Then seeing that the night in which had been performed the auspicious
preliminary ceremonies, was about to be spent, eulogists and
genealogists hymned Bharata with consecrated hymns. And then sounded the
kettle-drum, beaten by a golden stick, announcing the departure of the
night; and people sounded conchs and other instruments by hundreds
furnished with soft and loud sounds. And as if fillihg the heavens,
those powerful blasts of the trumpet repeatedly rendered Bharata burning
in grief the more aggrieved. Then awaking and silencing those sounds
with saying--"I am not the king," he said unto Satrughna, "Behold, O
Satrughna, in what a mighty wrong the people are engaged, on account of
Kaikeyi. The king Dacaratha has gone away throwing down on me (the
burden of) this misery. The royal grace founded in righteousness of that
magnanimous and virtuous monarch is wandering even like a boat on water
having no helmsman. And he who is our mighty master hath been banished
into the woods by this mother of mine! who had (in doing so) renounced
virtue." Seeing Bharata lamenting thus senseless, the ladies afflicted
with sorrow began to wail in winsome accents. As Bharata Was mourning
thus, the highly famous and virtuous Vasishtha accompanied by his
disciples entered the court of the Ikshwaku king: built of entire gold,
charming, dazzling with gems and gold: like unto Sudharma itself.
Sitting down on a golden seat furnished with an elegant cover, that one
versed in all the Vedas commanded the envoys, saying,--"Do ye speedily
with collected minds bring hither Brahmanas and Kshatriyas and warriors
and counsellors and generals of forces and Satrughna with the other
princes, and the famous Bharata and Yudhajit[170] and Sumantra and
others that are engaged in our welfare." Then there arose a mighty
hubbub occasioned by people coming up in cars, horses and elephants. And
when Bharata arrived, the subjects rejoiced as they used to rejoice on
Dacaratha's arrival; and as rejoiced the immortals on the arrival of him
of an hundred sacrifices. And then the court resembling a moveless ocean
containing whales and serpents,[171] and gems and conchs and gold-mines,
being graced with the presence of Dacaratha's son, looked splendid as it
formerly did with that of Dacaratha himself.
[170] One of the counsellors.--T.
[171] _Naga_ may also mean hypopotamus.--T.