Ramayana Condensed in the Poet's Own Words /42

24
 
THE RAMAYANA
 
He is a boy and has not yet completed

his training. He does not know the strong

and the weak points. He has not yet been

taught in full the science of archery nor is

he experienced in warfare.
 

 
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य स्नेहपर्याकुलाक्षरम् ।

नृपतिं सुत्व्रतो धीरो वसिष्ठो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥
 

Hearing this speech, of which the utte-

rance was indistinct through love, the cou-

rageous and pious Visishtha spoke thus to
asishtha spoke thus to
the king:
 

 
इक्ष्वाकूणां कुले जातः साक्षाद्धर्म इवापरः ।

धृतिमान् सुत्व्रतः श्रीमान् न धर्मं हातुमर्हसि ॥
 

"Born of the Ikshvaku race and like

another Dharma incarnate, possessed of

courage, piety, and bounteousness, it is not

proper that you should forsake Dharma.
 

 
कृतास्त्रमकृतास्त्रं वा नैनं शक्ष्यन्ति राक्षसाः ।

गुप्तं कुशिकपुत्रेण ज्वलनेनामृतं यथा ॥
 

Whether he (Rama) has mastered archery,

or not, Rakshasas will not be able to with-

stand him when he is protected by Visva-

mitra, like nectar protected by fire.