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.
Prince bharata, intent on bringing rAma back to ayOdhyA and rightfully crowning him as the king, sets off to the forests, not alone but in the company of ministers, preceptors, mothers, friends, four fold armed forces and above all citizens belonging to every single walk of the society and every single profession! It is indeed eye opening to learn about the varieties of professions that existed in ayOdhyA then which reiterates the prosperity of the state. The following earlier sargas offer insight into the prosperity of ayOdhyA, its amenities, its values and its citizens.
2.80. Laying the royal road to rAma!
2.83. ayOdhyA moves in eager anticipation
As the large retinue traveled south to bring rAma back, they reached the banks of gangA at the city of SRngabErapura which was ruled by the benevolent guha, a special friend of rAma [Read 2.50. Stopping by a dear friend]. Having reached that place, bharata asked the large retinue to break for the day and be ready to cross the gangA the next morning as he himself headed to the river offer ablutions to the departed kings of his kingdom.
The king of SRngabErapura guha noticed the large camping army and recognized it by the banners and flags they sported. He immediately alerted his people – ” A large army resembling an ocean whose extent I cannot even comprehend has banked on the river gangA. By the kOvidAra (bauhinia tree/flower) flag that the main chariot is sporting, I can recognize that it is the crooked bharata who has mobilized this large army. What could be his intentions? Is it to bulldoze and vanquish us or may be even to vanquish rAma and make his kingdom secure and enjoy it uncontested. I will not let that happen. My lord and my friend is dASarathi, rAma. So in solidarity to him, let us occupy positions on the river gangA.
भर्ताचैव सखाचैव रामो दाशरथिर्मम।
तस्यार्थकामास्सन्नद्धा गङ्गाऽनूपे प्रतिष्ठत।।2.84.6।।
Let every fisherman and every young man along with the army take positions and keep vigil on the river. Five hundred boats each carrying a hundred young men be readied. I shall assess the intentions of bharata in the meanwhile. If he happens to well disposed towards rAma, (only) then this army can readily cross the river gangA”
Having instructed his army to be battle ready, guha, with hospitality due to a guest, carrying the edibles approached bharata. Minister sumantra, well versed both with royal conduct and with guha, alerted bharata about the king of the nishAda tribe who was approaching. He described him as a wise man, good friend of rAma and one well acquainted with the danDaka forest. Minister sumantra said that the prince bharata must see guha, who came surrounded by thousands of his men, since he surely knows where rAma and lakshmaNa are. Prince bharata immediately saw the point and asked guha be presented at once. The wise guha met the prince along with his kinsmen and said
” Welcome to our humble cottage O prince, may you treat this place as the pleasure garden of your house. We, your servants have come to solicit this of you. We have brought with us, fruits, roots, meat, drinks and every sort of edible that will refresh you. May you and your army relieve yourselves of the tiresome journey here today and proceed further tomorrow”
Here we conclude the eighty fourth 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
Click on the bow to listen to the audio by SrIrAma ghanApATi
Next: 2.85. guha questions and consoles
rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 