When Bharata did not find his father, he went to his mother Kaikeyī’s home. When he asked about his father, Kaikeyī merely replied, “Your father has taken the path that all living beings must follow.” Shocked and shattered by grief, Bharata fell on the ground and wept uncontrollably. He said, “I came here in delight, thinking that the king had called me to witness the coronation of Rāma or to participate in a yajña. But how differently it has turned out! I am heart-broken! Mother, to what illness did the king succumb? How fortunate are Rāma and others to have seen his last moments and cremated father. My dear brother, the new king, probably doesn’t know of my coming. If not, he would have hurried here to kiss my head. Rāma is now my father, brother, and kin to me – please let him know of my arrival. His feet are my refuge now. But mother, what was the last message the king had for me?”
Kaikeyī said, “The great king passed away lamenting ‘Alas! Rāma, Sītā, Lakṣmaṇa!’ He also said, ‘Fortunate are the men who will see Rāma return along with Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa!’” Even more distraught and dreading the worst, Bharata asked where they were gone. Imagining that the news would please him, Kaikeyī said, “They went to the Daṇḍakāraṇya clothed in bark garments.” Startled, Bharata asked if Rāma had committed a crime to be exiled and Kaikeyī narrated the entire course of events. She added, “I did this all for your sake, my child. You must perform the last rites of your father and get yourself crowned as the ruler of the earth!”
Bharata roared in anguish. He chided Kaikeyī for her wicked deed and expressed his love for Rāma again and again. He said, “Because of your greed, you never understood how I felt towards Rāma. With my brothers gone from the kingdom, by what virtue of power can I protect the kingdom? I will never make your wish come true. I will fetch back my brother, everyone’s beloved, from the forest.” He further reviled his mother, “Kaikeyī, you vicious woman! Go away from the kingdom! What possible mistake could the king or Rāma have done to you? You have brought infamy upon me in the eyes of every being, out of your lust for the kingdom. You are my enemy in the disguise of a mother, O murderess of your husband! You are no true daughter of the dhārmic King Aśvapati. You have brought disgrace to our family and his! We have heard that the divine cow Surabhī grieved because two of her hundred sons were suffering from the heat of the sun and the beating of the farmer. A mother is pained even if one of her many children are in pain. The noble Kausalyā has but one son and now you have made her childless. I will make full amends to my brother and father and restore their glory. After bringing back Rāma, I will enter the forest!” He fell on to the ground with his ornaments cast aside, just like Indra’s dhvaja at the end of his festival.
Hearing his voice, Kausalyā learnt of his return and headed in his direction, with her face drained of colour and garment filthy. Bharata and Śatrughna had set out to meet her. Upon spotting Kausalyā, they embraced her. In deep sorrow, she said, “You have now got the kingdom without any obstacles, just as you desired. But what advantage did Kaikeyī see in sending my son away to the forest? You should send me away with Sumitrā to where Rāma is.” With his hands joined in apology, Bharata toiled to convince Kausalyā about his innocence and his love for Rāma. Finally convinced of his dhārmic nature, Kausalyā blessed him.
~
Upon the instruction of Sage Vasiṣṭha, Bharata performed the final rites of his father. After offering water libations on the banks of the River Sarayū, the king’s wives, counsellors, purohitas, and Bharata tearfully entered the city and passed ten days in strict mourning. On the twelfth day, Bharata performed the śrāddha and offered dāna to many. On the thirteenth day, Bharata went to the cremation grounds to gather the bones of his father and wept out loud seeing the outline of his burnt skeleton. Śatrughna joined his brother. Vasiṣṭha and Sumantra consoled the brothers and escorted them back to the city.
Śatrughna spoke to Bharata as they headed back to the city and wondered how Rāma could be banished just because of a woman; he even thought that if Lakṣmaṇa had weighed the matter well, he would have imprisoned their father. Even as they were speaking, they spotted Mantharā at the front gate. She was decked with a lot of jewellery and had smeared her body with sandalwood paste. With many kinds of girdles around her waist, she looked like a female monkey tied up with a rope. Seeing the wicked hunchback, the doorkeepers caught her and handed her over to Śatrughna. He violently seized Mantharā and the palace resounded with her cries. As her companions rushed to seek refuge in Kausalyā, Śatrughna dragged her across the ground. Her jewels were shattered all over the place. Śatrughna loudly censured Kaikeyī, who was terrified. She sought Bharata’s protection. Bharata then called out to the angry Śatrughna, “Women should not be assailed. I would have slayed this wicked Kaikeyī, were it not that Rāma would condemn me for a matricide. If our noble brother comes to know that we have killed this hunchback, he will never speak to you or me.” Listening to these words, Śatrughna checked his fury and released Mantharā, who fell at Kaikeyī’s feet.
~
On the fourteenth day, the king’s men requested Bharata to accept the crown. Bharata performed reverential pradakṣiṇa to the ceremonial articles and declared that he would carry the consecration materials to the forest and coronate Rāma.
Upon Bharata’s command, a royal way was built until the banks of the River Gaṅgā. Bharata decided that he would either bring his brother back from the forest or stay with him there along with Lakṣmaṇa. Along with a retinue of men and women belonging to all sections of the society, Bharata set out to see Rāma. The king’s counsellors, the purohitas as well as the three queens – Kaikeyī, Sumitrā, and Kausalyā set out, delighted to be bringing Rāma back. The huge sea of people camped on the banks of the river Gaṅgā.
On seeing the tremendous army on the bank of Gaṅgā, Guha, the king of the Niṣādas spoke to his kinsmen, “I think the evil-minded Bharata has come, for I see the huge flag with the emblem of the kovidāra. He is perhaps marching to slay Rāma, who is both my master and dear friend. Arm yourselves and take your positions on the banks of the Gaṅgā. But, if it is turns out that Bharata is favourable to Rāma, we may let his army safely cross the river.” With these words, Guha went ahead taking nuts, meat, and fish with him to greet Bharata. Sumantra informed Bharata about Guha and also said that he might know where Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa were. Bharata delightfully greeted Guha and asked him the route to Bharadvāja’s āśrama. Guha promised to send armed fishermen to accompany Bharata and to show the path. He also said, “But I trust you are not setting out with ill intentions towards Rāma. Your large army makes me suspicious.” As he heard Guha’s words, Bharata, who hear was as unblemished as the sky assured him that he is only going to bring Rāma, who is like his father, back home. Guha’s face beamed with joy upon hearing this and said, “I don’t see anyone else like you on earth. You are giving up the kingship which came to you so effortlessly!” Guha recounted his conversations with Lakṣmaṇa and the way in which the brothers left with Sītā to the forest. Hearing Guha’s narration, Bharata plunged into intense melancholy and sank down suddenly like an elephant struck by the goad. Kausalyā embraced him and cried, “Hope no illness afflicts you. I am alive only seeing you, my son. You are our sole refuge today.”
Guha pointed at Rāma’s bed below the iṅgudī tree and Bharata rushed to the spot. He lamented as he pointed the place to all his mothers and said, “Surely, nothing is more powerful than fate, if our beloved Rāma and Sītā had to sleep on the hard ground. This is my brother’s bed. I think the beautiful Sītā slept on this straw-bed wearing her ornaments; I can see specks of gold sticking here and there. Here, clearly, Sītā’s upper garment was caught in the grass – you can see bright silk threads sticking. With Daśaratha gone to svarga and Rāma to the forest, the country has lost its helmsmen and looks empty. And yet, no one attacks our treasure-laden land, for the might of Rāma’s arms still protects it, although he lives in the wilderness.” Bharata then pledged, “From this day onwards, I too will sleep on the ground or on grass and live solely on fruits and roots, clad in tree bark, with my hair matted. On his behalf, I will happily live in the forest along with Śatrughna and may Rāma be coronated in Ayodhyā.”
Bharata slept at the same place where Rāma had in the past. Śatrughna, who could not sleep the entire night as he kept brooding over the circumstances. With the help of Guha’s ferrymen, Bharata, Śatrughna, the mothers, along with their men, horses, carts, chariots, and treasures crossed over the river Gaṅgā. Letting his army rest, Bharata set out with his ṛtviks to Sage Bharadvāja’s āśrama.
~
As they neared the āśrama, Bharata laid aside his weapons and went ahead on foot with the purohita Vasiṣṭha in front of him. Bharadvāja welcome them and asked about their welfare but did not mention Daśaratha, as he knew about the king’s passing away. Vasiṣṭha and Bharata in turn enquired about his wellbeing as well as the fires, trees, disciples, birds, and animals. Assuring them that all was well, Bharadvāja asked Bharata, “I would like to know what brings you here, when you are supposed to rule the kingdom. My mind is distrustful about your purpose. I know that Rāma has been banished from the kingdom due to the orders of a woman. I hope you don’t intent to harm him and his younger brother in order to enjoy unchallenged kingship.”
Thus asked by the sage, Bharata replied with his voice choking and tears streaming down his face, “What a grievous failure my life has been if the revered one also suspects this way! What my mother said in my absence is not what I desired. I was not pleased, and have not agreed to it. I will go to my beloved brother and escort him back to the kingdom. Please bless me and tell me where Rāma is!”
Bharadvāja replied, “I knew your heart, but asked to confirm your sentiments. Your brother lives on the Citrakūṭa. Remain here tonight and you may head there tomorrow. Bring your army and people here.”
Bharadvāja then invoked Viśvakarmā and other divinities to provide hospitality to the large number of people. Suddenly, a beautiful forest emerged and many comfortable houses manifested. There were stables for horses and elephants. A royal palace also appeared and was stocked with all kinds of food, treasures, and all luxury goods. The palace also had a royal throne. With the sage’s permission, Bharata entered the palace, prostrated before the throne making his salutations to Rāma and sat down in a minster’s seat. Upon Bharadvāja’s command, a river that flowed with pāyasa appeared before Bharata and many beautiful women were sent by the deities. Nārada, Tumburu, and the gandharvās sang in front of Bharata while the apsarās danced. All the garlands to be found only with the devas appeared there, at Prayāga, at the sage’s command. Through the power of the sage, the bilva trees turned into players of mṛdaṅga, aśvattha trees became dancers, and performed before Bharata. Many trees took the form of women and served those who were assembled there. Even the horses, elephants, donkeys, camels, and oxen were fed with sugarcane juice and honey.
With their desires gratified, the soldiers declared as they lay with troupes of apsarās, “We will neither go back to Ayodhyā nor go to the Daṇḍakāraṇya. May Bharata fare well, and may Rāma likewise, be happy!” With the splendid hospitality they received, they behaved as if they acknowledged no master. They cried out, “This is svarga!” Every man, woman, and animal was fed well and taken care like never before. All kinds of delicacies, dishes, fruits, flowers, ornaments, clothes, footwear, weapons, and couches were found in abundance. The men were lost in wonder because of the marvellous hospitality they received; it felt like a dream.
The next morning, the men woke up and Bharata conveyed his gratitude to Bharadvāja. The sage told him that Rāma’s hut made of leaves lay between the mountain Citrakūṭa and the river Mandākinī. Bharata and the mothers prostrated before the sage. Upon the sage’s request, Bharata introduced the mothers. He said, “That is Kausalyā, who is a like a goddess and the mother of Rāma. She is now desolate and weak. The woman holding her left arm is Sumitrā, the mother of Lakṣmaṇa and Śatrughna, and is now bereft of all joy. The other is Kaikeyī, a vile creature in the disguise of a noblewoman. Thanks to her, two of my brothers are as good as dead and my father passed away as well. She is my mother, the harbinger of this terrible calamity.” As Bharata said this with his voice choking and his eyes red, Bharadvāja said, “You should not find fault with Kaikeyī, Bharata. This exile of Rāma will bring happy results, eventually.”
Bharata prostrated before the sage and took his leave. Eager to see Rāma, Bharata, the mothers, and all others set out into the forest. Terrifying the flocks of birds and animals in the forest, the army of Bharata shone in all its splendour.
To be continued...
[The critically constituted text and the critical edition published by the Oriental Institute, Vadodara is the primary source. In addition, the Kannada rendering of the epic by Mahāmahopādhyāya Sri. N. Ranganatha Sharma and the English translation by Sri. N. Raghunathan have been referred.]
