Bharata approaches the sage Bharadwaja and seeks his permission to leave. Bharata asks Bharadwaja the exact route by which he can reach the abode of Rama. Bharadwaja gives the details of the path towards the banks of river Mandakini, situated at the north of Chitrakuta mountain, where Rama is stationed along with Seetha and Lakshmana. Hearing of the journey, Dasaratha's wives approach Bharadwaja and offer their salutations to him. Bharata introduces his mothers one by one to Bharadwaja. While introducing his mother, Kaikeyi to Bharadwaja, Bharata describes Kaikeyi as the root-cause of their family's misfortune. But, the sage Bharadwaja consoles him, saying that the exile of Rama would ultimately result in happiness the sages, celestials and even the demons. Bharata finally bids farewell to the sage and proceeds to Chitrakuta, along with his retinue.
Chapter [Sarga] 92 in Detail
tatah taam rajaniim ushya bharatah saparigccadah |
krita aatithyo bharadvaajam kaamaad abhijagaama ha || 2-92-1
Thereafter, Bharata along with his routine, who were treated hospitably, spent that night there and sought out Bharadwaja with fondness.
tam rishih purusha vyaaghram prekshya praanjalim aagatam |
huta agni hotro bharatam bharadvaajo abhyabhaashata || 2-92-2
The sage Bharadwaja, who had offered oblations in sacred fire, spoke to Bharata the tiger among men, who had come there with joined palms, saying.
kaccid atra sukhaa raatrih tava asmad vishaye gataa |
samagrah te janah kaccid aatithye shamsa me anagha || 2-92-3
"O, handsome Bharata! Have you passed this night at out place comfortably? Is your retinue fully satisfied with my hospitality? Tell me."
tam uvaaca anjalim kritvaa bharato abhipranamya ca |
aashramaad abhinishkrantam rishim uttama tejasam || 2-92-4
After joining his palms in salutation, Bharata replied to the very glorious sage Bharadwaja, who came out from his hermitage (as follows):
sukha ushito asmi bhagavan samagra bala vaahanah |
tarpitah sarva kaamaih ca saamaatyo balavat tvayaa || 2-92-5
"O, venerable sage! With all the enjoyments in plenty provided by you, I felt comfortable and satisfied, along with very ministers my entire army and our animals too used in riding.
apeta klama samtaapaah subhakshyaah supratishrayaah |
api preshyaan upaadaaya sarve sma susukha ushitaah || 2-92-6
"All of us including our servants have become very much satisfied with our fatigue and pains removed, having eaten a good food and having been provided an excellent accommodation."
aamantraye aham bhagavan kaamam tvaam rishi sattama |
samiipam prasthitam bhraatur mairena iikshasva cakshushaa || 2-92-7
"O, Blessed one! O, excellent sage I am taking leave of you. Look on me with favor as I find myself in my brother's vicinity."
aashramam tasya dharmajna dhaarmikasya mahaatmanah |
aacakshva katamo maargah kiyaan iti ca shamsa me || 2-92-8
"O, knower of piety! Tell me about the abode of that high-souled and pious man, Rama. Tell me as to which way I have to go, how much distance it is from here and so forth."
iti prishtah tu bharatam bhraatri darshana laalasam |
pratyuvaaca mahaa tejaa bharadvaajo mahaa tapaah || 2-92-9
The highly glorious Bharadwaja, of rigid asceticism, thus questioned by Bharata (who intensely desired to see his brother again), answered him as follows:
bharata ardha tritiiyeshu yojaneshu ajane vane |
citra kuuto girih tatra ramya nirdara kaananah || 2-92-10
"O, Bharata! About twenty eight miles from here, there is a mountain called Chitrakuta, in the middle of a lonely forest with its charming Cascades and groves."
uttaram paarshvam aasaadya tasya mandaakinii nadii |
pushpita druma samchannaa ramya pushpita kaananaa || 2-92-11
"Going towards its northern side, you will find River Mandakini, which is entirely enveloped with flowering trees and having forests flourished with charming blossoms."
anantaram tat saritah citra kuutah ca parvatah |
tato parna kutii taata tatra tau vasato dhruvam || 2-92-12
"O, beloved Bharata! Beyond that river, there is a mountain called Chitrakuta and on it, their hut made of leafy twigs. Both of them are residing there. It is sure."
dakshinena eva maargena savya dakshinam eva ca |
gaja vaaji ratha aakiirnaam vaahiniim vaahinii pate || 2-92-13
vaahayasva mahaa bhaaga tato drakshyasi raaghavam |
"O, the illustrious chief of army! Direct the forces filled with elephant’s, horses and chariots either towards the southern route or to the left proceeding southward. You can see Rama then."
prayaanam iti ca shrutvaa raaja raajasya yoshitah |
hitvaa yaanaani yaana arhaa braahmanam paryavaarayan || 2-92-14
Hearing him speak of the journey, Dasaratha's wives eligible of sitting in palanquins, descended from their palanquins and stood encircling Bharadwaja.
vepamaanaa krishaa diinaa saha devyaa sumantriyaa |
kausalyaa tatra jagraaha karaabhyaam caranau muneh || 2-92-15
Kaikeyi with her unfulfilled desire and despised by the whole world, clasped the sage's feet with bashfulness.
asamriddhena kaamena sarva lokasya garhitaa |
kaikeyii tasya jagraaha caranau savyapatrapaa || 2-92-16
Kaikeyi with her unfulfilled desire and despised by the whole world, clasped the sage's feet with bashfulness.
tam pradakshinam aagamya bhagavantam mahaa munim |
aduuraad bharatasya eva tasthau diina manaah tadaa || 2-92-17
Then, having gone around that venerable and eminent sage clock-wise, she stood close to Bharata himself, distressed as she was at heart.
tatah papragcca bharatam bharadvaajo dridha vratah |
vishesham jnaatum igccaami maatririnaam tava raaghava || 2-92-18
Then, Bharadwaja, firm in austerity, enquired Bharata as follows: "O, Bharata! I wish to know the distinctions of your mothers."
evam uktah tu bharato bharadvaajena dhaarmikah |
uvaaca praanjalir bhuutvaa vaakyam vacana kovidah || 2-92-19
Hearing the words of the learned sage, Bharadwaja, Bharata who was skilled in expression, with joined palms, spoke the following words.
yaam imaam bhagavan diinaam shokaan ashana karshitaam |
pitur hi mahishiim deviim devataam iva pashyasi || 2-92-20
eshaa tam purusha vyaaghram simha vikraanta gaaminam |
kausalyaa sushuve raamam dhaataaram aditir yathaa || 2-92-21
"O, venerable sage! This miserable queen emaciated by grief and fasting, is the royal consort of my father, who you see resembling a goddess - it is she, Kausalya who, as Aditi gave birth to Upendra, begot that Tiger among the heroes, with the great gait and pride of a lion that Rama."
asyaa vaama bhujam shlishtaa yaa eshaa tishthati durmanaah |
karnikaarasya shaakhaa iva shiirna pushpaa vana antare || 2-92-22
etasyaah tau sutau devyaah kumaarau deva varninau |
ubhau lakshmana shatrughnau viirau satya paraakramau || 2-92-23
She, who stands clinging to the left shoulder of Kausalya, plunged in grief is the unfortunate Sumitra, looking like a branch of Karnikara tree with withered flowers standing in the interior of the grove. Both Lakshmana and Shatrughna, the two heroic princes of god-like appearance and unfailing prowess are the sons of this godly woman, Sumitra.
yasyaah krite nara yaaghrau jiiva naasham ito gatau |
raajaa putra vihiinah ca svargam dasharatho gatah || 2-92-24
krodhanaamakritaprajjnaam driptaam subhagamaaniniim |
aishvarya kaamaam kaikeyiim anaaryaam aarya ruupiniim || 2-92-25
mama etaam maataram viddhi nrishamsaam paapa nishcayaam |
yato muulam hi pashyaami vyasanam mahad aatmanah || 2-92-26
"She, through whose fault, those two tigers among men have to obtain a miserable existence and King Dasaratha deprived of his son, has gone to heaven this woman, who is irate, imprudent, arrogant, who esteems herself to be good-looking, who is covetous of power, unworthy though noble to all appearance, know her to be Kaikeyi, my mother of wicked and sinful resolve, in whom I see the root cause of my great misfortune."
ity uktvaa nara shaarduulo baashpa gadgadayaa giraa |
sa nishashvaasa taamra aksho kruddho naaga iva asakrit || 2-92-27
Bharata, the tiger among men, with his red eyes spoke thus in a voice broken by sobs and breathing as he like an enraged and hissing snake.
bharadvaajo maharshih tam bruvantam bharatam tadaa |
pratyuvaaca mahaa buddhir idam vacanam arthavat || 2-92-28
Hearing the aforesaid words spoken by Bharata, Bharadwaja the great intellectual sage replied in the following meaningful words.
na doshena avagantavyaa kaikeyii bharata tvayaa |
raama pravraajanam hy etat sukha udarkam bhavishyati || 2-92-29
"O, Bharata! Kaikeyi is not intended to be understood by you accusatively. The exile of Rama with indeed become ultimately a cause for happiness!"
devaanaam daanavaanaam cha risiinaam bhaavitaatmanaam |
hitameva bhavisyaddhi raamapravraajanaadiha || 2-92-30
"Now, due to Rama's exile, there will indeed be a benefit to the celestials the demons and the sages whose souls are purified by meditating on the Universal Spirit."
abhivaadya tu samsiddhah kritvaa ca enam pradakshinam |
aamantrya bharatah sainyam yujyataam ity acodayat || 2-92-31
Bharata satisfied, paid obeisance to him and circumambulated him in bidding a farewell, directing the army to get prepared to leave.
tato vaaji rathaan yuktvaa divyaan hema parishkritaan |
adhyaarohat prayaana arthii bahuun bahu vidho janah || 2-92-32
Then, setting out for their destination, countless people ascended many excellent chariots, decorated with gold, duly harnessed to horses.
gaja kanyaa gajaah caiva hema kakshyaah pataakinah |
jiimuutaa iva gharma ante saghoshaah sampratasthire || 2-92-33
Female and male elephants, wearing golden chains and flags, distinguished by the sound of bells, like thundering clouds at the end of a summer marched in a form.
vividhaany api yaanaani mahaani ca laghuuni ca |
prayayuh sumahaa arhaani paadair eva padaatayah || 2-92-34
Various precious conveyances, both big and small, marched forward. Pedestrians marched forward by foot.
atha yaana pravekaih tu kausalyaa pramukhaah striyah |
raama darshana kaankshinyah prayayur muditaah tadaa || 2-92-35
Desirous of seeing Rama and delighted, Kausalya and other honorable women thereafter advanced on their excellent conveyances.
camdrka taruna aabhaasaam niyuktaam shibikaam shubhaam |
aasthaaya prayayau shriimaan bharatah saparigccadah || 2-92-36
The illustrious Bharata mounted a readily kept palanquin which was auspiciously shining like rising moon and sun and proceeded along with his escort.
saa prayaataa mahaa senaa gaja vaaji ratha aakulaa |
dakshinaam disham aavritya mahaa megha iva utthitah || 2-92-37
vanaani tu vyatikramya jushtaani mriga pakshibhih |
gagaayaah paravelaayaam girisvapi nadiisu cha 2-92-38
That vast army with its countless elephants horses and chariots proceeded, covering the southern direction, like a great cloud that has risen in the sky and on the other bank of the Ganges, by mountains and streams, crossing the woods inhabited by deer and birds.
saa samprahrishta dvipa vaaji yodhaa |
vitraasayantii mriga pakshi samghaan |
mahad vanam tat pravigaahamaanaa |
raraaja senaa bharatasya tatra || 2-92-39
That army of Bharata, with its squadrons of rejoicing elephants horses and warriors, penetrating into the vast forest, frightening innumerable beasts and birds, appeared resplendent there.
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye ayodhyaakaande dvinanavatitamah sargah
Thus completes 92nd Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate