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Before the love of Rama and Bharata, Janaka’s and the guru’s wits stand still, and calling it worldly love is a great fault. People who hear their parting told will think the poet hard. Embracing Bharata, Rama consoles him, and then, glad, holds Shatrughna to his heart.
In this episode Bharata and Shatrughna go, with Rama’s order on their heads and the dust of Sita‘s feet. Rama entreats Janaka to go to the city, sends off the sages, the household, and the townsfolk, and wipes away Kaikeyi’s hesitation. Sita embraces her mothers-in-law, the mothers are seated in palanquins, and two hosts set out. In the banyan’s shade Rama speaks of Bharata, and the gods rain flowers. The companies reach Ayodhya on the fourth day, and Janaka hands the realm over and sets out for Mithila. Bharata entreats the brahmins, asks to stay under a rule, and sets the sandals on the throne. He makes a leaf hut at Nandigrama and lives there by the hard dharma of rishis. Day by day his body thins, and his heart is a spotless sky. Daily he worships the sandals and asks their order for the realm’s work. The episode closes on the praise of Bharata’s conduct, and on the sortha’s promise to whoever hears his story.
Those who stay in the forest, and those who go home
The main figures in this episode
- Rama who consoles Bharata and holds Shatrughna to his heart. He bows his head to Janaka and entreats him to set his feet toward the city, giving his blessing. He sends off the sages, the brahmins, and the sadhus with honor, and the townsfolk, the household, and the ministers with fitting entreaty and salute. He wipes away Kaikeyi’s hesitation and worry and seats the mothers in palanquins. Under the banyan he tells Sita and Lakshmana at length of Bharata’s love, nature, and fine speech, and he gives the gods assurance.
- Bharata who leaves Chitrakuta with Rama’s order on his head and the dust of Sita’s feet. In Ayodhya he instructs the ministers, entreats the brahmins, and settles the household and the people. At the guru’s house he asks leave to stay under a rule. He calls the astrologers, fixes a day, and sets Rama’s sandals on the throne. At Nandigrama he lives in a leaf hut on a bed of kusha grass, keeps the hard dharma of rishis, and gives up pleasures and comforts. His body grows thin, and his vow of Rama’s love is ever new and full. He worships the sandals daily and asks their order again and again for the realm’s work.
- Shatrughna Bharata’s younger brother, whom Rama gladly holds to his heart. He goes back with Bharata, is given the service of all the mothers, and goes with him to the guru’s house.
- Sita and Lakshmana who stay in the forest with Rama. Bharata and Shatrughna embrace Lakshmana, place the dust of Sita’s feet on their heads, and hear her blessing. Sita meets her household and her parents, embraces her mothers-in-law, and stays steeped in both loves. In the banyan’s shade the three grieve at the parting, and Rama speaks to them of Bharata. In the leaf hut they shine as if bhakti, knowledge, and dispassion had taken bodies.
- Janaka and Sunayana the king and queen of Mithila. Rama bows his head to Janaka and tells him that, in the power of kindness, the king has suffered great grief and come to the forest with his company. Janaka goes, holding patience. Rama and Lakshmana take Sunayana’s blessing. Janaka stays four days in Ayodhya, sets the realm’s work in order, hands the realm to the ministers, the guru, and Bharata, and sets out for Mithila.
- Vasishtha and Arundhati the guru and the guru’s wife, to whose feet Rama bows before he comes back to the leaf hut. The commentary names the guru’s wife Arundhati. In Ayodhya the city’s women and men heed the guru’s counsel. When Bharata asks the guru’s leave to stay under a rule, Vasishtha answers that whatever Bharata understands, says, and does will be the essence of dharma in the world.
- Guha Rama’s friend, whom Rama honors and sends off, and who goes with a great dejection of separation in his heart. At the second halt, across the Ganga, he makes everyone comfortable.
A parting the poet’s speech is embarrassed to tell
Where the wits of Janaka and the guru stood still, to call that love worldly is a great fault. Hearing the parting of Rama and Bharata told, people will think the poet hard. That savor of embarrassment cannot be told. The poet’s fine speech, remembering the hour and the love, was embarrassed.
Embracing Bharata, Rama consoled him. Then, glad, he held Shatrughna to his heart. Finding Bharata’s bent, the servants and the ministers all went and set to work, each at his own. Hearing it, both companies felt terrible grief and began to make ready the gear for going.
Bowing to Rama’s feet, Bharata and Shatrughna went, placing his order on their heads. They entreated the sages, the ascetics, and the forest gods, honoring them all again and again. Embracing Lakshmana, making their salute, and placing the dust of Sita’s feet on their heads, they went with love, hearing her blessing, the root of all fair blessings.
The entreaty to Janaka, and Kaikeyi’s hesitation wiped away
Bowing his head to the king, Janaka, Rama with his younger brother Lakshmana made entreaty and praise in many ways. “In the power of kindness, lord, you have suffered great grief. You have come to the forest with your company. Please set your feet toward the city, giving your blessing.” Holding patience, Janaka went. Rama honored the sages, the brahmins, and the sadhus, and sent them off, knowing them like the Lord and Shiva. The commentary names the Lord here as Vishnu.
Rama and Lakshmana went to their mother-in-law, Sunayana. They came back, bowing to her feet and taking her blessing. Vishvamitra, Vamadeva, Jabali, the townsfolk, the household, and the ministers of good conduct, all these Rama with his younger brother sent off, making entreaty and salute as was fitting. Honoring them all, he turned back the women and men, small, middling, and great.
Rama bowed to the feet of Bharata’s mother, Kaikeyi, and met and embraced her with pure love. Wiping away all her hesitation and worry, he sent her off in a palanquin made ready.
Palanquins for the mothers, and two hosts set out
Meeting her household, her mother, and her father, Sita came back, holy in her love for the one dear to her as life. Making her salute, she embraced all her mothers-in-law. To tell that love the poet’s heart has no zest. Hearing the counsel and getting the blessing she wished, Sita stayed steeped in both loves.
Rama sent for fine palanquins. Comforting all the mothers, he seated them in the palanquins. Meeting and embracing them again and again, with equal love, Rama and Lakshmana saw the mothers off. Readying horses, elephants, and many carriages, the hosts of Bharata and the king set out.
With Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana in their hearts, all the people went on senseless. Bullocks, horses, elephants, and beasts, their hearts failing, went on in another’s power, their minds beaten down.
Bowing to the feet of the guru and the guru’s wife, Rama with Sita and Lakshmana turned back with joy and dismay and came to the leaf hut. The commentary names the guru’s wife Arundhati.
Grief in the banyan’s shade, and Bharata’s love told
Honoring Guha, Rama sent him off. Guha went with a great dejection of separation in his heart. The Kols, the Kiratas, the Bhils, and the forest dwellers were turned back, and they went back making obeisance again and again.
Sitting in the banyan’s shade, Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana grieved at parting from their dear household. Rama told his beloved and his younger brother at length of Bharata’s love, nature, and fine speech. In the power of love he described with his own mouth the love and trust of Bharata’s word, mind, and deed. At that moment the birds, the beasts, and the fish of the waters, all Chitrakuta’s moving and unmoving things, were downcast.
Looking at Rama’s state and raining flowers, the gods told how things stood in each of their homes. Making his salute, Rama gave them assurance. They went glad, with not a straw’s worth of fear in their minds.
With his younger brother and Sita, Rama shone in the leaf hut. It was as if bhakti, knowledge, and dispassion shone there, having taken bodies.
Four days on the road, then Janaka’s four days
The sages, the brahmins, the guru, Bharata, and the king, the whole company, were overcome with separation from Rama. Counting Rama’s host of virtues in their minds, all went on along the road in silence. All crossed the Yamuna, and that day passed without food. Crossing the Ganga, they made the second halt, and Guha made everyone comfortable. The commentary counts the Yamuna crossing as the first day, and places the second halt at Shringaverapura, across the Ganga. Crossing the Sai and bathing in the Gomati, on the fourth day they came to Ayodhya.
Janaka stayed four days in the city. Setting the realm’s work and all the gear in order, and handing the realm to the ministers, the guru, and Bharata, he set out for Mithila, readying all his gear. The city’s women and men, heeding the guru’s counsel, dwelt at ease in Rama’s capital.
For the sight of Rama all the people kept rules and fasts. Giving up ornaments, pleasures, and comforts, they lived on the hope of the term.
Each to his own work, and the sandals on the throne
Bharata instructed the ministers and the good servants. Getting his counsel, they took up each his own work. Then, calling his younger brother, Shatrughna, Bharata gave him counsel and handed over to him the service of all the mothers.
Calling the brahmins, Bharata joined his hands. Making his salute, he entreated them with entreaty fitting their age. “High or low, good or bad, whatever the task, please give the order. Please do not hesitate.” Bharata called the household, the townsfolk, and the people, and, settling them, made them dwell in comfort.
Afterwards he went with Shatrughna to the guru’s house. Prostrating himself, he spoke with joined hands. “If there is leave, let me stay under a rule.” Vasishtha, his body thrilling, spoke with love. “Whatever you understand, say, and do, that will be the essence of dharma in the world.”
Hearing it, getting the counsel and a great blessing, calling the astrologers and fixing a day, Bharata set Rama’s sandals on the throne without any hindrance.
The leaf hut at Nandigrama, and pleasures given up
Bharata bowed his head at the feet of Rama’s mother, Kausalya, and of the guru. Getting the order of Rama’s footrests and making a leaf hut at Nandigrama, he lived there, steady at the yoke of dharma. Wearing matted hair on his head and the sage’s cloth on his body, and digging the ground, he made ready a bed of kusha grass. The commentary reads the sage’s cloth as bark. In food, clothing, vessels, vows, and rules he kept the hard dharma of rishis with love.
Ornaments, clothing, and many pleasures and comforts he gave up in mind, body, and speech, breaking a straw. The commentary reads the breaking of a straw as a vow. Indra envied the realm of Ayodhya. Hearing of Dasharatha’s wealth, the giver of wealth was ashamed. The commentary names the giver of wealth as Kubera. In that city Bharata dwelt without attachment, as a bee in a champa garden. The fortunate who love Rama give up Lakshmi’s luxuries like vomit.
Bharata, the vessel of Rama’s love, was not made great by this deed. The chatak and the swan are praised for resolve and for the power of discernment. The commentary reads the resolve as the chatak’s refusal to drink the earth’s water, and the discernment as the swan’s parting of milk from water.
A thinning body, a vow ever new, and the sky of the heart
Day by day his body grew thin. His vigor waned, and his strength and the beauty of his face stayed the same. The commentary reads what wanes as the body’s fat. His vow of Rama’s love was ever new and full. Dharma’s host grew, and his mind was not downcast. As water shrinks in autumn’s light, the reeds flourish and the lotuses open.
Calm, self-control, restraint, rules, and fasts were the stars in the spotless sky of Bharata’s heart. Faith was the pole star. The term was like the full-moon night. Remembrance of his master shone as the gods’ road. The commentary reads the gods’ road as the Milky Way. Rama’s love was the moon, unmoving and unflawed, shining ever fine with its company.
All good poets are embarrassed to describe Bharata’s way of life, his understanding, his deeds, his bhakti, his dispassion, his spotless virtues, and his power. Shesha, Ganesha, and Sarasvati have no reach there.
Daily worship, and the sandals’ order asked again and again
Daily Bharata worshiped Rama’s sandals, and love did not fit in his heart. Asking their order again and again, he did the realm’s work in many ways.
His body thrilled. Sita and Rama were in his heart, his tongue repeated the Name, and water was in his eyes. Lakshmana, Rama, and Sita dwelt in the forest. Bharata, dwelling at home, wore down his body with tapas.
Thinking of both sides, all the people said that Bharata was fit to be praised in every way. Hearing his vows and rules, the sadhus were embarrassed. Seeing his state, the kings of sages were ashamed.
Bharata’s story, and the one who hears it with respect
Bharata’s conduct is most holy, sweet, and pleasing, a maker of joy and blessings. It is the remover of the hard sins and afflictions of the Kali age, the sun that breaks the night of great delusion. It is the lion to the elephant of heaped sins, the queller of the whole company of pains. It is the delight of devotees, the breaker of the burden of existence, the essence of the moon of Rama’s love.
Bharata is full of the nectar of Sita’s and Rama’s love. Had he not been born, who would practice the severe vows of abstentions, rules, calm, and self-control, beyond the reach of the sages’ minds? Who, under cover of his fair fame, would take away grief, burning, poverty, pride, and fault? Who, in the Kali age, would turn fools like Tulsi by force to face Rama?
Whoever, keeping a rule, hears Bharata’s story with respect will surely have love for the feet of Sita and Rama, and dispassion from the savor of existence. The commentary gives this line to Tulsi. After the sortha comes the colophon: in the Ramcharitmanas, which destroys all the sins of the Kali age, the second sopan, the second step down into the lake, is complete. Ayodhyakand ends here.
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 318 to sortha 326, read with Hanuman Prasad Poddar’s Hindi commentary.