||Sri Ram Jeyram Jay Jay Ram ||

 

Chapter – 53– Ayodhya Kandam

" Bharath Koopa"

The people of Ayodhya and Mithila soaked in the ocean of nectar-like happiness, listening to compassionate speeches of Rama, and it compelled Devi Sharadha to become quiet, Bharatha got relieved from the grief and sin, he prostrated before Rama and spoke with folded hands “Oh! Natha, I have gained the fruitfulness in my life, I have attained immense bliss following to you in the woods, Oh! Prabho, Oh! Ramachandra, I am prepared to follow the duties and responsibilities and all your commands, Oh! Prabho, kindly give me shelter at your lotus feet until your return from Vanavasa. Oh! Swami, we have brought sacred waters in the vessels at the instruction of preceptors, kindly advise us. I have a yearning that I cannot express in words, due to fear and embarrassment.”  Rama permitted Bharatha to reveal his desire; Bharatha began to speak “Oh! Prabho, I would like to conduct visits to those shrines, Theerthas, woods, hills, and mountains where your footprints are visible.” Rama said “Oh! Dear Brother, you can follow the instructions of Sage Athri, you can visit those forests of Chitrakoot without any fear. This entire forest of Chitrakoot is auspicious, pure, and supremely attractive under the supervision of Sage Atri, you can deposit the waters of sacred Theertha in the ponds and rivers of Chitrakoot with the advice of Sage Atri.” Bharatha became extremely happy and prostrated before the lotus feet of Sage Atri.

 

The deities who are extremely selfish, showered flowers on Rama and Bharatha, after listening to the most pleasing conversation took place between the brothers; the deities highly praised the clan of Raghu. Sage Vashishta, Midhiladhipa, and ministers of the assembly were highly appreciated Bharatha. King Janaka highly praised the virtues of Bharatha and Rama, the members of the assembly praised the marvelous speech took place between the Master and the servant, the bonding between Bharatha and Rama, and pure love between them. The people assembled were equally besieged with sorrow and happiness. Devi Kausalya who considers happiness and sorrows as equal pacified the other queens assembled in the hermitage, she narrated the virtues of Rama and transported them into a state of bliss.  The people assembled were highly praised the virtues of Rama and Bharatha as well.

 

Sage Atri advised Bharatha “Oh! Thatha, shortly we will make a visit to the woods, you can deposit the water in a beautiful well located near the mountain, I shall advise you to deposit this pure and nectar-like water in that well.” Bharatha instructed men to bring all those vessels of sacred waters, thus he and Shathrughna along with the ascetics conducted visit to the forests in the Chitrakoot ultimately arrived at the place where the well is situated. Sage Atri spoke to them pleasingly “Oh! Vathsa, this well and the mountain are there for a long time now, and this is a highly promising place for the Sadhakas who conduct austerities and penances,  it has inundated in the passage of time, later my disciples conducted a deep excavation in this place and found the large source of water, and today it has become purer with all those waters from sacred rivers. The ordinary souls do not understand the concept of Dharma, whoever takes a bath in this water would understand it, now onwards we will name it ‘Bharath Koopa’, it has multiplied its sanctity with all those sacred waters you have deposited in it. Whoever takes a dip in the ‘Bharath Koopa’ with devotion and faith would attain purity by heart, words, and actions.

 

All their way back, the ascetics and sages assembled narrated the significance of the ‘Bharath Koopa’ and arrived in the hermitage of Rama. Sage Atri narrated those glorious legends of Bharathakoopa to Raghurama as well. In this way, they happily spend the whole night describing various Dharmic legends and it lasted until the daybreak.  Bharatha and Shathrughna finished the morning rites, attired in ordinary clothes, without sandals to protect their feet went to seek the permission of preceptors, Sage Atri and Rama, and eventually left to woods to visit all those places where Rama stayed. The mother Earth made her surface compliant for the two brothers who were walking without sandals to protect their feet, she hid all those sharp grasses and stones, in this way Bhoodevi paved beautiful pathways for them. There was cool breeze carrying the rich fragrances of freshly blossomed flowers in the atmosphere, deities showered flowers, the sky was filled with rain clouds, trees, shrubs, and creepers were filled with flowers and fruits, lush green grasses added smoothness to the pathways. There were herds of deer staring at them, Cuckoo was singing melodiously, in this way, all those creatures in the forest served Bharatha and Shathrughna, knowing them are the dearest of Rama.