e she flows,
New splendor on thy lineage throws."
Thus by the chief of saints addressed
The son of Gadhi turned to rest;
So, when his daily course is done,
Sinks to his rest the beaming sun.
Rama, with Lakshman, somewhat stirred
To marvel by the tales they heard,
Turned also to his couch, to close
His eyelids in desired repose.

CANTO XXXVI

THE BIRTH OF GANGA

The hours of night now waning fast
On Sona's pleasant shore they passed.
Then, when the dawn began to break.
To Rama thus the hermit spake:--
"The light of dawn is breaking clear,
The hour of morning rites is near.
Rise, Rama, rise, dear son, I pray,
And make thee ready for the way."
Then Rama rose, and finished all
His duties at the hermit's call--
Prepared with joy the road to take,
And thus again in question spake:--
"Here fair and deep the Sona flows,
And many an isle its bosom shows:
What way, O Saint, will lead us o'er
And land us on the farther shore?"
The saint replied: "The way I choose
Is that which pious hermits use."
For many a league they journeyed on
Till, when the sun of mid-day shone,
The hermit-haunted flood was seen
Of Jahnavi, the Rivers' Queen.
Soon as the holy stream they viewed,
Thronged with a white-winged multitude
Of sarases and swans, delight
Possessed them at the lovely sight;
And then prepared the hermit band
To halt upon that holy strand.
They bathed as Scripture bids, and paid
Oblations due to God and shade.
To Fire they burnt the offerings meet,
And sipped the oil, like Amrit sweet.
Then pure and pleased they sate around
Saint Visvamitra, on the ground.
The holy men of lesser note,
In due degree, sate more remote,
While Raghu's sons took nearer place
By virtue of their rank and race.
Then Rama said: "O Saint, I yearn
The three-pathed Ganga's tale to learn."

Thus urged, the sage recounted both
The birth of Ganga and her growth:--
"The mighty hill with metals stored,
Himalaya, is the mountains' lord,
The father of a lovely pair
Of daughters fairest of the fair--
Their mother, offspring of the will
Of Meru, everlasting hill,
Mena, Himalaya's darling, graced
With beauty of her dainty waist.
Ganga was elder-born:--then came
The fair one known by Uma's name.