Bharata Reveals His Mind to Guha
“Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama”
Valmiki Ramayana – Ayodhya Kanda – Chapter 85
Bharata Reveals His Mind to Guha
Summary
Bharata thanks Guha for having come forward to offer hospitality to him and his army. He enquires about the proper route to proceed to the hermitage of Bharadvaja. Guha assures Bharata that he along with some of his ferrymen will follow him as guides. When Guha enquires Bharata whether he has an evil intention towards Rama, Bharata clarifies him that he is proceeding to Rama’s place to bring him back to Ayodhya. When night falls Bharata along with Shatrughna and his army take rest. However Guha consoles Bharata, who has been constantly bewailing, till the nightfall.
Chapter [Sarga] 85 in Detail
evam uktah tu bharatah nisaada adhipatim guham |
pratyuvaaca mahaa praajno vaakyam hetu artha samhitam || 2-85-1
Hearing those words, the highly intelligent Bharata replied to Guha, the lord of Nishadas, in words that were full of reason and meaning.
uurjitah khalu te kaamah kritah mama guroh sakhe |
yo me tvam iidrishiim senaam eko abhyarcitum icchasi || 2-85-2
“O, friend of my elder brother! Indeed, your desire to offer hospitality to my army of such a magnitude, is great.”
iti uktvaa tu mahaa tejaa guham vacanam uttamam |
abraviid bharatah shriimaan nisaada adhipatim punah || 2-85-3
Having spoken these excellent words to Guha; the greatly illustrious Bharata, possessed of great splendor, said again to Guha the king of Nishadas (as follows):
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Valmiki Ramayana – Ayodhya Kanda – Chapter 85 katarena gamisyaami bharadvaaja aashramam guha |
gahano ayam bhrisham desho gangaa anuupo duratyayah || 2-85-4
“O, Guha! By which of these two routes can I go to the hermitage of Bharadvaja? This region engulfed in waters of Ganga River is not very much easy to negotiate and is difficult to cross.”
tasya tat vacanam shrutvaa raaja putrasya dhiimatah |
abraviit praanjalir vaakyam guho gahana gocarah || 2-85-5
Hearing the words of the wise prince; Guha, who roams about in woods, with joined palms answered as follows:
daashaah tu anugamisyanti dhanvinah susamaahitaah |
aham ca anugamisyaami raaja putra mahaa yashah || 2-85-6
“O, highly illustrious prince! My ferrymen wielding their bows, and very attentive, will certainly accompany you. I too will follow you (in person).”
kaccin na dustah vrajasi raamasya aklista karmanah |
iyam te mahatii senaa shankaam janayati iva me || 2-85-7
“I hope you are not going to attack Rama, who is unwearied in action. This great army of yours is begetting an apprehension in my mind.”
tam evam abhibhaasantam aakaashaiva nirmalah |
bharatah shlaksnayaa vaacaa guham vacanam abraviit || 2-85-8
Bharata, whose heart resembled a taintless sky, spoke the following words in smooth voice, to that Guha, who confessed his doubt as aforesaid.
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Valmiki Ramayana – Ayodhya Kanda – Chapter 85 maa bhuut sa kaalo yat kastam na maam shankitum arhasi |
raaghavah sa hi me bhraataa jyesthah pitri samah mama || 2-85-9
“Let not such an occasion of wretchedness come! You should never have suspected me. That Rama my elder brother is indeed regarded as my father.”
tam nivartayitum yaami kaakutstham vana vaasinam |
buddhir anyaa na te kaaryaa guha satyam braviimi te || 2-85-10
“I am going to get back Rama who is now living in the forest. O, Guha! No other apprehension should be made by you. I am telling you the truth.”
sa tu samhrista vadanah shrutvaa bharata bhaasitam |
punar eva abraviid vaakyam bharatam prati harsitah || 2-85-11
Hearing the words of Bharata, Guha on his part, with his face radiated with joy spoke again to Bharata as follows:
dhanyah tvam na tvayaa tulyam pashyaami jagatii tale |
ayatnaat aagatam raajyam yah tvam tyaktum iha icchasi || 2-85-12
“You be blessed! I do not see your equal on this earth - you, who wish to renounce the empire you acquired now, even without effort.”
shaashvatii khalu te kiirtir lokaan anucarisyati |
yah tvam kricchra gatam raamam pratyaanayitum icchasi || 2-85-13
“Assuredly your fame will traverse permanently in all provinces, as you are the very person who wishes to bring back Rama from his terrible plight.”
evam sambhaasamaanasya guhasya bharatam tadaa |
babhau nasta prabhah suuryo rajanii ca abhyavartata || 2-85-14
While Guha was talking thus to Bharata, the sun diffused less light and the night fell.
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Valmiki Ramayana – Ayodhya Kanda – Chapter 85 samniveshya sa taam senaam guhena paritositah |
shatrughnena saha shriimaan shayanam punar aagamat || 2-85-15
The illustrious Bharata, lodging that army in camps, felt delighted by Guha’s hospitality, returned to his camp and took rest along with Shatrughna.
raama cintaamayah shoko bharatasya mahaatmanah |
upasthitah hi anarhasya dharma preksasya taadrishah || 2-85-16
The high soled Bharata, whose only aim is to fulfill his duty and who is undeserving of sorrow, indeed felt grief, born of anguish for Rama.
antar daahena dahanah samtaapayati raaghavam |
vana daaha abhisamtaptam guudho agnir iva paadapam || 2-85-17
As a fire is hidden in a hollow tree while a forest is on fire, so did Bharata’s fire of anguish burn with in his heart.
prasrutah sarva gaatrebhyah svedah shoka agni sambhavah |
yathaa suurya amshu samtaptah himavaan prasrutah himam || 2-85-18
Perspiration born of fieriness of grief poured off from all his limbs, as the snow heated by solar rays melts and flows from Himavat mountain.
dhyaana nirdara shailena vinihshvasita dhaatunaa |
dainya paadapa samghena shoka aayaasa adhishringinaa || 2-85-19
pramoha ananta sattvena samtaapa osadhi venunaa |
aakraantah duhkha shailena mahataa kaikayii sutah || 2-85-20
Bharata, the son of Kaikeyi was pressed by the weight of that colossal mountain of agony consisting of rocky caverns in the shape of settled contemplations on Rama, minerals in the shape of groans and sighs, a cluster of trees in the shape of depressive thoughts, summits in the form of sufferings and fatigue, countless wild beasts in the shape of swoons, herbs and bamboos in the form of his exertions.
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Valmiki Ramayana – Ayodhya Kanda – Chapter 85 vinishshvasanvai bhrishadurmanaastatah |
pramuudhasamjjnah paramaapadam gatah |
shamam na lebhe hridayajvaraardito |
nararsabho yuuthahato yatharsabhah || 2-85-21
Thereafter, Bharata the excellent among men sighing much in melancholy, his mind utterly confused in consequence, having obtained an extreme distress, afflicted as he was with burning fever in his breast and like a bull strayed from its herd, found no peace.
guhena saardham bharatah samaagatah |
mahaa anubhaavah sajanah samaahitah |
sudurmanaah tam bharatam tadaa punar |
guhah samaashvaasayad agrajam prati || 2-85-22
The noble soled Bharata, with his escort, met Guha too in a composed mind. Then Guha slowly reassured Bharata again as regards his elder brother.
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye ayodhyaakaamde pachaashiititamah sargah
Thus completes 85th Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate
References
K. M. K. Murthy. (1999). Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya.
Merriam-Webster. (2007). At http://www.m-w.com.
Reference.com. (2007). At http://www.reference.com.
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