Chapter 85 - Guha is filled with joy on hearing of Prince Bharata’s intention

The wise Bharata listened to the words of the chief of ferrymen and revealed his purpose to him, stating his reasons thus: “O Friend of my elder brother, your hospitality is great, since you desirest to entertain so great an army as accompanies me.”

Prince Bharata then addressed Guha once more in gentle and well-chosen words, and said: “O Chief of the Nishadas, by what way shall I proceed to the hermitage of the Sage Bharadvaja? The valley of the Ganges being flooded is difficult to cross.”

Guha, acquainted with all the paths and inaccessible parts of the forest, replied with great humility: “O Illustrious Prince, have no anxiety! These, my kinsmen, armed with bows and arrows, fully acquainted with the forest, shall accompany you, and I also shall follow you in person. But observing your great army, I am filled with apprehension. Art you going to approach Rama, urged by some evil intent?”

Shri Bharata, whose heart was pure as the stainless heavens, answered him in sweet accents, saying: “O Guha! May the time never come when I cause him distress. Do not look on me with fear O Friend; Rama, my elder brother, is to me equal to my father himself! O Guha, I go to bring back Shri Rama from the forest. Do not impute any evil motive to me! O Friend, this is the truth and the truth alone.”

Guha was filled with joy on hearing the words of Prince Bharata and again addressed him saying: “O Bharata, blessed art you. In the whole world, I see none equal to you, since you desirest to relinquish a great empire that has fallen to you without any effort of thine own. Your fame in the world will live forever, since you, suffering distress, didst go forth to bring back Shri Rama.”

While Prince Bharata and Guha were thus conversing, the sun set and the night drew on. Gratified with the converse and hospitality of Guha, his army fully refreshed, Shri Bharata entered his tent to rest. But the prince, whose heart formerly had been unacquainted with grief and who was patient and free from sin, which is the chief cause of suffering, was yet overcome by pain on account of Rama. Sorrow for Raghava consumed him inwardly, as a fire consumes a withered and hollow tree in the forest. The perspiration caused by the fire of grief ran down his body, as the snow flows from the Himalayan peaks melting under the heat of the sun.

By the mountain, the peak of which was sorrow, the recollection of Rama the rocks, his sighs the mineral charged streams, his desolation the forest, and weariness the promontories, his deep anxiety the wild beasts, his restlessness the herbs, by this mountain of affliction was Shri Bharata overwhelmed.

Assailed by unspeakable anguish, the prince sighed heavily and almost bereft of reason, unconscious of his body, like a bull driven from the herd, was deprived of all rest.

Guha approaching with his friends and kinsmen, embracing Shri Bharata, gently began to reassure him, regarding his elder brother.