ng."

Great rapture filled Satrughna's breast,
Obedient to his brother's hest.
"Send forth ten thousand men" he cried,
"Let brawny arms be stoutly plied,
And, smoothing all with skilful care,
The road for Kosal's king prepare.
Then o'er the earth let thousands throw
Fresh showers of water cool as snow,
And others strew with garlands gay
With loveliest blooms our monarch's way.
On tower and temple porch and gate
Let banners wave in royal state,
And be each roof and terrace lined
With blossoms loose and chaplets twined."

The nobles hasting forth fulfilled
His order as Satrughna willed.
Sublime on elephants they rode
Whose gilded girths with jewels glowed.
Attended close by thousands more
Gay with the gear and flags they bore.
A thousand chiefs their steeds bestrode,
Their glittering cars a thousand showed.
And countless hosts in rich array
Pursued on foot their eager way.
Veiled from the air with silken screens
In litters rode the widowed queens.
Kausalya first, acknowledged head
And sovereign of the household, led:
Sumitra next, and after, dames
Of lower rank and humbler names.
Then compassed by a white-robed throng
Of Brahmans, heralded with song,
With shouts of joy from countless throats,
And shells' and tambours' mingled notes,
And drums resounding long and loud,
Exulting Bharat joined the crowd.
Still on his head, well-trained in lore
Of duty, Rama's shoes he bore.
The moon-white canopy was spread
With flowery twine engarlanded,
And jewelled cheuries, meet to hold
O'er Rama's brow, shone bright with gold,
Though Nandigrama's town they neared,
Of Rama yet no sign appeared.
Then Bharat called the Vanar chief
And questioned thus in doubt and grief:
"Hast thou uncertain, like thy kind,
A sweet delusive guile designed?
Where, where is royal Rama? show
The hero, victor of the foe.
I gaze, but see no Vanars still
Who wear each varied shape at will."

In eager love thus Bharat cried,
And thus the Wind-God's son replied:
"Look, Bharat, on those laden trees
That murmur with the song of bees;
For Rama's sake the saint has made
Untimely fruits, unwonted shade.
Such power in ages long ago
Could Indra's gracious boon bestow.
O, hear the Vanars' voices, hear
The shouting which proclaims them near.
E'en now about to cross they seem
Sweet Gomati's delightful stream.
I see, I see the car designed
By Brahma's own creative mind,
The car which, radiant as the moon,
Moves at the will by Brahma's bo