1852.] Analysis of the Rag hu Vans/ a. 469 



appeared, directing Rama to enter heaven ; Lakhsmana at this time died 

 on Sarayu's banks, Rama finding that one-fourth part of him had thus 

 gone to heaven, stood tottering like virtue standing on three feet. At 

 the time of his ascent all Audhe, except the houses, proceeded out to 

 see it, his footsteps were bedewed with the tears of the citizens big 

 as the flowers of the Kadamba, regretted by the rayats to whom his 

 kindness had long been great. Kusa, Rama's son, succeeded him, the 

 other brothers kept within their respective spheres as the ocean within 

 its shores. As Kusa lay one night awake in his bed chamber, the 

 lamp burning with still flame, he beheld a woman with the shape of a 

 shadow on a mirror, having a countenance of woe. 



She announced herself as the tutelary goddess of the city deserted 

 by its ruler of the solar race, in consequence of which the portals fell 

 to ruin like the end of day when the sun sets behind the western hills, 

 and the clouds are scattered by the wind — in the royal paths where 

 wandered once the wanton girls of shining feet, the dogs now hunt for 

 food ; the water which once in the tanks struck by the hands of 

 females gave forth the sound of the lute, now sends out the bellowing 

 of wild oxen ; on the steps once trod by the yellow feet of fair women, 

 the tigresses now place their blood-stained track on the statues of 

 females now faded and covered with dust. 



The tiles were so stained from time and covered with seeds as to give 

 no reflection of the moon's rays though bright as gems : wild monkeys 

 pluck the plants formerly cropped by playful girls. The windows 

 exhibiting no splendour of the midnight moon and bereft of the light 

 of woman's face are covered with spiders' webs, while the reed-made 

 huts on the Sarayu's banks are deserted. The king agreed to return 

 to Audhe, a suitable day was chosen, and the soldiers followed him as 

 clouds do the direction of the wind. The army on its march resembled 

 a royal city, the crowds of banners a forest, the elephants mountains, 

 and the chariots palaces, the army shone as the ocean under the 

 reflection of the moon beams moving to shore. The earth unable to 

 bear the weight of the troops mounted in clouds of dust into the 

 aether, the army moved across the Vindhya hills ; the chariot wheels 

 were red from the metals' friction, he passed the Ganges on a bridge 

 made of elephants fastened together. The swans in their aerial cir- 

 cles served the purposes of a goad. Crowds of builders renewed the 



3 o 



