's son, the night seemed to pass pleasantly away.