Guha's Doubt and Bharata's Assurance

Shloka 1 (ayodhya.85.1)

एवम् उक्तः तु भरतः निषाद अधिपतिम् गुहम्। प्रत्युवाच महा प्राज्ञो वाक्यम् हेतु अर्थ सम्हितम्॥ 85.1 ॥

evam uktaḥ tu bharataḥ niṣāda adhipatim guham| pratyuvāca mahā prājño vākyam hetu artha saṃhitam

Thus addressed, the highly wise Bharata replied to Guha, lord of the Nishadas, in words full of reason and meaning.

Shloka 2 (ayodhya.85.2)

ऊर्जितः खलु ते कामः कृतः मम गुरोह् सखे। यो मे त्वम् ईदृशीम् सेनाम् एको अभ्यर्चितुम् इच्चसि॥ 85.2 ॥

ūrjitaḥ khalu te kāmaḥ kṛtaḥ mama guroḥ sakhe| yo me tvam īdṛśīm senām eko abhyarcitum icchasi

"Truly great, O friend of my elder brother, is this resolve of yours—that you alone would offer hospitality to so vast an army as mine."

Shloka 3 (ayodhya.85.3)

इति उक्त्वा तु महा तेजा गुहम् वचनम् उत्तमम्। अब्रवीद् भरतः श्रीमान् निषाद अधिपतिम् पुनः॥ 85.3 ॥

iti uktvā tu mahā tejā guham vacanam uttamam| abravīd bharataḥ śrīmān niṣāda adhipatim punaḥ

Having spoken these excellent words, the illustrious and radiant Bharata spoke once more to Guha, lord of the Nishadas.

Shloka 4 (ayodhya.85.4)

कतरेण गमिष्यामि भरद्वाज आश्रमम् गुह। गहनो अयम् भृशम् देशो गन्गा अनूपो दुरत्ययः॥ 85.4 ॥

katareṇa gamiṣyāmi bharadvāja āśramam guha| gahano ayam bhṛśam deśo gaṅgā anūpo duratyayaḥ

"By which route, O Guha, may I go to the hermitage of Bharadvaja? This region, hemmed in by the waters of the Ganga, is very dense and hard to cross."

Shloka 5 (ayodhya.85.5)

तस्य तत् वचनम् श्रुत्वा राज पुत्रस्य धीमतः। अब्रवीत् प्रान्जलिर् वाक्यम् गुहो गहन गोचरः॥ 85.5 ॥

tasya tat vacanam śrutvā rāja putrasya dhīmataḥ| abravīt prāñjalir vākyam guho gahana gocaraḥ

Hearing those words of the wise prince, Guha, who roamed those forest tracts, replied with joined palms.

Shloka 6 (ayodhya.85.6)

दाशाः तु अनुगमिष्यन्ति धन्विनः सुसमाहिताः। अहम् च अनुगमिष्यामि राज पुत्र महा यशः॥ 85.6 ॥

dāśāḥ tu anugamiṣyanti dhanvinaḥ susamāhitāḥ| aham ca anugamiṣyāmi rāja putra mahā yaśaḥ

"My ferrymen, bowmen and most attentive, shall go with you, O illustrious prince, and I myself shall follow you as well."

Shloka 7 (ayodhya.85.7)

कच्चिन् न दुष्टः व्रजसि रामस्याक्लिष्ट कर्मणः। इयम् ते महती सेना शन्काम् जनयति इव मे॥ 85.7 ॥

kaccin na duṣṭaḥ vrajasi rāmasyākliṣṭa karmaṇaḥ| iyam te mahatī senā śaṅkām janayati iva me

"I hope you are not going with evil intent against Rama, unwearied in action; this great army of yours does raise a doubt in my mind."

Shloka 8 (ayodhya.85.8)

तम् एवम् अभिभाषन्तम् आकाशैव निर्मलः। भरतः श्लक्ष्णया वाचा गुहम् वचनम् अब्रवीत्॥ 85.8 ॥

tam evam abhibhāṣantam ākāśaiva nirmalaḥ| bharataḥ ślakṣṇayā vācā guham vacanam abravīt

To him who spoke thus, Bharata, whose heart was as clear as the sky, replied to Guha in a gentle voice.

Shloka 9 (ayodhya.85.9)

मा भूत् स कालो यत् कष्टम् नमाम् शन्कितुम् अर्हसि। राघवः स हि मे भ्राता ज्येष्ठः पितृ समः मम॥ 85.9 ॥

mā bhūt sa kālo yat kaṣṭam na mām śaṅkitum arhasi| rāghavaḥ sa hi me bhrātā jyeṣṭhaḥ pitṛ samaḥ mama

"May such a wretched hour never come! You ought never to suspect me. That Raghava is my elder brother indeed, and to me he is as good as a father."

Shloka 10 (ayodhya.85.10)

तम् निवर्तयितुम् यामि काकुत्स्थम् वन वासिनम्। बुद्धिर् अन्या न ते कार्या गुह सत्यम् ब्रवीमि ते॥ 85.10 ॥

tam nivartayitum yāmi kākutstham vana vāsinam| buddhir anyā na te kāryā guha satyam bravīmi te

"I am going forth to bring back that Kakutstha, who now dwells in the forest. Entertain no other thought, O Guha; I speak the truth to you."

Shloka 11 (ayodhya.85.11)

स तु सम्हृष्ट वदनः श्रुत्वा भरत भाषितम्। पुनर् एव अब्रवीद् वाक्यम् भरतम् प्रति हर्षितः॥ 85.11 ॥

sa tu saṃhṛṣṭa vadanaḥ śrutvā bharata bhāṣitam| punar eva abravīd vākyam bharatam prati harṣitaḥ

Hearing Bharata's words, Guha's face brightened with joy, and, delighted, he spoke once more to Bharata.

Shloka 12 (ayodhya.85.12)

धन्यः त्वम् न त्वया तुल्यम् पश्यामि जगती तले। अयत्नात् आगतम् राज्यम् यः त्वम् त्यक्तुम् इह इच्चसि॥ 85.12 ॥

dhanyaḥ tvam na tvayā tulyam paśyāmi jagatī tale| ayatnāt āgatam rājyam yaḥ tvam tyaktum iha icchasi

"Blessed are you! I see no one your equal on the face of this earth—you who wish to renounce a kingdom that came to you without any striving."

Shloka 13 (ayodhya.85.13)

शाश्वती खलु ते कीर्तिर्लोकान् अनुचरिष्यति। यः त्वम् कृच्च्र गतम् रामम् प्रत्यानयितुम् इच्चसि॥ 85.13 ॥

śāśvatī khalu te kīrtir lokān anucariṣyati| yaḥ tvam kṛcchra gatam rāmam pratyānayitum icchasi

"Assuredly your everlasting fame will spread through all the worlds, since you wish to bring back Rama from his hardship."

Shloka 14 (ayodhya.85.14)

एवम् सम्भाषमाणस्य गुहस्य भरतम् तदा। बभौ नष्ट प्रभः सूर्यो रजनी च अभ्यवर्तत॥ 85.14 ॥

evam sambhāṣamāṇasya guhasya bharatam tadā| babhau naṣṭa prabhaḥ sūryo rajanī ca abhyavartata

While Guha was thus conversing with Bharata, the sun's light waned and grew faint, and night came on.

Shloka 15 (ayodhya.85.15)

सम्निवेश्य स ताम् सेनाम् गुहेन परितोषितः। शत्रुघ्नेन सह श्रीमान् शयनम् पुनर् आगमत्॥ 85.15 ॥

sanniveśya sa tām senām guhena paritoṣitaḥ| śatrughnena saha śrīmān śayanam punar āgamat

Having encamped his army, and content with Guha's hospitality, the illustrious Bharata returned once more with Shatrughna to take his rest.

Shloka 16 (ayodhya.85.16)

राम चिन्तामयः शोको भरतस्य महात्मनः। उपस्थितः हि अनर्हस्य धर्म प्रेक्षस्य तादृशः॥ 85.16 ॥

rāma cintāmayaḥ śoko bharatasya mahātmanaḥ| upasthitaḥ hi anarhasya dharma prekṣasya tādṛśaḥ

Yet such grief, born of anxiety for Rama, came upon the great-souled Bharata—one who least deserved sorrow, whose only concern was for righteousness.

Shloka 17 (ayodhya.85.17)

अन्तर् दाहेन दहनः सम्तापयति राघवम्। वन दाह अभिसम्तप्तम् गूढो अग्निर् इव पादपम्॥ 85.17 ॥

antar dāhena dahanaḥ saṃtāpayati rāghavam| vana dāha abhisaṃtaptam gūḍho agnir iva pādapam

An inner fire consumed Bharata from within, as a hidden flame smoulders inside a tree already scorched by a raging forest fire.

Shloka 18 (ayodhya.85.18)

प्रस्रुतः सर्व गात्रेभ्यः स्वेदः शोक अग्नि सम्भवः। यथा सूर्य अंशु सम्तप्तः हिमवान् प्रस्रुतः हिमम्॥ 85.18 ॥

prasrutaḥ sarva gātrebhyaḥ svedaḥ śoka agni sambhavaḥ| yathā sūrya aṃśu saṃtaptaḥ himavān prasrutaḥ himam

Sweat born of the fire of grief poured from all his limbs, as melted snow streams down from the Himalaya when scorched by the sun's rays.

Shloka 19 (ayodhya.85.19)

ध्यान निर्दर शैलेन विनिह्श्वसित धातुना। दैन्य पादप सम्घेन शोक आयास अधिशृंगिणा॥ 85.19 ॥

dhyāna nirdara śailena viniḥśvasita dhātunā| dainya pādapa saṃghena śoka āyāsa adhiśṛṅgiṇā

With caves formed of brooding contemplation, mineral-veins of sighs and groans, clustered trees of despondent thought, and towering peaks crowned with suffering and weariness—

Shloka 20 (ayodhya.85.20)

प्रमोह अनन्त सत्त्वेन सम्ताप ओषधि वेणुना। आक्रान्तः दुह्ख शैलेन महता कैकयी सुतः॥ 85.20 ॥

pramoha ananta sattvena saṃtāpa oṣadhi veṇunā| ākrāntaḥ duḥkha śailena mahatā kaikayī sutaḥ

—with countless wild beasts of fainting spells, and herbs and bamboo-groves of wearying exertion: by that vast mountain of sorrow, Kaikeyi's son was utterly overwhelmed.

Shloka 21 (ayodhya.85.21)

विनिश्श्वसन् वै भृशदुर्मनास्ततः। प्रमूढसम्ज्ञः परमापदम् गतः। शमम् न लेभे हृदयज्वरार्दितो। नरर्षभो यूथहतो यथर्षभः॥ 85.21 ॥

viniśśvasan vai bhṛśadurmanāstataḥ| pramūḍhasaṃjñaḥ paramāpadam gataḥ| śamam na lebhe hṛdayajvarārdito| nararṣabho yūthahato yatharṣabhaḥ

Sighing heavily, deeply despondent, his mind bewildered, fallen into the depths of distress, that bull among men, tormented by the fever within his heart, found no peace anywhere, like a bull driven from its herd.

Shloka 22 (ayodhya.85.22)

गुहेन सार्धम् भरतः समागतः। महा अनुभावः सजनः समाहितः। सुदुर्मनाः तम् भरतम् तदा पुनर्। गुहः समाश्वासयद् अग्रजम् प्रति॥ 85.22 ॥

guhena sārdham bharataḥ samāgataḥ| mahā anubhāvaḥ sajanaḥ samāhitaḥ| sudurmanāḥ tam bharatam tadā punar| guhaḥ samāśvāsayad agrajam prati

The noble Bharata, together with his retinue, sat composed beside Guha; and Guha then once more consoled the deeply grieving Bharata concerning his elder brother.