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198
held a great birth-festival and named him Bhāmaṇḍala from the presence of a halo. Tended by Khecarīs, he began to grow, the moon to the lotus-eyes of Puspavati and Candragati.
CHAPTER FOUR
Now, when her son had been kidnaped, Videhā, crying pitifully, plunged her kinsmen into an ocean of despair. Janaka sent men in every direction and had a search made, but did not get news of him anywhere, even after a long time.
Maithila (Janaka) gave the name of Sītā to his daughter, born as a twin, with the thought, "Here is the shoot from the grain of many virtues." 'In the course of time their grief became dulled. Men's grief and joy in this worldly existence come and go. Sītā grew up with a wealth of beauty and grace. She became gradually full of arts, like a digit of the moon.147 When she was grown in the course of time, lotus-eyed, she looked like a river with waves of virtue and beauty, like a daughter of the lord of rivers (ocean).
"Who will be a suitable husband for her?" her father, King Janaka, pondered day and night. Examining each prince through the eyes of a spy, he debated with his ministers, but not one was satisfactory.
Rama's aid to Janaka (258-287)
Then Janaka's territory was attacked by many kings of the Ardhabarbaras,148 Atarangatama, et cetera, equal to demons. Unable to stop them like floods at the end of the world, the King of Mithila sent a messenger to summon Dasaratha. Aikṣvāka (Dasaratha) summoned the messenger who had come in haste, seated him before him with favor, and said, noble-minded:
"I think from your coming that there is unique friendship on the part of our friend, though far away,
147 254. With a play on the meaning of kalapūrṇa, 'moon.' 148 258. I.e. half-barbarians, Mlecchas.
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