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Everyone’s mind holds no small joy, and at the sight of the fine decision to leave at dawn, Bharata becomes dear as life to all. Guha bids his kinsmen take the boats in hand and sink them. A sneeze comes on the left, and an old man, weighing the omen, says that Bharata goes to win Rama over.
In this episode the people go home praising Bharata, and some say that no one should be told to stay. At home Bharata thinks that all the wealth is Rama’s. He posts pure servants and guards, and for the distressed mothers he orders palanquins and easy carriages. At daybreak the ministers are bidden to take the things for the tilak, the mark of kingship. Vasishtha goes first, and the city sets out for Chitrakuta. Thinking that Sita and Rama are in the forest, Bharata walks with his brother, and the people get down and walk. At Kausalya’s word the two mount the chariot. The brothers halt on the Tamasa and the Gomati, the people keep vows for Rama, and the company halts again on the Sai. Guha hears the news, suspects guile, and speaks of crossing iron with Bharata. The Nishadas arm, and Guha calls for the war drum. When the old man has spoken, Guha sets out to learn whether Bharata’s bent is friend, foe, or neither. He names himself to Vasishtha, and at the words “Rama’s friend” Bharata leaves the chariot.
The company on the road, and Guha in doubt
The main figures in this episode
- Bharata who becomes dear as life to all when they see the fine decision to set out at dawn. At home he holds the city, the horses, the elephants, the palace, and the treasury to be Rama’s wealth. Leaving it without care, he thinks, would bring him no good in the end. He calls pure servants, tells them the whole secret, posts each where he is fit, and sets guards. He orders palanquins and easy carriages for the mothers. At daybreak he bids the ministers take all the things for the tilak. The sage, he says, will give Rama the kingdom in the forest. He entrusts the city, sends everyone off with respect, and sets out with his brother. He goes on foot, and mounts the chariot at Kausalya’s word. Guha hears of him and suspects guile. Vasishtha speaks to Bharata of Guha. Hearing the words “Rama’s friend,” he leaves the chariot and walks, overflowing with love. When Guha prostrates himself, Bharata takes him to his breast.
- Shatrughna Bharata’s brother, who sets out with him once the city is entrusted and everyone has been sent off. The two go on foot. Taking Kausalya’s words on their heads and bowing at her feet, they mount the chariot. The two brothers halt the first day on the Tamasa, and the second on the bank of the Gomati.
- Kausalya Rama’s mother, to whom Bharata goes once the guards are set. On the road she goes near him, sets her litter close, and speaks in soft words. She bids him mount the chariot. The dear family, she says, will be unhappy. If he walks, she says, all the people will walk, and all of them are thin with sorrow and unfit for the road.
- Vasishtha and Arundhati the sage, and Arundhati, who goes with him. The people bow to Vasishtha before they go home. In the forest, Bharata says, the sage will give Rama the kingdom. Vasishtha sets out first in a chariot, with Arundhati and the things of the fire. Seeing him from afar, Guha says his name and prostrates himself. Knowing Guha dear to Rama, the sage blesses him and speaks to Bharata about him.
- Guha the Nishada king, Rama’s friend, who hears all the news and thinks it over in his heart with dejection. He suspects guile. In his thought, Bharata means to kill Rama and his younger brother and rule without a thorn. He tells his kinsmen to take the boats in hand, sink them, and block the ghats. He says that he will cross iron with Bharata and give up his life for Rama’s sake. Free of dejection, he asks for quiver, bow, and armor, and honors each warrior by name. He calls for the war drum. When an old man reads the omen, he says the old man speaks well. He goes with gifts to learn Bharata’s secret, whether friend, foe, or neither. He says his name to Vasishtha, tells his village, caste, and name, and makes obeisance with his forehead to the ground.
- The old man who weighs the omen of the sneeze. He asks Guha to meet Bharata, and says there will be no fight. Bharata goes to win Rama over, he says, and the omen says there is no quarrel.
Leaving at dawn
In every mind there was no small joy. It was as if chataks and peacocks had heard the thunder of clouds. When everyone saw the fine decision to leave at dawn, Bharata became dear as life to them all. The commentary sets the leaving on the next morning.
Bowing to Vasishtha, bowing their heads to Bharata, and taking their leave, they all went home. “Blessed is Bharata’s life in the world,” they said as they went, praising his good conduct and his love.
They said to one another, “A great thing has been done.” Everyone readied the gear for going. Whoever was told to stay and guard the house felt as if his neck had been struck off.
Some said, “Tell no one to stay. Who in the world does not want the gain of life? Let them burn, that wealth, home, happiness, those well-wishers, mother, father, and brother, that do not gladly help one to stand before Rama’s feet.”
The dharma of the wealth left behind
In every house they readied vehicles of many kinds. There was gladness in their hearts that the leaving was at dawn. Bharata went home and thought it over.
He thought, “The city, the horses, the elephants, the palace, and the treasury, all of it is Rama’s wealth. If I go, leaving it without care, there is no good for me in the end. Betraying the master is the crest-jewel of sins.”
“A servant is one who does his master’s good, whoever may lay ten million faults on him.” Thinking so, he called pure servants, who had not swerved from their dharma even in a dream.
Telling them the whole secret, he spoke the good dharma. Whoever was fit for a thing, he posted him to it. Making every provision and posting guards, Bharata went to Kausalya.
Knowing all the mothers to be distressed, Bharata, wise in love, ordered palanquins made and easy carriages readied.
The things for the tilak, and the city sets out
Like chakravaka pairs, the men and women of the city wanted the dawn, greatly distressed in their breasts. All of them were awake all night, and the morning came. Bharata called the wise ministers.
He said, “Take all the things for the tilak. In the forest the sage will give Rama the kingdom. Go quickly.” Hearing it, the ministers made obeisance and at once readied horses, chariots, and elephants.
First Vasishtha set out in a chariot, with Arundhati and the things of the fire. The commentary reads that fire as the fire of offering. Then the brahmins set out in vehicles of many kinds, all of them treasuries of tapas and radiance.
All the people of the city readied their carriages and set out for Chitrakuta. All the queens went mounted on handsome palanquins, past describing.
Entrusting the city to pure servants and sending everyone off with respect, and remembering the feet of Rama and Sita, Bharata and his brother then set out.
The two brothers walk, and the people get down and walk
All the men and women were in the power of the sight of Rama. It was as if elephants and their mates were going, their eyes on water. Thinking in his mind that Sita and Rama were in the forest, Bharata walked on foot with his brother.
Seeing that love, the people were full of love. They got down and walked, leaving horses, elephants, and chariots. Going near Bharata and setting her litter close, Kausalya spoke in soft words.
“Son, mount the chariot. The mother takes your ills upon herself. The dear family will be unhappy. If you walk, all the people will walk. All of them are thin with sorrow and unfit for the road.”
Taking her words on their heads, bowing their heads at her feet, and mounting the chariot, the two brothers went on. On the first day they halted on the Tamasa. The second halt was on the bank of the Gomati.
Some lived on milk, some ate fruit, and some people ate at night. They kept rules and vows for Rama’s sake, giving up ornaments and pleasures.
Halting on the bank of the Sai, they set out at dawn. All of them drew near Shringaverapura.
News of the army, and Guha’s suspicion
Guha heard all the news. With dejection he thought in his heart, “For what reason does Bharata go to the forest? There is some guile in his mind. If there were no crookedness in his heart, why has he taken an army along?”
“He thinks that by killing Rama and his younger brother he will rule in happiness, without a thorn. Bharata has not taken statecraft into his breast. Then it was a stain. Now it is the loss of life.”
“Should all the gods and asuras join as fighters, there is none who could defeat Rama in battle. What wonder that Bharata does this? A poison creeper does not bear fruit of nectar.”
Thinking so, Guha said to his kinsmen, “Be alert, all of you. Take the boats in hand and sink them. Block the ghats.”
The resolve to give his life for Rama
Guha went on. “Arm yourselves and block the ghats. All of you, make ready to die. I will cross iron with Bharata face to face. While I live, I will not let him cross the Ganga.”
“Death in battle, and moreover the Ganga’s bank, Rama’s work, and a body that perishes in a moment. Bharata is a brother and a king, and I am a low servant. By great fortune one gets such a death.”
“For the master’s work I will fight in battle. I will whiten the fourteen worlds with fame. I will give up my life for Rama’s sake. In both my hands are sweets of joy. One whose reckoning is not among the company of the good, and whose line is not among Rama’s devotees, wastes his life in the world. He is a burden on the earth, an axe to the tree of his mother’s youth.”
The commentary opens the sweets in the two hands. If he wins, it says, he gains the fame of Rama’s servant. If he is killed, it adds, he gains Rama’s service for ever.
Free of dejection, raising everyone’s eagerness and remembering Rama, Guha at once asked for quiver, bow, and armor.
Arms are readied, and the heroes’ zeal rises
Guha said, “Quick, brothers, ready your gear. Let no one be faint-hearted on hearing the order.” “Very well, master,” they all said gladly, and each raised the other’s zeal.
The Nishadas set out, making obeisance again and again, all of them heroes who loved a fight. Remembering the sandals of Rama’s feet and tying on their quivers, they strung their bows.
Putting on their mail, they set iron caps on their heads. They made their axes, bamboo spears, and lances straight. Some were very skilled at warding off the sword. They leapt as if they had left the earth for the sky.
Making ready each his own gear and band, they went and made obeisance to Guha. Seeing the warriors, he knew them all fit. Taking each one’s name, he honored them all.
He said, “Brothers, do not play false. Today my work is great.” In the commentary’s reading, to play false would be to shrink from death. Hearing it, the warriors spoke in anger. “Hero, do not be impatient.”
“By Rama’s might and your strength, master, we will leave the army without warriors and without horses. While we live, we will not set a foot back. We will cover the earth with trunks and heads.”
Guha saw the goodly band. “Beat the war drum,” he said. As he said it, a sneeze came on the left. The omen-readers said, “The field is handsome.” The commentary reads the handsome field as victory.
A meeting first, to learn what is in his mind
An old man spoke, weighing the omen. “Meet Bharata. There will be no fight. Bharata goes to win Rama over. The omen says there is no quarrel.”
Hearing it, Guha said, “The old man speaks well. Acting in haste, the witless regret it. Without understanding Bharata’s nature and good conduct, it is a great loss of good to fight without knowing.”
“Warriors, hold the ghats, all of you together. I will learn his secret, going to meet him. Learning his bent, whether friend, foe, or neither, I will then come back and do as fits.”
“I will see his love by his handsome nature. Enmity and love are not hidden by hiding.” So saying, he began to ready the gifts.
At the words “Rama’s friend”
Guha sent for tubers, roots, fruit, birds, and deer. Porters came with loads of fat old pathina fish, which the commentary names pahina. With the gifts readied, he set out for the meeting, and he found good omens, the root of blessing.
Seeing Vasishtha from afar and saying his own name, he prostrated himself in salute. Knowing him dear to Rama, the sage blessed him and spoke to Bharata about him.
At the words “Rama’s friend,” Bharata left the chariot. He got down and walked, overflowing with love. Telling his village, his caste, and his name, Guha made obeisance with his forehead to the ground.
Seeing him prostrating, Bharata took him to his breast. It was as if he had met Lakshmana. The love did not fit in his heart.
The course of the episode
When the decision to leave at dawn was seen, Bharata became dear as life to everyone, and the people went home praising him. Some wanted no one told to stay. At home Bharata thought of the wealth as Rama’s. He called the pure servants, told them the secret, posted them, and set guards. He went to Kausalya, and he ordered palanquins for the mothers, knowing them distressed.
The city waited awake for dawn. In the morning Bharata gave the ministers his order about the things for the tilak, and they readied horses, chariots, and elephants. Vasishtha set out first with Arundhati, the brahmins after him, and then the city and the queens. Entrusting the city, the two brothers set out. They went on foot, and the people too walked. At Kausalya’s soft words they mounted the chariot. After the brothers had halted on the Tamasa and the Gomati, and the people had kept their vows, all drew near Shringaverapura from the bank of the Sai.
Guha heard the news and thought it over with dejection. Suspecting guile, he told his kinsmen to sink the boats and block the ghats, and said he would fight Bharata and give his life for Rama. He called for arms, and the Nishadas armed and made obeisance. He honored each of them by name and called for the war drum, and a sneeze came on the left. An old man counseled a meeting, and Guha told the warriors to hold the ghats. He went with gifts to learn Bharata’s secret. He said his name to Vasishtha, who blessed him and spoke to Bharata. When Bharata heard that Guha was Rama’s friend, he left the chariot. When Guha lay prostrate, Bharata took him to his breast.
The same story, elsewhere: Valmiki’s Ramayana, chapter 10: The Coming of Bharata, and the Sandals.
Source: the Gita Press edition of Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas, Ayodhyakand, doha 185 to 193, read with Hanuman Prasad Poddar’s Hindi commentary.