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 was through my grace that he had hitherto been unslayable of all creatures.  And indeed, it was for some reason that I had tolerated him for some time!  The wretch, however, abducted Sita for his own destruction.  And as regards Sita, I protected her through Nalakuvera’s curse.  For that person had cursed Ravana of old, saying, that if he ever approached an unwilling woman, his head should certainly be split into a hundred fragments.  Let no suspicion, therefore, be thine!  O thou of great glory, accept thy wife!  Thou hast indeed, achieved a mighty feat for the benefit of the gods, O thou that art of divine effulgence!” And last of all Dasaratha said, “I have been gratified with thee, O child!  Blessed be thou, I am thy father Dasaratha!  I command thee to take back thy wife, and rule thy kingdom, O thou foremost of men!” Rama then replied, “If thou art my father, I salute thee with reverence, O king of kings!  I shall indeed, return, at thy command, to the delightful city of Ayodhya!"’