Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 98

Meaning

Having encamped the army by the side of Citrakūṭa, the powerful Bharata, for his part, who was the foremost of those endowed with feet, desired to approach on foot Śrī Rāma (a scion of Kakutstha), who was implementing the words of his father.(1)

Meaning

The army having barely encamped in a well-behaved manner according to Bharata’s directions, Bharata for his part spoke the following words to his younger brother, Śatrughna : (2)

Meaning

“With these multitudes of men forming your retinue, accompanied by the Niṣādas, the followers of Guha, O gentle brother, you ought quickly to search this forest all round. (3)

Meaning

“Let Guha, surrounded by a thousand of his clansmen, carrying each arrows, a bow and a sword in their hands, personally search for Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, the two scions of Kakutstha, in this forest. (4)

Meaning

“In the company of and surrounded by ministers and citizens, preceptors and other Brāhmaṇas, I shall personally go round the whole forest on foot. (5)

Meaning

“There will be no peace to me until I see Śrī Rāma or the very mighty Lakṣmaṇa or the highly fortunate Sītā, a princess of the Videha territory. (6)

Meaning

“There will be no peace of mind to me until I look on the well-known blessed countenance of my elder brother, shining brightly like the full moon and distinguished by eyes big as the lotus. (7)

Meaning

“Accomplished of purpose, indeed, is Lakṣmaṇa, son of Sumitrā, who beholds the highly resplendent face of Śrī Rāma, resembling the clear moon and marked with lotus-like eyes. (8)

Meaning

“There will be no peace of mind for me until I hold firmly on my head the lotus-like feet of my elder brother, adorned with the marks of royalty (viz., the figures of a thunderbolt, flag, lotus, umbrella and so on), (9)

Meaning

“There will be no peace of mind to me until Śrī Rāma, who deserves the kingship, is installed on the ancestral throne, duly consecrated and wet with water after a ceremonial bath forming part of the consecration. (10)

Meaning

“The highly blessed Sītā, a princess of the Videha territory, the daughter of Janaka, who follows in the footsteps of her husband, the protector of the earth extending up to the ocean, has accomplished her object. (11)

Meaning

“Highly blessed is this mountain Citrakūṭa, ranking with the Himalayan range, on which dwells Śrī Rāma (a scion of Kakutstha) as does Kubera, the god of riches, in the Caitraratha garden, which delights him. (12)

Meaning

“This forest, which is difficult of access and is infested with beasts of prey, and which the great king Rāma, the foremost of those wielding arms, is occupying at present is surely accomplished of purpose.” (13)

Meaning

Saying so, the mighty-armed Bharata, a jewel among men, who was endowed with exceptional glory, entered the great forest only on foot. (14)

Meaning

That jewel among the eloquent passed through clusters of trees grown on mountain-peaks—trees whose tops were full of blossom. (15)

Meaning

Hastily climbing up a sāla tree standing on the Citrakūṭa mountain, he saw a towering column of smoke issuing from fire in Śrī Rāma’s hermitage. (16)

Meaning

Perceiving the smoke and concluding that Śrī Rāma was there, the glorious Bharata with his kinsman, Śatrughna, rejoiced like one who had reached the end of an expanse of water. (17)

Meaning

Seeing on the Citrakūṭa mountain the hermitage of Śrī Rāma, frequented by holy men, and sending back to the camps the troops that had been sent by him in search of Śrī Rāma, the high-souled Bharata for his part proceeded with quick steps alongwith Guha to meet Śrī Rāma. (18)