hold,
With every rite prescribed of old."
It pleased King Varun to bestow
Quiver and shafts and heavenly bow
Upon my father's sire who reigned,
When Daksha his great rite ordained.
Where was the man might bend or lift
With utmost toil that wondrous gift?
Not e'en in dreams could mortal king
Strain the great bow or draw the string.
Of this tremendous bow possessed,
My truthful father thus addressed
The lords of many a region, all
Assembled at the monarch's call:
"Whoe'er this bow can manage, he
The husband of my child shall be."
The suitors viewed with hopeless eyes
That wondrous bow of mountain size,
Then to my sire they bade adieu,
And all with humbled hearts withdrew.
At length with Visvamitra came
This son of Raghu, dear to fame,
The royal sacrifice to view.
Near to my father's home he drew,
His brother Lakshman by his side,
Rama, in deeds heroic tried.
My sire with honour entertained
The saint in lore of duty trained,
Who thus in turn addressed the king:
"Rama and Lakshman here who spring
From royal Dasaratha, long
To see thy bow so passing strong."

Before the prince's eyes was laid
That marvel, as the Brahman prayed.
One moment on the bow he gazed,
Quick to the notch the string he raised,
Then, in the wandering people's view,
The cord with mighty force he drew.
Then with an awful crash as loud
As thunderbolts that cleave the cloud,
The bow beneath the matchless strain
Of arms heroic snapped in twain.
Thus, giving purest water, he,
My sire, to Rama offered me.
The prince the offered gift declined
Till he should learn his father's mind;
So horsemen swift Ayodhya sought
And back her aged monarch brought.
Me then my sire to Rama gave,
Self-ruled, the bravest of the brave.
And Urmila, the next to me,
Graced with all gifts, most fair to see,
My sire with Raghu's house allied,
And gave her to be Lakshman's bride.
Thus from the princes of the land
Lord Rama won my maiden hand,
And him exalted high above
Heroic chiefs I truly love."

Canto CXIX. The Forest.

When Anasuya, virtuous-souled,
Had heard the tale by Sita told,
She kissed the lady's brow and laced
Her loving arms around her waist.
"With sweet-toned words distinct and clear
Thy pleasant tale has charmed mine ear,
How the great king thy father held
That Maiden's Choice unparalleled.
But now the sun has sunk from sight,
And left the world to holy Night.
Hark! how the leafy thickets sound
With gathering birds that twitter