66697602-The-Ramayana-R-K-Narayan

again.”
After this resolution, he felt braced up. “I will now receive
Lakshmana. Meanwhile let all honours be properly
presented to him and let there be public celebrations in his
honour.” Angada busied himself to set the wheels in motion;
by the time Sugreeva with his entourage sallied forth to meet
Lakshmana, the atmosphere had changed into one of
festivity, with the public participating fully in the reception.
Music, chantings, incense, and flowers were everywhere and
Sugreeva looked majestic.
At the first sight of Sugreeva, Lakshmana’s anger revived
for a second, but he suppressed it resolutely, clasped
Sugreeva’s hand, and entered the palace hall. Sugreeva
pointed to a golden seat and invited Lakshmana to occupy
it. Lakshmana merely said, “Rama sits on the bare ground; I
don’t need anything more than that.” So saying he sat on the
bare floor, an act which saddened Sugreeva and the others.
Sugreeva next suggested, “Will you have a bath and partake
of our repast?” Once again Lakshmana said, “Rama lives on
roots and greens; so do I. Every minute I delay here, he will
be going without food. Immediately start a search for Sita
and that will be equal to giving me a holy bath in Ganga and
offering me a dinner of ambrosia.”
Sugreeva replied in great sorrow, “When Rama is
suffering such privations, only a monkey like me can be lost
in physical enjoyment. Forgive me.” He turned next to