Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 97

Meaning

Śrī Rāma, for his part, pacified in everyway Lakṣmaṇa, who actually bore an utterly bellicose attitude towards Bharata and was beside himself with rage, and then spoke to him as follows : (1)

Meaning

“When the very mighty Bharata, full of great longing to see me, has turned up in person, what purpose will be served at this moment with a bow or with a sword accompanied by a shield? (2)

Meaning

“Having given, in the first instance, my word of honour to implement the pledge of my father and killed Bharata in an encounter, O Lakṣmaṇa, what shall I do with a kingdom stained with infamy (that will be occasioned by my going back upon my word of honour and robbing Bharata of the gift bestowed on him by our father)? (3)

Meaning

“I am not going to accept a fortune that will descend on the destruction of my kinsfolk or friends any more than one would partake of dishes mixed with poison. (4)

Meaning

“I seek virtue, fortune, gratification of senses and even sovereignty of the earth, O Lakṣmana, only for you people, my brothers, and not for any personal gain: I give this word of honour to you. (5)

Meaning

“I seek sovereignty too only for the protection and gratification of my brothers, O Lakṣmaṇa: I swear by my bow. (6)

Meaning

“The sovereignty of this globe, hemmed in by the sea, O gentle brother, is not difficult for me to acquire; but I do not covet even the position of Indra through unrighteousness, O Lakṣmaṇa ! (7)

Meaning

“If any joy comes to me without Bharata and yourself, or even without Śatrughna, O respecter of others, let fire reduce it to ashes. (8)

Meaning

“I believe, O gallant brother, that hearing, when back in Ayodhyā, of myself having been actually exiled with Sītā (daughter of Janaka) and yourself, and having proceeded to the forest, wearing matted locks and clad in the bark of trees, O jewel among men, Bharata, who is so fond of his brothers, and is dearer to me than life itself, must have found his heart overwhelmed with affection and his mind distracted through grief and has surely come all the way to see me, bearing in mind the usage of his race in the shape of installing the eldest son on the throne on the death of a king and that the said Bharata has not come with any other motive. (9—11)

Meaning

“Nay, getting angry with mother Kaikeyī and speaking unkind words to her and having obtained the consent of our father, the glorious Bharata has evidently come to offer the throne to me. (12)

Meaning

“It is but opportune that Bharata sees us—in fact, he deserves to see us. He would not do any harm to us even with his mind. (13)

Meaning

“I wonder when and what offence was given to you by Bharata in the past and when any such alarming thing was said by him that you mistrust Bharata today. (14)

Meaning

“Bharata should under no circumstances be spoken harshly to nor should unkind words be addressed to him. If any offence is given to Bharata, indeed it would mean that I am told unpleasant things. (15)

Meaning

“How on earth can sons take the life of their father in any trying situation or how can a brother kill his own brother, his very life, O son of Sumitrā? (16)

Meaning

“If you utter these words, signifying your intention to kill Bharata for the sake of sovereignty, I shall speak to Bharata as follows on seeing him: ‘Let the kingdom be given away for good to Lakṣmaṇa.’ (17)

Meaning

“Being addressed by me in the words ‘Bestow the kingdom on Lakṣmaṇa,’ Bharata, O Lakṣmaṇa, will surely accept my command saying “amen !” (18)

Meaning

Admonished thus by his eldest brother, Śrī Rāma, of virtuous disposition, Lakṣmaṇa, who was devoted to the interests of the latter, hid himself in his own limbs, as it were, out of shame. (19)

Meaning

Put out of countenance to hear the aforesaid admonition, Lakṣmaṇa, they say, submitted as follows : “I believe our father, Emperor Daśaratha himself, has come to see you.” (20)

Meaning

Finding Lakṣmaṇa abashed, Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, they say, replied as follows : “I too believe that the mighty-armed Emperor has personally come to see us here. (21)

Meaning

“Nay, considering us to be deserving of comfort and bearing in mind the privations attendant on residence in a forest, father will, I believe, surely take us back home. (22)

Meaning

“Again, my aforesaid father, the glorious Daśaratha, a scion of Raghu, will return to the capital taking with him from the forest this Sītā (a princess of the Videha kingdom) too, who has always enjoyed the utmost amenities of life. (23)

Meaning

“Here are to be clearly seen the two spirited and excellent fleet horses of noble breed, pleasing to the mind and vying with the wind in swiftness. (24)

Meaning

“Here is the well-known gigantic and aged elephant, Śatruñjaya by name, of our wise father, rocking about at the head of the army. (25)

Meaning

“I, however, do not behold that white heavenly umbrella of my father, well-known in the world, O highly blessed one ! Doubt on this point fills my mind.” (26)

Meaning

“Do my bidding, O Lakṣmaṇa, and climb you down from the tree-top.” In these precise words did Śrī Rāma, whose mind was given to piety, address the celebrated Lakṣmaṇa, son of Sumitrā: so the tradition goes. (27)

Meaning

Getting down from that top of the sāl tree, the aforesaid Lakṣmaṇa, the conqueror of hostile forces, for his part, stood by the side of Śrī Rāma with folded hands. (28)

Meaning

Admonished by Bharata in the words: “Let there be no molestation to the hermitage of Śrī Rāma”, his army encamped round-about that mountain. (29)

Meaning

Occupying an area of one Yojana and a half, they say, the army of Bharata, of Ikṣwāku’s line, full of elephants, horses and men, encamped by the side of the mountain. (30)

Meaning

Brought with the purpose of propitiating Śrī Rāma, the delight of the Raghus, by Bharata, who was rich in the sense of propriety, placing righteousness in the forefront and shaking off vanity, the aforesaid army shone brightly in the vicinity of Citrakūṭa. (31)