66697602-The-Ramayana-R-K-Narayan

life.”
When the initial excitement subsided, King Janaka sought
Viswamithra’s advice. “What shall I do next? I suddenly find
myself in an unexpected situation. Is it your desire that I
should send for the priests and astrologer and fix the earliest
date for the wedding, or send a message to Dasaratha and
wait for his convenience?”
Viswamithra replied, “Dispatch a messenger with the
auspicious news immediately and invite Dasaratha formally.”
Janaka at once retired in order to compose a proper
invitation to Dasaratha, with the help of his court poets and
epistle-writers, and dispatched it.
In due course, Janaka’s emissaries presented the epistle
a t Dasaratha’s court. Dasaratha ordered his reader to
receive the epistle and read it out: The message gave an
account of all that had happened from the time Rama had
left Ayodhya up to the snapping of Shiva’s bow. Dasaratha
heaped presents on the messengers, and commented lightheartedly,
“Tell them in Mithila that we heard the sound of the
bow snapping… .” He then passed orders: “Let the
announcement in appropriate language be made widely that
King Janaka has invited for Rama’s wedding every man,
woman, and child in our capital. Let those able to travel to
Mithila start at once in advance of us.” Professional
announcers on elephants, accompanied with drums, carried