-each citizen decorated his house and made it auspicious. The lanes were sprinkled with chatursama (blended perfumes, a mixture of sandal, saffron, musk and camphor) and the squares in front of their houses were filled in with tasteful designs.

Troops of matrons collected here and there, bright as lightning, with moon-like faces and eyes resembling those of young fawns and beauty enough to rob Love’s consort (Rati) of her pride, and who had practised all the sixteen kinds of female adornment,

-and sang auspicious strains in tones so melodious that the female cuckoo was put to shame on hearing the sweet sound! How is the king’s palace to be described, where a pavilion was set up to dazzle the whole universe?

All sorts of lovely articles of good omen were displayed and a number of kettledrums sounded. Here were panegyrists singing the family glory and here were Brahmans chanting the Vedas.

Pretty women carolled festive songs, with the names of Rama and Sita ever on their lips. There was an excess of joy all round, and the palace was too small to contain it; it seemed, therefore, as if it overflowed in all directions.

What poet can describe the splendour of Dasharath’s palace, in which Rama, the crest-jewel of all the gods, took human form?

The king next called Bharata and said, ‘Go and prepare the horses, elephants and chariots and set forth at once in procession for Rama’s marriage’. The two brothers were thrilled to hear the king’s command.