TEN YEARS PASS

For ten years, Raama, Lakshmana and Seeta lived quietly among the rishis. In the great Dandaka forest, there were a number of aashramas where the rishis lived practising their austerities and living their lives of abnegation. The princes spent a month in one aashrama, three months in a second and perhaps a year in a third as welcome and happy visitors.

The forest was indescribably beautiful, with deer and bison, boars and elephants. The birds, the trees, the creepers, the blue waterlilies- -all live again in the beauty of Vaalmeeki's poetry.

Raama was very happy these ten years, the joy of association with great and holy men being added to his joy in the quiet companionship of Lakshmana and Seeta. These ten years are disposed of in a small chapter. Time happily spent seems short and needs no length in recording,

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