Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/210

The com- ing Coro- nation. The ba- nishment. 180 BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. [ Chap. royal father, old Dagaratha He passes through the streets, which ring with the joyous shouts of men and women greeting him. The capital Is decked with flowers and banners. The air is frag- rant. Everywhere, throngs of people wait to catch sight of Ram, whose beauty of person, matchless valour, truthfulness and anxiety to help the poor and needy, have endeared him to all hearts. Ram comes into the presence of the old monarch, but there he meets with a strange spectacle ; the king is shedding tears and dares not look at his dear son. Ram is awe-striken, lke a traveller treading on a venomous snake that lies in his path. His step-mother Kaikeyi, the favourite Queen of Daga- ratha, sits beside her husband in an attitude on which the firmness of a fell purpose is apparent—her features inspired with strange emotions, which do not betray any softness of heart. Ram makes his usual obeisance to both. The king weeps like a child, and hangs his head; but the queen speaks out. Taking advantage of an old vow which Daga- ratha made to her, she bas extorted a promise to banish Ram for fourteen years, and to place her own son, Bharata, on the throne of Ayodhya. To this, Dagaratha adds in great grief that, promise-bound as he is, he is helpless ; but his son can. easily take the throne by force ; and this he ought to do. The people of Uttara Kogala will give him full support in such, an attempt. Ram for a moment stands silent as astatue. Only a moment ago he dreamt of an Empire. Now he feels, with the ascetics, that man’s true greatness lies in the sacrifice that he makes, and that earthly magnificence cannot really give him glory. At this, he throws away his jewels