Chapter 102 - They are all afflicted with grief

On hearing the account of his father’s death, from his brother, Shri Rama fell unconscious.

Bharata’s words proved as dreadful to Shri Rama, as the mace of Indra falling on the danavas in battle. Wringing his hands, Raghava fell to the earth like a tree severed by an axe. The Lord of the World, Shri Rama, fallen on the earth, lay like an elephant which, having borne away the river bank, sinks under the load. His two brothers together with Sita, perceiving him to have fallen in a swoon, sprinkled him with water in order to restore him.

Recovering somewhat, Shri Rama began to lament. The virtuous prince, conscious that his sire had passed away, uttered these pious words to Bharata: “What should I do in Ayodhya now my father has departed to heaven? Who can preserve the capital bereft of this illustrious monarch? What can I, worthless and wretched, do for that magnanimous one, my father, who died through grief at my separation and whose funeral rites I was not able to perform? O Sinless Bharata, you indeed art blessed, by whom the last rites of your warrior parent were performed. Now when I return to the capital after completing the term of my exile, none will instruct me in what is good and what is evil. Formerly, in affection, my father being pleased with my good conduct, enlightened me. Who will now utter those words which fell pleasingly on my ears?”

Turning his face towards Sita whose countenance resembled the full moon, Rama thus addressed her: “O Sita, your father-in-law has left this life, O Lakshmana, you are fatherless I Bharata has related this bitter news to us. O Lakshmana, bring the pulp of the Ingudi fruit and change this apparel of bark. I desire to offer libations of water to my royal sire. Let Sita precede me and you follow her; on such occasions, this procedure must be observed.” Then Sumantra, the aged retainer of the royal line, wise, intelligent, tender-hearted, self-subdued, and humble, wholly devoted to Rama, comforted the princes and led them to the river Mandakini whose waters were sacred and meritorious.

Deeply afflicted, the illustrious ones approached the pleasant river that passed through blossoming woods, and descending into the pure, swift-flowing and un-muddied stream, they offered the ritual water in the name of their royal father, saying: “O Great King, may this water be thine.” Then Shri Rama, filling his palms with water, turning to the south, wept and said: “O Mighty King, may this sacred water offered to-day by me, be thine for ever in the region of thine ancestors.”

Thereafter, Raghava with his brothers offered balls of rice in memory of the king on the shores of the river Mandakini. Having made a cake by mixing the juice of berries with the pulp of the Ingudi fruit, Shri Rama spread it on kusha grass and deeply afflicted, weeping, said: “O Mighty King, be pleased to accept and partake of this food, for that which is man’s customary food, the gods approve.”

Then ascending the hillside, Shri Rama returned by the way he had come. The great Raghava, reaching the door of the thatched hut, took hold of the hands of Lakshmana and Bharata, and wept. The sound of the weeping of the four princes and Sita re-echoed in the mountains like the roaring of a lion, and the army hearing it were greatly perturbed and said among themselves, “Shri Rama and Bharata have met and they are bewailing the death of the king, their sire.”

Leaving their camp and turning their faces to where the sound of weeping arose, they went in haste to that spot. Some mounted horses and elephants, some rode in gilded chariots, and others on foot hastened towards that place, for though Shri Rama had but lately left the capital, it appeared to them as if he had been long absent from them. Desirous of seeing Rama, they proceeded to the hermitage of the illustrious prince in various kinds of vehicles and the sound of their advance and the rolling wheels created a noise like thunder. Elephants terrified by the tumult ran with their mates into other woods, perfuming the forest with their ichor. Boars, wolves, buffaloes, snakes, tigers, wild cattle and deer of many kinds were filled with fear. Ducks, waterfowl, swans, geese, cuckoos and herons fled in every direction. The air was filled with birds, and the earth with men, rendering both beautiful.

At length, the army reached the place where they perceived the illustrious and innocent Rama, the chief of men, seated on the sacrificial seat, and seeing his condition they began to curse Kaikeyi and Manthara and, approaching closer, wept bitterly. Shri Rama, observing them so afflicted, embraced them like a parent. Embracing those who were worthy of his affection, offering salutations to some, he treated those of his age and his relatives with the respect due to each.

The voice of their weeping filled the earth and sky, and reverberated in the caves and in every quarter like the beat of a drum.