Sarga 80
p. 415
Then seeing that the night in which had been performed the auspicious prelithinary ceremonies, was about to be spent, eulogists arid genealdgists hymned Bharata with conscerated hymns. And then soundéd the kettle-drum, beaten by a golden stick, announcing the departure of the night; and people sounded conchs and other instruments by hundreds furnish ed with soft and loud sounds. And as if filling the heavens, those powerful blasts of the trumpet fepeatedly rendered Bharata burning in grief the more aggrieved. Then awaking and silencing those sounds with saying—“I am not the king,” be said unto Satrughna, “Behold, O Satrughna, m what a
Sarga 80
p. 416
mighty wrong the people are ettgaged, on account of Kaikeyi. The king Dacaratha has gone away throwing down on me (the burthen of) this misery. The royal grace founded in | righteousness of that magnanimous and virtuous monarch is wandering even like a boat on water having no helmsman. And he who is our mighty master hath been banished into the woods by this mother of mine, who had (in doing so) renounced virtue.” Seeing Bharata lamenting thus senseless, the ladies afflicted with sorrow began to wail in winsome accénts. As Bharata was mourning thus, the highly famous ard virtadus Vasishtha accompanied by his disciples entered the couft of the Ikshwaku king: built of entire gold, charming, dazzling with gems and gold: like unto Sudharmi itself. Sitting down on a golden seat furnished with an elegant cever, that one versed in aH the Vedas commanded the envoys, saying,—‘Do ye speedily with collected minds bring hither Brahmanas ahd Kshatriyas and warriors and counsellors and gerierals of forces and Satrughna with the other princes,.and the famous Bharata and Yudhajit* and Sumantra and others that are engaged in our welfare.” Then there arose a mighty hubbub occasioned by people coming up in cars, horses and elephants. And when Bharata arrived, the subjects rejoiced as they used to rejoice on Dagar&atha’s arrival ; and as rejoiced thé immortals on the arrival of him of an hundted sacrifices. And then the court resembling a mdveless o¢ean containing whales and serpents,t and gems and ¢oachs and gold-mines, being graced with the presence of Dagaratha’s son, looked splendid as it formerly did with that of DacarAtha himself. * One of the counsellors.—7. t Nagd may also mean hypopotamus.—7.