Ayodhya Kanda · Sarga 112 of 119 · 31 verses
The Sandals
The great seers gathered there are amazed to see the thrilling meeting of the two brothers of matchless splendour. Unseen, the hosts of seers, siddhas and supreme seers praise the two great-souled Kakutsthas: “Blessed is he who has two sons who know dharma and whose valour is dharma. Hearing their conversation, we long for both.” Then the seers, wishing for the death of Dashagriva (Ravana), quickly say together to Bharata, tiger among kings: “Born in a great family, very wise, of great conduct and great fame, you should accept Rama’s word if you regard your father. We wish Rama always to be free of debt to his father. Through being free of debt to Kaikeyi, Dasharatha has gone to heaven.” Having said this much, the gandharvas, great seers and royal seers all go to their own places. Gladdened by these auspicious words, handsome Rama, his face full of joy, honours the seers.
Bharata, his limbs trembling, his voice faltering, joins his palms and speaks to Raghava again: “Considering the dharma of kings and the continuance of the family’s dharma, Kakutstha, you should grant my request and my mother’s. I alone cannot protect this great kingdom, nor please the devoted citizens and country people. Our kinsmen, warriors, friends and well-wishers look only to you, as farmers to the rain-cloud. Accept this kingdom, very wise one, and establish it; you are able to protect the world, Kakutstha.” Saying this, kind-spoken Bharata falls at his brother’s feet and begs Rama earnestly. Rama takes his brother on his lap, dark, lotus-eyed, with a voice like a rutting swan’s, and says: “This understanding has come to you, natural and trained; you are fully able to protect even the earth, dear one. Consult with your ministers, friends and wise counsellors on all matters, even the greatest, and have them done. The moon might lose its beauty, the Himalaya give up its snow, the ocean cross its shore, but I will not break my father’s promise. Whether your mother did this for you out of desire or out of greed, do not keep it in your mind; treat her as a mother.” To Kausalya’s son, speaking so, bright as the sun in splendour, lovely as the new moon, Bharata says: “Noble one, step on to these sandals adorned with gold; they will provide for the welfare and security of the whole world.” The tiger among men of great splendour steps on to the sandals, steps off, and gives them to great-souled Bharata. Bowing to the sandals, Bharata says to Rama: “For fourteen years, hero, delight of the Raghus, I will wear matted hair and rags and live on fruit and roots, waiting for your return, living outside the city, having placed the government of the kingdom in your sandals, scorcher of foes. If I do not see you on the day the fourteenth year is complete, best of the Raghus, I will enter the fire.” Rama promises, “So be it,” embraces him with love, embraces Shatrughna too, and says to Bharata: “Protect your mother Kaikeyi; do not be angry with her. You are sworn by me and by Sita, best of the Raghus.” Saying this, his eyes full of tears, he sends his brother away. The mighty Bharata, knowing dharma, honours the splendid sandals, walks round Raghava, and places them on the head of the best elephant. Then the increaser of the Raghu line, firm in his own dharma like the unmoving Himalaya, greets in order the people, the elders, the ministers, the subjects and his two younger brothers, and sends them away. The mothers, their throats choked with tears, cannot speak to him for grief; Rama, saluting all his mothers, weeping, enters his own hut.
Press › to begin with verse 1.
तमप्रतिमतेजोभ्यां भ्रातृभ्यां रोमहर्षणम् । विस्मिताः सङ्गमं प्रेक्ष्य समवेता महर्षयः ॥ १ ॥
Seeing that thrilling meeting of the two brothers of matchless splendour, the great seers gathered there were amazed.
Commentary on the whole sarga
Read the commentary
अन्तर्हितास्त्वृषिगणाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः । तौ भ्रातरौ महात्मानौ महात्मानौ काकुत्स्थौ प्रशशंसिरे ॥ २ ॥
The hosts of seers, invisible, and the siddhas and supreme seers praised those two great-souled brothers, the great-souled Kakutsthas:
स धन्यो यस्य पुत्रौ द्वौ धर्मज्ञौ धर्मविक्रमौ । श्रुत्वा वयं हि सम्भाषामुभयोः स्पृहयामहे ॥ ३ ॥
“Blessed is he whose two sons know dharma and have dharma as their valour. Having heard their conversation, we long for both.”
ततस्त्वृषिगणाः क्षिप्रं दशग्रीववधैषिणः । भरतं राजशार्दूलमित्यूचुः सङ्गता वचः ॥ ४ ॥
Then the hosts of seers, wishing for the killing of Dashagriva, quickly gathered and said these words to Bharata, tiger among kings:
कुले जात महाप्राज्ञ महावृत्त महायशः । ग्राह्यं रामस्य वाक्यं ते पितरं यद्यवेक्षसे ॥ ५ ॥
“Born in a great family, very wise, of great conduct, greatly glorious: Rama’s word is to be accepted by you, if you regard your father.
सदानृणमिमं रामं वयमिच्छामहे पितुः । अनृणत्वाच्च कैकेय्याः स्वर्गं दशरथो गतः ॥ ६ ॥
“We wish this Rama always to be free of debt to his father. Through being free of debt to Kaikeyi, Dasharatha has gone to heaven.”
एतावदुक्त्वा वचनं गन्धर्वाः समहर्षयः । राजर्षयश्चैव तदा सर्वे स्वांस्वां गतिं गताः ॥ ७ ॥
Having spoken just these words, the gandharvas with the great seers, and the royal seers too, all then went to their own places.
ह्लादितस्तेन वाक्येन शुभेन शुभदर्शनः । रामः संहृष्टवदनस्तानृषीनभ्यपूजयत् ॥ ८ ॥
Gladdened by those auspicious words, handsome Rama, his face full of joy, honoured those seers.
स्रस्तगात्रस्तु भरतः स वाचा सज्जमानया । कृताञ्जलिरिदं वाक्यं राघवं पुनरब्रवीत् ॥ ९ ॥
But Bharata, his limbs trembling, with a faltering voice, joining his palms, said these words to Raghava again:
राजधर्ममनुप्रेक्ष्य कुलधर्मानुसन्ततिम् । कर्त्तुमर्हसि काकुत्स्थ मम मातुश्च याचनाम् ॥ १० ॥
“Considering the dharma of kings and the continuance of the family’s dharma, Kakutstha, you should grant my request and my mother’s.
रक्षितुं सुमहद्राज्यमहमेकस्तु नोत्सहे । पौरजानपदांश्चापि रक्तान् रञ्जयितुं तथा ॥ ११ ॥
“I alone cannot protect this very great kingdom, nor likewise please the devoted citizens and country people.
ज्ञातयश्च हि योधाश्च मित्राणि सुहृदश्च नः । त्वामेव प्रतिकांक्षन्ते पर्जन्यमिव कर्षकाः ॥ १२ ॥
“Our kinsmen and warriors, our friends and well-wishers, long for you alone, as farmers for the rain-cloud.
इदं राज्यं महाप्राज्ञ स्थापय प्रतिपद्य हि । शक्तिमानसि काकुत्स्थ लोकस्य परिपालने ॥ १३ ॥
“Accept this kingdom, very wise one, and establish it; you are able to protect the world, Kakutstha.”
इत्युक्त्वा न्यपतद् भ्रातुः पादयोर्भरतस्तदा । भृशं सम्प्रार्थयामास राममेव प्रियंवदः ॥ १४ ॥
Saying this, Bharata then fell at his brother’s feet; kind of speech, he begged Rama earnestly.
तमङ्के भ्रातरं कृत्वा रामो वचनमब्रवीत् । श्यामं नलिनपत्राक्षं मत्तहंसस्वरं स्वयम् ॥ १५ ॥
Taking his brother on his lap, dark, with eyes like lotus petals, with a voice like a rutting swan’s, Rama himself said:
आगता त्वामियं बुद्धिः स्वजा वैनयिकी च या । भृशमुत्सहसे तात रक्षितुं पृथिवीमपि ॥ १६ ॥
“This understanding has come to you, both natural and trained; you are fully able, dear one, to protect even the earth.
अमात्यैश्च सुहृद्भिश्च बुद्धिमद्भिश्च मन्त्रिभिः । सर्वकार्याणि सम्मन्त्र्य सुमहान्त्यपि कारय ॥ १७ ॥
“Consulting with ministers, friends and wise counsellors about all affairs, even very great ones, have them done.
लक्ष्मीश्चन्द्रादपेयाद्वा हिमवान् वा हिमं त्यजेत् । अतीयात् सागरो वेलां न प्रतिज्ञामहं पितुः ॥ १८ ॥
“Beauty might leave the moon, or the Himalaya give up its snow, or the ocean cross its shore; but I will not cross my father’s promise.
कामाद्वा तात लोभाद्वा मात्रा तुभ्यमिदं कृतम् । न तन्मनसि कर्त्तव्यं वर्त्तितव्यं च मातृवत् ॥ १९ ॥
“Whether out of desire or out of greed, dear one, your mother did this for you; do not keep it in your mind; behave toward her as toward a mother.”
एवं ब्रुवाणं भरतः कौसल्यासुतमब्रवीत् । तेजसादित्यसङ्काशं प्रतिपच्चन्द्रदर्शनम् ॥ २० ॥
To Kausalya’s son, speaking so, like the sun in splendour, lovely as the moon on the first day, Bharata said:
अधिरोहार्य पादाभ्यां पादुके हेमभूषिते । एते हि सर्वलोकस्य योगक्षेमं विधास्यतः ॥ २१ ॥
“Noble one, step on to these sandals adorned with gold; for they will provide for the welfare and security of the whole world.”
सो ऽधिरुह्य नरव्याघ्रः पादुके ह्यवरुह्य च । प्रायच्छत् सुमहातेजा भरताय महात्मने ॥ २२ ॥
The tiger among men of great splendour, having stepped on to the sandals and stepped off, gave them to great-souled Bharata.
स पादुके सम्प्रणम्य रामं वचनमब्रवीत् । चतुर्दश हि वर्षाणि जटाचीरधरो ह्यहम् ॥ २३ ॥
Bowing to the sandals, he said to Rama: “For fourteen years I will wear matted hair and rags,
फलमूलाशनो वीर भवेयं रघुनन्दन । तवागमनमाकांक्षन् वसन् वै नगराद्बहिः ॥ २४ ॥
“and eat fruit and roots, hero, delight of the Raghus, longing for your return, living outside the city,
तव पादुकयोर्न्यस्तराज्यतन्त्रः परन्तप । चतुर्दशे हि सम्पूर्णे वर्षे ऽहनि रघूत्तम । न द्रक्ष्यामि यदि त्वां तु प्रवेक्ष्यामि हुताशनम् ॥ २५ ॥
“having placed the government of the kingdom on your sandals, scorcher of foes. When the fourteenth year is complete, on that very day, best of the Raghus, if I do not see you, I will enter the fire.”
तथेति च प्रतिज्ञाय तं परिष्वज्य सादरम् । शत्रुघ्नं च परिष्वज्य भरतं चेदमब्रवीत् ॥ २६ ॥
Promising “So be it,” and embracing him with respect, and embracing Shatrughna too, he said this to Bharata:
मातरं रक्ष कैकेयीं मा रोषं कुरु तां प्रति । मया च सीतया चैव शप्तो ऽसि रघुसत्तम ॥ २७ ॥
“Protect your mother Kaikeyi; do not be angry with her. You are sworn by me and by Sita, best of the Raghus.”
इत्युक्त्वा ऽश्रुपरीताक्षो भ्रातरं विससर्ज ऺह ॥ २८ ॥
Having said this, his eyes full of tears, he sent his brother away.
स पादुके ते भरतः प्रतापवान् स्वलङ्कृते सम्परिपूज्य धर्मवित् । प्रदक्षिणं चैव चकार राघवं चकार चैवोत्तमनागमूर्द्धनि ॥ २९ ॥
That mighty Bharata, knowing dharma, having duly honoured those well-adorned sandals, walked round Raghava and placed them on the head of the best of elephants.
अथानुपूर्व्यात् प्रतिनन्द्य तं जनं गुरूंश्च मन्त्रिप्रकृतीस्तथानुजौ । व्यसर्जयद्राघववंशवर्द्धनः स्थिरः स्वधर्मे हिमवानिवाचलः ॥ ३० ॥
Then the increaser of the Raghu line, in order, having greeted those people, the elders, the ministers and subjects, and his two younger brothers, sent them away, firm in his own dharma like the unmoving Himalaya.
तं मातरो बाष्पगृहीतकण्ठ्यो दुःखेन नामन्त्रयितुं हि शेकुः । स त्वेव मातऽरभिवाद्य सर्वा रुदन् कुटीं स्वां प्रविवेश रामः ॥ ३१ ॥
The mothers, their throats seized by tears, could not speak to him for sorrow; but Rama, saluting all the mothers, weeping, entered his own hut.