Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 113

तत श्शिरसि कृत्वा तु पादुके भरतस्तदा। आरुरोह रथं हृष्टः शत्रुघ्नेन समन्वितः।।2.113.1।।

tata śśirasi kṛtvā tu pāduke bharatastadā| āruroha rathaṃ hṛṣṭaḥ śatrughnena samanvitaḥ

Then Bharata accompanied by Satrughna, placing the sandals on his head in delight, boarded the chariot.

वसिष्ठो वामदेवश्च जाबालिश्च दृढव्रतः। अग्रतः प्रययु स्सर्वे मन्त्रिणो मन्त्रपूजिताः।।2.113.2।।

vasiṣṭho vāmadevaśca jābāliśca dṛḍhavrataḥ| agrataḥ prayayu ssarve mantriṇo mantrapūjitāḥ

Vasishta, Vamadeva, Jabali of rigorous penance and all the ministers honoured for their counsel proceeded ahead.

मन्दाकिनीं नदीं रम्यां प्राङ्मुखास्ते ययुस्तदा। प्रदक्षिणं च कुर्वाणाश्चित्रकूटं महागिरिम्।।2.113.3।।

mandākinīṃ nadīṃ ramyāṃ prāṅmukhāste yayustadā| pradakṣiṇaṃ ca kurvāṇāścitrakūṭaṃ mahāgirim

All of them circumambulated the mighty mountain Chitrakuta and proceeded east towards the charming river Mandakini.

पश्यन्धातुसहस्राणि रम्याणि विविधानि च। प्रययौ तस्य पार्श्वेन ससैन्यो भरतस्तदा।।2.113.4।।

paśyandhātusahasrāṇi ramyāṇi vividhāni ca| prayayau tasya pārśvena sasainyo bharatastadā

Beholding a thousand varieties of beautiful minerals, Bharata with his army proceeded alongside the mountain.

अदूराच्चित्रकूटस्य ददर्श भरतस्तदा। आश्रमं यत्र स मुनिर्भरद्वाजः कृतालयः।।2.113.5।।

adūrāccitrakūṭasya dadarśa bharatastadā| āśramaṃ yatra sa munirbharadvājaḥ kṛtālayaḥ

Not far from Chitrakuta mountain, Bharata beheld a hermitage where sage Bharadwaja resided.

स तमाश्रममागम्य भरद्वाजस्य बुद्धिमान्। अवतीर्य रथात्पादौ ववन्दे भरतस्तदा।।2.113.6।।

sa tamāśramamāgamya bharadvājasya buddhimān| avatīrya rathātpādau vavande bharatastadā

On approaching the hermitage of sage Bharadwaja, Bharata alighted from the chariot, and prostrated at his feet.

ततो हृष्टो भरद्वाजो भरतं वाक्यमब्रवीत्। अपि कृत्यं कृतं तात रामेण च समागतम्।।2.113.7।।

tato hṛṣṭo bharadvājo bharataṃ vākyamabravīt| api kṛtyaṃ kṛtaṃ tāta rāmeṇa ca samāgatam

Then Bhardwaja asked Bharata in delight, My son, have you accomplished your task? Did you meet Rama?

एवमुक्त स्स तु ततो भरद्वाजेन धीमता। प्रत्युवाच भरद्वाजं भरतो धर्मवत्सलः।।2.113.8।।

evamukta ssa tu tato bharadvājena dhīmatā| pratyuvāca bharadvājaṃ bharato dharmavatsalaḥ

Having been thus addressed by wise Bharadwaja, Bharata, devoted to righteousness, replied:

स याच्यमानो गुरुणा मया च दृढविक्रमः। राघवः परमप्रीतो वसिष्ठं वाक्यमब्रवीत्।।2.113.9।।

sa yācyamāno guruṇā mayā ca dṛḍhavikramaḥ| rāghavaḥ paramaprīto vasiṣṭhaṃ vākyamabravīt

Entreated by me and by preceptor (Vasistha), the highly pleased Rama with his firmness of mind replied to Vasistha:

पितुः प्रतिज्ञां तामेव पालयिष्यामि तत्त्वतः। चतुर्दश हि वर्षाणि या प्रतिज्ञा पितुर्मम।।2.113.10।।

pituḥ pratijñāṃ tāmeva pālayiṣyāmi tattvataḥ| caturdaśa hi varṣāṇi yā pratijñā piturmama

In sooth, I shall honour the words of promise given by my father and live in the forest for fourteen years, as promised.

एवमुक्तो महाप्राज्ञो वसिष्ठः प्रत्युवाच ह। वाक्यज्ञो वाक्यकुशलं राघवं वचनं महत्।।2.113.11।।

evamukto mahāprājño vasiṣṭhaḥ pratyuvāca ha| vākyajño vākyakuśalaṃ rāghavaṃ vacanaṃ mahat

On hearing him, Vasistha a great intellectual and highly eloquent one replied to Rama, skilled in words of deep significance.

एते प्रयच्छ संहृष्टः पादुके हेमभूषिते। अयोध्यायां महाप्राज्ञ योगक्षेमकरे तव।।2.113.12।।

ete prayaccha saṃhṛṣṭaḥ pāduke hemabhūṣite| ayodhyāyāṃ mahāprājña yogakṣemakare tava

O extremely sagacious one, bestow with pleasure your sandals decked with gold for security and safety of Ayodhya.

एवमुक्तो वसिष्ठेन राघवः प्राङ्मुखः स्थितः। पादुके ह्यधिरुह्यैते मम राज्याय वै ददौ।।2.113.13।।

evamukto vasiṣṭhena rāghavaḥ prāṅmukhaḥ sthitaḥ| pāduke hyadhiruhyaite mama rājyāya vai dadau

Thus addressed by Vasistha, Rama stood facing eastward wearing these sandals. and bestowed them on me for the sake of ruling the kingdom.

निवृत्तोऽहमनुज्ञातो रामेण सुमहात्मना। अयोध्यामेव गच्छामि गृहीत्वा पादुके शुभे।।2.113.14।।

nivṛtto'hamanujñāto rāmeṇa sumahātmanā| ayodhyāmeva gacchāmi gṛhītvā pāduke śubhe

I am now returning to Ayodhya with these auspicious sandals permitted by the magnanimous Rama.

एतच्छ्रुत्वा शुभं वाक्यं भरतस्य महात्मनः। भरद्वाजश्शुभतरं मुनिर्वाक्यमुवाच तम्।।2.113.15।।

etacchrutvā śubhaṃ vākyaṃ bharatasya mahātmanaḥ| bharadvājaśśubhataraṃ munirvākyamuvāca tam

Hearing the auspicious words of the magnanimous Bharata, sage Bharadwaja said to him in words still more auspicious.

नैतच्चित्रं नरव्याघ्र शीलवृत्तवतां वर। यदार्यं त्वयि तिष्ठेत्तु निम्ने सृष्टमिवोदकम्।।2.113.16।।

naitaccitraṃ naravyāghra śīlavṛttavatāṃ vara| yadāryaṃ tvayi tiṣṭhettu nimne sṛṣṭamivodakam

O best of men, foremost among men of excellent character and dispositon, it is not surprising that all noble qualities come to reside in you naturally like water poured flowing downward.

अमृत स्समहाबाहुः पिता दशरथस्तव। यस्य त्वमीदृश: पुत्रो धर्मज्ञो धर्मवत्सलः।।2.113.17।।

amṛta ssamahābāhuḥ pitā daśarathastava| yasya tvamīdṛśa: putro dharmajño dharmavatsalaḥ

With you as his son, endowed with qualities of righteousness and devotion to duty, your mightyarmed father Dasaratha is not dead. (He lives through you).

तमृषिं तु महात्मानमुक्तवाक्यं कृताञ्जलिः। आमन्त्रयितुमारेभे चरणावुपगृह्य च।।2.113.18।।

tamṛṣiṃ tu mahātmānamuktavākyaṃ kṛtāñjaliḥ| āmantrayitumārebhe caraṇāvupagṛhya ca

Hearing the words of the magnanimous Bharadwaja, Bharata paid his respect, folding his palms, and clasping the feet of the sage and sought his permission to leave.

ततः प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा भरद्वाजं पुनः पुनः। भरतस्तु ययौ श्रीमानयोध्यां सह मन्त्रिभिः।।2.113.19।।

tataḥ pradakṣiṇaṃ kṛtvā bharadvājaṃ punaḥ punaḥ| bharatastu yayau śrīmānayodhyāṃ saha mantribhiḥ

Then illustrious Bharata circumambulated the sage several times in homage before he set out for Ayodhya with his counsellors.

यानैश्च शकटैश्चैव हयैर्नागैश्च सा चमूः। पुनर्निवृत्ता विस्तीर्णा भरतस्यानुयायिनी।।2.113.20 ।।

yānaiśca śakaṭaiścaiva hayairnāgaiśca sā camūḥ| punarnivṛttā vistīrṇā bharatasyānuyāyinī

The vast army of Bharata with all its carriages, carts, horses and elephants following him again turned back towards Ayodhya.

ततस्ते यमुनां दिव्यां नदीं तीर्त्वोर्मिमालिनीम्। ददृशुस्तां पुन स्सर्वे गङ्गां शुभजलां नदीम्।।2.113.21।।

tataste yamunāṃ divyāṃ nadīṃ tīrtvormimālinīm| dadṛśustāṃ puna ssarve gaṅgāṃ śubhajalāṃ nadīm

Thereafter, all of them crossed the divine river Yamuna wreathed in waves and, beheld the Ganga of sacred waters once again.

तां रम्यजलसंपूर्णां सन्तीर्य सहबान्धवः शृङ्गिबेरपुरं रम्यं प्रविवेश ससैनिकः। शृङ्गिबेरपुराद्भूय स्त्वयोध्यां सन्ददर्श ह।।2.113.22।।

tāṃ ramyajalasaṃpūrṇāṃ santīrya sahabāndhavaḥ śṛṅgiberapuraṃ ramyaṃ praviveśa sasainikaḥ| śṛṅgiberapurādbhūya stvayodhyāṃ sandadarśa ha

Bharata along with his kins and his army crossed the Ganga with its overflowing, wonderful waters and entered the beautiful city of Sringiberapura and from there he proceeded until he beheld the city of Ayodhya.

अयोध्यां च ततो दृष्ट्वा पित्रा भ्रात्रा विवर्जिताम्। भरतो दुःख सन्तप्त स्सारथिं चेदमब्रवीत्।।2.113.23।।

ayodhyāṃ ca tato dṛṣṭvā pitrā bhrātrā vivarjitām| bharato duḥkha santapta ssārathiṃ cedamabravīt

On seeing the city of Ayodhya bereft of his father and brothers, Bharata, consumed with grief, said to the charioteer:

सारथे पश्य विध्वस्ता साऽयोध्या न प्रकाशते। निराकारा निरानन्दा दीना प्रतिहतस्वरा।।2.113.24।।

sārathe paśya vidhvastā sā'yodhyā na prakāśate| nirākārā nirānandā dīnā pratihatasvarā

O charioteer, look, Ayodhya is in shapeless shambles. It is silent and cheerless. It is dull and desolate. It shines no more. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे त्रयोदशोरशततमस्सर्गः। Thus ends the hundredthirteenth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.