Bharata reproached Kaikeyi in many ways. Pricking with his unpleasant remarks, Bharata tells her that he will bring back Rama from the forest, install him on the throne of Ayodhya and become his attendant.
Chapter [Sarga] 73 in Detail
shrutvaa tu pitaram vrittam bhraataru ca vivaasitau |
bharatah duhkha samtaptaidam vacanam abraviit || 2-73-1
Hearing that his father was dead and both his brothers were exiled; Bharata was tormented with grief and spoke the following words:
kim nunkaaryam hatasya iha mama raajyena shocatah |
vihiinasya atha pitraa ca bhraatraa pitri samena ca || 2-73-2
Bereft of my father as well as my brother too, who is exactly like my father, what is the use of a kingdom now to me, lamenting as I am with despair?”
duhkhe me duhkham akaror vrane ksaaram iva aadadhaah |
raajaanam preta bhaavastham kritvaa raamam ca taapasam || 2-73-3
“Making Dasaratha to die and turning Rama to be an ascetic, you brought one calamity after another like sprinkling salt on a wound.”
kulasya tvam abhaavaaya kaala raatrir iva aagataa |
angaaram upaguuhya sma pitaa me na avabuddhavaan || 2-73-4
“You came for destruction of our race, like the night of destruction coming at the end of the world. My father could not be aware of his embracing a live char-coal to his bosom.”
mrityumaapaadito raajaa tvayaa me paapadarshini |
sukham parihritam mohaatkule.asmin kulapaamsani || 2-73-5
“O, the malevolent woman! You caused the death of my father. O, the one who made our race unchaste! In this race, happiness is deserted through your ignorance.”
tvaam praapya hi pitaa me.dya satyasandho mahaayashaah |
tiivraduhkhaabhisamtapto vritto dasharatho nripah || 2-73-6
“My father, king Dasaratha, who was true to his promise and immensely famous, now died, tormented as he was with bitter grief, because of you.”
vinaashito mahaaraajah pitaa me dharmavatsalah |
kasmaatpravraajito raamah kasmaadeva vanam gatah || 2-73-7
“Why did you kill my father the monarch, who was intent on righteousness? Why did you send Rama on exile to the forest?”
kausalyaa ca sumitraa ca putra shoka abhipiidite |
duskaram yadi jiivetaam praapya tvaam jananiim mama || 2-73-8
“It is impossible that Kausalya and Sumitra, who are afflicted with grief for their sons, will live in fellowship with you, my mother.”
nanu tu aaryo api dharma aatmaa tvayi vrittim anuttamaam |
vartate guru vrittijno yathaa maatari vartate || 2-73-9
“Even Rama my elder brother, a pious man who knows how to behave with elders, used to act with the best behavior in your case, exactly as how he was behaving with his own mother.”
tathaa jyesthaa hi me maataa kausalyaa diirgha darshinii |
tvayi dharmam samaasthaaya bhaginyaam iva vartate || 2-73-10
“In the same manner, Kausalya, my elder mother having far sightedness and established in piety, indeed used to behave with you as your sister.”
tasyaah putram krita aatmaanam ciira valkala vaasasam |
prasthaapya vana vaasaaya katham paape na shocasi || 2-73-11
“Why are you not lamenting, after sending Rama, the disciplined Kausalya ’s son, clothed in a bark dress, to live in a forest? O, sinful one!”
apaapa darshinam shuuram krita aatmaanam yashasvinam |
pravraajya ciira vasanam kim nu pashyasi kaaranam || 2-73-12
“You indeed sent into exile, clad in a bark dress, Rama having a virtuous disposition, a valiant man, a self controlled and illustrious man as he was. What reason do you gather for it?”
lubdhaayaa viditah manye na te aham raaghavam prati |
tathaa hi anartho raajya artham tvayaa niitah mahaan ayam || 2-73-13
“I think it is not known to you, a greedy woman, about my devotion towards Rama. It is exactly so. You have brought in this great calamity for the sake of a kingdom.”
aham hi purusa vyaaghraav apashyan raama laksmanau |
kena shakti prabhaavena raajyam raksitum utsahe || 2-73-14
“By which source of strength can I be able to protect the kingdom, without those lions among men, Rama and Lakshmana in proximity to me?”
tam hi nityam mahaa raajo balavantam mahaa balah |
uapaashritah abhuud dharma aatmaa merur meru vanam yathaa || 2-73-15
“Dasaratha the monarch, having great strength and a pious mind always indeed used to take refuge in that strong man Rama as the Meru mountain takes refuge in a forest surrounding the mountain.”
so aham katham imam bhaaram mahaa dhurya samudyatam |
damyo dhuram iva aasaadya saheyam kena ca ojasaa || 2-73-16
“By what stamina, shall I sustain this burden of kingship any more than a young bullock that is yet to be tamed, would stand the strain on getting a load, lifted up with ease by a giant bullock.”
atha vaa me bhavet shaktir yogaih buddhi balena vaa |
sakaamaam na karisyaami tvaam aham putra gardhiniim || 2-73-17
“Or even if a strength can be brought into existence in me by following certain suitable methods or by strength of intelligence, I will not allow you, who are greedy in fetching of kingdom for your son, to fulfill your desire.”
na me vikaakhaa jaayeta tyaktum tvaam paapanishcayaam |
yadi raamasya naavekshaa tvayi syaanmaatrivatsadaa || 2-73-18
“No aversion would be felt by me even to desert you, a woman of evil designs, if Rama did not treat you like a mother at all times.”
utpannaa tu katham buddhistaveyam paapadarshini |
saadhucaaritravibhraaste puurvesaam no vigarhitaa || 2-73-19
“O, malevolent woman with your good conduct disappeared! How this idea forbidden by our ancestors, has arisen in your mind at all?”
asmin kule hi sarvesaam jyestho raajye.abhisichyate |
apare bhraatarastasmin pravartante samaahitaah || 2-73-20
“The eldest of all in this race should be indeed anointed as a king. The rest of his brothers are to behave reverently towards their elder brother.”
na hi manye nrishase tvam raajadharmamavekshase |
gatim vaa na vijaanaasi raajavrittasya shaashvatiim || 2-73-21
“O, cruel woman! I feel that you are not catching even a glimpse of the rules relating to kings or not even aware of a permanent procedure prevailing in the administration of kings.”
satatam raajavritte hi jyestho raajye.abhisichyate |
raajjnaametatsamam tatsyaadikshvaakuunaam vishesatah || 2-73-22
“According to the administration of kings the eldest son always indeed gets inaugurated in kingdom. This procedure is similar to all kings; especially so in the case of Ikshvaku kings.”
tesaam dharmaikarakshaanaam kulacaaritrayoginaam |
atra caaritrashaundiiryam tvaam praapya vinivartatam || 2-73-23
“The pride of reputation of those belonging to Ikshvaku race, who protect righteousness alone and who possessed good family conduct, is turned away by you today.”
tavaapi sumahaabhaagaa janendraah kulapuurvagaah |
buddhermohah kathamayam sambhuutastvayi garhitah || 2-73-24
“Even kings belonging to your ancestral race were great people. How has this contemptible stupidity of mind born in you?”
na tu kaamam karisyaami tavaa.ahm paapanishcaye |
tvayaa vyasanamaarabdham jiivitaantakaram mama || 2-73-25
“O, woman with evil designs! I for one will not fulfill your desire. A criminal act, which will cause even an end to my life, has been undertaken by you.”
esa tvidaaniimevaahamapriyaartham tavanagham |
nivartayisyaami vanaat bhraataram svajana priyam || 2-73-26
“Now itself at the cause of your dislike, I for one will bring back from the forest, my brother, who is a faultless man and a beloved man of his people.”
nivartayitvaa raamam ca tasyaaham diiptatejanah |
daasabhuuto bhavisyaami susthirenaantaraatmanaa || 2-73-27
“Bringing back Rama with a very firm mind, I will become a servant to him, who is radiant with glory.”
iti evam uktvaa bharatah mahaatmaa |
priya itaraih vaakya ganaiah tudams taam |
shoka aaturah ca api nanaada bhuuyah |
simho yathaa parvata gahvarasthah || 2-73-28
Speaking as aforesaid, the high soled Bharata, pricking her with a multitude of unpleasant words, roared again like a lion stationed in a mountain cave.
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye ayodhyaakaande trisaptatitamah sargah
Thus completes 73rd Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate