43. Here they flung wreaths of flowers glittering like stars and falling down in showers; and there the scattered flowers, which were strewn over the ground as rain drops, were indiscriminately trodding down under the feet of passersby.
44. Here the actresses dance about with their loose ornaments and gestures of love; and there the bards chanted their hymns with clearness, as the Bráhmans recited them and the songstresses sang.
45. Here the sots and topers drank their fill of wine; and the food mongers fed upon their eatables of various kinds (i.e. some were seen to be indulging their drink and others in their eating).
46. The insides of houses were daubed with wine, as the outer bodies of the princes with ointment of moon light hue.
47. The attendent servants and waiting maids on the king, sauntered about trimmed in gaudy attires of various colours; and graced the royal festival with their decorations of necklaces and sweet perfumes on their persons.
48. The sprightly ballet girls, being besmeared with a paste of all perfumeries (called the yaksha dust), and decorated with glittering ornaments, repaired to the ball at the royal hall with all alacrity.
49. Thus the king Dasaratha held his entertainment for a whole week, and passed full seven nights in festive mirth and rejoicing; while he distributed his gifts and food for as many days, which redounded to exhaustless prosperity on earth.
CHAPTER CCXV.
Eulogy on this work and the mode of its recital.
Argument:—Válmíki speaks in praise of this work to this pupil Bharadwája, and blesses him to be as blessed as the divine Ráma with the hearing of it.
Válmíki said:—O most intelligent Bharadwája, and the chief of my pupils, you have now heard how the great Ráma and others, came to the knowledge of the knowable One (that is only to be known), and passed across this vale of misery and sorrow, by their attention to these lectures.