Hari Om.
Let us begin the ninty seventh sarga of the ayOdhyA kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
The dust kicked up by the large army of bharata raised alarms in the chitrakUTa forest! The wild beasts were scared by the tumult and the din of the contingent and ran helter-skelter in the forest. The trio having feasted on roasted meat just then noticed the ominous movement of the beasts and asked lakshmaNa to climb on a tree and find out the reason. The valiant lakshmaNa climbed on top of a tree and gazing northward identified that a large army was advancing towards them and by the kovidAr tree flags that the chariots sported, he identified it as the army from ayOdhyA. Immediately his antennas went up and sensing that bharata was coming there in order to vanquish them so that he can rule without obstacles, he hurried rAma to douse the fire (so that the enemy can’t easily track them by the smoke), set the bow and arrows ready and get sItA in to the safety of a cave. He trained his guns(!) on bharata and convinced that this was a wicked plan, wanted to vanquish him along with his entire army, mother kaikEyI and all their coterie! Onwards…
Having heard the outrage of lakshmaNa, his apprehensions with respect to the advent of bharata with a large army and his harsh words, rAma addressed lakshmaNa –
“what is the use of the bow, arrow and sword now that the mighty bharata has himself come with great sagacity? Having embarked upon making father’s words true (and giving up the throne), if I now vanquish bharata and win back the kingdom, what will I do with a kingdom so acquired and the associated slander? The wealth that is acquired by loss to and of friends and relations is not accepted and avoided by me just like poisoned food.
यद्द्रव्यं बान्धवानां वा मित्राणां वा क्षये भवेत्।
नाहं तत्प्रतिगृह्णीयां भक्षान्विषकृतानिव।।2.97.4।।
O lakshmaNa, listen and I swear by my weapons, the trifold facilitators of life – righteousness, material wealth and wishes as well as the earth are desired by me for the sake of all of my brothers and their happiness. O gentle one, it is not at all difficult for me to assume the lordship of this vast earth with its oceans, however through unrighteous means I don’t even want the wealth and kingdom of indra!
नेयं मम मही सौम्य दुर्लभा सागराम्बरा।
न हीच्छेयमधर्मेण शक्रत्वमपि लक्ष्मण।।2.97.7।।
And just in case I happen to enjoy some comfort that either you or bharata or Satrughna are not entitled to, let that turn into ashes!
यद्विना भरतं त्वां च शत्रुघ्नं चापि मानद।
भवेन्मम सुखं किञ्चिद्भस्म तत्कुरुतां शिखी।।2.97.8।।
I reckon, having learnt about the banishment of me along with jAnaki and you donning bark and matted locks, overcome by deep hurt, heart filled with love for me, being cognizant of the hallowed traditions of our lineage (eldest ruling the kingdom), bharata has come here to see me and not with any other intention. I further reckon, the prosperous brother of mine had a bad fall out with his mother kaikEyI in this matter and gave a her a piece of his mind bitterly and now he has come to offer me the kingdom ruled by our father and thus please him. Finding this to be the opportune time, his mind fixed on us, bharata has come to see us and even in his mind he can’t think of doing any bad to us.
O lakshmaNa, has he caused any harm to you earlier that you suspect him to be harbouring evil intentions now? You ought not speak to him or about him harshly and as such those words will be deemed to be directed against me! No matter what the great danger, how can any father kill his son or vice versa and how can brothers kill each other? And listen, if you are speaking this harsh words only desiring the kingdom, let me know. I shall ask bharata to give it to you and as soon as I say this he will comply without the slightest hesitation”.
Listening to the loving admonition by his virtuous brother rAma, lakshmaNa was overcome with shame and his body language reflected that. Taken by a sense of shame, lakshmaNa murmured that perhaps it was king daSaratha himself who came to see rAma. He concurred and further speculated –
“yes lakshmaNa, perhaps so. Our father might have been filled with remorse and wondered how we two who are used to all comforts must be living in the forest and hence must have come to take us back. Or may be he thought long and hard about the luxury-deserving vaidEhi staying in this terrible forests and must have come to withdraw her from here. Watch those two horses of highest pedigree heading towards us. And here is the mighty pachyderm Satrunjaya, the old elephant of our father leading the army. However I do not find the white parasol, respected worldwide, that always accompanies our father on his marches. And that makes me wonder if these are mere speculations”! He continued – “in any case lakshmaNa, get off the tree and do as I say.”
The valiant and obedient lakshmaNa did so and stood by the side of his brother. In the meanwhile, prince bharata ordered his army to camp at a distance by the side of the mountain and strictly told them not to crowd the hermitage of rAma. True to the command, the army along with its infantry, cavalry and elephants which covered a large distance and got there, camped by the side of the mountain. Thus the large army marshalled by bharata took place near the mountain, following all righteousness and lay there in wait in order to please rAma.
Here we conclude the ninty seventh 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: 2.98. Pedestrian prince spots the holy hermitage
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rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 