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Tuen when the night had been spent, king Dacaratha accompanied with his priests and adherents, well pleased spoke unto Sumantra, saying,—"To-day let the officers in charge of the treasury, taking plenty of excellent wealth, and furnished with various gems, go in advance under proper escort. And let the fore-fold forces sally out with speed. And at my command let horses and conveyances and elegant vehicles march out. And let Vasishtha and Vamadeva and Javali and Ka¢yapa and Markandeya endowed with long life and the saint Katya3yana—let these regenerate ones go forward. And do thou also yoke my car. Let not the proper time pass away ; for the envoys urge speed upon me.” At these words of the king, the four-fold forces together with the saints went in the wake of the monarch. And after having passed four days on the way, they arrived at Videha

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And hearing of Dagaratha’s arrival, the auspicious king Janaka experienced great delight, and having obtained the aged king Dagaratha, he honored him duly.* And _ that best one (Janak2) spoke words unto that delighted chief of men. ‘Hath thy journey been a pleasant one, O best of men? By luck have I obtained thee, O descendant of Raghu. Do thou experience the joy earned by the prowess of thy sons. And by luck it is that I have obtained the highly energetic and worshipful saint Vashistha accompanied by the foremost regenerate ones, like him of an hundred sacrifices, by the celestials. By luck it is that I have overcome the obstacle; by luck it is that my race hath attained renown,in consequence of alliance with those endowed with prowess, the exceedingly potent Raghavas. O lord of men, to-morrow morning, after the completion of the sacrifice,do thou perform the nuptials,in company with the foremost of the saints.” Hearing his speech in the midst of the saints, that best of those conversant with words, the lord of men, replied unto the monarch, saying,—“A gift should be accepted,—this I heard formerly. And what thou sayest, O thou cognizant of duty, will we accomplish.” Hearing these words of the truthful (king),chiming in with morality and conducive to fame, the lord of Videha was filled with admiration. Then the ascetics experiencing great delight, passed the night happily in each other’s company. And the king, overjoyed on beholding his sons, the Raghavas—passed (the night) in exceeding delight, splendidly entertained of Janaka. And the exceedingly energetic Janaka also, versed in men and things, having in accordance with the ordinance completed the sacrifice and performed all the preliminary rites relative to the nuptials of his daughters,reposed for the night. * The text: And.hearing of Dasaratha’s arrival, the auspicious king fanaka honored him duly; and having obtained the aged monarch Dasaratha, he being delighted experienced the excess of joy.—T.