Bharata's Plea for the Throne

Shloka 1 (ayodhya.106.1)

एवम् उक्त्वा तु विरते रामे वचनम् अर्थवत्। ततो मन्दाकिनीतीरे रामम् प्रकृतिवत्सलम्॥ 106.1 ॥

evam uktvā tu virate rāme vacanam arthavat| tato mandākinītīre rāmam prakṛtivatsalam

When Rama, having spoken those meaningful words, fell silent, the righteous Bharata then addressed him there on the bank of the Mandakini — Rama, who by nature was tender toward all beings.

Shloka 2 (ayodhya.106.2)

उवाच भरतः चित्रम् धार्मिको धार्मिकम् वचः। को हि स्याद् ईदृशो लोके यादृशः त्वम् अरिम् दम॥ 106.2 ॥

uvāca bharataḥ citram dhārmiko dhārmikam vacaḥ| ko hi syād īdṛśo loke yādṛśaḥ tvam arim dama

The righteous Bharata spoke these wondrous words to the righteous Rama: "Who indeed in this world could be as you are, O subduer of foes?

Shloka 3 (ayodhya.106.3)

न त्वाम् प्रव्यथयेद् दुह्खम् प्रीतिर् वा न प्रहर्षयेत्। सम्मतः च असि वृद्धानाम् तान् च पृच्छसि संशयान्॥ 106.3 ॥

na tvām pravyathayed duhkham prītir vā na praharṣayet| sammataḥ ca asi vṛddhānām tān ca pṛcchasi saṃśayān

Neither does sorrow shake you, nor does joy elate you; you are honoured by your elders, and it is to them that you bring your doubts to ask.

Shloka 4 (ayodhya.106.4)

यथा मृतः तथा जीवन् यथा असति तथा सति। यस्य एष बुद्धि लाभः स्यात् परितप्येत केन सः॥ 106.4 ॥

yathā mṛtaḥ tathā jīvan yathā asati tathā sati| yasya eṣa buddhi lābhaḥ syāt paritapyeta kena saḥ

For one who possesses such wisdom that death and life, misfortune and prosperity, are all the same to him, by what could he ever be afflicted?

Shloka 5 (ayodhya.106.5)

परावरज्ञो यश्च स्यात् यथा त्वं मनुजाधिप। स एवम् व्यसनम् प्राप्य न विषीदितुम् अर्हति॥ 106.5 ॥

parāvarajño yaśca syāt yathā tvaṃ manujādhipa| sa evam vyasanam prāpya na viṣīditum arhati

O lord of men, one who understands the near and the far of time as you do ought not to lose heart even on meeting such a calamity.

Shloka 6 (ayodhya.106.6)

अमर उपम सत्त्वः त्वम् महात्मा सत्य सम्गरः। सर्वज्ञः सर्व दर्शी च बुद्धिमान् च असि राघव॥ 106.6 ॥

amara upama sattvaḥ tvam mahātmā satya samgaraḥ| sarvajñaḥ sarva darśī ca buddhimān ca asi rāghava

O Raghava, your strength is equal to that of the immortals; you are great of soul, true to your word, all-knowing, all-seeing, and endowed with wisdom.

Shloka 7 (ayodhya.106.7)

न त्वाम् एवम् गुणैर् युक्तम् प्रभव अभव कोविदम्। अविषह्यतमम् दुह्खम् आसादयितुम् अर्हति॥ 106.7 ॥

na tvām evam guṇair yuktam prabhava abhava kovidam| aviṣahyatamam duhkham āsādayitum arhati

Endowed with such virtues, and knowing well the rise and fall of all things, even the most unbearable sorrow ought not to overtake you.

Shloka 8 (ayodhya.106.8)

प्रोषिते मयि यत् पापम् मात्रा मत् कारणात् कृतम्। क्षुद्रया तद् अनिष्टम् मे प्रसीदतु भवान् मम॥ 106.8 ॥

proṣite mayi yat pāpam mātrā mat kāraṇāt kṛtam| kṣudrayā tad aniṣṭam me prasīdatu bhavān mama

The sin that my base-minded mother committed for my sake while I was away was against my own wish; may you therefore be gracious to me.

Shloka 9 (ayodhya.106.9)

धर्म बन्धेन बद्धो अस्मि तेन इमाम् न इह मातरम्। हन्मि तीव्रेण दण्डेन दण्ड अर्हाम् पाप कारिणीम्॥ 106.9 ॥

dharma bandhena baddho asmi tena imām na iha mātaram| hanmi tīvreṇa daṇḍena daṇḍa arhām pāpa kāriṇīm

I am bound by the ties of righteousness; that is why I do not, even now, put this sinful mother of mine — who deserves severe punishment — to death by harsh chastisement.

Shloka 10 (ayodhya.106.10)

कथम् दशरथाज् जातः शुद्ध अभिजन कर्मणः। जानन् धर्मम् अधर्मिष्ठम् कुर्याम् कर्म जुगुप्सितम्॥ 106.10 ॥

katham daśarathāj jātaḥ śuddha abhijana karmaṇaḥ| jānan dharmam adharmiṣṭham kuryām karma jugupsitam

How could I, born of Dasharatha, of pure lineage and deeds, and knowing right from wrong, ever commit so despicable and unrighteous an act?

Shloka 11 (ayodhya.106.11)

गुरुः क्रियावान् वृद्धः च राजा प्रेतः पिता इति च। तातम् न परिगर्हेयम् दैवतम् च इति संसदि॥ 106.11 ॥

guruḥ kriyāvān vṛddhaḥ ca rājā pretaḥ pitā iti ca| tātam na parigarheyam daivatam ca iti saṃsadi

The king was my guru, a performer of many rites, aged, my father, now departed, and to me like a deity — for these reasons I will not condemn my father in this assembly.

Shloka 12 (ayodhya.106.12)

को हि धर्म अर्थयोर् हीनम् ईदृशम् कर्म किल्बिषम्। स्त्रियाः प्रिय चिकीर्षुः सन् कुर्याद् धर्मज्ञ धर्मवित्॥ 106.12 ॥

ko hi dharma arthayor hīnam īdṛśam karma kilbiṣam| striyāḥ priya cikīrṣuḥ san kuryād dharmajña dharmavit

O knower of dharma, what man who truly understands righteousness would, merely to please a woman, commit so sinful an act, devoid of both duty and true interest?

Shloka 13 (ayodhya.106.13)

अन्त काले हि भूतानि मुह्यन्ति इति पुरा श्रुतिः। राज्ञा एवम् कुर्वता लोके प्रत्यक्षा सा श्रुतिः कृता॥ 106.13 ॥

anta kāle hi bhūtāni muhyanti iti purā śrutiḥ| rājñā evam kurvatā loke pratyakṣā sā śrutiḥ kṛtā

There is an ancient saying that at the hour of death beings lose their judgment; by acting as he did, the king has made that saying manifestly true before the world.

Shloka 14 (ayodhya.106.14)

साधु अर्थम् अभिसंधाय क्रोधान् मोहाच् च साहसात्। तातस्य यद् अतिक्रान्तम् प्रत्याहरतु तद् भवान्॥ 106.14 ॥

sādhu artham abhisaṃdhāya krodhān mohāc ca sāhasāt| tātasya yad atikrāntam pratyāharatu tad bhavān

Keeping only the good purpose in mind, undo whatever transgression our father committed out of anger, delusion, or rashness.

Shloka 15 (ayodhya.106.15)

पितुर् हि समतिक्रान्तम् पुत्रो यः साधु मन्यते। तद् अपत्यम् मतम् लोके विपरीतम् अतो अन्यथा॥ 106.15 ॥

pitur hi samatikrāntam putro yaḥ sādhu manyate| tad apatyam matam loke viparītam ato anyathā

That son alone who, when his father has erred, sets it right as is proper, is regarded in this world as a true son; one who acts otherwise finds himself in the very opposite case.

Shloka 16 (ayodhya.106.16)

तद् अपत्यम् भवान् अस्तु मा भवान् दुष्कृतम् पितुः। अभिपत् तत् कृतम् कर्म लोके धीर विगर्हितम्॥ 106.16 ॥

tad apatyam bhavān astu mā bhavān duṣkṛtam pituḥ| abhipat tat kṛtam karma loke dhīra vigarhitam

Be that true son; do not become heir to our father's wrongful act — a deed which the wise everywhere freely condemn.

Shloka 17 (ayodhya.106.17)

कैकेयीम् माम् च तातम् च सुहृदो बान्धवान् च नः। पौर जानपदान् सर्वान् त्रातु सर्वम् इदम् भवान्॥ 106.17 ॥

kaikeyīm mām ca tātam ca suhṛdo bāndhavān ca naḥ| paura jānapadān sarvān trātu sarvam idam bhavān

Save Kaikeyi, and me, and our father, our friends and kinsmen, all the people of the city and the country, and this entire kingdom.

Shloka 18 (ayodhya.106.18)

क्व च अरण्यम् क्व च क्षात्रम् क्व जटाः क्व च पालनम्। ईदृशम् व्याहतम् कर्म न भवान् कर्तुम् अर्हति॥ 106.18 ॥

kva ca araṇyam kva ca kṣātram kva jaṭāḥ kva ca pālanam| īdṛśam vyāhatam karma na bhavān kartum arhati

Where is the forest, and where a warrior's calling? Where matted hair, and where the protection of a kingdom? You ought not to do a deed so at odds with itself.

Shloka 19 (ayodhya.106.19)

एष हि प्रथमो धर्मः क्षत्रियस्याभिषेचनम्। येन शक्यम् महाप्राज्ञ् प्रजानां परिपालनम्॥ 106.19 ॥

eṣa hi prathamo dharmaḥ kṣatriyasyābhiṣecanam| yena śakyam mahāprājñ prajānāṃ paripālanam

O wise one, this indeed is the first duty of a kshatriya — to be consecrated as king, for only thus can he truly protect his subjects.

Shloka 20 (ayodhya.106.20)

कश्च प्रत्यक्षमुत्सृज्य संशयस्थमलक्षणम्। आयतिस्थं चरेद्धर्मम् क्षत्रबन्धुरनिश्चितम्॥ 106.20 ॥

kaśca pratyakṣamutsṛjya saṃśayasthamalakṣaṇam| āyatisthaṃ careddharmam kṣatrabandhuraniścitam

What kshatriya would set aside a manifest duty to pursue instead one that is doubtful, unpromising, deferred to the future, and uncertain?

Shloka 21 (ayodhya.106.21)

अथ क्लेशजम् एव त्वम् धर्मम् चरितुम् इच्छसि। धर्मेण चतुरो वर्णान् पालयन् क्लेशम् आप्नुहि॥ 106.21 ॥

atha kleśajam eva tvam dharmam caritum icchasi| dharmeṇa caturo varṇān pālayan kleśam āpnuhi

But if you truly wish to practise a dharma born of hardship, then take on the hardship of ruling righteously and protecting the four varnas.

Shloka 22 (ayodhya.106.22)

चतुर्णाम् आश्रमाणाम् हि गार्हस्थ्यम् श्रेष्ठम् आश्रमम्। प्राहुर् धर्मज्ञ धर्मज्ञाः तम् कथम् त्यक्तुम् अर्हसि॥ 106.22 ॥

caturṇām āśramāṇām hi gārhasthyam śreṣṭham āśramam| prāhur dharmajña dharmajñāḥ tam katham tyaktum arhasi

O knower of dharma, those who know dharma declare that of the four stages of life, the householder's stage is the noblest; how then can you abandon it?

Shloka 23 (ayodhya.106.23)

श्रुतेन बालः स्थानेन जन्मना भवतो ह्य् अहम्। स कथम् पालयिष्यामि भूमिम् भवति तिष्ठति॥ 106.23 ॥

śrutena bālaḥ sthānena janmanā bhavato hy aham| sa katham pālayiṣyāmi bhūmim bhavati tiṣṭhati

I am younger than you in learning, in standing, and in birth; how then could I rule this earth while you yet live?

Shloka 24 (ayodhya.106.24)

हीन बुद्धि गुणो बालो हीनः स्थानेन च अप्य् अहम्। भवता च विना भूतो न वर्तयितुम् उत्सहे॥ 106.24 ॥

hīna buddhi guṇo bālo hīnaḥ sthānena ca apy aham| bhavatā ca vinā bhūto na vartayitum utsahe

A mere child, poor in wisdom and virtue, and inferior in standing besides, I would not have the courage even to go on living without you.

Shloka 25 (ayodhya.106.25)

इदम् निखिलम् अव्यग्रम् पित्र्यम् राज्यम् अकण्टकम्। अनुशाधि स्वधर्मेण धर्मज्ञ सह बान्धवैः॥ 106.25 ॥

idam nikhilam avyagram pitryam rājyam akaṇṭakam| anuśādhi svadharmeṇa dharmajña saha bāndhavaiḥ

O knower of dharma, govern, together with our kinsmen, this entire ancestral kingdom, undisturbed and free of hindrance, according to the duty proper to you.

Shloka 26 (ayodhya.106.26)

इह एव त्वा अभिषिन्चन्तु धर्मज्ञ सह बान्धवैः। ऋत्विजः सवसिष्ठाः च मन्त्रवन् मन्त्र कोविदाः॥ 106.26 ॥

iha eva tvā abhiṣincantu dharmajña saha bāndhavaiḥ| ṛtvijaḥ savasiṣṭhāḥ ca mantravan mantra kovidāḥ

O knower of dharma, here itself, together with your kinsmen, let the officiating priests, with Vasishtha, who are versed in sacred formulas and skilled in the mantras, consecrate you.

Shloka 27 (ayodhya.106.27)

अभिषिक्तः त्वम् अस्माभिर् अयोध्याम् पालने व्रज। विजित्य तरसा लोकान् मरुद्भिर् इव वासवः॥ 106.27 ॥

abhiṣiktaḥ tvam asmābhir ayodhyām pālane vraja| vijitya tarasā lokān marudbhir iva vāsavaḥ

Once consecrated, proceed with us to Ayodhya to rule it, as Vasava proceeds, together with the Maruts, having conquered the worlds by his might.

Shloka 28 (ayodhya.106.28)

ऋणानि त्रीण्य् अपाकुर्वन् दुर्हृदः साधु निर्दहन्। सुहृदः तर्पयन् कामैः त्वम् एव अत्र अनुशाधि माम्॥ 106.28 ॥

ṛṇāni trīṇy apākurvan durhṛdaḥ sādhu nirdahan| suhṛdaḥ tarpayan kāmaiḥ tvam eva atra anuśādhi mām

Discharging the three debts, thoroughly consuming your enemies, and gratifying your friends' desires, you alone should rule over me here.

Shloka 29 (ayodhya.106.29)

अद्य आर्य मुदिताः सन्तु सुहृदः ते अभिषेचने। अद्य भीताः पलायन्ताम् दुर्हृदः ते दिशो दश॥ 106.29 ॥

adya ārya muditāḥ santu suhṛdaḥ te abhiṣecane| adya bhītāḥ palāyantām durhṛdaḥ te diśo daśa

O noble one, today let your friends rejoice at your consecration; today let your enemies, seized with fear, flee to the ten quarters.

Shloka 30 (ayodhya.106.30)

आक्रोशम् मम मातुः च प्रमृज्य पुरुष ऋषभ। अद्य तत्र भवन्तम् च पितरम् रक्ष किल्बिषात्॥ 106.30 ॥

ākrośam mama mātuḥ ca pramṛjya puruṣa ṛṣabha| adya tatra bhavantam ca pitaram rakṣa kilbiṣāt

O best of men, wipe away the curse laid by my mother, and this day save our revered father from his sin.

Shloka 31 (ayodhya.106.31)

शिरसा त्वा अभियाचे अहम् कुरुष्व करुणाम् मयि। बान्धवेषु च सर्वेषु भूतेषु इव महा ईश्वरः॥ 106.31 ॥

śirasā tvā abhiyāce aham kuruṣva karuṇām mayi| bāndhaveṣu ca sarveṣu bhūteṣu iva mahā īśvaraḥ

I beg you, bowing my head; show compassion to me and to all our kinsmen, as the great Lord shows compassion to all beings.

Shloka 32 (ayodhya.106.32)

अथ वा पृष्ठतः कृत्वा वनम् एव भवान् इतः। गमिष्यति गमिष्यामि भवता सार्धम् अप्य् अहम्॥ 106.32 ॥

atha vā pṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtvā vanam eva bhavān itaḥ| gamiṣyati gamiṣyāmi bhavatā sārdham apy aham

But if, setting this aside, you mean instead to go from here deeper into the forest, then I too shall go along with you.

Shloka 33 (ayodhya.106.33)

तथापि रामो भरतेन ताम्यता। प्रसाद्यमानः शिरसा मही पतिः। न चैव चक्रे गमनाय सत्त्ववान्। मतिम् पितुः तद् वचने प्रतिष्ठितः॥ 106.33 ॥

tathāpi rāmo bharatena tāmyatā| prasādyamānaḥ śirasā mahī patiḥ| na caiva cakre gamanāya sattvavān| matim pituḥ tad vacane pratiṣṭhitaḥ

Even so, though entreated thus by the grieving Bharata, who bowed his head before him, Rama, lord of the earth, steadfast in spirit, did not incline his mind to return, remaining firmly established in his father's word.

Shloka 34 (ayodhya.106.34)

तद् अद्भुतम् स्थैर्यम् अवेक्ष्य राघवे। समम् जनो हर्षम् अवाप दुह्खितः। न यात्य् अयोध्याम् इति दुह्खितो अभवत्। स्थिर प्रतिज्ञत्वम् अवेक्ष्य हर्षितः॥ 106.34 ॥

tad adbhutam sthairyam avekṣya rāghave| samam jano harṣam avāpa duhkhitaḥ| na yāty ayodhyām iti duhkhito abhavat| sthira pratijñatvam avekṣya harṣitaḥ

Seeing that wondrous steadfastness in Raghava, the people felt both sorrow and joy together: grieved that he would not go to Ayodhya, yet gladdened to see the firmness of his resolve.

Shloka 35 (ayodhya.106.35)

तम् ऋत्विजो नैगम यूथ वल्लभाः। तथा विसम्ज्ञा अश्रु कलाः च मातरः। तथा ब्रुवाणम् भरतम् प्रतुष्टुवुः। प्रणम्य रामम् च ययाचिरे सह॥ 106.35 ॥

tam ṛtvijo naigama yūtha vallabhāḥ| tathā visamjñā aśru kalāḥ ca mātaraḥ tathā bruvāṇam bharatam pratuṣṭuvuḥ| praṇamya rāmam ca yayācire saha

The officiating priests, and the leading citizens beloved of the assembled townsfolk, as well as the mothers, bewildered and tearful, all praised Bharata as he spoke thus, and, bowing before Rama, joined their entreaties with his.