The sons of Raghu journeyed forth,

Bending their steps 'twixt east and north.

Soon, guided by the sage, they found,

Enclosed, a sacrificial ground.

Then to the best of saints, his guide,

In admiration RÁma cried:

But nobly for his rite prepared,

How many thousand BrÁhmans here,

From every region, far and near,

Well read in holy lore, appear!

How many tents, that sages screen,

With wains in hundreds, here are seen!

Great BrÁhman, let us find a place

The hermit did as RÁma prayed,

And in a spot his lodging made,

Then Janak, best of kings, aware

Of Vi?vÁmitra lodging there,

With ?atÁnanda for his guide—

The priest on whom he most relied,

His chaplain void of guile and stain—

And others of his priestly train,

Bearing the gift that greets the guest,

To meet him with all honour pressed.

The saint received with gladsome mind

Each honour and observance kind:

Then of his health he asked the king,

And how his rites were prospering,

Janak, with chaplain and with priest,

Addressed the hermits, chief and least,

Accosting all, in due degree,

With proper words of courtesy.

Then, with his palms together laid,

The king his supplication made:

Then sate the chief of hermits there,

Obedient to the monarch's prayer.

Chaplain and priest, and king and peer,

Sate in their order, far or near.

Then thus the king began to say:

And with the sight of thee repaid

The preparations I have made.

Grateful am I, so highly blest,

That thou, of saints the holiest,

Hast come, O BrÁhman, here with all

These hermits to the festival.

Twelve days, O BrÁhman Sage, remain—

For so the learned priests ordain—

And then, O heir of Ku?ik's name,

With looks that testified delight

Thus spake he to the anchorite,

Then with his suppliant hands upraised,

He asked, as earnestly he gazed:

In might with children of the sky,

Heroic, born for happy fate,

With elephants' or lions' gait,

Bold as the tiger and the bull,

With lotus eyes so large and full,

Armed with the quiver, sword and bow,

Whose figures like the A?vins show,

Like children of the heavenly Powers,

Come freely to these shades of ours,—

How have they reached on foot this place?

What do they seek, and what their race?

As sun and moon adorn the sky,

This spot the heroes glorify:

Alike in stature, port, and mien,

Thus spoke the monarch, lofty-souled,

The saint, of heart unfathomed, told

How, sons of Da?aratha, they

Accompanied his homeward way,

How in the hermitage they dwelt,

And slaughter to the demons dealt:

Their journey till the spot they neared

Whence fair Vi?ÁlÁ's towers appeared:

AhalyÁ seen and freed from taint;

Their meeting with her lord the saint;