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title: "Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 101"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/ayodhya-kanda/sarga-101"
lang: "en"
---

# Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 101

> तं तु रामः समाज्ञाय भ्रातरं गुरुवत्सलम्।  
> लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा प्रष्टुं समुपचक्रमे॥ १॥

Concluding from his ascetic garb, the aforesaid Bharata to be full of love to himself (his elder brother), Śrī Rāma for his part alongwith Lakṣmaṇa duly started questioning Bharata as follows : (1)

> किमेतदिच्छेयमहं श्रोतुं प्रव्याहृतं त्वया।  
> यस्मात् त्वमागतो देशमिमं चीरजटाजिनी॥ २॥

“I wish to hear explained by you wherefore it is that you have come all the way to this region, clad in the bark of trees and deerskin and wearing matted locks on your head. (2)

> यन्निमित्तमिमं देशं कृष्णाजिनजटाधरः।  
> हित्वा राज्यं प्रविष्टस्त्वं तत् सर्वं वक्तुमर्हसि॥ ३॥

“What for have you entered this region, wearing the skin of a black buck on your person and matted locks on your head, relinquishing the sovereignty? Please state all this clearly.” (3)

> इत्युक्तः केकयीपुत्रः काकुत्स्थेन महात्मना।  
> प्रगृह्य बलवद् भूयः प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥ ४॥

Addressed in the aforesaid words once again by the high-souled Śrī Rāma (a scion of Kakutstha) closely embracing him, Bharata (the son of Kaikeyī) made the following submission with folded hands : (4)

> आर्य तातः परित्यज्य कृत्वा कर्म सुदुष्करम्।  
> गतः स्वर्गं महाबाहुः पुत्रशोकाभिपीडितः॥ ५॥  
> स्त्रिया नियुक्तः कैकेय्या मम मात्रा परंतप।  
> चकार सा महत्पापमिदमात्मयशोहरम्॥ ६॥

“Having performed a deed in the shape of disinheriting and exiling his own eldest son, most difficult to perform, as urged by his favourite spouse and my mother, Kaikeyī, and abandoning us all, our mighty-armed father ascended to heaven, sore stricken as he was with grief caused by separation from his most beloved son, O tormentor of foes ! In this way she perpetrated this great sin, that has taken away her own reputation, O noble brother ! (5-6)

> सा राज्यफलमप्राप्य विधवा शोककर्शिता।  
> पतिष्यति महाघोरे नरके जननी मम॥ ७॥

“Failing to gain the prize in the shape of sovereignty, my widowed mother, emaciated as she is with grief, will descend into a most frightful hell. (7)

> तस्य मे दासभूतस्य प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि।  
> अभिषिञ्चस्व चाद्यैव राज्येन मघवानिव॥ ८॥

“Be pleased to bestow this favour on me, your notorious slave, and have yourself consecrated like Indra, the ruler of gods, for the kingship of Ayodhyā. (8)

> इमाः प्रकृतयः सर्वा विधवा मातरश्च याः।  
> त्वत्सकाशमनुप्राप्ताः प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि॥ ९॥

“You ought to be gracious to these people as well as to my widowed mothers, who have sought your presence to propitiate you. (9)

> तथानुपूर्व्या युक्तश्च युक्तं चात्मनि मानद।  
> राज्यं प्राप्नुहि धर्मेण सकामान् सुहृदः कुरु॥ १०॥

“You are fitted for sovereignty by virtue of primogeniture and as such assume you the sovereignty, which is your due, conformably with the principles of righteousness and thereby enable your relations and friends to realize their ambition of seeing you installed on the throne of Ayodhyā, O respecter of others ! (10)

> भवत्वविधवा भूमिः समग्रा पतिना त्वया।  
> शशिना विमलेनेव शारदी रजनी यथा॥ ११॥

“With you as its lord, let the entire globe cease to be without a master even as and autumnal night ceases to be dismal when united with a bright moon. (11)

> एभिश्च सचिवैः सार्धं शिरसा याचितो मया।  
> भ्रातुः शिष्यस्य दासस्य प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि॥ १२॥

“Solicited by me with bent head in conjunction with these ministers, be pleased to show grace to this servant, who is at the same time your younger brother and pupil. (12)

> तदिदं शाश्वतं पित्र्यं सर्वं सचिवमण्डलम्।  
> पूजितं पुरुषव्याघ्र नातिक्रमितुमर्हसि॥ १३॥

“You ought not to disregard the solicitation of this entire body of your father’s ministers, who are not only well-known but have continued through many past generations and are adored by you, O tiger among men !” (13)

> एवमुक्त्वा महाबाहुः सबाष्पः कैकयीसुतः।  
> रामस्य शिरसा पादौ जग्राह भरतः पुनः॥ १४॥

Saying so, full of tears, the mighty armed Bharata, son of Kaikeyī, clasped the feet of Śrī Rāma once more, touching them with his head. (14)

> तं मत्तमिव मातङ्गं निःश्वसन्तं पुनः पुनः।  
> भ्रातरं भरतं रामः परिष्वज्येदमब्रवीत्॥ १५॥

Embracing his younger brother, Bharata, who was sighing again and again like an elephant in rut, Śrī Rāma spoke to him as follows : (15)

> कुलीनः सत्त्वसम्पन्नस्तेजस्वी चरितव्रतः।  
> राज्यहेतोः कथं पापमाचरेन्मद्विधो जनः॥ १६॥

“How can a man of noble descent, rich in Sattva goodness and dignified, and who has observed sacred vows like myself, perpetrate a sinful act for the sake of sovereignty? (16)

> न दोषं त्वयि पश्यामि सूक्ष्ममप्यरिसूदन।  
> न चापि जननीं बाल्यात् त्वं विगर्हितुमर्हसि॥ १७॥

“I do not discover even a minute fault in you, O destroyer of foes ! Nor should you reproach your mother through ignorance. (17)

> कामकारो महाप्राज्ञ गुरूणां सर्वदानघ।  
> उपपन्नेषु दारेषु पुत्रेषु च विधीयते॥ १८॥

“Freedom of action on the part of elders with reference to their esteemed wife and progeny is always permitted by the scriptures, O sinless and highly intelligent brother. (18)

> वयमस्य यथा लोके संख्याताः सौम्य साधुभिः।  
> भार्याः पुत्राश्च शिष्याश्च त्वमपि ज्ञातुमर्हसि॥ १९॥

“You, too, should know, O gentle brother, that we are held by holy men to be in the same position in the world with reference to the deceased king-emperor as the wives, progeny and pupils of a householder are considered as amenable to his control. (19)

> वने वा चीरवसनं सौम्य कृष्णाजिनाम्बरम्।  
> राज्ये वापि महाराजो मां वासयितुमीश्वरः॥ २०॥

“The emperor, King Daśaratha, was perfectly within his rights to lodge me in a forest with the bark of trees wrapped about me and wearing the skin of a black buck about my loins or install me on the throne of Ayodhyā, O gentle brother ! (20)

> यावत् पितरि धर्मज्ञ गौरवं लोकसत्कृते।  
> तावद् धर्मकृतां श्रेष्ठ जनन्यामपि गौरवम्॥ २१॥

“The same degree of respect is due even to our mother, Kaikeyī, as is due to our father, who was honoured by the world, O knower of what is right and jewel among those practising virtue ! (21)

> एताभ्यां धर्मशीलाभ्यां वनं गच्छेति राघव।  
> मातापितृभ्यामुक्तोऽहं कथमन्यत् समाचरे॥ २२॥

“Commanded by these parents of mine, who are pious by disposition, in the words ‘Proceed to the forest,’ O scion of Raghu, how can I do anything else? (22)

> त्वया राज्यमयोध्यायां प्राप्तव्यं लोकसत्कृतम्।  
> वस्तव्यं दण्डकारण्ये मया वल्कलवाससा॥ २३॥

“Sovereignty in Ayodhyā, respected by the world, should be enjoyed by you, while I must dwell in the Daṇḍaka forest, clad in the bark of trees. (23)

> एवमुक्त्वा महाराजो विभागं लोकसंनिधौ।  
> व्यादिश्य च महाराजो दिवं दशरथो गतः॥ २४॥

“Saying so and giving two different orders for us two in the presence of the people, Emperor Daśaratha ascended to heaven. (24)

> स च प्रमाणं धर्मात्मा राजा लोकगुरुस्तव।  
> पित्रा दत्तं यथाभागमुपभोक्तुं त्वमर्हसि॥ २५॥

“Nay, that pious-minded king, the adored of the people, is your authority in this matter. You ought, therefore, to enjoy duly the share allotted to you by our high-souled father. (25)

> चतुर्दश समाः सौम्य दण्डकारण्यमाश्रितः।  
> उपभोक्ष्ये त्वहं दत्तं भागं पित्रा महात्मना॥ २६॥

“Taking up my abode in the Daṇḍaka forest, O gentle brother, I for my part shall enjoy the share allotted to me by our high-souled father for fourteen years. (26)

> यदब्रवीन्मां नरलोकसत्कृतः  
> पिता महात्मा विबुधाधिपोपमः।  
> तदेव मन्ये परमात्मनो हितं  
> न सर्वलोकेश्वरभावमव्ययम्॥ २७॥

“I consider that alone to be supremely good for me, which our high-souled father, who is respected by the world of human beings and is a compeer of Indra, the ruler of gods, has enjoined upon me, and not the state of Brahmā (the lord of all the worlds), which knows no decay.” (27)

Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana

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