Doha - 261
"In this concourse of holy men, in the presence of my preceptor and master and in this holy place I speak in good faith. whether there is any love in my heart or it is all simulation and whether what I say is true false is known to the sage as well as to the Lord of Raghus.
Chaupala
"The whole world will bear witness, on the one hand, to king having died as a result of his uncompromising love, and to my mother's evil on the other.The queen-mothers are in such distress that one cannot bear to look at them; while the men and women of the city are burning with deep agony. I have heard and realized that I am the root of all trouble and have accordingly endured all suffering. To crown all when I heard that clad in hermit's robes and accompanied by Ladsman and Sita the Lord of Raghus and proceeded to the woods on foot and without shoes, God sankara be my witness, I survived even that blow. On top of it, when I witnessed the Nisada's love, my heart, which is harder than adamant, refused to break. and now I have seen all with my own eyes and so long as I live my strupid soul will subject me to all kinds of suffering. What shall I say of Rama, Laksmana and Sita, at whose sight even snakes and scorpions on the road forget their virulent poison and irrepressible anger!"
Doha - 262
"On whom else, then, should Providence inflict severe pain if not on the son of Kaikeyi, who looked upon these very Rama, Laksmana and Sita as her enemies!"
Chaupala
On hearing excellent and most impassioned speech of Bharata, which was full of agony and love, humility and prudence, everybody was plunged in sorrow and the assembly became sad as if a bed lotuses was smitten by frost. The enlightened sage comforted Bharata by narrating old legends of various kinds; and the Delighter of Raghu's who was a veritable moon to the lily-like solar race, spoke words which were meet and proper:" You feel humiliated in spirit for nothing, dear brother; know that the destiny of souls lies in the hands of God. To my mind, men of holy reputation in all the three spheres of creation and beloging to the past, present and future are pygmies before you, my darling. He who attributes malevolence to you even in his heart will be ruined in this world as well as in the next. As for mother Kaikeyi they alone blame her, who have waited neither on the Guru nor on assmblage of holy men."
Doha - 263
"With the very invocation of your name all sins and error and all the hosts of evils will be obliterated; nay, it will bring in its train nenown in this world and happiness hereafter."
Chaupala
"With Lord Siva as my witness I speak the truth in good faith Bharata: the earth is being sustained by you. Pray do not indulge in wrong hypotheses about yourself for nothing, my darling; hatred and love cannot be disguised even if one tries to conceal them. Birds and beasts draw close to hermits, while they run away at the very sight of a hunte who torments them. Even beasts and birds can distinguish between a friend and a foe, to say nothing of the human body, which is a sorehouse of virtue and knowledge. I know you full well, dear brother; but what am I to do ? There is great perplexity in my mind. The king (our father), you know, kept his word and abandoned me; nay, he gave up his life in order to keep his vow of love. I feel perturbed in my mind if I proceed to violate his word; and my scrube on your account is even greater. On top of it my preceptor has given his command to me. In any case I prepared to do precisely what you suggest."
Doha - 264
"With a cheerful heart and shaking off all scruple tell me what to do; and I will accomplish it this very day" The assembly rejoiced to hear these words of Sri Rama (the Chief of Raghu's line), who was ever true to his word.
Chaupala
Indra (the king of celestials) and the hosts of other gods trembled with fear and felt perturbed at the thought that their whole scheme was going to miscarry. They were completely at a loss what to do. At last ehy mentally approached Sri Rama for protection. Again they deliberated with one another and said that the Lord of Raghus was under the spell of the devotion of His devotees. Remembering the story of Ambarisa and Durvasa the gods as well as their lord (Indra) became utterly despondent. In the past too the gods suffered for a long time till at last it was Prahlada who revealed Lord Nrsimha. Beating their head they whispered into one another's ear: "The gods' intersts now lie in Bharata's hands. We see no other remedy, O gods; our only hope is that Sri Rama acknowledges the services rendered to His, noble servants. Do you all, therefore invoke with a loving heart Bharata, who has won over Sri Rama by his goodness and amiability.'
Doha - 265
When the preceptor of the gods (the sage Brhaspati) heard of the gods intention, he said, "Good! Your luck is great. Devotion to Bharata's feet is the root of all choice blessings in this world.'
Chaupala
"The service of a devotee of Sita's is as good as a hundred cows of plenty (i.e.,it fulfils all one's desires). Now that devotion to Bharata has appealed to your mind worry no more; for God has accomplished you object, See Bharata's greatness, O king of gods: the Lord of Raghus is completely under his sway as a matter of course. Knowing Bharata to be Sri Rama's shadow, make your mind easy. O gods; there is no cause for fear." The Lord, who has access to all hearts, felt uncomfortable when He came to know of the conference between the gods and their preceptor (the sage Brhaspati)and of the anxiety of the former. Bharata now felt in his heart that the whole responsibility rested on his shoulders; he, therefore, entertained in his mind propositions of innumerable kinds. After much deliberation he came to the conclusion that his welfare consisted in obeying Sri Rama. "He has kept my vow, reliquishing his own, and has thereby shown not a little kindness and love."
Doha - 266
"Sita's lord has done me a great and unbounded favour in everyway." Then, bowing his head and joining his lotus hands, Bharata said:--
Chaupala
"What shall I say or put into other's mouth, my lord, an ocean of compassion and the knower of all hearts that you are? Now that my Guru is pleased and my master (yourself) propitious, the torment, which was the creation of my foul mind is over. I was obsessed with imaginary fears and my anxiety had no foundation whatsoever. It is no fault of the sun if anyone mistakes the quarters. My own ill-luck, my mother's perversity, the odd ways of Providence and the cruelty of fate, all conspired with the avowed object of ruining me; but you came to my rescu by redeeming your vow (of protecting your devotees), a protector of the suppliant that you are. This is, however, no novel procedure for you; it is welknwon to the world as well as to the Vedas and is an open secret. If the whole world is hostile and you alone are kindly disposed, my lord, tell me through whose goodness if not through yours, can one's good be accomplished? My lord, you are of the same disposition as the tree of paradise: it is neither for nor against anyone."
Doha - 267
"Should anyone approach the tree of paradise recognizeing it as such, its very shade relieves all anxiety. And everyone in this world obtains the desired object on the mere asking, be he a prince or pauper, good or bad."
Chaupala
"Since I have found my Guru and my master(yourself) affectionate to me in everyway, my unrest has gone and I have no doubt left in my mind. Now, O mine of compassion, take steps to see that you do not feel perturbed for the sake of your servant. A servant who seeks his own gain by placing his master in an embarrassing situation is a meanminded fellow. A servant will gain only if he serves his master renouncing all his personla comforts and greed. If, my lord, you return to Ayodhya, everyone will be a gainer. And if we obey you orders, we shall gain in millions of ways. Obedience to you constitutes the highest gain both materially and spiritually; nay, it is the consummation of all meritorious acts and the ornament of all good destinies, My lord listen to a request of mine and then do as you deem fit. I have brought with me, duly arranged, all the requisiters for the coronation ceremony. Kindly have it brought into use, my lord, if it so pleases you."
Doha - 268
"Send me into exile with my younger brother (Satrughana) and let everbody feel secure under your protection. Or else, send back both the younger brothers (Laksmana and Satrughna) and let me accompany you, my lord."
"Or (as a third alternative) we three brothers may remain in the forest, while Sita and yourself may return to Ayodhya Do that, O ocean of mercy, whic may please your heart, my lord. You have thrown the whole burden on me, my master; but I have no ethical insight nor any idea of religion. I am actuated by self-interst in whatever I say; a man in distress loses hi senses. shame herself would be ashamed to took at a servant who evades compliance wiht an order given by his master. Even though I am such an unfathomable ocean of faults, my master (yourself) out of affection which will spare my lord an awkward situation. Swearing by my lord's feet I tell you in good faith that this is the only way to ensure the happiness of the world."
Doha - 269
"Each one of us will reverently carry out the orders that the Lord may be pleased to give with a cheerful heart without reserve; and all injustice an imbroglio will end."
Chaupala
The gods rejoiced to hear Bharata's guileless speech; and acclaiming him in the words "We done!" they rained down flowers. The people of Ayodhya felt much puzzled, while the ascetics and the foresters were greatly delighted. The Lord of Raghus, who was very considerate by nature, kept mum; and observing His silence the whole assembly perturbed. That very moment messengers from King Janaka arrived. When the sage Vesistha heard of it he sent for them promptly. After making obeisance they looked at Sri Rama and were much grieved to behold His attire (which resembled that of hermit) The chief of sages. Vasistha, made enqures from the messengers: "Tell me if all is well with King Videha (Janaka)." the noble messengers felt abashed to hear this. They bowed their head to the ground and replied with joined palms: "Your loving enquiry itself, O lord, has proved conducive to our good, holy father."
Doha - 270
"Otherwise our welfare, O lord, passed away with the king of Kosala, whose death has left the whole world, particularly Mithila (Janaka's capital) and Ayodhya, masterless."
Chaupala
"On hearing of the demise of King Dasaratha (the lord of Ayodhya)the people of Janakapura were all mad with grief. No one who King Videha at that time took his name (Videha) to have any truth behind it. When the king heard of Queen Kaikeyi's wickdness, he was as nonplussed as a serpent without its gem. Prince Bharata crowned king and the Chief of Raghus, Sri Rama, exiled into the woods! The news caused deep agony to the heart of Mithila's lord! The king called together a council of wise men and minister and said, :Tell me after careful deliberation what ought to be done now " But realizing the conditions at Ayodhya and the difficulty in either case nobody gave any definite opinion whether he should go or stay at home. The king now collected himself and after calm reflection despatched four clever spies to Ayodhya with the following instuctions : `Ascertain whether Bharata means well or ill and come back at once without being recognized.'