Ayodhya Kanda · Sarga 84 of 119 · 18 verses
Guha Prepares for Bharata
Seeing the army camped along the Ganga, the king of the Nishadas quickly says to his kinsmen: “This great army looks like an ocean; even in my mind I cannot see its end. Surely the evil-minded Bharata has come himself; that is his huge chariot with the kovidara banner. Either he will have the fishermen bound or he will kill us, and then, seeking the rich royal fortune so hard to win, Kaikeyi’s son Bharata comes to kill Dasharatha’s son Rama, banished from the kingdom by his father. Rama son of Dasharatha is my master and my friend. Stand ready here on the Ganga’s bank, armed, for his sake. Let all the fishermen stand along the river, strong guards of the river, eating meat, roots and fruit. Let five hundred boats stand ready, each with a hundred young fishermen in armour.” He gives the order. “If Bharata is well disposed toward Rama, this army will cross the Ganga safely today.”
Saying this, Guha, lord of the Nishadas, takes gifts of fish, meat and honey and goes toward Bharata. Seeing him come, the charioteer’s son, powerful and courteous, tells Bharata: “This chief, surrounded by a thousand kinsmen, knows the Dandaka forest well; he is your brother’s old friend. So let Guha, lord of the Nishadas, see you, Kakutstha; he surely knows where Rama and Lakshmana are.” Hearing Sumantra’s good words, Bharata says at once, “Let Guha see me.” Given leave, delighted, surrounded by his kinsmen, Guha comes to Bharata and says humbly: “This land is your garden, and you have taken us by surprise. We place everything before you; stay in the house of the fishermen, your own. There are roots and fruit gathered by the Nishadas, fresh and dried meat, and wild food, high and low, in plenty. I hope the army will eat well and spend the night here; honoured with all you desire, you will go on tomorrow with your army.”
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ततो निविष्टां ध्वजिनीं गङ्गामन्वाश्रितां नदीम् । निषादराजो दृष्ट्वैव ज्ञातीन्संत्वरितोऽब्रवीत् ॥ १ ॥
Then, seeing the army camped along the river Ganga, the king of the Nishadas quickly said to his kinsmen:
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महतीयमितः सेना सागराभा प्रदृश्यते । नास्यान्तमवगच्छामि मनसापि विचिन्तयन् ॥ २ ॥
“This great army looks like the ocean. I cannot see its end, even thinking of it in my mind.
यथा तु खलु दुर्बुद्धिर्भरतः स्वयमागतः । स एष हि महाकायः कोविदारध्वजो रथे ॥ ३ ॥
“Surely the evil-minded Bharata has come himself; for this is his huge chariot with the kovidara banner.
बन्धयिष्यति वा दाशानथवास्मान्वधिष्यति । अथ दाशरथिं रामं पित्रा राज्याद्विवासितम् ॥ ४ ॥
“He will either have the fishermen bound, or kill us; and then Rama son of Dasharatha, banished from the kingdom by his father,
सम्पन्नां श्रियमन्विच्छंस्तस्य राज्ञः सुदुर्लभाम् । भरतः कैकयीपुत्रो हन्तुं समधिगच्छति ॥ ५ ॥
“Bharata, Kaikeyi’s son, seeking the rich royal fortune so hard to obtain, comes to kill.
भर्ता चैव सखा चैव रामो दाशरथिर्मम । तस्यार्थकामाः संनद्धा गङ्गानूपेऽत्र तिष्ठत ॥ ६ ॥
“Rama, son of Dasharatha, is my master and my friend. Wishing to serve his interest, stand here ready on the Ganga’s bank.
तिष्ठन्तु सर्व दाशाश्च गङ्गामन्वाश्रिता नदीम् । बलयुक्ता नदीरक्षा मांसमूलफलाशनाः ॥ ७ ॥
“Let all the fishermen stand along the river Ganga, guarding the river with strength, eating meat, roots and fruit.
नावां शतानां पञ्चानां कैवर्तानां शतं शतम् । संनद्धानां तथा यूनां तिष्ठन्त्वित्यभ्यचोदयत् ॥ ८ ॥
“Let five hundred boats stand ready, each with a hundred young fishermen in armour.” So he ordered.
यदा तुष्टस्तु भरतो रामस्येह भविष्यति । सेयं स्वस्तिमती सेना गङ्गामद्य तरिष्यति ॥ ९ ॥
“But if Bharata here is well disposed toward Rama, this army will cross the Ganga safely today.”
इत्युक्त्वोपायनं गृह्य मत्स्यमांसमधूनि च । अभिचक्राम भरतं निषादाधिपतिर्गुहः ॥ १० ॥
Having said this, Guha, lord of the Nishadas, taking gifts of fish, meat and honey, went toward Bharata.
तमायान्तं तु सम्प्रेक्ष्य सूतपुत्रः प्रतापवान् । भरतायाचचक्षेऽथ विनयज्ञो विनीतवत् ॥ ११ ॥
Seeing him coming, the powerful charioteer’s son, who knew courtesy, then told Bharata courteously:
एष ज्ञातिसहस्रेण स्थपतिः परिवारितः । कुशलो दण्डकारण्ये वृद्धो भ्रातुश्च ते सखा ॥ १२ ॥
“This chief, surrounded by a thousand kinsmen, is skilled in the Dandaka forest, and is your brother’s old friend.
तस्मात् पश्यतु काकुत्स्थ त्वां निषादाधिपो गुहः । असंशयं विजानीते यत्र तौ रामलक्ष्मणौ ॥ १३ ॥
“So let Guha, lord of the Nishadas, see you, Kakutstha; without doubt he knows where Rama and Lakshmana are.”
एतत् तु वचनं श्रुत्वा सुमन्त्राद्भरतः शुभम् । उवाच वचनं शीघ्रं गुहः पश्यतु मामिति ॥ १४ ॥
Hearing these good words from Sumantra, Bharata said quickly: “Let Guha see me.”
लब्ध्वाभ्यनुज्ञां संहृष्टो ज्ञातिभिः परिवारितः । आगम्य भरतं प्रह्वो गुहो वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ १५ ॥
Having received permission, delighted, surrounded by his kinsmen, Guha came to Bharata and, bowing, said:
निष्कुटश्चैव देशोऽयं वञ्चिताश्चापि ते वयम् । निवेदयामस्ते सर्वे स्वके दाशकुले वस ॥ १६ ॥
“This country is your pleasure-garden, and you have taken us by surprise. We offer you everything; stay in your own fishermen’s house.
अस्ति मूलं फलं चैव निषादैः समुपाहृतम् । आर्द्रं च मांसं शुष्कं च वन्यं चोच्चावचं महत् ॥ १७ ॥
“There are roots and fruit brought by the Nishadas, fresh and dried meat, and wild food, high and low, in plenty.
आशंसे स्वाशिता सेना वत्स्यतीमां विभावरीम् । अर्चितो विविधैः कामैः श्वः ससैन्यो गमिष्यसि ॥ १८ ॥
“I hope the army, well fed, will spend this night here. Honoured with all kinds of desired things, you will go on tomorrow with your army.”