ORIENTAL SERIES.

RAMA. 259
obstacles and assisting Su-griva to recover Kishkindhya, his
capital, from his usurping brother Balin, they entered into a firm
alliance with him. Through this connection Kama got the
appellations of Kapi-prabhu and Kapi-ratha. He received not
only the support of all the forces of Su-gnva and his allies, but
the active aid of Hanuman, son of the wind, minister and
general of Su-griva. Hanuman' s extraordinary powers of leaping
and flying enabled him to do all the work of reconnoitring.
By superhuman efforts their armies were transported to
Ceylon by " Kama's bridge," and after many fiercely contested
battles the city of Lanka was taken, Ravana was killed and
Sita rescued. The recovery of his wife filled Kama with joy,
but he was jealous of her honour, received her coldly, and
refused to take her back. She asserted her purity in touching
and dignified language, and determined to prove her innocence
by the ordeal of fire. She entered the flames in the presence of
men and gods, and Agni, god of fire, led her forth and placed her
in Kama's arms unhurt. Kama then returned, taking with him
his chief allies to Ayodhya Ke-united with his three brothers,
he was solemnly crowned and began a glorious reign, Lakshmawa
being associated with him in the government. The sixth section
of the Ramayafia here concludes ; the remainder of the story is
told in the Uttara-kawrfa, a subsequent addition. The treatment
which Sita received in captivity was better than might have
been expected at the hands of a Rakshasa, She had asserted and
proved her purity, and Rama believed her ; but jealous thoughts
would cross his sensitive mind, and when his subjects blamed
"him for taking back his wife, he resolved, although she was
pregnant, to send her to spend the rest of her life at the hermi- -
tage of Yalmiki There she was delivered of her twin sons
Kusa and Lava, who bore upon their persons the marks of their
high paternity. When they were about fifteen years old they
wandered accidentally to Ayodhya and were recognised by their
father, who acknowledged them, and recalled Sita to attest her
innocence. She returned, and in a public assembly declared her
purity, and called upon the earth to verify her words. It did so.
The ground opened and received " the daughter of the furrow,"
and Kama lost his beloved and only wife. Unable to endure life
without her, he resolved to follow, and the gods favoured his
determination. Time appeared to him in the form of an ascetic