Page:The Rámáyana of Tulsi Dás.djvu/443

Rh A grove and beautiful lake came in sight with many flowering lotuses and a magnificent temple where a holy woman was sitting.

From a distance they all bowed the head before her and made enquiry and explained their circumstances. She then said: "Take water to drink and eat at will of this luscious and beautiful fruit." They bathed and eat of the sweet fruit and then all came and drew near to her, and told her all their adventures. "I will now go to Raghuráí; close your eyes and so leave the cave; you will recover Síta, do not fear." The warriors closed their eyes, and when they again opened them they were all standing on the shore of the ocean. But she went to Raghunáth and came and bowed her head at his lotus feet, and made much supplication. The lord bestowed upon her imperishable faith.

In obedience to the Lord's commands she went to the Badri forest, cherishing in her heart Ráma's feet, the adoration of the eternal Siva.

Now the monkeys were thinking to themselves: "The appointed time has passed and nothing has been done." So they all came together and asked one another, "there is no news, brother; what are we to do?" Angad's eyes were full of tears as he replied: "It is death for us either way. Here we have failed to get tidings of Síta, and if we go home our king will slay us. After my father's death he would have killed me, had not Ráma protected me, no thanks to him." Again and again Angad told them all: "It is a case of death without a doubt." When the monkey chiefs heard Angad's words, they could make no answer, tears streamed from their eyes. For a moment they were overwhelmed with despair, but at last they all spoke and said "unless we get news of Sita we will not return, O sagacious prince." So saying the monkeys all went to the seashore, where they spread beds of kusa grass and sat down. But Jámbaván, seeing Angad's distress, addressed him with a discourse of appropriate admonition: "My son, do not imagine Ráma to be a man; know that he is the invisible god, unconquerable and from everlasting. All we who are his servants are most highly blessed in our love for the eternal God thus made incarnate.