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BIRTH, MARRIAGE, AND EXILE OF RĀMA AND LAKŞMAŅA 191 to see the departure-festival of Sri Simandharanātha celebrated by gods and demons. After seeing it I went to Meru. After paying homage to the Lords of the Tirtha there, I went to Lankā. After I had bowed to Santi in Santi's temple, I went to Rāvaņa's house. There I heard an astrologer predict the slaying of Rāvana by a son of yours because of a daughter of Janaka. When Bibhīşaņa heard that, he vowed to kill you and Janaka and he will come here soon, long-armed. After learning all that, I came here in haste from Lankā to tell you from friendship because you are a co-religionist.”
Nārada was dismissed quickly by the king with reverence after hearing that; and he told the same thing to King Janaka. The king told the ministers and handed over the kingdom to them and went away like a yogi wishing to deceive death. The ministers put an image of Daśaratha, which had been anointed, in the palace to delude the enemies in the dark. Janaka and his ministers did likewise; and Daśaratha and Janaka wandered over the earth, unobserved. Bibhīşaņa came in dense darkness in haste and cut off the head of the anointed statue of Daśaratha with a sword. A tumult arose in all the city and a loud sound of lamentations in the harem. The vassals and the bodyguards armed themselves and ran to the attack; the ministers with secret plans held the funeral ceremonies. Knowing that Dasaratha was dead, Bibhīşana went to Lankā; but he did not kill the lord of Mithilā, alone, destitute.
Marriage with Kaikeyi (150–174) Maithila and Aiksvāka wandering together, united, in the same condition, friends, went to the north country. They heard of a svayamvara of Kaikeyi, the daughter of King Subhamati in the city Kautukamangala, borne by Přthvīśrī, sister of Droņamegha, à depository of the seventy-two arts, and they went to the pavilion. They sat down on the platform in the midst of the kings
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