Sitas dream; the Kolas and Kirātas bring news of Bharata’s arrival to Śrī Rāma; Śrī Rāma’s concern at the report; Lakṣmaṇa’s outburst of passion
Chhands
sanamāni sura muni baṃdi baiṭhē uttara disi dēkhata bhaē.
nabha dhūri khaga mṛga bhūri bhāgē bikala prabhu āśrama gaē..
tulasī uṭhē avalōki kāranu kāha cita sacakita rahē.
saba samācāra kirāta kōlanhi āi tēhi avasara kahē..
After adoring the gods and reverencing the hermits He sat down gazing to the north. There was dust in the air and a host of birds and beasts had taken to flight in panic and were making their way to the Lord’s hermitage. Says Tulasīdāsa: He stood up when He saw this and wondered in his heart what could be the reason. Presently the Kolas and Kirātas came and told Him all the news.
Sortas
sunata sumaṃgala baina mana pramōda tana pulaka bhara.
sarada sarōruha naina tulasī bharē sanēha jala..226.. [2-225-226]
When He heard the delightful words He felt overjoyed at heart. A thrill ran through His body and His eyes, that resembled the autumnal lotus, says Tulasīdāsa, filled with the tears of affection.
Chaupais
bahuri sōcabasa bhē siyaravanū. kārana kavana bharata āgavanū..
ēka āi asa kahā bahōrī. sēna saṃga caturaṃga na thōrī.. [2-225-1]
sō suni rāmahi bhā ati sōcū. ita pitu baca ita baṃdhu sakōcū..
bharata subhāu samujhi mana māhīṃ. prabhu cita hita thiti pāvata nāhī.. [2-225-2]
samādhāna taba bhā yaha jānē. bharatu kahē mahu sādhu sayānē..
lakhana lakhēu prabhu hṛdayaom khabhārū. kahata samaya sama nīti bicārū.. [2-225-3]
binu pūomcha kachu kahau gōsāīṃ. sēvaku samayaom na ḍhīṭha ḍhiṭhāī..
tumha sarbagya sirōmani svāmī. āpani samujhi kahau anugāmī.. [2-225-4]
Sītā’s lord became anxious the very next moment. “What can be the reason of Bharata’s arrival?” Then somebody came and spoke to Him thus: “He has with him no small army complete in its four limbs (viz., foot, horse, elephants and chariots).” Hearing this Śrī Rāma felt much disturbed. On the one hand there was His father’s command, on the other His regard for His younger brother (Bharata). Realizing Bharata’s disposition in His heart, the Lord found no proposition to fix His mind upon. Then He consoled Himself with the thought that Bharata was submissive, good and reasonable. Lakṣmaṇa saw that the Lord was troubled at heart, and spoke what prudence demanded on the occasion: “I make bold, my lord, to say something unasked; but a servant ceases to be impertinent if his impertinence is not inopportune. You, my master, are the crest-jewel of the all-wise; yet I, your servant, tell you my own mind.”
Dohas
nātha suhrada suṭhi sarala cita sīla sanēha nidhāna..
saba para prīti pratīti jiyaom jānia āpu samāna..227.. [2-227]
You, my master, are loving by nature and guileless of heart and a storehouse of amiability and affection. You love and trust everyone and know all to be just like yourself.”
Chaupais
biṣaī jīva pāi prabhutāī. mūḍha mōha basa hōhiṃ janāī..
bharatu nīti rata sādhu sujānā. prabhu pada prēma sakala jagu jānā.. [2-227-1]
tēū āju rāma padu pāī. calē dharama marajāda mēṭāī..
kuṭila kubaṃdha kuavasaru tākī. jāni rāma banavāsa ēkākī.. [2-227-2]
kari kumaṃtru mana sāji samājū. āē karai akaṃṭaka rājū..
kōṭi prakāra kalapi kuṭalāī. āē dala baṭōri dōu bhāī.. [2-227-3]
jauṃ jiyaom hōti na kapaṭa kucālī. kēhi sōhāti ratha bāji gajālī..
bharatahi dōsu dēi kō jāēom. jaga baurāi rāja padu pāēom.. [2-227-4]
“Fools given to the pleasures of sense are seized with infatuation on attaining power and reveal their true nature. Bharata was righteous, good and wise and his devotion to the Lord’s feet is known to the whole world. But now that he has attained Śrī Rāma’s (Your) position (as the ruler of Ayodhyā) even he has transgressed the bounds of righteousness. Finding an adverse situation and knowing that you are alone in the forest, this wily and wicked brother has plotted an evil design and after making due preparations has come to make his sovereignty secure. Planning all sorts of wicked schemes the two brothers have collected an army and marched here. If they had no wily intention and roguery at heart, who should like to bring chariots, horses and elephants? But why should one blame Bharata for nothing when we know that anyone in the world would be driven mad on attaining sovereignty?”
Dohas
sasi gura tiya gāmī naghuṣu caḍhaēu bhūmisura jāna.
lōka bēda tēṃ bimukha bhā adhama na bēna samāna..228.. [2-228]
“The moon-god committed adultery with the wife of his Guru (the sage Bṛhaspati), while Nahuṣa mounted a palanquin borne by Brāhmaṇas; and there was none so vile as King Vena,* an enemy of established usage as well as of the Vedic injunctions.”
- * Vena was born of King Aṅga (a descendant of the celebrated devotee Dhruva), and Sunīthā (a daughter of Mṛtyu, the god of death). Being thus descended from Adharma (the spirit presiding over unrighteousness, the father of Mṛtyu) on the mother’s side, Vena was born with vicious propensities and grew to be the bane of society. Fed up with his atrocities and unable to correct him, King Aṅga left his capital one night and retired to an unknown destination. Seeing the kingdom masterless Bhṛgu and other sages installed Vena on the throne, even though the ministers were opposed to his installation. Power turned his head all the more and arrogantly accounting himself as greater than all he began to insult exalted souls. He went the length of banning the performance of sacrifices and even charity and thus put a stop to all pious acts and the pursuit of religion.
When the sages perceived that the tyranny of the monarch was overstepping all bounds they felt sorry for having installed him on the throne. They, therefore, met and decided to expostulate with the king and persuade him, if possible, to desist from his evil ways. They further resolved to dispose of him in case he did not come round. The sages approached the king accordingly and admonished him but in vain. This enraged the sages, who killed him by the very sound of ‘Hum’.
Chaupais
sahasabāhu suranāthu trisaṃkū. kēhi na rājamada dīnha kalaṃkū..
bharata kīnha yaha ucita upāū. ripu rina raṃca na rākhaba kāū.. [2-228-1]
ēka kīnhi nahiṃ bharata bhalāī. nidarē rāmu jāni asahāī..
samujhi parihi sōu āju bisēṣī. samara sarōṣa rāma mukhu pēkhī.. [2-228-2]
ētanā kahata nīti rasa bhūlā. rana rasa biṭapu pulaka misa phūlā..
prabhu pada baṃdi sīsa raja rākhī. bōlē satya sahaja balu bhāṣī.. [2-228-3]
anucita nātha na mānaba mōrā. bharata hamahi upacāra na thōrā..
kahaom lagi sahia rahia manu mārēṃ. nātha sātha dhanu hātha hamārēṃ.. [2-228-4]
King Sahasrabāhu, Indra (the lord of celestials) and King Triśaṅku* (father of Hariścandra)-which of these was not brought into disrepute by the intoxication of kingly power? Bharata has resorted to a right expedient; for one should leave no trace of one’s enemy or debt in any case. But he has made one mistake in that he has despised Śrī Rāma (yourself) as forlorn. And he will realize his mistake with vengeance today when he beholds Śrī Rāma’s (your) indignant face on the battlefield.” Even as he said so he forgot his love of propriety and the tree of his bellicose spirit burst into flowers in the shape of horripilation. Adoring the Lord’s feet and placing their dust on his head he spoke, revealing his own real and natural might: “Pray do not take offence, my lord, if I tell you that Bharata has provoked me not a little. After all how long shall I endure this and restrain my passion when my lord (yourself) is with me and the bow in my hand?”
- * Triśaṅku, son of Trayyāruṇi, was a king of Ayodhyā. He wanted to perform a sacrifice whereby he could bodily ascend to heaven. His priest Vasiṣṭha, however, refused to conduct such a sacrifice, which he said was unauthorized and futile. Vasiṣṭha’s sons too declined on the same grounds. But Triśaṅku turned a deaf ear to their remonstrances. This enraged Vasiṣṭha’s sons, who cursed him that he should fall in the social scale and be accounted a pariah. The king was thus converted into a Cāṇḍāla and was accordingly forsaken by his kinsmen, ministers and subjects too. Much agitated at heart over this, the ex-king now approached the sage Viśvāmitra, who comforted him; and asking his sons to invite other sages he conducted the sacrifice. Vasiṣṭha’s sons, however, ruled that at a sacrifice commenced by a pariah and conducted by a nonBrāhmaṇa priest (for such was Viśvāmitra till then) no gods would appear. The gods respected this ruling and accordingly no god appeared to accept the offerings. By dint of his own penance Viśvāmitra sent Triśaṅku to heaven; but the gods hurled him down. Exasperated at this Viśvāmitra proceeded to create another heaven and began to shape new heavenly bodies. The gods were dismayed at this and sought a conference with Viśvāmitra. It was ultimately decided by mutual agreement that Viśvāmitra should abandon his plan to create a new heaven and Triśaṅku should remain hanging in the air. He is still seen in the form of a triple luminary in the heavens. The saliva that dropped from his mouth forms the river Karmanāśā, which flows between Vārāṇasī and Bihar and the water of which is considered as ever polluted.
Dohas
chatri jāti raghukula janamu rāma anuga jagu jāna.
lātahu mārēṃ caḍhati sira nīca kō dhūri samāna..229.. [2-229]
A Kṣatriya (warrior) by caste and born in the race of Raghu I am known throughout the world as a servant of Śrī Rāma (yourself). (How, then, can I put up with such insult?) What is so low as the dust (on a road)? But if you were to kick it up it would rise to your head.”
Chaupais
uṭhi kara jōri rajāyasu māgā. manahu bīra rasa sōvata jāgā..
bāomdhi jaṭā sira kasi kaṭi bhāthā. sāji sarāsanu sāyaku hāthā.. [2-229-1]
āju rāma sēvaka jasu lēūom. bharatahi samara sikhāvana dēūom..
rāma nirādara kara phalu pāī. sōvahu samara sēja dōu bhāī.. [2-229-2]
āi banā bhala sakala samājū. pragaṭa karau risa pāchila ājū..
jimi kari nikara dalai mṛgarājū. lēi lapēṭi lavā jimi bājū.. [2-229-3]
taisēhiṃ bharatahi sēna samētā. sānuja nidari nipātau khētā..
jauṃ sahāya kara saṃkaru āī. tau mārau rana rāma dōhāī.. [2-229-4]
As he rose and with joined palms asked leave (to meet Bharata in an encounter), it seemed as if the heroic sentiment itself had awoke from sleep. Binding up the matted locks on his head and fastening the quiver to his waist he strung his bow and took an arrow in his hand. “Let me distinguish myself as a servant of Śrī Rāma today and teach Bharata a lesson in the battle. Reaping the fruit of their contempt for Śrī Rāma let the two brothers sleep on the couch of the battlefield. It is well that the whole host has collected at one place; I shall, therefore, give vent to my past anger. Even as a lion (the king of beasts) tears to pieces a herd of elephants or just as a hawk clutches and carries off a lark, so shall I lightly overthrow on the field Bharata as well as his younger brother (Śatrughna) and all their host. Even if Lord Śaṅkara comes to his aid, I swear by Śrī Rāma that I will kill him in battle.
Dohas
ati sarōṣa mākhē lakhanu lakhi suni sapatha pravāna.
sabhaya lōka saba lōkapati cāhata bhabhari bhagāna..230.. [2-230]
Seeing Lakṣmaṇa speak with such vehemence and fury and hearing his solemn oath all the spheres trembled with fear, while their rulers were anxious to flee away in panic.
Chaupais
jagu bhaya magana gagana bhai bānī. lakhana bāhubalu bipula bakhānī..
tāta pratāpa prabhāu tumhārā. kō kahi sakai kō jānanihārā.. [2-230-1]
anucita ucita kāju kichu hōū. samujhi karia bhala kaha sabu kōū..
sahasā kari pāchaiṃ pachitāhīṃ. kahahiṃ bēda budha tē budha nāhīṃ.. [2-230-2]
suni sura bacana lakhana sakucānē. rāma sīyaom sādara sanamānē..
kahī tāta tumha nīti suhāī. saba tēṃ kaṭhina rājamadu bhāī.. [2-230-3]
jō acavaomta nṛpa mātahiṃ tēī. nāhina sādhusabhā jēhiṃ sēī..
sunahu lakhana bhala bharata sarīsā. bidhi prapaṃca mahaom sunā na dīsā.. [2-230-4]
The world was seized with terror and a voice was heard in the air extolling the enormous strength of Lakṣmaṇa’s arm: “Who can tell, dear child, nay, who even knows your might and glory? But before doing anything one must judge whether it is right or wrong; then everyone would approve of it. They who act impulsively and repent afterwards are anything but wise: so declare the Vedas and the sages.” On hearing this voice from heaven Lakṣmaṇa felt abashed; but both Śrī Rāma and Sītā addressed him kindly and politely: “What you have said, dear Lakṣmaṇa, is sound wisdom; the intoxication of kingly power is the worst of all. But of those rulers who have tasted it they alone lose their head who have never waited on an assembly of saints. As for Bharata, I tell you, Lakṣmaṇa, in the whole of God’s creation I have never seen or heard of anyone so good as he.”