
Kakutstha, knowing himself, being thus duly installed, the first night, enhancing the delight of the citizens, was spent. At dawn, the prisoners, to wake up the king, arrived at the palace. And those songsters, well trained and having a musical voice like the Kinnaras, began to eulogize the heroic king, to the increase of his joy. “Awake, O gentle hero, increasing Kausalyā’s joy, O foremost of men. Thyself being asleep the whole universe will be laid up with sleep. In prowess thou art like Vishnu, in beauty thou art like two Aswins, in intellect thou art like Vrihaspati and in the capacity of governing thou art like the Patriarch Brahmā. Thy patience equals that of earth, thy effulgence equals that of the sun, thy velocity equals the wind and thy gravity resembles the deep. Thou art stable like a stake, gentle like the moon. No king like thee had flourished before—no other shall follow. O foremost of men, thou art irrepressible, ever pious and engaged in bringing about welfare unto thy subjects. Fame and wealth shall never renounce thee. O Kākutstha, in thee are perpetually stationed grace and wealth.” Thus did the panegyrists eulogise him in various sweet accents and Rāghava got up. Like unto Hari rising up from the bed of serpents Rāma, thus eulogized, rose up from his bed covered with a a white coverlet. Taking white vessels full of water, thousands of well-trained survitors stood waiting before the high-souled (Rāma). Washing his mouth, being purified and offering oblation unto fire, he entered the holy room of the tutelary deity much honored by the Ikshwākus. And there having worshipped duly the celestials, manes and the Brahmins, he, encircled by men, came to the outer apartment. And there arrived the leading priests headed by Vasishtha and ministers all resplendant like unto fire. And there sat around Rāma the Kashatrya kings hailing from various provinces as the celestials sit encircling their lord Indra. The illustrious Bharata, Lakshmana and Shatrughna began to worship him and he appeared like a sacrifice conducted by Vedic hymns. And the servants, with their eyes shut, sat around him. The twenty heroic monkeys headed by the highly powerful Sugriva also began to worship him. As the Guhyakas worship Kuvera so Bibhishana, accompanied by four Rākshasas, waited upon him. All those who were advanced in the study of Vedas, born in respectable families, and learned, bowed unto the king lowering their beads. Like unto the celestial-king Indra worshipped by the saints the king Rāma was being perpetually honored by the effulgent saints, kings, monkeys, and Rākshasas. He appeared more beautiful than Indra at that time. And religious themes were recited in that assembly by persons conversant with the knowledge of Puranas.