142 Ram Narayan — Translation of the Ayodhya-Maliutmya. [No. 2, 



shining as lightning : Ramachandra is fifteen, and she twelve years old, their 

 ages remaining always the same. Her beautiful eyes are like the lotus, and 

 extend to the ear ; her neck shews a line like the conch ; her cheeks are fair ; 

 her eyes, a little red ; her face is beautiful as the full-moon ; her hair, black ; 

 her forehead, high and long ; her eyebrows like the two sides of a divided 

 mango ; her tilak is of saffron ; her nose, like a piece of diamond ; her teeth, 

 like the seeds of a pomegranate ; her voice is sweet ; her looks, full of pity ; 

 and her arms like the trunk of an elephant. The hands of the husband of 

 the daughter of Janaka are like the flowers of the lotus ; his fingers are fine ; 

 his thigh is as heavy as the stem of a plantain ; his foot like that of the 

 lotus ; the toes like the hollow portions of the leaves of that plant ; his nails 

 as fair as the moon ; his earring shining like the sun ; his face is very hand- 

 some ; he wears wreaths of pearls and rings on his hands, feet, and toes, 

 S'ri-vatsa* and Bhrigu-lataf on the chest, which is adorned with Kaus- 

 tubha Mani \\ he wears a Baijanti ;§ and the tilak is of musk and saffron. 

 Janaki is also adorned in the said manner. Both Ramachandra and Janaki 

 are sitting on the throne, and behind them is Lakshmana, of white color, 

 with an umbrella in his hand. Bharata and Satrughan, the former black 

 and the latter white, and adorned like Ramachandra and Lakshmana, are here 

 with a flapper and a fan. Hanuman stands before them with joined hands. 

 A man should worship Hanuman, Sugriva, Jambuvana, Sokhain, Bibhishan, 

 Nala, Nila, Angada, Rishava, Vasishta the spiritual guide, Bamadeva, Javala, 

 Kasshyap, Markundeya, Madgul, Parbat, Narud, Jeit Bijay, Surashtra, 

 Keshtra Bardhan, Ashoke, Dharmapala, Sumantra, the eight companions, 

 Indra and other rulers of the directions of the world, and last of all, the 

 gods that reside in the heavens. Then he should worship Raghunatha, 

 read the Taraka mantra, which is the best of all mantras, offer perfumes, 

 flowers, betel-leaves, and give alms according to his means. Having done 

 this, he should repeat the following prayer — ' Raghavendra Maharaja, 

 destroyer of Ravana and Achchoit [immortal], I am full of sins ; protect 

 me, I flee to you ; I bow to you; you are Ramachandra, Vridha Brahman, 

 Raghunath, and Janaki-pati. The origin of the above names is this. 

 When you were young and began to give, you were called Rarnabhadra 

 (prosperous). As you grew older and looked beautiful, the people named 

 you Ramachandra ; when you commenced to speak, they called you Vedha- 

 Brahma ; Raghunath, on your ascension to the throne ; and Janaki-pati, 

 when you were married to Janaki. I bow to you, king of the gods, Ma- 

 hatman [great], and life of Janaki. You protected the refugees Sugriva and 



* A line of hair. 



t Bhrigu is the name of a Brahman who struck Ramachandra on the chest with 

 his feet. 



% The name of a jewel. 



§ The name of a flower-garland. 



