BOOK I: Canto XXV: The Hermitage of Love

Soon as appeared the morning light Up rose the mighty anchorite, And thus to youthful Ráma said, Who lay upon his leafy bed: 'High fate is hers who calls thee son: Arise,'tis break of day; Rise, Chief, and let those rites be done Due at the morning's ray.' 1 At that great sage's high behest Up sprang the princely pair, To bathing rites themselves addressed, And breathed the holiest prayer. Their morning task completed, they To Vis'vámitra came That store of holy works, to pay The worship saints may claim. Then to the hallowed spot they went Along fair Sarjú's side Where mix her waters confluent With three-pathed Gangá's tide. 1b There was a sacred hermitage Where saints devout of mind Their lives through many a lengthened age To penance had resigned. That pure abode the princes eyed With unrestrained delight, And thus unto the saint they cried. Rejoicing at the sight: 'Whose is that hermitage we see? Who makes his dwelling there? Full of desire to hear are we: O Saint, the truth declare.' The hermit smiling made reply To the two boys' request: 'Hear, Rama, who in days gone by This calm retreat possessed. Kandarpa in apparent form, Called Káma 2b by the wise, Dared Umá's 3b new-wed lord to storm And make the God his prize. 'Gainst Sthánu's 4b self, on rites austere And vows intent, 5b they say, His bold rash hand be dared to rear, Though Sthánu cried, Away!

Though Sthánu cried, Away! But the God's eye with scornful glare Fell terrible on him. Dissolved the shape that was so fair p. 38 And burnt up every limb. Since the great God's terrific rage Destroyed his form and frame, Káma in each succeeding age Has borne Ananga's 1 name. So, where his lovely form decayed, This land is Anga styled: Sacred to him of old this shade, And hermits undefiled. Here Scripture-talking elders sway Each sense with firm control, And penance-rites have washed away All sin from every soul. One night, fair boy, we here will spend, A pure stream on each hand, And with to-morrow's light will bend Our steps to yonder strand. Here let us bathe, and free from stain To that pure grove repair, Sacred to Káma, and remain One night in comfort there.' With penance' far-discerning eye The saintly men beheld Their coming, and with transport high Each holy bosom swelled. To Kus'ik's son the gift they gave That honoured guest should greet, Water they brought his feet to lave, And showed him honor meet. Ráma, and Lakshman next obtained In due degree their share. Then with sweet talk the guests remained, And charmed each listener there. The evening prayers were duly said With voices calm and low: Then on the ground each laid his head And slept till morning's glow. 37:1 'At the rising of the sun as well as at noon certain observances, invocations, and prayers were prescribed which might

under no circumstances be omitted. One of these observances was the recitation of the Sávitri, a Vedic hymn to the Sun of wonderful beauty.' GORBESIO. 37:1b Tripathaga, Three-path-go, flowing in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. See Canto XLV 37:2b Tennyson's ' Indian Cama,' the God of Love, known also by many other names. 37:3b Uma, or Parvati, was daughter of Himálaya, Monarch of mountains, and wife of S'iva. See Kálidása's Kumára Sambhava, or Birth of the War-God. 37:4b Sthánu, The Unmoving one, a name of S'iva. 37:5b The practice of austerities, voluntary tortures, and mortifications was anciently universal in India, and was held by the Indians to be of immense efficacy. Hence they mortified themselves to expiate sins, to acquire merits, and to obtain superhuman gifts and powers; the Gods themselves sometimes exercised themselves in such austerities, either to raise themselves to greater power and grandeur, or to counteract the austerities of man which threatened to prevail over them and to deprive them of heaven.... Such austerities were called in India tapas (burning ardour, fervent devotion) and he who practised them tapasvin.'GORRESIO.