Bharata's Search in the Forest

Shloka 1 (ayodhya.98.1)

निवेश्य सेनां तु विभुः पद्भ्यां पादवतां वरः। अभिगन्तुं स काकुत्स्थमियेष गुरुवर्त्तकम्॥ 98.1 ॥

niveśya senāṃ tu vibhuḥ padbhyāṃ pādavatāṃ varaḥ| abhigantuṃ sa kākutsthamiyeṣa guruvarttakam

Having halted the army, the mighty Bharata, foremost among men who go on foot, resolved to approach on foot Rama, who was abiding by his father's word.

Shloka 2 (ayodhya.98.2)

निविष्टमात्रे सैन्ये तु यथोद्देशं विनीतवत्। भरतो भ्रातरं वाक्यं शत्रुघ्नमिदमब्रवीत्॥ 98.2 ॥

niviṣṭamātre sainye tu yathoddeśaṃ vinītavat| bharato bhrātaraṃ vākyaṃ śatrughnamidamabravīt

As soon as the army had encamped, in a fitting and disciplined manner, Bharata spoke these words to his brother Shatrughna.

Shloka 3 (ayodhya.98.3)

क्षिप्रं वनमिदं सौम्य नरसङ्घैः समन्ततः। लुब्धैश्च सहितैरेभिस्त्वमन्वेषितुमर्हसि॥ 98.3 ॥

kṣipraṃ vanamidaṃ saumya narasaṅghaiḥ samantataḥ| lubdhaiśca sahitairebhistvamanveṣitumarhasi

"Gentle brother, you should quickly search this forest on every side with bands of men, together with trackers."

Shloka 4 (ayodhya.98.4)

गुहो ज्ञातिसहस्रेण शरचापासिधारिणा। समन्वेषतु काकुत्स्थावस्मिन् परिवृतः स्वयम्॥ 98.4 ॥

guho jñātisahasreṇa śaracāpāsidhāriṇā| samanveṣatu kākutsthāvasmin parivṛtaḥ svayam

"Let Guha, bearing bow, arrow and sword, himself search this forest for the two Kakutsthas, surrounded by his thousands of kinsmen."

Shloka 5 (ayodhya.98.5)

अमात्यैः सह पौरैश्च गुरुभिश्च द्विजातिभिः। वनं सर्वं चरिष्यामि पद्भ्यां परिवृतः स्वयम्॥ 98.5 ॥

amātyaiḥ saha pauraiśca gurubhiśca dvijātibhiḥ| vanaṃ sarvaṃ cariṣyāmi padbhyāṃ parivṛtaḥ svayam

"I too, accompanied by ministers, citizens, elders and brahmins, shall myself range through the whole forest on foot."

Shloka 6 (ayodhya.98.6)

यावन्न रामं द्रक्ष्यामि लक्ष्मणं वा महाबलम्। वैदेहीं वा महाभागां न मे शान्तिर्भविष्यति॥ 98.6 ॥

yāvanna rāmaṃ drakṣyāmi lakṣmaṇaṃ vā mahābalam| vaidehīṃ vā mahābhāgāṃ na me śāntirbhaviṣyati

"Until I see the mighty Rama, or Lakshmana, or the illustrious Vaidehi, there will be no peace for me."

Shloka 7 (ayodhya.98.7)

यावन्न चन्द्रसङ्काशं द्रक्ष्यामि शुभमाननम्। भ्रातुः पद्मपलाशाक्षं न मे शान्तिर्भविष्यति॥ 98.7 ॥

yāvanna candrasaṅkāśaṃ drakṣyāmi śubhamānanam| bhrātuḥ padmapalāśākṣaṃ na me śāntirbhaviṣyati

"Until I see my brother's auspicious face, radiant as the moon, with eyes like lotus-petals, there will be no peace for me."

Shloka 8 (ayodhya.98.8)

यावन्न चरणौ भ्रातुः पार्थिवव्यञ्जनान्वितौ। शिरसा धारयिष्यामि न मे शान्तिर्भविष्यति॥ 98.8 ॥

yāvanna caraṇau bhrātuḥ pārthivavyañjanānvitau| śirasā dhārayiṣyāmi na me śāntirbhaviṣyati

"Until I bear upon my head my brother's two feet, marked with the signs of royalty, there will be no peace for me."

Shloka 9 (ayodhya.98.9)

यावन्न राज्ये राज्यार्हः पितृपैतामहे स्थितः। अभिषेकजलक्लिन्नो न मे शान्तिर्भविष्यति॥ 98.9 ॥

yāvanna rājye rājyārhaḥ pitṛpaitāmahe sthitaḥ| abhiṣekajalaklinno na me śāntirbhaviṣyati

"Until he, so worthy of the kingdom, is installed in the realm handed down from our forefathers, wet with the waters of consecration, there will be no peace for me."

Shloka 10 (ayodhya.98.10)

सिद्धार्थः खलु सौमित्रिर्यश्चन्द्रविमलोपमम्। मुखं पश्यति रामस्य राजीवाक्षं महाद्युति॥ 98.10 ॥

siddhārthaḥ khalu saumitriryaścandravimalopamam| mukhaṃ paśyati rāmasya rājīvākṣaṃ mahādyuti

Truly blessed indeed is Saumitri Lakshmana, who ever beholds Rama's radiant, lotus-eyed face, bright as the spotless moon.

Shloka 11 (ayodhya.98.11)

कृतकृत्या महाभागा वैदेही जनकात्मजा। भर्तारं सागरान्तायाः पृथिव्या याऽनुगच्छति॥ 98.11 ॥

kṛtakṛtyā mahābhāgā vaidehī janakātmajā| bhartāraṃ sāgarāntāyāḥ pṛthivyā yā'nugacchati

Fulfilled indeed is illustrious Vaidehi, daughter of Janaka, who follows her lord, the master of the earth bounded by the sea.

Shloka 12 (ayodhya.98.12)

सुभगश्चित्रकूटोऽसौ गिरिराजोपमो गिरिः। यस्मिन् वसति काकुत्स्थः कुबेर इव नन्दने॥ 98.12 ॥

subhagaścitrakūṭo'sau girirājopamo giriḥ| yasmin vasati kākutsthaḥ kubera iva nandane

Blessed is that lovely mountain Chitrakuta, comparable to the king of mountains, on which Rama dwells as Kubera dwells in the Nandana garden.

Shloka 13 (ayodhya.98.13)

कृतकार्यमिदं दुर्गं वनं व्यालनिषेवितम्। यदध्यास्ते महातेजा रामः शस्त्रभृतां वरः॥ 98.13 ॥

kṛtakāryamidaṃ durgaṃ vanaṃ vyālaniṣevitam| yadadhyāste mahātejā rāmaḥ śastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ

Blessed too is this impenetrable forest, haunted by wild beasts, where the mighty Rama, foremost among the wielders of weapons, now dwells.

Shloka 14 (ayodhya.98.14)

एवमुक्त्वा महातेजा भरतः पुरुषर्षभः। पद्भ्यामेव महाबाहुः प्रविवेश महद्वनम्॥ 98.14 ॥

evamuktvā mahātejā bharataḥ puruṣarṣabhaḥ| padbhyāmeva mahābāhuḥ praviveśa mahadvanam

Having said this, the mighty-armed, glorious Bharata, foremost among men, entered that great forest on foot.

Shloka 15 (ayodhya.98.15)

स तानि द्रुमजालानि जातानि गिरिसानुषु। पुष्पिताग्राणि मध्येन जगाम वदतां वरः॥ 98.15 ॥

sa tāni drumajālāni jātāni girisānuṣu| puṣpitāgrāṇi madhyena jagāma vadatāṃ varaḥ

That best of speakers passed onward through those clusters of trees, growing on the mountain ridges, their tops all in flower.

Shloka 16 (ayodhya.98.16)

स गिरेश्चित्रकूटस्य सालमारुह्य सत्वरम्। रामाश्रमगतस्याग्नेर्ददर्श ध्वजमुच्छ्रितम्॥ 98.16 ॥

sa gireścitrakūṭasya sālamāruhya satvaram| rāmāśramagatasyāgnerdadarśa dhvajamucchritam

Then, quickly climbing a Sala tree on the Chitrakuta mountain, he saw a tall column of smoke rising from the fire at Rama's hermitage.

Shloka 17 (ayodhya.98.17)

तं दृष्ट्वा भरतः श्रीमान् मुमोह सहबान्धवः। अत्र राम इति ज्ञात्वा गतः पारमिवाम्भसः॥ 98.17 ॥

taṃ dṛṣṭvā bharataḥ śrīmān mumoha sahabāndhavaḥ| atra rāma iti jñātvā gataḥ pāramivāmbhasaḥ

Seeing that, glorious Bharata, together with his kinsmen, was overwhelmed; knowing 'Rama is here', he seemed to have reached the far shore of an ocean.

Shloka 18 (ayodhya.98.18)

स चित्रकूटे तु गिरौ निशम्य रामाश्रमं पुण्यजनोपपन्नम्। गुहेन सार्द्धं त्वरितो जगाम पुनर्निवेश्यैव चमूं महात्मा॥ 98.18 ॥

sa citrakūṭe tu girau niśamya rāmāśramaṃ puṇyajanopapannam| guhena sārddhaṃ tvarito jagāma punarniveśyaiva camūṃ mahātmā

So, on the Chitrakuta mountain, having heard of Rama's hermitage frequented by holy folk, that great-souled one, once more halting the army there, hastened onward together with Guha.