Page:The Rámáyana of Tulsi Dás.djvu/473

 villain's object is to spy out our secrets. My idea is that we ought to keep him prisoner." "Friend, you have reasoned with much worldly wisdom; but I have a vow to befriend all suppliants." Hanumán was delighted to hear these words from the Lord, the God who shows compassion on all who flee to him.

"The men who abandon a suppliant, from suspicion that he may be an enemy, are vile and criminal, and misfortune will keep her eye upon them.

I would not abandon any one who had fled to me for protection, even though he had been guilty of the murder of a million Bráhmans. Directly any creature appears before me, I blot out the sins of all his past lives. No one who is essentially wicked can delight in my service; if he is really bad at heart, how can he come into my presence. Only a man of pure soul can find me; I take no pleasure in hypocrisy, deceit and vice. Rávan may have sent him as a spy; but even so, O king, we need not fear any loss. All the demons, my friend, that the whole world contains, Lakshman could rout in a singie moment. If he has come out of fear, to sue for mercy, I will protect him as I would my own life.

In either case bring him here." Thus spake the All-merciful with a smile. "Glory to the lord of mercy" cried the monkey as he went, taking with him Angad and Hanumán.

The monkeys respectfully escorted him into the presence of the all-merciful Ráma. He beheld from a distance the two brothers, the delight of all men's eyes, the givers of every blessing; then looking again upon Ráma's perfect beauty, he stood stock still, with all his gaze intently fixed upon the long arms, the lotus eyes and dark-hued body of the suppliant's friend, his lion-like shoulders and magnificent broad chest and his charming face, that would ravish the soul of Kámadeva himself. With streaming eyes and trembling limbs he at last made bold to speak in accents mild: "My lord, I am Rávan's brother; Champion of heaven, I have been born of demon race, with a savage temperament, as naturally prone to evil as an owl is partial to the night.

I have heard with my ears of your glory and have come; O my lord, save me, save me; you who are the deliverer from all life's troubles, the remover of distress, the friend of the suppliant, Raghu-bír."