- Rich in royal worth and valour, rich in holy Vedic lore,
Dasa-ratha ruled his empire in the happy days of yore, - Loved of men in fair Ayodhya, sprung of ancient Solar Race,
Royal rishi in his duty, saintly rishi in his grace, - Great as INDRA in his prowess, bounteous as KUVERA kind,
Dauntless deeds subdued his foemen, lofty faith subdued his mind! - Like the ancient monarch Manu, father of the human race,
Dasa-ratha ruled his people with a father's loving grace, - Truth and Justice swayed each action and each baser motive quelled
People's Love and Monarch's Duty every thought and deed impelled, - And his town like INDRA'S city,--tower and dome and turret brave--
Rose in proud and peerless beauty on Sarayu's limpid wave! - Peaceful lived the righteous people, rich in wealth in merit high,
Envy dwelt not in their bosoms and their accents shaped no lie, - Fathers with their happy households owned their cattle, corn, and gold,
Galling penury and famine in Ayodhya had no hold, - Neighbours lived in mutual kindness helpful with their ample wealth,
None who begged the wasted refuse, none who lived by fraud and stealth! - And they wore the gem and earring, wreath and fragrant sandal paste,
And their arms were decked with bracelets, and their necks with nishkas graced, - Cheat and braggart and deceiver lived not in the ancient town,
Proud despiser of the lowly wore not insults in their frown, - Poorer fed not on the richer, hireling friend upon the great,
None with low and lying accents did upon the proud man wait - Men to plighted vows were faithful, faithful was each loving wife,
Impure thought and wandering fancy stained not holy wedded life, - Robed in gold and graceful garments, fair in form and fair in face,
Winsome were Ayodhya's daughters, rich in wit and woman's grace - Twice-born men were free from passion, lust of gold and impure greed,
Faithful to their Rites and Scriptures, truthful in their word and deed, - Altar blazed in every mansion, from each home was bounty given,
'Stooped no man to fulsome falsehood, questioned none the will of Heaven. - Kshatras bowed to holy Brahmans, Vaisyas to the Kshatras bowed
Toiling Sudras lived by labour, of their honest duty proud, - To the Gods and to the Fathers, to each guest in virtue trained,
Rites were done with true devotion as by holy writ ordained, - Pure each caste in due observance, stainless was each ancient rite,
And the nation thrived and prospered by its old and matchless might, - And each man in truth abiding lived a long and peaceful life,
With his sons and with his grandsons, with his loved and honoured wife. - Thus was ruled the ancient city by her monarch true and bold,
As the earth was ruled by Mann in the misty days of old, - Troops who never turned in battle, fierce as fire and strong and brave,
Guarded well her lofty ramparts as the lions guard the cave. - Steeds like INDRA'S in their swiftness came from far Kamboja's land,
From Vanaya and Vahlika and from Sindhu's rock-bound strand, - Elephants of mighty stature from the Vindhya mountains came,
Or from deep and darksome forests round Himalay's peaks of fame, - Matchless in their mighty prowess, peerless in their wondrous speed,
Nobler than the noble tuskers sprung from high celestial breed. - Thus Ayodhya, "virgin city,"--faithful to her haughty name,--
Ruled by righteous Dasa-ratha won a world-embracing fame, - Strong-barred gates and lofty arches, tower and dome and turret high
Decked the vast and peopled city fair as mansions of the sky. - Queens of proud and peerless beauty born of houses rich in fame,
Loved of royal Dasa-ratha to his happy mansion came, - Queen Kausalya blessed with virtue true and righteous Rama bore,
Queen Kaikeyi young and beauteous bore him Bharat rich in lore, - Queen Simitra bore the bright twins, Lakshman and Satruglina bold,
Four brave princes served their father in the happy days of old!
AYodYA - Sita Rama in / Out Hanuman
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Righteous City
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