that high converse, or like approving smiles of heaven^s dames,
sent down in luminous crystals to the earth.

Then the people heard the invisible Siddhas whispering' to
each other, how they had roamed the heavens for long" eons,
and never heard from earth discourse like this, which, for its
restfulness and wisdom; was not excelled by work of even the
Lord of Speech, Brhaspati himself, and which instructed and
enlightened even the dwellers of the skies. The Siddhas said :

"Most meet it is we hear what the great Bshis will pronounce
hereon, for see, Narada, and VySsa, and Pulaha have come
already ; let us hasten then and stand around King Dasharatha's
court, like bees around the blooming lotus."

With this, that luminous procession of the Munis streamed
into the court of Dasharatha, till all its greatness grew too
small for more. The chief of Rshis, Narada, was there, still
holding in his hands the sweetly sounding Vina(1). And there
beside him sat the Rshi Vyasa, dark with the soft blue
darkness of new rain-clouds, and Bhrgu, too, and Angira,
Pulastya, Chyavana, Uddalaka, Ushira, and Sharaloma—a very
clustering of suns enhancing by their contact the glories of
each other.

Then in the hall of Dasharatha's palace was seen a sight
unusual. As the members of the court rose to their feet, to
greet the coming Eshis and the Siddhas, denizens of the air, now
visible, mixed with the dwellers of the earth ; sceptres, wands of
office, implements of sport, mingled with the dandas(2) of
Sannyasa(3) ; braids of hair twisted with durva-grass shone side
by side with locks crested with jewelled crowns ; dresses of
sacred bark rustled in company with cloth of silk and gold ;

and rosaries of beads of crystal rested side by side with

•?

(1) A stringed musical instrQment.

(2) Sticks carried by ascetics. (8) Sanuyasi is an ascetic who
has renoimoed all. ^