Guha reports to Bharata, how Rama and his party broke their journey at Sringaverapura and narrate to him the dialogue that took place between Lakshmana and himself during that night. Guha further tells him how Rama and Lakshmana matted their hair into a thick mass crossed the holy river with Seetha and left for the hermitage of Sage Bharadwaja.
Chapter [Sarga] 86 in Detail
aacacakshe atha sadbhaavam lakshmanasya mahaatmanah |
bharataaya aprameyaaya guho gahana gocarah || 2-86-1
Then Guha the foremost dweller reported Bharata, who was having incomprehensible qualities, about the quality of goodness of Lakshmana (as follows):
tam jaagratam gunair yuktam vara caapa ishu dhaarinam |
bhraatri gupty artham atyantam aham lakshmanam abravam || 2-86-2
"I spoke as follows to that Lakshmana, who is endowed with virtues and wielding arrows bow and a sword and who was keeping a vigil for the safe guard of his brother."
iyam taata sukhaa shayyaa tvad artham upakalpitaa |
pratyaashvasihi sheshva asyaam sukham raaghava nandana || 2-86-3
"O, dear brother! Here is a comfortable bed made ready for you. Feel yourself at ease. Rest peacefully on this, O, delight of the Raghu race!"
ucito ayam janah sarve duhkhaanaam tvam sukha ucitah |
dharma aatmamh tasya gupty artham jaagarishyaamahe vayam || 2-86-4
"All my people are habituated for hardships, o virtuous prince! You are used to comfort. Hence, we shall keep awake for the safe guard of Rama."
na hi raamaat priyataro mama asti bhuvi kashcana |
maa utsuko bhuur braviimy etad apy asatyam tava agratah || 2-86-5
"None is dearer to me than Rama on this earth. Moreover, do not become restless. I am telling this truth in your presence."
asya prasaadaad aashamse loke asmin sumahad yashah |
dharma avaaptim ca vipulaam artha avaaptim ca kevalaam || 2-86-6
"By the grace of Rama, I wish to attain a very great renown in this earth, an extensive acquisition of righteousness, an unalloyed wealth and enjoyment."
so aham priya sakham raamam shayaanam saha siitayaa |
rakshishyaami dhanush paanih sarvaih svair jnaatibhih saha || 2-86-7
"I as such with a bow in my hand, along with my relatives will guard my dear friend Rama, who slept together with Seetha."
na hi me aviditam kimcid vane asmimh caratah sadaa |
catur angam hy api balam prasahema vayam yudhi || 2-86-8
"Nothing is indeed unknown to me, who forever wander in this forest. We can defeat even an army consisting of all the four limbs in battle."
evam asmaabhir uktena lakshmanena mahaatmanaa |
anuniitaa vayam sarve dharmam eva anupashyataa || 2-86-9
"Thus spoken as aforesaid by us the high soled Lakshmana, who perceives righteousness alone, politely replied to all of us (as follows)
katham daasharathau bhuumau shayaane saha siitayaa |
shakyaa nidraa mayaa labdhum jiivitam vaa sukhaani vaa || 2-86-10
"How is it possible for me to get a sleep, or even life or comforts when Rama is reposing on the floor along with Seetha?"
yo na deva asuraih sarvaih shakyah prasahitum yudhi |
tam pashya guha samvishtam trineshu saha siitayaa || 2-86-11
"O, Guha! Behold that Rama, who cannot be conquered in a battle even by all the celestials and demons, sleeping on the blades of grass along with Seetha."
mahataa tapasaa labdho vividhaih ca parishramaih |
eko dasharathasya esha putrah sadrisha lakshanah || 2-86-12
"This Rama is an excellent son, having qualities equal to those of Dasaratha. The king obtained Rama by performing a great penance and after facing various troubles."
asmin pravraajite raajaa na ciram vartayishyati |
vidhavaa medinii nuunam kshipram eva bhavishyati || 2-86-13
"When Rama having seen exiled, the king Dasaratha will not survive for long. This earth will surely be without a husband soon."
vinadya sumahaa naadam shramena uparataah striyah |
nirghosha uparatam nuunam adya raaja niveshanam || 2-86-14
"The women in the gynoeciums, having cried with a great noise, would have ceased their crying out of fatigue. Now, the great noise would have stopped in the royal palace by now."
kausalyaa caiva raajaa ca tathaa eva jananii mama |
na aashamse yadi te sarve jiiveyuh sharvariim imaam || 2-86-15
"I do not expect whether all of them, like Kausalya Dasaratha and even my mother Sumitra will survive at all till this night."
jiived api hi me maataa shatrughnasya anvavekshayaa |
duhkhitaa yaa tu kausalyaa viirasuur vinashishyati || 2-86-16
"By beholding Shatrughna, my mother perhaps may even survive. However, the afflicted Kausalya who gave birth to the eminent Rama will surely die."
atikraantam atikraantam anavaapya mano ratham |
raajye raamam anikshipya pitaa me vinashishyati || 2-86-17
Without realizing his long-cherished wish and failing to install Rama in the kingdom of Ayodhya, my father Dasaratha will expire."
siddha arthaah pitaram vrittam tasmin kaale hy upasthite |
preta kaaryeshu sarveshu samskarishyanti bhuumipam || 2-86-18
"Those who have accomplished their purpose (Shatrughna and others) will perform all the funeral honors to king Dasaratha, my father when the time comes for it."
ramya catvara samsthaanaam suvibhakta mahaa pathaam |
harmya praasaada sampannaam sarva ratna vibhuushitaam || 2-86-19
gaja ashva ratha sambaadhaam tuurya naada vinaaditaam |
sarva kalyaana sampuurnaam hrishta pushta jana aakulaam || 2-86-20
aaraama udyaana sampuurnaam samaaja utsava shaaliniim |
sukhitaa vicarishyanti raaja dhaaniim pitur mama || 2-86-21
"They will joyfully inhabit my father capital City, with its pleasant cross roads and meeting places, with its main roads well laid out, sumptuous with large houses and lofty mansions, with all the gems they are encrusted, with elephants horses and chariots that abound there, the sound of trumpets with which the city resonates, the many diversions it contains, its prosperous and well-fed people, its luxurious gardens and parks as well as the assemblies and festivals that continuously take place."
api satya pratijnena saardham kushalinaa vayam |
nivritte samaye hy asmin sukhitaah pravishemahi || 2-86-22
Shall we enter Ayodhya happily along with that virtuous Rama, who has truly redeemed his promise, when he completed his term of exile?
paridevayamaanasya tasya evam sumahaatmanah |
tishthato raaja putrasya sharvarii saa atyavartata || 2-86-23
While that magnanimous prince was lamenting thus, standing guard, the night passed.
prabhaate vimale suurye kaarayitvaa jataa ubhau |
asmin bhaagiirathii tiire sukham samtaaritau mayaa || 2-86-24
"When the sun rose brightly in the next morning Rama and Lakshmana got their locks of hair matted into a thick mass at the banks of River Ganga and they were safely ferried by me."
jataa dharau tau druma ciira vaasasau |
mahaa balau kunjara yuuthapa upamau |
vara ishu caapa asi dharau param tapau |
vyavekshamaanau saha siitayaa gatau ||2-86-25
"Rama and Lakshmana, who were capable of tormenting their enemies, possessing great strength, wearing matted locks of hair and clothes made of bark, like unto the leaders of herd of elephants, wielding excellent bow, arrows and sword, looking back at me, went away with Seetha.
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye ayodhyaakaande sadashiititamah sargah
Thus completes 86th Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate