Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 87

गुहस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा भरतो भृशमप्रियम्। ध्यानं जगाम तत्रैव यत्र तच्छ्रुतमप्रियम्।।2.87.1।।

guhasya vacanaṃ śrutvā bharato bhṛśamapriyam| dhyānaṃ jagāma tatraiva yatra tacchrutamapriyam

Extremely unhappy over what he heard from Guha, Bharata was immersed in thought then and there.

सुकुमारो महासत्त्वस्सिंहस्कन्धो महाभुजः। पुण्डरीकविशालाक्ष स्तरुणः प्रियदर्शनः।।2.87.2।। प्रत्याश्वस्य मुहूर्तं तु कालं परमदुर्मनाः। पपात सहसा तोत्रैर्ह्यतिविद्ध इव द्विपः।।2.87.3।।

sukumāro mahāsattvassiṃhaskandho mahābhujaḥ| puṇḍarīkaviśālākṣa staruṇaḥ priyadarśanaḥ pratyāśvasya muhūrtaṃ tu kālaṃ paramadurmanāḥ| papāta sahasā totrairhyatividdha iva dvipaḥ

The delicate, youthful, highly energetic and mightyarmed Bharata of graceful appearance, with shoulders like that of a lion and wideeyed like lotus petals, recovered for a moment and with a mind deeply distressed fell down at once like an elephant smitten by a goad.

सुकुमारो महासत्त्वस्सिंहस्कन्धो महाभुजः। पुण्डरीकविशालाक्ष स्तरुणः प्रियदर्शनः।।2.87.2।। प्रत्याश्वस्य मुहूर्तं तु कालं परमदुर्मनाः। पपात सहसा तोत्रैर्ह्यतिविद्ध इव द्विपः।।2.87.3।।

sukumāro mahāsattvassiṃhaskandho mahābhujaḥ| puṇḍarīkaviśālākṣa staruṇaḥ priyadarśanaḥ pratyāśvasya muhūrtaṃ tu kālaṃ paramadurmanāḥ| papāta sahasā totrairhyatividdha iva dvipaḥ

The delicate, youthful, highly energetic and mightyarmed Bharata of graceful appearance, with shoulders like that of a lion and wideeyed like lotus petals, recovered for a moment and with a mind deeply distressed fell down at once like an elephant smitten by a goad.

तदवस्थं तु भरतं शत्रुघ्नोऽनन्तरस्थितः। परिष्वज्य रुरोदोच्चैर्विसंज्ञश्शोककर्शितः।।2.87.4।।

tadavasthaṃ tu bharataṃ śatrughno'nantarasthitaḥ| pariṣvajya rurodoccairvisaṃjñaśśokakarśitaḥ

Seeing Bharata in that state, Satrughna who was standing close by, smitten with grief clasped him, cried loudly and fell senseless.

ततस्सर्वास्समापेतुर्मातरो भरतस्य ताः। उपवासकृशा दीना भर्तृव्यसनकर्शिताः।।2.87.5।।

tatassarvāssamāpeturmātaro bharatasya tāḥ| upavāsakṛśā dīnā bhartṛvyasanakarśitāḥ

Then Bharata's mothers, who were emaciated due to fasting and afflicted by the calamity of the death of their husband were desolate, rushed towards him.

ताश्च तं पतितं भूमौ रुदन्त्यः पर्यवारयन्। कौसल्या त्वनुसृत्यैनं दुर्मनाः परिषस्वजे।।2.87.6।।

tāśca taṃ patitaṃ bhūmau rudantyaḥ paryavārayan| kausalyā tvanusṛtyainaṃ durmanāḥ pariṣasvaje

Sobbing, they gathered around Bharata who had fallen on the ground, while Kausalya approached him in a depressed state and took him into her arms.

वत्सला स्वं यथा वत्समुपगूह्य तपस्विनी। परिपप्रच्छ भरतं रुदन्ती शोकलालसा।।2.87.7।।

vatsalā svaṃ yathā vatsamupagūhya tapasvinī| paripapraccha bharataṃ rudantī śokalālasā

Desolate Kausalya, in deep distress, clasped Bharata out of filial love as if he were her own child, wept and enquired of him:

पुत्र व्याधिर्न ते कच्चिच्छरीरं परिबाधते। अद्य राजकुलस्यास्य त्वदधीनं हि जीवितम्।।2.87.8।।

putra vyādhirna te kacciccharīraṃ paribādhate| adya rājakulasyāsya tvadadhīnaṃ hi jīvitam

O son I hope you are not affected by illness. Now the existence of this royal house devolves on you.

त्वां दृष्ट्वा पुत्र जीवामि रामे सभ्रातृकेगते। वृत्ते दशरथे राज्ञि नाथ एकस्त्वमद्य नः।।2.87.9।।

tvāṃ dṛṣṭvā putra jīvāmi rāme sabhrātṛkegate| vṛtte daśarathe rājñi nātha ekastvamadya naḥ

O my son, with Rama gone to the forest along with your brother Lakshmana and with king Dasaratha departed from this world, I continue to live seeing you. From now on you alone are our sole protector.

कच्चिन्न लक्ष्मणे पुत्र श्रुतं ते किंचदप्रियम्। पुत्रे वाऽप्येकपुत्राया स्सहभार्ये वनं गते।।2.87.10।।

kaccinna lakṣmaṇe putra śrutaṃ te kiṃcadapriyam| putre vā'pyekaputrāyā ssahabhārye vanaṃ gate

O my son, I hope you have not heard any unpleasant news about Lakshmana or about my only son Rama who has gone to the forest along with his wife.

स मुहूर्तं समाश्वस्य रुदन्नेव महायशाः। कौसल्यां परिसान्त्वेद्यं गुहं वचनमब्रवीत्।।2.87.11।।

sa muhūrtaṃ samāśvasya rudanneva mahāyaśāḥ| kausalyāṃ parisāntvedyaṃ guhaṃ vacanamabravīt

Highly renowned Bharata, composing himself for a moment and still weeping, reassured Kauslaya, and then said this to Guha:

भ्राता मे क्वावसद्रात्रौ क्व सीता क्व च लक्ष्मणः। अस्वपच्छयने कस्मिन् किं भुक्त्वा गुह शंस मे।।2.87.12।।

bhrātā me kvāvasadrātrau kva sītā kva ca lakṣmaṇaḥ| asvapacchayane kasmin kiṃ bhuktvā guha śaṃsa me

O Guha where did my brother Rama, Sita and Lakshmana spend that night? What did they eat? On what couch did they sleep? Tell me all that.

सोऽब्रवीद्भरतं हृष्टो निषादाधिपतिर्गुहः। यद्विधं प्रतिपेदे च रामे प्रियहितेऽतिथौ।।2.87.13।।

so'bravīdbharataṃ hṛṣṭo niṣādādhipatirguhaḥ| yadvidhaṃ pratipede ca rāme priyahite'tithau

Thereupon delighted Guha, overlord of the nishadas, told Bharata all that he had provided to Rama, his beloved friend and guest:

अन्नमुच्चावचं भक्षाः फलानि विविधानि च। रामायाभ्यवहारार्थं बहुचोपहृतं मया।।2.87.14।।

annamuccāvacaṃ bhakṣāḥ phalāni vividhāni ca| rāmāyābhyavahārārthaṃ bahucopahṛtaṃ mayā

I offered Rama rice including a variety of eatables like fruits in great quantity for his food.

तत्सर्वं प्रत्यनुज्ञासीद्राम स्सत्यपराक्रमः। न तु तत्प्रत्यगृह्णात्स क्षत्रधर्ममनुस्मरन्।।2.87.15।।

tatsarvaṃ pratyanujñāsīdrāma ssatyaparākramaḥ| na tu tatpratyagṛhṇātsa kṣatradharmamanusmaran

Rama whose prowess is his truth, acknowledged all that but remembering the duty enjoined on a kshatriya did not accept them.

न ह्यस्माभिः प्रतिग्राह्यं सखे देयं तु सर्वदा। इति तेन वयं राजन्ननुनीता महात्मना।।2.87.16।।

na hyasmābhiḥ pratigrāhyaṃ sakhe deyaṃ tu sarvadā| iti tena vayaṃ rājannanunītā mahātmanā

O king that great Rama entreated us in a friendly manner by saying 'O friend we should always give to others but should never accept anything from others'.

लक्ष्मणेन समानीतं पीत्वा वारि महायशाः। औपवास्यं तदाऽकार्षीद्राघवस्सह सीतया।।2.87.17।।

lakṣmaṇena samānītaṃ pītvā vāri mahāyaśāḥ| aupavāsyaṃ tadā'kārṣīdrāghavassaha sītayā

Illustrious Rama along with Sita only drank the water brought by Lakshamana and undertook fasting.

ततस्तु जलशेषेण लक्ष्मणोऽप्यकरोत्तदा। वाग्यतास्ते त्रय स्सन्ध्यां समुपासत संहिताः।।2.87.18।।

tatastu jalaśeṣeṇa lakṣmaṇo'pyakarottadā| vāgyatāste traya ssandhyāṃ samupāsata saṃhitāḥ

Thereafter Lakshmana also drank the remainder of water. Then all the three observing silence intently performed the evening worship.

सौमित्रिस्तु ततः पश्चादकरोत्स्वास्तरं शुभम्। स्वयमानीय बर्हींषि क्षिप्रं राघवकारणात्।।2.87.19।।

saumitristu tataḥ paścādakarotsvāstaraṃ śubham| svayamānīya barhīṃṣi kṣipraṃ rāghavakāraṇāt

Therafter, the son of Sumitra (Lakshmana) himself fetched darbha grass and quickly prepared an auspicious and comfortable bed for Rama.

तस्मिन्समाविशद्राम स्स्वास्तरे सह सीतया। प्रक्षाल्य च तयोः पादावपचक्राम लक्ष्मणः।।2.87.20।।

tasminsamāviśadrāma ssvāstare saha sītayā| prakṣālya ca tayoḥ pādāvapacakrāma lakṣmaṇaḥ

Rama lay down upon the bed along with Sita. Thereafter Lakshmana, having washed their feet, moved to a distant place.

एतत्तदिङ्गुदीमूलमिदमेव च तत्तृणम्। यस्मिन्रामश्च सीता च रात्रिं तां शयितावुभौ।।2.87.21।।

etattadiṅgudīmūlamidameva ca tattṛṇam| yasminrāmaśca sītā ca rātriṃ tāṃ śayitāvubhau

Here at the foot of the ingudi tree and upon that bed of grass both Rama and Sita rested that night.

नियम्य पृष्ठे तु तलाङ्गुलित्रवान् शरैस्सुपूर्णाविषुधी परन्तपः। महाद्धनु स्सज्यमुपोह्य लक्ष्मणो निशामतिष्ठत्परितोऽस्य केवलम्।।2.87.22।।

niyamya pṛṣṭhe tu talāṅgulitravān śaraissupūrṇāviṣudhī parantapaḥ| mahāddhanu ssajyamupohya lakṣmaṇo niśāmatiṣṭhatparito'sya kevalam

Lakshmana, the scorcher of enemies, wearing protective covering for his palms and fingers (made of gohaskin), strapping on his back two quivers filled with arrows, holding a great bow, strung ready, stood sentinel throughout the night guarding the surrounding.

तत स्त्वहंचोत्तमबाणचापधृत् स्थितोऽभवं तत्र स यत्र लक्ष्मणः। अतन्द्रितैर्ज्ञातिभिरात्तकार्मुकैर्महेन्द्रकल्पं परिपालयंस्तदा।।2.87.23।।

tata stvahaṃcottamabāṇacāpadhṛt sthito'bhavaṃ tatra sa yatra lakṣmaṇaḥ| atandritairjñātibhirāttakārmukairmahendrakalpaṃ paripālayaṃstadā

Then, holding the best of arrows and bow along with my indefatigable kinsmen similarly armed with bows, I stood by the side of Lakshmana guarding Rama who is comparable to Indra. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे सप्ताशीतितमस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the eightyseventh sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.