At this, all the apes, the rakshasas and Vibhishana leapt up, to see the city that was beautiful to behold. It was garlanded with white mansions. There were large roads, full of elephants and horses. The apes saw the city of Ayodhya. It was like Amaravati, the city of the great Indra.
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After a full fourteen years were over, it was the fifth lunar day.415 Lakshmana’s elder brother reached Bharadvaja’s hermitage. He controlled himself and worshipped the sage. After greeting him, he asked Bharadvaja, the store of austerities, ‘O illustrious one! Have you heard that all is well with the city, that there is no disease and there are plenty of alms?416 Is Bharata conducting himself well? Are my mothers alive?’
The great sage, Bharadvaja, was asked by Rama in this way. He smiled first. Cheerfully, he replied to the best among the Raghu lineage. ‘Bharata has smeared himself with mud and is awaiting you with matted hair. He has your sandals in front of him. All is well in your house. A long time ago, attired in bark, you entered the great forest. You were dislodged from the kingdom and were only interested in undertaking tasks of dharma. Your wife was the third.417 You followed the words of your father. You gave up everything and proceeded on foot. Like an immortal dislodged from heaven, you gave up all the objects of desire. O victor in assemblies! On seeing you, I was initially filled with compassion. You followed Kaikeyee’s words and survived on wild roots and fruits. You have now returned, having accomplished your objective. You are prosperous, with large numbers of friends and well-wishers. On seeing you, having triumphed over the enemy, my heart is filled with great delight. O Raghava! I know everything about your joy and misery. You obtained a great deal of this. For the sake of the brahmanas and to protect all the ascetics, you undertook that great slaughter in Janasthana. I know about the sighting of Maricha, Sita’s oppression, the sighting of Kabandha, the arrival in Pampa, the friendship with Sugriva and that you killed Vali because of that. I know about searching for Vaidehi, the deed performed by the son of the wind god, the building of Nala Setu for Vaidehi’s sake and about the delighted leaders of the apes setting Lanka on fire. In a battle, you killed Ravana, the thorn of the gods, with his sons, relatives, advisers, soldiers and mounts. The gods came before you and granted you a boon. O one who is devoted to dharma! Through my austerities, I know all this. O supreme among those who wield weapons! I will also grant you a boon. I will offer you arghya.418 Accept it and go to Ayodhya tomorrow.’
The son of the king bowed his head down and accepted these words. Having cheerfully agreed, the handsome one asked for a boon. ‘O illustrious one! As I proceed towards Ayodhya, may all the trees along the road overflow with honey. May they yield unseasonal fruits.’ Trees without fruit became full of fruit. Trees without flowers became full of flowers. All the trees with dry leaves started to flow with honey.
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Looking towards Ayodhya, Raghava was thoughtful. While he was thinking, he saw the apes. Rama was swift in his valour and sought to do what brought pleasure. He wished to do something pleasant.419 The intelligent and energetic one spoke to the ape Hanumat. ‘O supreme among the apes! Swiftly and quickly, go to Ayodhya. Find out if all is well with the people and in the king’s palace. Go to Guha in Shringaverapura. It is in an impenetrable part of the forest. Convey my words and news about my welfare to the lord of the nishadas.420 On hearing that I am well, without disease and free from anxiety, Guha will be happy. He is a friend who is like my own self. Happy, Guha, the lord of the nishadas, will tell you about the road towards Ayodhya and about Bharata’s conduct. Convey my words and news about my welfare to Bharata too. Tell him that I, with my wife and Lakshmana, have been successful in our objective. Tell him about Vaidehi’s abduction by the powerful Ravana, the conversation with Sugriva and Vali’s death in the battle, the search for Maithilee and you finding her after leaping over the great and inexhaustible waters of the ocean, our reaching the ocean and seeing the ocean, the construction of the bridge, Ravana’s death, the boons granted by the great Indra, Brahma and Varuna and my meeting with my father because of Mahadeva’s favours. Tell him that I have vanquished a great number of enemies and have obtained supreme fame and that I have returned successful in my objective, with immensely strong friends. On hearing all this, the expression Bharata wears on his face will reveal to you his inclinations towards me. Everything will be known through Bharata’s limbs. The truth will be discerned through the complexion of his face and what he says. If one is prosperous with all the objects of desire in a kingdom, full of elephants, horses and chariots, obtained from the father and grandfathers, which person’s mind will not change? Having been associated with this prosperous kingdom, if Bharata desires it for himself, let that descendant of the Raghu lineage rule over the entire earth. O ape! Get to know his inclination and conduct. You must return swiftly, before we proceed too far.’421 Hanumat, the son of the wind god, was commanded in this way. He assumed a human form and hurried towards Ayodhya.
He leapt across his father’s path,422 the auspicious residence of the Indras among the serpents. He crossed the terrible confluence of the Ganga and the Yamuna and descended. The valiant one reached Shringaverapura and approached Guha. Hanumat cheerfully addressed him in these auspicious words. ‘Kakutstha Rama, with truth as his valour, is your friend. With Sita and Soumitri, he has asked about your welfare. After obtaining Bharadvaja’s permission, he followed the words of the sage and has spent the night of the fifth lunar day there. You will see Raghava today.’ The immensely energetic one, his body hair standing up in delight, said this. The powerful one leapt up with great force and without even thinking about it, departed. He saw Rama’s423 tirtha, the rivers Valukini and Gomatee and the extremely terrible forest of sala trees. The tiger among elephants swiftly traversed a long distance.
He approached the flowering trees near Nandigrama. When he was one krosha424 away from Ayodhya, he saw the miserable Bharata, attired in bark and black antelope skin. From having resided in the hermitage, he was emaciated. He had filth on his limbs and wore matted hair. He was grieving because of the hardship his brother had suffered. He was controlled, surviving on roots and fruits. He was following the dharma of ascetics. Matted hair was coiled high on his head. His garments were of bark and deerskin. He was controlled and had cleansed his soul. His energy was like that of a brahmana rishi. With the sandals in front, he ruled over the earth. In the world, he protected the four varnas from all kinds of fear. Pure advisers and priests were present with him. There were also commanders of the forces, attired in ochre garments. The citizens were devoted to dharma. Since the prince was attired in rags and black antelope skin, they had also given up objects of pleasure. He425 knew about dharma and was like a second Dharma in embodied form. Hanumat, the son of the wind god, joined his hands in salutation and addressed him in these words. ‘Kakutstha resided in Dandakaranya, attired in bark and sporting matted hair. You are grieving over him. He has asked about your welfare. O lord! I am conveying pleasant news. Abandon this terrible sorrow. You will be united with your brother, Rama, this very instant. Having slain Ravana, Rama has got Maithilee back. Having been successful in his objective, he has arrived, with his immensely strong friends. The immensely energetic Lakshmana has also come and so has the illustrious Sita of Videha, like Shachi with the great Indra.’
Bharata, Kaikeyee’s son, was thus addressed by Hanumat. He was delighted. But that joy also led to confusion and he suddenly fell down. In a short while, Raghava426 reassured himself and arose. Bharata spoke to Hanumat, who had brought the pleasant news. Freed from sorrow and full of joy, he respectfully embraced the ape. The handsome Bharata made him wet with large drops of tears. ‘Out of compassion, you have come here. Are you a god or a man? O amiable one! You have brought me pleasant tidings and I will give you what is agreeable—one hundred thousand cows, one hundred excellent villages and sixteen maidens who are auspicious in conduct as your wives. They wear earrings and are golden in complexion. These women are as ami
able as the moon. They are decorated in all the ornaments. They are accomplished and have been born in noble families.’ From the supreme among the apes, the prince heard the extraordinary news about Rama’s arrival. He was delighted at the prospect of seeing Rama. Rejoicing, he again spoke these words.
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‘It has indeed been several years since he left for the great forest. I have now heard delightful news about my lord being recounted. The popular saying occurs to me. “If a man is alive, there will be fortune, even after one hundred years.” How did the meeting between Raghava and the apes take place? Where did it happen? What was the reason? I am asking you. Tell me the truth.’
Asked by the prince, he sat down on a mat and told him everything about Rama’s conduct in the forest. ‘Because of the boon granted to your mother, Rama left on an exile. Grieving over his son, King Dasharatha died. O lord! Messengers quickly brought you to the royal residence. You entered Ayodhya, but did not desire the kingdom. You went to Mount Chitrakuta and invited your brother, the afflicter of enemies, to accept the kingdom. But he followed the path of dharma and virtue. He stuck to the king’s words and refused the kingdom. You accepted the noble one’s sandals and returned. O mighty-armed one! Everything about what occurred till then is known to you. Hear from me about what happened after you returned. You returned and he entered the desolate and extremely large forest of Dandaka, full of animals and birds and extending all the way up to the ocean. As they proceeded through that desolate forest, the powerful Viradha was seen and he roared extremely loudly. He raised his hands up high and emitted an extremely loud roar. However, while he was trumpeting like an elephant, they flung him down into a pit, with his face hanging downwards. Those brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, performed this extremely difficult deed. In the evening, they went to Sharabhanga’s beautiful hermitage. After greeting Rama, for whom truth is valour, the sage, Sharabhanga went to heaven. All of them reached Janasthana. There were fourteen thousand rakshasas who were terrible in their deeds. While he was residing there, the great-souled Raghava killed them.427 After this, Shurpanakha arrived in Rama’s presence. Commanded by Rama, Lakshmana suddenly arose. The immensely strong one seized his sword and sliced off her nose and ears. The suffering child approached Ravana. The terrible rakshasa named Maricha was Ravana’s follower. Assuming the form of a bejewelled deer, he tempted Vaidehi. Seeing this, Vaidehi told Rama, “Seize it. This handsome and beautiful one should be in our hermitage.” Wielding a bow and arrows, Rama rushed after it. Rushing after it, he slew it with arrows with drooping tufts. O amiable one! When Raghava rushed after the deer and Lakshmana had also left, Dashagriva entered the hermitage. He quickly seized Sita, like a planet seizes Rohini in the sky. In an encounter, he killed the eagle Jatayu, who desired to save her. Violently seizing Sita, the rakshasa departed quickly. Apes who were like mountains were based on the summit of a mountain and they witnessed the extraordinary sight of Sita being seized. They were amazed to see Ravana, the lord of the rakshasas, rush away. Ravana, the one who made the worlds shriek, entered Lanka. He entered his large and auspicious residence, embellished all around with gold. Having entered, Ravana sought to comfort Maithilee with his words. When Kakutstha returned, he saw the eagle and was distressed. When the eagle was killed, Rama cremated his father’s beloved friend. They wandered in the region around the Godavari, filled with blossoms. In the great forest, the rakshasa named Kabandha approached. Following Kabandha’s words, Rama, for whom truth is his valour, went to Mount Rishyamuka and met Sugriva. Even before they met, affection had been generated in their hearts.428 When they met and conversed, a great love was generated between them. With the valour of his own arms, Rama killed the immensely large and immensely strong Vali in a battle and returned his own kingdom to him.429 With all the apes, Sugriva was instated in the kingdom. He gave a pledge to prince Rama that he would search out the trail. The Indras among the apes were commanded by the great-souled Sugriva. Ten crores of apes were sent in all the directions. Among them, we got lost in Vindhya, supreme among mountains. We were tormented by great grief and a long period of time elapsed. The valiant brother of the king of the eagles is named Sampati. He informed us that Sita was dwelling in Ravana’s abode. My relatives were overcome by sorrow, but I overcame the misery that was engulfing me. I resorted to my own valour and leapt across one hundred yojanas. I went to the rakshasa’s Ashokavana and saw her alone there. She was clad in a faded silken garment. She was miserable, but was firm in her vows. I met the unblemished one in the proper way and asked her everything. I obtained the jewel as a sign. Successful in the objective, I returned. I went to Rama, who is unblemished in his deeds. I gave him the token, the giant jewel that radiated rays. Hearing about Maithilee, he rejoiced and like an afflicted person who drinks amrita and regains his life, he too recovered his hopes of remaining alive. He arose and made arrangements for victory, making up his mind to destroy Lanka. Like the fire that destroys all the worlds, he wished to destroy the world. Reaching the ocean, Nala constructed a bridge. Using that bridge, the army of brave apes crossed. Nila killed Prahasta and Raghava killed Kumbhakarna. Lakshmana killed Ravana’s son and Rama himself killed Ravana. Kakutstha, the scorcher of enemies, met Shakra, Yama, Varuna and the divine sages and received boons. Having obtained the boons, he was delighted and met the apes.430 Astride the Pushpaka vimana, he went to Kishkindha.431 Having reached the Ganga again, he is residing in the presence of the sages. Tomorrow, when it is the conjunction of the nakshatra Pushya, without any impediments, you will see Rama.’
Hearing about the great and truthful words from Hanumat, Bharata was delighted and joined his hands in salutation. With his mind rejoicing, he spoke these words. ‘What I have desired for a long time has indeed become completely fulfilled.’
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On hearing this, Bharata, for whom truth was valour, was supremely delighted. Rejoicing, the slayer of enemy heroes commanded Shatrughna. ‘To the sound of musical instruments, let pure men offer worship of extremely fragrant flowers at all the temples432 and chaityas of the city. Let the wives of the king,433 the advisers, the soldiers and the wives of the soldiers emerge, so that they can see Rama, whose face is like the moon.’ Hearing Bharata’s words, the valiant Shatrughna, the slayer of enemy heroes, divided artisans into groups of thousands and urged them. ‘Let the entire stretch up to Nandigrama be levelled. Level the low spots. Level the uneven spots. Sprinkle the entire ground with water that is as cool as ice. Let others spread parched grain and flowers everywhere. Let flags be raised along the roads of this supreme and excellent city. Before the sun rises, let all the houses be decorated. Let garlands of extremely fragrant flowers, in the five colours,434 be strewn around. Let hundreds of men sprinkle the walls along the royal road.’
There were thousands of crazy elephants and these were decorated with gold. There were other elephants and female elephants with golden harnesses. Yoking their chariots, excellent maharathas quickly emerged. All of Dasharatha’s wives mounted vehicles. With Kousalya and Sumitra at the forefront, they emerged. The earth seemed to tremble from the sound of the hooves of the horses, the clatter of the wheels of the chariots and the noise of conch shells and drums. The entire city reached Nandigrama. There were the best among brahmanas, with dharma in their souls. There were the chiefs of the shrenis,435 with all their divisions. There were ministers, with garlands and sweetmeats in their hands. In addition to the sound of conch shell and drums, there were the sounds of bards singing panegyrics. He436 was surrounded by all these. The one who knew about dharma placed the noble one’s sandals on his head. He took a white umbrella that was decorated with white garlands. He also took white whisks made out of hair, decorated with gold, and appropriate for a king. He was lean and emaciated because of his fasting. He was attired in bark and black antelope skin. Having already heard about his brother’s arrival, he was filled with joy. With his advisers, the great-souled one advanced to receive Rama.
Looking towards the s
on of the wind god, Bharata addressed him in these words. ‘I hope the fickleness that characterizes monkeys has not taken hold of you. I cannot see the noble Kakutstha Rama, the scorcher of enemies.’ Hearing the words spoken, Hanumat replied to Bharata, for whom truth was his valour, in words that were indicative of deep meaning. ‘Because of Bharadvaja’s favours, trees that always yield fruits and flowers and flow with honey have been obtained. The sound of crazy humming bees can be heard. O scorcher of enemies! That was the boon conferred by Vasava. That is how hospitality, with all the qualities, was offered to the soldiers. The terrible and joyous sound of the residents of the forest can be heard. I think that the army of the apes is crossing the river Gomatee. Behold. A lot of dust has arisen in the direction of the Valukini. I think the apes are shaking the beautiful forest of sala trees. From a distance, the divine Pushpaka vimana can be seen. It sparkles like the moon. Using his mental powers, Brahma constructed it. Having slain Ravana and his relatives, the great-souled one obtained it through the favours of the lord of treasure. It is divine and possesses the speed of thought. The two brave Raghavas, with Vaidehi, the immensely energetic Sugriva and Vibhishana, Indra among the rakshasas, are in it.’
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