16. The muni stopped his breath and ceased to give utterance <to> his speech; because it is in vain to speak where it is not heeded or listened to. (The wise should hold their tongue, when it has lost its power to hold people by their ears).
17. Hearing the midday shout, the sage stopped for a moment, and then addressed to Ráma! after the hubbub was over and said:—
18. Ráma! I have thus far delivered to you my daily lecture for this day; I will resume it the next morning, and tell you all that I have to say on the subject.
19. It is ordained for the twice born classes to attend to the duties of their religion at midday; and therefore it does not behove us to swerve from discharging our noonday services at this time.
20. Rise therefore, O fortunate Ráma! and perform your sacred ablutions and divine services, which you are well acquainted with, and give your alms and charities also as they are ordained by law.
21. Saying so, the sage rose from his seat with the king and his courtiers, and resembled the sun and moon, rising from the eastern mountain with their train of stars.
22. Their rising made the whole assembly to rise after them, as a gentle breeze moves the bed of lotuses, with their nigrescent eyes of the black bees sitting upon them.
23. The assembled princes rose up with their crowned heads, and they marched with their long and massive arms like a body of big elephants of the Vindhyan hills with their lubberly legs.
24. The jewels on their persons rubbed against each other, by their pushing up and down in hurry, and displayed a blaze like that of the reddened clouds at the setting sun.
25. The jingling of the gems on the coronets, resembled the humming of bees; and the flashing rays of the crowns, spread the various colours of the rainbow around.