As for the purpose of protecting his brother, Lakshmana was watching him
out of sincere affection, Guha burning in grief addressed that
descendant of Raghu, saying--"This O child, is the easeful bed that hath
been prepared for thee. O prince, do thou as thou listest, lie down upon
it. These (foresters) are inured to this hardship; but thou art worthy
of ease. We will wake up during the night for guarding Kakutstha. There
is none on earth dearer unto me than Rama. This I tell thee truly and I
swear by truth itself. Through his grace I hope in this world to attain
high fame, and great religious merit as well as completely secure profit
and pleasure. I will bow in hand in company with my kindred adequately
guard my dear friend reposing with Sita. Always ranging in this forest,
nothing herein is unknown to me. I shall vanquish even any mighty body
of fourfold forces (that may come up against us.)" Thereupon Lakshmana
said,-- "O sinless one, protected by thee ever having thy sight fixed on
virtue, we do not fear to live in this place. But how with Dacaratha's
son lying down on the ground along with Sita can I indulge in sleep or
what is the use of my living and enjoying happiness? Him do thou behold
with ease asleep on the grass in company with Sita, who was incapable of
being borne in fight by the gods and the Asuras. Hfm do thou behold, who
was obtained by Da$aratha as his son through various kinds of prowess,
_mantras_ and asceticism, and who is crowned with virtues beseeming such
austerities, etc. Rama being banished, the king will not live long and
the earth will shortly be widowed." Having bewailed aloud, the women
have, methinks, (by this time) ceased through fatigue, and the king's
residence is still. I cannot hope that Kaucalya, the king, and my mother
are yet alive. If they are, it is for this night only. Even if my mother
live looking up to Satrughna, yet this is my grief that that mother of a
hero, Kaucalya will breathe her last And that palace filled with people
attached unto Rama and flooded with the light of delight, will, visited
with the calamity that will befall the king meet with destruction. How
will the life of that high-souled king not seeing his magnanimous son,
his eldest son, remain in his body? And the king dying, Kaucalya will
die after him and then my mother will depart this life. Frustrated in
his desire, my father, foiled in his endeavours to confer the kingdom on
Rama, will, exclaiming 'All is lost,' 'All is lost,' give up the ghost.
Sirely they are blessed that when the time shall come when the king will
die, will perform the funeral rites of that descendant of Raghu. They
will happily range the capital of my father, furnished with fairlooking
terraces, with its high ways laid out orderly, having lordly edifices
and palatial residences, graced with excellent courtezans, abounding
with cars, elephants and horses, resounding with the notes of
trumpets--the abode of all auspiciousness--filled with portly and
contented folks, rich in gardens and villas, and celebrating popular
festivities. If Dacaratha live we shall returning from the forest,
behold that high-souled one observing noble vows. If we remain in peace,
we shall returning from the forest with that one firm in promise, enter
Ayodhya." As the high-souled son of the king oppressed with grief was
thus lamenting sitting up, the day broke. When that son of the foremost
of men, intent on the welfare of the subjects had spoken thus truly,
Guha, out of extreme affection for (Rama), shed tears afflicted with
grief and hurt like an elephant suffering from fever.