The legends of the Panjâb

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Satwanti hai n§.rj meri ghar ki Eanl !
She is a virtuous woman, the Lady of my house !
THE LEGEND OF SILA DA!. 247
20 Mere maliil men nar hai : nahln aur se kslm.
Kdm nahin rakhta main aur se, Rajtl.
Us Sila k^ sat mere dil par kijL
Main rakhta hftn nam : ycid us ka piarS.
Sab hotfi, hai kar mere dil k^ sark.
25 Sat kar tft man, yehi meri b§.ni:
Raja Rasalu.
" Til beta sahiikar ka : Mahita tera nim.
Tirya sis charhaune yehi murakh ka kam !
Hai mArakh ki kam : bachan merS. mano :
30 Tum Sita si satl nahin duji jano.
Woh bhW gae Earn bachan, kar mitM
20 She is my wife in my palace and no one else is of any
value (to me).
I place no value in any one else, EajL
The virtue of Sila has taken hold of my heart.
I take her namej her memory is dear to me.
All the desires of my heart are fulfilled (in her).
25 Know this for truth, this is my advice.
Raja Rasalu,
" Thou art a merchant's son : Mahita is thy name.
To raise the head of (praise) a woman is the action of
a fool
It is the action of a fool !
mark my words.
30 Thou wilt never know a second to the virtuous Sita.*
She forgot Eam's command and destroyed the protecting
line.t
* Wife of Rama Chandra and the modern synonym for virtue in a
woman.
t In allusion to the very interesting tale of the abduction of Sit4
by Ravana. In modem days she is described as stepping beyond tbe Tedr
"or protecting line, and so being liable to be carried ofE ; while imsiSe it
no harm could happen to her. See Growse, Bdmdyana, ed. 1883, pp.
352 fE. Indian Antiquary, vol. viii. p. 267 ; xi. pp. 36-6.