Then facing his whole court, that lord of earth, the king, resounding
all sides as if with thunder, in a mighty voice, echoing, and solemn,
and like unto the sounds of a kettle-drum, spake words fraught with
welfare, and capable of creating high rapture,and worthy of the
attention of all. And in tones overflowing with royal signs; and
mellifluous; and peerless; and surcharged with the sentiment of
surprise, the monarch addressed the princes, saying,--"It is known to ye
that the (people of this) spacious empire now governed by me was
governed like unto children by those sovereigns that were my
predecessors. Now it is my intention to bring welfare unto this entire
earth worthy of being rendered happy, which had been governed by all
those sovereigns, Ikshwaku and the rest. Following the path trod by my
predecessors, I have, heedless of my own happiness, to the best of my
power, always protected the people. And under the shade of the white
umbrella, I effecting the good of the entire community, have brought
decrepitude upon my body. Having attained an age extending over many
thousands of years, and lived for a long period, desire rest for this
decrepit frame. Bearing in the interests of the people the heavy burden
of duty incapable of being borne by even those that have controlled
their senses, and requiring (in the bearer) right royal qualities, I
have become fatigued. I therefore wish for rest, after in the interests
of the subjects installing my son, with the permission of all these
excellent twice-born ones around me. My worthy son, like unto Purandara
himself in prowess--Rama, the conquerer of hostile cities, hath been
born, endowed with all my virtues. Him, like unto the moon while in
conjunction with the Pushya constellation--the foremost of those
maintaining righteousness, the chief of men, will I, in the morning with
a delighted heart, install as the heir-apparent to the throne. And that
auspicious elder brother of Lakshmana[107] will make a fit ruler for
ye,--yea, the very three worlds might consider themselves as having a
lord, by possessing him. Through his agency I shall this day bring about
the welfare of the world; and shall renounce my toil by reposing in him
the task of government. If what I have devised be meet, and also
recommend itself to ye, do ye accord approval to it,-- proposing what I
am to do besides this, together with the how of effecting it. If I have
thought thus solely because I find delight in it, do ye look about any
other way to welfare. For different is the thought of the dispassionate;
and by friction becomes far more efficacious."[108]
As the king had said this, the princes, exceedingly delighted, seconded
him even as peacocks dance at sight of a mighty mass of clouds showering
down rain. Then there arose a pleasant resonance (from the assembly of
the potentates;) and next from the vast concourse inspired with high
rapture arose an echo generated by their voices, which seemed to shake
the earth. Then being in complete possession of the views of that one
(the king) versed in morality and interest, the Brahmanas and the
principal personages of the army, in company with the citizens and the
inhabitants of the provinces, took counsel together, and became
unanimous,--and, having again revolved the matter individually in their
mind, spake unto the aged king Dacaratha, saying,-- "O. king, being many
thousand years old, thou last become aged. Do thou then install Rama as
the heir-apparent to the throne. We wish to behold the exceedingly
Strong and mighty-armed hero among the Raghus, riding a huge elephant,
his countenance underneath an umbrella." Hearing those welcome words .of
theirs, the monarch, as if not knowing their minds, asked them,
saying,--"Ye have wished for Raghava, soon as ye have heard my speech.
This, ye kings, raiseth my doubts. Do ye, therefore, speak out your
minds truly. Why, while I am righteously governing the earth, do ye wish
to see the highly powerful Rama as the heir- apparent?" And those
high-souled ones together with the citizens and the inhabitants of the
provinces said unto him, --"O king, many are the virtues of thy son,
having for their object the welfare of the people. To-day we will
recount unto thee in detail the merits making even enemies happy of the
meritorious and intelligent (Rama) resembling a celestial. O monarch,
furnished with the choicest qualities, Rama having truth for prowess is
like unto Sakra's self; and he towereth above Ikshwaku and all. Rama is
the one excellent person among men; and is true and devoted to truth.
And in very Rama is established morality with prosperity. Touching the
good of the subjects, he is like unto the moon, and in the quality of
forgiveness, he is like unto the Earth; in intelligence like unto
Vrihaspati; and in prowess like Sachi's lord. He is cognizant of duty,
and true in promise,-- and honest; and not given to detraction. He is
forgiving, and soothing, and sweet-speeched and grateful, and of subdued
senses. He is pliable to entreaties and staid, and of agreeable
carriage, and uncalumniating. Raghava speaketh everyone fair, and is of
truthful speech. He minstereth unto variously-versed aged Brahmanas. It
is for this that in this world his fame and renown and energy go on
increasing. He hath mastered all the weapons that are extant among the
gods, the Asuras, and human beings. He hath performed his ablutions
after having acquired learning; and knoweth the Vedas with their
branches. And Bharata's elder brother is a proficient in music. He is
the home of the good, and is saintly, and hath conquered his grief, and
is magnanimous. He is lowly unto those twice born ones that are worthy
and are conversant with morality and interest. And when in company with
Sumitra's son he wendeth to the fight with the view of protecting a city
or a province, he cometh not back without conquering the foe. And even
as a father enquireth after the welfare of his sons, he, returning from
the field on horse or elephant, exhaustively and consecutively enquireth
after the weal of the citizens, concerning their sons, or their
(sacrificial) fire, or their wives, or their servants, or their
disciples. And that tiger- like Rama always asketh the Brahmanas,--'Do
your disciples tend you' and the Kshatriyas--'Do your disciples always
remain mailed?' When calamity befalleth the people, he experienced
excess of sorrow; and on their festal occasions, he rejoiceth ever like
their own father. He speaketh the truth, and is a mighty bowman. He
ministereth unto the aged, and hath controlled his senses. He. preludes
his speech with a smile, and is established in righteousness with his
whole soul. He entirely bringeth about good, and he taketh no delight in
bandying words after a quarrel. In reasoning in chain, he is like unto
the lord of speech himself. His eye-brows are graceful; and his eyes
expansive and coppery; and he is like unto the very Vishnu. Like Kama he
is charming unto all by virtue of his heroism, prowess and might. He is
ever engaged in protecting the people: and the desire for the good
things of the world cannot perturb his mind. He is capable of bearing
the burden even of the three worlds,--what then is this Earth? Neither
his pleasure nor his displeasure even goeth for naught. He slayeth those
that deserve to be slain; but he is never enraged with those that ought
not to be slain (i.e. the unoffending),--with whom, he is pleased, he
bestows wealth upon. In virtue of his self-control and other qualities;
dear unto the subjects and capable of exciting the delight of mankind,
Rama shineth even like the effulgent Sun surrounded by his rays. And
even that Rama, crowned with such qualities and having truth for his
prowess,--like unto a Lokapala, the Earth wisheth to have for her lord.
By our good luck it is that thy son hath acquired competence in the task
of administration; and also by thy good luck it is that Raghava hath
been born endowed with sonly qualities, like unto Maricha's son Kacyapa.
The gods, and the Asuras, and men, with the Gandharvas, and the Uragas,
and the inhabitants rural and urban, pray for the strength, health, and
long life of self-knowing Rama. And whether inmates or outsiders,
citizens or natives of provinces, everyone speaks high of him. Women,
old and young, in both the morning and evening, with intent minds, bow
down unto all the gods on behalf of the intelligent Rama. Let their
desire, O worshipful one, be fulfiled, through thy grace. And we would
behold the son of the foremost of monarchs, the foe-destroying Rama
dark-blue like a lotus,--installed as the heir-apparent to the kingdom.
Therefore, O bestower of boons, it behoveth thee, for the sake of our
well-being, with a delighted mind to speedily instal thy son furnished
with noble qualities resembling the god of gods, and ever intent upon
the welfare of the entire community."
[107] There is an alliterative beauty here in the original _Lakshmivan
Lakshmanagraja_; which of course is impossible to be retained in
the translation.--T.
[108] This is Mill's principle of free and equal discussion so lucidly
upheld in his _Liberty_. The meaning in the text is obscurely
expressed. _The thought of the disspassionate is different from
that of the passionate; and truth comes out from the friction of
the two opposite forces_.--T.