SECTION XXXIV.
Then the mighty and incomparable Rāma of eyes resembling lotus-petals said unto the charioteer,—"Do you announce me to my father." Thus commissoned by Rāma, the charioteer entering the apartment, found the king heaving sighs, his senses overwhelmed with grief. And he saw the monarch like the sun afflicted by Rāhu, or like fire enveloped in ashes, or like a tank deprived of its water. Thereupon concluding that the king agitated by sorrow was bewailing Rāma, the charioteer said with joined hands. And first paying homage unto the king, invoking victory upon him, the charioteer, perplexed with fear, softly and sweetly addressed the monarch thus:—"O foremost of men, your son waits at the entrance, after having distributed wealth to Brāhmanas and his retinue Let that one having truth for prowess, good betide you, see you. Having greeted all his friends,he now wishes to see you. Know that he is about to set out for the mighty forest. Do you, O Lord of earth, see him furnished with every perfection, like the Sun himself surrounded by his rays." Thereupon, that virtuous and truthful (king) resembling the ocean by virtue of his gravity, and motionless like the welkin, answered Sumantra, saying,—"O Sumantra, do thou bring hither my wives." Reaching the inner apartment, the charioteer said unto the ladies,—"The worshipful king calls you. Do you come speedily." Thus addressed by Sumantra at the mandate of the monarch, the ladies in a body, informed of their husband's command, went to the king's apartment. And three hundred and fifty females furnished with coppery eyes and observing vows, surrounding Kauçalyā, proceeded slowly. On the females coming there, the monarch seeing this, said unto the charioteer,—"O Sumantra, do you bring hither my son." Thereat the charioteer taking Rāma, Lākshmana and Mithila's daughter, speedily came before the lord of earth. The king seeing his son drawing nigh with joined hands, hastily rose up from his seat in company with his wives. And casting his eyes on Rāma, the king rushed towards him, but before reaching his son, the aggrieved monarch fell down to the earth in a swoon. Rāma and that migthy car-warrior Lakshmana swiftly neared the king striken with grief and rendered senseless by sorrow. And there arose in the palace cries of women by thousands of "Ah Rāma," mingled with the tinkling of ornaments. Then both Rāma and Lakshmana along with Sitā took the king up with their arms, and with tears in their eyes laid him upon the couch. When the lord of the earth oppressed with the vapour begot of grief and overwhelmed with emotion, had regained his senses, Rāma with joined palms said—"I ask you, O mighty monarch, as you are the lord of all. Do you see me safely despatched to the forest of Dandaka. Do you permit Lakshmana, and let Sitā also follow mc to the woods; for although prohibited by me with various reasons, they do not wish to be left behind. Do you, O bestower of honor, permit us all, renouncing sorrow—Lakshmana and Sitā and me,—like Prajāpati permitting his sons." Seeing Rāghava about to set out for the forest, the lord of earth said unto the calm Rāma waiting for his orders,—"O Rāghava, I have been deprived of my senses in consequence of my having conferred boons on Kaikeyi. Do you therefore confining me to-day become king in Ayodhyā." Thus addressed by the monarch, Rāma—the best of the righteous—well versed in speech, with joined hands addressed his father thus,—"O king do you rule this earth for a thousand years,—I will reside in the forest. I do not wish for the kingdom. Having spent five and nine years in the woods, I shall again embrace your feet, lord of men, after fulfilling your vow." Fettered in the net of promise, the king bewailing his beloved son, secretly spurred on by Kaikeyi, said,—"Do you, my darling, with the view of attaining welfare here and hereafter and auspicious fortune, go calmly your fearless way,—so that you may return hither (in time.) I dare not, O descendant of the Raghu race, forbid you who are established in truth and who are bent upon discharging your duty. But, O son, do not by any means depart to-night: beholding you even for a single day, I shall feed with you. Do you, seeing me as well as your mother, stay here to-night. Then ministered unto every way, you will set out to-morrow. O son, O beloved Rāghava difficult is the task that you are going to perform,—for compassing my good in the next world, you are ready to repair to the very woods! But, O Rāghava, I swear unto you, this is anything but agreeable to me, my son. I have been made to swerve from my purpose by the crafty Kaikeyi resembling a fire hidden under ashes. You are going to give effect to the deceit that has been practised upon me by this woman intent upon sullying her line. And as you are my eldest son, it is no wonder, O son, that you should wish to maintain your father's truth." Hearing these words of his distressed father, the humble Rāma, along with his brother Lakshmana, said,—"Who will confer on me the merit tomorrow that I shall reap by going to-day? Therefore, I prefer even the journey to the woods to enjoying comforts here. Do you bestow upon Bharata this earth renounced by me— this kingdom abounding in corn and kine and filled with people; my mind determined upon dwelling in the forest, does not waver. Do you, O bestower of boons, grant Kaikeyi everything that you had promised unto her at the time of the war[136] (you had waged against the Dānavas), and thereby do you follow truth. Obeying the mandate that you have issued, I will dwell in the forest for fourteen years in the company of the rangers of the woods. Do you without feeling any compunction confer the earth on Bharata. Mine is not the desire to obtain the kingdom for enjoying happiness or attaining any benefit. I will, O descendant of the Raghu race, do your bidding. Banish your grief, and suppress your tears. That lord of streams, the irresistible ocean, never forsakes his own magnanimity. I desire neither dominion, nor happiness, nor the earth,[137] nor any object[138] of enjoyment, nor heaven, nor life. O foremost of men, all I wish for is that you may not come by falsehood, and abide by truth. I truly and in good sooth swear before you that I cannot, O lord, remain here for a moment longer, O my father. Do you bear this grief. I cannot for certain act contrary to my promise. Directed by Kaikeyi saying,— 'Do you, O Rāghava, go to the forest,' I had said,—'I will go,'—That promise I must accomplish. Do you not, O revered one, feel aggrieved. We will abide in the forest abounding in mild deer and resounding with the notes of various birds. The father is a very God,—even the celestials say this. Therefore will I look upon your word in the light of divinity. And, O best of monarchs, after the fourteen years have been spent, you will see me again by your side,— therefore do you banish this grief. Why do you, O foremost of men, who will suppress other's grief, undergo this alteration? Do you confer upon Bharata this city and this kingdom and the earth renounced by me. Doing your behest, I will repair to the forest, sojourning there for a long time. Staying at the auspicious frontiers, let Bharata barely rule this earth furnished with watery expanses, cities and forests, when it has been renounced by me. O king, let what you have said be as you wish it. I do not, O king, set my heart upon any great object of desire, nor do I seek my own behoof, as I am bent upon, O you beloved of the good, working out your will. O sinless one, you will not therefore reap any evil on my account. Associating you with untruth, I would not, O sinless one, wish even for your company who are agitated with anxiety,[139] or this entire kingdom, or every object of desire, or the earth, or Mithilā's daughter. Even this is my truthful vow,—let also your vow prove true. Living upon fruits and roots in the forest, and surveying mountains and tanks and streams and graceful trees, I shall be happy on entering the forest, Do you cease to lament." Thus benetted with calamities and exercised with grief and anguish, the king embraced his son,—and then deprived of his consciousness fell down on the ground and became motionless. Thereat all the queens save that wife of the monarch (Kaikeyi) bewailed together; and crying Sumantra also went into a swoc And the place was filled all around with exclamations "O" and "Alas."