Ramayana. The Regency of Bharata.
On the fourteenth day the ministers requested Bharata to take his seat upon the throne; but he refused, and gave orders to prepare an expedition to go in search of Rama. When all was ready he mounted a car and set out on the way; with him went six thousand other cars, and a thousand elephants, and a hundred thousand cavalry, and men of rank, and citizens, as merchants and traders, potters and weavers and armourers, goldsmiths and washermen and actors, and beside these many learned men and well-respected Brahmans.
Passing through Guha's realm, the host was entertained by him, and again by Bharadwaja at Prayag. One word Bharadwaja spoke to Bharata. "Thou shouldst not blame Kaikeyi," he said. "This exile of the king is for the good of men and gods and asuras and hermits." From Prayag the mighty host marched on to Chitrakuta, and came to Rama's hermitage. Then Bharata advanced alone, and fell at his brother's feet. This was the fashion of Rama: he sat in the leaf-thatched house, crowned with matted locks and clad in a black deer's skin; like a flame he was and lion-shouldered, mighty-armed and lotus-eyed; lord of this sea-girt world he seemed, like to the ever-living Brahma; and by his side were Lakshmana and Sita. Then Bharata wept to see his brother thus, who was used to royal state. But Rama raised him from the ground and kissed his head and asked him of Dasharatha and his own well-being. Then Bharata related all that had come to pass, and prayed Rama to return to Ayodhya and rule; but Rama would not. "How can I, commanded by my father and mother to dwell in the forest, do any otherwise? Thou shouldst rule, in accordance with his will; thou shouldst not blame Kaikeyi, for obedience is the duty alike of sons and wives and disciples, nor is a mother's wish less binding than a father's." Then Bharata answered: "If the kingdom is mine, I have the right to bestow it upon thee; do thou accept it." But Rama would not consent to this, nor be moved by any argument, whether of Bharata, or of his mother, or of Vashishtha, or of any of that host. Then Bharata prayed Rama for his golden sandals, and, bowing down to them, vowed thus: "For these fourteen years I shall dwell as a hermit without the walls of Ayodhya, making over to thy sandals the task of government. If then thou comest not, I shall die by fire." To this plan Rama agreed, and, embracing Bharata and Satrughna, said, "So be it." One thing he added: "Do thou not cherish resentment against Kaikeyi, but be kindly toward her; this both myself and Sita pray thee." Then Bharata walked sunwise about Rama, and, placing the sandals on an elephant, took them back to Ayodhya, followed by all that host of men. There he installed the sandals on the throne, and living in retirement, carried on the government as their minister.
Now, for two reasons, Rama would no longer dwell at Chitrakuta: first, inasmuch as hosts of rakshasas, out of hatred of him, annoyed the hermits of that place; and, secondly, because the host of men from Ayodhya had trampled and defiled the place; and, moreover, it reminded him too sharply of his brother's grief and the citizens' and queen-mother's. He went, therefore, with Sita and Lakshman toward Dandaka, and entered that deep forest like the sun that is hidden by a mass of clouds.
On the fourteenth day the ministers requested Bharata to take his seat upon the throne; but he refused, and gave orders to prepare an expedition to go in search of Rama. When all was ready he mounted a car and set out on the way; with him went six thousand other cars, and a thousand elephants, and a hundred thousand cavalry, and men of rank, and citizens, as merchants and traders, potters and weavers and armourers, goldsmiths and washermen and actors, and beside these many learned men and well-respected Brahmans.
Passing through Guha's realm, the host was entertained by him, and again by Bharadwaja at Prayag. One word Bharadwaja spoke to Bharata. "Thou shouldst not blame Kaikeyi," he said. "This exile of the king is for the good of men and gods and asuras and hermits." From Prayag the mighty host marched on to Chitrakuta, and came to Rama's hermitage. Then Bharata advanced alone, and fell at his brother's feet. This was the fashion of Rama: he sat in the leaf-thatched house, crowned with matted locks and clad in a black deer's skin; like a flame he was and lion-shouldered, mighty-armed and lotus-eyed; lord of this sea-girt world he seemed, like to the ever-living Brahma; and by his side were Lakshmana and Sita. Then Bharata wept to see his brother thus, who was used to royal state. But Rama raised him from the ground and kissed his head and asked him of Dasharatha and his own well-being. Then Bharata related all that had come to pass, and prayed Rama to return to Ayodhya and rule; but Rama would not. "How can I, commanded by my father and mother to dwell in the forest, do any otherwise? Thou shouldst rule, in accordance with his will; thou shouldst not blame Kaikeyi, for obedience is the duty alike of sons and wives and disciples, nor is a mother's wish less binding than a father's." Then Bharata answered: "If the kingdom is mine, I have the right to bestow it upon thee; do thou accept it." But Rama would not consent to this, nor be moved by any argument, whether of Bharata, or of his mother, or of Vashishtha, or of any of that host. Then Bharata prayed Rama for his golden sandals, and, bowing down to them, vowed thus: "For these fourteen years I shall dwell as a hermit without the walls of Ayodhya, making over to thy sandals the task of government. If then thou comest not, I shall die by fire." To this plan Rama agreed, and, embracing Bharata and Satrughna, said, "So be it." One thing he added: "Do thou not cherish resentment against Kaikeyi, but be kindly toward her; this both myself and Sita pray thee." Then Bharata walked sunwise about Rama, and, placing the sandals on an elephant, took them back to Ayodhya, followed by all that host of men. There he installed the sandals on the throne, and living in retirement, carried on the government as their minister.
Now, for two reasons, Rama would no longer dwell at Chitrakuta: first, inasmuch as hosts of rakshasas, out of hatred of him, annoyed the hermits of that place; and, secondly, because the host of men from Ayodhya had trampled and defiled the place; and, moreover, it reminded him too sharply of his brother's grief and the citizens' and queen-mother's. He went, therefore, with Sita and Lakshman toward Dandaka, and entered that deep forest like the sun that is hidden by a mass of clouds.
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On the fourteenth day the ministers requested Bharata to take his seat upon the throne; but he refused, and gave orders to prepare an expedition to go in search of Rama. When all was ready he mounted a car and set out on the way; with him went six thousand other cars, and a thousand elephants, and a hundred thousand cavalry, and men of rank, and citizens, as merchants and traders, potters and weavers and armourers, goldsmiths and washermen and actors, and beside these many learned men and well-respected Brahmans.
Passing through Guha's realm, the host was entertained by him, and again by Bharadwaja at Prayag. One word Bharadwaja spoke to Bharata. "Thou shouldst not blame Kaikeyi," he said. "This exile of the king is for the good of men and gods and asuras and hermits." From Prayag the mighty host marched on to Chitrakuta, and came to Rama's hermitage. Then Bharata advanced alone, and fell at his brother's feet. This was the fashion of Rama: he sat in the leaf-thatched house, crowned with matted locks and clad in a black deer's skin; like a flame he was and lion-shouldered, mighty-armed and lotus-eyed; lord of this sea-girt world he seemed, like to the ever-living Brahma; and by his side were Lakshmana and Sita. Then Bharata wept to see his brother thus, who was used to royal state. But Rama raised him from the ground and kissed his head and asked him of Dasharatha and his own well-being. Then Bharata related all that had come to pass, and prayed Rama to return to Ayodhya and rule; but Rama would not. "How can I, commanded by my father and mother to dwell in the forest, do any otherwise? Thou shouldst rule, in accordance with his will; thou shouldst not blame Kaikeyi, for obedience is the duty alike of sons and wives and disciples, nor is a mother's wish less binding than a father's." Then Bharata answered: "If the kingdom is mine, I have the right to bestow it upon thee; do thou accept it." But Rama would not consent to this, nor be moved by any argument, whether of Bharata, or of his mother, or of Vashishtha, or of any of that host. Then Bharata prayed Rama for his golden sandals, and, bowing down to them, vowed thus: "For these fourteen years I shall dwell as a hermit without the walls of Ayodhya, making over to thy sandals the task of government. If then thou comest not, I shall die by fire." To this plan Rama agreed, and, embracing Bharata and Satrughna, said, "So be it." One thing he added: "Do thou not cherish resentment against Kaikeyi, but be kindly toward her; this both myself and Sita pray thee." Then Bharata walked sunwise about Rama, and, placing the sandals on an elephant, took them back to Ayodhya, followed by all that host of men. There he installed the sandals on the throne, and living in retirement, carried on the government as their minister.
Now, for two reasons, Rama would no longer dwell at Chitrakuta: first, inasmuch as hosts of rakshasas, out of hatred of him, annoyed the hermits of that place; and, secondly, because the host of men from Ayodhya had trampled and defiled the place; and, moreover, it reminded him too sharply of his brother's grief and the citizens' and queen-mother's. He went, therefore, with Sita and Lakshman toward Dandaka, and entered that deep forest like the sun that is hidden by a mass of clouds.
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