SECTION XXIII.

And when the night had passed away, the mighty ascetic spoke unto Kākutstha, lying down on a bed of leaves, —"O Rāma, the best son of Kaucalyā, the first Sandhyā[³⁴] should now be performed. Do thou, O foremost of men, arise! Thou shouldst perform the purificatory rites and contemplate the gods." Hearing those proper words of the ascetic, those foremost of men, endowed with heroism, bathed, and, offering Arghya, began to recite the Gāyatri.[³⁵] And having performed these daily duties, those exceedingly powerful ones, greeting Viçwāmitra having asceticism for wealth, stood before him, with the object of starting on their journey. And as those ones endowed with exceeding prowess were proceeding, at the shining confluence of the Sarayu and the Gangā they beheld a noble river flowing in three branches. And there lay a holy hermitage, belonging to ascetics of subdued souls, where they had been carrying on their high austerities for thousands of years. Beholding that sacred asylum, those descendants of Raghu, exceedingly delighted, spake unto the high-souled Viçwāmitra, these words,—"Whose is this sacred hermitage? And what man liveth here? O worshipful one, we are desirous of hearing this. Surely, great is our curiosity." At those words of theirs, that foremost of ascetics, smiling, said,—"Hear, O Rāma, as to whom the asylum belonged in time past. Kandarpa, called Kāma by the wise, was once incarnate (on earth.) And it came to pass that as that lord of the deities, Sthānu, having performed here his austerities in accordance with the prescribed restrictions, was wending his way in company with the Maruts, that fool-hardy wight dared disturb the equanimity of his mind. Thereupon, descendant of Raghu, uttering a roar, the high-souled Rudra eyed him steadfastly. And thereat all the limbs of that perverse-hearted one became blasted. On his body being consumed by that high- souled one, Kāma was deprived of his person in consequence of the ire of that foremost among the deities; and, O Rāghava, from that time forth, he hath become known as Ananga.[³⁶] And the place where he was deprived of his body is the lovely land of Anga. This sacred hermitage belongs to Sivā; and these ascetics engaged in pious acts, O hero, have been from father to son his disciples. And no sin toucheth them. Here, O Rāma, in the midst of the sacred streams, will we spend the night, O thou of gracious presence, crossing over on the morrow. Let us then, having purified ourselves, enter the holy hermitage! It is highly desirable for us to sojourn here,—here will we happily spend the night, having bathed, and recited the mantras, and offered oblation unto the sacrificial fire, O best of men!"

As they were conversing thus, the ascetics were highly delighted on discovering them by means of their far-reaching spiritual vision,—and they rejoiced greatly. Then giving Kuçika's son water to wash his feet and Arghya, and extending unto him also the rites of hospitality, they next entertained Rāma and Lakshmana. And having experienced their hospitality, they (the guests) delighted them with their talk. And then the saints with collected minds recited their evening prayers. And having been shown their destined place of rest along with ascetics of excellent vows, they happily passed that night in that hermitage affording every comfort. And that foremost of ascetics, the righteous- souled son of Kuçika, by means of his excellent converse, charmed the prepossessing sons of the monarch.