1839.J 



Essay on Telugu Literature, 



373 



Then he respectfully bowed to the dame, and anxiously bent his way 

 towards Rama. The god of purity (fire) guarded Sita, and to delude her 

 foes he formed a fairy image of her* which shone most glorious : so 

 that all would have taken her for the real Sita 245—265. 



At that moment Ravana the giant arose with agitated heart. In one 

 hand he bore a staff, in the other a scrip : in his forehead was an upright 

 mark, and on his fingers he wore large rings of blessed grass with the 

 sanctified thread across his broad breast : his right hand carried a large 

 rosary : he was robed in clayed dust colour vest, with a necklace ... 

 of the blessed tulasi tree, and he walked along stooping with the weight. 

 His body was emaciated, he wore sandals, and a weather beaten um- 

 brella; his hair was rolled up, in a large bunch ; — in all points indeed 

 he was a feigned friar (sanyaiu), and walked along counting over his 

 beads and muttering his breviary. He dreaded lest the real monks 

 (muni) should see and detect (him ; his head tottered with hoar anti* 

 quity : — he sidled and stole aloW peeping to see where the fair one lay 

 concealed. Then he would halt and exclaim Hari ! Harif then a little 

 recovering he drew near the skirts of the bower. At this sight the ru- 

 ral deities filled with alarm exclaimed, — Alas this sinful wretch is come 

 to bear away the innocent Sita! he now stood at the door in the exact 

 garb of a monk. The daughter of Videha instantly arose, suppos- 

 ing that this hypocrite was in truth a real hermit : she folded her lily 

 hands [and incautiously crossed the iragic circles drawn around her. 

 These words are spurious]. The lady paid him all due reverence f 

 which he shuddering received and as he viewed the damsel, he spoke 

 thus. 



Lady how is it that thou dwellest in this desolate retreat of the 

 forests: how art thou left here alone? art thou Venus, or Psyche, or 

 Juno or how can loveliness so divine be found among the dames of 

 earth- roaming mortals ? 



. ] * . * * * ■ * * 



Who art thou, O fair one, why art thou wearing away life in this 

 wilderness, O tell me. (266 319). 



He spoke and Sita reverent replied, I am the spouse, O saintly one, 

 of the stainless hero Rama. My sire is Janaca, and Dasaratha is my 

 Allele : my name is Sita. As the exalted Dasaratha hath banished us, 



* The circles of fire and the delusive shape are mentioned neither in the Sanscrit ori« 

 ginal nor in the two Telugu versions named Bhascara Ram, and Adhyatma Ram : the 

 verses do not occur in all the manuscripts and are evidently spurious. 

 Equivalent to Ave Maria, 



