SECTION XXXIX.
HEARING Rāma's words, and seeing him dressed like an ascetic, the king in the midst of his wives was deprived of his senses. And burning in grief, the king could not eye Rāghava, nor seeing him could that one of afflicted mind answer anything. Then remaining unconscious for a while, the mighty-armed lord of earth oppressed by grief began to bewail, thinking of Rāma. "I conclude that formerly I deprived many a cow of her calf, and took the life of many a creature, and it is for this that the present calamity has befallen me. (I infer) that life never departs from the body unless the time comes, for although sore tried by Kaikeyi, my life does not go out of me, and for I can see before me this one resembling fire, clad in the dress of an ascetic, having left his fine vesture. These people are in trouble in consequence of Kaikeyi alone striving by help of this craftiness to secure her interest." Having said these words, Daçarātha, his semes overpowered by the vapour of sorrow, exclaimed "Rāma!" and could not proceed further. Then soon regaining consciousness, the lord of earth with tearful eyes, addressed Sumuntra, saying,—"Yoking a riding car with excellent horses, do you come hither; and take the exalted one to the south of the kingdom. The virtuous and heroic Rāma is being banished by his father and mother. Even this methinks will be asserted as the fruit of the virtues possessed by the pious." Receiving the mandate of the sovereign, Sumantra endued with fleet vigour, yoking a car adorned with horses, came there. Then the charioteer with joined hands announced to the prince that the car adorned with gold was ready, yoked with excellent horses. The king, versed in time and place, and pure, speedily summoning his treasurer, said unto him these words firmly,— "Do you without delay bring unto Vaidehi excellent and costly attires and noble ornaments, counting these (ten and four) years." Thus desired by the foremost of men, that officer repairing to the treasury, procuring all those, speedily presented them to Sitā. Thereupon that pure-sprung one, Vaidehi, ordered to the forest, adorned her goodly limbs with those rare ornaments. And thus decked out, Vaidehi graced that chamber like the effulgence of the Sun irradiating the welkin with his rays. Then embracing with her arms Mithilā's daughter of noble behaviour, and smelling the crown of her head, Sitā's mother-in-law said,—"Those women that although having always been carefully tended by their husbands, do not regard them during the incident of adversity, are in this world reckoned as unchaste.—Even this is the nature of women: having formerly tasted happiness (at the hands of their husbands), they, on the accession of an inconsiderable misfortune, take them to task,—nay, forsake them utterly. Those women that are untruthful, unmindful, of evil ways, heartless, intent on unrighteous acts, and whose love is evanescent, are unchaste. Neither lineage, nor benefit, nor learning, nor gift, nor forbearance of faults, can secure the hearts of females,—surely their hearts are unstable. But chaste women of good character, abiding in truth, acting in accordance with the precepts of superiors, and maintaining the dignity of their race, single out their lords as the prime means of compassing their spiritual welfare. Therefore although my son is going to be banished to the woods, you should by no means disregard him. Whether he be wealthy or poor, he is unto you like a god." Hearing her mother-in- law's words fraught with virtue and interest, Sitā facing that lady, said with joined palms,—"I will do all that the noble one says. I know how I should act by my husband. I have heard all about that (from my parents.) The worshipful one ought not to place me on the same footing with unrighteous persons. As brightness doth not depart from the moon, so I cannot swerve from virtue. The Vinā without strings does not sound; and the car without wheels does not move,— so although having an hundred sons, a woman without her husband cannot attain happiness. The Father gives in measure, the father and the son give in measure,—but who does not worship that bestower of 'riches fineless'—the husband? O exalted one, having learnt from my superiors the principal as well the minor duties, shall I disregard (my lord)? A husband is a deity unto the wife." Hearing Sitā's words which went directly to the heart, Kauçalyā endued with purity of spirit, out of fulness of bliss and bale suddenly shed tears. Then with joined hands that foremost of virtuous ones addressed his mother, who, duly honored by all, was seated in the midst of his other mothers, saying,—"O mother, without indulging in grief, you should minister unto my father; and the term of my abode in the woods will shortly expire. You will find these five and nine years pass away as if in a sleep. Then again, getting me,you will see me surrounded by my friends and relatives." Having spoken out his mind unto his mother, Rāma attentively eyed his three hundred and fifty mothers. And with joined hands Daçarātha's son spake words fraught with virtue unto his mothers afflicted like Kauçalyā herseH "If I have said anything harsh to you in consequence a familiarity, or done any wrong through ignorance, do you forgive the same. I salute you all." These calm words of Rāghava informed with piety were heard by the ladies overwhelmed with grief. As Rāghava was speaking thus, then arose a loud wail proceeding from those wives of that chief of men, like unto the cries of Kraunchis. And the aboA of Daçarātha which formerly resounded with murajas, panavas, meghas,[141] was now filled with cries of distress and lamentations.