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."