May heaven indeed grant thee a son, a sovereign of the earth from sea to sea!
KING.
[Bowing.
I accept with gratitude a Bráhman's benediction.
HERMIT.
We came hither, mighty Prince, to collect sacrificial wood. Here on the banks of the Máliní you may perceive the hermitage of the great sage Kanwa[13]. If other duties require not your presence, deign to enter and accept our hospitality.
When you behold our penitential rites
Performed without impediment by saints
Rich only in devotion, then with pride
Will you reflect:—Such are the holy men
Who call me Guardian; such the men for whom
To wield the bow I bare my nervous arm,
Scarred by the motion of the glancing string.
KING.
Is the Chief of your Society now at home?