25. There were Kratu, Pulastya, Pulaha, Saraloma, the great sage Vátsáyana, Bharadwája, Válmíki the great bard and sage. 26. There were also Uddálaka, Richika, Sarjati as well as Chyavana. 27. These and many others versed in the Vedas and their branches, and knowing all things worth knowing, were the leading members (of the assembly). 28. Then Nárada and others joined with Viswámitra and Vasishtha in addressing Ráma, who was sitting silent with his face turned downwards; and said:— 29. We admire the blest and graceful speech of the prince which is dignified with the spirit of stoicism that breathes through the whole of it. 30. It is full of thought, perspicuous, elegant, clear, dignified, sweet and worthy of noble minded men, by its lucid style and wants of faults. 31. Who is there that is not struck with admiration at the speech of Ráma? It is well expressive of his thoughts, correct in its diction plain and sweet and agreeable to all: 32. It is rare to find one man among a hundred who is so eloquent as to combine dignity and force with a clearness and sweetness, that may command the admiration of all. 33. Who has such a clear head as our prince, a head which is as penetrating as the best pointed arrow, and as fruitful and beauteous as the creeping plant. 34. He is truly a man whose intellectual light like that of Ráma’s, burns as the flame of a lamp within himself and enlightens all about him. 35. Man’s blood, flesh, and bones with other (parts of his body) serve as machines to supply him with sensations of external object; but there is no intelligence in them. 36. Life and death, old age and troubles, repeatedly overtake every man; but they are beasts who are so infatuated as never to think of these. 37. There is scarcely any man to be seen, who is of so clear an understanding as Ráma (the destroyer of his enemies), who is able to judge of the future by the past. 38. Ráma is the most excellent, admirable, useful, and well shaped person amongst men, as is the mango tree (in the vegetable world). 39. It is only to-day that we see that a man of Ráma’s age has acquired so much experience of the world, and such extraordinarily mature an understanding. 40. There are many such trees found growing in every place as are beautiful to see, easy of ascent, abundant in flowers and leaves; but there is no tree of paradise growing on earth. 41. There may grow in every forest, trees with goodly flowers and leaves; but the extraordinary and fair clove tree is not always to be met with. 42. Ráma has displayed the wonder of his knowledge, as the moon displays her cooling beams and good trees their clusters of blossoms, and as the flowers diffuse their fragrance all about. 43. It is very difficult to get the essence of true knowledge in this accursed world, which is constructed by the ungovernable and dominant predestination (of our past acts for misleading us to error and misery).