Rama asks Bharata why he has come to the forest, wearing robes of bark and antelope skin, abandoning Ayodhya kingdom. Bharata informs Rama about Dasaratha's death and requests Rama to take over the kingdom, endowed to him as per succession. Rama says that since king Dasaratha allotted two different duties to the two of them one enjoining the exile of his elder brother being binding on him and the other bequeathing the kingdom to Bharata, they must be implicitly obeyed by both of them.
Chapter [Sarga] 101 in Detail
tam tu raamah samaashvaasya bhraataram guru vatsalam |
lakshmanena saha bhraatraa prashtum samupacakrame || 2-101-1
Rama along with Lakshmana, his younger brother, began to question Bharata, his brother who was devoted to elders (as follows):
kim etad igcceyam aham shrotum pravyaahritam tvayaa |
yasmaat tvam aagato desham imam ciira jataa ajinii || 2-101-2
"I desire to hear from you, why you have come tot his place in robes of bark and an antelope-skin."
kim nimittam imam desham krishna ajina jataa dharah |
hitvaa raajyam pravishtah tvam tat sarvam vaktum arhasi || 2-101-3
"You ought to tell me all about the purpose for which you entered this place, clad in deer-skin and matted hair, relinquishing the kingdom."
ity uktah kekayii putrah kaakutsthena mahaatmanaa |
pragrihya balavad bhuuyah praanjalir vaakyam abraviit || 2-101-4
Thus questioned by the high souled Rama, by closely embracing him again, Bharata with joined palms answered as follows:
aaryam taatah parityajya kritvaa karma sudushkaram |
gatah svargam mahaa baahuh putra shoka abhipiiditah || 2-101-5
"O, noble brother! Our father the mighty armed, after performing a deed must difficult to perform, and having abandoned us has gone the divine region; he died of grief on account of separation from his son."
striyaa niyuktah kaikeyyaa mama maatraa param tapa |
cakaara sumahat paapam idam aatma yasho haram || 2-101-6
"O, tormented of foes! As urged by his wife and my mother Kaikeyi;, our father committed this great sin that has taken away his own reputation."
saa raajya phalam apraapya vidhavaa shoka karshitaa |
patishyati mahaa ghore niraye jananii mama || 2-101-7
"Without having plucked the fruit of kingdom, widowed and emaciated with grief my mother will fall into the most terrific hell."
tasya me daasa bhuutasya prasaadam kartum arhasi |
abhishincasva ca adya eva raajyena maghavaan iva || 2-101-8
"Grant me, who am your true servant, a favor! This very day, as Indra the Lord of celestials himself, receive the royal anointing!"
imaah prakritayah sarvaa vidhavaa maaturah ca yaah |
tvat sakaasham anupraaptaah prasaadam kartum arhasi || 2-101-9
"Grant all these people and these widowed Queens, who have come here to see you, this felicity!"
tadaa aanupuurvyaa yuktam ca yuktam ca aatmani maanada |
raajyam praapnuhi dharmena sakaamaan suhridah kuru || 2-101-10
"O, Prince! For that reason, accept the throne that is befitting; endowed to you as per succession and that is yours by right fulfill, as your should, the desires of your friends."
bhavatu avidhavaa bhuumih samagraa patinaa tvayaa |
shashinaa vimalena iva shaaradii rajanii yathaa || 2-101-11
"Bring the widowhood of the entire world to an end by becoming her Lord, as does the immaculate moon to the autumn-night."
ebhih ca sacivaih saardham shirasaa yaacito mayaa |
bhraatuh shishyasya daasasya prasaadam kartum arhasi || 2-101-12
"Grant this grace to your brother, who prostrates at your feet along with your ministers is both your discipline and your slave."
tad idam shaashvatam pitryam sarvam saciva mandalam |
puujitam purusha vyaaghra na atikramitum utsahe || 2-101-13
"O, Tiger among men! You cannot disregard this unbroken kingdom, which is eternal, ancestral and honored."
evam uktvaa mahaa baahuh sabaashpah kekayii sutah |
raamasya shirasaa paadau jagraaha bharatah punah || 2-101-14
Thus speaking, the mighty armed Bharata, with tears, once again seized Rama's feet in great honor, as per precept.
tam mattam iva maatangam nihshvasantam punah punah |
bhraataram bharatam raamah parishvajya idam abraviit || 2-101-15
Rama embraced his brother Bharata, who sighed again and again like an elephant in rut, and spoke as follows:-
kuliinah sattva sampannah tejasvii carita vratah |
raajya hetoh katham paapam aacaret tvad vidho janah || 2-101-16
"How should a man of noble birth, rich in Sattva (goodness), dignified and who has observed sacred vows like myself, commit sin for the sake of a mere kingdom?"
na dosham tvayi pashyaami suukshmam apy ari suudana |
na ca api jananiim baalyaat tvam vigarhitum arhasi || 2-101-17
"O, Bharata the annihilator of enemies! I do not see the slightest fault in you and you should not reproach your mother for a childish action."
kaamakaro mahaapraaajjna guruunaam sarvadaanagha |
upapannesu daaresu putresu cha vidhiiyate || 2-101-18
"O, Bharata the highly intelligent and the faultless man! It is incumbent always on the part of the elders to act freely with reference to their wives and progeny."
vayamasya yathaa loke samkhyaataah suamya saadhubhih |
bhaaryaah putraashcha shisyaashchha tvamanujjnaatumarhasi || 2-101-19
"O, gentle brother! Since it was said thus by virtuous men in this world, we should all, women children and disciples, obey our Lord; this must be known to you."
vane vaa chiiravasanam saumyakrisnaajinaambaram |
raajye vaapi mahaaraajo maam vaasayitumiishvarah || 2-101-20
"The great king is the master, who has a discretion either to make me reside in the forest, wearing bark robes and a black antelope skin or to sit on the throne, O gentle brother!"
yaavat pitari dharmajna gauravam loka satkrite |
taavad dharmabhritaam shreshtha jananyaam api gauravam || 2-101-21
"O, excellent among the supporters of law and the virtuous! The same degree of respect is to be paid to our mother, as is due to our father, who is honored by all."
etaabhyaam dharma shiilaabhyaam vanam gagcca iti raaghava |
maataa pitribhyaam ukto aham katham anyat samaacare || 2-101-22
"How can I do otherwise, while both my parents of virtuous nature ask me to go to the forest?"
tvayaa raajyam ayodhyaayaam praaptavyam loka satkritam |
vastavyam dandaka aranye mayaa valkala vaasasaa || 2-101-23
"It is for you to occupy the throne in Ayodhya that the world reveres and it is for me to occupy this Dandaka forest, wearing bark robes."
evam kritvaa mahaa raajo vibhaagam loka samnidhau |
vyaadishya ca mahaa tejaa divam dasharatho gatah || 2-101-24
"Having commanded thus, the emperor Dasaratha with a great splendor, made the division of duties in this manner (for us two) in the presence of the people and then ascended to heaven."
sa ca pramaanam dharma aatmaa raajaa loka guruh tava |
pitraa dattam yathaa bhaagam upabhoktum tvam arhasi || 2-101-25
"That pious souled king, the preceptor of the world is the standard authority for you and you have to enjoy the share given by our father accordingly."
caturdasha samaah saumya dandaka aranyam aashritah |
upabhokshye tu aham dattam bhaagam pitraa mahaatmanaa || 2-101-26
"I, for my part, shall enjoy the share given to me by our high-souled father for fourteen years, taking my abode in Dandaka forest, O gentle brother!"
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye ayodhyaakaande ekottarashatatamah sargah
Thus completes 101st Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate