From the chariot, he saw Ayodhya in front of him and told the charioteer, ‘O charioteer! Ayodhya can be seen at a distance, like a mass of white clay. It is illustrious and filled with sacred groves, though it cannot be seen clearly from here. Because of sacrifices performed, it possesses all the qualities and it is full of brahmanas who are accomplished in the Vedas. It also has a large number of aged people, protected by the best of royal sages.256 Earlier, a large and tumultuous sound used to be heard from Ayodhya in every direction, spoken by the men and women. However, I do not hear that today. In the evening, in every direction, the gardens would be full of sporting men who would run around. However, it seems to me to be otherwise today.257 Abandoned by those who seek pleasures, the gardens seem desolate now. O charioteer! To me, the city seems to be like a forest. Vehicles cannot be seen there, nor can the neighing of horses be heard. Earlier, the best among men used to constantly enter and leave. I see many kinds of evil signs and inauspicious portents. That is the reason my mind is distressed.’
With the exhausted mounts, he entered through the Vaijayanta gate.258 With pronouncements of victory uttered by gatekeepers who stood up, he entered with his followers. With an anxious heart, he greeted the many people at the gate. Raghava told Ashvapati’s exhausted charioteer, ‘Earlier, we have heard about what happens when kings are destroyed. O charioteer! I see all those signs here. I see anxious people, men and women, in the city—distressed, eyes full of tears, miserable, deep in thought and extremely afflicted.’ Distressed in his mind, Bharata spoke these words to the charioteer. Witnessing all these inauspicious signs, he proceeded towards the royal palace. He saw the city, which used to be like Indra’s city. The tops of the gates and houses and the roads were deserted. The red gates and the machines on the gates were covered with dust. He saw many such things that were disagreeable to the mind, those that had never been seen in the city earlier. He was unhappy and distressed in his mind, with his head lowered down. He thus entered his great-souled father’s residence.
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He did not see his father there, in his father’s residence. To see his mother, Bharata went to his mother’s residence. Kaikeyee saw that her son, who had been away, had arrived. Delighted in her mind, she leapt up from her golden seat. The one with dharma in his soul entered his own house, which was devoid of all signs of prosperity. On seeing his mother, Bharata touched her auspicious feet. She embraced the illustrious one and inhaled the fragrance of his head. Placing Bharata on her lap, she started to question him. ‘How many nights have passed since you left the Aryaka’s residence?259 Having swiftly come on a chariot, are you not exhausted? Is Aryaka well? How is Yudhajit, your maternal uncle? O son! Was your residence there happy? Tell me everything.’ Kaikeyee asked these questions to her beloved son of the king. The lotus-eyed Bharata told his mother everything that he had been asked. ‘This is the seventh night since I left Aryaka’s residence. My mother’s father is well and so is Yudhajit, my maternal uncle. The king, the scorcher of enemies, gave me riches and jewels as gifts. However, my companions became exhausted along the way and I arrived ahead of them. I came quickly because the messengers conveyed the king’s message. O mother! You should answer what I wish to ask you. This gold-decorated bed, used for lying down, is empty. The people of the Ikshvaku lineage do not seem to be happy to me. The king is usually here, in my mother’s residence. I do not see him here now. I came here to meet him. I wish to touch my father’s feet. Tell me what I am asking you. I see. Perhaps he is there in my eldest mother, Kousalya’s, residence.’
At this, Kaikeyee told him the terrible and disagreeable news, as if she was recounting something pleasant. She told him what she knew, but he did not, about how she was confounded by her greed for the kingdom. ‘Your father has confronted the end that is attained by all living creatures.’ Bharata followed dharma and was born in a noble and auspicious lineage. Hearing these words, afflicted by great grief on account of his father, he suddenly fell down on the ground. He was extremely miserable on account of his father’s death and was senseless with grief. His senses awhirl and distracted, the immensely energetic one lamented. ‘In earlier times, this extremely beautiful bed of my father’s used to be radiant. Deprived of the intelligent one, that is the reason it does not shine any longer.’ She saw that the one who was like a god was afflicted and had fallen down on the ground. She raised the afflicted one and addressed him in these words. ‘Arise! O immensely illustrious prince! Why are you lying down? Arise! Those like you, revered in the assemblies of men, do not grieve in this way.’ Writhing around on the ground, he wept for a long time. Afflicted by many kinds of grief, he replied to his mother. ‘I thought that the king was going to consecrate Rama, or that he had decided to perform a sacrifice. Having thought in this way, I cheerfully undertook this journey. Everything has turned out to be the opposite and my mind is shattered. I do not see my father, who was always engaged in my welfare. O mother! Before I returned, what disease did my father die of? Tell me that quickly. My elder, Rama, whose deeds are unblemished, is like a father now. A noble one who follows dharma knows this. I will grasp his feet. He is my refuge now. O noble lady! For my father, truth was his valour. What did he say? I want to myself hear his last and virtuous words.’
Thus asked, Kaikeyee told him words that were in conformity with the truth. ‘The king lamented, uttering the names of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana. Thus did the great-souled one, supreme among all refuges, go to the world hereafter. These were the last words spoken by your father. He was like a giant elephant in a noose, entangled in the dharma of time. “Men who see Rama, Sita and the mighty-armed Lakshmana return again will accomplish their objective.”’ Hearing this second piece of unpleasant news, he was distressed again. With a miserable face, he again asked his mother, ‘Where is the extender of Kousalya’s delight, the one with dharma in his soul, now? Where have my brother, Lakshmana, and Sita gone with him?’ Thus asked, his mother started to tell him everything that had happened. This was unpleasant news, though she thought it was pleasant. ‘O son! The prince has attired himself in bark and has gone to the great forest. With Vaidehi and Lakshmana following him, he has gone to Dandaka.’ Hearing this, Bharata was terrified, because he suspected this might have had something to do with his brother’s character and would therefore reflect on his lineage’s greatness. He asked, ‘Has Rama seized the riches of a brahmana? Has he caused injury to a rich or poor person, or to an innocent one? Has the prince sought after another person’s wife? Has he been exiled to Dandakaranya because of foeticide?’ At this, the fickle mother narrated the truth about what she had exactly done, because of her feminine sentiments. ‘Rama has not seized any brahmana’s riches. He has not caused injury to a rich or poor person, or to one who is innocent. Nor has Rama cast a glance at another person’s wife. O son! I heard about Rama being consecrated as the heir apparent. I immediately asked your father for the kingdom and for Rama’s exile. Following standards of conduct he set for himself, your father acted accordingly. He sent Rama, Soumitri and Sita away. The king could no longer see his beloved and immensely illustrious son. He died on account of sorrow over his son. O one who knows about dharma! You can rightfully claim the kingship now. All that I did was done for your sake. O son! Following the ordinances, quickly meet the ones who know about the rites—the Indras among brahmanas, led by Vasishtha. At the right time, without any distress in your heart, consecrate yourself as the king over this earth.’
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He heard the account about his father and about his brothers being banished. Bharata was tormented by grief and spoke these words. ‘As I am grieving, what use is this devastated kingdom to me now? I am deprived of my father and of my brother, who is like a father. Like applying salt on a wound, you have imposed a sorrow on another sorrow. You have made my father die and have turned Rama into an ascetic. You have brought about the destruction of the lineage, as if a night of destruction has arrived. My father did not know that he had embrac
ed a burning piece of coal. You are my mother. But overcome by sorrow on account of their sons, Kousalya and Sumitra will find it extremely difficult to reside with you. The noble one260 had dharma in his soul and displayed supreme conduct towards you, treating you like his own mother. He knew about how one should behave with seniors. In that way, my eldest mother, Kousalya, possesses foresight. Resorting to dharma, she behaved with you as if with one’s own sister. You have made her son don garments of rags and bark and leave for residing in the forest. Despite this wickedness, you are not sorrowing. You do not realize the evil you have caused to that illustrious one. You have exiled him, with bark as attire. Do you see any reason for this? I do not think you know how much I desire Raghava. Otherwise, for the sake of the kingdom, you would not have brought about this great and unnecessary calamity. In the absence of the strength brought about by those tigers among men, Rama and Lakshmana, why will I be interested in protecting the kingdom? He261 is powerful and extremely strong and the great king always found succour in him. The one with dharma in his soul was like the forest around Meru, sustaining Meru. This great burden has been thrust upon me. How can I bear this load? It requires energy. I do not possess the insolence to attempt this burden. On account of your son, you are greedy. Even if I were to possess the capacity brought about through yoga, intelligence and strength, I will not allow you to accomplish your objective. I will bring back my brother, who is loved by his relatives, from the forest.’ The great-souled Bharata spoke in this way and added a multitude of other pleasant words. Though he was afflicted by grief, like a lion in a mountainous cavern, he roared.
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Bharata censured his mother in this way. Overcome by great rage, he again spoke these words. ‘O Kaikeyee! O cruel one! O one who is wicked in conduct! Go away from this kingdom. You have abandoned dharma. When I am dead, weep over me. What harm has the king, or Rama, who is extremely devoted to dharma, done to you? Because of what you have done, his death and the exile have occurred simultaneously. Because you have brought about the destruction of this lineage, it is as if you have committed foeticide. O Kaikeyee! Go to hell. You will not obtain the world obtained by your husband. You have perpetrated an extremely terrible deed like this. Having abandoned someone who is loved by all the worlds, you have created a great fear in me too. My father is dead and Rama has resorted to the forest because of you. For me, you have brought about ill fame in the world of the living. O cruel one! O one who is greedy for the kingdom! In the form of a mother, you are my enemy. I will not speak to you. O evil in conduct! You have killed your husband. O defiler of the lineage! Because of you, Kousalya, Sumitra and my other mothers are immersed in great misery. The intelligent king, Ashvapati, is devoted to dharma. You are not his daughter. You have been born as a rakshasa lady, to destroy your father’s lineage. Rama was always devoted to the truth and abided by dharma. Because of you, he has left for the forest and, grieving, my father has gone to heaven. Your grievous sin has been to deprive me of my father. O one hated by all the worlds! You have also made my brothers abandon me. Kousalya is devoted to dharma. Having turned your mind towards wickedness, you have deprived her. Having done this, you will now obtain worlds destined for those who go to hell. O cruel one! Did you not comprehend that Rama, my elder brother and Kousalya’s son, is like a father to me? He is a refuge for all his relatives. The son is born from the limbs and the heart. That is the reason a son is most loved by a mother. All the other relatives come after that. Surabhee262 is revered by the gods and knows about dharma. There was an occasion when she lost her senses on seeing her two sons bear heavy burdens on earth. She saw that her two sons were exhausted on earth, having borne the burden for half a day. Afflicted on account of her sons, she wept, her eyes overflowing with tears. The great-souled king of the gods was travelling below her and those fine and fragrant drops fell on his body. Indra, the wielder of the vajra, saw that the illustrious one was tormented by grief. Anxious, the king of the gods joined his hands in salutation and spoke these words. “I hope no great fear has been caused to you by us. O one who wishes everyone’s welfare! What has given rise to this sorrow? Tell me.” Thus addressed by the intelligent king of the gods, Surabhee, eloquent in the use of words, replied in these patient words, “O lord of the immortals! May anything that causes you evil be pacified. I am immersed in grief because my two sons are facing a hardship. They are distressed and weak, because they have been scorched by the rays of the sun. O lord of the gods! Dragging the plough, the two bulls are being killed. They have been born from my body. They are suffering and are afflicted by the burden. I am tormented on seeing them. There is nothing as beloved as a son.” The cow which provides all the objects of desire sorrowed, even though she possessed a thousand sons. Without Rama, how will Kousalya sustain herself? The virtuous one has a single son and because of what you have done, she has been separated from her son. Therefore, you will always suffer from grief, in this world and in the world hereafter. I will do everything that needs to be done for my father and compensate my brother by enhancing his fame. There is no doubt about this. I will bring back Kousalya’s immensely radiant son. I will myself go to the forest that is frequented by the hermits.’ Like an elephant in the forest, which has been prodded by a javelin or a goad, he fell down angrily on the ground and sighed like a serpent. His eyes were red and his clothing was dishevelled. All his ornaments were thrown around. The king’s son, scorcher of enemies, fell down on the ground, like the standard of Shachi’s consort, once the festival is over.263
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Hearing the words spoken by the great-souled Bharata and recognizing the voice, Kousalya spoke to Sumitra. ‘Bharata, the son of Kaikeyee, the perpetrator of cruel deeds, has arrived. I wish to see the far-sighted Bharata.’ She was trembling and she wasn’t in control of her senses. Pale and dressed in faded garments, she told Sumitra this and left for where Bharata was. Meanwhile, together with Shatrughna, Bharata, Rama’s younger brother, also left for Kousalya’s residence. Bharata and Shatrughna saw the miserable Kousalya. Afflicted with grief, she had lost her senses and fallen down along the way. They embraced her. Kousalya, extremely miserable, addressed Bharata. ‘You desired this kingdom and you have obtained the kingdom, bereft of thorns. Thanks to Kaikeyee, the performer of cruel deeds, you have quickly obtained it. My son, dressed in rags, has left, to reside in the forest. What merit did the evil-sighted Kaikeyee see in this? Kaikeyee should quickly grant me permission to leave for the place where my extremely illustrious son, Hiranyanabha,264 is. Or perhaps I can cheerfully leave on my own, with Sumitra following me. With the agnihotra fire in front, I will go to wherever Raghava is. But perhaps that is what you yourself desire now. You should convey me there, where my ascetic son, tiger among men, is tormenting himself through austerities. This extensive kingdom, with its store of grain, riches, elephants, horses and chariots, has been handed over to you.’
When she lamented in this way, Bharata joined his hands in salutation. Kousalya was suffering from many kinds of grief and he spoke to her. ‘O noble lady! Why are you reprimanding me? I am ignorant and innocent of any sin. You know that my affection for Raghava is great. The noble one is devoted to the truth and is best among virtuous ones. May the intelligence of anyone who ensured his departure never turn to the sacred texts. May the servants of any such wicked person release urine in the direction of the sun. May the person who ensured his departure kill a sleeping cow with his foot. A servant who causes great injury and performs a great misdeed is imposed a punishment by his master. May the person who ensured the adharma of his departure endure that punishment. May the person who ensured his departure suffer from the sin committed by an individual who causes injury to a king who protects his subjects like his own sons. A king who extracts more than one-sixth of taxes makes his subjects suffer and commits adharma. May the person who ensured his departure suffer from that sin. An individual who promises ascetics dakshina at sacrifices and deviates from the pledge commits a sin. Ma
y the person who ensured his departure suffer from that sin. In a tumultuous battle where weapons are used, there are rules for fighting with elephants, horses and chariots and any deviation is not dharma. May the person who ensured his departure suffer from that sin. An evil-souled person destroys the extremely subtle meaning of the sacred texts, taught by intelligent instructors. May the person who ensured his departure suffer from that sin. Without offering it first to seniors, there are those who pointlessly eat the shunned food of payasam, krisara and goat meat.265 May the person who ensured his departure suffer from that sin. It is a sin to eat alone in one’s house, when one is surrounded by sons, wives and servants. May the person who ensured his departure suffer from that sin. It is a sin to kill a king, a woman, a child or an aged person, just as it is a sin to abandon a servant. May that kind of sin visit the person. Sleeping during both the sandhyas has been thought of as a sin. May the person who ensured his departure suffer from that sin. It is a sin to indulge in arson. It is a sin to transgress a preceptor’s bed. It is a sin to cause injury to a friend. May the person suffer from that sin. It is a sin not to serve the gods, the ancestors, the mother and the father. May the person suffer from that sin. It has been recounted that there are worlds for the virtuous and for those who perform virtuous deeds. May the person who ensured his departure be swiftly dislodged from those.’ Kousalya had been deprived of her husband and her son. While comforting her in this way, the king’s son was also overcome by grief and fell down.
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