Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 82

Meaning

Bharata, who was rich in intelligence, beheld the aforesaid assembly, full of hosts of worthy men and attended by great souls like Vasiṣṭha and as such resembling a night illumined by a full moon and adorned with other major planets. (1)

Meaning

That eminent gathering was lit up with the splendour of the raiment worn and the pigment painted on the person of the worthies occupying their seats according to their deserts on that occasion. (2)

Meaning

That most brilliant conclave looked as charming as a night illumined by a full moon during the autumn marked by the absence of clouds. (3)

Meaning

Looking intently on and reading the mind of all the king’s ministers and the people present there, the said Vasiṣṭha (the family-priest of the rulers of Ayodhyā), for his part, who knew what was right, spoke as follows and gently too to Bharata : (4)

Meaning

“King Daśaratha, my child, has ascended to heaven practising virtue (in the form of redeeming his plighted word) and bequeathing the sovereignty of the prosperous earth, full of gold and foodgrains, to you. (5)

Meaning

“Bearing in mind the duty of virtuous souls, viz., obeying the command of their parents, Śrī Rāma, who is truthful of conduct like his father, did not disregard the command of his father any more than the risen moon quits the moonlight. (6)

Meaning

“Sovereignty with all its thorns completely removed has been conferred on you by your father and elder brother. Assisted by ministers, who are all pleased with you, enjoy it and quickly get yourself consecrated for the coronation. (7)

Meaning

“Let the rulers of the north and the west as well as of the south and the east and the kings of the western borders near the Sahya mountains, who are without a throne and, therefore, not enjoying sovereign rights, as well as seafaring traders bring countless jewels as offerings to you.” (8)

Meaning

Overwhelmed with grief to hear the aforesaid advice of his family-priest, Bharata, who knew the right course, viz., to restore the kingdom to his elder brother, mentally betook himself to Śrī Rāma with intent to get inspiration from him to do the right thing in the shape of waiting as a servant on his elder brother rather than superseding his claim to the throne. (9)

Meaning

In a voice choked with tears, the prince, who was in the prime of his youth and therefore incapable of renunciation, lamented as follows in the open assembly in tones resembling the cackling of a swan and reproached his family-priest for his unjust advice and offering the kingship to a cruel and unrighteous fellow like himself : (10)

Meaning

“What sensible and knowing man like me can usurp the kingdom of a sagacious prince, like Śrī Rāma, who has duly studied the Vedas with a vow of celibacy in the house of a teacher and gone through the ceremony of lustration after completing his studies and is applying himself to the practice of virtue in the shape of redeeming the plighted word of his father? (11)

Meaning

“How can I, sprung from the loins of Daśaratha, who renounced his very life on being told that Śrī Rāma had not returned to Ayodhyā and had left for the forest, become a usurper of the throne of my elder brother, when not only the throne, but I too belong to Śrī Rāma? Therefore, in this conclave you ought to speak what is right. (12)

Meaning

“Śrī Rāma, a scion of Kakutstha, who is not only the eldest of us all, but the worthiest too, whose mind is intent on piety and who vies in eminence with Dilīpa and Nahuṣa, two most ancient and illustrious representatives of the solar and the lunar dynasty respectively deserves to inherit the kingdom as did Daśaratha in the past. (13)

Meaning

“If I perpetrate this sin of superseding the claims of my elder brother, which is resorted to only by unworthy men and does not lead to heaven, I shall bring disgrace to the line of Ikṣwāku in the world. (14)

Meaning

“I do not even approve of, much less be a party to, the sinful act in the shape of disinheriting and banishing Śrī Rāma that has actually been committed by my mother. That is why even though present here, I salute with folded hands Śrī Rāma sojourning in a forest region difficult of access. (15)

Meaning

“I shall, therefore, follow Śrī Rāma alone. Being the foremost of men, he alone is the ruler of this kingdom. Nay, Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, deserves the sovereignty even of all the three worlds (viz., earth, heaven and the intermediate region).” (16)

Meaning

Hearing the aforesaid reply, which was in full accord with righteousness, all those who sat in the assembly shed tears through joy, their mind being absorbed in Śrī Rāma. (17)

Meaning

“If, however, Bharata continued, I do not succeed in bringing my elder brother back from the forest, I shall continue in that forest itself in the same way as the noble Lakṣmaṇa is doing. (18)

Meaning

“In the presence of the honourable members of this assembly, who are all impartial and practise good virtues, I for my part shall try every means to bring him back forcibly. (19)

Meaning

“All expert road-workers working on or without wages, have already been despatched by me. Hence journeying to the forest alone finds favour with me.” (20)

Meaning

Having spoken thus, the pious-minded Bharata for his part who was so fond of his elder brother, spoke as follows to Sumantra, who sat near him and was accomplished in giving counsel : (21)

Meaning

“Getting up at once, O Sumantra, depart you under my command and issue orders to all to proceed on a journey to the place where Śrī Rāma may be and quickly send out the army too.” (22)

Meaning

Sumantra for his part felt highly rejoiced when commanded in the foregoing words by the high-souled Bharata. He communicated to all everything as instructed by Bharata as something welcome. (23)

Meaning

The citizens present in the assembly as well as the generals were immensely delighted to hear of the departure to the forest of the army duly ordered by Bharata with the object of bringing Śrī Rāma back to Ayodhyā. (24)

Meaning

Delighted to know of the expedition of the army on a pilgrimage to the forest to bring back Śrī Rāma, all the wives of soldiers thereupon urged, in their eagerness to see Śrī Rāma and others back in Ayodhyā, all the husbands in their own homes to make haste to depart. (25)

Meaning

The aforesaid generals urged the entire army to march quickly with the womenfolk, on horseback, in bullockcarts as well as in chariots quick as thought. (26)

Meaning

Seeing that army ready to depart, Bharata for his part said to Sumantra, standing by his side, in the presence of his preceptor Sage Vasiṣṭha, “Get my chariot ready soon.” (27)

Meaning

Bowing to the command of the celebrated Bharata and taking a chariot driven by excellent horses, Sumantra for his part approached him, highly delighted at the prospect of meeting Śrī Rāma and others as well as of their returning to Ayodhyā. (28)

Meaning

Intending to undertake a journey to persuade his illustrious elder brother Śrī Rāma, staying in a dreary forest viz., the Daṇḍaka, to return to Ayodhyā by arguing with him in a well-reasoned way, that glorious scion of Raghu, Bharata of unfailing firmness and unflinching veracity and prowess, spoke on that occasion as follows : (29)

Meaning

“Getting up promptly, O Sumantra, approach you the generals of the army in order to get them equip the forces for the journey; for, propitiating Śrī Rāma residing in the forest, I intend to bring him back to Ayodhyā for the good of the world.” (30)

Meaning

Commanded as above by Bharata and accounting thereby his ambition of seeing Śrī Rāma fully realized, Sumantra duly issued orders accordingly to all the leading citizens and army chiefs as well as to the friends and relations of Bharata. (31)

Meaning

Springing on their feet in great eagerness, people from every house—Kṣatriyas and Vaiśyas, Śūdras and Brāhmaṇas—thereupon got ready for the journey camels and chariots, donkeys and elephants, as well as horses of excellent breed. (32)