Hari Om.
Let us begin the one hundred thirteenth sarga of the ayOdhyA kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
Despite the desperate and insistent efforts to coax rAma – with bharata submitting his pleadings based on dharma, sage jAbAli giving an individualism spin bordering on atheism, sage vasisTha providing a historical perspective of the hallowed traditions – the mission was not meeting it’s desired end! The prince bharata was getting impatient with the citizens who perhaps looked like onlookers making no effort to plead with rAma. He wondered aloud as to why they were not beseeching. And then the citizens reveal that they recognize the dharma in rAma’s words and are incapable of preaching otherwise to him. Left with no other option – bharata decided to squat there until rAma agreed – what perhaps came to be known as satyAgraha in subsequent times. But, again dharma was invoked by rAma. As per the scriptures it was only a brAhmin who had the merit and right to protest thus in silence and a kshatriya, that too one who had to be crowned had no such right. By spontaneously invoking this dharma, rAma prevails on bharata to desist from the protest. Devastated and left with no option, bharata declared his innocence in the assembly and was loud and clear in conveying that it was beyond him to fill the shoes of rAma! So saying he fell down at rAma’s feet. And then pulling out the gold studded sandals that he brought with him, requested rAma to bless those by standing on them once. He declared that from that day he would rule over ayOdhyA from the suburbs, submitting everything to the sandals that represented rAma and would eagerly await the return of rAma. He also said, if he doesn’t see rAma at the end of fourteen years, he shall enter fire without waiting an additional day. rAma obliged and blessed the sandals. Immediately bharata took those sandals and respectfully placed those high on the head of a giant elephant. rAma embraced his brothers, paid respects to the preceptors and ministers, hailed the citizens and fell down at the feet of mothers whose voices choked. With tears running down copiously, rAma then moved back into his hermitage having bid good bye to everyone. Onwards…
Respectfully carrying the sandals blessed by rAma on his head, prince bharata boarded the chariot. The preceptors of great vows and the ministers piloted him. All of them circumambulated the majestic mountain chitrakUTa beset with variety of minerals and proceeded eastward towards the river mandAkinI along with the army.
मन्दाकिनीं नदीं रम्यां प्राङ्मुखास्ते ययुस्तदा।
प्रदक्षिणं च कुर्वाणाश्चित्रकूटं महागिरिम्।।2.113.3।।
Soon they reached the hermitage of sage bharadwAja. The darling son of the raghus, bharata got down from the chariot, entered the hermitage and bowed to the sage bharadwAja. The sage was glad to see bharata and enquired if his mission was successful and if he could meet rAma.
The righteous bharata then replied to the sage bharadwAja upon enquired thus –
“rAghava (rAma), firm in his vows was beseeched in so many ways by me and the preceptors. But rAma firmly replied to the sage vasisTha that he would stay in the forest for fourteen years in accordance with the promise given to his father. Upon hearing these firm words from rAma, the articulate preceptor vasisTha then asked rAma to bless these gold studded sandals for the sake of the welfare of the city of ayOdhyA. rAma obliged. He turned east and wore these sandals and after blessing those he presented these to me for the welfare of the kingdom. I have been sent back to ayOdhyA thus by rAma along with these sandals (which shall represent him)”.
Hearing these auspicious words of the great bharata, sage bharadwAja replied with even more auspicious words.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा शुभं वाक्यं भरतस्य महात्मनः।
भरद्वाजश्शुभतरं मुनिर्वाक्यमुवाच तम्।।2.113.15।।
नैतच्चित्रं नरव्याघ्र शीलवृत्तवतां वर।
यदार्यं त्वयि तिष्ठेत्तु निम्ने सृष्टमिवोदकम्।।2.113.16।।
“O noble one, best among men, one of best conduct, little wonder that such noble qualities reside in you as naturally as water flows down! Your father daSaratha who has bore a righteous son like you has been freed from his debts”.
Then bharata prostrated at the feet of sage bharadwAja, circumambulated him in respect many times and took leave of him. The prosperous bharata traveled with his ministers followed by his large contingent in chariots, vehicles, elephants, horses and foot soldiers. The they crossed the sacred waters of yamunA and then those of gangA and along with the contingent reached the city of SRngabErapura. Traveling further he beheld ayOdhyA that was bereft of both his father and brother. He was devastated to find it so and shared his grief with the charioteer saying – look how ruined the city of ayOdhyA appears without its lustre. It is in shambles. It is bereft of shape and joy and is desolate.
Here we conclude the one hundred thirteenth 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: 2.114. ayOdhyA sans rAma is like…
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rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 