Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 113
ततः शिरसि कृत्वा तु पादुके भरतस्तदा। आरुरोह रथं हृष्टः शत्रुघ्नसहितस्तदा॥ १॥
Meaning
Then, placing the pair of wooden sandals on his head, Bharata for his part, full of joy and accompanied by Śatrughna, forthwith ascended the chariot. (1)
वसिष्ठो वामदेवश्च जाबालिश्च दृढव्रतः। अग्रतः प्रययुः सर्वे मन्त्रिणो मन्त्रपूजिताः॥ २॥
Meaning
The counsellors, Vasiṣṭha and Vāmadeva and Jābāli of steadfast vows and all others, adored for their sage counsel, travelled in the forefront. (2)
मन्दाकिनीं नदीं रम्यां प्राङ्मुखास्ते ययुस्तदा। प्रदक्षिणं च कुर्वाणाश्चित्रकूटं महागिरिम्॥ ३॥
Meaning
Keeping the lovely river Mandākinī and the great Citrakūṭa mountain to their right they then departed with their face turned towards the east. (3)
पश्यन् धातुसहस्राणि रम्याणि विविधानि च। प्रययौ तस्य पार्श्वेन ससैन्यो भरतस्तदा॥ ४॥
Meaning
Seeing on the way thousands of minerals of every description, which were charming too, Bharata, accompanied by his army, now proceeded along the (northern) side of the aforesaid mountain. (4)
अदूराच्चित्रकूटस्य ददर्श भरतस्तदा। आश्रमं यत्र स मुनिर्भरद्वाजः कृतालयः॥ ५॥
Meaning
Not far from Citrakūṭa. Bharata now beheld the hermitage in which Sage Bharadwāja had taken up his abode.* (5)
स तमाश्रममागम्य भरद्वाजस्य वीर्यवान्। अवतीर्य रथात् पादौ ववन्दे कुलनन्दनः॥ ६॥
Meaning
Reaching the said hermitage of Bharadwāja and alighting from his chariot, the valiant Bharata, the delight of his race, saluted the sage’s feet. (6)
ततो हृष्टो भरद्वाजो भरतं वाक्यमब्रवीत्। अपि कृत्यं कृतं तात रामेण च समागतम्॥ ७॥
Meaning
Full of delight, Bharadwāja thereupon spoke to Bharata as follows : “Did you meet Śrī Rāma, my darling, and has your purpose been accomplished?” (7)
एवमुक्तः स तु ततो भरद्वाजेन धीमता। प्रत्युवाच भरद्वाजं भरतो धर्मवत्सलः॥ ८॥
Meaning
Questioned thus by the wise Bharadwāja, the celebrated Bharata for his part, who was lovingly devoted to righteousness, then replied to Bharadwāja as follows : (8)
स याच्यमानो गुरुणा मया च दृढविक्रमः। राघवः परमप्रीतो वसिष्ठं वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥ ९॥
Meaning
“Supremely delighted on being solicited by my preceptor and myself to return to Ayodhyā, the celebrated Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, of unrelenting prowess replied to Vasiṣṭha as follows : (9)
पितुः प्रतिज्ञां तामेव पालयिष्यामि तत्त्वतः। चतुर्दश हि वर्षाणि या प्रतिज्ञा पितुर्मम॥ १०॥
Meaning
“ ‘I shall without doubt unequivocally implement that pledge of my father given to my mother Kaikeyī, which was to the effect that I should actually remain in exile for fourteen years.’ (10)
एवमुक्तो महाप्राज्ञो वसिष्ठः प्रत्युवाच ह। वाक्यज्ञो वाक्यकुशलं राघवं वचनं महत्॥ ११॥
Meaning
“Spoken to as aforesaid, the highly enlightened Vasiṣṭha, who knows how to speak, actually addressed the following momentous words to Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, who is an adept in expression : (11)
एते प्रयच्छ संहृष्टः पादुके हेमभूषिते। अयोध्यायां महाप्राज्ञ योगक्षेमकरो भव॥ १२॥
Meaning
“ ‘Full of great delight, please gift these wooden sandals decked with gold to Bharata. Existing in the form of these sandals, supply the needs of the people in Ayodhyā and safeguard their interests, O highly intelligent prince !’ (12)
एवमुक्तो वसिष्ठेन राघवः प्राङ्मुखः स्थितः। पादुके हेमविकृते मम राज्याय ते ददौ॥ १३॥
Meaning
“Requested in these words by Vasiṣṭha, Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) stood on the sandals facing the east and allowed me to take the aforesaid pair of wooden sandals, adorned with gold, for carrying on the rule (on his behalf). (13)
निवृत्तोऽहमनुज्ञातो रामेण सुमहात्मना। अयोध्यामेव गच्छामि गृहीत्वा पादुके शुभे॥ १४॥
Meaning
“Departed, as permitted by the exceptionally high-souled Śrī Rāma, I am returning to Ayodhyā itself taking the blessed pair of sandals with me.” (14)
एतच्छ्रुत्वा शुभं वाक्यं भरतस्य महात्मनः। भरद्वाजः शुभतरं मुनिर्वाक्यमुदाहरत्॥ १५॥
Meaning
Hearing this happy report of the high-souled Bharata, Sage Bharadwāja made the following reply, which was still more agreeable to hear : (15)
नैतच्चित्रं नरव्याघ्रे शीलवृत्तविदां वरे। यदार्यं त्वयि तिष्ठेत्तु निम्नोत्सृष्टमिवोदकम्॥ १६॥
Meaning
“It is no wonder that, even as water discharged from above collects into a depression, noble conduct for its part should find its place in you, a tiger among men and the foremost of those who know how to behave well and conduct themselves with propriety. (16)
अनृणः स महाबाहुः पिता दशरथस्तव। यस्य त्वमीदृशः पुत्रो धर्मात्मा धर्मवत्सलः॥ १७॥
Meaning
“Free from all debt is your mighty-armed father, the celebrated Daśaratha, of whom was born such a pious son as you, fondly devoted to virtue.” (17)
तमृषिं तु महाप्राज्ञमुक्तवाक्यं कृताञ्जलिः। आमन्त्रयितुमारेभे चरणावुपगृह्य च॥ १८॥
Meaning
Bharata for his part stood with folded hands before the highly wise Ṛṣi, Sage Bharadwāja, who had spoken as above, and clasping his feet, proceeded to take leave of him. (18)
ततः प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा भरद्वाजं पुनः पुनः। भरतस्तु ययौ श्रीमानयोध्यां सह मन्त्रिभिः॥ १९॥
Meaning
Going clockwise round Bharadwāja as a mark of respect, again and again, the glorious Bharata for his part then left for Ayodhyā alongwith his counsellors. (19)
यानैश्च शकटैश्चैव हयैर्नागैश्च सा चमूः। पुनर्निवृत्ता विस्तीर्णा भरतस्यानुयायिनी॥ २०॥
Meaning
That large army following Bharata returned along the same route on chariots and bullock-carts as well as on horseback and on the back of elephants. (20)
ततस्ते यमुनां दिव्यां नदीं तीर्त्वोर्मिमालिनीम्। ददृशुस्तां पुनः सर्वे गङ्गां शिवजलां नदीम्॥ २१॥
Meaning
Having crossed the divine river, Yamunā, adorned with a succession of waves, they all then beheld once more the river Gaṅgā, containing holy waters. (21)
तां रम्यजलसम्पूर्णां संतीर्य सहबान्धवः। शृङ्गवेरपुरं रम्यं प्रविवेश ससैनिकः॥ २२॥
Meaning
Having easily crossed with his kinsfolk the aforesaid river, which was brimful with delightful waters, Bharata, with his army men, duly entered the lovely town of Śṛngaverapura. (22)
शृङ्गवेरपुराद् भूय अयोध्यां संददर्श ह। अयोध्यां तु तदा दृष्ट्वा पित्रा भ्रात्रा विवर्जिताम्॥ २३॥ भरतो दुःखसंतप्तः सारथिं चेदमब्रवीत्। सारथे पश्य विध्वस्ता अयोध्या न प्रकाशते॥ २४॥ निराकारा निरानन्दा दीना प्रतिहतस्वना॥ २५॥
Meaning
Proceeding from Śṛngaverapura he vividly saw Ayodhyā once more: so the tradition goes. Seeing Ayodhyā deserted by his father and elder brother, Śrī Rāma, Bharata for his part felt sore stricken with agony at that moment and spoke as follows to the charioteer Sumantra : “Look, O charioteer ! Desolate and shorn of its grace, bereft of joy, wretched and lifeless, Ayodhyā does not look bright as before.” (23—25)
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