iling her eyes in modest shame.
Beside him Lakshman took his stand,
Whose mighty bow still armed his hand,
"O King Vibhishan," Rama cried,
"O Vanar chiefs, so long allied,
My comrades till the foemen fell,
List, for I speak a long farewell.
The task, in doubt and fear begun,
With your good aid is nobly done.
Leave Lanka's shore, your steps retrace,
Brave warriors of the Vanar race.
Thou, King Sugriva, true, through all,
To friendship's bond and duty's call,
Seek far Kishkindha with thy train
And o'er thy realm in glory reign.
Farewell, Vibhishan, Lanka's throne
Won by our arms is now thine own,
Thou, mighty lord, hast nought to dread
From heavenly Gods by Indra led.
My last farewell, 0 King, receive,
For Lanka's isle this hour I leave."

Loud rose their cry in answer: "We,
O Raghu's son, would go with thee.
With thee delighted would we stray
Where sweet Ayodhya's groves are gay,
Then in the joyous synod view
King-making balm thy brows bedew;
Our homage to Kausalya pay,
And hasten on our homeward way."

Their prayer the son of Raghu heard,
And spoke, his heart with rapture stirred:
"Sugriva, O my faithful friend,
Vibhishan and ye chiefs, ascend.
A joy beyond all joys the best
Will fill my overflowing breast,
If girt by you, O noble band,
I seek again my native land."
With Vanar lords in danger tried
Sugriva sprang to Rama's side,
And girt by chiefs of giant kind
Vibhishan's step was close behind.
Swift through the air, as Rama chose,
The wondrous car from earth arose.
And decked with swans and silver wings
Bore through the clouds its freight of kings.

Canto CXXV. The Return.

Then Rama, speeding through the skies,
Bent on the earth his eager eyes:
"Look, Sita, see, divinely planned
And built by Visvakarma's hand,
Lanka the lovely city rest
Enthroned on Mount Trikuta's crest
Behold those fields, ensanguined yet,
Where Vanar hosts and giants met.
There, vainly screened by charm and spell,
The robber Ravan fought and fell.
There knelt Mandodari(1021) and shed
Her tears in floods for Ravan dead.
And every dame who loved him sent
From her sad heart her wild lament.
There gleams the margin of the deep,
Where, worn with toil, we sank to sleep.
Look, love, the unconquered sea behold,
King Varun's home ordained of old,
Whose boundless waters roar and swell
Rich with their store of pearl and shell.
O see, the morning sun is bright
On fair Hiranyanabha's(1022) height,
Who rose from Oc