Hari Om.
Let us begin the one hundred sixth sarga of the ayOdhyA kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
The night passed at chitrakUTa and as morning dawned, the citizens of ayOdhyA accompanied by preceptors, ministers and the brothers bharata and Satrughna sat in the premises of the hermitage of rAma. Expectant silence prevailed. Everyone was curious as to how bharata will broach the topic of persuading rAma ro return to ayOdhyA. Breaking that silence, bharata started to address rAma. He pleaded that the wish of father daSaratha that rAma be the king of ayOdhyA be honoured and that he shall return to ayOdhyA. Further bharata said he was incapable of governing the kingdom and would no way fit into the shoes of rAma! Not one to be persuaded away from dharma, elder brother rAma provides a master class in the philosophy of detachment and sticking to the right path no matter what was the price. He was clear that bharata was asked to rule of ayOdhyA and he was to be in the forest. Both should fulfil their respective mandates in order that the father’s word is not rendered untrue. Onwards…
On the banks of the river mandAkinI, hearing these words of rAma who was benevolent to the citizens, the righteous bharata said to the righteous rAma –
“O vanquisher of enemies, rAma, who in this world can be like you – liked by all elders, reaching out to them for advice. One who is equal minded and accepts both life and death, haves and have nots with equanimity is wise and unagitated. Someone like you, who is aware of the past and future, ought not grieve. O rAma, you are like the gods, you are magnanimous, true to your word, omniscient, all knowing and wise.
अमरोपमसत्त्व स्त्वं महात्मा सत्यसङ्गरः।
सर्वज्ञ स्सर्वदर्शी च बुद्धिमांश्चासि राघव।।2.106.6।।
Therefore you ought not grieve about the birth and death of beings (reference is to the passing away of daSaratha). When I was away from ayOdhyA, my mother out of her mean mentality committed this unthinkable and unappreciable sin for my sake! I am bound by righteousness or else I would have fittingly punished her for this terrible deed. Born of the noble daSaratha I cannot be doing such a heinous act (of punishing my mother). While at the same time, our father is like a god to me, he performed meritorious deeds and withdrew from this world and for this reason I cannot even condemn him! But rAma, can any man commit such an unrighteous act to please a woman unmindful of dharma? There is saying that during the last days a man’s senses are deluded. The king proved that this is indeed true.
अन्तकाले हि भूतानि मुह्यन्तीति पुरा श्रुतिः।
राज्ञैवं कुर्वता लोके प्रत्यक्षं सा श्रुतिः कृता।।2.106.13।।
For whatever reason, out of anger or delusion or carelessness our father did this unrighteous act, you please undo the transgression committed by him. After all, a true son has to set the wrong done by his father right, for, without that he won’t be called a true son. Therefore, O rAma, it behooves you to right the condemnable wrong committed by our father. Kindly protect this entire kingdom and its glory including me, kaikEyI, the citizens, friends and well wishers.
क्व चारण्यं क्वच क्षात्रं क्व जटाः क्व च पालनम्।
ईदृशं व्याहतं कर्म न भवान्कर्तुमर्हति।।2.106.18।।
O rAma, where is the forest with respect to the duties of a kshatriya? What do matted locks have got to do with one who should rule? You must not indulge in forest dwelling and matted locks which are opposite of what you should be doing, that is rule the kingdom. The primary duty of a kshatriya is to get crowned and rule over the kingdom. No rightminded kshatriya should do otherwise since it is bad impact will be felt over time. If you so desire to follow dharma with great trouble, then bear the trouble of ruling over the land and its constituents of the four social orders. The wise aver that among the four ASrams (childhood, householder, old age and renunciant), the stage of the householder is said to be supreme. Then how can you renounce that stage of the householder (gRhastha) and live as a renunciant in the forest?
In wisdom, position and age I am younger to you and so how can I rule over ayOdhyA in your place? Given up by you, I do not wish to even live.
श्रुतेन बालः स्थानेन जन्मना भवतो ह्यहम्।
स कथं पालयिष्यामि भूमिं भवति तिष्ठति।।2.106.23।।
O righteous one, as per your right, please rule over this paternal kingdom in its entirety without any obstacles helped by your well wishers. Let all the preceptors, learned ones, citizens and experts led by sage vasisTha consecrate you right now right here. Having consecrated thus, O rAma, journey to ayOdhyA along with us and rule over us just like indra who conquered the three worlds and headed back to heaven accompanied by the maruts (wind gods) [1.47. maruts, the windgods are made].
O rAma, be free of the debt to forefathers, gods and sages by taking over the mantle of the kingdom, enthrall your friends and well wishers, terrify you enemies and make them flee in all directions. Make me your follower. Please condone my mother’s deeds and censure and accept the kingdom and redeem our father from this certain sin.
O rAma, I fall at your feet, I beseech you, be compassionate. Please accept this kingdom and be benevolently compassionate to us just like lord mahESwara is to all beings. If you insist on staying in the forest by rejecting my requests, I would also like to dwell in the forest with you”.
Thus beseeched and implored in a myriad ways by bharata with his head bowed down and falling at his feet, rAma was resolute in his decision to not go back to ayOdhyA, completely committed to honouring the word of his father. Beholding the outstanding determination and resoluteness of rAma, the citizens were thrilled and devastated in equal measure – thrilled at the commitment of rAma to dharma and devastated at his decision to not return to ayOdhyA.
तदद्भुतं स्थैर्यमवेक्ष्य राघवे समं जनो हर्षमवाप दुःखितः।
न यात्ययोध्यामिति दुःखितोऽभवत् स्थिरप्रतिज्ञत्वमवेक्ष्य हर्षितः।।2.106.34।।
The preceptors, businessmen, mothers and all turned numb; they echoed the beseeching bharata and prayed in unison to rAma to return.
Here we conclude the one hundred sixth sarga of the ayOdhyA kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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Next: 2.107. bharata relentless, rAma unrelenting
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rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 