anto CXXIII. The Magic Car.

Then slept the tamer of his foes
And spent the night in calm repose.
Vibhishan came when morning broke,
And hailed the royal chief, and spoke:
"Here wait thee precious oil and scents,
And rich attire and ornaments.
The brimming urns are newly filled,
And women in their duty skilled,
With lotus-eyes, thy call attend,
Assistance at thy bath to lend."
"Let others," Rama cried, "desire
These precious scents, this rich attire,
I heed not such delights as these,
For faithful Bharat, ill at ease,
Watching for me is keeping now
Far far away his rigorous vow.
By Bharat's side I long to stand,
I long to see my fatherland.
Far is Ayodhya: long, alas,
The dreary road and hard to pass."

"One day," Vibhishan cried, "one day
Shall bear thee o'er that length of way.
Is not the wondrous chariot mine,
Named Pushpak, wrought by hands divine.
The prize which Ravan seized of old
Victorious o'er the God of Gold?
This chariot, kept with utmost care,
Will waft thee through the fields of air,
And thou shalt light unwearied down
In fair Ayodhya's royal town.
But yet if aught that I have done
Has pleased thee well, O Raghu's son;
If still thou carest for thy friend,
Some little time in Lanka spend;
There after toil of battle rest
Within my halls an honoured guest."
Again the son of Raghu spake:
"Thy life was perilled for my sake.
Thy counsel gave me priceless aid:
All honours have been richly paid.
Scarce can my love refuse, O best
Of giant kind, thy last request.
But still I yearn once more to see
My home and all most dear to me;
Nor can I brook one hour's delay:
Forgive me, speed me on my way."

He ceased: the magic car was brought.
Of yore by Visvakarma wrought.
In sunlike sheen it flashed and blazed;
And Raghu's sons in wonder gazed.

Canto CXXIV. The Departure.

The giant lord the chariot viewed,
And humbly thus his speech renewed:
"Behold, O King, the car prepared:
Now be thy further will declared."
He ceased: and Rama spake once more:
"These hosts who thronged to Lanka's shore
Their faith and might have nobly shown,
And set thee on the giants' throne.
Let pearls and gems and gold repay
The feats of many a desperate day,
That all may go triumphant hence
Proud of their noble recompense."
Vibhishan, ready at his call,
With gold and gems enriched them all.
Then Rama clomb the glorious car
That shone like day's resplendent star.
There in his lap he held his dame
Va