Bharata Sets Out for Chitrakuta

Shloka 1 (ayodhya.92.1)

ततः ताम् रजनीम् उष्य भरतः सपरिच्छदः। कृतातिथ्यो भरद्वाजम् कामाद् अभिजगाम ह॥ 92.1 ॥

tataḥ tām rajanīm uṣya bharataḥ saparicchadaḥ| kṛtātithyo bharadvājam kāmād abhijagāma ha

Then, having spent that night there with his retinue and having been shown such hospitality, Bharata, of his own accord, went again to Bharadwaja.

Shloka 2 (ayodhya.92.2)

तम् ऋषिः पुरुषव्याघ्रम् प्रेक्ष्य प्रान्जलिम् आगतम्। हुताग्निहोत्रो भरतम् भरद्वाजो अभ्यभाषत॥ 92.2 ॥

tam ṛṣiḥ puruṣavyāghram prekṣya prānjalim āgatam| hutāgnihotro bharatam bharadvājo abhyabhāṣata

Seeing that tiger among men approach with joined palms, the sage Bharadwaja, who had just completed his fire-oblations, spoke to Bharata:

Shloka 3 (ayodhya.92.3)

कच्चिद् अत्र सुखा रात्रिः तव अस्मद्विषये गता। समग्रः ते जनः कच्चिद् आतिथ्ये शंस मे अनघ॥ 92.3 ॥

kaccid atra sukhā rātriḥ tava asmadviṣaye gatā| samagraḥ te janaḥ kaccid ātithye śaṃsa me anagha

"O sinless one, I hope the night passed pleasantly for you here in our domain. Tell me, is your whole company satisfied with the hospitality shown?"

Shloka 4 (ayodhya.92.4)

तम् उवाच अन्जलिम् कृत्वा भरतो अभिप्रणम्य च। आश्रमाद् अभिनिष्क्रान्तम् ऋषिम् उत्तमतेजसम्॥ 92.4 ॥

tam uvāca anjalim kṛtvā bharato abhipraṇamya ca| āśramād abhiniṣkrāntam ṛṣim uttamatejasam

Bharata, joining his palms and bowing low, replied to that sage of supreme radiance, who had come out from his hermitage:

Shloka 5 (ayodhya.92.5)

सुखोषितो अस्मि भगवन् समग्रबलवाहनः। तर्पितः सर्वकामैः च सामात्यो बलवत्त्वया॥ 92.5 ॥

sukhoṣito asmi bhagavan samagrabalavāhanaḥ| tarpitaḥ sarvakāmaiḥ ca sāmātyo balavattvayā

"Holy one, I have spent the night in comfort, together with my entire army and its mounts; you have satisfied all of us, ministers and all, with every kind of enjoyment in full measure."

Shloka 6 (ayodhya.92.6)

अपेतक्लमसंतापाः सुभक्ष्याः सुप्रतिश्रयाः। अपि प्रेष्यान् उपादाय सर्वे स्म सुसुखोषिताः॥ 92.6 ॥

apetaklamasaṃtāpāḥ subhakṣyāḥ supratiśrayāḥ| api preṣyān upādāya sarve sma susukhoṣitāḥ

"Our weariness and distress are gone; we had excellent food and excellent lodging — even our servants, all of us, have passed the time in the greatest comfort."

Shloka 7 (ayodhya.92.7)

आमन्त्रये अहम् भगवन् कामम् त्वाम् ऋषिसत्तम। समीपम् प्रस्थितम् भ्रातुर् मैत्रेण ईक्षस्व चक्षुषा॥ 92.7 ॥

āmantraye aham bhagavan kāmam tvām ṛṣisattama| samīpam prasthitam bhrātur maitreṇa īkṣasva cakṣuṣā

"O holy one, best of sages, I now willingly take my leave of you. I am setting out to be near my brother; look upon me with an eye of friendship."

Shloka 8 (ayodhya.92.8)

आश्रमम् तस्य धर्मज्ञ धार्मिकस्य महात्मनः। आचक्ष्व कतमो मार्गः कियान् इति च शंस मे॥ 92.8 ॥

āśramam tasya dharmajña dhārmikasya mahātmanaḥ| ācakṣva katamo mārgaḥ kiyān iti ca śaṃsa me

"O knower of dharma, tell me of the hermitage of that righteous, high-souled one — which path leads there, and how far it is; tell me this."

Shloka 9 (ayodhya.92.9)

इति पृष्टः तु भरतम् भ्रातृदर्शनलालसम्। प्रत्युवाच महातेजा भरद्वाजो महातपाः॥ 92.9 ॥

iti pṛṣṭaḥ tu bharatam bhrātṛdarśanalālasam| pratyuvāca mahātejā bharadvājo mahātapāḥ

Thus questioned by Bharata, who longed to see his brother, the greatly radiant, greatly austere Bharadwaja replied:

Shloka 10 (ayodhya.92.10)

भरतार्धतृतीयेषु योजनेषु अजने वने। चित्रकूटो गिरिः तत्र रम्यनिर्दरकाननः॥ 92.10 ॥

bharatārdhatṛtīyeṣu yojaneṣu ajane vane| citrakūṭo giriḥ tatra ramyanirdarakānanaḥ

"O Bharata, some two and a half yojanas from here, in a lonely forest, stands the mountain Chitrakuta, with its lovely caves and groves."

Shloka 11 (ayodhya.92.11)

उत्तरम् पार्श्वम् आसाद्य तस्य मन्दाकिनी नदी। पुष्पितद्रुमसंछन्ना रम्यपुष्पितकानना॥ 92.11 ॥

uttaram pārśvam āsādya tasya mandākinī nadī| puṣpitadrumasaṃchannā ramyapuṣpitakānanā

"Reaching its northern flank, you will find the river Mandakini, covered over with flowering trees, its groves lovely with blossom."

Shloka 12 (ayodhya.92.12)

अनन्तरम् तत् सरितः चित्रकूटः च पर्वतः। ततः पर्णकुटी तात तत्र तौ वसतो ध्रुवम्॥ 92.12 ॥

anantaram tat saritaḥ citrakūṭaḥ ca parvataḥ| tataḥ parṇakuṭī tāta tatra tau vasato dhruvam

"Just beyond that river stands the mountain Chitrakuta, and there is their hut of leaves; there, dear one, the two of them certainly dwell."

Shloka 13 (ayodhya.92.13)

दक्षिणेन एव मार्गेण सव्यदक्षिणम् एव वा। गजवाजिरथाकीर्णाम् वाहिनीम् वाहिनीपते। वाहयस्व महाभाग ततो द्रक्ष्यसि राघवम्॥ 92.13 ॥

dakṣiṇena eva mārgeṇa savyadakṣiṇam eva vā| gajavājirathākīrṇām vāhinīm vāhinīpate| vāhayasva mahābhāga tato drakṣyasi rāghavam

"O lord of the army, drive your forces — thronged with elephants, horses and chariots — either straight along the southern road or bearing left and right upon it; then you shall see Rama."

Shloka 14 (ayodhya.92.14)

प्रयाणम् इति तत् श्रुत्वा राजराजस्य योषितः। हित्वा यानानि यानार्हा ब्राह्मणम् पर्यवारयन्॥ 92.14 ॥

prayāṇam iti tat śrutvā rājarājasya yoṣitaḥ| hitvā yānāni yānārhā brāhmaṇam paryavārayan

Hearing of this onward journey, the wives of the king of kings, though entitled to ride, left their conveyances and gathered around the sage.

Shloka 15 (ayodhya.92.15)

वेपमाना कृशा दीना सह देव्या सुमित्रया। कौसल्या तत्र जग्राह कराभ्याम् चरणौ मुनेः॥ 92.15 ॥

vepamānā kṛśā dīnā saha devyā sumitrayā| kausalyā tatra jagrāha karābhyām caraṇau muneḥ

Trembling, emaciated, and wretched, Kausalya, together with queen Sumitra, clasped the sage's feet with both her hands.

Shloka 16 (ayodhya.92.16)

असमृद्धेन कामेन सर्वलोकस्य गर्हिता। कैकेयी तस्य जग्राह चरणौ सव्यपत्रपा॥ 92.16 ॥

asamṛddhena kāmena sarvalokasya garhitā| kaikeyī tasya jagrāha caraṇau savyapatrapā

Kaikeyi too, her desire left unfulfilled and now condemned by the whole world, clasped his feet, full of shame.

Shloka 17 (ayodhya.92.17)

तम् प्रदक्षिणम् आगम्य भगवन्तम् महामुनिम्। अदूराद् भरतस्यैव तस्थौ दीनमनास्तदा॥ 92.17 ॥

tam pradakṣiṇam āgamya bhagavantam mahāmunim| adūrād bharatasyaiva tasthau dīnamanāstadā

Having circled that venerable great sage in reverence, she then stood, disheartened, not far from Bharata.

Shloka 18 (ayodhya.92.18)

ततः पप्रच्छ भरतम् भरद्वाजो दृढव्रतः। विशेषम् ज्ञातुम् इच्छामि मातॄणाम् तव राघव॥ 92.18 ॥

tataḥ papraccha bharatam bharadvājo dṛḍhavrataḥ| viśeṣam jñātum icchāmi mātṝṇām tava rāghava

Then Bharadwaja, firm in his vows, asked Bharata: "O Raghava, I wish to know the distinction among your mothers."

Shloka 19 (ayodhya.92.19)

एवम् उक्तः तु भरतो भरद्वाजेन धार्मिकः। उवाच प्रान्जलिर् भूत्वा वाक्यम् वचनकोविदः॥ 92.19 ॥

evam uktaḥ tu bharato bharadvājena dhārmikaḥ| uvāca prānjalir bhūtvā vākyam vacanakovidaḥ

Thus addressed by Bharadwaja, the righteous Bharata, skilled in speech, replied with joined palms:

Shloka 20 (ayodhya.92.20)

याम् इमाम् भगवन् दीनाम् शोकानशनकर्शिताम्। पितुर् हि महिषीम् देवीम् देवताम् इव पश्यसि॥ 92.20 ॥

yām imām bhagavan dīnām śokānaśanakarśitām| pitur hi mahiṣīm devīm devatām iva paśyasi

"Holy one, this wretched woman you see before you, wasted by grief and fasting, resembling a goddess, is my father's chief queen."

Shloka 21 (ayodhya.92.21)

एषा तम् पुरुषव्याघ्रम् सिंहविक्रान्तगामिनम्। कौसल्या सुषुवे रामम् धातारम् अदितिर् यथा॥ 92.21 ॥

eṣā tam puruṣavyāghram siṃhavikrāntagāminam| kausalyā suṣuve rāmam dhātāram aditir yathā

"This is Kausalya, who gave birth to that tiger among men, Rama of the lion's gait, just as Aditi gave birth to Vishnu."

Shloka 22 (ayodhya.92.22)

अस्या वामभुजम् श्लिष्टा या एषा तिष्ठति दुर्मनाः। कर्णिकारस्य शाखा इव शीर्णपुष्पा वनान्तरे॥ 92.22 ॥

asyā vāmabhujam śliṣṭā yā eṣā tiṣṭhati durmanāḥ| karṇikārasya śākhā iva śīrṇapuṣpā vanāntare

"The one clinging to her left arm, standing there heavy-hearted, like a branch of the karnikara tree with its flowers withered, deep in a forest —"

Shloka 23 (ayodhya.92.23)

एतस्याः तौ सुतौ देव्याः कुमारौ देववर्णिनौ। उभौ लक्ष्मणशत्रुघ्नौ वीरौ सत्यपराक्रमौ॥ 92.23 ॥

etasyāḥ tau sutau devyāḥ kumārau devavarṇinau| ubhau lakṣmaṇaśatrughnau vīrau satyaparākramau

"— is Sumitra; and these two godlike princes, the heroic Lakshmana and Shatrughna, both true in their valour, are her two sons."

Shloka 24 (ayodhya.92.24)

यस्याः कृते नरव्याघ्रौ जीवनाशम् इतो गतौ। राजा पुत्रविहीनः च स्वर्गम् दशरथो गतः॥ 92.24 ॥

yasyāḥ kṛte naravyāghrau jīvanāśam ito gatau| rājā putravihīnaḥ ca svargam daśaratho gataḥ

"And because of whom those two tigers among men have come to face the loss of their very life here, and King Dasharatha, bereft of his son, has gone to heaven —"

Shloka 25 (ayodhya.92.25)

क्रोधनाम् अकृतप्रज्ञाम् दृप्ताम् सुभगमानिनीम्। ऐश्वर्यकामाम् कैकेयीम् अनार्याम् आर्यरूपिणीम्॥ 92.25 ॥

krodhanām akṛtaprajñām dṛptām subhagamāninīm| aiśvaryakāmām kaikeyīm anāryām āryarūpiṇīm

"— know her to be that Kaikeyi: irascible, lacking in wisdom, arrogant, vain of her beauty, greedy for power — ignoble though bearing a noble form —"

Shloka 26 (ayodhya.92.26)

मम एताम् मातरम् विद्धि नृशंसाम् पापनिश्चयाम्। यतो मूलम् हि पश्यामि व्यसनम् महद् आत्मनः॥ 92.26 ॥

mama etām mātaram viddhi nṛśaṃsām pāpaniścayām| yato mūlam hi paśyāmi vyasanam mahad ātmanaḥ

"— that cruel woman of sinful resolve, know her to be this mother of mine, in whom I see the very root of this great calamity that has befallen us."

Shloka 27 (ayodhya.92.27)

इत्य् उक्त्वा नरशार्दूलो बाष्पगद्गदया गिरा। स निशश्वास ताम्राक्षो क्रुद्धो नाग इव असकृत्॥ 92.27 ॥

ity uktvā naraśārdūlo bāṣpagadgadayā girā| sa niśaśvāsa tāmrākṣo kruddho nāga iva asakṛt

Having spoken thus, in a voice choked with tears, that tiger among men, his eyes red, sighed again and again, like an angered serpent.

Shloka 28 (ayodhya.92.28)

भरद्वाजो महर्षिः तम् ब्रुवन्तम् भरतम् तदा। प्रत्युवाच महाबुद्धिर् इदम् वचनम् अर्थवत्॥ 92.28 ॥

bharadvājo maharṣiḥ tam bruvantam bharatam tadā| pratyuvāca mahābuddhir idam vacanam arthavat

Then the great sage Bharadwaja, of profound wisdom, replied to Bharata as he spoke thus, with these meaningful words:

Shloka 29 (ayodhya.92.29)

न दोषेण अवगन्तव्या कैकेयी भरत त्वया। रामप्रव्राजनम् ह्य् एतत् सुखोदर्कम् भविष्यति॥ 92.29 ॥

na doṣeṇa avagantavyā kaikeyī bharata tvayā| rāmapravrājanam hy etat sukhodarkam bhaviṣyati

"Bharata, you must not think of Kaikeyi with blame; this exile of Rama will indeed bear happy fruit in the end."

Shloka 30 (ayodhya.92.30)

देवानाम् दानवानाम् च ऋषीणाम् भावितात्मनाम्। हितमेव भविष्यद्धि रामप्रव्राजनाद् इह॥ 92.30 ॥

devānām dānavānām ca ṛṣīṇām bhāvitātmanām| hitameva bhaviṣyaddhi rāmapravrājanād iha

"For from Rama's exile shall come only good — for the gods, for the danavas, and for the sages of purified soul."

Shloka 31 (ayodhya.92.31)

अभिवाद्य तु संसिद्धः कृत्वा च एनम् प्रदक्षिणम्। आमन्त्र्य भरतः सैन्यम् युज्यताम् इत्य् अचोदयत्॥ 92.31 ॥

abhivādya tu saṃsiddhaḥ kṛtvā ca enam pradakṣiṇam| āmantrya bharataḥ sainyam yujyatām ity acodayat

Content now, Bharata bowed to him, circled him in reverence, and, taking his leave, commanded the army: "Let it be made ready."

Shloka 32 (ayodhya.92.32)

ततो वाजिरथान् युक्त्वा दिव्यान् हेमपरिष्क्रितान्। अध्यारोहत् प्रयाणार्थी बहून् बहुविधो जनः॥ 92.32 ॥

tato vājirathān yuktvā divyān hemapariṣkritān| adhyārohat prayāṇārthī bahūn bahuvidho janaḥ

Then people of every kind, eager to set out, mounted in great numbers upon those splendid chariots yoked with horses and adorned with gold.

Shloka 33 (ayodhya.92.33)

गजकन्या गजाः चैव हेमकक्ष्याः पताकिनः। जीमूता इव घर्मान्ते सघोषाः संप्रतस्थिरे॥ 92.33 ॥

gajakanyā gajāḥ caiva hemakakṣyāḥ patākinaḥ| jīmūtā iva gharmānte saghoṣāḥ saṃpratasthire

Cow-elephants and bull-elephants, girded with golden straps and bearing banners, set out together with a rumbling sound, like thunderclouds at the close of summer.

Shloka 34 (ayodhya.92.34)

विविधानि अपि यानानि महानि च लघूनि च। प्रययुः सुमहार्हाणि पादैर् एव पदातयः॥ 92.34 ॥

vividhāni api yānāni mahāni ca laghūni ca| prayayuḥ sumahārhāṇi pādair eva padātayaḥ

Vehicles of every kind, both great and small, of the highest value, moved forward; the foot-soldiers marched on foot.

Shloka 35 (ayodhya.92.35)

अथ यानप्रवेकैः तु कौसल्याप्रमुखाः स्त्रियः। रामदर्शनकाङ्क्षिण्यः प्रययुर् मुदितास्तदा॥ 92.35 ॥

atha yānapravekaiḥ tu kausalyāpramukhāḥ striyaḥ| rāmadarśanakāṅkṣiṇyaḥ prayayur muditāstadā

Then, upon the finest conveyances, the women headed by Kausalya, longing to see Rama, set out joyfully.

Shloka 36 (ayodhya.92.36)

चन्द्रार्कतरुणाभासाम् नियुक्ताम् शिबिकाम् शुभाम्। आस्थाय प्रययौ श्रीमान् भरतः सपरिच्छदः॥ 92.36 ॥

candrārkataruṇābhāsām niyuktām śibikām śubhām| āsthāya prayayau śrīmān bharataḥ saparicchadaḥ

The glorious Bharata, together with his retinue, mounted an auspicious palanquin made ready for him, radiant as the young sun and moon, and set out.

Shloka 37 (ayodhya.92.37)

सा प्रयाता महासेना गजवाजिरथाकुला। दक्षिणाम् दिशम् आवृत्य महामेघ इव उत्थितः॥ 92.37 ॥

sā prayātā mahāsenā gajavājirathākulā| dakṣiṇām diśam āvṛtya mahāmegha iva utthitaḥ

That great army, thronging with elephants, horses and chariots, set forth, covering the southern direction like a great cloud that has risen in the sky.

Shloka 38 (ayodhya.92.38)

वनानि तु व्यतिक्रम्य जुष्टानि मृगपक्षिभिः। गङ्गायाः परवेलायाम् गिरिष्व् अपि नदीषु च॥ 92.38 ॥

vanāni tu vyatikramya juṣṭāni mṛgapakṣibhiḥ| gaṅgāyāḥ paravelāyām giriṣv api nadīṣu ca

— passing through forests frequented by deer and birds, along the farther bank of the Ganga, amid mountains and rivers,

Shloka 39 (ayodhya.92.39)

सा संप्रहृष्टद्विपवाजियोधा। वित्रासयन्ती मृगपक्षिसंघान्। महद् वनम् तत् प्रविगाहमाना। रराज सेना भरतस्य तत्र॥ 92.39 ॥

sā saṃprahṛṣṭadvipavājiyodhā| vitrāsayantī mṛgapakṣisaṃghān| mahad vanam tat pravigāhamānā| rarāja senā bharatasya tatra

— that army of Bharata, with its exultant elephants, horses and warriors, terrifying the herds of deer and flocks of birds as it plunged deep into that vast forest, shone forth resplendent there.