Bharata on the Road to Chitrakoot
Bharata continues toward Chitrakoot, filled with humility and longing for Rama. All who see him on the way are deeply moved by his love, renunciation, and meekness.
Ayodhya Kand · Episode 35 / 49
Episode Text
जमुन तीर तेहि दिन करि बासू। भयउ समय सम सबहि सुपासू॥ रातिहिं घाट घाट की तरनी। आईं अगनित जाहिं न बरनी॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jamuna tīra tehi dina kari bāsū। bhayau samaya sama sabahiṃ supāsū॥ rātihiṃ ghāṭa ghāṭa kī taranī। āīṃ aganita jāhiṃ na baranī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
That day they stayed on the bank of the Yamuna. In due time, all arrangements were made beautifully for everyone. By night, countless boats came from every landing, beyond description.
प्रात पार भए एकहि खेवाँ। तोषे रामसखा की सेवाँ॥ चले नहाइ नदिहि सिर नाई। साथ निषादनाथ दोउ भाई॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
prāta pāra bhae ekahi khevāṃ। toṣe rāmasakhā kī sevāṃ॥ cale nahāi nadihi sira nāī। sātha niṣādanātha dou bhāī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
By morning, everyone had crossed in a single ferrying, and they were pleased by the service of Nishada, Rama's friend. Then, after bathing and bowing to the river, the two brothers set out with Nishada's lord.
आगें मुनिबर बाहन आछें। राजसमाज जाइ सबु पाछें॥ तेहि पाछें दोउ बंधु पयादें। भूषन बसन बेष सुठि सादें॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
āgeṃ munibara bāhana āchēṃ। rājasamāja jāi sabu pāchēṃ॥ tehi pāchēṃ dou bandhu payādẽ। bhūṣana basana beṣa suṭhi sādẽ॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
In front were the great sages riding on fine conveyances; behind them went the entire royal retinue. Behind them, the two brothers walked on foot, in very plain ornaments, clothes, and dress.
सेवक सुहृद सचिवसुत साथा। सुमिरत लखनु सीय रघुनाथा॥ जहँ जहँ राम बास बिश्रामा। तहँ तहँ करहिं सप्रेम प्रनामा॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sevaka suhṛda sacivasuta sāthā। sumirata lakhanu sīya raghunāthā॥ jahaṃ jahaṃ rāma bāsa biśrāmā। tahaṃ tahaṃ karahiṃ saprema pranāmā॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Servants, friends, and ministers' sons were with them. Lakshmana kept remembering Sita and Lord Raghunatha. Wherever Rama had stayed or rested, they bowed there with love.
मगबासी नर नारि सुनि धाम काम तजि धाइ। देखि सरूप सनेह सब मुदित जनम फलु पाइ॥ २२१ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
magabāsī nara nāri suni dhāma kāma taji dhāi। dekhi sarūpa saneha saba mudita janama phalu pāi॥ 221 ॥
Meaning:
Hearing of them, the men and women living along the road left home and work and hurried out. Seeing their beauty and love, they were filled with joy, as though they had attained the fruit of human birth.
कहहिं सपेम एक एक पाहीं। रामु लखनु सखि होहिं कि नाहीं॥ बय बपु बरन रूपु सोइ आली। सीलु सनेहु सरिस सम चाली॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kahahiṃ sapema eka eka pāhīṃ। rāmu lakhanu sakhi hohiṃ ki nāhīṃ॥ baya bapu baranu rūpu soi ālī। sīlu sanehu sarisa sama cālī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
The village women lovingly say to one another, 'Friend, are these Rama and Lakshmana or not? Dear friend, their age, bodies, and complexion are the same. Their character, affection, and walk are alike too.'
बेषु न सो सखि सीय न संगा। आगें अनी चली चतुरंगा॥ नहिं प्रसन्न मुख मानस खेदा। सखि संदेहु होइ एहिं भेदा॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
beṣu na so sakhi sīya na saṃgā। āgeṃ anī calī caturaṃgā॥ nahiṃ prasanna mukha mānasa khedā। sakhi sandehu hoi ehiṃ bhedā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
But, friend, this is not their former dress, nor is Sita with them. An army of four divisions is marching before them. Their faces are not cheerful, and there is sorrow in their minds. Friend, that is why doubt arises from these differences.
तासु तरक तियगन मन मानी। कहहिं सकल तेहि सम न सयानी॥ तेहि सराहि बानी फुरि पूजी। बोली मधुर बचन तिय दूजी॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tāsu taraka tiyagana mana mānī। kahahiṃ sakala tehi sama na sayānī॥ tehi sarāhi bānī phuri pūjī। bolī madhura bacana tiya dūjī॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Her reasoning pleased the minds of the other women. All said that no one was as wise as she. Praising her and honoring her as truthful, another woman then spoke sweetly.
कहि सपेम सब कथाप्रसंगू। जेहि बिधि राम राज रस भंगू॥ भरतहि बहुरि सराहन लागी। सील सनेह सुभाय सुभागी॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kahi sapema saba kathāprasaṃgū। jehi bidhi rāma rāja rasa bhaṃgū॥ bharatahi bahuri sarāhana lāgī। sīla saneha subhāya subhāgī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Lovingly telling the whole account of how the joy of Rama's coronation was broken, that fortunate woman again began praising Bharata's virtue, affection, and noble nature.
चलत पयादें खात फल पिता दीन्ह तजि राजु। जात मनावन रघुबरहि भरत सरिस को आजु॥ २२२ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
calata payādeṃ khāta phala pitā dīhna taji rāju। jāta manāvana raghubarahi bharata sarisa ko āju॥ 222 ॥
Meaning:
Look: Bharata has renounced the kingdom given by his father and is walking on foot, living on fruit, to go and appease Rama. Who today is equal to him?
भायप भगति भरत आचरनू। कहत सुनत दुख दूषन हरनू॥ जो किछु कहब थोर सखि सोई। राम बंधु अस काहे न होई॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bhāyapa bhagati bharata ācaranū। kahata sunata dukha dūṣana haranū॥ jo kichu kahaba thora sakhi soī। rāma baṃdhu asa kāhe na hoī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Bharata's brotherly love, devotion, and conduct are such that merely speaking or hearing of them removes sorrow and faults. Friend, whatever is said about him is too little. Why should Rama's brother not be like this?
हम सब सानुज भरतहि देखें। भइन्ह धन्य जुबती जन लेखें॥ सुनि गुन देखि दसा पछिताहीं। कैकइ जननि जोगु सुतु नाहीं॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
hama saba sānuja bharatahi dekheṃ। bhaiṃha dhanya jubatī jana lekheṃ॥ suni guna dekhi dasā pachitāhīṃ। kaikai janani jogu sutu nāhīṃ॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Seeing Bharata with his younger brother, we too have today come to be counted among fortunate women. Hearing of his virtues and seeing his condition, the women lament and say, 'This son is not fit for a mother like Kaikeyi.'
कोउ कह दूषनु रानिहि नाहिन। बिधि सबु कीन्ह हमहि जो दाहिन॥ कहँ हम लोक बेद बिधि हीनी। लघु तिय कुल करतूति मलीनी॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kou kaha dūṣanu rānihi nāhin। bidhi sabu kīnha hamahi jo dāhina॥ kahaṃ hama loka beda bidhi hīnī। laghu tiya kula karatūti malīnī॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Some say, 'There is no fault in the queen. Fate has done everything in our favor.' 'What are we—deprived of the guidance of both society and the Veda, lowly women stained in family and conduct?'
बसहिं कुदेस कुगाँव कुबामा। कहँ यह दरसु पुन्य परिनामा॥ अस अनंदु अचिरिजु प्रति ग्रामा। जनु मरुभूमि कलपतरु जामा॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
basahiṃ kudesa kugāṃva kubāmā। kahaṃ yaha darasu punya parināmā॥ asa anandu aciriju prati grāmā। janu marubhūmi kalapataru jāmā॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Those who dwell in bad lands, bad villages, and vile households—how is it that they now have this sight, the result of merit? Such joy and wonder are present in every village, as though a wish-fulfilling tree had grown in the desert.
भरत दरसु देखत खुलेउ मग लोगन्ह कर भागु। जनुसिंघलबासिन्ह भयउबिधि बस सुलभ प्रयागु॥ २२३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bharata darasu dekhata khuleu maga loganha kara bhāgu। janusiṃghalabāsinha bhayaubidhi basa sulabha prayāgu॥ 223 ॥
Meaning:
The moment they saw Bharata's radiant form, the fortune of the people along the road awakened. It was as though, by providence, the inhabitants of Lanka had gained easy access to Prayag, king of holy places.
निज गुन सहित राम गुन गाथा। सुनत जाहिं सुमिरत रघुनाथा॥ तीरथ मुनि आश्रम सुरधामा। निरखि निमज्जहिं करहिं प्रनामा॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nija guna sahita rāma guna gāthā। sunata jāhiṃ sumirata raghunāthā॥ tīratha muni āśrama suradhāmā। nirakhi nimajjahiṃ karahiṃ pranāmā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
[Thus] Bharata goes on his way, speaking of Rama's virtues together with his own good qualities, and remembering Raghunatha. Whenever he sees holy places, sages' hermitages, or temples of the gods, he bathes and offers salutations.
मनहीं मन मागहिं बरु एहू। सीय राम पद पदुम सनेहू॥ मिलहिं किरात कोल बनबासी। बैखानस बटु जती उदासी॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
manahīṃ mana māgahiṃ baru ehū। sīya rāma pada paduma sanehū॥ milahiṃ kirāta kola banabāsī। baikhānasa baṭu jatī udāsī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
And in his heart he keeps asking for this boon: may there be love for the lotus feet of Sita and Rama. Along the way he meets forest-dwellers such as Kirats and Kols, as well as renunciants, celibates, and ascetics.
करि प्रनामु पूँछहिं जेहि तेही। केहि बन लखनु रामु बैदेही॥ ते प्रभु समाचार सब कहहीं। भरतहि देखि जनम फलु लहहीं॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kari pramāmu pūṃchahiṃ jehi tehī। kehi bana lakhanu rāmu baidehī॥ te prabhu samācāra saba kahahīṃ। bharatahi dekhi janama phalu lahahīṃ॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
After bowing to whomever he meets, he asks, 'In which forest are Lakshmana, Rama, and Vaidehi?' They tell all the Lord's news, and by seeing Bharata they feel that the fruit of human birth has been fulfilled.
जे जन कहहिं कुसल हम देखे। ते प्रिय राम लखन सम लेखे॥ एहि बिधि बूझत सबहि सुबानी। सुनत राम बनबास कहानी॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
je jana kahahiṃ kusala hama dekhe। te priya rāma lakhana sama lekhe॥ ehi bidhi būjhata sabahi subānī। sunata rāma banabāsa kahānī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Those who say, 'We have seen them in comfort,' he counts as dear as Rama and Lakshmana themselves. In this way he keeps asking in the sweetest words and hearing the story of Rama's exile in the forest.
तेहि बासर बसि प्रातहीं चले सुमिरि रघुनाथ। राम दरस की लालसा भरत सरिस सब साथ॥ २२४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tehi bāsara basi prātahīṃ cale sumiri raghunātha। rāma darasa kī lālasā bharata sarisa saba sātha॥ 224 ॥
Meaning:
They stayed there that day and set out again the next morning, remembering Raghunatha. All those with him too were filled with a longing for the sight of Rama, like Bharata.
मंगल सगुन होहिं सब काहू। फरकहिं सुखद बिलोचन बाहू॥ भरतहि सहित समाज उछाहू। मिलिहहिं रामु मिटिहि दुख दाहू॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
maṅgala saguna hohiṃ saba kāhū। pharakahiṃ sukhada bilocana bāhū॥ bharatahi sahita samāja uchāhū। milihahiṃ rāmu miṭihi dukha dāhū॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Auspicious omens arise for everyone. The right eye and arm of men, and the left eye and arm of women, are twitching with delight. Bharata and the whole company are full of joy, knowing that Rama will be met and the burning pain of sorrow will end.
करत मनोरथ जस जियँ जाके। जाहिं सनेह सुराँ सब छाके॥ सिथिल अंग पग मग डगि डोलहिं। बिहबल बचन पेम बस बोलहिं॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
karata manoratha jasa jiyaṃ jāke। jāhiṃ saneha surāṃ saba chāke॥ sithila aṅga paga maga ḍagi ḍolahiṃ। bihbala bacana pema basa bolahiṃ॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Each one forms whatever desire rises in his heart. All are intoxicated, as it were, by the wine of love. Their limbs are slack, their feet stagger on the road, and in their love-maddened state they speak faltering words.
रामसखाँ तेहि समय देखावा। सैल सिरोमनि सहज सुहावा॥ जासु समीप सरित पय तीरा। सीय समेत बसहिं दोउ बीरा॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
rāmasakhāṃ tehi samaya dekhāvā। saila siromani sahaja suhāvā॥ jāsu samīpa sarita paya tīrā। sīya sameta basahiṃ dou bīrā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
At that moment Ramasakha, the Nishada chief, showed them the naturally beautiful jewel among mountains, Kamadgiri. Near it, on the bank of the Payasvini river, the two brothers dwell together with Sita.
देखि करहिं सब दंड प्रनामा। कहि जय जानकि जीवन रामा॥ प्रेम मगन अस राजसमाजू। जनु फिरि अवध चले रघुराजू॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dekhi karahiṃ saba daṃḍa pranāmā। kahi jaya jānaki jīvana rāmā॥ prema magana asa rāja samājū। janu phiri avadha cale raghurājū॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Seeing that mountain, everyone bows down in full prostration and cries, 'Victory to Rama, the life of Janaki!' The royal company is so absorbed in love that it seems as if the Lord of Raghu had returned to Ayodhya.
भरत प्रेमु तेहि समय जस तस कहि सकइ न सेषु। कबिहि अगम जिमि ब्रह्मसुखु अह मम मलिन जनेषु॥ २२५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bharata premu tehi samaya jasa tasa kahi sakai na seṣu। kabihi agama jimi brahmasukhu aha mama malina janeṣu॥ 225 ॥
Meaning:
No one, not even Shesha, can describe Bharata's love at that time as it truly was. For a poet, it is as inaccessible as Brahma-bliss is for beings stained by ego and possessiveness.