---
title: "Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 87"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/ayodhya-kanda/sarga-87"
lang: "en"
---

# Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 87

> गुहस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा भरतो भृशमप्रियम्।  
> ध्यानं जगाम तत्रैव यत्र तच्छ्रुतमप्रियम्॥ १॥

Hearing the report of Guha about Śrī Rāma’s matted locks of hair, which was most disagreeable to hear, Bharata began to think deeply of Śrī Rāma alone, of whom that unpleasant news was heard by him as it made him apprehensive that Śrī Rāma might not return to Ayodhyā now that he had entangled his hair into a mass. (1)

> सुकुमारो महासत्त्वः सिंहस्कन्धो महाभुजः।  
> पुण्डरीकविशालाक्षस्तरुणः प्रियदर्शनः॥ २॥  
> प्रत्याश्वस्य मुहूर्तं तु कालं परमदुर्मनाः।  
> ससाद सहसा तोत्रैर्हृदि विद्ध इव द्विपः॥ ३॥

Having remained composed awhile, the mightly-armed prince, Bharata, for his part—who, though tender of body, was possessed of extraordinary strength, whose shoulders resembled a lion’s and who had eyes big as a lotus, and who was both young and pleasing of appearance—suddenly sank to the ground extremely sad at heart, like an elephant pierced with goads. (2-3)

> भरतं मूर्च्छितं दृष्ट्वा विवर्णवदनो गुहः।  
> बभूव व्यथितस्तत्र भूमिकम्पे यथा द्रुमः॥ ४॥

Seeing Bharata unconscious, Guha felt shaken at that time like a tree during an earthquake, and his face grew pale. (4)

> तदवस्थं तु भरतं शत्रुघ्नोऽनन्तरस्थितः।  
> परिष्वज्य रुरोदोच्चैर्विसंज्ञः शोककर्शितः॥ ५॥

Embracing Bharata, lying in that unconscious state, Śatrughna, for his part, who stood nearby, got non-plussed, stricken as he was with grief, and loudly cried. (5)

> ततः सर्वाः समापेतुर्मातरो भरतस्य ताः।  
> उपवासकृशा दीना भर्तृव्यसनकर्शिताः॥ ६॥

Then rushed together all the mothers of Bharata. They were emaciated through fasting, looked miserable and felt afflicted due to separation from their husband. (6)

> ताश्च तं पतितं भूमौ रुदत्यः पर्यवारयन्।  
> कौसल्या त्वनुसृत्यैनं दुर्मनाः परिषस्वजे॥ ७॥

Nay, shedding tears they surrounded Bharata fallen on the ground. Approaching him sad at heart, Kausalyā for her part hugged him. (7)

> वत्सला स्वं यथा वत्समुपगुह्य तपस्विनी।  
> परिपप्रच्छ भरतं रुदती शोकलालसा॥ ८॥

Pressing him to her bosom as a cow does its own calf, that exceedingly thoughtful lady, who was totally given up to grief, questioned Bharata in the following words, shedding tears all the time : (8)

> पुत्र व्याधिर्न ते कच्चिच्छरीरं प्रति बाधते।  
> अस्य राजकुलस्याद्य त्वदधीनं हि जीवितम्॥ ९॥

“I hope no ailment of any kind afflicts your body. In fact, the life of this entire royal household hinges on you. (9)

> त्वां दृष्ट्वा पुत्र जीवामि रामे सभ्रातृके गते।  
> वृत्ते दशरथे राज्ञि नाथ एकस्त्वमद्य नः॥ १०॥

“Looking on you alone, my son, do I survive. Rāma with his brother, Lakṣmaṇa, having left for the forest and King Daśaratha, your father, having expired, you alone are our protector today. (10)

> कच्चिन्न लक्ष्मणे पुत्र श्रुतं ते किंचिदप्रियम्।  
> पुत्रे वा ह्येकपुत्रायाः सहभार्ये वनं गते॥ ११॥

“I hope nothing unwelcome has been heard by you regarding Lakṣmaṇa or my own son, Rāma—I having only one son, who has proceeded to the forest with his consort.” (11)

> स मुहूर्तं समाश्वस्य रुदन्नेव महायशाः।  
> कौसल्यां परिसान्त्व्येदं गुहं वचनमब्रवीत्॥ १२॥

Returning to his normal self after an hour or so, and consoling Kausalyā with the assurance that nothing unwelcome had been heard with reference to Lakṣmaṇa or Śrī Rāma, Bharata, the highly illustrious prince, spoke weeping all the same to Guha as follows : (12)

> भ्राता मे क्वावसद् रात्रौ क्व सीता क्व च लक्ष्मणः।  
> अस्वपच्छयने कस्मिन् किं भुक्त्वा गुह शंस मे॥ १३॥

“Where did my elder brother, Śrī Rāma, stay during the night? Where did Sītā spend the night and where Lakṣmaṇa? On what kind of bed and eating what did he repose? Tell me this, O Guha !’’ (13)

> सोऽब्रवीद् भरतं हृष्टो निषादाधिपतिर्गुहः।  
> यद्विधं प्रतिपेदे च रामे प्रियहितेऽतिथौ॥ १४॥

Questioned thus, Guha, the ruler of the Niṣādas, thereupon joyfully told Bharata in the following words what kind of arrangement he had made for feeding and reposing his beloved and kind guest : (14)

> अन्नमुच्चावचं भक्ष्याः फलानि विविधानि च।  
> रामायाभ्यवहारार्थं बहुशोऽपहृतं मया॥ १५॥

“Boiled rice of various kinds, other foods requiring mastication and fruits of every description were brought by me in abundance to the presence of Śrī Rama for his repast. (15)

> तत् सर्वं प्रत्यनुज्ञासीद् रामः सत्यपराक्रमः।  
> न हि तत् प्रत्यगृह्णात् स क्षत्रधर्ममनुस्मरन्॥ १६॥

“Śrī Rāma of unfailing prowess accepted all that for my pleasure and returned it to me. Bearing in mind the duty of a Kṣatriya (who is not permitted by the Śāstras to accept a gift, much less on the bank of a holy river), however, he did not partake of it. (16)

> नह्यस्माभिः प्रतिग्राह्यं सखे देयं तु सर्वदा।  
> इति तेन वयं सर्वे अनुनीता महात्मना॥ १७॥

“ ‘No gift in any case is to be accepted by us (Kṣatriyas), my friend: a gift can only be made by us.’ In these words were we all pacified by that high-souled prince. (17)

> लक्ष्मणेन यदानीतं पीतं वारि महात्मना।  
> औपवास्यं तदाकार्षीद् राघवः सह सीतया॥ १८॥

“That water alone which was brought by Lakṣmaṇa was drunk by the high-souled prince. Along with Sītā, Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, then observed a fast for the day. (18)

> ततस्तु जलशेषेण लक्ष्मणोऽप्यकरोत् तदा।  
> वाग्यतास्ते त्रयः संध्यां समुपासन्त संहिताः॥ १९॥

“Then Lakṣmaṇa too forthwith slaked his thirst by means of the water that was left over. All the three, viz., Śrī Rāma, Lakśmaṇa and Sumantra, duly worshipped the deity presiding over the evening twilight silently together. (19)

> सौमित्रिस्तु ततः पश्चादकरोत् स्वास्तरं शुभम्।  
> स्वयमानीय बर्हींषि क्षिप्रं राघवकारणात्॥ २०॥

“After that, fetching blades of Kuśa grass himself, Lakṣmaṇa for his part promptly prepared a sacred bed for Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu. (20)

> तस्मिन् समाविशद् रामः स्वास्तरे सह सीतया।  
> प्रक्षाल्य च तयोः पादौ व्यपाक्रामत् स लक्ष्मणः॥ २१॥

“Srī Rāma sat down on the bed with Sītā and, washing the feet of Śrī Rāma and Sītā (Śrī Rāma’s with his own hands and Sītā’s by giving water to her), the celebrated Lakṣmaṇa moved to a distance. (21)

> एतत् तदिङ्गुदीमूलमिदमेव च तत् तृणम्।  
> यस्मिन् रामश्च सीता च रात्रिं तां शयितावुभौ॥ २२॥

“This is the foot of the same Iṅgudī tree and these are the same blades of Kuśa grass where and on which Śrī Rāma and Sītā both reposed that night. (22)

> नियम्य पृष्ठे तु तलाङ्गुलित्रवान्  
> शरैः सुपूर्णाविषुधी परंतपः।  
> महद्धनुः सज्जमुपोह्य लक्ष्मणो  
> निशामतिष्ठत् परितोऽस्य केवलम्॥ २३॥

“Fastening at his back, one on each side, a pair of quivers fully packed with arrows and donning gloves about his hands and wielding a large stringed bow, Laksmana, a tormentor of his foes, for his part remained walking round Śrī Rāma during the night singly. (23)

> ततस्त्वहं चोत्तमबाणचापभृत्  
> स्थितोऽभवं तत्र स यत्र लक्ष्मणः।  
> अतन्द्रितैर्ज्ञातिभिरात्तकार्मुकै-  
> र्महेन्द्रकल्पं परिपालयंस्तदा॥ २४॥

“Wielding excellent arrows and bow, I too remained posted where the aforesaid Lakṣmaṇa kept moving, carefully guarding Śrī Rāma (who vied with Indra) with my vigilant kinsmen carrying bows in their hands.” (24)

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

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