Hari Om.
Let us begin the sixty first sarga of the ayOdhyA kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
The emissaries from ayOdhyA travel without a break to reach kEkaya from ayOdhyA as soon as possible to summon bharata back to ayOdhyA as per the instruction of sage vasisTha, the chief preceptor. They were strictly instructed not to break any news of the tragedy that struck ayOdhyA. The night they reach the kingdom of kEkaya, bharata also is besieged by bad omens. He sees graphical account of the scenes that imply the demise of daSaratha and is deeply disturbed by the nightmare. The next morning, raconteurs surrounded him and tried to amuse him with many tricks. He was not amused and the nightmare kept flashing in his mind incessantly. He was upset. Onwards…
As prince bharata was narrating his nightmare, the emissaries riding their tired horses entered the lovely city of rAjagRha fortified by a moat. They were received with due honor by the king of kEkaya (aSwapati) and his son. They then turned to bharata and conveyed the message – “The council of ministers and the preceptors have enquired about your welfare. There is an urgent matter needing your attention and hence you are required to start immediately. Here are the valuable gifts in forms of clothes and jewelry that have been sent for the king and his son”. Affectionate towards his kin, bharata received those gifts to be given away to his grandfather and maternal uncle, felicitated the emissaries and enquired in return –
” Hope my father king daSaratha, the great rAma and lakshmaNa are all well. And I hope the righteous, virtuous mother of rAma, kausalayA is well too. And the knower of dharma, sumitrA, mother of lakshmaNa and Satrughna is also well I hope. And I hope too, the self centered, easily angered and boastful of her intellect, my mother kaikEyI is keeping good health”. To these enquiries the messengers rather briefly said –
आत्मकामा सदा चण्डी क्रोधना प्राज्ञमानिनी।
अरोगा चापि मे माता कैकेयी किमुवाच ह।।2.70.10।।
“Yes, those whose welfare you have enquired are well. The goddess of prosperity dwelling on the lotus is ready to smile upon you. Please yoke your chariot immediately”.
कुशलास्ते नरव्याघ्र येषां कुशलमिच्छसि।
श्रीश्च त्वां वृणुते पद्मा युज्यतां चापि ते रथः।।2.70.12।।
Prince bharata immediately conveyed to the king that the messengers are hurrying him up to return to his father’s place and that he will be present at his service again at an opportune moment. The king blessed bharata by scent of his forehead and said –
“Sure my dear child, I permit you to leave. My daughter kaikEyI has a worthy son in you. Please convey my enquiries of welfare to your parents, the preceptors and yes those two great bowmen rAma and lakshmaNa”.
Having blessed him thus, the king of kEkaya aSwapati showered a variety of gifts on him to take with him in return – elephants hailing from airAvata and aindraSira mountains, sixteen hundred horses, well bred dogs to guard the inner chambers, two thousand gold coins and along with these, king aSwapati also sent shrewd and well mannered ministers to keep him company during the travel. His maternal uncle also showered many such gifts on him.
However prince bharata was in no frame of mind to be delighted by those gifts. The nightmare and the haste of the messengers were weighing heavily on his mind. Taking leave of grandfather aSwapti and maternal uncle yudhAjit, bharata ascended the chariot for his return journey to ayOdhyA and proceeded through the well laid out streets of kEkaya.
A large retinue of army in chariots, horses, camels and accompanied by attendants prince bharata started for ayOdhyA. He was well protected by the large army and also by the able ministers of the king. Along with Satrughna, he proceeded well protected and without the fear of enemy, just like a realized one leaves the realms of indra.
Here we conclude the sixty first sarga of the ayOdhyA kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
Click on the book for word by word meaning from IITK website
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Next: 2.71. bharata beholds an unusual ayOdhyA
Previous: 2.69. Bad omens besiege bharata
rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 