Page:The Rámáyana of Tulsi Dás.djvu/436

374 And Ráma dismissed him to his own heavenly mansion. All the people of the city ran together in dismay, and Tárá with dishevelled hair and tottering frame broke out into wild lamentation. When Raghurái saw her distress, he imparted to her wisdom and dispersed her delusion. "The body, which is composed of the elements, earth, water, fire, air and ether, is of no value. The mortal frame, which you see before you, sleeps; but the soul is eternal; why then do you weep?" True understanding sprung up in her mind; she embraced his feet and received the boon that she asked, a perfect faith. O Umá, the lord Ráma dances us all up and down like so many puppets. Then he gave orders to Sngríva and he performed all the funeral rites with due ceremony. Ráma next directed his brother to go and celebrate Sugriva's installation. He bowed his head at Raghupati's feet and went forth, he and all whom Ráma had commissioned to accompany him.

Lakshman immediately summoned the citizens and the council of Bráhmans, and invested Sugríva with the sovereignty and appointed Angad Prince Imperial.

O Umá, there is no such friend as Ráma in the world, neither guru, nor father, nor mother, nor kinsman, nor lord. It is the way with all other gods, men and saints, to make friends for selfish purposes; but the generous Raghubir, from mere natural kindness, made Sugríva king of the monkeys, when he was trembling all day and all night in such fear of Báli that there was no colour left in his face and his heart was burnt up with anxiety. I know this, that any man, who deserts such a lord, must needs be caught in the meshes of calamity. Ráma then sent for Sugríva and instructed him in all the principles of state-craft, and added: "Hearken, Sugríva, lord of the monkey race; I may not enter a city for fourteen years. The hot weather is now over and the rains have set in. I will encamp on the hills close by. Do you with Angad reign in royal state; bnt remain ever mindful of my interests." Sugriva then returned to the palace, while Ráma remained in camp on mount Pravarshana.