उत्तररामचरितम् (महाकवि भवभूति - संस्कृत मूल एवं हिन्दी व्याख्या)

-VI. 38 ] UTTARARĀMACHARITA 257 places in front one that is dear, surely even though far off a dear person does thus produce consolation, but certainly the world is a withered desert when one's wife is dead, then the heart is scorched as if in a heap of burning husk. ( Behind the scenes ) ( Verse 39 ) Vasisht'ha Valmiki, the queens of Dasa- ratha and also Janaka together with Arundhati, terrified all of them at hearing of the quarrel of the boys, are coming tardily on account of their limbs weakened from old age and also on account of the distance of the hermitage though eager in spirit slow from fatigue Rama —What! Revered Arundhati Vasisht'ha, my mothers and Janaka too all here. O ill luck. How can I see them! ( Looking sorrowfully ) Alas that father Janaka has by chance come to this very place is a stroke of the thunder- bolt to me an unlucky being. ( Verse 40 ) I beheld that meeting of the two fathers on the auspicious, festal occasion of their childrens marriage at which Vasisht'ha and others were present delighted on account of the desirableness of the connection and now I who am in this plight witness my father's friend after such a strange calamity has occurred, why am I not cleft in a thousand fragments! But what can Rama not do! ( Behind the scenes ) Alas! alas! oh pity! ( Verse 41 ) Having suddenly beheld the lord of Raghu's race in such a state with his splendour subsisting in majesty only, after recalling to life Janaka who swooned first, the mothers in their distress are themselves falling into a swoon. Rama—Alas my father! Alas my mother! Alas Janaka! ( Verse 42 ) Your pity is thrown away upon me, wretch that I am, for I showed no pity to her who summed up in herself the whole blessedness of the families of Raghu and Janaka. I will, however, pay my respects to them Kusa and Lava —This way, father, this way ( They walk about over-powered with feeling. Exeunt all ) End of Act VI Styled "The Recognition of the princes."