And let our Ramaraj himself go forth
And lead, and everlasting glory win,
And in defence of our old Hindu faith,
Or, if he falls, let him to _Swarga_ go
To join th' immortals there; and one word more
To thee, O Timma,--bury all the past,
And Bukka for his sins forgive, and both
Go hand in hand to fight the Moslem foes.
To pardon is the spirit of our faith."
To this consent was gladly giv'n by all,
And the propitious day and hour to march
Was soon named by the holy Brahmin priest,
So deeply versed in all the starry lore.
Brave Timma sought his anxious wife ere he
Went forth to fight, and thus took leave of her.
"Dear wife! the day to march is named at last.
Your agèd sire and our dear monarch leads
The war, and Bukka, as a Hindu true,
Joins us to fight against the Moslem horde,
And doubly glad I am that in this war,
With Bukka vying in the field with me,
And in the very presence of our king,
Who well rewards the val'rous and the brave,
The place of honour I will there attain
For courage true, and prove once more before
The world I am a worthy husband of
A noble wife; so let me now depart."
She made reply--"Some evil it forebodes
That Bukkaraj should thus be madly told
To join our ranks, for what is truth and God