Chapter 92 - Prince Bharata with the army departs for Mount Cittrakuta

Prince Bharata, having passed the night in enjoyment of the entertainment provided, early in the morning, desirous of seeing Rama, approached the muni.

With joined palms, he stood before the holy rishi who was engaged in the fire ritual.

The Sage Bharadvaja enquired of him, saying: “O Sinless Prince, didst you pass the night in my hermitage in peace? Are all satisfied with the meagre entertainment provided by me?”

Shri Bharata, offering salutations to the maharishi, who had come out from his hermitage replied: “O Blessed Lord, I and my whole army have been rendered completely happy in your hermitage, you have fully satisfied us all. My people have passed the night agreeably, they have slept in excellent houses and partaken of delicious dishes, and have lost all sense of the fatigue caused by the journey. O Great Sage, now allow me to take leave of you and go to my brother; look on me with favour, I beg of you, O Wise One, how far from here is the hermitage of the pious Rama and which is the way thither?”

The sage, eminent in ascetic practices, replied to Bharata, who desired to see his brother: “O Prince, at ten miles distance from here, in a field full of boulders, is the beautiful mountain named Cittrakuta! To the north of that mountain flows the river Mandakini, winding through flowery forests, its banks planted with blossoming trees. O Friend, close to that river, on the Cittrakuta mountain, you shalt find your two brothers dwelling in a thatched hut. O Fortunate Prince, on the southern bank of the Yamuna, you will see two paths, do you take the right path with thine army, horses and elephants! This path will take you to Shri Rama.”

At the moment of departure the consorts of King Dasaratha, descending from their chariots, came to the place where the great sage was and stood encircling him. Among them the frail and trembling Kaushalya and Sumitra touched the feet of the holy man. Then Kaikeyi, thwarted in her designs and despised by the whole world, touched the feet of the sage and circumambulated him. Grief-stricken, she stood at a little distance from Bharata, as the holy Bharadvaja addressed the prince, saying: “O Prince, I desire to be acquainted with your mothers.”

The ever eloquent Bharata answered humbly: “O Holy Lord, here is my father’s chief queen, wretched and weakened through fasting, yet resembling a goddess. She is the mother of that Lion among men, the highly intrepid Prince Rama I Comparable to Aditi who brought forth Prajapati, she has given birth to Raghava! She, who leaning on her arm, stands with a sorrowful heart, like the branch of the karnikara tree stripped of its flowers, is the Queen Sumitra, the mother of those heroes of truth, Shri Lakshmana and Shatrughna. O Great Sage, she who has brought great affliction on these two chiefs of men and caused the death of King Dasaratha by separating him from his sons, who is given to anger and who is vain and shallow, esteeming herself favoured, who is highly ambitious and fickle and yet looks upon herself as free from imperfection, that cruel and wicked Kaikeyi, is my mother I O Great Muni, it is she who has caused my great misfortune!”

Unable to utter further, his throat choked with emotion, the prince began to sigh heavily, his eyes inflamed, breathing like a provoked serpent. Then the holy sage, acquainted with what should come to pass, answered saying: “My Son, do not reproach Queen Kaikeyi, the exile of Shri Rama will be productive of great good and the gods and danavas and the illustrious sages will gain great benefit from the presence of Shri Rama in the forest 1”

Hearing this, Bharata bowed low to the rishi and receiving his blessing, circumambulated him with reverence. Then craving permission from the sage to depart, he ordered his army to prepare to march.

The leaders of the forces mounted their horses, while others, ascending golden chariots, started on their journey. Elephants with howdahs fixed by golden chains and adorned with fluttering flags went forward, the bells hanging from the male and female tuskers causing a sound like the thunder of the clouds at the end of the rainy season! The other vehicles large and small, conveying members of the royal family advanced also.

Shri Bharata, intent on seeing Rama, riding in a resplendent palanquin shining like the sun or moon, with his great army, moved towards the south, covering the earth like a vast cloud.

The horses and elephants were all contented and the vast concourse inspiring the wild deer and birds with terror, looked splendid as it entered the deep forest.