Ayodhya Kanda · Sarga 98 of 119 · 18 verses
Bharata Searches the Forest on Foot
Having camped the army, the lord, best of those who walk on foot, wishes to go to Kakutstha on foot, as one who serves his elders. As soon as the army has settled in its places in good order, Bharata says to his brother Shatrughna: “Gentle one, search this forest quickly on every side with these companies of men and hunters. Let Guha himself, surrounded by a thousand kinsmen with arrows, bows and swords, search for the two Kakutsthas here. I myself will walk through the whole forest on foot, surrounded by ministers, citizens, elders and brahmanas. Until I see Rama, or mighty Lakshmana, or fortunate Vaidehi, there will be no peace for me. Until I see my brother’s lovely face, like the moon, with eyes like lotus petals, there will be no peace for me. Until I hold my brother’s feet, bearing the marks of a king, on my head, there will be no peace for me. Until he who deserves the kingdom is established in the kingdom of his fathers and grandfathers, wet with the water of consecration, there will be no peace for me. Saumitri has truly reached his goal, he who sees Rama’s face, clear as the moon, lotus-eyed, radiant. Fortunate Vaidehi, Janaka’s daughter, has done what she had to do, she who follows her husband, lord of the earth to the ocean’s end. Lucky is that mountain Chitrakuta, like the king of mountains, where Kakutstha lives like Kubera in Nandana. This hard forest, haunted by beasts of prey, has done its work, since Rama of great splendour, best of those who bear weapons, lives in it.” Saying this, the mighty-armed bull among men enters the great forest on foot. The best of speakers goes through the thickets of trees growing on the mountain slopes, their tops in flower. Reaching a flowering sala tree on Chitrakuta, he sees the smoke rising from the fire at Rama’s hermitage. Seeing it, glorious Bharata and his companions are overcome, knowing “Rama is here”, like one who has reached the far shore of the water. Hearing that Rama’s hermitage, frequented by holy people, is on the mountain Chitrakuta, the great soul, having camped his army again, goes quickly with Guha.
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निवेश्य सेनां तु विभुः पद्भ्यां पादवतां वरः । अभिगन्तुं स काकुत्स्थमियेष गुरुवर्त्तकम् ॥ १ ॥
Having camped the army, the lord, best of those who go on foot, wished to approach Kakutstha on foot, as one who follows his elders.
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Bharata Searches the Forest on Foot 1 min read.
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निविष्टमात्रे सैन्ये तु यथोद्देशं विनीतवत् । भरतो भ्रातरं वाक्यं शत्रुघ्नमिदमब्रवीत् ॥ २ ॥
As soon as the army had settled down in its places, in good order, Bharata said these words to his brother Shatrughna:
क्षिप्रं वनमिदं सौम्य नरसङ्घैः समन्ततः । लुब्धैश्च सहितैरेभिस्त्वमन्वेषितुमर्हसि ॥ ३ ॥
“Gentle one, you should quickly search this forest on every side with companies of men, together with these hunters.
गुहो ज्ञातिसहस्रेण शरचापासिधारिणा । समन्वेषतु काकुत्स्थावस्मिन् परिवृतः स्वयम् ॥ ४ ॥
“Let Guha himself, surrounded by a thousand kinsmen bearing arrows, bows and swords, search for the two Kakutsthas here.
अमात्यैः सह पौरैश्च गुरुभिश्च द्विजातिभिः । वनं सर्वं चरिष्यामि पद्भ्यां परिवृतः स्वयम् ॥ ५ ॥
“I myself will walk through the whole forest on foot, surrounded by the ministers and citizens, the elders and the brahmanas.
यावन्न रामं द्रक्ष्यामि लक्ष्मणं वा महाबलम् । वैदेहीं वा महाभागां न मे शान्तिर्भविष्यति ॥ ६ ॥
“Until I see Rama, or mighty Lakshmana, or fortunate Vaidehi, there will be no peace for me.
यावन्न चन्द्रसङ्काशं द्रक्ष्यामि शुभमाननम् । भ्रातुः पद्मपलाशाक्षं न मे शान्तिर्भविष्यति ॥ ७ ॥
“Until I see my brother’s auspicious face, like the moon, with eyes like lotus petals, there will be no peace for me.
यावन्न चरणौ भ्रातुः पार्थिवव्यञ्जनान्वितौ । शिरसा धारयिष्यामि न मे शान्तिर्भविष्यति ॥ ८ ॥
“Until I hold my brother’s feet, bearing the marks of a king, on my head, there will be no peace for me.
यावन्न राज्ये राज्यार्हः पितृपैतामहे स्थितः । अभिषेकजलक्लिन्नो न मे शान्तिर्भविष्ऺयति ॥ ९ ॥
“Until he who deserves the kingdom is established in the kingdom of his fathers and grandfathers, wet with the water of consecration, there will be no peace for me.
सिद्धार्थः खलु सौमित्रिर्यश्चन्द्रविमलोपमम् । मुखं पश्यति रामस्य राजीवाक्षं महाद्युति ॥ १० ॥
“Saumitri has truly achieved his purpose, he who sees Rama’s face, clear as the moon, lotus-eyed, of great splendour.
कृतकत्या महाभागा वैदेही जनकात्मजा । भर्तारं सागरान्तायाः पृथिव्या याऽनुगच्छति ॥ ११ ॥
“Fortunate Vaidehi, Janaka’s daughter, has done her duty, she who follows the lord of the earth that reaches to the ocean.
सुभगश्चित्रकूटोऽसौ गिरिराजोपमो गिरिः । यस्मिन् वसति काकुत्स्थः कुबेर इव नन्दने ॥ १२ ॥
“Lucky is that mountain Chitrakuta, like the king of mountains, on which Kakutstha lives, like Kubera in Nandana.
कृतकार्यमिदं दुर्गं वनं व्यालनिषेवितम् । यदध्यास्ते महातेजा रामः शस्त्रभृतां वरः ॥ १३ ॥
“This hard forest, haunted by beasts of prey, has done its work, in which Rama of great splendour, best of those who bear weapons, dwells.”
एवमुक्त्वा महातेजा भरतः पुरुषर्षभः । पद्भ्यामेव महाबाहुः प्रविवेश महद्वनम् ॥ १४ ॥
Having said this, the very splendid Bharata, bull among men, mighty-armed, entered the great forest on foot.
स तानि द्रुमजालानि जातानि गिरिसानुषु । पुष्पिताग्राणि मध्येन जगाम वदतां वरः ॥ १५ ॥
The best of speakers went through the middle of those thickets of trees growing on the mountain slopes, their tops in flower.
स गिरेश्चित्रकूटस्य सालमासाद्य पुष्पितम् । रामाश्रमगतस्याग्नेर्ददर्श ध्वजमुच्छ्रितम् ॥ १६ ॥
Reaching a flowering sala tree on Mount Chitrakuta, he saw the banner of smoke rising from the fire at Rama’s hermitage.
तं दृष्ट्वा भरतः श्रीमान् मुमोह सहबान्धवः । अत्र राम इति ज्ञात्वा गतः पारमिवाम्भसः ॥ १७ ॥
Seeing it, glorious Bharata and his companions were overcome, knowing “Rama is here”, like one who has reached the far shore of the water.
स चित्रकूटे तु गिरौ निशम्य रामाश्रमं पुण्यजनोपपन्नम् । गुहेन सार्द्धं त्वरितो जगाम पुनर्निवेश्यैव चमूं महात्मा ॥ १८ ॥
Having heard of Rama’s hermitage on the mountain Chitrakuta, frequented by holy people, the great soul, having camped his army again, went quickly with Guha.