If she resolve to share her husband's woes, We all will follow where our lady goes. Our wives and children, our young men and maids Will roam with Rama through the forest glades: Nay, thy son Bharat, and Satrughna too Will to Ayodhya bid a long adieu, Around their limbs the hermit's garb to fold, Do thou, rejoicing in the people's bane, Sumantra, bowing with his reverent head, And where thou wilt, my rapid course I bend.' 1 Áruroha varúrohá. Sumantra, mounted, urged each willing steed Then rose to heaven one universal shriek ; And cried with weeping eyes, as there they clung: His mother's heart is surely barred with steel, Or it had broken with the pangs we feel. Sita, well done! Videha's flower and pride, And thou, O Lakshman, shalt have honour too, Yea, noblest honour for thy noble deeds, 1 A sacred mountain placed by the Hindus in the centre of the seven continents of which the earth is made up. It is said to be 84,000 yojanas high (a yojana is reckoned variously at four and nine miles). Its summit is a residence of the God Brahma. For this the path to heaven and bliss that leads.' Thus in their sorrow cried the weeping throng: 'Drive on,' said Rama, 'we delay too long.' From the men's eyes the tears in torrents flowed, While, in the woe that rent their bosoms, all The women rained their tears, like drops that fall Which darting fish, glittering under, shake. Fell like a Sal tree by the roots uptorn; And the loud wailing cry that rent the skies Made Rama for a moment tarn his eyes Where his sad mother and her train stood round His hapless father fainting on the ground. One long last look of love and grief he cast, Then urged the steeds till out of sight he past, KAUSALYA'S LAMENT. Then Queen Kausalya to her husband spake With tears and sighs as though her heart would break : 'O thou whose glories through the wide worlds reach, Gentle, compassionate, and kind of speech, Think, how will Sita nursed with tender care, When shall I see him with his glorious hair, I had but these, and thou hast left me none, |