

each time wondering within herself how he had slain the lord of Lanka. ‘Daintily delicate,’ she thought, ‘are my two boys, while the demons were great warriors of extraordinary might!’

As the mother (Kausalya) gazed upon the Lord and Lakshmana and Sita, soul drank the cup of ecstasy and her whole being quivered with emotion.

Vibhishana (the lord of Lanka), Sugriva (the Monkey King), Nala and Nila, Jambavan, Angad, Hanuman and the other monkey heroes, all high-minded champions, assumed charming human forms.

With great reverence and devotion all lauded Bharata’s affection and goodness and his austerities and discipline. When they saw the citizen’s mode of life, they all praised their devotion to the feet of the Lord.

Then Raghunatha called all his comrades and exhorted them to touch the guru’s feet: ‘The guru Vasishtha,’ he said, ‘is highly to be reverenced by the whole of my house; it is by his favour that the demons were slaughtered in battle.

And listen, O sage; all these are my friends; they were the boats that bore me safely out of the sea of battle; they staked their lives for my sake and are dearer to me than Bharata himself.’

When they heard the Lord’s words, all were greatly enraptured; every moment that passed gave birth to ever new delights.
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