Yuddha Kanda · Sarga 126 of 128 · 55 verses
Hanuman Tells Bharata the Whole Story
Bharata says: after so many years since my lord went into the great forest, I hear words of praise for him that delight me. This popular saying seems auspicious to me: joy comes to a living man even after a hundred years. How did Raghava come to meet the monkeys, where, and on what basis? Tell me truly, since I ask. Seated on a cushion at the prince’s request, Hanuman tells the whole story of Rama’s life in the forest: how Rama was exiled through the two boons given to your mother, and King Dasharatha died of grief for his son; how you were brought quickly by messengers from the royal house of Kekaya, lord; how, entering Ayodhya, you did not want the kingdom; how, going to Mount Chitrakuta, following the dharma of the good, you invited your brother, tamer of foes, to take the kingdom, and he, standing by the king’s word, renounced it, and you returned with your noble brother’s sandals: all this you know well, mighty-armed one. Hear from me what happened after you went back. When you left, the forest became as if deeply troubled, its deer and birds bewildered; he entered the great, lonely Dandaka forest, terrible, trampled by elephants, full of lions, tigers and deer. As they went on in the dense forest, mighty Viradha appeared before them, roaring a great roar; lifting him up, roaring like an elephant, arms raised and face down, they threw him into a pit. Having done that hard deed, the brothers Rama and Lakshmana reached Sharabhanga’s lovely hermitage at evening. When Sharabhanga had gone to heaven, Rama of true valour saluted all the sages and came to Janasthana. Afterwards one named Shurpanakha came to Rama; at Rama’s order Lakshmana sprang up, seized his sword and cut off her ears and nose. Fourteen thousand rakshasas of terrible deeds were killed there by great Raghava while he lived there; meeting Rama alone at the head of battle, the rakshasas were finished in a quarter of a day: very mighty, very valiant disturbers of austerities, dwellers in the Dandaka forest, killed in battle by Raghava; the rakshasas were crushed and Khara killed in battle, after Dushana had been killed first and then Trishiras. Tormented by this, the foolish woman went to Ravana. A terrible rakshasa named Maricha, Ravana’s follower, became a deer made of jewels and tempted the Vaidehi; seeing it, the Vaidehi said to Rama, “Catch it; this lovely, charming creature will be for our hermitage.” Then Rama, bow in hand, chased the deer and killed it as it ran with a bent-jointed arrow. Then, gentle one, while Raghava was gone after the deer and Lakshmana had gone out too, Ten-necked entered the hermitage and seized Sita by force, as a planet seizes Rohini in the sky; killing the vulture Jatayu, who tried to save her in battle, the rakshasa took Sita and went off swiftly. Monkeys, like mountains, standing amazed on a mountaintop, saw Ravana, lord of the rakshasas, going with Sita. Then mighty Ravana, going still faster, mounting the Pushpaka, swift as thought, with the Vaidehi, entered Lanka; bringing Maithili into a lovely great house adorned with gold, he tried to win her with words; but the Vaidehi, treating his talk and that bull among nairritas like a blade of grass, not thinking of him, stayed in the Ashoka grove. Then Rama, having killed the deer in the forest, turned back; returning, Kakutstha was pained to see the vulture, his father’s dear friend, killed. Searching for the Vaidehi, Raghava with Lakshmana, going along the Godavari and the flowering woods, came upon a rakshasa named Kabandha in the great forest; at Kabandha’s word Rama of true valour went to Mount Rishyamuka and met Sugriva; their meeting from the first grew into heartfelt love; Sugriva had been cast out long before by his angry brother Vali, and from talking together their affection became deep. By the strength of his own arms Rama restored his kingdom, killing huge, mighty Vali in battle; Sugriva, set on the throne with all the monkeys, promised Rama to search for the princess. Ordered by great Sugriva, lord of the monkeys, ten crores of leapers were sent out in all directions. While we were far away on the Vindhya, best of mountains, burning with grief, much time passed; then the mighty brother of the vulture king, named Sampati, told us that Sita lived in Ravana’s palace. Driving away the grief of my kinsmen overwhelmed by sorrow, relying on my own strength, I leapt a hundred leagues, and there I saw her alone in the Ashoka grove, in a silk garment, soiled, joyless, firm in her vow. Meeting her according to rule and asking the blameless one everything, I gave her as a token the ring bearing Rama’s name; receiving the jewel as a token, I came back with my task accomplished; and coming back I gave to Rama of untiring deeds that great, shining jewel as a token. Hearing of Maithili, Rama hoped again for life, like a sick man at the point of death who drinks nectar. Rousing effort, he set his mind on destroying Lanka, like fire at the end of the world wishing to destroy all the worlds. Reaching the ocean, he had Nala build the bridge, and the army of monkey heroes crossed by that bridge. Nila killed Prahasta, Raghava Kumbhakarna, Lakshmana Ravana’s son, and Rama himself Ravana. Meeting Shakra, Yama and Varuna, Maheshvara and the Self-born, and Dasharatha, and given boons by them and by the sages and divine sages who had come, glorious Kakutstha, scorcher of foes, received boons; given boons, with the monkeys who had joined him in friendship, he came to Kishkindha by the Pushpaka. Having reached the Ganga again, he is staying near the sage; tomorrow, under the Pushya constellation, without hindrance, you will see Rama. Hearing Hanuman’s sweet words, Bharata, delighted, with joined palms, speaks words that gladden the heart: at long last my heart’s wish is fulfilled.
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बहूनि नाम वर्षाणि गतस्य सुमहद्वनम् । शृणोम्यहं प्रीतिकरं मम नाथस्य कीर्तनम् ॥ १ ॥
“After many years since he went to the very great forest, I hear the praise of my lord, which gives me joy.
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Hanuman Tells Bharata the Whole Story 1 min read.
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कल्याणी बत गाथेयं लौकिकी प्रतिभाति माम् । एति जीवन्तमानन्दो नरं वर्षशतादपि ॥ २ ॥
“Auspicious, indeed, this popular saying seems to me: ‘Joy comes to a man who lives, even after a hundred years.’
राघवस्य हरीणां च कथमासीत् समागमः । कस्मिन् देशे किमाश्रित्य तत्त्वमाख्याहि पृच्छतः ॥ ३ ॥
“How did Raghava’s meeting with the monkeys come about, in what place, on what basis? Tell me truly, as I ask.”
स पृष्टो राजपुत्रेण बृस्यां समुपवेशितः । आचचक्षे ततः सर्वं रामस्य चरितं वने ॥ ४ ॥
Asked by the prince, seated on a cushion, he then told the whole story of Rama’s life in the forest:
यथा प्रव्राजितो रामो मातुर्दत्तौ वरौ तव । यथा च पुत्रशोकेन राजा दशरथो मृतः ॥ ५ ॥
“How Rama was exiled, the two boons having been given to your mother, and how King Dasharatha died of grief for his son;
यथा दूतैस्त्वमानीतस्तूर्णं राजगृहात् प्रभो । त्वयायोध्यां प्रविष्टेन यथा राज्यं न चेप्सितम् ॥ ६ ॥
“how you were brought quickly by messengers from the royal house, lord; how, when you had entered Ayodhya, the kingdom was not desired by you;
चित्रकूटगिरिं गत्वा राज्येनामित्रकर्शनः । निमन्त्रितस्त्वया भ्राता धर्ममाचरता सताम् ॥ ७ ॥
“how, going to Mount Chitrakuta, your brother, tamer of enemies, was invited by you to the kingdom, practising the dharma of the good;
स्थितेन राज्ञो वचने यथा राज्यं विसर्जितम् । आर्यस्य पादुके गृह्य यथासि पुनरागतः ॥ ८ ॥
“how the kingdom was renounced by him, standing by the king’s word, and how you came back again taking your noble one’s sandals:
सर्वमेतन्महाबाहो यथावद् विदितं तव । त्वयि प्रतिप्रयाते तु यद् वृत्तं तन्निबोध मे ॥ ९ ॥
“all this, mighty-armed one, is known to you exactly. But what happened when you had gone back, learn from me.
अपयाते त्वयि तदा समुद्भ्रान्तमृगद्विजम् । परिद्यूनमिवात्यर्थं तद् वनं समपद्यत ॥ १० ॥
“When you had gone away then, that forest became as if extremely troubled, its deer and birds bewildered.
तद्धस्तिमृदितं घोरं सिंहव्याघ्रमृगाकुलम् । प्रविवेशाथ विजनं स महद् दण्डकावनम् ॥ ११ ॥
“Then he entered the great Dandaka forest, terrible, trampled by elephants, crowded with lions, tigers and deer, without people.
तेषां पुरस्ताद् बलवान् गच्छतां गहने वने । विनदन् सुमहानादं विराधः प्रत्यदृश्यत ॥ १२ ॥
“Before them, as they went in the dense forest, mighty Viradha appeared, roaring a very great roar.
तमुत्क्षिप्य महानादमूर्ध्वबाहुमधोमुखम् । निखाते प्रक्षिपन्ति स्म नदन्तमिव कुञ्जरम् ॥ १३ ॥
“Lifting him up, roaring a great roar like an elephant, arms raised, face down, they threw him into a pit.
तत् कृत्वा दुष्करं कर्म भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ । सायाह्ने शरभङ्गस्य रम्यमाश्रममीयतुः ॥ १४ ॥
“Having done that hard deed, the brothers Rama and Lakshmana came at evening to Sharabhanga’s lovely hermitage.
शरभङ्गे दिवं प्राप्ते रामः सत्यपराक्रमः । अभिवाद्य मुनीन् सर्वाञ्जनस्थानमुपागमत् ॥ १५ ॥
“When Sharabhanga had gone to heaven, Rama of true valour, saluting all the sages, came to Janasthana.
पश्चाच्छूर्पणखा नाम रामपार्श्वमुपागता । ततो रामेण संदिष्टो लक्ष्मणः सहसोत्थितः ॥ १६ ॥
“Afterwards one named Shurpanakha came to Rama’s side; then Lakshmana, ordered by Rama, sprang up suddenly,
प्रगृह्य खड्गं चिच्छेद कर्णनासं महाबलः । चतुर्दश सहस्राणि रक्षसां भीमकर्मणाम् ॥ १७ ॥
“and, seizing his sword, the mighty one cut off her ears and nose. Fourteen thousand rakshasas of terrible deeds
हतानि वसता तत्र राघवेण महात्मना । एकेन सह संगम्य रामेण रणमूर्धनि ॥ १८ ॥
“were killed by great-souled Raghava while living there. Meeting in combat with Rama alone at the head of the battle,
अह्नश्चतुर्थभागेन निःशेषा राक्षसाः कृताः । महाबला महावीर्यास्तपसो विघ्नकारिणः ॥ १९ ॥
“in a quarter of a day the rakshasas were made to have none left: very mighty, very valiant, causers of obstacles to austerity,
निहता राघवेणाजौ दण्डकारण्यवासिनः । राक्षसाश्च विनिष्पिष्टाः खरश्च निहतो रणे ॥ २० ॥
“dwellers of the Dandaka forest, killed by Raghava in battle; the rakshasas were crushed, and Khara was killed in battle,
दूषणं चाग्रतो हत्वा त्रिशिरास्तदनन्तरम् । ततस्तेनार्दिता बाला रावणं समुपागता ॥ २१ ॥
“having killed Dushana first, and Trishiras after him. Then, tormented by him, the foolish woman went to Ravana.
रावणानुचरो घोरो मारीचो नाम राक्षसः । लोभयामास वैदेहीं भूत्वा रत्नमयो मृगः ॥ २२ ॥
“Ravana’s follower, a terrible rakshasa named Maricha, having become a deer made of jewels, tempted the Vaidehi.
सा राममब्रवीद् दृष्ट्वा वैदेही गृह्यतामिति । अयं मनोहरः कान्त आश्रमो नो भविष्यति ॥ २३ ॥
“Seeing it, the Vaidehi said to Rama: ‘Let it be caught; this charming, lovely one will be for our hermitage.’
ततो रामो धनुष्पाणिर्मृगं तमनुधावति । स तं जघान धावन्तं शरेणानतपर्वणा ॥ २४ ॥
“Then Rama, bow in hand, ran after that deer; he killed it as it ran with a bent-jointed arrow.
अथ सौम्य दशग्रीवो मृगं याति तु राघवे । लक्ष्मणे चापि निष्क्रान्ते प्रविवेशाश्रमं तदा ॥ २५ ॥
“Then, gentle one, when Raghava had gone after the deer and Lakshmana too had gone out, Ten-necked entered the hermitage then;
जग्राह तरसा सीतां ग्रहः खे रोहिणीमिव । त्रातुकामं ततो युद्धे हत्वा गृध्रं जटायुषम् ॥ २६ ॥
“he seized Sita by force, as a planet seizes Rohini in the sky; then, having killed in battle the vulture Jatayus, who wished to save her,
प्रगृह्य सहसा सीतां जगामाशु स राक्षसः । ततस्त्वद्भुतसंकाशाः स्थिताः पर्वतमूर्धनि ॥ २७ ॥
“seizing Sita suddenly, that rakshasa went off swiftly. Then, like a wonder, standing on a mountaintop,
सीतां गृहीत्वा गच्छन्तं वानराः पर्वतोपमाः । ददृशुर्विस्मिताकारा रावणं राक्षसाधिपम् ॥ २८ ॥
“the monkeys, like mountains, with amazed looks, saw Ravana, lord of the rakshasas, going with Sita seized.
ततः शीघ्रतरं गत्वा तद् विमानं मनोजवम् । आरुह्य सह वैदेह्या पुष्पकं स महाबलः ॥ २९ ॥
“Then, going faster still, mounting that aerial chariot Pushpaka, swift as thought, with the Vaidehi, the very mighty one,
प्रविवेश तदा लङ्कां रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः । तां सुवर्णपरिष्कारे शुभे महति वेश्मनि ॥ ३० ॥
“Ravana, lord of the rakshasas, entered Lanka then. Bringing Maithili into a lovely great house adorned with gold,
प्रवेश्य मैथिलीं वाक्यैः सान्त्वयामास रावणः । तृणवद् भाषितं तस्य तं च नैर्ऋतपुङ्गवम् ॥ ३१ ॥
“Ravana tried to win her over with words. Treating his talk like grass, and that bull among nairritas,
अचिन्तयन्ती वैदेही ह्यशोकवनिकां गता । न्यवर्तत तदा रामो मृगं हत्वा तदा वने ॥ ३२ ॥
“not thinking of him, the Vaidehi stayed in the Ashoka grove. Then Rama, having killed the deer in the forest, turned back.
निवर्तमानः काकुत्स्थो दृष्ट्वा गृध्रं स विव्यथे । गृध्रं हतं तदा दृष्ट्वा रामः प्रियतरं पितुः ॥ ३३ ॥
“Turning back, Kakutstha was pained at seeing the vulture; seeing the vulture, dearer to his father, killed then, Rama,
मार्गमाणस्तु वैदेहीं राघवः सहलक्ष्मणः । गोदावरीमनुचरन् वनोद्देशांश्च पुष्पितान् ॥ ३४ ॥
“searching for the Vaidehi, Raghava with Lakshmana, going along the Godavari and the flowering regions of the forest,
आसेदतुर्महारण्ये कबन्धं नाम राक्षसम् । ततः कबन्धवचनाद् रामः सत्यपराक्रमः ॥ ३५ ॥
“the two came upon a rakshasa named Kabandha in the great forest. Then, at Kabandha’s word, Rama of true valour,
ऋष्यमूकगिरिं गत्वा सुग्रीवेण समागतः । तयोः समागमः पूर्वं प्रीत्या हार्दो व्यजायत ॥ ३६ ॥
“going to Mount Rishyamuka, met Sugriva; their meeting from the first grew into heartfelt love.
भ्रात्रा निरस्तः क्रुद्धेन सुग्रीवो वालिना पुरा । इतरेतरसंवादात् प्रगाढः प्रणयस्तयोः ॥ ३७ ॥
“Sugriva had been cast out long before by his angry brother Vali; from talking with each other their affection became deep.
रामः स्वबाहुवीर्येण स्वराज्यं प्रत्यपादयत् । वालिनं समरे हत्वा महाकायं महाबलम् ॥ ३८ ॥
“Rama, by the strength of his own arms, restored his kingdom, having killed in battle huge, very mighty Vali.
सुग्रीवः स्थापितो राज्ये सहितः सर्ववानरैः । रामाय प्रतिजानीते राजपुत्र्यास्तु मार्गणम् ॥ ३९ ॥
“Sugriva, established in the kingdom, together with all the monkeys, promised Rama the search for the princess.
आदिष्टा वानरेन्द्रेण सुग्रीवेण महात्मना । दश कोट्यः प्लवङ्गानां सर्वाः प्रस्थापिता दिशः ॥ ४० ॥
“Commanded by great-souled Sugriva, lord of the monkeys, ten crores of leapers were all sent out to the directions.
तेषां नो विप्रकृष्टानां विन्ध्ये पर्वतसत्तमे । भृशं शोकाभितप्तानां महान् कालोऽत्यवर्तत ॥ ४१ ॥
“While we were far away on the Vindhya, best of mountains, greatly burning with grief, a great time passed.
भ्राता तु गृध्रराजस्य सम्पातिर्नाम वीर्यवान् । समाख्याति स्म वसतीं सीतां रावणमन्दिरे ॥ ४२ ॥
“But the valiant brother of the king of vultures, named Sampati, told us that Sita was living in Ravana’s palace.
सोऽहं दुःखपरीतानां दुःखं तज्ज्ञातिनां नुदन् । आत्मवीर्यं समास्थाय योजनानां शतं प्लुतः । तत्राहमेकामद्राक्षमशोकवनिकां गताम् ॥ ४३ ॥
“Then I, driving away the grief of my kinsmen, overwhelmed with grief, relying on my own strength, leapt a hundred leagues; there I saw her alone, gone into the Ashoka grove,
कौशेयवस्त्रां मलिनां निरानन्दां दृढव्रताम् । तया समेत्य विधिवत् पृष्ट्वा सर्वमनिन्दिताम् ॥ ४४ ॥
“in a silk garment, soiled, joyless, firm in her vow. Meeting her according to rule and asking the blameless one everything,
अभिज्ञानं मया दत्तं रामनामाङ्गुलीयकम् । अभिज्ञानं मणिं लब्ध्वा चरितार्थोऽहमागतः ॥ ४५ ॥
“a token was given by me, the ring bearing Rama’s name; receiving the jewel as a token, I came back with my purpose done.
मया च पुनरागम्य रामस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः । अभिज्ञानं मया दत्तमर्चिष्मान् स महामणिः ॥ ४६ ॥
“And having come back again, I gave to Rama of untiring deeds, as a token, that great shining jewel.
श्रुत्वा तां मैथिलीं रामस्त्वाशशंसे च जीवितम् । जीवितान्तमनुप्राप्तः पीत्वामृतमिवातुरः ॥ ४७ ॥
“Hearing of that Maithili, Rama hoped again for life, like a sick man who has reached the end of life drinking nectar.
उद्योजयिष्यन्नुद्योगं दध्रे लङ्कावधे मनः । जिघांसुरिव लोकान्ते सर्वाँल्लोकान् विभावसुः ॥ ४८ ॥
“Rousing effort, he set his mind on the destruction of Lanka, like the bright fire at the end of the world wishing to destroy all the worlds.
ततः समुद्रमासाद्य नलं सेतुमकारयत् । अतरत् कपिवीराणां वाहिनी तेन सेतुना ॥ ४९ ॥
“Then, reaching the ocean, he had Nala build a bridge; the army of monkey heroes crossed by that bridge.
प्रहस्तमवधीन्नीलः कुम्भकर्णं तु राघवः । लक्ष्मणो रावणसुतं स्वयं रामस्तु रावणम् ॥ ५० ॥
“Nila killed Prahasta, and Raghava Kumbhakarna; Lakshmana killed Ravana’s son, and Rama himself Ravana.
स शक्रेण समागम्य यमेन वरुणेन च । महेश्वरस्वयंभूभ्यां तथा दशरथेन च ॥ ५१ ॥
“Meeting Shakra, Yama and Varuna, Maheshvara and the Self-born, and likewise Dasharatha,
तैश्च दत्तवरः श्रीमानृषिभिश्च समागतैः । सुरर्षिभिश्च काकुत्स्थो वराँल्लेभे परंतपः ॥ ५२ ॥
“and given boons by them, and by the sages who had come, and by the divine sages, glorious Kakutstha, scorcher of foes, received boons.
स तु दत्तवरः प्रीत्या वानरैश्च समागतैः । पुष्पकेण विमानेन किष्किन्धामभ्युपागमत् ॥ ५३ ॥
“And he, given boons, with the monkeys who had come together in friendship, came to Kishkindha by the aerial chariot Pushpaka.
तां गङ्गां पुनरासाद्य वसन्तं मुनिसंनिधौ । अविघ्नं पुष्ययोगेन श्वो रामं द्रष्टुमर्हसि ॥ ५४ ॥
“Having reached the Ganga again, he is staying in the presence of the sage; without hindrance, under the conjunction of Pushya, tomorrow you will see Rama.”
ततः स वाक्यैर्मधुरैर्हनूमतो निशम्य हृष्टो भरतः कृताञ्जलिः । उवाच वाणीं मनसः प्रहर्षिणीं चिरस्य पूर्णः खलु मे मनोरथः ॥ ५५ ॥
Then, hearing those sweet words of Hanuman, Bharata, delighted, with joined palms, spoke words gladdening to the heart: “At long last, indeed, my heart’s wish is fulfilled.”