The Ramayana/Book II/Canto V: Ráma's Fast

Then Saint Vas'ishtha to the king Came ready at his summoning. 'Now go,' exclaimed the monarch, 'thou Enriched by fervent rite and vow, For Ráma and his wife ordain The fast, that joy may bless his reign.'

The best of those who Scripture know Said to the king, 'My lord, I go.' To Ráma's house Vas'ishtha hied, The hero's fast by rule to guide, And skilled in sacred texts to tell Each step to him instructed well. Straight to Prince Ráma's high abode, That like a cloud pale-tinted showed, Borne in his priestly car he rode. Two courts he passed, and in the third He stayed his car. Then Ráma heard The holy sage was come, and flew To honour him with honour due. He hastened to the car and lent His hand to aid the priest's descent. Then spoke Vas'ishtha words like these, Pleased with his reverent courtesies, With pleasant things his heart to cheer Who best deserved glad news to hear: 'Prince, thou hast won thy father's grace, And thine will be the Regent's place: Now with thy Sítá, as is right, In strictest fasting spend the night,

For when the morrow's dawn is fair The king will consecrate his heir: So Nahush, as the wise relate, Yayáti joyed to consecrate.'

Thus having said, Vas'ishtha next Ordained the fast by rule and text, For Ráma faithful to his vows And the Videhan dame his spouse. Then from the prince's house he hied With courteous honours gratified. Round Ráma gathered every friend In pleasant talk a while to spend. He bade good night to all at last, And to his inner chamber passed. Then Ráma's house shone bright and gay With men and maids in glad array, As in the morning some fair lake When all her lotuses awake, And every bird that loves the flood Flits joyous round each opening bud.

Forth from the house Vas'ishtha drove, That with the king's in splendour strove, And all the royal street he viewed Filled with a mighty multitude The eager concourse blocked each square, Each road and lane and thoroughfare, And joyous shouts on every side Rose like the roar of Ocean's tide, As streams of men together came With loud huzza and glad acclaim. The ways were watered, swept and clean, And decked with flowers and garlands green And all Ayodhyá shone arrayed With banners on the roofs that played. Men, women, boys with eager eyes, Expecting when the sun should rise, Stood longing for the herald ray Of Ráma's consecration day, To see, a source of joy to all, The people-*honoured festival.

The priest advancing slowly through The mighty crowd he cleft in two, Near to the monarch's palace drew. He sought the terrace, by the stair, Like a white cloud peak high in air, The reverend king of men to meet Who sate upon his splendid seat: Thus will Vrihaspati arise To meet the monarch of the skies. But when the king his coming knew, He left his throne and near him drew Questioned by him Vas'ishtha said That all his task was duly sped. Then all who sate there, honouring Vas'ishtha, rose as rose the king, Vas'ishtha bade his lord adieu, And all the peers, dismissed, withdrew.

Then as a royal lion seeks His cave beneath the rocky peaks, So to the chambers where abode His consorts Das'aratha strode. Full-thronged were those delightful bowers With women richly dressed, And splendid as the radiant towers Where Indra loves to rest. Then brighter flashed a thousand eyes With the light his presence lent, As, when the moon begins to rise The star thronged firmament.