The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-10-20

TIE BANIsHNfEET OF RAMA.
Dasaratha then made preparations for the
public acknowledgment OF Rama as next
king In succession, but bis hopes and his
. happiness were frustrated through the de-
1 signs and intrigues OF Kaikeyi, his second
[ wife and mother Of Bharata. She was jeal-
I Gus Of Rama and was determined that her
son should rule over AyodhyG. She there
/ fore exacted OF Dasaratha the fulfillment of
a promise made her some years before, when
{ he was dangerously wounded in battle, and
carefully attended by her, viz That he
would grant to her any two boOns she might
/ be pleased to ask. Amongst the Hndos a
] promise once given was irrevocabIe, and the
wretched King was compelled to yield. al
though the first boon required was to Danish
| Rama for period of fourteen years, and the
! second to declare Bharata the heir apparent,
/ in his stead. Rama submitted to this stern
( decree, determined that his fathers faith
/ should not be pledged in vain. and departed
| in a chariot driven by Sumantra and accom-
/ panied by Sta and Laksman, his favorite
1 brother and faithful companion.
/ No. illustrates
THE CRIME OF DAsARATHA.
/ Rama was no sooner gone than his aged
/ father dropped and pined for six long days
he mOurned. During the night of the sew
enth day there rose up in his mind crime
he had inadvertently committed in his youth,
and to which he attributed the great sorrow
that had come upon him in his old age
/ Calling Rama's mother, Kausalya, he un.
burdened his mind to her, telling how, in
his youthful! days, while out hunting, con
cealed in some bushes, he heard what he
I thought was an elephant drinking. Taking
an arrow he shot, and, to his grief and as
tOnishment, he heard human voice groan-
ing. He ran quickly to the place, and found
lying beside the river bank young hermit,
with the shaft in his side After reproach-
ing Dasaratha, the boy sends him for his
(the hermit's) old blind parents, now beIeft
of their support. After telling the grievous
tale, the old people are conducted TO the
place where their son is lying already dead
In his stupendous grief the old man places
upon Dasaratha a curse, viz That he. some
day, may suffer the pangs of bereaved
fathers woe.
tableau No. 8.
ABDUCTION OF STA
Daring the soiourn of Rama, Sta and
Lakshmana. in the valley of Panchayati, in
the Forest of Dandaka, Surpanhaka-a mon
ster and sister to Ravana-was inspired with
love for Rama, which he repused, and when
in fit of jealous rage, she rushed upon Sta
to attack her as the beloved of Rama, Laksh-
mana interfered and cut off her nose and
ears. Howling with furious anger she flew
to Ravana, and, in revenge, infamed him
with love for Sta. He resolved to possess
her (Sita), and, aided by Maricha, who as
sumed the form of golden fawn, euticed
Rama and Lakshmana to the chase During
their absence Ravana snatched Sta from the
hermitage, and mounting his magic chariot,
flew through the air.
Jatayu, a gigantic vulture king and devo-
ted friend of Rama, hearing Sta's cries for
help, tried to rescue her, but failed, after a
fierce battle with her ravisher, wherein the
bird received his death wound.
The ninth tableau represents ''Kabandha
released from the curse of IDdra." This
tableau represents Kabandha escaping exuL
tant from the Pyre in chariot drawn by
swans.
kABANDHA RELEASED FROM THE CURSE OF
INDRA.
On the return of Rama froia the chase of
the giant in deer's guise. he found sta gone.
and at once set out in quest of ner In
searching through Janasthan, where dwelIed
the giants, they (Rama and Lakshmana)
discovered the dying Jatayu, who informed
them he had received his death wound from
the " Brother of the Lord of Gold" They
paid the sad rites of burial to the Winged
MonaIch. and continued their tourney and
search.
During their travels they met Kabandha
mortal once, more beautiful than any living
being, but, through the curse of Indra,
forced to retain the monstrous form which
he had used to tyrannize over the world. un-
til Rama should cleave away both his arms
and place him on a funeral pyre then his
own fair shape would return to him.
Rama and Lakshmana, in defending them
selves against his attack, cut off his arms
and, anxious to obtain news of sta. which
Kabandha, as a spirit-ascending, could give.
they prepared and lighted the funeral pvre
and placed the mOnstrous giant upon it. and
as had been ordained, he arose from the
smoke resplendent in his beauty and rich at
tire, and told them to seek Suoriva. % Lord
Of Tanars." and crave his help and protec-
ton, through whom they would recover the
missing Sta.
THE CORONATION OF sUGRIvA
The Coronation of Sugriva" which is
the tenth tableau, is intended to Illustrate
that while travelling in search of Sta. Kama
and his brother approached the wood of
RishJ amuka, and. as they had been directed
by Kabandha. sought there the august ane
SugriVa, who told Rama his story, and how
he was prosecuted by his brother Bali king
of the monkeys. Having received news of
Sta through the ape, Rama announced To
BIN his intention of destroying Bah, and
placing him (Sugriva) on the throne. After
a terrible combat, in dire moment Rama
Kills Bali with one of his invlncible arrows.
ana has Sugriva crowned king, which placing
mm over the immense host of Vanars he
sends companies out to scour the country in
search Of the missing Sta. One of these
companies is commanded by Hanuman, son
of the wind
The eleventh tableau shows the island of
Lanka, where Sta was imprisoned in the
Asoka Grove.
ISLAND OF LANKA.
After searching for some time without suc-
cess, the monkeys were about to des pair.
wheC they met Sam?ati IAN aged vulture,
brother of Jatayu), who discovered to them
Sita's place of concealment in the island of
Lanka, leagues across the sea.
The Vauars then encamped upon the sea-
shore, and, after long debate decided that
Hanumau should lean across the Saa 70 tho