THE RÁMÁYAN OF VÁLMÍKI, VOL. III - Gujarat Knowledge Centre

Canto XI. THE RAMA'VAN. 51
Of every leaf, of changing hue,
Plants, trees by hundreds round him grew.
With joyous eyes he looked on all,
Then Jak,' the wild rice, and Sd,l ;
He saw tjje red Hibiscus glow,
He saw the flower-tipped creeper throw
The glory of her clusters o'er
Tall trees that loads of blossom bore.
Some, elephants had prostrate laid.
In some the monkeys leapt and played.
And through the whole wide forest rang
The charm of gay birds as they sang.
Then R^ma of the lotus eye
To Lakshman turned who followed nigh.
And thus the hero youth impressed
With Fortune's favouring signs, addressed
' How soft the leaves of every tree.
How tame each bird and beast we see
Soon the fair home shall we behold
Of that great hermit tranquil-souled.
The deed the good Agastya wrought
High fame throughout the world has bought
I see, I see his calm retreat
That balms the pain of weary feet.
Where white clouds rise from flames beneath,
Where bark-coats lie with many a wreath.
Where silvan things, made gentle, throng.
And every bird is loud in song.
With ruth for suffering creatures filled,
A deathlike fiend with might he killed.
And gave this southern realm to be
A refuge, from oppression free.
' The bread-fruit tree, Artocarpua integrifoUa,
' A fine timber tree, Shorea robusta.