Classic Poem

Righteous Rama, soft-eyed Sita, and the gallant Lakshman stood
In the wilderness of Dandak, — trackless, pathless, boundless wood,

But within its gloomy gorges, dark and deep and known to few,
Humble homes of hermit sages rose before the princes' view.

Coats of bark and scattered kusa spake their peaceful pure abode,
Seat of pious rite and penance which with holy splendour glowed,

Forest songsters knew the asram and the wild deer cropt its blade,
And the sweet-voiced sylvan wood-nymph haunted oft its holy shade,

Brightly blazed the sacred altar, vase and ladle stood around,
Fruit and blossom, skin and faggot, sanctified the holy ground.

From the broad and bending branches ripening fruits in clusters hung,
And with gifts and rich libations hermits raised the ancient song,

Lotus and the virgin lily danced upon the rippling rill,
And the golden sunlight glittered on the greenwoods calm and still,

And the consecrated woodland by the holy hermits trod,
Shone like B RAHMA'S sky in lustre, hallowed by the grace of God!

Rama loosened there his bow-string and the peaceful scene surveyed,
And the holy sages welcomed wanderers in the forest shade,

Rama bright as Lord of Midnight, Sita with her saintly face,
Lakshman young and true and valiant, decked with warrior's peerless grace!

Leafy hut the holy sages to the royal guests assigned,
Brought them fruit and forest blossoms, blessed them with their blessings kind,

" Raghu's son, " thus spake the sages, " helper of each holy rite,
Portion of the royal I NDRA , fount of justice and of might,

On thy throne or in the forest, king of nations, lord of men,
Grant us to thy kind protection in this hermit's lonely den! "

Homely fare and jungle produce were before the princes laid,
And the toil-worn, tender Sita slumbered in the asram's shade.

Thus from grove to grove they wandered, to each haunt of holy sage,
Sarabhanga's sacred dwelling and Sutikshna's hermitage,

Till they met the Saint Agastya, mightiest Saint of olden time,
Harbinger of holy culture in the wilds of Southern clime!

" Eldest born of Dasa-ratha, long and far hath Rama strayed, " —
Thus to pupil of Agastya young and gallant Lakshman said, —

" With his faithful consort Sita in these wilds he wanders still,
I am righteous Rama's younger, duteous to his royal will,

And we pass these years of exile to our father's mandate true,
Fain to mighty Saint Agastya we would render homage due! "

Listening to his words the hermit sought the shrine of Sacred Fire,
Spake the message of the princes to the Saint and ancient Sire:

" Righteous Rama, valiant Lakshman, saintly Sita seek this shade,
And to see thee, radiant rishi , have in humble accents prayed. "

" Hath he come, " so spake Agastya, " Rama prince of Raghu's race,
Youth for whom this heart hath thirsted, youth endued with righteous grace,

Hath he come with wife and brother to accept our greetings kind,
Wherefore came ye for permission, wherefore linger they behind? "

Rama and the soft-eyed Sita were with gallant Lakshman led,
Where the dun deer free and fearless roamed within the holy shade,

Where the shrines of great Immortals stood in order thick and close,
And by bright and blazing altars chanted songs and hymns arose.

B RAHMA and the flaming A GNI , V ISHNU lord of heavenly light,
I NDRA and benign V IVASAT ruler of the azure height,

Soma and the radiant B HAGA , and K UVERA lord of gold,
And V IDHATRI great Creator worshipped by the saints of old,

V AYU breath of living creatures, Y AMA monarch of the dead,
And V ARUNA with his fetters which the trembling sinners dread,

Holy Spirit of G AYATRI goddess of the morning prayer,
V ASUS and the hooded Nagas , golden-winged G ARUDA fair,

K ARTIKEYA heavenly leader strong to conquer and to bless,
D HARMA god of human duty and of human righteousness,

Shrines of all these bright Immortals ruling in the skies above,
Filled the pure and peaceful forest with a calm and holy love!

Girt by hermits righteous-hearted then the Saint Agastya came,
Rich in wealth of pious penance, rich in learning and in fame,

Mighty-armed Rama marked him radiant like the midday sun,
Bowed and rendered due obeisance with each act of homage done,

Valiant Lakshman tall and stately to the great Agastya bent,
With a woman's soft devotion Sita bowed unto the saint.

Saint Agastya raised the princes, greeted them in accents sweet,
Gave them fruit and herb and water, offered them the honoured seat,

With libations unto A GNI offered welcome to each guest,
Food and drink beseeming hermits on the wearied princes pressed.

" False the hermits, " spake Agastya, " who to guests their dues deny,
Hunger they in life hereafter — like the speaker of a lie.

And a royal guest and wanderer doth our foremost honour claim,
Car-borne kings protect the wide earth by their prowess and their fame,

By these fruits and forest blossoms be our humble homage shewn,
By some gift, of Rama worthy, be Agastya's blessings known!

Take this bow, heroic Rama, — need for warlike arms is thine, —
Gems of more than earthly radiance on the goodly weapon shine,

Worshipper of righteous V ISHNU ! V ISHNU'S wondrous weapon take,
Heavenly artist V ISWA-KARMAN shaped this bow of heavenly make!

Take this shining dart of B RAHMA radiant like a tongue of flame,
Sped by good and worthy archer never shall it miss its aim,

And this I NDRA'S ample quiver filled with arrows true and keen,
Filled with arrows still unfailing in the battle's dreadful scene!

Take this sabre golden-hilted in its case of burnished gold,
Not unworthy of a monarch and a warrior true and bold,

Impious foes of bright Immortals know these weapons dread and dire,
Mowing down the ranks of foemen, scathing like the forest fire!

Be these weapons thy companions, — Rama, thou shalt need them oft, —
Meet and conquer still thy foemen like the Thunder-God aloft! "