Bharata Dissuades Rama from the Rajasuya

Shloka 1 (uttara.83.1)

तच्छ्रुत्वा भाषितं तस्य रामस्याक्लिष्ट कर्मणः । द्वास्स्थः कुमारावाहूय राघवाय न्यवेदयत् ।। ७.८३.१ ।।

tacchrutvā bhāṣitaṃ tasya rāmasyākliṣṭa karmaṇaḥ | dvāssthaḥ kumārāvāhūya rāghavāya nyavedayat || 7.83.1 ||

Having heard that speech of Rama, whose deeds are ever unwearied, the doorkeeper summoned the two princes and reported it to Raghava.

Shloka 2 (uttara.83.2)

दृष्ट्वा तु राघवः प्राप्तौ प्रियौ भरतलक्ष्मणौ । परिष्वज्य तदा रामो वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ।। ७.८३.२ ।।

dṛṣṭvā tu rāghavaḥ prāptau priyau bharatalakṣmaṇau | pariṣvajya tadā rāmo vākyametaduvāca ha || 7.83.2 ||

Seeing that his beloved Bharata and Lakshmana had arrived, Raghava then embraced them and spoke this word.

Shloka 3 (uttara.83.3)

कृतं मया यथा तथ्यं द्विजकार्यमनुत्तमम् । धर्मसेतुमथो भूयः कर्तुमिच्छामि राघवौ ।। ७.८३.३ ।।

kṛtaṃ mayā yathā tathyaṃ dvijakāryamanuttamam | dharmasetumatho bhūyaḥ kartumicchāmi rāghavau || 7.83.3 ||

"I have truly accomplished the supreme task owed to the twice-born; now, O you two Raghavas, I wish once more to raise a bridge of righteousness."

Shloka 4 (uttara.83.4)

अक्षय्यश्चाव्ययश्चैव धर्मसेतुर्मतो मम । धर्मप्रसाधकं ह्येतत् सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् ।। ७.८३.४ ।।

akṣayyaścāvyayaścaiva dharmaseturmato mama | dharmaprasādhakaṃ hyetat sarvapāpapraṇāśanam || 7.83.4 ||

"This bridge of dharma is, in my view, imperishable and unchanging; for it accomplishes righteousness and destroys every sin."

Shloka 5 (uttara.83.5)

युवाभ्यामात्मभूताभ्यां राजसूयमनुत्तमम् । सहितो यष्टुमिच्छामि तत्र धर्मो हि शाश्वतः ।। ७.८३.५ ।।

yuvābhyāmātmabhūtābhyāṃ rājasūyamanuttamam | sahito yaṣṭumicchāmi tatra dharmo hi śāśvataḥ || 7.83.5 ||

"Together with you two, who are as my own selves, I wish to perform the supreme Rajasuya sacrifice; for eternal righteousness resides therein."

Shloka 6 (uttara.83.6)

इष्ट्वा तु राजसूयेन मित्रः शत्रुनिबर्हणः । सुहुतेन सुयज्ञेन वरुणत्वमुपागमत् ।। ७.८३.६ ।।

iṣṭvā tu rājasūyena mitraḥ śatrunibarhaṇaḥ | suhutena suyajñena varuṇatvamupāgamat || 7.83.6 ||

"Mitra, destroyer of foes, having performed the Rajasuya -- that well-offered, excellent sacrifice -- attained the state of Varuna."

Shloka 7 (uttara.83.7)

सोमश्च राजसूयेन इष्ट्वा धर्मेण धर्मवित् । प्राप्तश्च सर्वलोकेषु कीर्तिस्थानं च शाश्वतम् ।। ७.८३.७ ।।

somaśca rājasūyena iṣṭvā dharmeṇa dharmavit | prāptaśca sarvalokeṣu kīrtisthānaṃ ca śāśvatam || 7.83.7 ||

"And Soma too, the knower of dharma, having performed the Rajasuya righteously, attained an eternal seat of glory throughout all the worlds."

Shloka 8 (uttara.83.8)

अस्मिन्नहनि यच्छ्रेयश्चिन्त्यतां तन्मया सह । हितं चायतियुक्तं च प्रयतौ कर्तुमर्हथः ।। ७.८३.८ ।।

asminnahani yacchreyaścintyatāṃ tanmayā saha | hitaṃ cāyatiyuktaṃ ca prayatau kartumarhathaḥ || 7.83.8 ||

"This very day, deliberate with me on what is best; and you two, being diligent, should determine what is beneficial and suited to the future."

Shloka 9 (uttara.83.9)

श्रुत्वा तु राघवस्यैतद्वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदः । भरतः प्राञ्जलिर्भूत्वा वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ।। ७.८३.९ ।।

śrutvā tu rāghavasyaitadvākyaṃ vākyaviśāradaḥ | bharataḥ prāñjalirbhūtvā vākyametaduvāca ha || 7.83.9 ||

Having heard this speech of Raghava, Bharata, skilled in speech, with joined palms, spoke this word.

Shloka 10 (uttara.83.10)

त्वयि धर्मः परः साधो त्वयि सर्वा वसुन्धरा । प्रतिष्ठिता महाबाहो यशश्चामितविक्रम ।। ७.८३.१० ।।

tvayi dharmaḥ paraḥ sādho tvayi sarvā vasundharā | pratiṣṭhitā mahābāho yaśaścāmitavikrama || 7.83.10 ||

"In you, O virtuous one, the highest dharma is established; in you, O mighty-armed one of measureless valor, the whole earth and all glory rest."

Shloka 11 (uttara.83.11)

महीपालाश्च सर्वे त्वां प्रजापतिमिवामराः । निरीक्षन्ते महात्मानं लोकानाथं यथा वयम् ।। ७.८३.११ ।।

mahīpālāśca sarve tvāṃ prajāpatimivāmarāḥ | nirīkṣante mahātmānaṃ lokānāthaṃ yathā vayam || 7.83.11 ||

"And all the rulers of the earth look upon you, the great-souled one, as the immortals look upon Prajapati, even as we look upon the lord of the world."

Shloka 12 (uttara.83.12)

पुत्राश्च पितृवद्राजन्पश्यन्ति त्वां महाबल । पृथिव्या गतिभूतो ऽसि प्राणिनामपि राघव ।। ७.८३.१२ ।।

putrāśca pitṛvadrājanpaśyanti tvāṃ mahābala | pṛthivyā gatibhūto 'si prāṇināmapi rāghava || 7.83.12 ||

"And subjects, O mighty king, look upon you as sons look upon a father; you have become, O Raghava, the refuge of the earth and of all living beings."

Shloka 13 (uttara.83.13)

स त्वमेवंविधं यज्ञमाहर्तासि कथं नृप । पृथिव्यां राजवंशानां विनाशो यत्र दृश्यते ।। ७.८३.१३ ।।

sa tvamevaṃvidhaṃ yajñamāhartāsi kathaṃ nṛpa | pṛthivyāṃ rājavaṃśānāṃ vināśo yatra dṛśyate || 7.83.13 ||

"How then, O king, will you undertake such a sacrifice, in which the destruction of royal lineages across the earth is bound to occur?"

Shloka 14 (uttara.83.14)

पृथिव्यां ये च पुरुषा राजन्पौरुषमागताः । सर्वेषां भविता तत्र सङ्क्षयः सर्वकोपजः ।। ७.८३.१४ ।।

pṛthivyāṃ ye ca puruṣā rājanpauruṣamāgatāḥ | sarveṣāṃ bhavitā tatra saṅkṣayaḥ sarvakopajaḥ || 7.83.14 ||

"And of all the men on earth, O king, who have attained manly renown, a universal destruction born of general wrath would befall them all in that sacrifice."

Shloka 15 (uttara.83.15)

स त्वं पुरुषशार्दूल गुणैरतुलविक्रम । पृथिवीं नार्हसे हन्तुं वशे हि तव वर्तते ।। ७.८३.१५ ।।

sa tvaṃ puruṣaśārdūla guṇairatulavikrama | pṛthivīṃ nārhase hantuṃ vaśe hi tava vartate || 7.83.15 ||

"You, O tiger among men, of incomparable valor among your virtues, ought not to destroy the earth -- for it already rests under your sway."

Shloka 16 (uttara.83.16)

भरतस्य तु तद्वाक्यं श्रुत्वा ऽमृतमयं तदा । प्रहर्षमतुलं लेभे रामः सत्यपराक्रमः ।। ७.८३.१६ ।।

bharatasya tu tadvākyaṃ śrutvā 'mṛtamayaṃ tadā | praharṣamatulaṃ lebhe rāmaḥ satyaparākramaḥ || 7.83.16 ||

Having heard that nectar-like speech of Bharata, Rama, of true valor, then obtained incomparable delight.

Shloka 17 (uttara.83.17)

उवाच च शुभं वाक्यं कैकेय्यानन्दवर्धनम् । प्रीतो ऽस्मि परितुष्टो ऽस्मि तवाद्य वचने ऽनघ ।। ७.८३.१७ ।।

uvāca ca śubhaṃ vākyaṃ kaikeyyānandavardhanam | prīto 'smi parituṣṭo 'smi tavādya vacane 'nagha || 7.83.17 ||

And he spoke an auspicious word to him, the increaser of Kaikeyi's joy: "I am pleased, I am well content, O sinless one, with your speech today."

Shloka 18 (uttara.83.18)

इदं वचनमक्लीबं त्वया धर्मसमाहितम् । व्याहृतं पुरुषव्याघ्र पृथिव्याः परिपालनम् ।। ७.८३.१८ ।।

idaṃ vacanamaklībaṃ tvayā dharmasamāhitam | vyāhṛtaṃ puruṣavyāghra pṛthivyāḥ paripālanam || 7.83.18 ||

"This unfaltering speech of yours, grounded in righteousness, has spoken of the true protection of the earth, O tiger among men."

Shloka 19 (uttara.83.19)

एष्यदस्मदभिप्रायाद्राजसूयात्क्रतूत्तमात् । निवर्तयामि धर्मज्ञ तव सुव्याहृतेन च ।। ७.८३.१९ ।।

eṣyadasmadabhiprāyādrājasūyātkratūttamāt | nivartayāmi dharmajña tava suvyāhṛtena ca || 7.83.19 ||

"By your good counsel, O knower of dharma, I now turn back from my own resolve -- from that supreme rite of the Rajasuya."

Shloka 20 (uttara.83.20)

लोकपीडाकरं कर्म न कर्तव्यं विचक्षणैः । बालानां तु शुभं वाक्यं ग्राह्य लक्ष्मणपूर्वज । तस्माच्छृणोमि ते वाक्यं साधु युक्तं महामते ।। ७.८३.२० ।।

lokapīḍākaraṃ karma na kartavyaṃ vicakṣaṇaiḥ | bālānāṃ tu śubhaṃ vākyaṃ grāhya lakṣmaṇapūrvaja | tasmācchṛṇomi te vākyaṃ sādhu yuktaṃ mahāmate || 7.83.20 ||

"An act that brings suffering upon the people should not be undertaken by the wise; yet the good counsel even of the young ought to be accepted, O elder brother of Lakshmana. Therefore, O great-minded one, I heed your excellent and well-reasoned word."