Ramayana. Rama's Return.
When morning dawned, Rama, taking the car Pushpaka given to him by Vibhishana, stood ready to depart. Self-moving was that car, and it was very fairly pointed and large; two stories it had, and windows and flags and banners and many chambers, and it gave forth a melodious sound as it coursed along the airy way. Then said Vibhishana: "What more may I do?" and Rama answered: "Do thou content these bears and monkeys who have accomplished my affair with divers jewels and wealth; then shall they fare to their homes. And do thou rule as one who is righteous, self-controlled, compassionate, a just collector of revenues, that all may be attached to thee." Then Vibhishana bestowed wealth on all the host, and Rama was taking leave of all the bears and monkeys and of Vibhishana; but they cried out: "We wish to go with thee to Ayodhya." Then Rama invited them gladly, and Sugriva and Vibhishana and all the host mounted the mighty car; and the car rose up into the sky, drawn by golden geese, and sailed on its airy way, while the monkeys, bears, and rakshasas took their ease.
But when they passed by the city of Kishkindha, Sugriva's capital, Sita prayed Rama to take with him to Ayodhya Tara, the wife of Sugriva, and the wives of other monkey-chiefs; and he stayed the car while Sugriva brought Tara and the wives of other monkeys. And they mounted and set forth towards Ayodhya. They passed across Chitrakuta and Jamna and the Ganges where it divides in three, and at last beheld Ayodhya, and bowed to her; and all the bears and monkeys and Vibhishana rose up in delight to see her, shining fair as Amaravati, the capital of Indra.
It was the fifth day after the last of fourteen years of exile when Rama greeted the hermit Bharadwaja, and from him learnt that Bharata awaited his return, leading a hermit's life and honouring the sandals. And Bharadwaja gave him a boon, that the trees along the road to Ayodhya should bear flowers and fruit as he went, even though out of season. And so it was that for three leagues, from Bharadwaja's hermitage to Ayodhya's gate, the trees born flowers and fruits, and the monkeys thought themselves in heaven. But Hanuman was sent in advance to bring back tidings from Ayodhya and Bharata, and speedily he went in human form. He came to Bharata in his hermitage garbed as a yogi, thin and worn, but radiant as a mighty sage, and ruling the earth as viceroy of the sandals. Then Hanuman related to him all that had befallen Rama since the brothers parted in Chitrakuta, and Bharata's heart was filled with gladness, and he gave orders to prepare the city and to worship all the gods with music and flowers, and that all the people should come forth to welcome Rama. The roads were watered and the flags hoisted, and the city was filled with the sound of cavalry and cars and elphants. Then Rama came, and Bharata worshipped him and bathed his feet and humbly greeted him; but Rama lifted him up and took him in his arms. Then Bharata bowed to Sita, and welcomed Lakshman, and embraced the monkey-chiefs, naming Sugriva "Our fifth brother"; and he praised Vibhishana.
Then Rama came to his mother and humbly touched her feet, and he made salutation to the priests. Next Bharata brought the sandals and laid them at Rama's feet, and with folded hands he said: "All this, thy kingdom, that thou didst entrust to me, I now return: behold, thy wealth of treasure, palace, and army is tenfold multiplied." Then placing his brother on his lap, Rama fared on to Bharata's hermitage, and there descending, Rama spake to the good car: "Do thou return to Vaishravan -- I grant thee leave." For that self-coursing car had been taken by Ravana from his elder brother; but now at Rama's word it returned to the God of Wealth.
When morning dawned, Rama, taking the car Pushpaka given to him by Vibhishana, stood ready to depart. Self-moving was that car, and it was very fairly pointed and large; two stories it had, and windows and flags and banners and many chambers, and it gave forth a melodious sound as it coursed along the airy way. Then said Vibhishana: "What more may I do?" and Rama answered: "Do thou content these bears and monkeys who have accomplished my affair with divers jewels and wealth; then shall they fare to their homes. And do thou rule as one who is righteous, self-controlled, compassionate, a just collector of revenues, that all may be attached to thee." Then Vibhishana bestowed wealth on all the host, and Rama was taking leave of all the bears and monkeys and of Vibhishana; but they cried out: "We wish to go with thee to Ayodhya." Then Rama invited them gladly, and Sugriva and Vibhishana and all the host mounted the mighty car; and the car rose up into the sky, drawn by golden geese, and sailed on its airy way, while the monkeys, bears, and rakshasas took their ease.
But when they passed by the city of Kishkindha, Sugriva's capital, Sita prayed Rama to take with him to Ayodhya Tara, the wife of Sugriva, and the wives of other monkey-chiefs; and he stayed the car while Sugriva brought Tara and the wives of other monkeys. And they mounted and set forth towards Ayodhya. They passed across Chitrakuta and Jamna and the Ganges where it divides in three, and at last beheld Ayodhya, and bowed to her; and all the bears and monkeys and Vibhishana rose up in delight to see her, shining fair as Amaravati, the capital of Indra.
It was the fifth day after the last of fourteen years of exile when Rama greeted the hermit Bharadwaja, and from him learnt that Bharata awaited his return, leading a hermit's life and honouring the sandals. And Bharadwaja gave him a boon, that the trees along the road to Ayodhya should bear flowers and fruit as he went, even though out of season. And so it was that for three leagues, from Bharadwaja's hermitage to Ayodhya's gate, the trees born flowers and fruits, and the monkeys thought themselves in heaven. But Hanuman was sent in advance to bring back tidings from Ayodhya and Bharata, and speedily he went in human form. He came to Bharata in his hermitage garbed as a yogi, thin and worn, but radiant as a mighty sage, and ruling the earth as viceroy of the sandals. Then Hanuman related to him all that had befallen Rama since the brothers parted in Chitrakuta, and Bharata's heart was filled with gladness, and he gave orders to prepare the city and to worship all the gods with music and flowers, and that all the people should come forth to welcome Rama. The roads were watered and the flags hoisted, and the city was filled with the sound of cavalry and cars and elphants. Then Rama came, and Bharata worshipped him and bathed his feet and humbly greeted him; but Rama lifted him up and took him in his arms. Then Bharata bowed to Sita, and welcomed Lakshman, and embraced the monkey-chiefs, naming Sugriva "Our fifth brother"; and he praised Vibhishana.
Then Rama came to his mother and humbly touched her feet, and he made salutation to the priests. Next Bharata brought the sandals and laid them at Rama's feet, and with folded hands he said: "All this, thy kingdom, that thou didst entrust to me, I now return: behold, thy wealth of treasure, palace, and army is tenfold multiplied." Then placing his brother on his lap, Rama fared on to Bharata's hermitage, and there descending, Rama spake to the good car: "Do thou return to Vaishravan -- I grant thee leave." For that self-coursing car had been taken by Ravana from his elder brother; but now at Rama's word it returned to the God of Wealth.
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When morning dawned, Rama, taking the car Pushpaka given to him by Vibhishana, stood ready to depart. Self-moving was that car, and it was very fairly pointed and large; two stories it had, and windows and flags and banners and many chambers, and it gave forth a melodious sound as it coursed along the airy way. Then said Vibhishana: "What more may I do?" and Rama answered: "Do thou content these bears and monkeys who have accomplished my affair with divers jewels and wealth; then shall they fare to their homes. And do thou rule as one who is righteous, self-controlled, compassionate, a just collector of revenues, that all may be attached to thee." Then Vibhishana bestowed wealth on all the host, and Rama was taking leave of all the bears and monkeys and of Vibhishana; but they cried out: "We wish to go with thee to Ayodhya." Then Rama invited them gladly, and Sugriva and Vibhishana and all the host mounted the mighty car; and the car rose up into the sky, drawn by golden geese, and sailed on its airy way, while the monkeys, bears, and rakshasas took their ease.
But when they passed by the city of Kishkindha, Sugriva's capital, Sita prayed Rama to take with him to Ayodhya Tara, the wife of Sugriva, and the wives of other monkey-chiefs; and he stayed the car while Sugriva brought Tara and the wives of other monkeys. And they mounted and set forth towards Ayodhya. They passed across Chitrakuta and Jamna and the Ganges where it divides in three, and at last beheld Ayodhya, and bowed to her; and all the bears and monkeys and Vibhishana rose up in delight to see her, shining fair as Amaravati, the capital of Indra.
It was the fifth day after the last of fourteen years of exile when Rama greeted the hermit Bharadwaja, and from him learnt that Bharata awaited his return, leading a hermit's life and honouring the sandals. And Bharadwaja gave him a boon, that the trees along the road to Ayodhya should bear flowers and fruit as he went, even though out of season. And so it was that for three leagues, from Bharadwaja's hermitage to Ayodhya's gate, the trees born flowers and fruits, and the monkeys thought themselves in heaven. But Hanuman was sent in advance to bring back tidings from Ayodhya and Bharata, and speedily he went in human form. He came to Bharata in his hermitage garbed as a yogi, thin and worn, but radiant as a mighty sage, and ruling the earth as viceroy of the sandals. Then Hanuman related to him all that had befallen Rama since the brothers parted in Chitrakuta, and Bharata's heart was filled with gladness, and he gave orders to prepare the city and to worship all the gods with music and flowers, and that all the people should come forth to welcome Rama. The roads were watered and the flags hoisted, and the city was filled with the sound of cavalry and cars and elphants. Then Rama came, and Bharata worshipped him and bathed his feet and humbly greeted him; but Rama lifted him up and took him in his arms. Then Bharata bowed to Sita, and welcomed Lakshman, and embraced the monkey-chiefs, naming Sugriva "Our fifth brother"; and he praised Vibhishana.
Then Rama came to his mother and humbly touched her feet, and he made salutation to the priests. Next Bharata brought the sandals and laid them at Rama's feet, and with folded hands he said: "All this, thy kingdom, that thou didst entrust to me, I now return: behold, thy wealth of treasure, palace, and army is tenfold multiplied." Then placing his brother on his lap, Rama fared on to Bharata's hermitage, and there descending, Rama spake to the good car: "Do thou return to Vaishravan -- I grant thee leave." For that self-coursing car had been taken by Ravana from his elder brother; but now at Rama's word it returned to the God of Wealth.
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