It is for this I have slain that wanderer of the night!  But how can one like us, acquainted with every truth of morality embrace even for a moment a woman that had fallen into other’s hands?  O princess of Mithila whether thou art chaste or unchaste, I dare not enjoy thee, now that thou art like sacrificial butter lapped by a dog!’ Hearing these cruel words, that adorable girl suddenly fell down in great affliction of heart, like a plantain tree severed from its roots.  And the colour that was suffusing her face in consequence of the joy she had felt, quickly disappeared, like watery particles on a mirror blown thereon by the breath of the mouth.  And hearing these words of Rama, all the monkeys also with Lakshmana became still as dead.  Then the divine and pure-souled Brahma of four faces, that Creator of the Universe himself sprung from a lotus, showed himself on his car to Raghu’s son.  And Sakra and Agni and Vayu, and Yama and Varuna and the illustrious Lord of the Yakshas, and the holy Rishis, and king Dasaratha also in a celestial and effulgent form and on car drawn by swans, showed themselves.  And then the firmament crowded with celestials and Gandharvas became as beautiful as the autumnal welkin spangled with stars.  And rising up from the ground, the blessed and famous princess of Videha, in the midst of those present spoke unto Rama of wide chest, these words, ’O prince, I impute no fault to thee, for thou art well acquainted with the behaviour that one should adopt towards both men and women.  But hear thou these words of mine!  The ever-moving Air is always present within every creature.  If I have sinned, let him forsake my vital forces!  If I have sinned, Oh, then let Fire, and Water, and Space, and Earth, like Air (whom I have already invoked), also forsake my vital forces!  And as, O hero, I have never, even in my dreams, cherished the image of any other person, so be thou my lord as appointed by the gods.’  After Sita had spoken, a sacred voice, resounding through the whole of that region, was heard in the skies, gladdening the hearts of the high-souled monkeys.  And the Wind-god was heard to say, O son of Raghu, what Sita hath said is true!  I am the god of Wind.  The princess of Mithila is sinless!  Therefore, O king, be united with thy wife!’ And the god of Fire said, ’O son of Raghu, I dwell within the bodies of all creatures!  O descendant of Kakutstha, the princess of Mithila is not guilty of even the minutest fault!’ And Varuna then said, ’O son of Raghu, the humours in every creature’s body derive their existence from me!  I tell thee, let the princess of Mithila be accepted by thee!’ And Brahma himself then said, ’O descendant of Kakutstha, O son, in thee that art honest and pure and conversant with the duties of royal sages, this conduct is not strange.  Listen, however, to these words of mine!  Thou hast, O hero, slain this enemy of the gods, the Gandharvas, the Nagas, the Yakshas, the Danavas, and the great Rishis!  It