Myths of the Hindus & Buddhists

"OSIta sSecond Trialriver-side and comforted her, and brought her to thehermitage and gave her to the hermits wives to cherishwith affection.Lakshman found his brother sunk in grief and with hiseyes filled with tears, and he was sorry, and touched hisfeet and stood with folded hands, and said : sire, Ihave done all that thou didst command, and have left thatpeerless lady at Valmiki s hermitage. Thou shouldst notgrieve therefor; for such is the work of time, whereatthe wise grieve not. Where there isgrowth there isdecay ; where there is prosperity there is also ruin ;where there is birth there must be also death. Therefore,attachment to wife, or sons, or friends, or wealth is wrong,for separation is certain. Nor shouldst thou give way togrief before the folk, lest they blame thee again."Then Rama was comforted, and praised the words andlove of Lakshman ;and he sent for the priests andcounsellors who waited, and occupied himself again withthe affairs of state. But none had come that day for anyaffair, for in Rama s time there was no disease or poverty,and none sought redress. But as Lakshman went away hesaw a dog, thatwaited by th^ gate and barked, and heasked it what was its affair. Then the dog replied : "wish to tell it to Rama himself, who is the refuge of allcreatures, and proclaims Fear nothing to them all."So Lakshman returned to Rama and informed him, andRama sent for the dog to come to him. But the dogwould not go in, "saying We are the vilest born, and we:may not enter the houses of gods or kings or Brahmans."Then Lakshman took this message also to Rama ;but hesent again for the dog and gave him leave to enter, whoIwaited at the gate.109