Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 98

निवेश्य सेनां तु विभुः पद्भ्यां पादवतां वरः। अभिगन्तुं स काकुत्थ्समियेष गुरुवर्तकम्।।2.98.1।।

niveśya senāṃ tu vibhuḥ padbhyāṃ pādavatāṃ varaḥ| abhigantuṃ sa kākutthsamiyeṣa guruvartakam

On encamping the army, lord Bharata, the best among men, wished to approach on foot Rama who was devoted to his father.

निविष्टमात्रे सैन्ये तु यथोद्देशं विनीतवत्। भरतो भ्रातरं वाक्यं शत्रुघ्नमिदमब्रवीत्।।2.98.2।।

niviṣṭamātre sainye tu yathoddeśaṃ vinītavat| bharato bhrātaraṃ vākyaṃ śatrughnamidamabravīt

After the army encamped in the assigned places, Bharata said to his brother Satrughna thus:

क्षिप्रं वनमिदं सौम्य नरसङ्घै स्समन्ततः। लुब्धैश्च सहितैरेभि स्त्वमन्वेषितुमर्हसि।।2.98.3।।

kṣipraṃ vanamidaṃ saumya narasaṅghai ssamantataḥ| lubdhaiśca sahitairebhi stvamanveṣitumarhasi

O dear Satrughna, you should explore this forest quickly along with groups of our people and hunters as well.

गुहो ज्ञातिसहस्रेण शरचापासिधारिणा। समन्वेषतु काकुत्स्थमस्मिन् परिवृतस्स्वयम्।।2.98.4।।

guho jñātisahasreṇa śaracāpāsidhāriṇā| samanveṣatu kākutsthamasmin parivṛtassvayam

Let Guha, surrounded by a thousand kinsmen and armed with bows, arrows and swords look for Rama.

अमात्यै स्सह पौरैश्च गुरुभिश्च द्विजातिभिः। वनं सर्वं चरिष्यामि पद्भ्यां परिवृत स्स्वयम्।।2.98.5।।

amātyai ssaha pauraiśca gurubhiśca dvijātibhiḥ| vanaṃ sarvaṃ cariṣyāmi padbhyāṃ parivṛta ssvayam

'I myself shall go on foot surrounded by ministers, citizens, preceptors and brahmins and search the entire forest.

यावन्न रामं द्रक्ष्यामि लक्ष्मणं वा महाबलम्। वैदेहीं च महाभागां न मे शान्तिर्भविष्यति।।2.98.6।।

yāvanna rāmaṃ drakṣyāmi lakṣmaṇaṃ vā mahābalam| vaidehīṃ ca mahābhāgāṃ na me śāntirbhaviṣyati

'I shall not rest in peace until I see Rama, powerful Lakshmana and illustrious princess of Videha (Sita).

यावन्न चन्द्रसङ्काशं द्रक्ष्यामि शुभमाननम्। भ्रातुः पद्मपलाशाक्षं न मे शान्तिर्भविष्यति।।2.98.7।।

yāvanna candrasaṅkāśaṃ drakṣyāmi śubhamānanam| bhrātuḥ padmapalāśākṣaṃ na me śāntirbhaviṣyati

I shall not attain peace until I see my brother, Rama whose auspicious countenance looks radiant as the Moon and whose eyes as lotuspetals.

यावन्न चरणौ भ्रातुः पार्थिवव्यञ्जनान्वितौ। शिरसा धारयिष्यामि न मे शान्तिर्भविष्यति।।2.98.8।।

yāvanna caraṇau bhrātuḥ pārthivavyañjanānvitau| śirasā dhārayiṣyāmi na me śāntirbhaviṣyati

Peace shall not come to me until I hold on my head the feet of my brother, the insignia of royalty.

यावन्न राज्ये राज्यार्हः पितृपैतामहे स्थितः। अभिषेकजलक्लिन्नो न मे शान्तिर्भविष्यति।।2.98.9।।

yāvanna rājye rājyārhaḥ pitṛpaitāmahe sthitaḥ| abhiṣekajalaklinno na me śāntirbhaviṣyati

I shall not attain peace until Rama, who is worthy of this kingdom, is sprinkled with the holy water of coronation and assumes the ancestral kingdom.

सिद्धार्थः खलु सौमित्रिर्यश्चन्द्रविमलोपमम्। मुखं पश्यति रामस्य राजीवाक्षं महाद्युति।।2.98.10।।

siddhārthaḥ khalu saumitriryaścandravimalopamam| mukhaṃ paśyati rāmasya rājīvākṣaṃ mahādyuti

Lakshmana, one who beholds the highly effulgent countenance of Rama, resembling the spotless Moon and whose eyes resemble red lotuses, is blessed indeed

कृतकृत्या महाभागा वैदेही जनकात्मजा। भर्तारं सागरान्तायाः पृथिव्या यानुगच्छति।।2.98.11।।

kṛtakṛtyā mahābhāgā vaidehī janakātmajā| bhartāraṃ sāgarāntāyāḥ pṛthivyā yānugacchati

Sita, the illustrious daughter of Janaka and princess of Videha, has accomplished her purpose by following Rama, the lord of this earth bounded by the ocean.

सुभगश्चित्रकूटोऽसौ गिरिराजोपमो गिरिः। यस्मिन्वसति काकुत्स्थः कुबेर इव नन्दने।।2.98.12।।

subhagaścitrakūṭo'sau girirājopamo giriḥ| yasminvasati kākutsthaḥ kubera iva nandane

Like Kubera in the Nandana garden, Rama lives here on mount Chitrakuta which is indeed blessed like the Himalaya, king of the mountains.

कृतकार्यमिदं दुर्गं वनं व्यालनिषेवितम्। यदध्यास्ते महातेजा राम श्शस्त्रभृतां वरः।।2.98.13।।

kṛtakāryamidaṃ durgaṃ vanaṃ vyālaniṣevitam| yadadhyāste mahātejā rāma śśastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ

Fortunate is this inaccessible forest which is inhabited by wild animals to have become the dwelling place of the most radiant Rama, the foremost among the wielders of weapons.

एवमुक्त्वा महातेजा भरतः पुरषर्षभः। पद्भ्यामेव महाबाहुः प्रविवेश महाद्वनम्।।2.98.14।।

evamuktvā mahātejā bharataḥ puraṣarṣabhaḥ| padbhyāmeva mahābāhuḥ praviveśa mahādvanam

Having said thus, the best of men, mightyarmed and highly energetic Bharata entered the great forest on foot.

स तानि द्रुमजालानि जातानि गिरिसानुषु। पुष्पिताग्राणि मध्येन जगाम वदतां वरः।।2.98.15।।

sa tāni drumajālāni jātāni girisānuṣu| puṣpitāgrāṇi madhyena jagāma vadatāṃ varaḥ

Bharata, the best among the eloquent, made his way amidst multitude of trees grown on mountain slopes with their tops in full bloom.

स गिरेश्चित्रकूटस्य सालमासाद्य पुष्पितम्। रामाश्रमगतस्याग्नेर्ददर्श ध्वजमुच्छ्रितम्।।2.98.16।।

sa gireścitrakūṭasya sālamāsādya puṣpitam| rāmāśramagatasyāgnerdadarśa dhvajamucchritam

Having reached a flowering sala tree atop Chitrakuta mountain, he beheld a lofty banner of smoke rising from the fire burning in Rama's hermitage.

तं दृष्ट्वा भरत श्रीमान्मुमोद सह बान्धवः। अत्र राम इति ज्ञात्वा गतः पारमिवाम्भसः।।2.98.17।।

taṃ dṛṣṭvā bharata śrīmānmumoda saha bāndhavaḥ| atra rāma iti jñātvā gataḥ pāramivāmbhasaḥ

On seeing the smoke, majestic Bharata in the company of relatives concluded that Rama was staying there and rejoiced like a man who had reached the other bank of the river.

स चित्रकूटे तु गिरौ निशम्यव रामाश्रमं पुण्यजनोपपन्नम्। गुहेन सार्धं त्वरितो जगाम पुनर्निवेश्यैव चमूं महात्मा।।2.98.18।।

sa citrakūṭe tu girau niśamyava rāmāśramaṃ puṇyajanopapannam| guhena sārdhaṃ tvarito jagāma punarniveśyaiva camūṃ mahātmā

Having heard of Rama's hermitage on the Chitrakuta mountain inhabited by pious men, magnanimous Bharata, commanded his army to stay at a distance, and quickly proceeded with Guha. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे अष्टनवतितमस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the ninetyeighth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.