15. These flowers when blown in the air by the breeze of heaven, appeared as they were clusters of stars, which after their fall brightened the ground with their beauty as with the beaming smiles of heavenly maids. 16. They appeared in the form of rain drops falling from the clouds, and blazing by the light of mute lightenings, and scattering about like balls of fresh butter. 17. They resembled also as particles of snow-balls, or as the grains of a necklace of pearls or as beams of moon-light, or as the little billows of the sea of milk, or like drops of ice-cream. 18. There were also borne by the loose and sweet winds of heaven, some lotuses with long filaments, and attended by clusters of bees humming and flying about them. 19. There were also to be seen heaps of _ketaki_ and _Kairava_, _Kunda_ and blue lotus flowers, falling and shining brightly among them. 20. These flowers covered the court hall and the roofs of houses and their courtyards. The men and women in the city raised their heads to behold them falling. 21. The sky was quite unclouded when the flowers fell incessantly from above. A sight like this that was never seen before struck the people with wonder. 22. The shower of flowers fell for quarter of an hour, but the Siddhas from whose hands they fell were unseen all the while. 23. The falling of the flowers having ceased after the assembly was covered with them, they heard the following words, coming to them from the divine personages in the sky. 24. “We have been travelling every where in whole bodies of the Siddhas from the beginning of creation; but never have we heard any where so sweet a speech as this. 25. “Such a magnanimous speech of indifference as has been just now spoken by Ráma—the moon of Raghu’s race, was never heard even by gods like ourselves. 26. “We account ourselves truly blessed to hear this highly charming and wondrous speech from the mouth of Ráma himself to-day. 27. “Indeed we are awakened and edified by attending diligently to this truly excellent speech, delivered by Ráma on the ambrosial bliss of asceticism, and leading to the highest felicity of men”. CHAPTER XXXIII. ASSOCIATION OF AERIAL AND EARTHLY BEINGS. The Siddhas said:— It behoves us to hear the decision of the great sages, in reply to the holy sermon, already delivered by the chief of Raghu’s race. 2. Come forward you great chiefs of the sages, you Nárada, Vyása, Pulaha and all ye great sages, and be ready (to hear). 3. Let us descend to the full open court of Dasaratha, which is as bright as gold and free from stain, in the manner of bees alighting on the aureate and immaculate lotus. 4. Válmíki said:— So saying, the whole company of divine sages alighted themselves in that court from their aerial abode. 5. There Nárada the chief of sages, sat foremost playing on his lute, and in the midst was Vyása, with his dark blue complexion resembling a rainy cloud.