--- title: "Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 124" canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/yuddha-kanda/sarga-124" lang: "en" --- # Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 124 > पूर्णे चतुर्दशे वर्षे पञ्चम्यां लक्ष्मणाग्रजः। > भरद्वाजाश्रमं प्राप्य ववन्दे नियतो मुनिम्॥ १॥ Reaching the hermitage of Sage Bharadwāja on the fifth day (of the bright half) of the lunar month of Āświna (roughly corresponding to the month of September) when the fourteenth year of his exile had been completed, Śrī Rāma, the eldest brother of Lakṣmaṇa), who was disciplined even now, bowed down to the anchorite. (1) > सोऽपृच्छदभिवाद्यैनं भरद्वाजं तपोधनम्। > शृणोषि कच्चिद् भगवन् सुभिक्षानामयं पुरे। > कच्चित् स युक्तो भरतो जीवन्त्यपि च मातरः॥ २॥ Having greeted the aforesaid Bharadwāja, who had asceticism for his sole possession, he enquired of him: “Have you heard, O glorious sage, that there has been a good harvest and there is absence of disease in the city, Ayodhyā? I hope Bharata is still active in ruling over the people and my mothers still survive?” (2) > एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण भरद्वाजो महामुनिः। > प्रत्युवाच रघुश्रेष्ठं स्मितपूर्वं प्रहृष्टवत्॥ ३॥ Questioned by Śrī Rāma in the foregoing words, the great Sage, Bharadwāja, smilingly replied as follows to Śrī Rāma (the foremost of the Raghus) like one greatly rejoiced: (3) > आज्ञावशत्वे भरतो जटिलस्त्वां प्रतीक्षते। > पादुके ते पुरस्कृत्य सर्वं च कुशलं गृहे॥ ४॥ “Wearing matted locks on his head and placing your wooden sandals constantly before him, Bharata, who is steadfast in obedience to your commands, expects you back every moment. Nay, all is well at your home as well as in the city. (4) > त्वां पुरा चीरवसनं प्रविशन्तं महावनम्। > स्त्रीतृतीयं च्युतं राज्याद् धर्मकामं च केवलम्॥ ५॥ > पदातिं त्यक्तसर्वस्वं पितृनिर्देशकारिणम्। > सर्वभोगैः परित्यक्तं स्वर्गच्युतमिवामरम्॥ ६॥ > दृष्ट्वा तु करुणापूर्वं ममासीत् समितिंजय। > कैकेयीवचने युक्तं वन्यमूलफलाशिनम्॥ ७॥ “Pity actually arose in my mind last time, O prince, who are ever victorious in combat, on seeing you penetrating deep into the forest on foot before with the sole desire of practising virtue, clad in pieces of bark, disinherited from sovereignty and deprived of all enjoyments like an immortal fallen from heaven, having renounced all your possessions, with your spouse, Sītā, as the third (of your party besides Lakṣmaṇa and yourself), bent as you were on carrying out the behest of your father and intent on implementing the pledge given by your father to Kaikeyī, and living on wild roots and fruits. (5—7) > साम्प्रतं तु समृद्धार्थं समित्रगणबान्धवम्। > समीक्ष्य विजितारिं च ममाभूत् प्रीतिरुत्तमा॥ ८॥ “Supreme joy is, however, being experienced by me now on perceiving you fully accomplished of purpose, now that you have completely conquered your enemies, and are accompanied by hosts of your friends and near and dear ones, viz., your consort and younger brother, Lakṣmaṇa.(8) > सर्वं च सुखदुःखं ते विदितं मम राघव। > यत् त्वया विपुलं प्राप्तं जनस्थाननिवासिना॥ ९॥ “Nay, all your joy and sorrow that was experienced by you in abundance while sojourning in the forest of Janasthāna is known to me, O Rāma (a scion of Raghu)! (9) > ब्राह्मणार्थे नियुक्तस्य रक्षतः सर्वतापसान्। > रावणेन हृता भार्या बभूवेयमनिन्दिता॥ १०॥ “This irreproachable consort of yours was borne away by Rāvaṇa while you were busy protecting all the ascetics, who were carrying on their austerities in that area, entrusted as you were by the will of Providence with the work of safe-guarding the interests of the Brāhmaṇas. (10) > मारीचदर्शनं चैव सीतोन्मथनमेव च। > कबन्धदर्शनं चैव पम्पाभिगमनं तथा॥ ११॥ > सुग्रीवेण च ते सख्यं यत्र वाली हतस्त्वया। > मार्गणं चैव वैदेह्याः कर्म वातात्मजस्य च॥ १२॥ > विदितायां च वैदेह्यां नलसेतुर्यथा कृतः। > यथा चादीपिता लङ्का प्रहृष्टैर्हरियूथपैः॥ १३॥ > सपुत्रबान्धवामात्यः सबलः सहवाहनः। > यथा च निहतः संख्ये रावणो बलदर्पितः॥ १४॥ > यथा च निहते तस्मिन् रावणे देवकण्टके। > समागमश्च त्रिदशैर्यथा दत्तश्च ते वरः॥ १५॥ > सर्वं ममैतद् विदितं तपसा धर्मवत्सल। > सम्पतन्ति च मे शिष्याः प्रवृत्त्याख्याः पुरीमितः॥ १६॥ “Nay, even the appearance of Mārīca as well as the abduction of Sītā by Rāvaṇa as also the sight of Kabandha and, even so, your arrival at the Pampā lake, again, your alliance with Sugrīva in pursuance of which his elder brother, Vālī was killed by you, also the quest for Sītā (a princess of the Videha territory) and the exploit in the form of leaping across the sea by Hanumān, son of the wind-god, again, how on the said princess of the Videha territory having been traced, a bridge was constructed over the sea by the monkey chief, Nala, and how Laṅkā was set fire to by the commanders of monkey troops, who felt greatly rejoiced over the fall of Indrajit and how Rāvaṇa, who was elated with pride of his might, was killed in combat with his sons, kinsfolk and ministers as well as with his army and mounts, again your meeting with the gods on the aforesaid Rāvaṇa, who was a thorn in the side of gods, having been made short work of, and how boons were conferred on you by them—all this is known to me by virtue of my asceticism, O lover of virtue! Nay, my disciples, who communicate to me tidings relating to Ayodhyā, repair in a body now and then from this place to the city. (11—16) > अहमप्यत्र ते दद्मि वरं शस्त्रभृतां वर। > अर्घ्यं प्रतिगृहाणेदमयोध्यां श्वो गमिष्यसि॥ १७॥ “I, too, hereby confer a boon on you, O jewel among those who bear weapons on their person! Pray, accept this offering of water to wash your hands with. You shall go to Ayodhyā tomorrow.” (17) > तस्य तच्छिरसा वाक्यं प्रतिगृह्य नृपात्मजः। > बाढमित्येव संहृष्टः श्रीमान् वरमयाचत॥ १८॥ Bowing to his aforesaid command with his head bent low, highly pleased as he was, and saying “Amen!”, the glorious prince, Śrī Rāma, asked of him the following boon: (18) > अकालफलिनो वृक्षाः सर्वे चापि मधुस्रवाः। > फलान्यमृतगन्धीनि बहूनि विविधानि च॥ १९॥ > भवन्तु मार्गे भगवन्नयोध्यां प्रति गच्छतः। > तथेति च प्रतिज्ञाते वचनात् समनन्तरम्॥ २०॥ > अभवन् पादपास्तत्र स्वर्गपादपसंनिभाः। > निष्फलाः फलिनश्चासन् विपुष्पाः पुष्पशालिनः॥ २१॥ “Let all the trees on the way, even as I fly to Ayodhyā, bear fruits and flow with honey and let abundant fruits of various kinds, emitting the fragrance of nectar, appear on them, O venerable Sir!” Immediately after his consent, once it was given in the words “Be it so!”, all the trees in that region grew to be closely similar to heavenly trees in their virtues. For three Yojanas (twenty-four miles) on all sides, in the interest of those travelling to Ayodhyā, trees that no longer bore fruit were laden with fruit; those which had even ceased to blossom, looked charming with blossom again. (19—21) > शुष्काः समग्रपत्रास्ते नगाश्चैव मधुस्रवाः। > सर्वतो योजनास्तिस्रो गच्छतामभवंस्तदा॥ २२॥ Trees that had withered were fully clothed with foliage once more and further began to flow with honey on that occasion. (22) > ततः प्रहृष्टाः प्लवगर्षभास्ते > बहूनि दिव्यानि फलानि चैव। > कामादुपाश्नन्ति सहस्रशस्ते > मुदान्विताः स्वर्गजितो यथैव॥ २३॥ Leaping down from the aerial car on reaching the outskirts of Ayodhyā, highly rejoiced and full of joy even as those who had won their place in heaven, the aforesaid jewels among the monkeys in their thousands thereupon feasted at will on the numerous ethereal fruits. (23) Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana --- Source: Gita Press, Gorakhpur editions. 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