Spending seven nights in his journey, crossing various streams and rivers and passing through many woods and territories, Bharata reaches the city of Ayodhya, from there ,he finds the city of Ayodhya in a forlorn mood and discusses this situation with the charioteer. With an apprehensive and gloomy mind, he enters his father’s house.
Chapter [Sarga] 71 in Detail
sa praan mukho raaja grihaat abhiniryaaya viiryavaan |
tatah sudaamaam dyutimaan samtiirvaavekshya taam nadiim || 2-71-1
hlaadiniim duura paaraam ca pratyak srotah taranginiim |
shatadruum atarat shriimaan nadiim iksvaaku nandanah || 2-71-2
That brilliant and glorious Bharata, who was a rejoice to Ikshvaku dynasty marching in easterly direction from the city of Rajagriha, thereafter observing and crossing Sudama river as well as the wide Hlaadini river, whose stream flowed towards eastern direction.
ela dhaane nadiim tiirtvaa praapya ca apara parpataan |
shilaam aakurvatiim tiirtvaaaagneyam shalya kartanam || 2-71-3
satya samdhah shucih shriimaan preksamaanah shilaa vahaam |
atyayaat sa mahaa shailaan vanam caitra ratham prati || 2-71-4
The pure and illustrious Bharata, who kept up his promise, crossing Shatradru River at Eladhana village, reaching the region of Apara parpata, crossing a rocky hill called Akurvati, seeing the villages of Agneyam and Salyakartana as well as Silavaha River, crossed huge mountains and traveled towards the woods of Chitraratha.
sarasvatiim ca gagaam ca ugmena pratipadya ca |
uttaram viiramatsyaanaam bhaarundam praavishadvanam || 2-71-5
Arriving at the confluence of Saraswati and Ganga rivers, Bharata entered the woods of Bharmuda, the north of Viramatsaya region.
veginiim ca kulinga aakhyaam hraadiniim parvata aavritaam |
yamunaam praapya samtiirno balam aashvaasayat tadaa || 2-71-6
Reaching and crossing a refreshing river named Kulinga, which is swift and surrounded by mountains as well as Yamuna River, the army was then made to rest there.
shiitiikritya tu gaatraani klaantaan aashvaasya vaajinah |
tatra snaatvaa ca piitvaa ca praayaat aadaaya ca udakam || 2-71-7
Making cool the limbs of the tired horses by bathing there and cheering up them, nay, taking a bath himself, drinking some water and carrying it for future use, Bharata proceeded further.
raaja putrah mahaa aranyam anabhiiksna upasevitam |
bhadrah bhadrena yaanena maarutah kham iva atyayaat || 2-71-8
The blessed prince Bharata traversed that rarely frequented huge forest by his excellent chariot as the wind glides through an atmosphere.
bhaagiirathiim dusprataraamamshudhaane mahaanadiim |
upaayaadraaghavastuurnam praagvate vishrute pure || 2-71-9
Bharata soon reached the great river, Bharathi, which is difficult to be crossed, at the city of Pragvata in the region of Amsudhana.
sa gagaam praagvate tiirtve samaayaatkutikosthikaam |
sabalastaam sa tiirtvaatha samaayaaddharmavardhanam || 2-71-10
Crossing the River Ganga at the city of Pragvata, he reached the river Kulikoshthika, traversed it along with his army and then arrived at the region of Dharmavardhana.
toranam daksina ardhena jambuu prastham upaagamat |
varuutham ca yayau ramyam graamam dasharatha aatmajah || 2-71-11
Bharata reached Jambuprasta village, which is located at the southern part of Torana region and from there he arrived at a beautiful village too, named Varutha.
tatra ramye vane vaasam kritvaa asau praan mukho yayau |
udyaanam ujjihaanaayaah priyakaa yatra paadapaah || 2-71-12
Making a camp in that beautiful forest there, Bharata traveled towards the east and reached a garden in the city of Ujjihana, in which there are a number of Kadamba trees.
saalaams tu priyakaan praapya shiighraan aasthaaya vaajinah |
anujnaapya atha bharatah vaahiniim tvaritah yayau || 2-71-13
Having reached Sala and Kadamba trees, Bharata yoked swifter horses to his chariot, allowed his army to come after him and quickly went ahead.
vaasam kritvaa sarva tiirthe tiirtvaa ca uttaanakaam nadiim |
anyaa nadiih ca vividhaah paarvatiiyaiah turam gamaih || 2-71-14
hasti pristhakam aasaadya kutikaam atyavartata |
tataara ca nara vyaaghrah lauhitye sa kapiivatiim || 2-71-15
Having halted in Sarvatirtha village and having crossed Uttamika River and various other rivers by mountain -ponies and reaching Hast Prasthaka village, Bharata crossed Kutika River and traversed Kapivati River at Lohitya village.
eka saale sthaanumatiim vinate gomatiim nadiim |
kalinga nagare ca api praapya saala vanam tadaa || 2-71-16
bharatah ksipram aagacchat suparishraanta vaahanah |
Bharata, after crossing Sthanumati River at Ekasala village and Gomati River at Vinata village, took rest at a grove of Sala trees at Kalinga city as the horses were very much tired and then proceeded quickly.
vanam ca samatiitya aashu sharvaryaam aruna udaye || 2-71-17
ayodhyaam manunaa raajnaa nirmitaam sa dadarsha ha |
Driving through grove quickly in the night, Bharata at the dawn saw the city of Ayodhya, which was earlier built by King Manu.
taam puriim purusa vyaaghrah sapta raatra usitah pathi || 2-71-18
ayodhyaam agratah dristvaa rathe saarathim abraviit |
Seeing the city of Ayodhya in front, after spending seven nights on his way, Bharata the tiger among men, spoke the following words to his charioteer:
esaa na atipratiitaa me punya udyaanaa yashasvinii || 2-71-19
ayodhyaa drishyate duuraat saarathe paandu mrittikaa |
yajvabhir guna sampannaih braahmanaih veda paaragaih || 2-71-20
bhuuyistham rishaih aakiirnaa raaja risi vara paalitaa |
“O, Charioteer! The famous city of Ayodhya comes into view vaguely to me from a distance, as a heap of white clay. It has beautiful gardens. It is filled with performers of sacrifices and with people endowed with good qualities as well as well versed in the Vedas and with Brahmins inmost abundant reaches, It is being ruled by a royal sage.”
ayodhyaayaam puraa shabdah shruuyate tumulo mahaan || 2-71-21
samantaan nara naariinaam tam adya na shrinomy aham |
Earlier, a big clattering voice of men and women used to be heard all round in Ayodhya. Now, I am not hearing that voice.”
udyaanaani hi saaya ahne kriiditvaa uparataih naraih || 2-71-22
samantaat vipradhaavadbhih prakaashante mama anyadaa |
“The parks which used to beam with men streaming forth on all sides, having given up sporting in the morning after entering them in thee evening having spent the whole night in sport, now appear to me otherwise”
taani adya anurudanti iva parityaktaani kaamibhih || 2-71-23
aranya bhuutaa iva purii saarathe pratibhaati me |
“These parks deserted by the lovers now turn out to be dejected. O, charioteer! To me, the city appears to have changed into a forest.”
na hi atra yaanaih drishyante na gajaih na ca vaajibhih || 2-71-24
niryaantah vaa abhiyaantah vaa nara mukhyaa yathaa puram |
“Here, as before, important persons indeed are not seen going into the city or coming out it in carriages or on horses or on elephants.”
udyaanaani puraa bhaanti mattapramuditaani ca || 2-71-25
janaanaam ratisamyogesvatyantagunavanti ca |
“Earlier parks used to be conspicuously excited with joy and gaiety and were most congenial for love contacts of men.”
taanyetaanyadya vashyaami niraanandaani sarvashah || 2-71-26
srastaparnairanupatham vikroshadbhiriva drumaih |
“I am seeing the same parks, today with lack of enjoyments on all sides and with trees having their leaves fallen along the road, looking like picture of dismay.”
naadyaapi shruuyate shabdo mattaanaam mrigapakshinaam || 2-71-27
samraktaam madhuraam vaaniim kalam vyaaharataam bahu |
“Even now at dawn, charming sounds with sweet and much melodious tone of animals and birds intoxicated with happiness are not being heard.”
candanaagurusamprikto dhuupasammuurchito.atulah || 2-71-28
pravaati pavanah shriimaan kim nu naadya yathaapuram |
“Why does, as before, pure and auspicious breeze laden with aloes and sandal wood intensified with the fume of burnt incense, not blow today.?”
bheriimridagaviinaanaam konasamghattitah punah || 2-71-29
kimadya shabdo viratah sadaa.adiinagatih puraa |
“Why today have the sounds of kettledrums, clay tom-toms and Veena played upon with drum-sticks or palms or fingers stopped which formerly never ceased at any time.”
anistaani ca paapaani pashyaami vividhaani ca || 2-71-30
nimittaani amanojnaani tena siidati te manah |
“I perceive various kinds of evil sinful and silly omens and by this, my mind is dejected.”
sarvathaa kushalam suuta durlabham mama bandhusu || 2-71-31
tathaa hyasati sammohe hridayam siidatiiva me |
“O, charioteer! It is not possible that all sounds be well with my kinsfolk, as indeed, even without any cause for a grievance, my spirit is cast down”
visannah shaantahridayastrastah sululitendriyah || 2-71-32
bharatah praviveshaashu puriimikshvaakupaalitaam |
Despondent, distressed in mind, frightened and extremely entered the city, which was ruled by the descendents of Ikshvaku.
dvaarena vaijayantena praavishat shraanta vaahanah || 2-71-33
dvaahsthaih utthaaya vijayam pristah taih sahitah yayau |
Bharata, with his tiered horses entered the city through Vaijayanta gate. Greeted with slogans of victory by the standing gatekeepers, he went inside, along with others.
sa tu aneka agra hridayo dvaahstham pratyarcya tam janam || 2-71-34
suutam ashva pateh klaantam abraviit tatra raaghavah |
Bharata, with a distracted mind, responded to the salutations of those porters at the gate and those porters at the gate and spoke to the charioteer who was beloved to Asvapati as follows:
kimaham tvarayaaniitah kaaranena vinaanagha || 2-71-35
ashubhaashaki hridayam shiilam ca patatiiva me |
“O, the faultless charioteer! Why was I brought so quickly without any reason? My mind is apprehending some evil. I lost my all energy.”
shrutaa no yaadrishaah puurvam nripatiinaam vinaashane || 2-71-36
aakaaraah taan aham sarvaan iha pashyaami saarathe |
“Whatever things were heard by us formerly in the same case of ruin of kings, I am seeing here all those signs."
sammaarjanavihiinaani parusaanyupalakshaye || 2-71-37
asamyatakavaataani shriivihiinaani sarvashah |
balikarmavihiinaani dhuupasammedanena ca || 2-71-38
anaashitakutumbaani prabhaahiinajanaani ca |
alaksmiikaani pashyaami kutumbibhavanaanyaham || 2-71-39
“I am seeing the family horses in which dirt is not swept away, with their doors wide open, bereft of splendor on all sides without any offerings being made, and with no incense burned. Families are starving and people look miserably without any charming appearance.”
apetamaalyashobhaani asammristaajiraani ca |
devaagaaraani shuunyaani na caabhaanti yathaapuram || 2-71-40
“The temples of gods are deserted and have lost their radiance, with their splendor of floral decorations lost, nor are there any assembling to perform sacrifices as before.”
devataarcaah praviddhaashca yajjngosthyastathaavidhaah |
maalyaapanesu raajante naadya panyaani vaa tathaa || 2-71-41
“Worships of the deities were placed aside. Assemblies of prayers are also not adorned with saleable flowers and garlands today.”
drishyante vanijo.apyadya na yathaapuurvamatravai |
dhyaanasamvignahridayaah nastavyaapaarayantritaah || 2-71-42
“Even traders lost interest in trading tie-ups and their minds are tied up in thoughts. They are not being seen here today, as before.”
devaayatanacaityesudiinaah pakshiganaastathaa || 2-71-43
malinam ca ashru puurna aksam diinam dhyaana param krisham |
sastrii pumsam ca pashyaami janam utkanthitam pure || 2-71-44
"Clusters of birds in temples and large trees in the city are looking desolate. The population of men and women in the city look thoughtful anguished weak messy and despondent with their eyes held in tears.”
iti evam uktvaa bharatah suutam tam diina maanasah |
taani anistaani ayodhyaayaam preksya raaja griham yayau || 2-71-45
After seeing those bad omens in Ayodhya, the broken hearted Bharata spoke to the charioteer as aforesaid and went to the royal palace.
taam shuunya shringa ataka veshma rathyaam |
rajo aruna dvaara kapaata yantraam |
dristvaa puriim indra purii prakaashaam |
duhkhena sampuurnatarah babhuuva || 2-71-46
Beholding the city of Ayodhya, that formerly possessed the splendor of the capital city of Indra, now with its squares houses and high ways deserted, the doors and hinges covered with rust, Bharata was overcome with grief.
bahuuni pashyan manaso apriyaani |
yaani annyadaa na asya pure babhuuvuh |
avaak shiraa diina manaa nahristah |
pitur mahaatmaa pravivesha veshma || 2-71-47
Seeing many things disenchanted to mind which did not occur at any time before in the city, the high soled Bharata with his head bent down and with his mind miserable gloomily entered his father’s house.
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye ayodhyaakaande ekasaptatitamah sargah
Thus completes 71st Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate