Her king from main to main. And heroes kept her, strong and brave, As lions guard their mountain cave; Fierce as devouring flame they burned, And fought till death, but never turned. Horses had she of noblest breed, Like Indra's for their form and speed, From Váhli's hills and Sindhu's sand, Vanáyu and Kámboja's land. Her noble elephants had strayed Through Vindhyan and Himálayan shade, Gigantic in their bulk and height, Yet gentle in their matchless might. They rivalled well the world-spread fame Of the great stock from which they came, Of Váman, vast of size, Of Mahápadma's glorious line, Thine, Anjan, and, Airávat, thine, Upholders of the skies. With those, enrolled in fourfold class, Who all their mighty kin surpass, Whom men Matangas name, And Mrigas spotted black and white, And Bhadras of unwearied might, And Mandras hard to tame. Thus, worthy of the name she bore, Ayodhyá for a league or more Cast a bright glory round, Where Daśaratha wise and great Governed his fair ancestral state, With every virtue crowned. Like Indra in the skies he reigned In that good town whose wall contained High domes and turrets proud, With gates and arcs of triumph decked, And sturdy barriers to protect Her gay and countless crowd. CANTO VII THE MINISTERS Two sages, holy saints, had he, His ministers and priests to be:-- Vaśishtha, faithful to advise, And Vámadeva, Scripture-wise. Eight other lords around him stood, All skilled to counsel, wise and good:-- Jayanta, Vijay, Dhrishti bold In fight, affairs of war controlled; Siddhárth and Arthasádhak true Watched o'er expense and revenue, And Dharmapál and wise Aśok Of right and law and justice spoke. With these the sage Sumantra, skilled To urge the car, high station filled. All these in knowledge duly trained Each passion and each sense restrained:-- With modest manners, nobly bred, Each plan and nod and look they read, Upon their neighbors' good intent, Most active and benevolent; As sits the Vasus round their King, They sate around him counselling. They ne'er in virtue's loftier pride Another's lowly gifts decried. In fair and seemly garb arrayed, No weak uncertain plans they made. Well skilled in business, fair and just, They gained the people's love and trust, And thus without oppression stored The swelling treasury of their lord. Bound in sweet friendship each to each, They spoke kind thoughts in gentle speech. They looked alike with equal eye On every caste, on low and high. Devoted to their King, they sought, Ere his tongue spoke, to learn his thought, And knew, as each occasion rose, To hide their counsel or disclose. In foreign lands or in their own Whatever passed, to them was known.