The offering I announce to-day Each lord of earth may claim to pay, Provided that his care can guard The holy rite by flaws unmarred.

For wandering fiends, whose watchful spite Waits eagerly to spoil each rite-- Hunting with keenest eye detect The slightest slip, the least neglect; And when the sacred work is crossed The workman is that moment lost.

Let preparation due be made, Your powers the charge can meet, That so the n.o.ble rite be paid In every point complete."

And all the Brahmans answered, "Yea,"

His mandate honoring, And gladly promised to obey The order of the King.

They cried with voices raised aloud:-- "Success attend thine aim!"

Then bade farewell, and lowly bowed, And hastened whence they came.

King Dasaratha went within, His well-loved wives to see-- And said: "Your l.u.s.tral rites begin, For these shall prosper me.

A glorious offering I prepare That precious fruit of sons may bear."

Their lily faces brightened fast Those pleasant words to hear, As lilies, when the winter's past, In lovelier hues appear.

CANTO XII

THE SACRIFICE BEGUN

Again the spring with genial heat Returning made the year complete.

To win him sons, without delay His vow the King resolved to pay-- And to Vasishtha, saintly man, In modest words this speech began:-- "Prepare the rite with all things fit As is ordained in Holy Writ, And keep with utmost care afar Whate'er its sacred forms might mar.

Thou art, my lord, my trustiest guide, Kind-hearted, and my friend beside; So is it meet thou undertake This heavy task for duty's sake."

Then he, of twice-born men the best, His glad a.s.sent at once expressed:-- "Fain will I do whatever may be Desired, O honored King, by thee."

To ancient priests he spoke, who, trained In holy rites, deep skill had gained:-- "Here guards be stationed, good and sage, Religious men of trusted age.

And various workmen send and call, Who frame the door and build the wall-- With men of every art and trade, Who read the stars and ply the spade, And mimes and minstrels. .h.i.ther bring, And damsels trained to dance and sing."

Then to the learned men he said, In many a page of Scripture read:-- "Be yours each rite performed to see According to the King's decree.

And stranger Brahmans quickly call To this great rite that welcomes all.

Pavilions for the princes, decked With art and ornament, erect, And handsome booths by thousands made The Brahman visitors to shade-- Arranged in order side by side, With meat and drink and all supplied.

And ample stables we shall need For many an elephant and steed-- And chambers where the men may lie, And vast apartments, broad and high, Fit to receive the countless bands Of warriors come from distant lands.

For our own people too provide Sufficient tents, extended wide, And stores of meat and drink prepare, And all that can be needed there.

And food in plenty must be found For guests from all the country round.

Of various viands presents make, For honor, not for pity's sake, That fit regard and worship be Paid to each caste in due degree.

And let not wish or wrath excite Your hearts the meanest guest to slight; But still observe with special grace Those who obtain the foremost place, Whether for happier skill in art Or bearing in the rite their part Do you, I pray, with friendly mind Perform the task to you a.s.signed, And work the rite, as bids the law, Without omission, slip, or flaw."

They answered: "As thou seest fit So will we do and nought omit."

The sage Vasishtha then addressed Sumantra, called at his behest:-- "The princes of the earth invite, And famous lords who guard the rite, Priest, Warrior, Merchant, lowly thrall, In countless thousands summon all.

Where'er their home be, far or near, Gather the good with honor here.

And Janak, whose imperial sway The men of Mithila obey, The firm of vow, the dread of foes, Who all the lore of Scripture knows, Invite him here with honor high, King Dasaratha's old ally.

And Kasi's lord of gentle speech, Who finds a pleasant word for each-- In length of days our monarch's peer, Ill.u.s.trious King, invite him here.

The father of our ruler's bride, Known for his virtues far and wide, The King whom Kekaya's realms obey, Him with his son invite, I pray.

And Lomapad, the Angas King, True to his vows and G.o.dlike, bring.

Far be thine invitations sent To west and south and orient.

Call those who rule Surashtra's land, Suvira's realm and Sindhu's strand, And all the kings of earth beside In friendship's bonds with us allied:-- Invite them all to hasten in With retinue and kith and kin."

Vasishtha's speech without delay Sumantra bent him to obey, And sent his trusty envoys forth Eastward and westward, south and north.

Obedient to the saint's request Himself he hurried forth, and pressed Each n.o.bler chief and lord and king To hasten to the gathering.

Before the saint Vasishtha stood All those who wrought with stone and wood, And showed the work which every one In furtherance of the rite had done.

Rejoiced their ready zeal to see, Thus to the craftsmen all said he:-- "I charge ye, masters, see to this, That there be nothing done amiss.

And this, I pray, in mind be borne, That not one gift ye give in scorn; Whenever scorn a gift attends Great sin is his who thus offends."

And now some days and nights had pa.s.sed, And Kings began to gather fast, And precious gems in liberal store As gifts to Dasaratha bore.

Then joy thrilled through Vasishtha's breast As thus the monarch he addressed:-- "Obedient to thy high decree The Kings, my lord, are come to thee.

And it has been my care to greet And honor all with reverence meet.

Thy servants' task is ended quite, And all is ready for the rite.

Come forth then to the sacred ground Where all in order will be found."

Then Rishyasring confirmed the tale:-- Nor did their words to move him fail.

The stars propitious influence lent When forth the world's great ruler went.

Then by the sage Vasishtha led, The priest began to speed Those glorious rites wherein is shed The lifeblood of the steed.

CANTO XIII

THE SACRIFICE FINISHED

The circling year had filled its course, And back was brought the wandering horse:-- Then upon Sarju's northern strand Began the rite the King had planned.

With Rishyasring the forms to guide, The Brahmans to their task applied, At that great offering of the steed Their lofty-minded King decreed.

The priests, who all the Scripture knew, Performed their part in order due, And circled round in solemn train As precepts of the law ordain.

Pravargya rites were duly sped:-- For Upasads the flames were fed.

Then from the plant the juice was squeezed, And those high saints, with minds well pleased, Performed the mystic rites begun With bathing ere the rise of sun.

They gave the portion, Indra's claim, And hymned the King whom none can blame.

The mid-day bathing followed next, Observed as bids the holy text.

Then the good priests with utmost care, In form that Scripture's rules declare, For the third time pure water shed On high-souled Dasaratha's head.

Then Rishyasring and all the rest To Indra and the G.o.ds addressed Their sweet-toned hymn of praise and prayer, And called them in the rite to share.

With sweetest song and hymn intoned They gave the G.o.ds in heaven enthroned, As duty bids, the gifts they claim, The holy oil that feeds the flame.

And many an offering there was paid, And not one slip in all was made.

For with most careful heed they saw That all was done by Veda law.

None, all those days, was seen oppressed By hunger or by toil distressed.

Why speak of human kind? No beast Was there that lacked an ample feast.

For there was store for all who came, For orphan child and lonely dame; The old and young were well supplied, The poor and hungry satisfied.

Throughout the day ascetics fed, And those who roam to beg their bread:-- While all around the cry was still, "Give forth, give forth," and "Eat your fill."

"Give forth with liberal hand the meal, And various robes in largess deal."

Urged by these cries on every side Unweariedly their task they plied, And heaps of food like hills in size In boundless plenty met the eyes:-- And lakes of sauce, each day renewed, Refreshed the weary mult.i.tude.

And strangers there from distant lands, And women folk in crowded bands The best of food and drink obtained At the great rite the King ordained.

Apart from all, the Brahmans there, Thousands on thousands, took their share Of various dainties sweet to taste, On plates of gold and silver placed-- All ready set, as, when they willed, The twice-born men their places filled.

And servants in fair garments dressed Waited upon each Brahman guest.

Of cheerful mind and mien were they, With gold and jewelled ear-rings gay.

The best of Brahmans praised the fare Of countless sorts, of flavor rare-- And thus to Raghu's son they cried:-- "We bless thee, and are satisfied."

Between the rites some Brahmans spent The time in learned argument, With ready flow of speech, sedate, And keen to vanquish in debate.

There day by day the holy train Performed all rites as rules ordain.

No priest in all that host was found But kept the vows that held him bound; None, but the holy Vedas knew, And all their sixfold science too.

No Brahman there was found unfit To speak with eloquence and wit.

And now the appointed time came near The sacrificial posts to rear.

They brought them, and prepared to fix Of Bel and Khadir six and six; Six, made of the Palasa-tree, Of Fig-wood one, apart to be-- Of Sleshmat and of Devadar One column each, the mightiest far:-- So thick the two the arms of man Their ample girth would fail to span.

All these with utmost care were wrought By hand of priests in Scripture taught, And all with gold were gilded bright To add new splendor to the rite; Twenty-and-one those stakes in all, Each one-and-twenty cubits tall:-- And one-and-twenty ribbons there Hung on the pillars bright and fair.

Firm in the earth they stood at last, Where cunning craftsmen fixed them fast; And there unshaken each remained, Octagonal and smoothly planed.