Hari Om.
Let us begin the seventy second sarga of the ayOdhyA kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
Summoned by sage vasisTha, bharata started immediately at kEkaya upon receving the message from the emissaries. He started the journey with a large retinue consisting of four fold forces and able counsellors protecting him. But on the way, perhaps realizing that the large retinue is slowing down, he asks them to come on their own and leaves ahead of them. Again mahaRshi gives a detailed overview of the various rivers, villages and cities crossed by bharata on his way. After traveling for seven days he reaches ayOdhyA on the eighth morning. Already beset with bad omens, bharata gets further upset to see an unusual ayOdhyA bereft of its active and highly cultured life in public places. Beholding the lack of enthusiasm and zeal for life in the populace, beset with fear, prince bharata enters the palace and the chambers of his father daSaratha. Onwards…
Unable to see his father in his abode, prince bharata then hurried to his mother’s chambers. Beholding her dear son who arrived from her father’s place traveling for long, queen kaikEyI immediately sprang from her golden throne and received him warmly. Prince bharata who entered his home that seemed bereft of auspiciousness at the moment fell at the feet of his mother. She was delighted to see the delight of the ikshvAku race, her dear son, drew him near and started asking him questions of welfare –
“O my dear son, how long it is since you started your journey from your grandfather’s house? Haven’t you been travel weary having been traveling for long in the chariot? hope your travel was comfortable. How is your grandfather and how is your maternal uncle yudhAjit? Please let me know their welfare “.
Having heard her questions, prince bharata replied – “O mother, seven nights have passed since I left grandfather’s residence. Your father and brother yudhAjit are doing well. They have showered a variety of presents which the people are bringing. They got tired and were moving slowly and so I have come ahead of them having heard the urgent summons from the emissaries.
O mother you should answer the question that I want to ask. This golden couch is empty and these attendants of the ikshvAkus do not look happy at all. I had come here with the hope that I can see my father here and serve his feet. But I do not find him here. Or is he by any chance at the residence of mother kausalyA”?
Queen kaikEyI head bharata’s question and even though what had happened was tragic and dreadful broke the news as if it was glad tidings to bharata who had no knowledge of what had happened as she was smitten by the greed of the securing the kingdom for bharata. And she said –
“Where all the beings end up finally, your father has also ended up there! The illustrious and great king, performer of many sacrifices and refuge of good people has met with his end”.
या गतिस्सर्वभूतानां तां गतिं ते पिता गतः।
राजा महत्मा तेजस्वी यायजूकस्सतां गतिः।।2.72.15।।
Prince bharata collapsed at once upon hearing the death of his father consumed by overwhelming grief. “Alas! this couch which my father graced shone with the radiance of a autumnal night lit by full moon. But today it resembles a night sky without moon or an ocean sans water”.
Prince bharata was tormented by the torrential grief that was overpowering him on account of the death of his father. His voice choked as he wept unconsolably with his face covered by the upper cloth. Beholding her mighty son fallen on the ground like the axed tree, usually bright like the sun or the moon, mother kaikEyI tried to exhort him and said –
“O prince bharata, bewailing thus lying on the floor doesn’t befit you. You are fit to be felicitated by the assembly of learned men. Rise. By virtue of your great conduct, learning and penance, you wisdom will shine with the brightness of Sun and you will perform charity and sacrifices”.
Having grieved for a long time lying on the floor, prince bharata slowly picked himself up and said to his mother –
“I was under the impression that the king is crowning rAma or performing a yajna and undertook journey with lot of anticipation. But it turned out to be totally unexpected and I do not behold my beloved father, ever my well wisher. O mother, how is it that my father passed away even before I could come? Was he taken by some illness? How fortunate are rAma and others who could perform his last rites. Surely, the king is unaware of my arrival, or else, he would surely raise me and scent my forehead as a mark of benediction. Alas, where is that hand that always raised me and removed dust from my body with a pleasant touch!
Please announce my arrival to the redoubtable rAma, who is my father and friend now and whose servitor I am with all my heart. The wise are aware that eldest brother is equal to father. I shall fall at the feet of rAma who is verily my refuge now.
The righteous, one of great conduct, illustrious and one of formidable vows, my father, what were his last words? I wish to know what he said in the end”.
Queen kaikEyI responded matter-of-factly to this question and said – “the king cried out O rAma, O sItA and O lakshmaNa and passed away to the higher worlds in pain like the great elephant caught in a noose.” He also said, blessed and fulfilled indeed are the people who shall behold the re-entry of rAma and sIta into ayOdhyA along with the mighty lakshmaNa”.
सिद्धार्थास्ते नरा राममागतं सह सीतया।
लक्ष्मणं च महाबाहुं द्रक्ष्यन्ति पुनरागतम्।।2.72.38।।
Hearing the second unpleasant news, prince bharata now pressed – “Where is the enhancer of delight of kausalyA, rAma now along with sItA and lakshmaNa”.
Queen kaikEyI told bharata as such the happenings thinking those to be glad tidings although they were unpleasant and said – “that prince rAma along with sItA and lakshmaNa donning barks has been banished into the forests”. Prince bharata was taken aback on hearing this and suspecting some misconduct on part of rAma given the high standards of morality and conduct of the ikshvAku clan, he asked his mother again –
“by any chance did rAma usurp the wealth of any brAhmin? I hope he didn’t inflict pain on a wealthy man or a pauper or an innocent one? I hope he didn’t eye someone else’s wife? What was the reason that he was banished”?
His fickle, talkative and vainglorious mother began narrating her deeds in a matter of fact manner with glee to bharata –
“Oh no, rAma didn’t usurp anyone’s wealth nor did he inflict pain on anyone. And forget desiring another’s wife, he doesn’t even cast his vision on them. Having heard the news of crowning of rAma, I requested the kingdom for you and that rAma should be banished. The king true to his word banished rAma; sItA and lakshmaNa followed him. Unable to bear the sight of his dear son going to the forests, the king passed away. O bharata, you ought to assume the kingship now. Just for your glory I did all this. Don’t grieve and wail. Be bold, be courageous. This entire city and the kingdom is under your control now. O my dear son, summon and confer with the wise led by sage vasisTha and other preceptors. Give up this dispiritedness and crown yourself as the lord of this earth”.
Here we conclude the seventy second 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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rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 