Ramayana. Rama's Sons.
In those days Rama prepared a horse-sacrifice, setting free a jet-black horse with lucky marks to wander where it would, and Lakshman followed it. Then he invited all the bears and monkeys, and Vibhishana and foreign kings, and the rishis and others of the hermits from far and near, to be present at the final ceremony. Countless wealth he gave away throughout the year while the horse wandered, yet the treasure of Rama was in no way diminished; never before was such an Ashwamedha in the world!
Kusha and Lava came with Valmiki to the ceremony, and Valmiki told them to recite the Ramayana everywhere, and if any questioned them, to name themselves as Valmiki's disciples. So they went about and sang of Rama's deeds; and Rama heard of it, and he called a great assembly of the Brahmans and all kinds of grammarians and artists and musicians, and the hermit children sang before them all. Wondrous and delightful was their song, and none could hear enough of it; but all men drank up the children with their eyes, and murmured: "They are as like to Rama as one bubble is like another!" When Rama would have given them wealth, they answered: "We are dwellers in the forest: what use would money be to us?" And when he asked who had composed that song, they answered: "Valmiki, who is our teacher. And, O king, if the story of thy feats delights thee, do thou hear it all at leisure."
So Rama hearkened to the story day by day, and from it he learnt that Kusha and Lava were the sons of Sita. Then Rama mentioned Sita's name before the assembly, and sent a messenger to inquire from the hermits if they would vouch for her faithfulness and to ask herself if she were willing to give proof of her innocence again. "Ask her," he said, "if she will swear before the people to establish her own purity and mine." The hermits sent back the message that she would come, and Rama was glad thereof, and appointed the next day for the taking of the oath.
When the appointed time had come, and all were seated in the assembly, immovable as mountains, Valmiki came forward, and Sita followed him with downcast glance and folded hands and falling tears; and there rose a cry of welcome and a murmuring in the assembly when they saw Sita following Valmiki thus, like the Vedas following Brahma. Then Valmiki spoke before the people and said to Rama: "O son of Dasharatha, albeit Sita is pure and doth follow the path of righteousness, thou didst renounce her near my hermitage because of the people's censure. Do thou now permit her to give testimony of her purity. And, O Rama, I myself, who follow truth, tell thee that these twin children are thy sons. Also I swear before thee that if any sin be found in Sita I will forgo the fruit of all austerities I have practised for many thousand years." Then Rama, seeing Sita standing before the assembly like a goddess, with folded hands, replied: "O great one, thou art ever virtuous, and thy words convince me of the purity of Sita. I recognize these brothers Kusha and Lava as my sons. Yet Sita shall give testimony herself, for the sake of those that have come here to witness her avowal."
In those days Rama prepared a horse-sacrifice, setting free a jet-black horse with lucky marks to wander where it would, and Lakshman followed it. Then he invited all the bears and monkeys, and Vibhishana and foreign kings, and the rishis and others of the hermits from far and near, to be present at the final ceremony. Countless wealth he gave away throughout the year while the horse wandered, yet the treasure of Rama was in no way diminished; never before was such an Ashwamedha in the world!
Kusha and Lava came with Valmiki to the ceremony, and Valmiki told them to recite the Ramayana everywhere, and if any questioned them, to name themselves as Valmiki's disciples. So they went about and sang of Rama's deeds; and Rama heard of it, and he called a great assembly of the Brahmans and all kinds of grammarians and artists and musicians, and the hermit children sang before them all. Wondrous and delightful was their song, and none could hear enough of it; but all men drank up the children with their eyes, and murmured: "They are as like to Rama as one bubble is like another!" When Rama would have given them wealth, they answered: "We are dwellers in the forest: what use would money be to us?" And when he asked who had composed that song, they answered: "Valmiki, who is our teacher. And, O king, if the story of thy feats delights thee, do thou hear it all at leisure."
So Rama hearkened to the story day by day, and from it he learnt that Kusha and Lava were the sons of Sita. Then Rama mentioned Sita's name before the assembly, and sent a messenger to inquire from the hermits if they would vouch for her faithfulness and to ask herself if she were willing to give proof of her innocence again. "Ask her," he said, "if she will swear before the people to establish her own purity and mine." The hermits sent back the message that she would come, and Rama was glad thereof, and appointed the next day for the taking of the oath.
When the appointed time had come, and all were seated in the assembly, immovable as mountains, Valmiki came forward, and Sita followed him with downcast glance and folded hands and falling tears; and there rose a cry of welcome and a murmuring in the assembly when they saw Sita following Valmiki thus, like the Vedas following Brahma. Then Valmiki spoke before the people and said to Rama: "O son of Dasharatha, albeit Sita is pure and doth follow the path of righteousness, thou didst renounce her near my hermitage because of the people's censure. Do thou now permit her to give testimony of her purity. And, O Rama, I myself, who follow truth, tell thee that these twin children are thy sons. Also I swear before thee that if any sin be found in Sita I will forgo the fruit of all austerities I have practised for many thousand years." Then Rama, seeing Sita standing before the assembly like a goddess, with folded hands, replied: "O great one, thou art ever virtuous, and thy words convince me of the purity of Sita. I recognize these brothers Kusha and Lava as my sons. Yet Sita shall give testimony herself, for the sake of those that have come here to witness her avowal."
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In those days Rama prepared a horse-sacrifice, setting free a jet-black horse with lucky marks to wander where it would, and Lakshman followed it. Then he invited all the bears and monkeys, and Vibhishana and foreign kings, and the rishis and others of the hermits from far and near, to be present at the final ceremony. Countless wealth he gave away throughout the year while the horse wandered, yet the treasure of Rama was in no way diminished; never before was such an Ashwamedha in the world!
Kusha and Lava came with Valmiki to the ceremony, and Valmiki told them to recite the Ramayana everywhere, and if any questioned them, to name themselves as Valmiki's disciples. So they went about and sang of Rama's deeds; and Rama heard of it, and he called a great assembly of the Brahmans and all kinds of grammarians and artists and musicians, and the hermit children sang before them all. Wondrous and delightful was their song, and none could hear enough of it; but all men drank up the children with their eyes, and murmured: "They are as like to Rama as one bubble is like another!" When Rama would have given them wealth, they answered: "We are dwellers in the forest: what use would money be to us?" And when he asked who had composed that song, they answered: "Valmiki, who is our teacher. And, O king, if the story of thy feats delights thee, do thou hear it all at leisure."
So Rama hearkened to the story day by day, and from it he learnt that Kusha and Lava were the sons of Sita. Then Rama mentioned Sita's name before the assembly, and sent a messenger to inquire from the hermits if they would vouch for her faithfulness and to ask herself if she were willing to give proof of her innocence again. "Ask her," he said, "if she will swear before the people to establish her own purity and mine." The hermits sent back the message that she would come, and Rama was glad thereof, and appointed the next day for the taking of the oath.
When the appointed time had come, and all were seated in the assembly, immovable as mountains, Valmiki came forward, and Sita followed him with downcast glance and folded hands and falling tears; and there rose a cry of welcome and a murmuring in the assembly when they saw Sita following Valmiki thus, like the Vedas following Brahma. Then Valmiki spoke before the people and said to Rama: "O son of Dasharatha, albeit Sita is pure and doth follow the path of righteousness, thou didst renounce her near my hermitage because of the people's censure. Do thou now permit her to give testimony of her purity. And, O Rama, I myself, who follow truth, tell thee that these twin children are thy sons. Also I swear before thee that if any sin be found in Sita I will forgo the fruit of all austerities I have practised for many thousand years." Then Rama, seeing Sita standing before the assembly like a goddess, with folded hands, replied: "O great one, thou art ever virtuous, and thy words convince me of the purity of Sita. I recognize these brothers Kusha and Lava as my sons. Yet Sita shall give testimony herself, for the sake of those that have come here to witness her avowal."
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