Chapter V - Of rama’s self-dejection and its cause

Valmiki said:—

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Afterwards Rama attained the fifteenth year of his age, and so also Satrughna and Lakshmana who followed Rama (in birth), attained also the same age.

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Bharata continued to dwell with joy at the house of his maternal grandfather, and the king (Dasaratha) ruled the whole earth as usual.

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The most wise king Dasaratha (now) consulted his ministers day after day about the marriage of his sons.

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But as Rama remained at home since his return from pilgrimage, he began to decay day by day as the translucent lake in autumn.

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His blooming face with its out-stretched eyes, assumed by degrees a paleness like that of the withering petals of the white lotus beset by a swarm of bees.

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He sat silent and motionless in the posture of his folded legs (Padmasana), and remained absorbed in thought with his palm placed under his cheek and neck.

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Being emaciated in person, and growing thoughtful, sad and distracted in his mind, he remained speechless as a mute picture in painting.

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On being repeatedly requested by the anxious inmates of the family to perform his daily rites, he discharged them with a melancholy countenance, (literally—with his faded lotus-like face).

Seeing the accomplished rama said:—

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the mine of merits in such a plight, all his brothers likewise were reduced to the same condition with him.

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The king of the earth observing all his three sons thus dejected and lean, gave way to anxiety together with all his queens.

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Dasaratha asked Rama repeatedly and in a gentle voice (to tell him) what his anxiety was, and what was the cause of his thoughtfulness; but he returned no answer to it.

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Then being taken up in his father's lap, the lotus-eyed Rama replied, that he had no anxiety whatever, and held his silence.

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Afterwards the king Dasaratha asked Vasishtha, the best of speakers and well informed in all matters, as to the cause why Rama was so sorrowful.

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The sage Vasishtha thought over the matter (for a while), and then said, "there is Oh king! a cause of Rama's sadness, but you need not be anxious about it.

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"Wise men Oh king! never entertain the fluctuations of anger or grief, or a lengthened delight from frivolous causes, just as the great elements of the world do not change their states (of inertness) unless it were for the sake of (some new) production."