Bharata's Meeting with Bharadwaja

Shloka 1 (ayodhya.90.1)

भरद्वाज आश्रमम् दृष्ट्वा क्रोशाद् एव नरर्षभः । बलम् सर्वम् अवस्थाप्य जगाम सह मन्त्रिभिः ॥ 90.1 ॥

bharadvāja āśramam dṛṣṭvā krośād eva nararṣabhaḥ | balam sarvam avasthāpya jagāma saha mantribhiḥ || 90.1 ||

On sighting Bharadwaja's hermitage from about two miles off, that foremost of men left his whole army stationed there and went on with his ministers.

Shloka 2 (ayodhya.90.2)

पद्भ्याम् एव हि धर्मज्ञो न्यस्त शस्त्र परिच्छदः । वसानो वाससी क्षौमे पुरोधाय पुरोहितम् ॥ 90.2 ॥

padbhyām eva hi dharmajño nyasta śastra paricchadaḥ | vasāno vāsasī kṣaume purodhāya purohitam || 90.2 ||

Knowing what was right, he set aside his weapons and equipment, put on garments of fine silk, and, placing his priest ahead of him, went on foot.

Shloka 3 (ayodhya.90.3)

ततः संदर्शने तस्य भरद्वाजस्य राघवः । मन्त्रिणः तान् अवस्थाप्य जगाम अनु पुरोहितम् ॥ 90.3 ॥

tataḥ saṃdarśane tasya bharadvājasya rāghavaḥ | mantriṇaḥ tān avasthāpya jagāma anu purohitam || 90.3 ||

Then, when Bharadwaja came into view, Raghava had his ministers halt there as well, and followed close behind his priest.

Shloka 4 (ayodhya.90.4)

वसिष्ठम् अथ दृष्ट्वैव भरद्वाजो महातपाः । संचचाल आसनात् तूर्णम् शिष्यान् अर्घ्यम् इति ब्रुवन् ॥ 90.4 ॥

vasiṣṭham atha dṛṣṭvaiva bharadvājo mahātapāḥ | saṃcacāla āsanāt tūrṇam śiṣyān arghyam iti bruvan || 90.4 ||

The moment the great ascetic Bharadwaja saw Vasishtha, he rose quickly from his seat, telling his disciples to bring the offering-water.

Shloka 5 (ayodhya.90.5)

समागम्य वसिष्ठेन भरतेन अभिवादितः । अबुध्यत महातेजाः सुतम् दशरथस्य तम् ॥ 90.5 ॥

samāgamya vasiṣṭhena bharatena abhivāditaḥ | abudhyata mahātejāḥ sutam daśarathasya tam || 90.5 ||

Having greeted Vasishtha and been saluted by Bharata, the radiant Bharadwaja recognized him at once as the son of Dasharatha.

Shloka 6 (ayodhya.90.6)

ताभ्याम् अर्घ्यम् च पाद्यम् च दत्त्वा पश्चात् फलानि च । आनुपूर्व्याच् च धर्मज्ञः पप्रच्छ कुशलम् कुले ॥ 90.6 ॥

tābhyām arghyam ca pādyam ca dattvā paścāt phalāni ca | ānupūrvyāc ca dharmajñaḥ papraccha kuśalam kule || 90.6 ||

Bharadwaja, knowing what was proper, duly offered them both water for the hands and feet, then fruits, and in due order asked after the welfare of the family.

Shloka 7 (ayodhya.90.7)

अयोध्यायाम् बले कोशे मित्रेषु अपि च मन्त्रिषु । जानन् दशरथम् वृत्तम् न राजानम् उदाहरत् ॥ 90.7 ॥

ayodhyāyām bale kośe mitreṣu api ca mantriṣu | jānan daśaratham vṛttam na rājānam udāharat || 90.7 ||

He asked after Ayodhya, its army, its treasury, its friends and counsellors—but though he knew Dasharatha was dead, he made no mention of the king.

Shloka 8 (ayodhya.90.8)

वसिष्ठो भरतः च एनम् पप्रच्छतुर् अनामयम् । शरीरे अग्निषु वृक्षेषु शिष्येषु मृग पक्षिषु ॥ 90.8 ॥

vasiṣṭho bharataḥ ca enam papracchatur anāmayam | śarīre agniṣu vṛkṣeṣu śiṣyeṣu mṛga pakṣiṣu || 90.8 ||

Vasishtha and Bharata in turn asked after his health, his sacred fires, his trees, his disciples, and the deer and birds of his hermitage.

Shloka 9 (ayodhya.90.9)

तथा इति च प्रतिज्ञाय भरद्वाजो महातपाः । भरतम् प्रत्युवाच इदम् राघव स्नेह बन्धनात् ॥ 90.9 ॥

tathā iti ca pratijñāya bharadvājo mahātapāḥ | bharatam pratyuvāca idam rāghava sneha bandhanāt || 90.9 ||

The great ascetic Bharadwaja, saying, 'All is well,' then spoke these words to Bharata, bound as he was to him by affection for Rama:

Shloka 10 (ayodhya.90.10)

किम् इह आगमने कार्यम् तव राज्यम् प्रशासतः । एतद् आचक्ष्व मे सर्वम् न हि मे शुध्यते मनः ॥ 90.10 ॥

kim iha āgamane kāryam tava rājyam praśāsataḥ | etad ācakṣva me sarvam na hi me śudhyate manaḥ || 90.10 ||

'What business brings you here, you who now govern the kingdom? Tell me everything, for my mind cannot be set at ease.'

Shloka 11 (ayodhya.90.11)

सुषुवे यम् मित्रघ्नम् कौसल्या आनन्द वर्धनम् । भ्रात्रा सह सभार्यो यः चिरम् प्रव्राजितो वनम् ॥ 90.11 ॥

suṣuve yam mitraghnam kausalyā ānanda vardhanam | bhrātrā saha sabhāryo yaḥ ciram pravrājito vanam || 90.11 ||

'He whom Kausalya bore, the destroyer of enemies, to increase her own joy—that very son, together with his brother and his wife, has been sent into long exile in the forest.'

Shloka 12 (ayodhya.90.12)

नियुक्तः स्त्री नियुक्तेन पित्रा यो ऽसौ महायशाः । वन वासी भव इति इह समाः किल चतुर्दश ॥ 90.12 ॥

niyuktaḥ strī niyuktena pitrā yo'sau mahāyaśāḥ | vana vāsī bhava iti iha samāḥ kila caturdaśa || 90.12 ||

'"Live as a forest-dweller for fourteen years"—so, they say, that most illustrious one was commanded by his own father, driven to it at a woman's instance.'

Shloka 13 (ayodhya.90.13)

कच्चिन् न तस्य अपापस्य पापम् कर्तुम् इह इच्छसि । अकण्टकम् भोक्तु मना राज्यम् तस्य अनुजस्य च ॥ 90.13 ॥

kaccin na tasya apāpasya pāpam kartum iha icchasi | akaṇṭakam bhoktu manā rājyam tasya anujasya ca || 90.13 ||

'I hope you do not wish to do wrong to that guiltless one and his younger brother, in order to enjoy the kingdom without a thorn in your path.'

Shloka 14 (ayodhya.90.14)

एवम् उक्तो भरद्वाजम् भरतः प्रत्युवाच ह । पर्यश्रु नयनो दुःखाद् वाचा संसज्जमानया ॥ 90.14 ॥

evam ukto bharadvājam bharataḥ pratyuvāca ha | paryaśru nayano duḥkhād vācā saṃsajjamānayā || 90.14 ||

Thus addressed, Bharata's eyes filled with tears, and in a voice faltering with grief he answered Bharadwaja:

Shloka 15 (ayodhya.90.15)

हतो ऽस्मि यदि माम् एवम् भगवान् अपि मन्यते । मत्तो न दोषम् आशङ्के न एवम् माम् अनुशाधि हि ॥ 90.15 ॥

hato'smi yadi mām evam bhagavān api manyate | matto na doṣam āśaṅke na evam mām anuśādhi hi || 90.15 ||

'If even you, revered sir, think this of me, then I am undone indeed! I do not believe such a fault could come from me—please do not rebuke me so.'

Shloka 16 (ayodhya.90.16)

न च एतद् इष्टम् माता मे यद् अवोचन् मद् अन्तरे । न अहम् एतेन तुष्टः च न तद् वचनम् आददे ॥ 90.16 ॥

na ca etad iṣṭam mātā me yad avocan mad antare | na aham etena tuṣṭaḥ ca na tad vacanam ādade || 90.16 ||

'What my mother said in my absence does not please me either. I am not gladdened by it, nor do I accept what she said.'

Shloka 17 (ayodhya.90.17)

अहम् तु तम् नर व्याघ्रम् उपयातः प्रसादकः । प्रतिनेतुम् अयोध्याम् च पादौ तस्य अभिवन्दितुम् ॥ 90.17 ॥

aham tu tam nara vyāghram upayātaḥ prasādakaḥ | pratinetum ayodhyām ca pādau tasya abhivanditum || 90.17 ||

'I have come, rather, to win over that tiger among men, to bow at his feet, and to bring him back to Ayodhya.'

Shloka 18 (ayodhya.90.18)

त्वम् माम् एवम् गतम् मत्वा प्रसादम् कर्तुम् अर्हसि । शंस मे भगवन् रामः क्व सम्प्रति मही पतिः ॥ 90.18 ॥

tvam mām evam gatam matvā prasādam kartum arhasi | śaṃsa me bhagavan rāmaḥ kva samprati mahī patiḥ || 90.18 ||

'Knowing this is why I have come, be gracious to me. Tell me, revered one, where is Rama, lord of the earth, now to be found?'

Shloka 19 (ayodhya.90.19)

वसिष्ठादिभिर् ऋत्विग्भिर् याचितो भगवांस् ततः । उवाच तम् भरद्वाजः प्रसादाद् भरतम् वचः ॥ 90.19 ॥

vasiṣṭhādibhir ṛtvigbhir yācito bhagavāṃs tataḥ | uvāca tam bharadvājaḥ prasādād bharatam vacaḥ || 90.19 ||

Requested by Vasishtha and the other priests, the venerable Bharadwaja then graciously spoke these words to Bharata:

Shloka 20 (ayodhya.90.20)

त्वय्य् एतत् पुरुष व्याघ्रम् युक्तम् राघव वंशजे । गुरु वृत्तिर् दमः च एव साधूनाम् च अनुयायिता ॥ 90.20 ॥

tvayy etat puruṣa vyāghram yuktam rāghava vaṃśaje | guru vṛttir damaḥ ca eva sādhūnām ca anuyāyitā || 90.20 ||

'O tiger among men, born in the line of Raghu, such reverence for elders, self-restraint and devotion to the virtuous become you well.'

Shloka 21 (ayodhya.90.21)

जाने च एतन् मनःस्थम् ते दृढी करणम् अस्तु इति । अपृच्छम् त्वाम् तव अत्यर्थम् कीर्तिम् समभिवर्धयन् ॥ 90.21 ॥

jāne ca etan manaḥstham te dṛḍhī karaṇam astu iti | apṛccham tvām tava atyartham kīrtim samabhivardhayan || 90.21 ||

'I already knew what was in your heart; I only questioned you so that it might be confirmed, and your fame thereby increased all the more.'

Shloka 22 (ayodhya.90.22)

जाने च रामम् धर्मज्ञम् ससीतम् सह लक्ष्मणम् । असौ वसति ते भ्राता चित्रकूटे महागिरौ ॥ 90.22 ॥

jāne ca rāmam dharmajñam sasītam saha lakṣmaṇam | asau vasati te bhrātā citrakūṭe mahāgirau || 90.22 ||

'I also know where the righteous Rama is, together with Sita and Lakshmana. Your brother is dwelling on the great mountain called Chitrakuta.'

Shloka 23 (ayodhya.90.23)

श्वः तु गन्ता असि तम् देशम् वस अद्य सह मन्त्रिभिः । एतम् मे कुरु सुप्राज्ञ कामम् काम अर्थ कोविद ॥ 90.23 ॥

śvaḥ tu gantā asi tam deśam vasa adya saha mantribhiḥ | etam me kuru suprājña kāma artha kovida || 90.23 ||

'You may set out for that place tomorrow; stay here today with your ministers. O wise one, skilled in both duty and desire, grant me this one wish.'

Shloka 24 (ayodhya.90.24)

ततः तथा इत्य् एवम् उदार दर्शनः । प्रतीत रूपो भरतो ऽब्रवीद् वचः । चकार बुद्धिम् च तदा तदाश्रमे । निशा निवासाय नर अधिप आत्मजः ॥ 90.24 ॥

tataḥ tathā ity evam udāra darśanaḥ | pratīta rūpo bharato'bravīd vacaḥ | cakāra buddhim ca tadā tadāśrame | niśā nivāsāya nara adhipa ātmajaḥ || 90.24 ||

Then Bharata, of noble bearing and now known to all in his true light, said, 'So be it,' and the prince resolved to spend that night there in the hermitage.