At the gate was a crowd of servants and ministers, who exclaimed as they beheld the risen sun: “What can be the reason why to-day of all days our lord awaketh not?
He was always wont to wake at the last watch; to-day it strikes us as very strange. Go, Samanta, and rouse him and obtain the royal order to commence the work.” Sumanta entered the palace, but as he passed on was struck with awe and dismay at its appearance, as though some terrible monster were about to spring upon him and devour him; it seemed the very home of calamity and distress. Asking, but with no one to answer him, he came to the apartment where were the king and Kaikeyi; with the salutation “Live for ever” he bowed the head and sat down. On beholding the king’s condition he was much distressed, for he was fallen on the ground crushed and colourless, like a lotus broken off from its root. The terrified minister could ask no question; but she, full of evil and void of all good, answered and said:
He was always wont to wake at the last watch; to-day it strikes us as very strange. Go, Samanta, and rouse him and obtain the royal order to commence the work.” Sumanta entered the palace, but as he passed on was struck with awe and dismay at its appearance, as though some terrible monster were about to spring upon him and devour him; it seemed the very home of calamity and distress. Asking, but with no one to answer him, he came to the apartment where were the king and Kaikeyi; with the salutation “Live for ever” he bowed the head and sat down. On beholding the king’s condition he was much distressed, for he was fallen on the ground crushed and colourless, like a lotus broken off from its root. The terrified minister could ask no question; but she, full of evil and void of all good, answered and said: