Ayodhya Kanda · Sarga 75 of 119 · 65 verses
Bharata’s Oaths before Kausalya
After a long time mighty Bharata recovers and gets up. Looking at his wretched mother with tear-filled eyes, he condemns her before the ministers: “I never wanted the kingdom, nor did I plot with my mother. I knew nothing of the consecration the king had planned, for I was living far away with Shatrughna. I knew nothing of great-souled Rama’s exile, or of how Saumitri and Sita came to be banished.” Hearing great-souled Bharata crying out, Kausalya says to Sumitra: “Bharata, son of Kaikeyi of cruel deeds, has come. I want to see that far-sighted Bharata.” Pale, in soiled clothes, trembling and half-conscious, she sets out toward where Bharata is; and Bharata, Rama’s younger brother, with Shatrughna, sets out toward Kausalya’s house. Seeing Kausalya, grieving, fallen, senseless, Shatrughna and Bharata embrace her, weeping with the weeping noble lady. Deeply grieved, Kausalya says to Bharata: “Here is the kingdom you wanted, won for you without a thorn, quickly, alas, by Kaikeyi’s cruel deed. What good does cruel-sighted Kaikeyi see in sending my son to live in the forest in rags? Let Kaikeyi send me quickly too, to where my glorious son of the golden navel is. Or I myself, with Sumitra following, will go gladly, carrying my sacred fire before me, to where Raghava is. Or you yourself take me there today, where that tiger among men, my son, is doing penance. This wide kingdom, rich in wealth and grain, full of elephants, horses and chariots, has been handed over to you by her.”
Threatened with these and many other cruel words, sinless Bharata feels sharp pain, like a wound pricked by a needle. Bewildered, he falls at her feet, laments much, faints, and recovers. Then, palms joined, he answers Kausalya, wrapped in her many griefs: “Noble lady, why do you blame me, who knew nothing and am without sin? You know my great and steady love for Raghava. Let his mind, though trained in the shastras, never follow them, he by whose consent the noble one went, the truthful, the best of the good.” Then Bharata swears a long series of oaths, each ending with the same refrain: let whoever agreed to my noble brother’s going become a servant of the wicked; urinate facing the sun; kick a sleeping cow; bear the sin of a master who makes a servant do great work and pays him nothing; bear the sin of those who betray a king who protects his people like sons; bear the sin of a king who takes a sixth of the harvest as tax and does not protect his subjects; bear the sin of those who promise sacrificial fees to ascetics and then deny them; never fight by the dharma of the good in battle; destroy the subtle teaching his wise teacher gave him with effort; never see Rama, broad-shouldered and mighty-armed, bright as the moon and sun, seated on the throne; eat milk-rice, sesame-rice and goat’s flesh cruelly, without offering them first; despise his elders; touch cows with his foot, slander his teachers, betray his friends; reveal secrets told in trust; be ungrateful, shameless and hated by all; eat sweet food alone in a house full of sons, wives and servants; die childless without a fitting wife and without the rites of dharma; never see his own offspring and die before his time; bear the sin of killing a king, women, children and the old, and the sin of abandoning dependants; support his servants by selling lac, honey, meat, iron and poison; be killed fleeing in battle; wander the earth in rags with a skull-bowl in his hand like a madman, begging; be addicted to drink, women and dice, overcome by lust and anger; turn his mind from dharma to adharma, and give gifts to the unworthy; have his wealth, gathered in thousands, plundered by thieves; bear the sin of one who sleeps through both twilights; bear the sin of an arsonist, of one who violates his teacher’s bed, of one who betrays a friend; never serve the gods, the ancestors, his mother and father; fall from the world of the good, the fame of the good and the deeds the good love; neglect his mother and live in misfortune; be poor with many children, always sick with fever; frustrate the hopes of the needy who look up at him; delight in deceit, harsh, slanderous, unclean, unrighteous, afraid of the king; pass over his own faithful wife in her season; abandon his lawful wife for others’ wives; bear the sin of a brahmana who has lost his children; bear the sin of one who poisons water or gives poison; obstruct worship offered to a brahmana, and milk a cow whose calf is young; deceive a thirsty man when water is there; bear the sin of one who watches partisans quarrelling about devotion and takes sides.
So comforting Kausalya, bereft of husband and son, the prince falls down, overcome by grief. As Bharata swears these hard oaths and loses consciousness, burning with grief, Kausalya says: “This pain of mine grows greater, son; by swearing these oaths you choke my life. By good fortune your mind has not moved from dharma, nor Lakshmana’s. Child, true to your word, you will reach the worlds of the good.” Saying this, she takes Bharata, who loves his brother, on her lap, embraces the mighty-armed one, and weeps bitterly. As the great soul laments, struck by sorrow, his mind is shaken by delusion and the pressure of grief. Lamenting, senseless, his judgement lost, fallen on the ground, sighing long again and again, the night passes for him in grief.
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दीर्घकालात्समुत्थाय संज्ञां लब्ध्वा च वीर्यवान् । नेत्राभ्यामश्रुपूर्णाभ्यां दीनामुद्वीक्ष्य मातरम् ॥ १ ॥
Rising after a long time and regaining consciousness, the mighty one, looking up with tear-filled eyes at his wretched mother,
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Bharata’s Oaths before Kausalya 1 min read.
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सोऽमात्यमध्येभरतो जननीमभ्यकुत्सयत् । राज्यं न कामये जातु मन्त्रये नापि मातरम् ॥ २ ॥
Bharata, among the ministers, condemned his mother: “I never desired the kingdom, nor did I consult with my mother.
अभिषेकं न जानामि योऽभूद्राज्ञा समीक्षितः । विप्रकृष्टे ह्यहं देशे शत्रुघ्नसहितोऽवसम् ॥ ३ ॥
“I knew nothing of the consecration that the king had planned; for I was living in a distant land with Shatrughna.
वनवासं न जानामि रामस्याहं महात्मनः । विवासनं वा सौमित्रेः सीतायाश्च यथाभवत् ॥ ४ ॥
“I knew nothing of the forest exile of great-souled Rama, nor of how the banishment of Saumitri and Sita came about.”
तथैव क्रोशतस्तस्य भरतस्य महात्मनः । कौसल्या शब्दमाज्ञाय सुमित्रामिदमब्रवीत् ॥ ५ ॥
As great-souled Bharata cried out so, Kausalya, recognising his voice, said this to Sumitra:
आगतः क्रूरकार्यायाः कैकेय्या भरतः सुतः । तमहं द्रष्टुमिच्छामि भरतं दीर्घदर्शिनम् ॥ ६ ॥
“Bharata, son of Kaikeyi of cruel deeds, has come. I wish to see that far-sighted Bharata.”
एवमुक्त्वा सुमित्रां सा विवर्णा मलिनाम्बरा । प्रतस्थे भरतो यत्र वेपमाना विचेतना ॥ ७ ॥
Having said this to Sumitra, she, pale, in soiled clothes, trembling and half-conscious, set out toward where Bharata was.
स तु रामानुजश्चापि शत्रुघ्नसहितस्तदा । प्रतस्थे भरतो यत्र कौसल्याया निवेशनम् ॥ ८ ॥
And Bharata, Rama’s younger brother, together with Shatrughna, then set out toward where Kausalya’s house was.
ततः शत्रुघ्नभरतौ कौसल्यां प्रेक्ष्य दुःखितौ । पर्यष्वजेतां दुःखार्तां पतितां नष्टचेतनाम् ॥ ९ ॥
Then Shatrughna and Bharata, seeing Kausalya grieving, fallen, senseless, deeply afflicted, embraced her.
रुदन्तौ रुदतीं दुःखात्समेत्यार्यां मनस्विनीम् । भरतं प्रत्युवाचेदं कौसल्या भृशदुःखिता ॥ १० ॥
Weeping, they came in their sorrow to the weeping, noble, high-minded lady; and Kausalya, deeply grieved, said this to Bharata:
इदं ते राज्यकामस्य राज्यं प्राप्तमकण्टकम् । सम्प्राप्तं बत कैकेय्या शीघ्रं क्रूरेण कर्मणा ॥ ११ ॥
“Here is the kingdom you desired, gained for you without a thorn; gained, alas, quickly, through Kaikeyi’s cruel deed.
प्रस्थाप्य चीरवसनं पुत्रं मे वनवासिनम् । कैकेयी कं गुणं तत्र पश्यति क्रूरदर्शिनी ॥ १२ ॥
“Having sent my son to live in the forest dressed in rags, what merit does cruel-sighted Kaikeyi see in that?
क्षिप्रं मामपि कैकेयी प्रस्थापयितुमर्हति । हिरण्यनाभो यत्रास्ते सुतो मे सुमहायशाः ॥ १३ ॥
“Kaikeyi ought quickly to send me away too, to where my greatly glorious son with the golden navel is.
अथवा स्वयमेवाहं सुमित्रानुचरा सुखम् । अग्निहोत्रं पुरस्कृत्य प्रस्थास्ये यत्र राघवः ॥ १४ ॥
“Or I myself, followed by Sumitra, will happily set out, putting my sacred fire before me, to where Raghava is.
कामं वा स्वयमेवाद्य तत्र मां नेतुमर्हसि । यत्रासौ पुरुषव्याघ्रस्तप्यते मे सुतस्तपः ॥ १५ ॥
“Or you yourself should take me there today as you please, where that tiger among men, my son, is practising austerity.
इदं हि तव विस्तीर्णं धनधान्यसमाचितम् । हस्त्यश्वरथसम्पूर्णं राज्यं निर्यातितं तया ॥ १६ ॥
“For this wide kingdom of yours, heaped with wealth and grain, full of elephants, horses and chariots, has been handed over by her.”
इत्यादिबहुभिर्वाक्यैः क्रूरैः सम्भर्त्सितोऽनघः । विव्यथे भरतस्तीव्रं व्रणे तुद्येव सूचिना ॥ १७ ॥
Threatened with these and many other cruel words, sinless Bharata was sharply pained, as if a wound were pricked with a needle.
पपात चरणौ तस्यास्तदा सम्भ्रान्तचेतनः । विलप्य बहुधाऽसंज्ञो लब्धसंज्ञ्स्ततः स्थितः ॥ १८ ॥
Then, his mind bewildered, he fell at her feet; having lamented much, senseless, then regaining consciousness, he stood.
एवं विलपमानां तां भरतः प्राञ्जलिस्तदा । कौसल्यां प्रत्युवाचेदं शोकैर्बहुभिरावृताम् ॥ १९ ॥
Then Bharata, with joined palms, answered Kausalya, who lamented so, enveloped by many griefs:
आर्ये कस्मादजानन्तं गर्हसे मामकिल्बिषम् । विपुलां च मम प्रीतिं स्थिरां जानासि राघवे ॥ २० ॥
“Noble lady, why do you blame me, who knew nothing and am without fault? You know my great and steady love for Raghava.
कृता शास्त्रानुगा बुद्धिर्मा भूत्तस्य कदाचन । सत्यसंधः सतां श्रेष्ठो यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ २१ ॥
“Let his mind, though trained to follow the shastras, never follow them, the one by whose consent the noble one went, true to his promise, best of the good.
प्रैष्यं पापीयसां यातु सूर्यं च प्रति मेहतु । हन्तु पादेन गां सुप्तां यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ २२ ॥
“Let him become a servant of the most wicked, let him urinate facing the sun, let him kick a sleeping cow, by whose consent the noble one went.
कारयित्वा महत्कर्म भर्ता भृत्यमनर्थकम् । अधर्मो योऽस्य सोऽस्यास्तु यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ २३ ॥
“When a master makes a servant do great work and leaves him unpaid, let the wrong that is his be the wrong of him by whose consent the noble one went.
परिपालयमानस्य राज्ञो भूतानि पुत्रवत् । ततस्तु द्रुह्यतां पापं यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ २४ ॥
“The sin of those who betray a king who protects beings like sons: let it be his, by whose consent the noble one went.
बलिषड्भागमुद्धृत्य नृपस्यारक्षतः प्रजाः । अधर्मो योऽस्य सोऽस्यास्तु यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ २५ ॥
“The wrong of a king who takes a sixth of the produce as tax and does not protect his subjects: let it be his, by whose consent the noble one went.
संश्रुत्य च तपस्विभ्यः सत्रे वै यज्ञदक्षिणाम् । तां विप्रलपतां पापं यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ २६ ॥
“The sin of those who promise ascetics a sacrificial fee at a sacrifice and then deny it: let it be his, by whose consent the noble one went.
हस्त्यश्वरथसम्बाधे युद्धे शस्त्रसमाकुले । मा स्मकार्षीत् सतां धर्मं यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ २७ ॥
“In battle crowded with elephants, horses and chariots, thick with weapons, let him never follow the dharma of the good, by whose consent the noble one went.
उपदिष्टं सुसूक्ष्मार्थं शास्त्रं यत्नेन धीमता । स नाशयतु दुष्टात्मा यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ २८ ॥
“Let that wicked one destroy the teaching of most subtle meaning taught him with effort by a wise man, by whose consent the noble one went.
मा च तं व्यूढबाह्वंसं चन्द्रार्कसमतेजसम् । द्राक्षीद्राज्यस्थमासीनं यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ २९ ॥
“And let him never see that one, broad-shouldered, mighty-armed, bright as the moon and the sun, seated on the throne, by whose consent the noble one went.
पायसं कृसरं छागं वृथा सोऽश्नातु निर्घृणः । गुरूंश्चाप्यवजानातु यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ३० ॥
“Let that pitiless one eat milk-rice, sesame-rice and goat’s meat in vain, and let him despise his elders, by whose consent the noble one went.
गाश्च स्पृशतु पादेन गुरून्परिवदेत्स्वयम् । मित्रे द्रुह्येत सोऽत्यन्तं यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ३१ ॥
“Let him touch cows with his foot, let him himself slander his teachers, let him utterly betray his friend, by whose consent the noble one went.
विश्वासात्कथितं किंचित्परिवादं मिथः क्वचित् । विवृणोतु स दुष्टात्मा यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ३२ ॥
“Let that wicked one disclose some reproach told him in confidence, in private, by whose consent the noble one went.
अकर्ताह्यकृतज्ञश्च त्यक्तात्मा निरपत्रपः । लोके भवतु विद्वेष्यो यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ३३ ॥
“Doing nothing, ungrateful, self-abandoned, shameless, let him be hated in the world, by whose consent the noble one went.
पुत्रैर्दारैश्च भृत्यैश्च स्वगृहे परिवारितः । स एको मृष्टमश्नातु यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ३४ ॥
“Surrounded in his own house by sons, wives and servants, let him eat sweet food alone, by whose consent the noble one went.
अप्राप्य सदृशान्दाराननपत्यः प्रमीयताम् । अनवाप्य क्रियां धर्म्यां यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ३५ ॥
“Not finding a fitting wife, let him die childless, without obtaining the rites of dharma, by whose consent the noble one went.
मात्मनः संततिं द्राक्षीत्स्वेषु दारेषु दुःखितः । आयुः समग्रमप्राप्य यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ३६ ॥
“Let him never see his own offspring by his own wives, let him grieve and not reach his full span of life, by whose consent the noble one went.
राजस्त्रीबालवृद्धानां वधे यत्पापमुच्यते । भृत्यत्यागे च यत्पापं तत् पापं प्रतिपद्यताम् ॥ ३७ ॥
“The sin declared for killing a king, women, children and the old, and the sin of abandoning servants: let him incur that sin.
लाक्षया मधुमांसेन लोहेन च विषेण च । सदैव बिभृयाद्भृत्यान्यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ३८ ॥
“Let him always support his dependants by trading lac, honey, meat, iron and poison, by whose consent the noble one went.
संग्रामे समुपोढे स्म शत्रुपक्षभयंकरे । पलायमानो वध्येत यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ३९ ॥
“When battle is joined, terrible to the enemy side, let him be killed fleeing, by whose consent the noble one went.
कपालपाणिः पृथिवीमटतां चीरसंवृतः । भिक्षमाणो यथोन्मत्तो यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ४० ॥
“Let him wander the earth, skull in hand, clothed in rags, begging like a madman, by whose consent the noble one went.
पाने प्रसक्तो भवतु स्त्रीष्वक्षेषु च नित्यशः । कांक्रोधाभिभूतस्तु यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ४१ ॥
“Let him be always addicted to drink, to women and to dice, overcome by lust and anger, by whose consent the noble one went.
मा स्म धर्मे मनो भूयादधर्मं स निषेवताम् । अपात्रवर्षी भवतु यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ४२ ॥
“Let his mind never be on dharma; let him practise adharma; let him shower gifts on the unworthy, by whose consent the noble one went.
संचितान्यस्य वित्तानि विविधानि सहस्रशः । दस्युभिर्विप्रलुप्यन्तां यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ४३ ॥
“Let his wealth of many kinds, gathered in thousands, be plundered by robbers, by whose consent the noble one went.
उभे संध्ये शयानस्य यत्पापं परिकल्प्यते । तच्च पापं भवेत्तस्य यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ४४ ॥
“The sin reckoned for one who sleeps through both twilights: let that sin be his, by whose consent the noble one went.
यदग्निदायके पापं यत् पापं गुरुतल्पगे । मित्रद्रोहे च यत् पापं तत् पापं प्रतिपद्यताम् ॥ ४५ ॥
“The sin of an arsonist, the sin of one who defiles his teacher’s bed, the sin of betraying a friend: let him incur that sin.
देवतानां पितॄणां च मातापित्रोस्तथैव च । मा स्म कार्षीत्स शुश्रूषां यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ४६ ॥
“Let him never serve the gods, the ancestors, or his mother and father, by whose consent the noble one went.
सतां लोकात् सतां कीर्त्याः सज्जुष्टात्कर्मणस्तथा । भ्रश्यतु क्षिप्रमद्यैव यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ४७ ॥
“Let him fall at once, this very day, from the world of the good, from the fame of the good, and from deeds loved by the good, by whose consent the noble one went.
अपास्य मातृशुश्रूषामनर्थे सोऽवतिष्ठताम् । दीर्घबाहुर्महावक्षा यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ४८ ॥
“Neglecting service to his mother, let him remain in misfortune, long-armed and broad-chested though he be, by whose consent the noble one went.
बहुपुत्रो दरिद्रश्च ज्वररोगसमन्वितः । स भूयात्सततक्लेशी यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ४९ ॥
“With many children and poor, afflicted with fever and disease, let him always suffer, by whose consent the noble one went.
आशामाशंसमानानां दीनानामूर्ध्वचक्षुषाम् । अर्थिनां वितथां कुर्याद्यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ५० ॥
“Let him frustrate the hopes of supplicants, wretched, looking up at him in hope, by whose consent the noble one went.
मायया रमतां नित्यं परुषः पिशुनोऽशुचिः । राज्ञो भीतस्त्वधर्मात्मा यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ५१ ॥
“Let him always delight in deceit, harsh, slanderous, impure, unrighteous, afraid of the king, by whose consent the noble one went.
ऋतुस्नातां सतीं भार्यामृतुकालानुरोधिनीम् । अतिवर्तेत दुष्टात्मा यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ५२ ॥
“Let that wicked one neglect his faithful wife who has bathed after her season and waits for its time, by whose consent the noble one went.
धर्मदारान्परित्यज्य परदारान्निषेवताम् । त्यक्तधर्मरतिर्मूढो यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ५३ ॥
“Abandoning his lawful wife, let him go to other men’s wives, deluded, his love of dharma given up, by whose consent the noble one went.
विप्रलुप्तप्रजातस्य दुष्कृतं ब्राह्मणस्य यत् । तदेव प्रतिपद्येत यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ५४ ॥
“The evil of a brahmana whose offspring have been lost: let him incur that very thing, by whose consent the noble one went.
पानीयदूषके पापं तथैव विषदायके । यत्तदेकः स लभतां यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ५५ ॥
“The sin of one who fouls drinking water, and of one who gives poison: let him alone receive it, by whose consent the noble one went.
ब्राह्मणायोद्यतां पूजां विहन्तु कलुषेन्द्रियः । बालवत्सां च गां दोग्धु यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ५६ ॥
“Let him, with his corrupt senses, obstruct worship prepared for a brahmana, and milk a cow with a young calf, by whose consent the noble one went.
तृष्णार्तं सति पानीये विप्रलम्भेन योजयेत् । लभेत तस्य यत्पापं यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ५७ ॥
“Let him get the sin of one who, when there is water, deceives a man tormented by thirst, by whose consent the noble one went.
भक्त्या विवदमानेषु मार्गमाश्रित्य पश्यतः । तस्य पापेन युज्येत यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥ ५८ ॥
“Let him be joined to the sin of one who, when people quarrel out of devotion, takes a side as he watches, by whose consent the noble one went.”
विहीनां पतिपुत्राभ्यां कौसल्यां पार्थिवात्मजः । एवमाश्वासयन्नेव दुःखार्तो निपपात ह ॥ ५९ ॥
Comforting in this way Kausalya, bereft of husband and son, the prince, afflicted with sorrow, fell down.
तथा तु शपथैः कष्टैः शपमानमचेतनम् । भरतं शोकसंतप्तं कौसल्या वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ ६० ॥
To Bharata, swearing so with hard oaths, senseless, burning with grief, Kausalya said:
मम दुःखमिदं पुत्र भूयः समुपजायते । शपथैः शपमानो हि प्राणानुपरुणत्सि मे ॥ ६१ ॥
“This sorrow of mine grows greater still, son; for by swearing oaths you choke my life-breaths.
दिष्ट्या न चलितो धर्मादात्मा ते सहलक्ष्मणः । वत्स सत्यप्रतिज्ञो मे सतां लोकानवाप्स्यसि ॥ ६२ ॥
“By good fortune your mind has not moved from dharma, nor Lakshmana’s. Child, true to your word, you will reach the worlds of the good.”
इत्युक्त्वा चाङ्कमानीय भरतं भ्रातृवत्सलम् । परिष्वज्य महाबाहुं रुरोद भृशदुःखिता ॥ ६३ ॥
Saying this, she took Bharata, who loved his brother, on her lap and, embracing the mighty-armed one, wept, deeply grieved.
एवं विलपमानस्य दुःखार्तस्य महात्मनः । मोहाच्च शोकसम्रोधाद्बभूव लुलितं मनः ॥ ६४ ॥
As the great soul lamented so, afflicted with sorrow, his mind was shaken by delusion and the pressure of grief.
लालप्यमानस्य विचेतनस्य । प्रनष्टबुद्धेः पतितस्य भूमौ । मुहुर्मुहुर्निःश्वसतश्चदीर्घम् । सा तस्य शोकेन जगाम रात्रिः ॥ ६५ ॥
As he lamented, senseless, his judgement lost, fallen on the ground, sighing long again and again, that night passed for him in grief.