At Bharadvaja's Hermitage

Shloka 1 (yuddha.124.1)

पूर्णे चतुर्दशे वर्षे पञ्चम्यां लक्ष्मणाग्रजः। भरद्वाजाश्रमं प्राप्य ववन्दे नियतो मुनिम्॥ 124.1 ॥

pūrṇe caturdaśe varṣe pañcamyāṃ lakṣmaṇāgrajaḥ| bharadvājāśramaṃ prāpya vavande niyato munim|| 124.1 ||

With the fourteenth year completed, on the fifth lunar day, Lakshmana's elder brother Rama, reaching the hermitage of Bharadvaja, disciplined as ever, offered his salutation to the sage.

Shloka 2 (yuddha.124.2)

सोऽपृच्छदभिवाद्यैनं भरद्वाजं तपोधनम्। शृणोषि कच्चिद् भगवन् सुभिक्षानामयं पुरे। कच्चित् स युक्तो भरतो जीवन्त्यपि च मातरः॥ 124.2 ॥

so'pṛcchadabhivādyainaṃ bharadvājaṃ tapodhanam| śṛṇoṣi kaccid bhagavan subhikṣānāmayaṃ pure| kaccit sa yukto bharato jīvantyapi ca mātaraḥ|| 124.2 ||

Having offered obeisance, he asked Bharadvaja, rich in austerity: "Do you hear, O venerable one, that the city enjoys abundance and freedom from disease? Is Bharata attentive to his duty, and are my mothers still living?"

Shloka 3 (yuddha.124.3)

एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण भरद्वाजो महामुनिः। प्रत्युवाच रघुश्रेष्ठं स्मितपूर्वं प्रहृष्टवत्॥ 124.3 ॥

evamuktastu rāmeṇa bharadvājo mahāmuniḥ| pratyuvāca raghuśreṣṭhaṃ smitapūrvaṃ prahṛṣṭavat|| 124.3 ||

Thus asked by Rama, the great sage Bharadvaja, quite rejoiced, replied to the foremost of the Raghus with a smile —

Shloka 4 (yuddha.124.4)

पङ्कदिग्धस्तु भरतो जटिलस्त्वां प्रतीक्षते। पादुके ते पुरस्कृत्य सर्वं च कुशलं गृहे॥ 124.4 ॥

paṅkadigdhastu bharato jaṭilastvāṃ pratīkṣate| pāduke te puraskṛtya sarvaṃ ca kuśalaṃ gṛhe|| 124.4 ||

"Bharata, mud-smeared and matted-haired, awaits you, keeping your sandals ever before him; all is well at home.

Shloka 5 (yuddha.124.5)

त्वां पुरा चीरवसनं प्रविशन्तं महावनम्। स्त्रीतृतीयं च्युतं राज्याद् धर्मकामं च केवलम्॥ 124.5 ॥

tvāṃ purā cīravasanaṃ praviśantaṃ mahāvanam| strītṛtīyaṃ cyutaṃ rājyād dharmakāmaṃ ca kevalam|| 124.5 ||

Earlier, when I saw you entering the great forest clad in bark-garments, with your wife as your sole companion, wishing for nothing but righteousness,

Shloka 6 (yuddha.124.6)

पदातिं त्यक्तसर्वस्वं पितृनिर्देशकारिणम्। सर्वभोगैः परित्यक्तं स्वर्गच्युतमिवामरम्॥ 124.6 ॥

padātiṃ tyaktasarvasvaṃ pitṛnirdeśakāriṇam| sarvabhogaiḥ parityaktaṃ svargacyutamivāmaram|| 124.6 ||

walking on foot, having renounced all your possessions, carrying out your father's command, deprived of every comfort, like an immortal fallen from heaven,

Shloka 7 (yuddha.124.7)

दृष्ट्वा तु करुणापूर्वं ममासीत् समितिंजय। कैकेयीवचने युक्तं वन्यमूलफलाशिनम्॥ 124.7 ॥

dṛṣṭvā tu karuṇāpūrvaṃ mamāsīt samitiṃjaya| kaikeyīvacane yuktaṃ vanyamūlaphalāśinam|| 124.7 ||

held to Kaikeyi's word, living on wild roots and fruits — seeing this, O victor in battle, great pity had arisen in me then.

Shloka 8 (yuddha.124.8)

साम्प्रतं तु समृद्धार्थं समित्रगणबान्धवम्। समीक्ष्य विजितारिं च ममाभूत् प्रीतिरुत्तमा॥ 124.8 ॥

sāmprataṃ tu samṛddhārthaṃ samitragaṇabāndhavam| samīkṣya vijitāriṃ ca mamābhūt prītiruttamā|| 124.8 ||

But now, seeing you prosperous, accompanied by your host of friends and kinsmen, and having conquered your foes, the greatest delight has arisen in me.

Shloka 9 (yuddha.124.9)

सर्वं च सुखदुःखं ते विदितं मम राघव। यत् त्वया विपुलं प्राप्तं जनस्थाननिवासिना॥ 124.9 ॥

sarvaṃ ca sukhaduḥkhaṃ te viditaṃ mama rāghava| yat tvayā vipulaṃ prāptaṃ janasthānanivāsinā|| 124.9 ||

O Raghava, all the abundant joy and sorrow you experienced while dwelling in Janasthana is known to me.

Shloka 10 (yuddha.124.10)

ब्राह्मणार्थे नियुक्तस्य रक्षतः सर्वतापसान्। रावणेन हृता भार्या बभूवेयमनिन्दिता॥ 124.10 ॥

brāhmaṇārthe niyuktasya rakṣataḥ sarvatāpasān| rāvaṇena hṛtā bhāryā babhūveyamaninditā|| 124.10 ||

While you, engaged in protecting all the ascetics for the sake of the brahmins, were so occupied, this blameless wife of yours was carried off by Ravana.

Shloka 11 (yuddha.124.11)

मारीचदर्शनं चैव सीतोन्मथनमेव च। कबन्धदर्शनं चैव पम्पाभिगमनं तथा॥ 124.11 ॥

mārīcadarśanaṃ caiva sītonmathanameva ca| kabandhadarśanaṃ caiva pampābhigamanaṃ tathā|| 124.11 ||

The appearing of Maricha, the abduction of Sita, the encounter with Kabandha, and the journey to Pampa,

Shloka 12 (yuddha.124.12)

सुग्रीवेण च ते सख्यं यत्र वाली हतस्त्वया। मार्गणं चैव वैदेह्याः कर्म वातात्मजस्य च॥ 124.12 ॥

sugrīveṇa ca te sakhyaṃ yatra vālī hatastvayā| mārgaṇaṃ caiva vaidehyāḥ karma vātātmajasya ca|| 124.12 ||

your alliance with Sugriva, where Vali was slain by you, the search for Vaidehi and the exploit of the wind-god's son,

Shloka 13 (yuddha.124.13)

विदितायां च वैदेह्यां नलसेतुर्यथा कृतः। यथा चादीपिता लङ्का प्रहृष्टैर्हरियूथपैः॥ 124.13 ॥

viditāyāṃ ca vaidehyāṃ nalaseturyathā kṛtaḥ| yathā cādīpitā laṅkā prahṛṣṭairhariyūthapaiḥ|| 124.13 ||

how, once Vaidehi's whereabouts were known, the Nala-bridge was built, and how Lanka was set ablaze by the rejoicing monkey-chiefs,

Shloka 14 (yuddha.124.14)

सपुत्रबान्धवामात्यः सबलः सहवाहनः। यथा च निहतः संख्ये रावणो बलदर्पितः॥ 124.14 ॥

saputrabāndhavāmātyaḥ sabalaḥ sahavāhanaḥ| yathā ca nihataḥ saṃkhye rāvaṇo baladarpitaḥ|| 124.14 ||

and how Ravana, arrogant in his might, together with his sons, kinsmen, ministers, army and mounts, was slain in that battle,

Shloka 15 (yuddha.124.15)

यथा च निहते तस्मिन् रावणे देवकण्टके। समागमश्च त्रिदशैर्यथा दत्तश्च ते वरः॥ 124.15 ॥

yathā ca nihate tasmin rāvaṇe devakaṇṭake| samāgamaśca tridaśairyathā dattaśca te varaḥ|| 124.15 ||

and, once that thorn to the gods, Ravana, was slain, how the gods came to meet you and what boon was granted to you —

Shloka 16 (yuddha.124.16)

सर्वं ममैतद् विदितं तपसा धर्मवत्सल। सम्पतन्ति च मे शिष्याः प्रवृत्त्याख्याः पुरीमितः॥ 124.16 ॥

sarvaṃ mamaitad viditaṃ tapasā dharmavatsala| sampatanti ca me śiṣyāḥ pravṛttyākhyāḥ purīmitaḥ|| 124.16 ||

O lover of righteousness, all this is known to me through my asceticism; my disciples go from here to the city and bring back such news.

Shloka 17 (yuddha.124.17)

अहमप्यत्र ते दद्मि वरं शस्त्रभृतां वर। अर्घ्यं प्रतिगृहाणेदमयोध्यां श्वो गमिष्यसि॥ 124.17 ॥

ahamapyatra te dadmi varaṃ śastrabhṛtāṃ vara| arghyaṃ pratigṛhāṇedamayodhyāṃ śvo gamiṣyasi|| 124.17 ||

"O foremost among wielders of weapons, I too now offer you a boon here — accept this offering; tomorrow you shall go to Ayodhya."

Shloka 18 (yuddha.124.18)

तस्य तच्छिरसा वाक्यं प्रतिगृह्य नृपात्मजः। बाढमित्येव संहृष्टः श्रीमान् वरमयाचत॥ 124.18 ॥

tasya tacchirasā vākyaṃ pratigṛhya nṛpātmajaḥ| bāḍhamityeva saṃhṛṣṭaḥ śrīmān varamayācata|| 124.18 ||

Accepting that sage's word with his head bowed low, and greatly delighted, the glorious prince said, "So be it," and asked for this boon —

Shloka 19 (yuddha.124.19)

अकालफलिनो वृक्षाः सर्वे चापि मधुस्रवाः। फलान्यमृतगन्धीनि बहूनि विविधानि च॥ 124.19 ॥

akālaphalino vṛkṣāḥ sarve cāpi madhusravāḥ| phalānyamṛtagandhīni bahūni vividhāni ca|| 124.19 ||

"May all the trees along the way, as I go towards Ayodhya, bear fruit out of season and flow with honey, and may abundant fruits of many kinds, fragrant as nectar,

Shloka 20 (yuddha.124.20)

भवन्तु मार्गे भगवन्नयोध्यां प्रति गच्छतः। तथेति च प्रतिज्ञाते वचनात् समनन्तरम्॥ 124.20 ॥

bhavantu mārge bhagavannayodhyāṃ prati gacchataḥ| tatheti ca pratijñāte vacanāt samanantaram|| 124.20 ||

appear on them, O venerable one." No sooner had the sage said "So be it," than immediately, in accordance with that word,

Shloka 21 (yuddha.124.21)

अभवन् पादपास्तत्र स्वर्गपादपसंनिभाः। निष्फलाः फलिनश्चासन् विपुष्पाः पुष्पशालिनः॥ 124.21 ॥

abhavan pādapāstatra svargapādapasaṃnibhāḥ| niṣphalāḥ phalinaścāsan vipuṣpāḥ puṣpaśālinaḥ|| 124.21 ||

the trees there became like the trees of heaven — those bearing no fruit grew laden with fruit, those without blossom became rich with flowers,

Shloka 22 (yuddha.124.22)

शुष्काः समग्रपत्रास्ते नगाश्चैव मधुस्रवाः। सर्वतो योजनास्तिस्रो गच्छतामभवंस्तदा॥ 124.22 ॥

śuṣkāḥ samagrapatrāste nagāścaiva madhusravāḥ| sarvato yojanāstisro gacchatāmabhavaṃstadā|| 124.22 ||

the withered trees, fully leafed, began to flow with honey too — for three yojanas on every side, along the path of their going.

Shloka 23 (yuddha.124.23)

ततः प्रहृष्टाः प्लवगर्षभास्ते बहूनि दिव्यानि फलानि चैव। कामादुपाश्नन्ति सहस्रशस्ते मुदान्विताः स्वर्गजितो यथैव॥ 124.23 ॥

tataḥ prahṛṣṭāḥ plavagarṣabhāste bahūni divyāni phalāni caiva| kāmādupāśnanti sahasraśaste mudānvitāḥ svargajito yathaiva|| 124.23 ||

Then those delighted foremost monkeys, filled with joy as though they had conquered heaven, ate at will, by the thousand, those many wondrous fruits.