Chapter [Sarga] 85

Book II : Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya

Chapter [Sarga] 85

Introduction

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.

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evam uktaH tu bharataH niSaada adhipatim guham |
pratyuvaaca mahaa praaj~no vaakyam hetu artha samhitam || 2-85-1

1. bharataH=bharata; mahaa praj^NaH= the highly intelligent; evam= thus; uktaH= spoken; pratyuvaacha= replied; vaakyam= in words; hetvartha samhitam= composed of reason and meaning; guham= to Guha; nishhadaadhipatim= the lord of Nishadas.

Hearing those words, the highly intelligent Bharata replied to Guha, the lord of Nishadas, in words that were full of reason and meaning.

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uurjitaH khalu te kaamaH kR^itaH mama guroh sakhe |
yo me tvam iidR^ishiim senaam eko abhyarcitum icchasi || 2-85-2

2. sakhe= O, friend; mama= my; guroH =elder brother; yaH tvam= you; that very person, who ekaH= alone; ichchasi= wants; abhyarchitum= to offer hospitality; iidR^isham= to such (a huge); senaam= army; te kaamaH= such a wish of yours; kR^itaH= formed; uurjitaH khalu= is indeed mighty.

“O, friend of my elder brother! Indeed, your desire to offer hospitality to my army of such a magnitude, is great.”

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iti uktvaa tu mahaa tejaa guham vacanam uttamam |
abraviid bharataH shriimaan niSaada adhipatim punaH || 2-85-3

3. uktvaatu=having spoken; uttamam= these excellent; vachanam= words; guham= to Guha; shriimaan= the greatly illustrious; bharataH= bharata; mahaatejaH= possessed of great splendor; abraviit= said; punah= again; nishhaadaadhipatim= to Guha, king of Nishadas as follows:

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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katareNa gamiSyaami bharadvaaja aashramam guha |
gahano ayam bhR^isham desho gangaa anuupo duratyayaH || 2-85-4

4. guha= O, Guha! katareNa= by which of the two routes; gamishhyaami= can I go; bharadvaajaashramam= to the hermitage of Bharadvaja? Ayam= this; deshaH= region; gangaanuupaH= engulfed in waters of Ganga river; bhR^isham gahanaH= is not very much easy to cross.

“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.”

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tasya tat vacanam shrutvaa raaja putrasya dhiimataH |
abraviit praanjalir vaakyam guho gahana gocaraH || 2-85-5

5. shrutvaa= hearing; tat vachanam= those words; tasya= of that; dhiimatah= wise; raajaputrasya= prince; guhaH= Guha; gahanagocharaH= who roams about in woods; praaN^jaliH= with joined palms; abraviit= spoke; vaakyam(these)words:

Hearing the words of the wise prince; Guha, who roams about in woods, with joined palms answered as follows:

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daashaaH tu anugamiSyanti dhanvinaH susamaahitaaH |
aham ca anugamiSyaami raaja putra mahaa yashaH || 2-85-6

6. mahaayashaH= O, highly illustrious; raajaputra= prince! daashaaH= My ferrymen; dhanvinaH= wielding their bows; anugamishhyanti= will accompany; tvam= you; susamaahitaaH= with great attention; aham= I too; anugamishhyanti= will follow; tvaa= you(in person).

“O, highly illustrious prince! My ferrymen wielding their bows, and very attentive, will certainly accompany you. I too will follow you (in person).”

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kaccin na duSTaH vrajasi raamasya akliSTa karmaNaH |
iyam te mahatii senaa shankaam janayati iva me || 2-85-7

7. na vrajati kachchit = I hope you are not going; dushhTaH= in offensive; raamasya= of Rama; aklishhTa karmaNaH= who is unwearied in action; iyam= this; mahati= great; te senaa= of yours; janayaatiiva= is begetting; shaN^kaam= a doubt; me= in me.

“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.”

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tam evam abhibhaaSantam aakaashaiva nirmalaH |
bharataH shlakSNayaa vaacaa guham vacanam abraviit || 2-85-8

8. bharataH= bharata; nirmalah iva= whose heart resembled a taintless; aakashaH= sky; abraviit= spoke; vachanam= these words; shlakshhayaa= in smooth; vaachaa= voice; tam guham= to that Guha; evam= who thus; abhibhaashhantam= talked(confessing his doubt).

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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maa bhuut sa kaalo yat kaSTam na maam shankitum arhasi |
raaghavaH sa hi me bhraataa jyeSThaH pitR^i samaH mama || 2-85-9

9. maa shuutam= let there not be; saH kaalam= such a time; kashhTam= of wretchedness; yat= what so ever; naarhasi= you ought not; shaN^kitum= to suspect; maam= me; saH raagh avaH= that Rama; me= my; jyeshhThaH= elder; bhraataa= brother; mataH hi= is indeed regarded; pitrusamaH= as my father.

“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.”

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tam nivartayitum yaami kaakutstham vana vaasinam |
buddhir anyaa na te kaaryaa guha satyam braviimi te || 2-85-10

10. yaami= I am proceeding; nivartaitum= to get back; tam= that; kaakutthsam= Rama; vanavaasinam= who is living in the forest; guha= O, Guha! na anyaa= No other; buddhiH= apprehension; kaaryaa= should be made; te= by you; braviim= I am telling; satyam= the truth; te= to you.

“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.”

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sa tu samhR^iSTa vadanaH shrutvaa bharata bhaaSitam |
punar eva abraviid vaakyam bharatam prati harSitaH || 2-85-11

11. shrutvaa= hearing; bharatabhaashhitam= the words of Bharata; saH tu= that Guha on his part; samhR^ishTa vadanah= with his face radiated; harshhitaH= with joy; abraviit= spoke; punareva= again; bharatam prati= to Bharata(as follows):

Hearing the words of Bharata, Guha on his part, with his face radiated with joy spoke again to Bharata as follows:

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dhanyaH tvam na tvayaa tulyam pashyaami jagatii tale |
ayatnaat aagatam raajyam yaH tvam tyaktum iha icchasi || 2-85-12

12. tvam=you; dhanyah= be blessed; na pashyaami= I do not see; tvayaa= your; tulyam= equal; jagatiitale= on the earth; tvam= you; yaH= who; ichchasi= wish; tyaktum= to renounce; raajyam= the empire; aagatam= you acquired; iha= now; ayatnaat= without effort.

“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.”

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shaashvatii khalu te kiirtir lokaan anucariSyati |
yaH tvam kR^icchra gatam raamam pratyaanayitum icchasi || 2-85-13

13. te= you; kiiritiH= fame; khalu= assuredly; anucharishhyati= will traverse; shaashvatii= permanently; lokam= in all provinces. YaH tvam= as you the very person who; ichchhasi= wishes; pratyaanayitum= to bring back; raamam= Rama; kR^ichchhagatam= from his fearful plight.

“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.”

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evam sambhaaSamaaNasya guhasya bharatam tadaa |
babhau naSTa prabhaH suuryo rajanii ca abhyavartata || 2-85-14

14. guhasya= Guha(while); evam= was thus; sambhaashhaNasya= talking; bharatam= to Bharata; suuryaaH= the sun; tadaa= then; babhou= glittered; nashhTaprabhaH= with less light; rajaniicha= and the night; abhyavartata= returned.

While Guha was talking thus to Bharata, the sun diffused less light and the night fell.

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samniveshya sa taam senaam guhena paritoSitaH |
shatrughnena saha shriimaan shayanam punar aagamat || 2-85-15

15. shriimaan= the illustrious; saH= Bharata; sanniveshya taam senaam= lodging that army in camps; paritoshhitaH= and felt delighted; guhena= by Guha’s service; samupaagamat= returned to his camp; shayanam= and took rest; shatrughnena saha= with Shatrughna.

The illustrious Bharata, lodging that army in camps, felt delighted by Guha’s hospitality, returned to his camp and took rest along with Shatrughna.

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raama cintaamayaH shoko bharatasya mahaatmanaH |
upasthitaH hi anarhasya dharma prekSasya taadR^ishaH || 2-85-16

16. bharatasya= to Bharata; mahaatmanaH= the high soled; dharmaprekshhasya= whose only aim is to fulfill his duty; anarhasya= and who is undeserving of sorrow; taadR^ishaH hi= indeed felt; shokaH= grief; raama chintaamayah=born of anguish for Rama.

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.

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antar daahena dahanaH samtaapayati raaghavam |
vana daaha abhisamtaptam guuDho agnir iva paadapam || 2-85-17

17. agniriva= as a fire; guuDhah= hidden; paadapam= in a hollow tree; vana daahaabhi samtaptaH= while a forest on fire is burnt up; (so did)raaghavam= Bharata’s; dahanaH= fire; santaapayati= of anguish; antardaahena= burn within his heart.

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.

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prasrutaH sarva gaatrebhyaH svedaH shoka agni sambhavaH |
yathaa suurya amshu samtaptaH himavaan prasrutaH himam || 2-85-18

18. svedam= perspiration; shokaagnisambhavam= born of fieriness of grief; prasR^itaH= poured off; sarvagaatrebhyaH= from all his limbs; yathaa= as; himam= the snow; prasR^itaH= melts and flows; suuryaamshu samtaptaH= heated by solar rays; himavaan= from Himavat mountain.

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.

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dhyaana nirdara shailena vinihshvasita dhaatunaa |
dainya paadapa samghena shoka aayaasa adhishR^ingiNaa || 2-85-19
pramoha ananta sattvena samtaapa oSadhi veNunaa |
aakraantaH duhkha shailena mahataa kaikayii sutaH || 2-85-20

19, 20. kaikeyiisutaH= Bharata,the son of Kaikeyi; aakraantaH= was pressed; mahata duHkha sailena= by the weight of that colossal mountain of agony; dhyaana nirdhara shailena= consisting of rocky caverns in the shape of settled contemplations on Rama; viniHshvasita dhaatunaa= minerals in the shape of groans and sighs; dainyapaadapa samghena= a cluster of trees in the shape of depressive thoughts ; shokaayaasaadhishR^iN^giNaa= summits in the form of sufferings and fatigue; pramohaananta sattvena= countless wild beasts in the shape of swoons; samtaapoushhadhi veNunaa= herbs and bamboos in the form of his exertions.

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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vinishshvasanvai bhR^ishadurmanaastataH |
pramuuDhasamjJNaH paramaapadam gataH |
shamam na lebhe hR^idayajvaraardito |
nararSabho yuuthahato yatharSabhaH || 2-85-21

21. tataH= thereafter; nararshhabhah= Bharata the excellent among men, vinishhvasan= sighing; bhR^isha duramanaa= very much in melancholy; pramuuDha samjN^aH= his mind utterly confused in consequence.; gataH= having obtained; parama aapadam= an exrtreme distress; hR^idaya jvaraarditaH= afflicted with burning fever in his breast; R^ishhabhaH yathaa= like a bull; yuutha hataH= strayed from its herd; lekhe= found; na shamam= no peace.

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.

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guhena saardham bharataH samaagataH |
mahaa anubhaavaH sajanaH samaahitaH |
sudurmanaaH tam bharatam tadaa punar |
guhaH samaashvaasayad agrajam prati || 2-85-22

22. bharataH= bharata; mahaanubhaavaH= the noble minded; sajanaH= with his escort; samaagataH= met; guhesaartham= Guha too; samaahitaH= in a composed mind; tadaa= then; guhah= Guha; sudurmanaaH= in very low spirits; aashvaasayaT= reassured; tam bharatam= that Bharata; punaH= again; agrajam prati= regarding his elder brother.

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.