Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 71

Meaning

Proceeding from Rājagṛha in an easterly direction and then surveying and crossing the well-known river Sudāmā* as well as the broad river Hrādinī, the powerful and dignified Bharata, a glorious scion of Ikṣwāku, crossed the river Śatadru (the modern Sutlej), whose stream takes a westward course. (1-2)

Meaning

Crossing another stream at Ailadhāna, a village of that name, and reaching the territory of Aparaparvata and crossing a river which petrified everything thrown into it, he reached the tract lying to the south-east and known by the name of Śalyakarṣaṇa (so-called because it abounded in a herb possessing the virtue of extracting a thorn etc.,). (3)

Meaning

Gazing on the river Śilāvahā (so-called because it carried away even rocks along its swift stream) and getting purified (through bathing in it), Bharata, who was true to his promise, crossed the Mahāśaila hills heading towards the forest of Caitraratha. (4)

Meaning

Reaching the river Saraswatī, flowing towards the west and a branch of the holy Gaṅgā at their confluence, he passed through the northern part of the Vīramatsya territory and entered the forest of Bhāruṇḍa. (5)

Meaning

Having duly crossed the swift and thundering river named Kuliṅgā, hemmed in by mountains, and reaching the Yamunā, he allowed the detachment accompanying him to rest for the time being. (6)

Meaning

Refreshing the limbs of the horses by bathing them and giving the fatigued animals food and rest in the shade of trees, nay, himself bathing and quenching his thirst, and taking water for the journey ahead, Bharata proceeded further. (7)

Meaning

The prince, who had undergone propitious rites before embarking on the long journey, crossed speedily by his excellent chariot the great forest lying on the way, which was not frequented, even as the wind sweeps through the atmosphere. (8)

Meaning

Finding the great river Gaṅgā associated with the name of Emperor Bhagīratha, who was instrumental in bringing the stream to the terrestrial region difficult to cross at the village of Aṁśudhāna, Bharata, a scion of Raghu, hastily approached it with a view to crossing it at the well-known town of Prāgvaṭa, where it could be easily crossed. (9)

Meaning

Crossing the holy Gaṅgā at Prāgvaṭa, he reached the river Kuṭikoṣṭikā. Again crossing the latter alongwith the detachment accompanying him, he duly arrived at the village of Dharmavardhana. (10)

Meaning

Bharata, son of Daśaratha, duly reached the village of Jambūprastha through the southern portion of the village of Toraṇa and then arrived at the lovely village of Varūtha. (11)

Meaning

Having halted for the night in a delightful grove adjoining that village, he drove in an easterly direction to the garden of Ujjihānā, a city, in which existed a cluster of Kadamba trees. (12)

Meaning

Having reached those Kadamba trees and getting swifter horses yoked to his chariot and allowing the army to come slowly since he had reached his own territory, Bharata for his part hastily proceeded further. (13)

Meaning

Having halted that night in the village of Sarvatīrtha and forded next morning the river Uttānikā and other streams on the back of various mountain ponies and reaching the village of Hastipṛṣṭhaka, Bharata, a tiger among men, crossed the river Kuṭikā and at Lohitya (another village) crossed the river Kapīvatī, too. (14-15)

Meaning

He crossed the Sthāṇumatī at the village of Ekasāla and, reaching the river Gomatī, he crossed it near the village of Vinata. And then Bharata quickly reached a grove of sal trees at Kaliṅganagara. Nay, hurriedly driving through the grove during the night, his horses having been completely exhausted, the tiger among men beheld the celebrated city of Ayodhyā, founded by King Vaivaswata Manu, at dawn, having spent seven nights, on the way: so the tradition goes. (16—18)

Meaning

Nay, seeing Ayodhyā in front of him, Bharata spoke as follows to the charioteer : “This well-famed city, consisting of sacred gardens, does not look very cheerful to me. (19)

Meaning

“Ayodhyā, O charioteer, which was thickly crowded with Brāhmaṇas given to sacrificial performances, endowed with good qualities and well-versed in the Vedas, as well as with wealthy men and was protected by the foremost of royal sages, looks from a distance to be a heap of white clay. Formerly in Ayodhyā was heard on all sides a great, confused noise of men and women; I do not hear it today. Indeed, gardens, which looked bright with men running helter-skelter on all sides, having ceased sporting in the morning after entering them at dusk and sporting the whole night, appear to me quite different. Deserted by gallants, they are weeping, as it were, today. (20—23)

Meaning

“The city, O charioteer, appears to me as converted into a woodland; for high-class men are not seen going out or coming here in conveyances or on the back of elephants or horses as before. (24)

Meaning

“The gardens in this city formerly looked excited with joy and enraptured and were extremely favourable for lovecontacts of men. (25)

Meaning

“Today I find those very gardens bereft of joy in everyway with their trees shedding tears in the form of leaves on the alleys and piteously wailing, as it were. (26)

Meaning

“Not even at this hour of sunrise is heard the cry of deer and birds in rut profusely and inarticulately giving forth their sweet and impassioned utterances. (27)

Meaning

“I wonder how a pure and delightful breeze laden with the fragrance of sandalwood and aloe and scented with the fume of burnt incense does not blow today as before. (28)

Meaning

“It is not known how has the sound, which ever proceeded unstintedly in the past, of kettledrums, clay tomtoms and Vīṇās, played upon with a drum-stick, palms or fingers, has ceased today? (29)

Meaning

“I also perceive unwelcome, portentous and unpleasant omens of every description. My mind is feeling dejected on that score. (30)

Meaning

“The all-round welfare of my near and dear ones is difficult to find, O charioteer ! For, even when there is no ostensible cause for infatuation, my heart is sinking, as it were.” (31)

Meaning

Dejected and alarmed, his heart weary and senses extremely perturbed, Bharata speedily entered the city protected by the scions of Ikṣwāku. (32)

Meaning

His horses being fatigued, he effected his entry by the western gate known by the name of Vaijayanta. Greeted with shouts of triumph by the porters, who rose to usher him in, he moved on accompanied by them. (33)

Meaning

Sending the porters back with honour, the said Bharata (a scion of Raghu) for his part, troubled as he was at heart, spoke on the spot to the wearied charioteer of King Aśwapati as follows : (34)

Meaning

“Why have I been brought to Ayodhyā in a hurry without mentioning any cause, O sinless one? My heart is, therefore, apprehensive of some misfortune and my composure is vanishing, as it were. (35)

Meaning

“I observe at this moment, O charioteer, all those indications that have been heard of by me in the past as pointing to the demise of kings. (36)

Meaning

“I behold the dwellings of householders unswept, dirty-coloured, shorn of splendour in everyway and with open doors. (37)

Meaning

“I find that no oblations have been offered in them to the various creatures, that they are devoid of odour coming from the burning of incense and bereft of fortune, that members of the household have not been fed in them for many days past and their inmates look pale. Temples which are no longer adorned with garlands hanging on the gates, whose courtyards have not been swept for the last so many days and which are devoid of men, do not look charming now as before. Images of gods as well as sacrificial halls have been deserted; saleable goods such as flowers and garlands do not figure prominently as before in flower marts today. Merchants too in this city, whose hearts are seized with fear due to anxiety and who feel dispirited because of their business having been brought to a standstill, do not appear as happy as they looked before. Nay, birds and beasts in temples and other places of worship are distressed. (38—42)

Meaning

“Again, I behold the people in the city, including men and women, in soiled attire, miserable, worried, emaciated and sorrowful, with eyes full of tears.” (43)

Meaning

Perceiving those unwelcome indications in Ayodhyā and having spoken to the said charioteer as above, Bharata drove to the royal palace afflicted in mind. (44)

Meaning

He was filled to the brim with sorrow to see that city, which had shone at one time like Amarāvatī, the capital of Indra in paradise, with its crossroads, houses and streets desolate and its doors and bolts soiled with dust. (45)

Meaning

Beholding things distasteful to the mind, things which had never come to pass in his city before, the high-souled Bharata became cheerless and entered his father’s apartments distressed in mind, his head hung down. (46)