The Passage of Yamuná.

CANTO LV.: THE PASSAGE OF YAMUNÁ.

The princely tamers of their foes
Thus passed the night in calm repose,
Then to the hermit having bent
With reverence, on their way they went.
High favour Rharadvája showed.
And blessed them ready for the road.

p. 160

With such fond looks as fathers throw
On their own sons, before they go.
Then spake the saint with glory bright
To Ráma peerless in his might:
'First, lords of men, direct your feet
Where Yamuna' and Gangá meet;
Then to the swift Kalindi  ¹ go,
Whose westward waves to Gangá flow.
When thou shalt see her lovely shore
Worn by their feet who hasten o'er,
Then, Raghu's son, a raft prepare.
And cross the Sun born river there.
Upon her farther bank a tree,
Near to the landing wilt thou see.
The blessed source of varied gifts,
There her green boughs that Eig tree lifts:
A tree where countless birds abide,
Bv Syáma's name known far and wide.
Sitá, revere that holy shade:
There be thy prayers for blessing prayed.
Thence for a league your way pursue,
And a dark wood shall meet your view,
Where tall bamboos their foliage show,
The Gum tree and the Jujube grow.
To Chitrakúta have I oft
Trodden that path so smooth and soft,
Where burning woods no traveller scare,
But all is pleasant, green, and fair.'

When thus the guests their road had learned,
Back to his cot the hermit turned,
And Ráma, Lakshman, Sitá paid
Their reverent thanks for courteous aid.
Thus Ráma spake to Lakshman, when
The saint had left the lords of men:
'Great store of bliss in sooth is ours
On whom his love the hermit showers.'
As each to other wisely talked,
The lion lords together walked
On to Kálindi's woody shore;
And gentle Sita went before.
They reached that flood, whose waters flee
With rapid current to the sea;
Their minds a while to thought they gave
And counselled how to cross the wave.
At length, with logs together laid,
A mighty raft the brothers made.
Then dry bamboos across were tied,
And grass was spread from side to side.
And the great hero Lakshman brought
Cane and Rose Apple boughs and wrought,
Trimming the branches smooth and neat,
For Sitá's use a pleasant seat.
And Ráma placed thereon his dame
Touched with a momentary shame,
Resembling in her glorious mien
All thought surpassing Fortune's Queen
Then Ráma hastened to dispose.

Each in its place, the skins and bows,
And by the fair Videhan laid
The coats, the ornaments, and spade.
When Sitá thus was set on board,
And all their gear was duly stored,
The heroes each with vigorous hand,
Pushed off the raft and left the land.
When half its way the raft had made,
Thus Sitá to Kálindi prayed:
'Goddess, whose flood I traverse now,
Grant that my lord may keep his vow.
For thee shall bleed a thousand kine,
A hundred jars shall pour their wine,
When Ráma sees that town again
Where old Ikshváku's children reign."

Thus to Kálindi's stream she sued
And prayed in suppliant attitude.
Then to the river's bank the dame,
Fervent in supplication, came.
They left the raft that brought them o'er,
And the thick wood that clothed the shore,
And to the Fig-tree Syama made
Their way, so cool with verdant shade.
Then Sitá viewed that best of trees,
And reverent spake in words like these:
'Hail,hail, O mighty tree! Allow
My husband to complete his vow;
Let us returning, I entreat,
Kaus'alyá and Sumitrá meet.'
Then with her hands together placed
Around the tree she duly paced.
When Ráma saw his blameless spouse
A suppliant under holy boughs,
The gentle darling of his heart,
He thus to Lakshman spake apart:
'Brother, by thee our way be led;
Let Sitá close behind thee tread:
I, best of men, will grasp my bow,
And hindmost of the three will go.
What fruits soe'er her fancy take,
Or flowers half hidden in the brake,
For Janak's child forget not thou
To gather from the brake or bough."

Thus on they fared. The tender dame
Asked Ráma, as they walked, the name
Of every shrub that blossoms bore,
Creeper, and tree unseen before:
And Lakshman fetched, at Sitá's prayer,
Boughs of each tree with clusters fair.
Then Janak's daughter joyed to see
The sand-discoloured river flee,
Where the glad cry of many a bird,
The sa'ras and the swan, was heard.
A league the brothers travelled through
The forest noble game they slew:
Beneath the trees their meal they dressed
And sat them down to eat and rest.
A while in that delightful shade
Where elephants unnumbered strayed.
Where peacocks screamed and monkeys played.

p. 161

   They wandered with delight.
Then by the river's side they found
A pleaaant spot of level ground,
Where all was smooth and fair around,
   Their lodging for the night.

Footnotes

160:1 Another name of the Jumna, daughter of the Sun.