In this wise the virtuous Rāma having spent some time at Kāla, assuming the shape of an ascetic, arrived at the palace gate. And beholding the intelligent Lakshmana at the door he said: "Do thou communicate (unto Rāma) that for some important business I have come here. I am the messenger of the great saint Atibala of incomparable effulgence. O thou of great strength, for a particular business, I have come here to see Rāma." Hearing the words of the great saint, Saumitri speedily went to Rāghava and communicated unto him the arrival of the ascetic, saying:—"O thou of great effulgence, observing the royal duties, mayst thou acquire victory in both the worlds; one ambassador radiant like the sun by virtue of his asceticism, has come here to visit thee." Hearing the words of Lakshmana Rāma said:—"Do thou speedily bring here the highly effulgent ascetic bringing in a message." Thereupon saying "So be it," Saumitri conducted the effulgent ascetic unto Rāma's house. And having approached Rāma the foremost of Raghus, the ascetic, burning in his own energy, said to him, in sweet accents:—"O great king, may prosperity crown thee." And having welcomed him with water and Argya the highly effulgent Rāma asked him about his well-being. Being asked by Rāma as to his welfare, that foremost of ascetics, skilled in the art of speech, sat on a golden seat. Thereupon welcoming him Rāma said:—"Do thou communicate unto me his words by whom thou hast been sent." Being thus addressed by Rāma, a lion amongst kings, the ascetic said:—"If dost thou wish to bring about the well-being of the celestials, my earnest desire is that we may talk over it in a solitary; place. And if thou hast any regard for the words of that foremost of ascetics, do thou so order that whoever shall hear or see us, when we shall converse in a solitary place, shall be slain by thee." Thereupon Rāma promised that it should be done and said to Lakshmana:—"O thou having long arms, sending away the warder do thou wait at the gate. When I shall talk with this ascetic in this solitary room whoever, shall hear or see us, shall be slain by me." Having thus placed Lakshmana at the gate Rāma said to that Rishi:—"O great saint, tell me what he has communicated unto thee. O Muni, what is thy intention and by what high-souled Rishi thou hast been sent here. Tell me all this without any fear. I have become anxious to hear it."
SECTION CXVII.
Thereupon the great saint said:—"Hear, O king, O thou gifted with great energy, for what I have come here. O thou of great strength, the great Patriarch has sent me to thee. O hero, I am thy son. Thou didst, in thy pristine birth, beget me on Māyā—I am Kāla, the destroyer of all. Lord Brahmā, the father of all creatures, has said that thou didst promise to preserve the three worlds. Formerly when having slain all animals by thy Māyā thou wert asleep in the waters of the mighty deep I was born. Thereafter thou didst create the huge-bodied Ananta, living in the waters as the king of serpents. Then thou didst create two highly powerful Asuras named Madhu and Kaithabha. At that time the bones of those two Asuras having been scattered far and wide this earth containing many mountains was named Medini. Having procreated me in thy lotus navel, dazzling in celestial brilliance thou didst employ me in the work of generation. I took the charge and procreated men; but finding no other means to preserve them I worshipped thee, the lord of the universe and said:—O lord, thou shouldst protect the creatures, for thou art my father and giver of energy and therefore irrepressible. Thereupon for concerting means for the preservation of creatures, thou didst renounce thy irrepressible shape and assume Vishnu form. And taking thy birth from Aditi's powerful son, thou wert engaged in enhancing the delight of my brothers. Thou didst use to protect the deities whenever they were assailed by any calamity. O lord of the universe, it is for that reason, on beholding the destruction of creatures thou wert born on earth to slay the Ten-necked demon. And at that time thou didst promise that thou wouldst live in the land of mortals for eleven thousand years. Thereupon thou didst assume a human form to carry out thine desire. Now that period is ripe and this is the proper time to inform thee of it. O great king, do thou wait in this land of mortals if dost thou wish to govern people for some time more. And if dost thou wish to repair to the region of immortals, do thou again lord over the deities in thy Vishnu form and let them be freed from anxiety. O Hero, the Patriarch hath sent this intelligence unto thee." Hearing those unequalled words of the Patriarch from the mouth of Kāla, the destroyer of all, Rāma smiling said:—"I have been greatly pleased and happy for thy coming here, O my son. I descended on earth to bring about the well-being of the three worlds. May good betide thee. I shall now repair to from where I have come here. I was thinking of this when thou didst come here. Therefore, I have no doubt in this. O lord of destruction, the immortals are dependent on me, so I shall be with them in all works. The Great Patriarch has said the truth."
SECTION CXVIII.
While Rāma and Kāla were thus conversing with one another, the great ascetic Durvāsā arrived at the gate for seeing Rāma and approaching Lakshmana said:—"O Saumitri, do thou soon take me to Rāma; my time goes away, so do thou take me first." Hearing the words of the ascetic, Lakshmana, the slayer of enemies worshipping the feet of that high-souled one, said:—"O illustrious Sir, kindly mention thy business. What is thy object? Order me what I am to do. Rāma is engaged in some business so kindly wait here for some time." Hearing those words that foremost of Rishis, Durvāsā, impatient with rage, said with blood-red eyes:—"O Saumitri, if dost thou not go even this very moment and communicate unto Rāma my arrival, I shall impricate thee, Rāma, Bharata, Sutrughana, your sons and grand-sons. I shall curse also thy kingdom and cities. I cannot any longer restrain my growing ire." Hearing those dreadful and resolute words of the Rishi, Lakshmana thought within himself:—"My own destruction is far more desirable than that of all." Having thus resolved Lakshmana approached Rāma and communicated unto him the intelligence. Hearing the words of Lakshmana and having bade adieu unto Kāla, Rāma soon came out and saw Atri's son. And having saluted that great and powerful ascetic he with folded hands, said "What is thine business?" Hearing the words of Rāma, the highly powerful Durvāsā, the foremost of Munis, said. "Hear, O Rāma fond of virtue. For a thousand years I have carried on the vow of fasting. It has terminated to-day, so do thou give me food as much as possible." Hearing those words Rāma was greatly delighted and gave proper food unto that ascetic. And feasting on that nectar-like sweet food, Durvāsā, the foremost of Rishis, thanked Rāma and repaired to his own hermitage. Thereupon remembering the words of Kāla, Rāma was greatly sorry. And thinking of those dreadful words he was overwhelmed with grief. And with a poorly heart, and face downwards he remained silent for some time. Thereupon thinking of Kāla's words and determining that every calamity would befall him, that highly illustrious descendant, of Raghus, summoned patience.
SECTION CXIX.
Thereupon beholding Rāma with his head downwards and poorly like unto the moon possessed by Rāhu, Lakshmana, delightedly and with sweet words, said:—"Be not aggrieved for me, O thou having mighty arms. Such is the course of time; the movements of creatures are destined by their pristine actions, good or bad. O gentle one, do thou satisfy thy promise slaying me without any hesitation. O Kākuthstha, those, who cannot carry out their promises, repair to hell. O great king, if thou hast any love or affection for me, do thou satisfy thy promise by fearlessly slaying me." Hearing those words of Lakshmana Rāma's mind was greatly moved. Thereupon having invited his priests and ministers there he communicated unto them his promise and Durvāsā's arrival. Hearing it the ministers and priests remained silent. Thereupon Vasishtha, of unmitigated effulgence, said:—"O highly illustrious and mighty armed Rāma, I knew before by virtue of my asceticism, of this thy present destruction and separation from Lakshmana. Time is powerful; do not falsify thy promise. Promises not carried out bring on the destruction of virtue. And on the wane of virtue, forsooth, the three worlds, with celestials, saints, mobile and immobile creations, shall be destroyed. Therefore, O foremost of men, do thou protect, the universe by suffering separation from Lakshmana, in the interest of the preservation of the three worlds." All other ministers and priests agreed with Vasishtha's words. Thereupon hearing their moral counsels, Rāma said to Lakshmana before the assembly:—"O Lakshmana, it is not proper to act against morality, I do therefore renounce thee; for the pious hold that destruction and renounciation are all the same." Rāma saying this, Lakshmana did not go to his own house, but with eyes full of tears specially repaired therefrom. Having reached the banks of Saraju and rinsed his mouth he stood there with folded palms. And having obstructed all passages he did not breathe any more. Lakshmana, the younger brother of Rāma, being thus engaged in penances, having obstructed his breath, Apsarās, Indra and other deities and Rishis showered flowers on him. Thereupon beyond the sight of men, having taken the highly powerful Lakshmana within his body, the king of celestials entered his own city. Thereupon beholding Lakshmana, the fourth portion of Vishnu arrived at their city the celestials were greatly delighted and engaged in his worship.
SECTION CXX.
Having forsaken Lakshmana and being stricken with sorrow and grief Rāma said to his citizens and ministers:—"Having placed the pious and heroic Bharata on the throne of Ayodhyā, I shall to-day repair to woods. Do ye, without any delay collect there all articles of installation. I shall follow the way which has been wended by Lakshmana." Hearing the words of Rāghava, the subjects with their heads downwards remained motionless like so many dead bodies. Hearing Rāma's words Bharata was also stupified and speaking ill of the kingdom, said:—"O King, I swear by truth, that far from kingdom I do not wish to live in heaven even without thee: O King, of these two princes, Kusi and Lava do thou place Kusi in Kosala and Lava in North Kosala. And let quick-moving emissaries go to Satrughna and communicate unto him the intelligence of our going there." Hearing those words of Bharata and beholding the subjects stricken with sorrow having their heads downwards, Vasishtha said:—"Behold, O Rāma, the subjects have placed themselves on the ground. Do thou, therefore; apprised of their intention, satisfy their desire." Raising up the subjects according to the words of Vasishtha Rāma said:—"What good can I do for you!" Hearing Rāma's words they said:—"O King, we shall follow thee wherever thou shalt go. If thou hast any love or affection for the citizens do thou permit them that they may follow thy good path with their wives and children. O lord, if thou dost not forsake us, let us all go wherever thou wilt,—be it a forest, an intractable tract, a river or an ocean. O great king, by this we shall be greatly delighted. We pray for this boon only. Our delight consists in following thee in everything." Observing such a firm devotion of the citizens Rāma agreed to that. Thereupon having gone through his duties he installed Kusi in the kingdom of Kosala and Lava in the northern country. Having thus installed the high-souled and heroic Kusi and Lava and conferred upon each of them thousand chariots, Ajuta Nāgas, Ajuta horses and various jewels and riches he established them in their respective kingdoms. Having thus settled the princes he despatched an emissary to Satrughna.