18. The murmur of the assembly was hushed, and the recitation of the panegyrists was at a stop; the mutual greetings and conferences were at an end, and there ensued a still silence in the assembly. 19. The winds wafted the sweet fragrance from the cups of full blown lotuses; and scattered the dulcet dust of the filaments in the spacious hall. 20. The clusters of flowers hung about the hall, diffused their odours all around; and the whole court house seemed, as it were sprinkled over with perfumes of all sorts. 21. The queens and princesses sat at the windows, and upon their couches in the inner apartment, which was strewn over with flowers, and beheld the assemblage in the outer hall. 22. They saw everything by the light of the sun, which shed upon their open eyes through the net-work on the windows; and also by the radiance of the gems, which sparkled on their delicate persons. The attendant women remained silent, and without waving their fans and chouries (for fear of the sounding bracelets on their arms). 23. The earth was sown with orient pearls by the dawning sun-beams, and the ground was strewn over with flowers glistening at the sun-light. The lightsome locusts did not light upon them, thinking them to be sparks of fire, but kept hovering in the midway sky as a body of dark and moving cloud. 24. The respectable people sat in mute wonder, to hear the holy lectures of Vasishtha; because the agreeable advice, which is derived from the society of the good, is beyond all estimation. 25. The Siddhas, Vidyádharas, saints, Bráhmans and respectable men, gathered from all sides of the sky and forests, and from all cities and towns round about Vasishtha, and saluted him in silence, because deep veneration is naturally mute and wanting in words. 26. The sky was strewn over with the golden dust, borne by the fluttering bees from the cups of farinaceous lotuses; wherein they were enclosed at night; and the soft airs blew sonant with the tinkling sounds of ringing bells, hanging in strings on the door ways of houses. (The Gloss says: it is usual in Nepal and at Deccan, to suspend strings of small bells over the gate ways). 27. The morning breeze was now blowing with the fragrance of various flowers, and mixing with the perfume of the sandal paste; and making the bees fly and flutter on all sides, with their sweet humming music. CHAPTER IV. INQUIRIES OF RÁMA. Argument. Dasaratha’s Praise of Vasishtha’s speech, and Ráma’s Queries by behest of the sage. Válmíki continued:—Then king Dasaratha made this speech to the chief of sages, and spoke in a voice sounding as a deep cloud, and in words equally graceful as they were worthy of confidence. 2. Venerable sir, said he, your speech of yesterday bespeaks of your intellectual light, and your getting over all afflictions by your extremely emaciating austerities.