Myths of the Hindus & Buddhists

"what"""Myths of the Hindus & Buddhistsand birth. Truth, so the hermits tell us, is of supremebenefit to men when they reach the next world."Dasharathds DilemmaThen Dasharatha was overwhelmed with grief and swoonedaway, and, coming to himself again, he prayed Kaikeyl towaive her right.For long he pleaded with her, weepingheavy tears and thinking all an evil dream ;but Kaikeylonly answered with exhortations to keep his sworn word,reminding him of many ancient exemplars of truth, such asSaivya, who gave his own flesh to the hawk that pursuedthe dove he had protected, or Alarka, that gave his eyesto a Brahman. "If thou dost not fulfil what has beenpromised, thou art for ever disgraced,and here and nowshall I take my own life,"she said. Then Dasharatha,urged by Kaikeyl like a goaded horse, cried out : I ambound fast by the bond of truth: this is the root ofallmy seeming madness. My only wish is to beholdRama."Now dawn had come, and Vashishtha sent Rama s charioteerto tell the king that all was ready for the ceremony.Hardly able to say anything for grief, the king sent thatcharioteer to fetch Rama to his side. So, leaving Sltawith happy words, Rama drove through the gaystreets tohis father s palace; those who had not the fortune to seeRama, or to be seen by him, despised themselves, andwere despised byall.Rama greeted the king and Kaikeyl dutifully, but Dasharatha, altogether broken down and crushed to earth, couldGrieved at heart,Rama, Rama."only murmur faintly,Rama wondered if he had done anything amiss, or if anymisfortune had befallen his father. O mother," he saidtosorrow has overtaken my father s38Kaikeyi,