---
title: "Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 79"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/ayodhya-kanda/sarga-79"
lang: "en"
---

# Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 79

> ततः प्रभातसमये दिवसेऽथ चतुर्दशे।  
> समेत्य राजकर्तारो भरतं वाक्यमब्रुवन्॥ १॥

Coming together on the fourteenth day at daybreak, the king’s counsellors forthwith spoke to Bharata as follows : (1)

> गतो दशरथः स्वर्गं यो नो गुरुतरो गुरुः।  
> रामं प्रव्राज्य वै ज्येष्ठं लक्ष्मणं च महाबलम्॥ २॥

“Alas, having sent into exile his eldest son, Śrī Rāma, as well as Lakṣmaṇa, who is possessed of extraordinary might, Daśaratha, who was our most venerable sovereign, has ascended to heaven. (2)

> त्वमद्य भव नो राजा राजपुत्रो महायशः।  
> संगत्या नापराध्नोति राज्यमेतदनायकम्॥ ३॥

“This kingdom being without a ruler, be you our ruler now, O highly illustrious prince ! There being justification for your assuming the reins of government because your elder brother has been exiled under the command of your father and you have been nominated by him as his successor, you are not to blame for superseding the claims of your brother. (3)

> आभिषेचनिकं सर्वमिदमादाय राघव।  
> प्रतीक्षते त्वां स्वजनः श्रेणयश्च नृपात्मज॥ ४॥

“Taking all these requisites for your consecration, O scion of Raghu, your own people, the counsellors and ministers, as well as the citizens are awaiting your pleasure, O prince ! (4)

> राज्यं गृहाण भरत पितृपैतामहं ध्रुवम्।  
> अभिषेचय चात्मानं पाहि चास्मान् नरर्षभ॥ ५॥

“Accept the throne of Ayodhyā, which has surely been inherited by you from your father and grandfather, O Bharata, and have yourself consecrated and thereby protect us, O jewel among men !” (5)

> आभिषेचनिकं भाण्डं कृत्वा सर्वं प्रदक्षिणम्।  
> भरतस्तं जनं सर्वं प्रत्युवाच धृतव्रतः॥ ६॥

Going clockwise as a mark of respect round all the requisites for consecration, Bharata, who had taken the vow of propitiating Śrī Rāma, replied to all those counsellors as follows : (6)

> ज्येष्ठस्य राजता नित्यमुचिता हि कुलस्य नः।  
> नैवं भवन्तो मां वक्तुमर्हन्ति कुशला जनाः॥ ७॥

“Since the practice of conferring the kingship on the eldest brother has ever been regarded as commendable in our race; you, who are all clever people, ought not to make such a request to me. (7)

> रामः पूर्वो हि नो भ्राता भविष्यति महीपतिः।  
> अहं त्वरण्ये वत्स्यामि वर्षाणि नव पञ्च च॥ ८॥

“Śrī Rāma will be the ruler of the earth, since he is our eldest brother. I, for my part, shall reside in the forest for nine years and five on his behalf. (8)

> युज्यतां महती सेना चतुरङ्गमहाबला।  
> आनयिष्याम्यहं ज्येष्ठं भ्रातरं राघवं वनात्॥ ९॥

“Let a large and exceptionally powerful army consisting of all the four limbs be got ready to accompany me to the forest. I shall bring back in state my elder brother, Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, from the forest. (9)

> आभिषेचनिकं चैव सर्वमेतदुपस्कृतम्।  
> पुरस्कृत्य गमिष्यामि रामहेतोर्वनं प्रति॥ १०॥

“Placing in the van all these requisites got together for the consecration ceremony, I shall proceed in the direction of the forest in order to meet Śrī Rāma. (10)

> तत्रैव तं नरव्याघ्रमभिषिच्य पुरस्कृतम्।  
> आनयिष्यामि वै रामं हव्यवाहमिवाध्वरात्॥ ११॥

“Having consecrated that tiger among men in the forest itself, I shall surely bring Śrī Rāma back to Ayodhyā with honour even as one would bring a sacred fire from a big fire-sanctuary to one’s own house. (11)

> न सकामां करिष्यामि स्वामिमां मातृगन्धिनीम्।  
> वने वत्स्याम्यहं दुर्गे रामो राजा भविष्यति॥ १२॥

“I shall not allow this so-called mother of mine to realize her ambition of seeing her son crowned king. I shall, on the contrary, reside in a forest difficult to cross, while Śrī Rāma will be crowned king. (12)

> क्रियतां शिल्पिभिः पन्थाः समानि विषमाणि च।  
> रक्षिणश्चानुसंयान्तु पथि दुर्गविचारकाः॥ १३॥

“Let a passage be carved by masons where there is none, let uneven roads be levelled, and let guards knowing the difficult and narrow passages duly follow us.” (13)

> एवं सम्भाषमाणं तं रामहेतोर्नृपात्मजम्।  
> प्रत्युवाच जनः सर्वः श्रीमद् वाक्यमनुत्तमम्॥ १४॥

To the above mentioned prince, Bharata, who was talking as aforesaid in the interest of Śrī Rāma, all the counsellors made the following agreeable and excellent reply : (14)

> एवं ते भाषमाणस्य पद्मा श्रीरुपतिष्ठताम्।  
> यस्त्वं ज्येष्ठे नृपसुते पृथिवीं दातुमिच्छसि॥ १५॥

“Let the Goddess of Fortune, known by the name of Padmā (so-called because She has Her abode in a bed of lotuses), ever be with you, who are speaking in this strain and seek to restore the sovereignty of the globe to the eldest prince, Śrī Rāma !” (15)

> अनुत्तमं तद्वचनं नृपात्मजः  
> प्रभाषितं संश्रवणे निशम्य च।  
> प्रहर्षजास्तं प्रति बाष्पबिन्दवो  
> निपेतुरार्यानननेत्रसम्भवाः ॥ १६॥

The prince, Bharata, rejoiced to hear the excellent benediction poured by the counsellors into his ears. Nay, teardrops born of excessive delight and gratitude towards them flowed from the eyes of Bharata, whose countenance too was lit up with joy. (16)

> ऊचुस्ते वचनमिदं निशम्य हृष्टाः  
> सामात्याः सपरिषदो वियातशोकाः।  
> पन्थानं नरवरभक्तिमान् जनश्च  
> व्यादिष्टस्तव वचनाच्च शिल्पिवर्गः॥ १७॥

Rejoiced to hear the aforesaid proposal of Bharata to proceed to the forest to bring back Śrī Rāma to Ayodhyā after consecrating him as king in the forest itself, the counsellors including the ministers as well as those invited to take part in the assembly, found their grief altogether vanished and said, “In obedience to your command, O jewel among men, engineers as well as guards, who are full of devotion to you as well as to Śrī Rāma, have been told off to prepare the way.” (17)

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

---

Source: Gita Press, Gorakhpur editions. Buy the book: https://gitapress.org/product/sri-ramcharitmanas-special-edition

Ramayana.com, a free, ad-free project of Ved Vyas Foundation.