Hari Om.
Let us begin the ninetieth sarga of the ayOdhyA kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
Having learnt from guha about the way rAma spent his day at SRngabErapura and how he conducted himself, bharata is touched and feels guilty for being the cause of such hardships to rAma who deserved nothing but good life. He spontaneously declares that from that day he shall sleep on the floor, sport matted hair and don the bark, just like rAma. he made a loud statement through this act that what luxury doesn’t belong to rAma cannot be enjoyed by him. And then leading the way, with the help of guha and his kinsmen, bharata and his large contingent together with all their paraphernalia crossed over to the southern banks of the gangA where the forests of the prayAga hosted them. The ASram of the eminently hospitable sage bharadwAja was nearby. The prince asked his army to camp there in the prayAga forests and himself along with the preceptors and ministers proceeded to meet the sage bharadwAja. Onwards…
Having sighted the hermitage of the sage bharadwAja from a good distance, bharata ordered his army to halt and himself bereft of royal insignia and clothing, approached the sage’s abode by foot in simple silk clothes accompanied and led by preceptor sage vasisTha. As they entered the hermitage, sage bharadwAja upon seeing sage vasisTha at once got out of his seat, instructed his disciples to make the ceremonial welcome arrangements by offering of water and washing feet of the guest. After welcoming sage vasisTha with due honor, bharadwAja understood the accompanied to be bharata, the son of king daSaratha. He extended a ceremonial welcome with due honor to the prince as well and enquired welfare of the state of ayOdhyA. The sage bharadwAja, enquired about the city, exchequer, army, relations with other kingdoms and about the ministers. Intentionally he didn’t enquire about the welfare of king daSaratha!
In return bharata and vasisTha also enquired about the welfare of the sage, his health, his disciples, sacrificial yajnas and all the aspects of the herimtage. The sage bharadwAja replied that all was well and out of his deep affection for rAma, questioned bharata further –
“While you were supposed to be ruling over the kingdom of ayOdhyA, your presence here fills me with doubt. You may tell me in detail about the purpose of your visit. The enhancer of the delight of kausalyA (rAma) along with his wife and brother have been exiled in to the forest for fourteen years by none other than the illustrious daSaratha through the machinations of a woman! By any chance, do you intend to cause harm to that irreproachable rAma in order to enjoy the kingdom unobstructed”?
Prince bharata was moved to tears upon this question of sage bharadwAja and stumbled with his reply! He mustered his words and said – “If the lord also believes so, I am as good as finished. There is absolutely no danger for rAma from me and you ought not doubt my intentions. I do not approve of my mother’s words and actions that were carried out in my absence. I am not happy at all about it. I am in fact going to rAma, the best among men, in order to fall at his feet and bring him back to ayOdhyA with due ceremony. I believe he has passed by this way. You ought to help me find him in the forest and instruct me about his whereabouts”.
The sages led vasisTha also requested bharadwAja to instruct about the coordinates of rAma in the forest. The sage was pleased to learn of bharata’s intentions and said –
“O best among men, your self restraint, conduct towards gurus, elders and the hallowed traditions is the appropriate thing to do having been born in the clan of the ikshvAkus. Although I was aware of your noble intentions, in order to ascertain I asked you about it so that when it comes from you, your fame will enhance. I know where your brother is living in the forests. He along with sItA and lakshmaNa are residing in the mountains of chitrakUTa. Rest here this night along with your ministers. Tomorrow you may proceed further from here. The magnanimous prince bharata agreed to the proposal of sage bharadwAja and decided to stay that night in the hermitage of the sage bharadwAja.
Here we conclude the ninetieth 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: 2.91. Seven star banquet for bharata’s army
Previous: 2.89. Across the gorgeous gangA
rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 