39. The city then being adorned and lighted, like the ever bright mount of Meru, there went on a merry dance and ball of giddy girls and players in every house (as a sign of general joy). 40. There was a ringing of bells and sounding of cymbols all about, with the beating of drums and trimbrels at every door; flutes and wind instruments were blowing on every side, and guitars and wired instruments were playing with loud gingling, and vying with each other. 41. The markets were closed, and the marketers stopped in their course; the air appeared as an arbour of plants, shaking with the uplifted and quavering and waving arms of the merry dancers in the streets; and it seemed as the starry heaven, by the glittering light of the teeth of strolling players, displayed in their comic dance and loud laughter. 42. There was the heroic dance attended by the loud shouts of the players, and melodramas accompanied with the soft and sweet strains of the performers, there was also a staggering and strutting dance on one foot and leg, and thumping the ground with the other. 43. Here they flung wreaths of flowers glittering like stars and falling down in showers; and there the scattered flowers, which were strewn over the ground as rain drops, were indiscriminately trodding down under the feet of passersby. 44. Here the actresses dance about with their loose ornaments and gestures of love; and there the bards chanted their hymns with clearness, as the Bráhmans recited them and the songstresses sang. 45. Here the sots and topers drank their fill of wine; and the food mongers fed upon their eatables of various kinds (_i.e._ some were seen to be indulging their drink and others in their eating). 46. The insides of houses were daubed with wine, as the outer bodies of the princes with ointment of moon light hue. 47. The attendent servants and waiting maids on the king, sauntered about trimmed in gaudy attires of various colours; and graced the royal festival with their decorations of necklaces and sweet perfumes on their persons. 48. The sprightly ballet girls, being besmeared with a paste of all perfumeries (called the yaksha dust), and decorated with glittering ornaments, repaired to the ball at the royal hall with all alacrity. 49. Thus the king Dasaratha held his entertainment for a whole week, and passed full seven nights in festive mirth and rejoicing; while he distributed his gifts and food for as many days, which redounded to exhaustless prosperity on earth. CHAPTER CCXV. EULOGY ON THIS WORK AND THE MODE OF ITS RECITAL. Argument:--Válmíki speaks in praise of this work to this pupil Bharadwája, and blesses him to be as blessed as the divine Ráma with the hearing of it.