Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 125

Meaning

Gazing on Ayodhyā while still in the air, before landing at the hermitage of Bharadwāja, Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) for his part, who wished to do a kindly act, and who was quick in exhibiting prowess, contemplated thereupon to do a kindly act to his friends, Sugrīva and others, as well as to the people of Ayodhya. (1)

Meaning

Taxing his brain awhile, the sagacious and glorious prince then cast his glance on the monkeys and spoke as follows to the monkey chief, Hanumān: (2)

Meaning

“Moving with all speed to Ayodhyā, O jewel among the monkeys, quickly find out if people in the royal palace are happy. (3)

Meaning

“Reaching Śṛṅgaverapura earlier, communicate in my name my welfare to Guha, the suzerain lord of the Niṣādas,* who dwells in the woods. (4)

Meaning

“Guha will feel actually delighted to hear of me as being safe and sound and free from anxiety. He is my friend, as good as my own self. (5)

Meaning

“Feeling pleased, Guha, the suzerain lord of the Niṣādas, will tell you the way to Ayodhyā as well as the news about Bharata. (6)

Meaning

“Bharata, too, should be asked by you of his welfare in my name. Nay, speak to him of me as having returned accomplished of purpose with my wife and Lakṣmaṇa. (7)

Meaning

“Nay, also speak to him of abduction of Sītā (a princess of the Videha territory) by the exceedingly mighty Rāvaṇa as also of my conversation with Sugrīva and the destruction by me of his elder brother, Vālī, on the field of battle, as well as of the search conducted by Sugrīva for Sītā (a princess of Mithilā) and mention to him how she was traced out by you after leaping across the never-diminishing sea (the lord of rivers) and consisting of a vast expanse of water. (8-9)

Meaning

“Also tell him of my going near the ocean and the appearance of the Ocean and also how a bridge was thrown over it and how Rāvaṇa was ultimately killed. (10)

Meaning

“Further tell him of bestowal on me of boons by the mighty Indra, the ruler of gods, Brahmā (the creator) and Varuṇa, the god of waters, and of my meeting with my deceased father in an ethereal form through the grace of Lord Śiva, the Supreme Deity. (11)

Meaning

“Also speak to Bharata of me as having arrived near Ayodhyā with Vibhīṣaṇa, the king of ogres and Sugrīva, the ruler of monkeys, O gentle one! (12)

Meaning

“Say to him, ‘Having conquered the hosts of enemies and won unsurpassed glory, his purpose thus accomplished, Rāma has arrived near with other friends endowed with extraordinary might.’ (13)

Meaning

“Nay, the expression which Bharata wears on his face on hearing this news should also then be observed by you as also all what he intends to do in relation to me. (14)

Meaning

“All the reactions of Bharata and his gestures too should be truly ascertained through the colour of his face, glances and speech. (15)

Meaning

“Whose mind will a kingdom exceedingly rich in all coveted enjoyments, nay, teeming with elephants, horses and chariots and inherited from one’s father and grandfather, not actually attract? (16)

Meaning

“If through association with rulership or with his mother, the glorious Bharata has himself grown covetous of sovereignty, let the delight of Raghu rule the entire globe without exception. (17)

Meaning

“Ascertaining his mind and resolve as well, O Hanumān, you ought to return apace before we are gone far from the hermitage of Sage Bharadwāja.” (18)

Meaning

Assuming a human semblance when commanded as aforesaid by Śrī Rāma, Hanumān, an offspring of the wind-god, left in all haste for Ayodhyā. (19)

Meaning

Hanumān, son of the wind-god, forthwith sprang forward towards Ayodhyā with speed even as Garuḍa, the king of birds and the transport of Lord Viṣṇu, would with impetuosity when seeking to lay hands on a jewel among the serpents. (20)

Meaning

Sweeping through the air (the course of his father, the wind-god), the charming abode of the jewels among birds, nay, duly crossing over the formidable confluence of the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā rivers, at Prayāga, reaching Śṛṅgaverapura and meeting Guha, the Niṣāda chief, the celebrated and powerful Hanumān joyfully spoke as follows in a charming voice: (21-22)

Meaning

“With Sītā as well as Lakṣmaṇa (son of Sumitrā) your friend, Śrī Rāma, that scion of Kakutstha of unfailing prowess, has for his part enquired of you about your welfare. (23)

Meaning

“You will be able to see Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) at this very place today when he has been duly permitted by Sage Bharadwāja after spending at the instance of the sage with him the night of the fifth lunar day of the bright half of the month of Āświna.” (24)

Meaning

Saying so, not minding the fatigue of the journey, the swift-moving Hanumān, who was endowed with extraordinary energy, sprang forward with great impetuosity, his hair standing erect for joy at the thought of his being of some little service to Śrī Rāma, the Delight of the universe. (25)

Meaning

He came across on the way the waters hallowed by the association of Lord Paraśurāma and the rivers Vālukinī, Varūthinī and Gomatī as well, as also the formidable forest of sal trees and many thousands of people inhabiting the kingdom of Kosala as also the prosperous territories comprised in that kingdom. Having speedily covered a long distance, that jewel among the monkeys reached the blossomed trees standing in the neighbourhood of Nandigrāma and resembling like those comprised in the garden of Indra, the suzerain lord of gods, and the garden of Kubera known by the name of Caitraratha, and frequented by women as also by their grandsons and sons beautifully adorned. At a distance of two miles from Ayodhyā he saw Bharata sad and emaciated, dwelling in a hermitage with the bark of trees and the skin of a black antelope wrapped around his waist, wearing matted locks on his head and afflicted through separation from his elder brother, Śrī Rāma, subsisting on fruits and roots, disciplined, and engaged in austerities, practising virtue, distinguished by a very high head of matted hair, covering the upper part of his body too with the bark of trees and a deer-skin, abstemious and clothed with a glory equalling that of a Brāhmaṇa Ṛṣi, his limbs covered with dirt, though his mind had been chastened, nay, ruling the earth after placing the well-known wooden sandals of Śrī Rāma before him, protecting the people belonging to all the four grades, viz., the Brāhmaṇas, the Kṣatriyas, the Vaiśyas and the Śūdras from all peril and attended by upright ministers and family priests as well as by clever troop-commanders, all clad in ochre robes. Indeed, the citizens of Ayodhyā, who were all lovers of virtue, would never feel inclined to enjoy pleasures ignoring that prince clad in the bark of trees and the skin of a black antelope. With joined palms Hanumān, an offspring of the wind-god, spoke as follows to that prince, who knew what is right and seemed to be a second Dharma, the god of virtue, clothed with a body: “That scion of Kakutstha for whom you are grieving, living as he was in the Daṇḍaka forest, wearing the bark of trees on his person and matted locks on his head, has asked you about your welfare. I hereby break a delightful news to you, my lord! Pray, abandon your poignant grief. (26—37)

Meaning

“You will be reunited with your elder brother, Śrī Rāma, very soon. Having killed Rāvaṇa, the king of ogres, and recovered Sītā, a princess of Mithilā, Śrī Rāma is coming back with his numerous friends endowed with extraordinary might, his purpose fully accomplished. Lakṣmaṇa too, who is endowed with extraordinary energy, is coming, as also Sītā, the illustrious princess of the Videha territory, who has her desires fulfilled, with Śrī Rāma, even as Śacī, the consort of Indra, would with the mighty Indra, the ruler of gods.” (38-39)

Meaning

Feeling delighted when spoken to as aforesaid by Hanumān, Bharata, son of Kaikeyī, sank all at once to the ground and fainted through joy. (40)

Meaning

Regaining his consciousness and rising awhile, Bharata, a scion of Raghu, replied as follows to Hanumān, who had brought the pleasant tidings to him: (41)

Meaning

Embracing the monkey in a flurry, the glorious Bharata bathed him with copious tear-drops out of joy and as such other than those born of grief. (42)

Meaning

“Whether you are a god or a human being, you have come here through compassion. To you, who have broken this agreeable news to me, O gentle one, I shall give you, in return for the pleasant tidings, a hundred thousand cows, excellent one hundred villages and for wives sixteen golden-complexioned virgin girls of good conduct, adorned with earrings, nay, decked with all kinds of jewels and distinguished by a shapely nose and thighs and a countenance delightful as the moon, and rich in lineage and birth.” (43—45)

Meaning

Hearing from the mouth of Hanumān, a principal hero among the monkeys, the glorious return of Śrī Rāma on that occasion, prince Bharata was thrown into ecstatic joy by a desire to behold Śrī Rāma, and joyfully spoke once more as follows: (46)