SECTION LIXVIII.
Having thus addressed Satrughna, Rāma again and again praised him and said:—"O foremost of men, let four thousand horses, two thousand chariots, one hundred excellent elephants, shops with various articles and songsters follow thee. O foremost of men, O Satrughna, do thou proceed with Nijuta gold and silver coins and necessary riches and conveyances. Do thou so act, O hero, that soldiers might be well-fed and delighted and be not annoyed with thee. Do thou please them with sweet words, for the servants, when they face enemies, have not with them friends or wives—and so they are pleased, O Rāghava when they receive sufficient food and presents, O Satrughna, having sent before a huge and well contented army do thou proceed afterwards to Madhuvana. Thou shouldst proceed so fearlessly that Madhu’s son Lavana might not know that thou wert going for encounter. O foremost of men, he shall not be slain by any other expedient than that I have acquainted thyself with. If he can perceive before, whoever that enemy might be, Lavana shall forsooth destroy him. When rains shall set in after the expiration of the present summer thou shouldst slay him for that is the proper time for destroying that vicious-minded one. For he shall then fearlessly move about leaving off his dart understanding that no one would come to fight with him during rains. Let the soldiers only now proceed with ascetics before them; the summer hath not as yet fully expired and this is the time, when they shall, without any trouble, be able to cross the Ganges. Afterwards having encamped thy army on the other side of the Ganges thou shouldst alone proceed speedily with thy bow." Hearing those words of Rāma and summoning his highly powerful and leading warriors Satrughna said "Do ye all proceed and halt at those places which are well known to you. Do not oppress any body." Having thus ordered the powerful warriors the highly powerful Satrughna bowed unto Kauçalyā, Sumitrā and Kaikeyi. Thereupon having circumambulated with folded hands Rāma, Lakshmana and Bharata he reverentially saluted the feet of the priests. And then with Rāma's permission and having gone round him the highly powerful Satrughna issued out. Having thus depatched before a huge army consisting of selected elephants and horses, Satrughna, the enhancer of the glory of Raghu's race, took farewell from Rāma. And all showed him proper respect.