thus addressed the concourse there,
Friends, Brahmans, counsellors, and all
Assembled in the palace hall:
"Ye know that Bharat, free from care,
Still lives in Rajagriha(339) where
The father of his mother reigns:
Satrughna by his side remains.
Let active envoys, good at need,
Thither on fleetest horses speed,
To bring the hero youths away:
Why waste the time in dull delay?"

Quick came from all the glad reply:
"Vasishtha, let the envoys fly!"
He heard their speech, and thus renewed
His charge before the multitude:
"Nandan, Asok, Siddharth, attend,
Your ears, Jayanta, Vijay, lend:
Be yours, what need requires, to do:
I speak these words to all of you.
With coursers of the fleetest breed
To Rajagriha's city speed.
Then rid your bosoms of distress,
And Bharat thus from me address:
"The household priest and peers by us
Send health to thee and greet thee thus:
Come to thy father's home with haste:
Thine absent time no longer waste."
But speak no word of Rama fled,
Tell not the prince his sire is dead,
Nor to the royal youth the fate
That ruins Raghu's race relate.
Go quickly hence, and with you bear
Fine silken vestures rich and rare,
And gems and many a precious thing
As gifts to Bharat and the king."

With ample stores of food supplied,
Each to his home the envoys hied,
Prepared, with steeds of swiftest race,
To Kekaya's land(340) their way to trace.
They made all due provision there,
And every need arranged with care,
Then ordered by Vasishtha, they
Went forth with speed upon their way.
Then northward of Pralamba, west
Of Apartala, on they pressed,
Crossing the Malini that flowed
With gentle stream athwart the road.
They traversed Ganga's holy waves
Where she Hastinapura(341) laves,
Thence to Panchala(342) westward fast
Through Kurujangal's land(343) they passed.
On, on their course the envoys held
By urgency of task impelled.
Quick glancing at each lucid flood
And sweet lake gay with flower and bud.
Beyond, they passed unwearied o'er,
Where glad birds fill the flood and shore
Of Saradanda racing fleet
With heavenly water clear and sweet,
Thereby a tree celestial grows
Which every boon on prayer bestows:
To its blest shade they humbly bent,
Then to Kulinga's town they went.
Then, having passed the Warrior's Wood,
In Abhikala next they stood,
O'er sacred Ikshumati(344) came,
Their ancient kings' ancestral claim.
They saw the learned Brahmans stand,
Each drinking from his hollowed hand,