SECTION XXV.
Kauçalyā subduing her sorrow,and touching holy water, began to perform auspicious ceremonies for Rāma, and spoke unto him saying "Do thou, Oh best amongst the descendants of Raghu, repair now, as I cannot dissuade thee, but do thou return speedily and, follow the footsteps of great ones. Let that virtue, Oh best of Rāghavas, protect thee, which thou hast followed with gladness and self-discipline. Let the deities, whom you worship every day in the temple, together with the Maharshis protect thee in the forest. Let those weapons conferred upon thee by the great Visvāmitra protect thee always, gifted with good qualities. Do thou of mighty hands live forever, being protected by the truth and merit of thy continual services to thy father and mothers. May the holy fuel, sacrificial grass, sanctified altars and court-yards, the sacred ground of medicant Brahmins, mountains, trees great and small, lakes, birds, serpents and lions protect thee. Oh best of men, may Sidhya,[121] Bishvadeva,[122] Maruta,[123] the great ascetics, the sustainer, and the preserver of the creation Pusa,[124] Bhaga,[125] Aryamā,[126] the Lokapālas,[127] headed by Indra and others, the six seasons, the months, day, night, moments Srutis,[128] Smritis,[129] and virtue protect thee, Oh my son, on all sides. May the great deity Skanda, Soma, Vrihaspati, Saptarshi, Narad, Moon and other ascetics protect thee. May the encircled regions with their lords, being pleased with my eulogy, protect thee, Oh my son, always in the forest. When shalt thou repair unto the wood, may the mountains, oceans, Varuna, the heaven, sky, earth, air, things movable and immovable, planets and stars with their presiding deities, day, night, and evening protect thee. May the six seasons, months, years and all the divisions of time confer upon the pleasure always, when thou of great intelligence shalt wander away into the forest in the attire of an ascetic. May the deities and demons ever minister unto thy happiness and may not fear proceed unto thee, Oh my son, from the terrible Rāksashas and Pisāchas intent on committing cruel deeds, and other animals living on flesh. May the apes, scorpions, wild gnats, reptiles and insects make thee no harm; may not the elephants, tigers, terrible looking bears, hogs, buffalos and other horned animals hurt thee. Being worshipped by me from here may the ferocious cannibal races of all kind bring thee no injury. May thy course be crowned with auspiciousness and thy powers with success. Do thou, Oh my son, repair unto the forest, being profusely provided with fruits, roots and other things. May all the creatures of the sky, all those who breathe on this Earth, and all those deities who are hostile unto thee, contribute to thy welfare. May Sukra Soma, Sun, the lord of wealth and Death, protect thee, Oh Rāma, resorting to the forest of Dandaka. May fire, air, smoke and the mantras uttered by the Rishis protect thee, Oh descendant of Raghu, at the time of thy bathing. May the lord of creation, Rishis and all the remaining deities defend thee when dwelling in the forest.
That best of women Kauçalyā, of great renown and having expansive eyes, after propitiating the celestials with garlands, fragrant odours and praises, began to offer oblations unto the fire by the help of eminent Brahmins for the welfare of Rāma, collecting clarified butter, white garlands, religious fig trees and white mustard seeds for this purpose. The spiritual preceptor, after offering oblations unto the fire with due rites for his peace and health, presenting what was then left as offerings unto the lords of the four cardinal points and others,[130] and giving the Brahmins a dish of curd, ghee and honey, made them utter benedictory prayers for Rāma who was going unto the forest. Then that renowned mother of Rāma, after conferring upon the Brahmins dakhshinās in accordance with their desires, accosted Rāghava with the following words. "May that blessing crown thee, which was attained by the thousand eyed Indra, honored of all the deities on the occasion of killing the mighty Asura Vetra. May that blessing attend thee, which was invoked in olden times by Vinatā, for that king of birds Garuda, praying for nectar. Do thou attain that blessedness, to which Aditi prayed, on behalf of the weilder of thunder-bolt intent on the discomfiture of the giants at the time of ransacking the ocean for nectar. May that prosperity wait upon thee, Oh Rāma, which crowned the mighty Vishnu, while perambulating with his three steps the heaven earth and the regions as a dwarf. May the Rishis, the great oceans, islands the three worlds, Vedas, the regions, lend their might in the advancement of thy welfare." Saying this Kauçalyā, the foremost of all women, having expansive eyes, placed the grains on Rāma's head; sprinkled his body with fragrant substances, and tied to his hands, as amulet, twigs of such auspicious plants as visalyakarani, with due mental repetition of mantras. That excellent one of high renown embracing Rāma and smelling his head, with her voice choked, as if all pleased, though placed under the influence of dire distress in reality, uttered mantras and spoke unto him thus. "Oh my son, Oh Rāma, have thy desires attained—and do thou go, wherever thou likest. I shall see thee, Oh my darling, with great delight, when shalt thou, returning Ayodhyā in excellent health and having all thy ends satisfied, resume the administration of thy kingdom. Myself having sorrows removed and having my face glowing with joy, shall see thee coming from the forest like unto the rising of the full moon. Continually shall I eye thy good self, Oh my son sitting on an auspicious seat, and returning from the forest after making good thy father's behests. May thou returning from the forest and being dressed with royal robes and ornaments, satisfy the desires of my daughter-in-law. Worshipped have I deities headed by Sivā and others, the great ascetics, the genii and the snakes; may they all and the four cardinal points, Oh Rāghava, contribute to thy welfare, who, art going unto the forest for a long time." Kauçalyā, having her eyes full of tears, and performing the benedictory ceremonies with due rites, went round Rāghava with solemnity, and seeing him again and again sighed hot and hard. Being gone round by his mother thus, Rāghava, of great fame, and resplendent with the splendour of beauty, proceeded towards the abode of Sitā, after bowing down unto the feet of his mother repeatedly.