Ramayana: The Epic of Rama, Prince of India

Front Cover
J.M. Dent and Company, 1900 - 192 pages

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Contents

I
1
II
17
III
38
IV
63
V
77
VI
88
VII
102
VIII
116
IX
125
X
135
XII
159
XIV
169
XV
178
XVI
179

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Page 13 - For my mother often taught me and my father often spake, That her home the wedded woman doth beside her husband make, As the shadow to the substance, to her lord is faithful wife, And she parts not from her consort till she parts with fleeting life!
Page 22 - As a father to his children to his loving men he came, Blessed our homes and maids and matrons till our infants lisped his name, For our humble woes and troubles Rama hath the ready tear, To our humble tales of suffering Rama lends his willing ear!
Page 90 - Rama, by his mandate here I came, Younger Lakshman strong and valiant doth with me these forests roam, And my wife, Videha's daughter, Sita makes with me her home. Duteous to my father's bidding, duteous to my mother's will, Striving in the cause of virtue in the woods we wander still. Tell me, female of the forest, who thou be and whence thy birth, Much I fear thou art a Raksha wearing various forms on earth!
Page 96 - As a deep and darksome cavern is by grass and leaf concealed, 'Ravan stood sedate and silent, and he gazed on Rama's queen, Ivory brow and lip of coral, sparkling teeth of pearly sheen ! Lighting up the lonely cottage Sita sat in radiance high, As the Moon with streaks of silver fills the lonely midnight sky, Lighting up the gloomy woodlands with her eyes serenely fair, With her bark-clad shape of beauty mantled by her raven hair ! Ravan fired by impure passion fixed on her his lustful eye, And the...
Page 18 - Faithful to the wise and learned, truthful in his deed and word, Rama dearly loved his people and his people loved their lord ! To the Brahmans pure and holy Rama due obeisance made, To the poor and to the helpless deeper love and honour paid. Spirit of his race and nation was to high-souled Rama given, Thoughts that widen human glory, deeds that ope the gates of heaven. Not intent on idle cavil Rama spake with purpose high, And the God of speech might envy when he spake or made reply, In the learning...
Page 60 - Feebly raised his voice the hermit, and in dying accents said: 'What offence, O mighty monarch, all-unknowing have I done, That with quick and kingly justice slayest thus a hermit's son? Old and feeble are my parents, sightless by the will of fate, Thirsty in their humble cottage for their duteous boy they wait, And thy shaft that kills me, monarch, bids my ancient parents die, Helpless, friendless, they will perish, in their anguish deep and high ! Sacred lore and lifelong penance change not mortal's...
Page 15 - Loving wife and troops of kinsmen, wealth and glory on them wait, Filial love and fond affection sanctify their happy fate. Once when on the palace chambers bright the golden morning woke, To his son the gentle Bharat, thus the ancient monarch spoke: "Know, my son, the prince Kaikeya, Yudajit of warlike fame, Queen Kaikeyi's honoured brother, from his distant regions came, He hath come to take thee, Bharat, to Kaikeya's monarch bold, Go and stay with them a season, greet thy grandsire loved of old."...
Page 166 - Tokens of thy rule and empire, these have filled thy royal throne, Faithful to his trust and duty Bharat renders back thine own, Bharat's life is joy and gladness, for returned from distant shore, Thou shalt rule thy spacious kingdom and thy loyal men once more, Thou shalt hold thy rightful empire and assume thy royal crown, Faithful to his trust and duty, Bharat renders back thine own, V.
Page 29 - Thoughts of love and gentle dalliance woke within his ancient heart, And the magic of her beauty and the glamour of her art, With a soft desire the monarch vainly searched the vanished fair, Found her not in royal chamber, found her not in gay parterre ! Filled with love and longing languor loitered not the radiant queen, In her soft voluptuous chamber, in the garden, grove or green, And he asked the faithful warder of Kaikeyi loved and lost, She who served him with devotion and his wishes never...
Page 122 - I will swear, my gentle Lady, Rama's vengeance draweth nigh, Thou shalt see his beaming visage like the Lord of Midnight Sky, Firm in purpose Rama waiteth on the Prasra-vana hill, As upon the huge Airavat, INDRA, motionless and still ! Flesh of deer nor forest honey tasteth Rama true and bold, Till he rescues cherished Sita from the Raksha's castled hold, Thoughts of Sita leave not Rama dreary day or darksome night, Till his vengeance deep and dreadful crushes Ravan in his might, Forest flower nor...

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