IkshvÁku's son with anguish torn

For the great oath his lips had sworn,

With tears and sighs of sharpest pain

Thus to Sumantra spake again:

Cars, elephants, and foot, and horse,

To follow Raghu's scion hence

Equipped with all magnificence.

Let traders with the wealth they sell,

And those who charming stories tell,

And dancing-women fair of face,

The prince's ample chariots grace.

On all the train who throng his courts,

And those who share his manly sports,

Great gifts of precious wealth bestow,

And bid them with their master go.

Let noble arms, and many a wain,

And townsmen swell the prince's train;

And hunters best for woodland skill

Their places in the concourse fill.

While elephants and deer he slays,

Drinking wood honey as he strays,

And looks on streams each fairer yet,

His kingdom he may chance forget.

Let all my gold and wealth of corn

With RÁma to the wilds be borne;

For it will soothe the exile's lot

To sacrifice in each pure spot,

Deal ample largess forth, and meet

Each hermit in his calm retreat.

The wealth shall RÁma with him bear,

As thus Kakutstha's offspring spoke,

Fear in KaikeyÍ's breast awoke.

The freshness of her face was dried,

Her trembling tongue was terror-tied.

Alarmed and sad, with bloodless cheek,

She turned to him and scarce could speak:

An empty realm where none remain.

My Bharat shall not rule a waste

Reft of all sweets to charm the taste—

The wine-cup's dregs, all dull and dead,

Thus in her rage the long-eyed dame

Spoke her dire speech untouched by shame.

Scarce could the monarch's angry speech

The ears of the fair lady reach,

When thus, with double wrath inflamed,

KaikeyÍ to the king exclaimed:

Drove forth his eldest son disgraced,

Called Asamanj, whose fate we know:

“Fie on thee, dame!” the monarch said;

Each of her people bent his head,

And stood in shame and sorrow mute:

She marked not, bold and resolute.

Then great SiddhÁrth, inflamed with rage,

The good old councillor and sage

On whose wise rede the king relied,

To Queen KaikeyÍ thus replied:

His hands on infants as they played,

Cast them to SarjÚ's flood, and smiled

The people saw, and, furious, sped

Straight the the king his sire and said:

“Whence comes this dread?” the monarch cried;

And all the people thus replied: