ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. 



159 



home, and to wander with her as an exile in the forest of Dan-, 

 daka at the sources of the Godavery — 



The pure Godavery, which wins her way, 

 Stately and clear, through ancient trees that shade, 

 Impervious tangling, her majestic course. 



Maha Viva Cheritra, Act 5, 



Here he encountered and discomfited various members of 

 the Rakshasa tribe, a demon race ; and having also injured 

 Surpanakha the sister of Havana, the demon prince, the latter 

 in revenge seized little Sita and carried her off to his residence 

 at Lanka. In this extremity, Rama got assistance from the 

 monkey king Sugriya, who had been dethroned by his own 

 brother Bali, but restored again to his kingdom by Kama, and 

 now from a sense of gratitude despatched his chiefs in all di- 

 rections to find out Sita's abode. Hanuman was successful. 

 He jumped over the current which runs between this island 

 and the continent, and saw and spoke to the disconsolate Sita: 

 then setting fire to Lanka, he returned and conveyed the intelli- 

 gence to Kama, who immediately proceeded to the southern- 

 point of the land, where the apes are feigned to have flung 

 into the sea, the islands of Manaar and Kamisseram and the 

 other masses of rock which now lie across the strait, and by 

 which a passage to the island was to be effected. The allied 

 forces were met by the monstrous bands of Lanka, a fearful 

 conflict ensued, — but at length the demons were defeated. 

 Kavana fell by the hand of Kama, and Sita was restored in 

 purity to her lord who afterwards returned to Ayodhya, re- 

 ceived from his brother Bharata the dominion to which he was 

 entitled, and reigned in peace and prosperity a thousand years. 



This old legend, which forms the subject of the Ramayana, 

 an epic poem of remote date, is a great favourite with the Ma- 



