On this page
The people’s minds are unsteady in the power of fear and restlessness. Rama sees minds that wish for the forest one moment and are pleased with home the next, and he laughs in his heart. He tells Bharata that everyone has shared his own trouble, and that for Bharata the term is one of great hardship. Bharata asks him for a support to serve, by which to cross the term.
In this episode Indra, the bound of deceit and foul play, makes bad counsel and gathers deceit. The gods’ maya takes hold of everyone except Bharata, Janaka, the sages, the ministers, and the wise sadhus. Bharata’s bhakti pins every wit in the assembly. The poet asks how Bharata’s glory is to be told. Rama, knowing his devotee’s heart, tells Bharata that he is foremost in dharma and his own equal. Without their father, he says, only the grace of the guru’s line held their affairs together. The bidding of mother, father, guru, and master, he says, is Shesha holding up the earth of all dharma. Bharata is satisfied and makes his salute with love. He asks what the order is for the water of the holy places, and asks leave to see Chitrakuta and come back. Rama tells him to take Atri’s order on his head and to go about the forest free of fear. The gods rain flowers, both companies feel joy and dejection, and Kausalya comforts the queens. Atri tells Bharata of a fine well near the hill for the water.
Indra’s deceit, and Rama’s words to Bharata
The main figures in this episode
- Rama who sees the people unhappy with his own love and with Indra’s heavy guile. Seeing their two-way minds, he laughs in his heart and says that a dog, Indra, and a young man are alike. Knowing the heart of his devotee, he speaks to Bharata. The grace of the guru’s line, he says, has kept their affairs from ruin without their father. He says that for Bharata there is great hardship all through the term.
- Bharata whose bhakti pins the wit of everyone in the assembly. He comes to the highest satisfaction, and says that he has the happiness of going with Rama. He asks Rama for a support to serve, and to cross the term by that service. He asks Rama’s order for the water of all the holy places, which he brought for the consecration. He asks leave to see Chitrakuta’s holy places and the ground marked by Rama’s feet. Glad, he bows his head at Atri’s feet.
- Vasishtha the guru, by the grace of whose line, Rama says, their affairs have been held together without their father. Rama says that the guru’s power will keep the realm’s work, honor, standing, dharma, land, wealth, and home. The guru’s favor, he says, is the guard at home and in the forest.
- Janaka the king of Mithila, whom the gods’ maya leaves aside. Seeing the least trace of Bharata’s bhakti, he and the sages sink in love. Rama says that the sage and King Janaka saved everything in the calamity the Creator made. Thrilling, Janaka extols the host of virtues and the love of Bharata and Rama.
- Atri the lord of rishis, whose order Rama tells Bharata to take on his head. Wherever Atri gives the order, Rama says, Bharata is to keep the water of the holy places. Near the hill, Atri tells Bharata, is a fine well, and he asks him to keep the water there.
- Kausalya Rama’s mother, who knows grief and happiness alike. She comforts the queens by telling Rama’s virtues.
- Indra in whom deceit and foul play reach their bound, and whose way is like a crow’s. Making bad counsel, he gathers deceit and sets restlessness on every head. By the gods’ maya all the people are deluded.
The forest one moment, home the next
Indra is the bound of deceit and foul play. Another’s work undone, and his own work done, are dear to him. His way is like a crow’s. He is guileful and soiled, with no trust anywhere. First, making bad counsel, he gathered deceit. That restlessness he set on every head. By the gods’ maya all the people were deluded. They were not greatly parted from love for Rama.
In the power of fear and restlessness, no mind was steady. One moment the wish was for the forest. The next moment homes were pleasing. Their minds ran two ways, and the people were unhappy. It was as if they were water where a river meets the sea. Of two minds, they found no content anywhere. They did not tell one another their secret. Seeing it and laughing in his heart, Rama said, “A dog, Indra, and a young man are alike.” The commentary reads the young man as a lustful one.
Except Bharata, Janaka, the sages, the ministers, and the wise sadhus, the gods’ maya took hold of everyone, as if it found each one fit.
Bharata’s fame, and the young chakora of good sense
Rama saw the people unhappy with his own love and with Indra’s heavy guile. Bharata’s bhakti had pinned the wit of the assembly, the king, the guru, the brahmins, and the ministers. They looked at Rama like figures drawn in a picture. They spoke, embarrassed, like lessons learned. Bharata’s love, lowliness, entreaty, and greatness give happiness when heard, and they are hard to describe.
Seeing the least trace of his bhakti, the sages and Janaka sank in love. How is Tulsi to tell Bharata’s glory? At his bhakti and his nature, good sense swells in the heart. The commentary places that heart in the poet. Knowing itself small and his glory great, and honoring the custom of the poets’ line, good sense is embarrassed. It cannot say his virtues. Its wish for them is great. The course of wit is like a child’s speech.
Bharata’s spotless fame is a spotless moon. Good sense is a young chakora. The moon has risen in the spotless sky of the devotees’ hearts, and the chakora gazes at it, unblinking.
Bharata’s nature is not easy even for the Vedas. May the poets forgive a small wit its levity. The commentary reads that wit as the poet’s own. Who, telling and hearing Bharata’s true feeling, would not be devoted to Sita’s and Rama’s feet? Who is so ill-fated as one to whom Rama’s love does not come easy on remembering Bharata?
Rama sees everyone’s state and speaks
Rama saw the state of them all, and he knew the heart of his devotee. He was kind and wise, foremost in dharma, steady, and accomplished in statecraft. He was the sea of truth, love, good conduct, and happiness, a keeper of policy and love. Seeing the place, the time, the hour, and the company, he spoke. His words were like the whole wealth of speech, good in their outcome, and like the moon’s savor to hear.
“Bharata, dear one, you are foremost in dharma. You are versed in the world and the Veda, and skilled in love. Spotless in deed, word, and mind, you are the equal of yourself, dear one. In the guru’s company, at an ill hour, how are a younger brother’s virtues to be told?”
Without the father, the grace of the guru’s line
Rama went on. “You know the way of the Sun’s line, dear one. You know the renown and the love of our father, true to his word. You know the hour, the company, and the honor due to elders. You know the minds of the indifferent, the friend, and the foe. You know everyone’s deeds, and the dharma that is the highest good for you and me. I trust you in every way. Still I speak as the occasion asks.”
“Dear one, without our father our affairs have been held together only by the grace of the guru’s line. Otherwise the people, the household, and the family, and we with them, would all have been ruined. If the sun set before the occasion for setting came, say, whom in the world would it not afflict? Such a calamity the Creator made, dear one. The sage and King Janaka saved everything. The guru’s power will keep it all, the realm’s work, honor, standing, dharma, land, wealth, and home. The outcome will be good.”
Great hardship for Bharata through the whole term
Rama went on. “With the company, yours and mine, at home and in the forest, the guru’s favor is the guard. The bidding of mother, father, guru, and master is Shesha, who holds up the earth of all dharma. Do that, and make me do it. Dear one, be the keeper of the Sun’s line. For the seeker it is the one giver of every success, a Triveni of renown, the good end, and fortune. Considering that, and bearing heavy distress, make the people and the family happy. Everyone has shared my trouble, brother. For you there is great hardship the whole term through.” The commentary counts the term as fourteen years.
Rama went on. “Knowing you soft, I speak harsh words. At an ill hour, dear one, it is not unfitting of me. In an ill place good brothers are the help. Even the thunderbolt’s blows are warded with the hand. The servant should be like the hands, the feet, and the eyes, and the master like the mouth.”
Hearing of that way of love, good poets praise it. The commentary gives this line to Tulsi.
Bharata is satisfied, and asks for a support to serve
When the whole assembly heard Rama’s speech, as if steeped in the nectar of the sea of love, the company went slack in a samadhi of love. Seeing that state, Sarasvati kept silent.
Bharata came to the highest satisfaction. His master faced him. Grief and fault turned their faces away. His face was clear, and the dejection of his mind was wiped away. It was as if a mute had gained the favor of voice. The commentary reads that favor as Sarasvati’s.
Afterwards Bharata made his salute with love. He spoke, joining his hands. “Master, I have the happiness of going with you. I have won the gain of being born in the world. Now, merciful one, whatever order there is, let me place it on my head with respect and do it. Give me, lord, that support, by serving which I may reach the far shore of the term.”
The water brought for the consecration
Bharata went on. “Taking the guru’s command, lord, I brought the water of all the holy places for your consecration. What is the order for it? One great longing is in my mind. In fear and hesitation it cannot be said.” Rama said, “Say it, dear one.” With Rama’s order, Bharata spoke in loving, pleasing speech. “Chitrakuta’s pure spots, holy places, and woods. Its birds and beasts, its lakes, rivers, springs, and ranges of hills. Above all, the ground marked by your feet, Lord. If there is leave, let me see them and come back.”
Atri’s order, and a forest that gives blessings
Rama answered. “Surely take Atri’s order on your head. Dear one, go about the forest free of fear. By the sage’s favor the forest is a giver of blessings, most holy and handsome, brother. Wherever the lord of rishis gives the order, keep the water of the holy places in that place.” Hearing Rama’s words, Bharata found happiness. Glad, he bowed his head at the sage’s feet.
Hearing the talk of Bharata and Rama, the root of all fair blessings, the selfish gods, praising the line, rained the flowers of the gods’ tree.
Joy and dejection together in both companies
“Blessed is Bharata. Victory to Rama, the master.” Saying so, the gods were glad by force. Hearing Bharata’s words, the sage, Janaka, and everyone in the assembly were eager. The commentary takes the sage here to be Vasishtha. Janaka, thrilling, extolled the host of virtues and the love of Bharata and Rama. The servant’s and the master’s natures are handsome. Their rule and their love are holy beyond the holy. The ministers and the councillors, all full of love, began to praise as their wit allowed.
Hearing again and again the talk of Rama and Bharata, both companies felt joy and dejection in their hearts. The commentary gives the joy to Bharata’s dharma of service and the dejection to the chance of parting from Rama. Kausalya, knowing grief and happiness alike, comforted the queens by telling Rama’s virtues. Some told of Rama’s greatness. Some praised Bharata’s goodness.
Then Atri said to Bharata, “Near the hill is a fine well. Please keep the water of the holy places there, holy, nectar-like, and matchless.”
A support for the term, and a well near the hill
Indra, making bad counsel, gathered deceit and set restlessness on every head. The people’s minds ran two ways. Seeing this, with a laugh in his heart, Rama said that the dog, Indra, and the young man were alike. Bharata’s bhakti pinned the wit of all in the assembly. Knowing his devotee’s heart, Rama told Bharata that he was foremost in dharma and spotless in deed, word, and mind. He told him that without their father the guru’s line had held their affairs together by its grace alone. He said that a mother’s, a father’s, a guru’s, and a master’s bidding was the Shesha who holds the earth of all dharma. He told him to make the people and family happy, bearing heavy distress. Everyone, he said, had shared his own trouble, and for Bharata there was great hardship the whole term through.
Bharata came to the highest satisfaction. He said that he had the happiness of going with Rama, and asked for a support to serve through the term. He asked Rama’s order for the water he had brought for the consecration, and leave to see Chitrakuta, with the ground marked by Rama’s feet. Rama answered him, and the gods rained flowers. Janaka, thrilling, extolled the two brothers. Hearing their talk again and again, both companies felt joy and dejection. Kausalya comforted the queens with Rama’s virtues. Atri told Bharata that near the hill was a fine well, and asked him to keep the water there.
The same story, elsewhere: Valmiki’s Ramayana, chapter 10, part 2: Bharata meets Rama at Chitrakuta.
Source: the Gita Press edition of Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas, Ayodhyakand, doha 302 to 309, read with Hanuman Prasad Poddar’s Hindi commentary.