Doha - 181
"Sri Rama's mother (Kausalya) is most guileless of heart and loves me in a special degree. Finding me in distress she said all this under impulse of natural affection."
Chaupala
"My Guru (Vasistha) as all the world knows is an ocean of wisdom; the universe is like a plum in the palm of his hand
Even he is making preparations for my coronation; when Fate is adverse, everyone else turns hostile. With the exception of Sri Rama and Sita no one in this world will say the plot did not have my approval. All this I must hear and endure with a cheerful heart; for wherever there is water mud must be there eventually. I shudder not to think that the world will call me vile; and I have little anxiety about the other world either. There is one terrible anguish that plagues my heart; it is that Sita and Rama are suffering hardships on my account. Laksmana has fully reaped the reward of his existence; discarding everything else, he has fixed his mind on Sri Rama's feet. As for myself I was born Sri Rama's banish ment; in vain do I lament, wretched that I am."
Doha - 182
"Bowing my head to all I lay open my terrible distrss before you. Unless I behold Sri Rama's feet the agony of my soul shall not go."
Chaupala
"I find no other remedy. Who else than the Chief of Raghus can know what passes in my heart? There is only one resolve in my mind; at daybreak I must proceed to meet the Lord. Even though I am a vile offecfnder and am at the root of all troubles, yet when the Lord finds me before him in a suppliant mien he will forgive all my faults and shower his special grace on me. The Lord suppliant mien he will forgive all my. amiability, meekness, extreme guilelessness of disposition, compassion and love. Sri Rama has never injured even an enemy, to say nothing of me, a mere child and his servant too, though hostil to him. Therefore, do allow me, all of you, to depart and bless me in an auspicious strain knowing it to be for my good, so that on hearing my supplication and recovnizing me as his servant Sri Rama may return to his capital."
Doha - 183
"Though I am born of a wicked mother and am myself a rogue and ever guiltu, I am confident of Rama that he will never forsake me knowing me for his own."
Chaupala
Bharata's words pleased all, imbued as they were with the nectar of devotion to Sri Rama. The people who had been burning with the deadly of separation from Sri Rama were roused to their senses on hearing as it were a charm against snake poison along with its seed-letter The mothers, the ministers, the preceptor and the people of the city, all were overwhelmed with emotion. They praised Bharata again and again and said, "Your body is the very personification of affection for Sri Rama. It is no wonder that you should say so, dear Bharata, since you are dear to Rama as his own life. The vile man who through his ignorance hates you because of your mother's perversity, the wretch shall abide in hell for a hundred Kalpas (cycles) with millions of his past generations. A gem on the head of a serpent is not affected by the sins and fauls of the serpent; on the other hand, it counteracts poison, sorrow and indigence.
Doha - 184
"Bharata, you thought out a good plan; by all menas let us proceed to the woods where Sri Rama is. You have held out a helping hand to us all while we were being drowned in an ocean of grief."
Chaupala
Everyone felt as great a joy as when the Cataka birds and peacocks hear a elap of thunder. When the people came to know Bharata's welcome resolve to start the very next morning they all began to love him as their own life. After reverncing the sage. and bowing their head to Bharata they all took leave and proceeded to their respective homes proising as they went his amiability and affection and exclaiming, "Blessed is Bharata's life in this world!" They said to one another, " A great object has been accomplished!" Everyone began make preparations for the journey. Whomsoever they behind saying"You should stay behind to guard the houses," felt as if he was smitten on the nect. Someone said, " Nobody should be asked to remain behind; who in this world would not have the reward of his life?
Doha - 185
"Perish that property, house, happiness, friend, father, mother or brother, who does not gladly help one turn one's face towards towards Sri Rama's feet!"
In every house they got ready vehicles of various kinds; their soul rejoiced at the thought of starting early next morning. On reaching his own apartments Bharata thought to himself: "The city, horses, elephants, houses and the treasury--every thing belongs to the Lord of Raghus. If I leave it unprotected, the result will not be who serves the interests of his master, no matter if anyone brings millions of never dreamt of flinching from their duty. Confiding to them all the secrets he taught them their paramount duty and entrusted them with the work for which they were severally fir. After making all arrangements and posting guards Bharata went to Sri Rama's mother (Kausalya).
Doha - 186
Knwoing all the mothers in distress, Bharata, who understood the ways of love, ordered palanquins to be ready, and sedan-chairs to be equipped.
Chaupala
Much afflicted at heart like the male and female Cakravaka birds, the men and women of the city longed for the dawn. They kept awake the whole night till it was daybreak, when Bharata summoned his wise counsellors and said to them. "Take all that is necessary for the installations ceremony; the sage (Vasistha) will crown Sri Rama even in the forest. Start expeditiously." Hearing this the ministers greeted him and had the horses, chariots and elephants immediately equipped. Taking with him his wife, Arundhati, and the requisites for Agnihotra (offering oblations into the sacred fire) the chief of sages, Vasistha, was the first to mount the chariot and led the way. Hosts of Brahmanas, who were all repositories of austerity and spiritual glow followed in vehicles of various kinds. The people of the city followed and spiritual glow followed in vehicles of various kinds. The people of the city followed next; having equipped their own conveyances they all left for Citrakuta All the queens journedyed in palaquins which were lovely beyond words.
Doha - 187
Leaving the city in the charge of faithful servants and respectfully sending the whole party ahead, the two brothers, Bharata and Satrughana, strarted last of all, remembering the of Sri Rama and Sita.
Chaupala
Seized with a longing for the sight of Sri Rama, all the people, including both men and women, headed with the same zeal as male female elephants rush in pursuit of water. Realizing in their heart that Sita and Rama were in the woods Bharata and his younger brother journeyed on foot. Seeing their affiction the people were overcome with emotion and dismounting walked on foot, leaving their horses, elephants and chariots. Going up to Bharata Sri Rama's mother (Kausalya) stopped her halanqui by his side and spoke in soft accents, "I adjure you by my life to mount the chariot, dear child; or else all our near and dear ones will be put to trouble. If you walk on foot the whole party will follow suit and you know they are all wasted with sorrow and hardly fit to undertake the journey on foot. " Reverently obeying chariot and proceeded on the hourney. They halted the first day on the bank of the Tamasa river and made the next halt on the bank of the Gomati.
Doha - 188
Some of them lived on milk and some on fruits; while others took their meals by night Renouncing ornaments and luxuries they observed vows and fasts for the sake of Sri Rama.
Chaupala
Halting on the bank of the Sai river they resumed their journey at daybreak and the whole party drew near to Sringaverapura when the Nisada chief (Guha) heard the whole story, he anxiously thought within himself: "What motive can Bharata have in journeying to the woods? He must have some evil design at heart. If he had no mischievfous interntion at heart, why should he have brought an army with him? He must have thought that after killing Rama and his younger brother (Laksmana) he would reign peacefully and happily. But Bharata did not take to heart the maxims of sound polity; latterly he brought on himself he brought on himself alone but this time he will meet a sure death. If all warriors among the gods and demons combine against Sri Rama. even they will fail to conquer him in battle. But what wonder that Bharata should behave as he is doing; for venomous plants, after all, never bear fruits of ambrosia"
Doha - 189
Pondering thus Guha said to his kinsmen, "Be alert all of you; collect the boats and sink them and blockade the ghats (flight of steps leading to the river landing-place)."
Chaupala
"Equip yourself and blockde the ghats; be prepared in everyway to face death. I go to encounter Bharata in open combat and would not let him cross the Ganga so long as there is life in me. To die in battle and that too on the bank of the Ganga; and to lay down this frail body in Sri Rama's cause! Then Bharata is Sri Rama's own brother and a king; while I am an humble servant! It is shrough a great good fortune that one meets with a death like this. In the cause of my glory. I am going to lay down my life for the sake of Sri Rama (the Lord of Raghus) and will be a gainer either way. (If I win the battle I will have served the cause of my master. and if I die I will attain the eternal abode of the Lord and his constant service). He who is not reckoned among the virtuous and is neither counted among Sri Rama's devotees lives in vain in this world ; he is a veritable burden to the earth and an axe to the tree of his mother's youth."
Doha - 190
The Nisada chief, who was not the least troubled at heart, encouraged all and, fixing his thought on Sri Rama, forthwith demanded his quiver, bow and coat of mail.
Chaupala
"Make haste, brethren, to get ready the necessary equipment; on hearing my command, let no one shrink in fear." All right, my lord," they all joyfully responded, and roused the spirit of one another. Greeting their one after another, the Nisadas left; they were all brave and loved to fight on the battle-field. Invoking the shoes of Sri Rama's lotus feet they fastened their quiver and strung their bow Nay, they donned their coat of mail, placed the helmet on their head and straightened fencing sprang with such agility that it seemed they never touched the ground and moved in the air. Equipping themselves with their weapons etc. and forming themselves into batches they all went up to their chief, Guha, and greeted him. Seeing his gallant warriors and finding them all fit active service he addressed them, each by his name, and duly honoured them.