Chapter 99 - The four brothers meet with tears of joy

Shri Bharata with great eagerness pointed out the indications of the position of Shri Rama’s hermitage to his brother Shatrughna. He appealed to Shri Vasishtha to bring his mothers there speedily, while he, devoted to his elder brother, hastily went on before. Sumantra followed Shatrughna, who walked behind Bharata and who was equally anxious to behold Rama. The prince, proceeding, at length descried the hut thatched with leaves in the midst of the hermitages of the ascetics, and beheld before it a heap of broken wood and flowers plucked for worship. To mark the site of the ashrama, Shri Rama and Lakshmana had bound kusha grass and strips of cloth to the trees. He perceived also great heaps of the dung of deer and buflaloe, dried for fuel, to be used in winter.

The illustrious and mighty Bharata going forward, spoke measured words to his brother and counsellors, saying: “I deem we have reached the place spoken of by the Sage Bharadvaja, and that the river Mandakini is not far distant from here! Prince Lakshmana has bound strips of cloth to the trees, so that when fetching water on a dark night, he may know the way back to the hermitage. This appears to be the road traversed by the great elephants who were roaring in the forest. I perceive the black smoke rising from the ascetics’ sacrificial fire. Here, I shall behold that Lion among men, Shri Rama, the great preceptor, seated in majesty, like a resplendent sage.”

Proceeding a little further, Prince Bharata reached the river Mandakini on Cittrakuta, and addressing his companions, said: “That chief of men, a very god among living beings, is seated in this lonely forest in the posture of an ascetic. Woe unto me, wretched is my life and birth, on account of which the most resplendent Lord of all, Shri Ramacandra is plunged in this affliction and dwells in the forest deprived of all joy! Despised by men because of this, I will now fall at the feet of Rama and Sita in order to propitiate them.”

While still lamenting, Bharata perceived the hut thatched with leaves, pure and pleasant, covered with the leafy boughs of sala, tala and other trees, resembling an altar covered with kusha grass.

Here and there mighty bows and shields covered with gold, wielded in battle, hung, adding to the beauty of the place, and nearby stood a quiver of arrows, bright as the rays of the sun, and keen as the serpents with shining hoods of the Bhagavati river. There also were two scimitars in scabbards of gold and two shields emblazoned with golden flowers, also many deerskins and gloves with gold embroidered gauntlets. That habitation was impregnable as a cave and unassailable by the herds of wild deer.

Bharata discerned in this dwelling, Shri Rama seated near the altar, resplendent as fire. For a long time, Shri Bharata gazed on the beauty of the scene. He saw Rama sitting, his matted locks coiled on the crown of his head, shining like a flame, his body clad in a robe of bark, covered with the skin of a black antelope, his shoulders resembling a lion’s, his arms were long, his eyes like lotuses, that ruler of earth and ocean, the sovereign of eternal decrees! Shri Bharata beheld that righteous one with Lakshmana and Sita, seated on a platform strewn with kusha grass, appearing like the eternal Brahma.

Beholding him seated thus, the pious Bharata was overpowered with sorrow and affection, and ran towards him, his throat choked with grief, weeping and lamenting. Though the pain was past restraining, he yet mastered it and spoke: “Alas! my elder brother, worthy of a seat in the royal assembly, beloved of his counsellors, is to-day associating with wild beasts in the forest. He, deserving of apparel adorned with thousands of golden coins, is sitting, clad in a deerskin, in order to practise the obligations of righteous living. Shri Rama, who was formerly adorned with garlands of different flowers, how can he endure the weight of his matted locks? He, who should have acquired merit by the performance of sacrifices aided by the rishis, to-day increases his meritorious deeds by the practice of austerity. Now is the countenance of my elder brother, formerly adorned with sandal paste, covered with dust! Alas! it is on my account that Shri Rama, who formerly enjoyed every delight, is to-day undergoing this distress. Woe unto me, who am abhored by all.”

Thus lamenting, the wretched Bharata, his face bedewed with tears, sought to run and fall at the feet of Rama, but sank unconscious on the way. Deeply afflicted, that great hero, Prince Bharata, cried out: “O Excellent One,” and uttered no more. Exclaiming only, “O Noble Sire”, he could proceed no further. Shatrughna, also weeping, embraced the feet of Shri Rama, on which Rama gathering them both in his arms, melted into tears.

Then Sumantra and Guha approached Shri Rama and Lakshmana, and it appeared as if the Sun and Moon, Jupiter and Venus had conjoined in the heavens. The inhabitants of the forest, beholding the four princes met together in their midst, shed tears of joy.