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Rima went first; in the middle, Siti; and bearing a bow in his hand, Lakshmana went in their wake. And they went with Siti, seeing many mountain-peaks, and forests, and delightful streams, and Chakravakas haunting river islets, and tanks with lotuses containing aquatic birds, and herds of deer, and horned buaffalos maddened with juices, and boars, and elephants—~ foes to trees. Having proceeded a long way, when the sun was aslant, they together saw a delightful tank measuring -a—yojt2a, filled with red and pale lotuses, graced with herds of elephants, and abounding in aquats cranes, swans and Kadamivas. And in that tank containin charming and pleasant waters, they heard sounds of son and instrumental music; but no one was seen there. Thereat, from curiosity, Rama and Lakshmana—migh car-warrior—asked an ascetic named Dharmabhrit, say-

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ing, “Hearing* this mighty wonder, we have been worked up with intense curiosity. Do thou tell us what this is.’ Thus accosted by Raghava, the ascetic then at once began to expatiate over the potency of the pool. “This tank goes by the name of Panchapsar4, and is always filled with water. It was made, O Rama, by the ascetic MAandakarni,by virtue of his asceticism. In yonder tank, the mighty ascetic, living on air, performed signal austerities for ten thousand years. Thereat, exceedingly agitated, all the deities with Agni at their head, assembled together, said, ‘This ascetic wishes to have the position of one of us.’ Thus all the deities present there were filled with anxiety. Then with the view of disturbing his austerities, the deities ordered five principal Apsar&s, possessed of the splendour of live lightning. And for compassing the end of the celestials, that ascetic conversant with the morality and otherwise as well of this life as that to come, was brought by those Apsar&s under the sway of Madana. And those five Apsaras (ultimately) became the wives of the ascetic; and their hidden residence was reared in the pool. And there the five Apsaras living happily, pleased the anchorite, established in youth through asceticism and yoga. As thy sport, we hear the sounds of their musical instruments, and the sweet voice of their song mixed with the tinklings of their instruments.” (Hearing this), the illustrious Raghava along with his brother declared the story narrated by that one of a pure heart to be wonderful. Thus conversing, Raima saw the collection of asylums, strewn with Kuca and bark, and be-girt with energy derived from Brahma lore. Entering (the place) along with Vaidebi and Lakshmana, the highly famous Raghava dwelt there respected by all the ascetics. Having happily dwelt in those collections of graceful asylums, honored of the Maharshis, Kakutstha by turns went to the hermitages of _ those ascetics with whom that one well versed in arms had \ nn * Some texts :—Seeing. aa y

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dwelt before. And Raghava happily passed his days somewhere for ten months, somewhere for one year, somewhere for four months somewhere for five or six months, somewhere for many months, somewhere for a month and a half,—somewhere for more, somewhere for three months, and somewhere for eight. And as Rama lived in the asylums of the ascetics and amused himself through their good graces, ten years were passed away (in this way). Having gone round the asylums of all the ascetics, Raghava cognizant of cighteousness returned to the hermitage of Sutikshna. Coming to this asylum, respected by the ascetics, that subduer of enemies, Rama, stayed there for a time. Once upon a time, as Kakutstha dwelling in that asylum was seated, he humbly observed unto that great ascetic, “I have always heard from men speaking on the subject that that foremost of ascetics, the reverend Agastya, lives in this forest. On account of the vastness of this forest, I do not know that place. Where is the hermitage of that intelligent Maharshi ? For propitiating that revered one, I, accompanied by my brother and Sita, will go to Agastya for paying our respects unto the ascetic. This great desire is burning in my heart, that I should myself minister unto that best of anchorets.” Hearing these words of the righteous-souled Rama, Sutikhna, well pleased, answered Dagaratha’s son, saying, “I also am desirous of telling thee this along with Lakshmana. Repair unto Agastya in company with Sita, O Raghava. By luck thou hast thyself said this unto me as to thy purpose. I will, O Rama, tell thee where that mighty ascetic, Agastya, is. My child, go four miles from the hermitage in a southerly direction; and thou wilt come to the hermitage of the brother of the auspicious Agastya situated on a land covered with trees, graced with Pippalt woods, abounding in fruits and flowers, charming, and resonant with the notes of various birds. There are many tanks containing delightful waters, swarming with swans and K&randavas, and beauteous with Chakravakas.

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ssing a night there, do thou,O Rama, in the morning, sing a southerly course, go by the skirts of the forest tract. ssing a yojana, thou shalt come upon Agastya’s asylum, rated at a charming woodland graced with many a tree. iere Videha’s daughter and Lakshmana shall experience light in thy company. O magnanimous one, if thou intend see the mighty ascetic, Agastya, in that charming woodid, containing a great many trees, then do thou make up y mind to set out this very day.” Hearing these words of : anchoret, Rama, saluting him, along with his brother, set ‘for Agastya’s (place) with his younger brother and Sita. id, pleasantly proceeding by the way directed by Sutikshna, sing picturesque woods, hills resembling clouds, watery panses and streams flowing by their path ; Rama filled with light said these words unto Lakshmana, ‘Surely we see the ylum of that high-souled one, the ascetic, Agastya’s brother pious acts. These trees standing by thousands on 2 way bending beneath the weight of fruits and wers, bear the signs that had been mentioned to meas longing to this wood. And from the wood is wafted by > wind the pungent odour of ripe pippalis. And here and tre are found heaps of fire-wood, and torn Darva are seen, the lustre of lapises. And the top of the column of smoke longing unto the fire lit in the asylum in this wood, pears like the peak of a dark mountain. And twice-born es, having performed their ablutions in sacred and retired thing places, are offering flowers gathered by themselves. placid one, from what I had heard from Sutikshna, this uuld appear to be the asylum of Agastya’s brother. The thteous Agastya it is who, wishing for the welfare of the ids, destroying by virtue of his austerities a Daitya renbling Death, hath rendered this quarter habitable. Once atime here dwelt together two mighty Asuras, brothers, ren to slaughtering Brahmanas—the wily Vatapi and Ilwala. earing the form of a Brahmana, and speaking Sanskrit, 67

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the cruel one used to invite Vipras to a Sréddha. And, cooking his brother wearing the shape of a sheep, he used to feed the twice-born ones according to the rites prescribed for Svéddhas. Then when the Vipras had fed, Ilwala said,— “O Vatapi, come out, uttering a loud sound.” Hearing his brother’s words, Vatapi, bleating like a sheep, came out, riving their bodies. In this way, thousands of Brahmanas gathered together, were destroyed by flesh-eating ones wearing shapes - at will. (And it came to pass that once upon a time) the Maharshi Agastya, having been invited to a Sraddha, fed on the mighty Asura. Thereupon uttering—‘Finished’ and offering water to wash hands with, Ilwala said unto his brother, ‘Come out’! And, as that brother of Vatapi, given to slaughtering Vipras was speaking thus, that foremost of ascetics, the intelligent Agastya, said with a laugh, ‘Where is the power of coming out, of the Rakshasa, thy brother wearing the shape of a sheep, who hath gone to Yama’s abode? Hearing his words, from wrath the ranger of the night prepared to assail the ascetic, and he rushed against that foremost of the twice-born ones. And, being consumed by that ascetic of flaming energy with his eyes resembling fire, the ‘Rakshasa met his end. This asylum graced with pools and groves belongs to the brother of him who hath performed this arduous feat from compassion for the Vipras’. As Rama was thus conversing with Sumitra’s son, the sun set and evening approached. Then, duly performing his afternoon adorations along with his brother, Rama entered the hermitage, and saluted the ascetic. Well received by the ascetic, Raghava spent there a night, eating fruits and roots. When the night had passed away, and the solar disc arose, ‘Raghava greeted Agastya’s brother, saying, “O reverend Sir, I salute thee. I have pleasantly passed the night. I greet thee ; I shall go to behold my preceptor, thy elder brother.’” _Thereat, on the ascetic’s saying, ‘Go thou,’ the descendant of | ‘Raghu went away by the prescribed route. And Ramaviewed _ a mm el

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the forest, and Niharas, and Panacas, and Sdlas, Vanjulas and Tinisas, and Chirivilwas, and Madhukas. and Vilvas, and Tindukas,—all in full flower, and graced with blossoming creepers, and trees in the wood by hundreds, roughly handled by elephants with their trunks, and graced by monkeys, and resounding with the voices of an hundred maddened warblers. Then the lotus-eyed Rama said unto that enhancer of auspiciousness, the heroic Lakshmana, who was by him, and was following him at his back, ‘The leaves of these trees are glossy, and the beasts and birds are mild, even as (we had been told). The asylum of the pure-hearted Maharshi must not be far. This asylum capable of removing the fatigue of the weary, belonging to him that is known among men as Agastya by his own acts, is seen, with the (neighbouring woods) filled with smoke, and itself decorated with bark and wreaths, containing herds of mild deer, and ringing with the notes of various birds. This is the asylum of that pious one, who destroying (the Asura resembling) Death, hath, desirous of the welfare of mankind, rendered the Southern quarter habitable, and through whose potency the R&kshasas from fear barely cast their eyes in this direction, but do not approach. Ever since that one of pious ways possessed himself of this quarter, the rangers of the night have foregone their hostility, and assumed a peaceful attitude. This Southern quarter rendered safe (by Agastya),and incapable of being harassed by those ones of tortuous ways, is celebrated over the three worlds in conection with the name of the reverend ascetic. And this graceful asylum ranged by mild beasts belongs to that long-lived one of renowned achievements— Agastya—in obedience to whose command, the Vindhya mauntain—foremost of its kind—which had always obstructed the way of the Sun, doth not increase. This pious one honored of men, ever engaged in the welfare of the righteous, shall do good unto us, who have come to him. I shall adore the mighty ascetic, Agastya, and, O mild one, O master, here

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pass away the remainder of the term of my banishm Here celestials with the Gandharbas, and Siddhas and « nent saints, observing restrictions in respect of food, adore Agastya. And the ascetic is such that a liar cai live here, nor a cunning or a crafty person, nor a wicked wi nor one that is given to unrighteousness. And ado righteousness, celestials, and Yakshas, and Nagas, and bi live here restricting their fare. And high-souled Sid and eminent saints, renouncing their bodies, repair to celestial regions in cars resembling the sun. And ad by auspicious individuals, the deities here confer on them states of Yakshas and celestials, and divers kingdoms Sumitra’s son, entering the asylum before us, do thou nounce unto the saints that I along with Sita, have arr here.”