Ayodhya Kanda · Sarga 54 of 119 · 43 verses
Bharadvaja at Prayaga
After the night under the great tree, at clear sunrise they set out for the place where the Bhagirathi Ganga meets the Yamuna, through a great forest, seeing lovely lands they have never seen before. At the end of the day Rama tells Saumitri: “Look, a column of smoke rising near Prayaga, the banner of the blessed fire; I think a sage is near. Surely we have reached the meeting of the Ganga and Yamuna; I hear water dashing against water. And the wood split by forest-dwellers, and these many trees, belong to Bharadvaja’s hermitage.” As the sun sinks, the two archers reach the sage’s dwelling. Approaching, they stand at a distance with Sita, wishing to see him. Entering, Rama sees the great sage surrounded by disciples, firm in his vows, his vision won by austerity, his fire rite done, and with Lakshmana and Sita salutes him with joined palms: “Lord, we are the sons of Dasharatha, Rama and Lakshmana. This is my wife Vaidehi, Janaka’s daughter, who has followed me to this lonely grove; my dear younger brother Saumitri, firm in his vows, followed me when my father banished me. By our father’s command we will enter the forest of austerities and practise dharma there, living on roots and fruit.”
The righteous sage brings a cow, the guest offering and water, and foods of many flavours made from forest roots and fruit, and arranges a dwelling. Surrounded by deer, birds and sages, he welcomes Rama: “At last I see you here, Kakutstha. I have heard of your causeless exile. This place at the meeting of the great rivers is secluded, holy and lovely; live here happily.” Rama, devoted to the good of all, answers: “Lord, the people of the city and country are near; seeing that I am easy to visit here, they will come to see Vaidehi and me. For that reason I do not want to live here. Find a secluded place for a hermitage, lord, where Vaidehi, who deserves comfort, may be happy.” The great sage says: “Ten kos from here, my son, is a mountain where you may live, holy, frequented by great sages, lovely to see on every side, visited by gopucchas, frequented by monkeys and bears, called Chitrakuta, like Gandhamadana. As long as a man looks on Chitrakuta’s peaks, he turns his mind to good and not to evil. Many sages there, after a hundred autumns, rose to heaven by austerity. I think that dwelling will be secluded and pleasant for you; or live here with me.” Bharadvaja receives his dear guests with every comfort. The holy night passes as Rama tells wonderful stories; Kakutstha, tired, sleeps happily in the lovely hermitage. At dawn he asks leave to go, and the sage says: “Go to Chitrakuta, rich in honey, roots and fruit. I think it fitting for you: full of trees, frequented by kinnaras and serpents, echoing with peacocks, visited by lordly elephants, holy and lovely. You will see herds of elephants and deer roaming its forests, and your heart will delight, walking with Sita among its rivers, springs, slopes, caves, ravines and waterfalls. Go and make your hermitage on that auspicious mountain, ringing with lapwings and koels, lovely with deer and rutting elephants.”
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ते तु तस्मिन्महावृक्ष उषित्वा रजनीं शिवाम् । विमलेऽभ्युदिते सूर्ये तस्माद्देशात्प्रतस्थिरे ॥ १ ॥
Having spent the auspicious night beneath that great tree, they set out from that place when the clear sun had risen.
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Bharadvaja at Prayaga 1 min read.
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यत्र भागीरथी गङ्गा यमुनामभिप्रवर्तते । जग्मुस्तं देशमुद्दिश्य विगाह्य सुमहद्वनम् ॥ २ ॥
Plunging into a very great forest, they went toward the place where the Bhagirathi Ganga meets the Yamuna.
ते भूमिमागान्विविधान् देशांश्चापि मनोरमान् । अदृष्टपूर्वान्पश्यन्तस्तत्र तत्र यशस्विनः ॥ ३ ॥
The glorious ones saw here and there lands of many kinds and lovely regions never seen before.
यथा क्षेमेण गच्चन्स पश्यमश्च विविधान् द्रुमान् । निवृत्तमात्रे दिवसे रामः सौमित्रिमब्रवीत् ॥ ४ ॥
As he went on safely, looking at the many kinds of trees, when the day was just ending, Rama said to Saumitri:
प्रयागमभितः पश्य सौमित्रे धूममुन्नतम् । अग्नेर्भगवतः केतुं मन्ये संनिहितो मुनिः ॥ ५ ॥
“Look, Saumitri, near Prayaga, the smoke rising up, the banner of the blessed fire; I think a sage is near.
नूनं प्राप्ताः स्म सम्भेदं गङ्गायमुनयोर्वयम् । तथाहि श्रूयते शम्ब्दो वारिणा वारिघट्टितः ॥ ६ ॥
“Surely we have reached the meeting of the Ganga and the Yamuna; for the sound of water striking water is heard.
दारूणि परिभिन्नानि वनजैरुपजीविभिः । भरद्वाजाश्रमे चैते दृश्यन्ते विविधा द्रुमाः ॥ ७ ॥
“Wood split by those who live on forest produce, and these many kinds of trees, are seen in Bharadvaja’s hermitage.”
धन्विनौ तौ सुखं गत्वा लम्बमाने दिवाकरे । गङ्गायमुनयोः संधौ प्रापतुर्निलयं मुनेः ॥ ८ ॥
Going pleasantly, as the sun hung low, the two archers reached the sage’s dwelling at the meeting of the Ganga and Yamuna.
रामस्त्वाश्रममासाद्य त्रासयन्मृगपक्षिणः । गत्वा मुहूर्तमध्वानं भरद्वाजमुपागमत् ॥ ९ ॥
Reaching the hermitage, frightening the beasts and birds, Rama, having gone a short way, approached Bharadvaja.
ततस्त्वाश्रममासाद्य मुनेर्दर्शनकाङ्क्षिणौ । सीतयानुगतौ वीरौ दूरादेवावतस्थतुः ॥ १० ॥
Coming to the hermitage, wishing to see the sage, the two heroes, followed by Sita, stopped at a distance.
स प्रविश्य महात्मानमृषिं शिष्यगणैर्वऋतम् । संशितव्रतमेकाग्रं तपसा लब्धचक्षुषम् ॥ ११ ॥
हुताग्निहोत्रं दृष्ट्वैव महाभागं कृताञ्जलिः । रामः सौमित्रिणा सार्धं सीतया चाभ्यवादयत् ॥ १२ ॥
Entering, and seeing the great-souled sage surrounded by his disciples, of strict vows, one-pointed, his vision won by austerity, his fire offering made, Rama with Saumitri and with Sita saluted the fortunate one with joined palms.
न्यवेदयत चात्मानं तस्मै लक्ष्मणपूर्वजः । पुत्रौ दशरथस्यावां भगवन्रामलक्ष्मणौ ॥ १३ ॥
Lakshmana’s elder brother announced himself to him: “Lord, we two are the sons of Dasharatha, Rama and Lakshmana.
भार्या ममेयं वैदेही कल्याणी जनकात्मजा । मां चानुयाता विजनं तपोवनमनिन्दिता ॥ १४ ॥
“This is my wife Vaidehi, the auspicious daughter of Janaka; faultless, she has followed me to the lonely forest of austerities.
पित्रा प्रव्राज्यमानं मां सौमित्रिरनुजः प्रियः । अयमन्वगमद् भ्राता वनमेव दृढव्रतः ॥ १५ ॥
“When I was being banished by my father, this dear younger brother Saumitri, firm in his vows, followed me to the forest.
पित्रा नियुक्ता भगवन्प्रवेक्ष्यामस्तपोवनम् । धर्ममेवाचरिष्यामस्तत्र मूलफलाशनाः ॥ १६ ॥
“Commanded by our father, lord, we will enter the forest of austerities and practise dharma there, living on roots and fruit.”
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा राजपुत्रस्य धीमतः । उपानयत धर्मात्मा गामर्घ्यमुदकं ततः ॥ १७ ॥
Hearing these words of the wise prince, the righteous one then brought a cow, the guest offering and water.
नानाविधानन्नरसान्वन्यमूलफलाश्रयान् । तेभ्यो ददौ तप्ततपा वासं चैवाभ्यकल्पयत् ॥ १८ ॥
He, who had practised austerity, gave them foods of many flavours made from forest roots and fruit, and arranged a dwelling.
मृगपक्षिभिरासीनो मुनिभिश्च समन्ततः । राममागतमभ्यर्च्य स्वागतेनाहतं मुनिः ॥ १९ ॥
Seated among the beasts and birds and with sages all around, the sage honoured Rama on his arrival and said to him, “Welcome.”
प्रतिगृह्य च तामर्चामुपविष्टं स राघवम् । भरद्वाजोऽब्रवीद् वाक्यं धर्मयुक्तमिदं तदा ॥ २० ॥
When Raghava, having accepted that honour, was seated, Bharadvaja then spoke these words full of dharma:
चिरस्य खलु काकुत्स्थ पश्यामि त्वामिहागतम् । श्रुतं तव मया चेदं विवासनमकारणम् ॥ २१ ॥
“At last, Kakutstha, I see you come here. And I have heard of this causeless banishment of yours.
अवकाशो विविक्तोऽयं महानद्योः समागमे । पुण्यश्च रमणीयश्च वसत्विह भवान्सुखम् ॥ २२ ॥
“This secluded space at the meeting of the great rivers is holy and lovely; let your lordship live here happily.”
एवमुक्तस्तु वचनं भरद्वाजेन राघवः । प्रत्युवाच शुभं वाक्यं रामः सर्वहिते रतः ॥ २३ ॥
So addressed by Bharadvaja, Raghava, devoted to the good of all, replied in auspicious words:
भगवन्नित आसन्नः पौरजानपदो जनः । सुदर्शमिह मां प्रेक्ष्य मन्येऽहमिममाश्रमम् ॥ २४ ॥
“Lord, the people of the city and the country are near from here. Seeing that I am easy to see here, I think, this hermitage
आगमिष्यति वैदेहीं मां चापि प्रेक्षको जनः । अनेन कारणेनाहमिह वासं न रोचये ॥ २५ ॥
“people will come to, to see Vaidehi and me. For this reason I do not wish to live here.
एकान्ते पश्य भगवन्नाश्रमस्थानमुत्तमम् । रमते यत्र वैदेही सुखार्हा जनकात्मजा ॥ २६ ॥
“In a secluded place, lord, look out an excellent site for a hermitage, where Vaidehi, Janaka’s daughter, who deserves comfort, may be happy.”
एतच्छ्रुत्वा शुभं वाक्यं भरद्वाजो महामुनिः । राघवस्य ततो वाक्यमर्थग्राहकमब्रवीत् ॥ २७ ॥
Hearing these auspicious words of Raghava, the great sage Bharadvaja spoke words that grasped his meaning:
दशक्रोश इतस्तात गिरिर्यस्मिन्निवत्स्यसि । महर्षिसेवितः पुण्यः सर्वतः सुखदर्शनः ॥ २८ ॥
“Ten kroshas from here, my son, is a mountain where you will live, holy, frequented by great sages, pleasant to see on every side,
गोलाङ्गूलानुचरितो वानरर्क्षनिषेवितः । चित्रकूट इति ख्यातो गन्धमादनसंनिभः ॥ २९ ॥
“roamed by gopucchas, visited by monkeys and bears, known as Chitrakuta, like Gandhamadana.
यावता चित्रकूटस्य नरः शृङ्गाण्यवेक्षते । कल्याणानि समाधत्ते न पापे कुरुते मनः ॥ ३० ॥
“As long as a man looks on the peaks of Chitrakuta, he sets his mind on good things and does not set it on evil.
ऋषयस्तत्र बहवो विहृत्य शरदां शतम् । तपसा दिवमारूढाः कपालशिरसा सह ॥ ३१ ॥
“Many sages there, having spent a hundred autumns, rose to heaven by austerity, with skull-like crowns of matted hair.
प्रविविक्तमहं मन्ये तं वासं भवतः सुखम् । इह वा वनवासाय वस राम मया सह ॥ ३२ ॥
“I think that dwelling will be secluded and pleasant for you. Or else, for your forest life, live here with me, Rama.”
स रामं सर्वकामैस्तं भरद्वाजः प्रियातिथिम् । सभार्यं सह च भ्रात्रा प्रतिजग्राह धर्मवित् ॥ ३३ ॥
Bharadvaja, knower of dharma, received Rama, his dear guest, with his wife and brother, with every comfort.
तस्य प्रयागे रामस्य तं महर्षिमुपेयुषः । प्रपन्ना रजनी पुण्या चित्राः कथयतः कथाः ॥ ३४ ॥
For Rama, who had come to the great sage at Prayaga and was telling wonderful stories, the holy night came on.
सीतातृतीयः काकुत्स्थः परिश्रान्तः सुखोचितः । भरद्वाजाश्रमे रम्ये तां रात्रिमवसत्सुखम् ॥ ३५ ॥
Kakutstha, the third with Sita, tired, used to comfort, spent that night happily in Bharadvaja’s lovely hermitage.
प्रभातायां रजन्यां तु भरद्वाजमुपागमत् । उवाच नरशार्दूलो मुनिं ज्वलिततेजसम् ॥ ३६ ॥
When the night had dawned, the tiger among men went to Bharadvaja and said to the sage, blazing with energy:
शर्वरीं भगवन्नद्य सत्यशील तवाश्रमे । उषिताः स्मेह वसतिमनुजानातु नो भवान् ॥ ३७ ॥
“We have spent the night here in your hermitage today, you whose character is truth. Let your lordship permit us to leave this dwelling.”
रात्र्यां तु तस्यां व्युष्टायां भरद्वाजोऽब्रवीदिदम् । मधुमूलफलोपेतं चित्रकूटं व्रजेति ह ॥ ३८ ॥
When that night had dawned, Bharadvaja said this: “Go to Chitrakuta, full of honey, roots and fruit.
वासमौपयिकं मन्ये तव राम महाबल । नानानगगणोपेतः किन्नरोरगसेवितः ॥ ३९ ॥
“I think it a fitting dwelling for you, mighty Rama: full of many kinds of trees, frequented by kinnaras and serpents,
मयूरनादाभिरुतो गजराजनिषेवितः । गम्यतां भवता शैलश्चित्रकूटः स विश्रुतः ॥ ४० ॥
“echoing with the cries of peacocks, visited by lordly elephants. Go, your lordship, to that famous mountain Chitrakuta,
पुण्यश्च रमणीयश्च बहुमूलफलायुतः । तत्र कुञ्जरयूथानि मृगयूथानि चाभितः ॥ ४१ ॥
“holy and lovely, abounding in roots and fruit. There herds of elephants and herds of deer all around
विचरन्ति वनान्तेषु तानि द्रक्ष्यसि राघव । सरित्प्रस्रवणप्रस्थान्दरीकन्धरनिर्घरान् ॥ ४२ ॥
“roam in the forest borders; you will see them, Raghava. Its rivers, springs, slopes, caves, ravines and waterfalls,
चरतः सीतया सार्धं नन्दिष्यति मनस्तव । प्रहृष्टकोयष्टिककोकिलस्वनैर्विनादितं तं वसुधाधरं शिवम् । मृगैश्च मत्तैर्बहुभिश्च कुञ्जरैः सुरम्यमासाद्य समावसाश्रमम् ॥ ४३ ॥
“as you wander with Sita, will delight your mind. Reaching that auspicious mountain, echoing with the glad calls of lapwings and koels, lovely with deer and many rutting elephants, make your hermitage there.”