Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 112

Meaning

The eminent sages who had assembled there were astonished to behold at close quarters that thrilling meeting of the two brothers, Śrī Rāma and Bharata, who were endowed with matchless glory. (1)

Meaning

Hosts of sages who stood invisible in the air and most eminent Ṛṣis bodily present there applauded in the following words those two highly blessed brothers, Śrī Rāma and Bharata, the scions of Kakutstha : (2)

Meaning

“Ever noble are the two princes, Śrī Rāma and Bharata, who not only know what is right but also tread the path of virtue. Indeed, having heard the dialogue of the two, we long to hear it again and again.” (3)

Meaning

Then the hosts of Ṛṣis for their part, who longed for the death of Rāvaṇa, hastily addressed with one voice the following exhortation to Bharata, a tiger among princes : (4)

Meaning

“O prince of high birth, nay, endowed with exceptional intelligence, distinguished by a noble conduct and enjoying great renown, the advice of Śrī Rāma ought to be accepted by you, if you have the least regard for your father. (5)

Meaning

“We wish to see Śrī Rāma absolved forever from all obligations to his father; for due to his getting square with Kaikeyī as a result of Śrī Rāma’s having readily offered to be in exile, King Daśaratha has ascended to heaven.” (6)

Meaning

Having uttered these few words, the Gandharvas alongwith the eminent sages as well as the royal sages and all others went each his own way. (7)

Meaning

Gladdened by this observation, Śrī Rāma of blessed appearance looked brighter. Nay, his face thrilled with joy, he duly extolled the aforesaid Ṛṣis. (8)

Meaning

The celebrated Bharata for his part, whose limbs were seized with a tremor, made the following submission to Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) with folded hands in faltering accents : (9)

Meaning

“Fully considering, O Rāma, this sacred obligation of getting yourself consecrated for the rulership of Ayodhyā and protecting the people, which is also linked with our family usage, you ought to fulfil it, O scion of Kakutstha, and grant my prayer as well as that of your mother, Kausalyā. (10)

Meaning

“I for my part cannot protect the vast dominion single-handed, nor can I please the citizens and the people of the countryside, so devoted to you. (11)

Meaning

“Indeed our kinsmen, nay, warriors, friends and relations too wait for you alone as cultivators do for the rumbling cloud. (12)

Meaning

“Accepting the kingdom, O highly intelligent brother, actually place it on a sound footing. Such as you are, you are capable of protecting the people on all sides, O scion of Kakutstha !” (13)

Meaning

Saying so, Bharata then fell at the feet of his elder brother and made a fervent appeal to him to accept the sovereignty, speaking in most endearing tones to Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu. (14)

Meaning

Placing on his lap the aforesaid brother, Bharata, who was dark-brown of complexion and had eyes resembling the petals of a lotus, Śrī Rāma, who was himself endowed with a voice resembling the cackling of a swan in rut, replied to him as follows : (15)

Meaning

“You can very well protect even the earth, to say nothing of Ayodhyā, through this innate wisdom in the shape of underestimation of your worth born of humility, that has dawned on you, my darling ! (16)

Meaning

“Nay, coolly deliberating with your ministers, friends and wise counsellors too, get through even your major concerns. (17)

Meaning

“Splendour would sooner depart from the moon, nay, the Himalaya mountain would sooner shed its snow and the ocean would sooner transgress its limits than I shall violate the plighted word of my father. (18)

Meaning

“No matter whether all this was wrought by your mother in your interest from affection for you or from greed of sovereignty through your installation as Prince-Regent, my darling, it should not be taken to heart by you and you should behave towards her as towards a mother.” (19)

Meaning

To Śrī Rāma, the son of Kausalyā—who was speaking as aforesaid, nay, who vied with the sun in glory, and who was pleasing to the sight as the new moon appearing on the first day of a bright fortnight—Bharata replied as follows : (20)

Meaning

“Pray, stand with your feet on the pair of wooden sandals embellished with gold placed before you, O noble brother ! Surely these will supply the needs and ensure the safety of men.” (21)

Meaning

Placing his feet on the sandals and immediately leaving them, Śrī Rāma, a tiger among men, who was endowed with exceptional glory, gave them to the high-souled Bharata. (22)

Meaning

Reverentially bowing down to the wooden sandals, he spoke as follows to Śrī Rāma : “Indeed, having relegated the burden of rulership to the wooden sandals, O gallant brother, I should like to live on fruits and roots alone for fourteen years, O delight of the Raghus, wearing matted locks on my head and the bark of trees on my person and actually dwelling outside the city, longing for your return to the capital, O scorcher of enemies ! If, however, when the fourteenth year of your exile has fully ended, O jewel among the Raghus, I do not see you returned to Ayodhyā, the following day, I for my part shall enter the fire once for all.” Giving his approval in the words “So be it !” and embracing Bharata with love, nay, embracing Śatrughna as well, Śrī Rāma spoke as follows : “Take care of mother Kaikeyī; be not angry with her. (23—27)

Meaning

“You are hereby adjured to do so by me as well as by Sītā, O delight of the Raghus !” Saying so, his eyes suffused with tears, Śrī Rāma bade good-bye to Bharata. (28)

Meaning

Receiving with reverence the aforesaid pair of exceedingly bright-ornate wooden sandals, the celebrated Bharata, who knew what is right, went clockwise round Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, and further placed the pair of sandals on the head of an excellent elephant. (29)

Meaning

Then, paying respects in the order of precedence to all those men who had gathered there as well as to his preceptors, counsellors, subjects and two younger brothers, Bharata and Śatrughna, who were going to Ayodhyā, Śrī Rāma, the promoter of Raghu’s race, who stood by his duty unshaken like the Himalaya mountain, bade them goodbye. (30)

Meaning

His mothers, whose throat was choked with tears through agony, could not even speak to him. Greeting all his mothers, the celebrated Śrī Rāma too re-entered his hut weeping. (31)