On four exquisitely beautiful thrones which might have been fashioned by Cupid with his own hands the queen-mothers seated the brides and the bridegrooms and reverently washed their sacred feet.

Then with incense and lights and oblations, as the Vedic ritual prescribes, they did homage to the blessed couples and time after time waved the festal lamps about their heads and fanned them with gorgeous fans and whisks.

Offerings of various kinds were scattered about them, for the mothers were as full of exultation as a Yogi who was obtained beatitude, or a man sick all his life who has found ambrosia,

- or a born pauper who has come upon the philosopher’s stone, or a blind man who has regained the blessing of sight, or a dumb man whose tongue has been granted the eloquence of Sharada, the goddess of speech, or a warrior who has triumphed in battle.

Greater by a thousand million times than the joys mentioned above was the rapture of the queens, when the moon of the house of Raghu returned home with his brothers duly married.

As the mothers performed the customary ceremonies, the brides and their grooms were embarrassed; but Rama smiled to himself on perceiving their ecstasy and merriment.

With due ceremony the mothers gratefully worshipped the gods and the spirits of their ancestors, for all the cravings of their hearts had been fulfilled. Bowing to all, they begged as a boon the prosperity of Rama and his brothers.