1852.] Analysis of the Raghu Vans' a. 467 



After this Rama alighted from his car on a ladder of crystal. As 

 the moon, the queen of stars mounts the evening clouds distinguish- 

 ed for their gleaming lightning, so did the chief of Raghu's race 

 climb his car marked with a standard floating in the wind. Bharata 

 admired Sita rescued by Rama as the departure of the rainy season 

 frees the brightness of the moon from the mass of clouds. Rama 

 proceeded to the forest near Audhe furnished with tents. 



Das'aratha being dead, and Rama in the woods, their wives lamented, 

 sad as two creeping plants on the tree they clung to being cut, the cold 

 tears of joy were mixed with warm sobs like the streams flowing from 

 the snowy mountains united with the warm current of the Ganges 

 and Sarayu. In water brought in golden vessels the senior counsel- 

 lors finished the inauguration of Rama which was begun in woman's 

 tears, water was fetched from rivers and lakes which fell on Rama's 

 head as cloud water on the Vindhya mountains, he entered the city 

 of lofty gates amid showers of moistened grain. Like locks of human 

 hair arose the wavy lines of the smoke of incense burnt in the houses. 

 Sita shining bright as fire sat beside Rama who entered the house of his 

 father who survived only in his picture. The past sufferings in the 

 forest afforded in the houses ornamented with pictures only pleasure 

 on the recollection. Sita with her soft look, and face pale as the shar 

 tree, without words, indicated to her lord her pregnancy the source of 

 joy. Rama at this time mounting his roof which reached the clouds, 

 beheld his city and the citizens delighting in the royal parks. But 

 on hearing from his confidants that his citizens doubted the purity of 

 Sita, his heart became lacerated as iron struck by an iron club, his 

 mind wavered to and fro, — but glory being preferable to life he prefer- 

 red repudiating his wife. He stated to his brothers called together, 

 See, said he, the stain cast on me as on a mirror from a cloudy wind, 

 though knowing her to be innocent, yet I feel the slur ; men attach a 

 stain to her as they consider the earth's shadow a spot on the moon. 

 His brother conducted Sita to the forests, little knowing that her husband 

 had been changed from the celestial tree into a tree whose leaves had 

 been paved with swords. When Sita alighted, her brother-in-law de- 

 clared Rama's message weighty as a mighty cloud raining stones. Like 

 a plant smitten with terror as by a wind to the ground, she sighed like 

 a lamb with open mouth — in sympathising sorrow the peacocks ceased 



