The monarch with the prayer complied

Of suppliant hands, on every side

Uplifted like a lotus-bed:

And then these gracious words he said:

Because your loving hearts incline,

In full assembly clearly shown

Then to Va?ish?ha, standing near,

And VÁmadeva loud and clear

The monarch spoke that all might hear:

When flowers are sweet on every bough;

All needful things with haste prepare

Then burst the people's rapture out

In loud acclaim and joyful shout;

And when the tumult slowly ceased

The king addressed the holy priest:

For what the coming rite will need.

This day let all things ready wait

Best of all men of second birth

Va?ish?ha heard the lord of earth,

And gave commandment to the bands

Of servitors with lifted hands

Who waited on their master's eye:

Rich gold and herbs and gems of price

And offerings for the sacrifice,

Wreaths of white flowers and roasted rice,

And oil and honey, separate;

New garments and a car of state,

An elephant with lucky signs,

A fourfold host in ordered lines,

The white umbrella, and a pair

Of chowries,261 and a banner fair;

A hundred vases, row on row,

To shine like fire in splendid glow,

A tiger's mighty skin, a bull

With gilded horns most beautiful.

All these, at dawn of coming day,

Around the royal shrine array,

Where burns the fire's undying ray.

Each palace door, each city gate

With wreaths of sandal decorate.

And with the garlands' fragrant scent

Let clouds of incense-smoke be blent.

Let food of noble kind and taste

Be for a hundred thousand placed;

Fresh curds with streams of milk bedewed

To feed the BrÁhman multitude.

Thus gave command the twice-born pair

To active servants stationed there.

Then hastened to the king and said

That all their task was duly sped,

The king to wise Sumantra spake:

And hither with thy swiftest speed

Sumantra, ere the word was given,

His chariot from the court had driven,

And RÁma, best of all who ride

In cars, came sitting by his side.

The lords of men had hastened forth