362 THE FOREST. Chaupái. " Hearken, most generous Raghu-náyak, beautiful and beneficent, at once unapproachable and easy of approach, grant me, my lord, the one boon that I ask; though you know it without my asking, since you know the secrets of all hearts." "Reverend father, you understand my character; can I ever turn away my face from any one of my worshippers ? There is nothing I hold so dear that you, most excellent of saints, may not ask it of me. There is nothing of mine that I would refuse to a believer ; never allow yourself to abandon this confidence in me." Then Nárad was glad and said: that I presume to ask. Though my lord has many names, each more glorious than the other, as declared in the scriptures, may the name RAMA, sire, surpass all names, exterminating the whole brood of sin as when a fowler ensnares an entire flock of birds. « This is the boon Dohá 37. May your name Ráma be as the moon in the bright night of cloudless faith, and your other names as brilliant stars in the heavens of the believer's soul." Raghunáth, the ocean of mercy, said to the saint, 'so be it.' Then was Nárad's soul rejoiced exceedingly and he bowed his head at his lord's feet. Chaupái. Seeing Raghunáth so gracious, Nárad spoke again in winning tones : " Ráma, when you sent forth your delusive power and infatuated me-hearken, O Raghurái-I was anxious to accomplish a marriage, why was it, my lord, that you did not allow me to do so ?" Hearken, O saint, and I will tell you, if you will not be angry : If men will abandon all other hope and worship me only, I always keep watch over them as a mother over her infant child. If an infant child run to lay hold of the fire or a snake, the mother at once rescues it; when her son has grown up, the mother does not show her affection to him in the same way as before. humble worshippers my infant children. The latter are protected by my strength, the former by their own, and both have to fight against love and anger. Philo- sophers know this and worship me, and though they have acquired wisdom, still they do not discard faith. The wise are, as it were, my grown-up sons and Dohá 38. Lust, anger, greed and all other violent passions form a rushing torrent of deception ; but among them all the most formidable and the most calamitous is that incarnation of vanity, woman.
