afraid,
On the bark coat she had to wear,
Like a shy doe that eyes the snare.
Ashamed and weeping for distress
From the queen's hand she took the dress.
The fair one, by her husband's side
Who matched heaven's minstrel monarch,(312) cried:
"How bind they on their woodland dress,
Those hermits of the wilderness?"

There stood the pride of Janak's race
Perplexed, with sad appealing face.
One coat the lady's fingers grasped,
One round her neck she feebly clasped,
But failed again, again, confused
By the wild garb she ne'er had used.
Then quickly hastening Rama, pride
Of all who cherish virtue, tied
The rough bark mantle on her, o'er
The silken raiment that she wore.

Then the sad women when they saw
Rama the choice bark round her draw,
Rained water from each tender eye,
And cried aloud with bitter cry:
"O, not on her, beloved, not
On Sita falls thy mournful lot.
If, faithful to thy father's will,
Thou must go forth, leave Sita still.
Let Sita still remaining here
Our hearts with her loved presence cheer.
With Lakshman by thy side to aid
Seek thou, dear son, the lonely shade.
Unmeet, one good and fair as she
Should dwell in woods a devotee.
Let not our prayers be prayed in vain:
Let beauteous Sita yet remain;
For by thy love of duty tied
Thou wilt not here thyself abide."

Then the king's venerable guide
Vasishtha, when he saw each coat
Enclose the lady's waist and throat,
Her zeal with gentle words repressed,
And Queen Kaikeyi thus addressed:
"O evil-hearted sinner, shame
Of royal Kekaya's race and name;
Who matchless in thy sin couldst cheat
Thy lord the king with vile deceit;
Lost to all sense of duty, know
Sita to exile shall not go.
Sita shall guard, as 'twere her own,
The precious trust of Rama's throne.
Those joined by wedlock's sweet control
Have but one self and common soul.
Thus Sita shall our empress be,
For Rama's self and soul is she.
Or if she still to Rama cleave
And for the woods the kingdom leave:
If naught her loving heart deter,
We and this town will follow her.
The warders of the queen shall take
Their wives and go for Rama's sake,
The nation with its stores of grain,
The city's wealth shall swell his train.
Bharat, Satrughna both will wear
Bark mantles, and his lodging share,
Still with their elder brother dwell
In the wild wood, and serve him well.
Rest here alone, and rule thy state
Unpeopled, barren, desolate;
Be empress of the land and trees,
Thou sinner whom