Guha's Suspicion

Shloka 1 (ayodhya.84.1)

ततः निविष्टाम् ध्वजिनीम् गन्गाम् अन्वाश्रिताम् नदीम्। निषाद राजो दृष्ट्वा एव ज्ञातीन् सम्त्वरितः अब्रवीत्॥ 84.1 ॥

tataḥ niviṣṭām dhvajinīm gaṅgām anvāśritām nadīm| niṣāda rājo dṛṣṭvā eva jñātīn saṃtvaritaḥ abravīt

Then, seeing that army encamped along the river Ganga, the king of the Nishadas hastily spoke to his kinsmen as follows:

Shloka 2 (ayodhya.84.2)

महती इयम् अतः सेना सागर आभा प्रदृश्यते। न अस्य अन्तम् अवगच्चामि मनसा अपि विचिन्तयन्॥ 84.2 ॥

mahatī iyam ataḥ senā sāgara ābhā pradṛśyate| na asya antam avagacchāmi manasā api vicintayan

"From here, this vast army appears like an ocean; even turning it over in my mind, I cannot fathom where it ends."

Shloka 3 (ayodhya.84.3)

यथा तु खलु दुर्बुद्धिः भरतः स्वयमागतः। स एष हि महा कायः कोविदार ध्वजो रथे॥ 84.3 ॥

yathā tu khalu durbuddhiḥ bharataḥ svayamāgataḥ| sa eṣa hi mahā kāyaḥ kovidāra dhvajo rathe

"It seems that evil-minded Bharata has come here in person; see, on that chariot flies the great banner bearing the Kovidara tree."

Shloka 4 (ayodhya.84.4)

बन्धयिष्यति वा दाशान् अथ वा अस्मान् वधिष्यति। अथ दाशरथिम् रामम् पित्रा राज्यात् विवासितम्॥ 84.4 ॥

bandhayiṣyati vā dāśān atha vā asmān vadhiṣyati| atha dāśarathim rāmam pitrā rājyāt vivāsitam

"Will he put our ferrymen in chains, or will he slay us outright? Or has he come to kill Rama, Dasharatha's son, banished from the kingdom by his own father,"

Shloka 5 (ayodhya.84.5)

सम्पन्नाम् श्रियमन्विच्चंस्तस्य राज्ञः सुदुर्लभाम्। भरतः कैकेयी पुत्रः हन्तुम् समधिगच्चति॥ 84.5 ॥

sampannām śriyamanvicchaṃstasya rājñaḥ sudurlabhām| bharataḥ kaikeyī putraḥ hantum samadhigacchati

"—so that Kaikeyi's son Bharata, coveting for himself that king's rich and hard-won royal fortune, might come here to kill him?"

Shloka 6 (ayodhya.84.6)

भर्ता चैव सखा चैव रामः दाशरथिर् मम। तस्य अर्थ कामाः सम्नद्धा गन्गा अनूपे अत्र तिष्ठत॥ 84.6 ॥

bhartā caiva sakhā caiva rāmaḥ dāśarathir mama| tasya artha kāmāḥ sannaddhā gaṅgā anūpe atra tiṣṭhata

"Rama, son of Dasharatha, is both my lord and my friend. So, armed and ready, and desiring only his welfare, take your stand here upon this bank of the Ganga."

Shloka 7 (ayodhya.84.7)

तिष्ठन्तु सर्व दाशाः च गन्गाम् अन्वाश्रिता नदीम्। बल युक्ता नदी रक्षा मांस मूल फल अशनाः॥ 84.7 ॥

tiṣṭhantu sarva dāśāḥ ca gaṅgām anvāśritā nadīm| bala yuktā nadī rakṣā māṃsa mūla phala aśanāḥ

"Let all our ferrymen, together with the troops guarding the river along the Ganga, remain stationed there, living on meat, roots, and fruits."

Shloka 8 (ayodhya.84.8)

नावाम् शतानाम् पन्चानाम् कैवर्तानाम् शतम् शतम्। सम्नद्धानाम् तथा यूनाम् तिष्ठन्तु अत्यभ्यचोदयत्॥ 84.8 ॥

nāvām śatānām pañcānām kaivartānām śatam śatam| sannaddhānām tathā yūnām tiṣṭhantu atyabhyacodayat

Thus Guha commanded: "Let five hundred boats stand ready, each manned by a hundred armed young fishermen, prepared for anything."

Shloka 9 (ayodhya.84.9)

यदा तुष्टः तु भरतः रामस्य इह भविष्यति। सा इयम् स्वस्तिमयी सेना गन्गाम् अद्य तरिष्यति॥ 84.9 ॥

yadā tuṣṭaḥ tu bharataḥ rāmasya iha bhaviṣyati| sā iyam svastimayī senā gaṅgām adya tariṣyati

"Only if Bharata truly proves well-disposed toward Rama shall this army be allowed to cross the Ganga safely today."

Shloka 10 (ayodhya.84.10)

इति उक्त्वा उपायनम् गृह्य मत्स्य मांस मधूनि च। अभिचक्राम भरतम् निषाद अधिपतिर् गुहः॥ 84.10 ॥

iti uktvā upāyanam gṛhya matsya māṃsa madhūni ca| abhicakrāma bharatam niṣāda adhipatir guhaḥ

Having said this, Guha, lord of the Nishadas, took fish, meat, and honey as gifts, and went forth to meet Bharata.

Shloka 11 (ayodhya.84.11)

तम् आयान्तम् तु सम्प्रेक्ष्य सूत पुत्रः प्रतापवान्। भरताय आचचक्षे अथ विनयज्ञो विनीतवत्॥ 84.11 ॥

tam āyāntam tu samprekṣya sūta putraḥ pratāpavān| bharatāya ācacakṣe atha vinayajño vinītavat

Seeing him approach, the majestic Sumantra, son of the charioteer and versed in courtesy, humbly informed Bharata of his coming.

Shloka 12 (ayodhya.84.12)

एष ज्ञाति सहस्रेण स्थपतिः परिवारितः। कुशलो दण्डक अरण्ये वृद्धो भ्रातुः च ते सखा॥ 84.12 ॥

eṣa jñāti sahasreṇa sthapatiḥ parivāritaḥ| kuśalo daṇḍaka araṇye vṛddho bhrātuḥ ca te sakhā

"This chieftain, surrounded by a thousand of his own people, knows the Dandaka forest well, and is an old friend of your elder brother."

Shloka 13 (ayodhya.84.13)

तस्मात् पश्यतु काकुत्स्थ त्वाम् निषाद अधिपो गुहः। असंशयम् विजानीते यत्र तौ राम लक्ष्मणौ॥ 84.13 ॥

tasmāt paśyatu kākutstha tvām niṣāda adhipo guhaḥ| asaṃśayam vijānīte yatra tau rāma lakṣmaṇau

"Therefore, O Kakutstha, let Guha, king of the Nishadas, present himself before you; he surely knows where Rama and Lakshmana now are."

Shloka 14 (ayodhya.84.14)

एतत् तु वचनम् श्रुत्वा सुमन्त्रात् भरतः शुभम्। उवाच वचनम् शीघ्रम् गुहः पश्यतु माम् इति॥ 84.14 ॥

etat tu vacanam śrutvā sumantrāt bharataḥ śubham| uvāca vacanam śīghram guhaḥ paśyatu mām iti

Hearing these auspicious words from Sumantra, Bharata replied at once, "Let Guha come and see me."

Shloka 15 (ayodhya.84.15)

लब्ध्वा अभ्यनुज्ञाम् सम्हृष्टः ज्ञातिभिः परिवारितः। आगम्य भरतम् प्रह्वो गुहो वचनम् अब्रवीइत्॥ 84.15 ॥

labdhvā abhyanujñām saṃhṛṣṭaḥ jñātibhiḥ parivāritaḥ| āgamya bharatam prahvo guho vacanam abravīt

Having received permission, Guha, delighted and surrounded by his kinsmen, came before Bharata and, bowing low, spoke these words:

Shloka 16 (ayodhya.84.16)

निष्कुटः चैव देशो अयम् वन्चिताः च अपि ते वयम्। निवेदयामः ते सर्वे स्वके दाश कुले वस॥ 84.16 ॥

niṣkuṭaḥ caiva deśo ayam vañcitāḥ ca api te vayam| nivedayāmaḥ te sarve svake dāśa kule vasa

"This region is like a pleasure-garden close to your own home, and we, one and all, offer ourselves as your subjects; stay here, in the house of these your servants."

Shloka 17 (ayodhya.84.17)

अस्ति मूलम् फलम् चैव निषादैः समुपाहृतम्। आर्द्रम् च मांसम् शुष्कम् च वन्यम् च उच्च अवचम् महत्॥ 84.17 ॥

asti mūlam phalam caiva niṣādaiḥ samupāhṛtam| ārdram ca māṃsam śuṣkam ca vanyam ca ucca avacam mahat

"Here are roots and fruits gathered by my tribesmen, and meat both fresh and dried, of many kinds and great abundance—all the produce of the forest."

Shloka 18 (ayodhya.84.18)

आशंसे स्वाशिता सेना वत्स्यति इमाम् विभावरीम्। अर्चितः विविधैः कामैः श्वः ससैन्यो गमिष्यसि॥ 84.18 ॥

āśaṃse svāśitā senā vatsyati imām vibhāvarīm| arcitaḥ vividhaiḥ kāmaiḥ śvaḥ sasainyo gamiṣyasi

"I hope that the army, once well fed, will pass this night here; honoured with all that you could wish for, you may go forth tomorrow with your troops."