“The story of RŒma is the lovely clap of hand-palms which scares away the birds of doubt. Even so the story of RŒma is an axe to the tree of Kaliyuga (the impurities of the Kali age); listen to it with reverence, O daughter of the mountain-king. The charming names of Ýr¶ RŒma, as well as His virtues, stories, births and deeds have all been declared by the Vedas to be beyond number. As there is no end to the divine RŒma, even so His stories, glory and virtues are also endless. Yet, seeing your great love, I will tell them even as I have heard of them to the best of my intellectual capacity. UmŒ, your inquiries are naturally winning and delightful and such as are approved of by the saints; as for myself I am particularly pleased to hear them. But there was one thing, BhavŒn¶, which I did not like, although you uttered it under a spell of delusion: you suggested that the RŒma whom the Vedas extol and on whom the sages contemplate is someone else!” (1—4)