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At Prayaga Bharata bathes, bows his head to Bharadvaja with the company, and places the rishi’s leave and blessing on his head. With his hand in the hand of Rama‘s friend, he sets out for Chitrakuta, his mind fixed on it. Indra asks his guru to do that by which Rama and Bharata do not meet, and the gods’ guru smiles. Rama’s friend shows the company the hill near which the two heroes dwell with Sita.
In this episode the beings on the road are freed of the sickness of becoming at the sight of Bharata. The siddhas, sadhus, and chief sages say it is no great thing for him. Brihaspati tells Indra that Rama is never angry at an offense against himself, that whoever offends his devotee burns, and that the servant is supremely dear to him. Indra’s remorse ends, and he rains flowers. At the Yamuna Bharata’s eyes fill at the sight of water of Rama’s color. Countless boats come in the night, and everyone crosses in one trip. The two brothers walk on foot behind the royal company, plainly dressed. The village women ask one another about the two brothers, and a second woman praises Bharata. Bharata asks the Kiratas, the Kols, and the hermits in which forest the three are. Good omens come, feet stagger with love, and at the sight of the hill everyone prostrates themselves in salute.
Those who watch, among the gods and in the villages
The main figures in this episode
- Bharata Rama’s younger brother, who bathes at Prayaga and, with his hand in Guha’s hand, sets out with his mind on Chitrakuta. He goes with no shoes on his feet and no shade over his head. He asks his friend the story of the road the three had taken. Seeing his state, sages and siddhas envy it. At the Yamuna, sinking with the company in the sea of separation, he boards the ship of discernment. With Shatrughna he walks behind the royal company on foot. In his mind he asks for love of the feet of Sita and Rama. Saluting those he meets, he asks in which forest Lakshmana, Rama, and Sita are. Shesha cannot tell his love at that time.
- Shatrughna Bharata’s younger brother, one of the two brothers who bathe, bow their heads to the river, and set out with Guha. He goes on foot behind the royal company with Bharata, very plain in ornament, dress, and guise. A village woman says that, having seen Bharata with his younger brother, they have all come to be counted among blessed young women.
- Guha Rama’s friend, in whose hand Bharata’s hand is given on the road to Chitrakuta. He tells Bharata the story of the road in soft words. At the Yamuna the company is pleased with his service, and the two brothers set out with him. He shows them the crest-jewel of mountains, handsome by nature.
- Indra the king of the gods, who sees Bharata’s power and is worried. He asks his guru to search out a trick so that Rama and Bharata do not meet. Hearing the guru’s fine words, he is delighted, and his remorse ends. Raining flowers, he begins to praise Bharata’s nature.
- Brihaspati the gods’ guru, who smiles on hearing Indra’s words and knows the thousand-eyed one to be without eyes. He says that maya worked on the servant of the lord of maya turns and falls back. He tells Indra of Rama’s nature, and tells him to give up crookedness and bring a handsome love to Bharata’s feet.
- The men and women along the road who hear of it, leave home and work, and run. Seeing the form and love of the two brothers, they are glad. The women ask one another whether these are Rama and Lakshmana, and a second woman tells the whole story and praises Bharata. Hearing his virtues and seeing his state, they regret that the son is not fit for Kaikeyi as his mother. At the sight of Bharata their fortune opens.
Leaving Prayaga, hand in hand with Guha
At Prayaga Bharata bathed. Bowing his head to the sage with the company, placing the rishi’s leave and blessing on his head, and prostrating himself, he made much entreaty. The commentary sets the hour at dawn.
Taking everyone along with those skilled in the ways of the road, he set out with his mind fixed on Chitrakuta. With his hand in the hand of Rama’s friend, he went as if love had taken a body and was walking.
There were no shoes on his feet and no shade over his head. His love, his rule, his vow, and his dharma were without guile. He asked his friend the story of the road Lakshmana, Rama, and Sita had taken. His friend told it in soft words.
At the sight of the places where Rama had lodged, and of the trees there, the love in his breast could not be held back. Seeing his state, the gods rained flowers. The earth turned soft, and the road became a root of blessing.
The clouds went on giving shade. A fine wind blew, giving happiness. Such a road had not come to Rama as came to Bharata on his way.
The one Rama remembers in his mind
Countless beings were on the road, moving and unmoving. Those whom Rama had looked on, and those who had seen Rama, had all become fit for the highest state. The sight of Bharata ended their sickness of becoming. The commentary reads the two sights apart. By Rama’s, it says, they became fit for the highest state, and by Bharata’s they gained it.
The siddhas, the sadhus, and the chief sages said, “This is no great thing for Bharata, whom Rama remembers in his mind. Whoever in the world says Rama once, those men too become ones who cross and carry across. Bharata is dear to Rama, and moreover his younger brother. How would the road not be a giver of blessing?” At the sight of Bharata they gained joy in their hearts.
Indra’s fear, and the smile of the gods’ guru
At the sight of that power, worry came to Indra. The commentary reads his worry as a fear that Rama might turn back for this love, and that the gods’ settled work might be spoiled. To the good the world is good, and to the bad it is bad.
Indra said to his guru, “Lord, do that by which Rama and Bharata do not meet. Rama is shy and in the power of love. Bharata is an ocean of love. A settled thing wants to come apart. Make an effort, searching out a trick.”
Hearing his words, Brihaspati, the gods’ guru, smiled. He knew the thousand-eyed one to be without eyes, the eyes of knowledge in the commentary’s reading. “If one works maya on the servant of the lord of maya, it turns and falls back, Indra. Then something was done in knowledge of Rama’s wish. Now harm will come of making an ill move.”
Rama’s nature, and the love of a servant
Brihaspati went on. “Hear Rama’s nature, Indra. He is never angry at an offense against himself. Whoever does an offense against his devotee burns in the fire of Rama’s anger. The history is known in the world and the Veda. Durvasa knows this greatness. Who is such a lover of Rama as Bharata? The world repeats Rama, and Rama repeats him.”
“Do not bring harm to Rama’s devotee even into your mind, Indra. Infamy in this world, grief in the next, and an array of sorrow day by day.”
“Hear our teaching, Indra. To Rama the servant is supremely dear. He counts service to his servant as happiness. Enmity to his servant he counts a greater enmity.”
“He is even. He has neither attachment nor anger, and he takes up neither sin nor merit, virtue nor fault. He has made karma supreme in the world and kept it so. As one does, so one tastes the fruit. Still, he deals evenly and unevenly, according to the hearts of the devotee and the non-devotee.” The commentary reads the two dealings as an embrace of love for the devotee, and for the other a slaying that carries him across.
Brihaspati went on. “Rama, who is without qualities, unstained, without pride, and ever one, became one with qualities in the power of his devotee’s love. Rama has always kept his servants’ liking. The Vedas, the Puranas, the sadhus, and the gods are witness. Knowing this in your heart, give up crookedness, and bring a handsome love to Bharata’s feet.”
“Rama’s devotees are intent on the good of others. They grieve at others’ grief, and they are kind. Do not fear Bharata, the crest-jewel of devotees, Indra.”
“Rama is true to his vow and does good to the gods. Bharata follows Rama’s order. You are distraught in the power of selfishness. There is no fault in Bharata. The delusion is yours.”
Hearing the fine words of the gods’ guru, Indra felt delight in his mind, and his remorse ended. Raining flowers, glad, he began to praise Bharata’s nature.
The Yamuna’s water, and the ship of discernment
In this way Bharata went on along the road. Seeing his state, sages and siddhas envied it. Whenever he sighed, saying Rama, it was as if love overflowed on every side. At his words thunderbolts and stones melted. The love of the people of the city cannot be told.
Making a halt midway, they came to the Yamuna. At the sight of its water his eyes filled with water. Seeing the fine water of Rama’s color, sinking with the company in the sea of separation, he boarded the ship of discernment. The commentary reads the ship as Bharata’s thought that they would go on quickly and see Rama face to face. By that discernment, it says, he took heart again.
Across in one trip, and the two brothers on foot behind
That day they halted on the Yamuna’s bank. For everyone there was good provision, as the hour allowed. The commentary reads it as food and drink. In the night countless boats came from ghat after ghat, past telling. The commentary has them come at Guha’s signal.
At dawn everyone crossed in one trip. They were pleased with the service of Rama’s friend. The two brothers set out with Guha, having bathed and bowed their heads to the river.
Ahead went the chief sages on fine vehicles. The whole royal company went behind them. Behind it the two brothers went on foot, very plain in ornament, dress, and guise. Servants, friends, and the minister’s son were with them. They went remembering Lakshmana, Sita, and Rama. Wherever Rama had lodged or rested, there they saluted with love.
Hearing of it and leaving home and work, the men and women who dwelt along the road ran. Seeing the form and the love of the two, they were all glad, gaining the fruit of their birth.
The village women wonder who the two are
With love the women spoke to one another. One of them asked, “Friend, are these Rama and Lakshmana or not? Their age, their body, their color, and their form are the same, friend. Their conduct and love are alike, and their gait is the same.”
“The guise is not that one, friend, and Sita is not with them. A fourfold army goes in front. Their faces are not glad, and there is grief in their minds. Friend, from this difference comes the doubt.” The commentary reads the guise she means as the bark dress of sages.
Her reasoning pleased the women’s minds. All said that no one was as clever as she. Praising her and honoring her words as true, a second woman spoke sweet words.
Telling with love the whole story, how the savor of Rama’s kingship had been broken, the fortunate woman then began to praise Bharata’s conduct, love, and nature. “Walking on foot, eating fruit, leaving the kingdom his father gave, he goes to persuade Rama. Who is like Bharata today? Bharata’s brotherhood, his bhakti, and his conduct take away grief and fault in the telling and in the hearing. Whatever is said is little, friend. Why would Rama’s brother not be so?”
The wonder of their own fortune opening
The woman went on. “Having seen Bharata with his younger brother, we have all come to be counted among blessed young women.”
Hearing his virtues and seeing his state, the women regretted that the son was not fit for Kaikeyi as his mother.
One said, “The queen is not at fault. The Creator, who is favorable to us, did it all. Where are we, without the rule of the world and the Veda, low women soiled in family and in deed? We dwell in a bad land and a bad village, bad women. And where is this sight, the result of merit?”
Such joy and wonder were in every village, as if a wish-tree had sprung up in a desert. At the sight of Bharata the fortune of the people along the road opened. It was as if, by the Creator’s doing, Prayaga had become easy to come by for the dwellers of Simhala.
In which forest are the three?
Bharata went on, hearing the tale of Rama’s virtues together with his own, and remembering Rama. Seeing holy places, sages’ hermitages, and temples of the gods, he bathed and saluted. In his mind he asked for this boon, love for the feet of Sita and Rama.
He met Kiratas, Kols, and forest dwellers. He met forest hermits, students, renunciants, and recluses. Saluting whomever he met, he asked, “In which forest are Lakshmana, Rama, and Sita?” They told him all the news of Rama. At the sight of Bharata they gained the fruit of their birth.
Those who said that they had seen them well he counted as dear as Rama and Lakshmana. In this way he went on, asking everyone in fine words and hearing the story of Rama’s forest dwelling.
Halting that day, they set out at dawn, remembering Rama. Everyone with him longed for the sight of Rama as Bharata did.
The hill near the river
Good omens came to everyone. Eyes and arms throbbed, giving happiness. The commentary names the right side for men and the left for women. Bharata and the company were eager that Rama would meet them and the burning of grief would end.
Each making the wish that was in his heart, all went on, drunk with the wine of love. Their limbs were slack, and their feet staggered on the road. In the power of love they spoke distraught words.
At that time Rama’s friend showed them the crest-jewel of mountains, handsome by nature. Near it, on the bank of the river, the two heroes dwelt with Sita. The commentary names the hill Kamadagiri and the river the Payasvini.
Seeing it, everyone prostrated themselves in salute, saying, “Victory to Rama, the life of Sita!” The royal company was absorbed in love, as if Rama had turned back toward Ayodhya.
Bharata’s love at that time, as it was, Shesha cannot tell. To the poet it is as far out of reach as the bliss of Brahman is to men soiled by “I” and “mine.”
The course of the episode
At Prayaga Bharata took his leave of the rishi and set out for Chitrakuta with Guha. At the sight of his state the gods rained flowers. Siddhas, sadhus, and chief sages were glad to see him. Seeing his power, Indra was worried and asked his guru to see that Rama and Bharata did not meet. Brihaspati told him of Rama’s nature and his love for his servant. Indra’s remorse ended, and he praised Bharata’s nature.
On the road sages and siddhas envied his state. The company halted on the Yamuna’s bank, and at dawn all crossed in one trip. The two brothers walked on foot behind the royal company. The men and women of the road left home and work and ran, and were glad at the sight of the two. The village women reasoned about the two, and a second woman told the whole story and praised Bharata. Bharata asked those he met where the three were, and held dear those who said they had seen them well. Rama’s friend showed them the hill, and everyone prostrated themselves in salute.
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 216 to 225, read with Hanuman Prasad Poddar’s Hindi commentary.