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219
The Twenty-Fourth Chapter
The Lament of the Separated One
Hearing those words, the moon of the Raghu lineage, Rama, followed by his brother, accepted the invitation and went from his chariot-dwelling to the delightful earth. ||75||
First, Lakshmana, the lord of Lakshmi, bathed to relieve the fatigue caused by the new elephant's journey through the forest paths. Then, he gathered a collection of various sweet, excellent, tender leaves and flowers, and performed the appropriate service. ||76||
(?) Afterwards, Lakshmana, whose mind was a mine of various virtues, desired to play in the water with Rama. He would sometimes climb onto the groups of trees that were advancing in the flow of the water and jump into the water, sometimes he would perform unparalleled feats, and sometimes he would use the best methods of various water sports. ||77||
The earth-circle, adorned with rings of foam, with waves rising in garlands, filled with crushed white, blue, and red lotus petals, emitting a sweet sound, and served by solitary gatherings, seemed as if the river-woman was enjoying herself with the moon of the Raghu lineage, Ramachandra. ||78||
The lamenting one, having submerged herself in the water, went far away, hidden in the lotus forest. Then, upon learning of this, Sita quickly went to him and began to play. ||79||
The swans and other birds, who were previously playing in the water with their mates and whose wings were adorned with pollen from their wanderings in the lotus forest, now quickly came to the shores, making various sweet sounds, abandoning their attachments to various activities, and with their minds free from distractions, they watched the excellent water sports of Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita.