450 Analysis of the Raghu Vans'a. [No. 6. 



track, the dust of which was consecrated by her hoofs, as the Smriti 

 follows the Vedas, so the lord of the earth, having his hair fastened 

 with braids made from creeping plants, followed the cow like a shadow, 

 stopping where she stopped, sitting where she sat, fetching water for 

 her, presenting her with wisps of grass and guarding her from noxious 

 flies: at his approach the trees joined in acclamation mingled with the 

 songs of birds ; the tender creeping plants waving in the wind shed 

 flowers on him ; the deer beheld him without dismay : the woodland 

 gods sang his praise in reeds inflated by the wind in their shady 

 recesses : while the breeze charged with the odour of the waving trees 

 and moistened by the drops of water from the mountains, breathed on 

 him in a refreshing stream : the flowers sprang up at his feet, while 

 the beasts of the forest abandoned their ferocity. At sunset the cow 

 returned, the Raja following behind, like works accompanying faith ; 

 the lands were gradually becoming shrouded in darkness, while herds of 

 boars ascended from the jheels, peacocks were looking for their aerial 

 nests, and stags were assembling on the grassy meads. The queen 

 drank in with eager eye the approach of the king, while the cow 

 shone between both as day mid morn and night. Thrice seven days 

 thus passed in attendance on the cow : one day as she was browsing 

 near Ganga's banks, a ravening lion sprang from a cavern's mouth 

 and carried her off. The moanings of the cow drew the attention of 

 the king, who immediately bent his bow, but his right hand re- 

 mained as immoveable, as if it had been a mere picture. Though 

 obstructed in his efforts the king's wrath burned as fierce within, as 

 that of a snake whose poisonous power is restrained by incanta- 

 tions and herbs. The lion then addressed the banner of the line 

 of Manu in these words : " Protector of the earth, vain is thy ef- 

 fort, the wind can uproot the forest trees, but cannot move the 

 mountain top. I am Kumbhodara, you see the Devadaru tree before 

 you which was once adopted by S'iva, but her bark being once rubbed 

 by an elephant's forehead, I have been transformed into a lion in 

 order to scare away wild elephants.'* The king offered to satisfy the 

 cravings of the lion's hunger by giving his own body, provided he 

 would release the cow, but this the lion with teeth glistening so bright 

 as to disperse the darkness of the cavern, firmly refused, saying, O Lord 

 of animals, it is far better that one cow should be slain than that the 



