||Sri Ram Jeyram Jay Jay Ram ||

Chapter – 29– Ayodhya Kandam

Bharatha’s meeting with Devi Kausalya

Devi Kausalya ran towards Bharatha, to meet her dearest child, but she could to get closer to him, fell unconscious. Bharatha became helpless watching the plight of Devi Kausalya, he fell at the feet of Devi Kausalya and spoke “Oh! Mother, kindly show my father to me, where is Sita, Rama, and Lakshmana? Why did she bring on this Earth? Why did she give birth to me, and put me in extreme shame and destroyed the clan of Surya? There is no one unfortunate like me in the three worlds,  Oh! Mother, I have caused extreme grief for you. Oh! Mother, I have caused the death of my beloved father, and my dearest brothers to the forest, I have become the cause for all the troubles in Ayodhya. I have become the fire in the illustrious clan of Raghu that set fire in a cluster of bamboo forest. I hate myself for being the reason for grief, sorrows, and blemishes.” Devi Kausalya listening to the compassionate words of Bharatha stood from the floor and embraced him.

Devi Kausalya embraced Bharatha and Shathrughna as she does to Rama. Her heart was soaked in affection and grief as well; everyone praised the generosity of Kausalya and Rama. Devi Kausalya spoke in soft words “Oh! Vathsa,  you have to control your emotions, you have to understand the situation and control your grief. Oh! Son, the ‘Time’ and ‘destiny’ is beyond our control, therefore do not mourn over our troubles, God has put me in a difficult situation, we do not know his plans for us. Oh! Thatha, your elder brother Rama left to the forest without any happiness or grief, followed the order of your father, attired in saffron robes, and left behind all those royal comforts. As usual, he was pleasing, he had either ill feeling or happiness, he pacified all of us and left to the forest, Sita who is deeply in love at the lotus feet of Rama could not bear the separation from him, therefore she also followed him. Lakshmana could not control his anger and emotions went behind Rama, even though Rama tried to keep him in the palace, he did not stop. Raghupathi prostrated before everyone and took leave with Sita and Lakshman. I have not followed them to forest or I did not leave my Prana after watching them leaving for woods. Everything happened before my eyes, I am unfortunate one did not leave my Prana. I have no shame in that, that I have a virtuous son Rama. Your father knows how to live and die, but my heart is harder than Vajra, that’s why I am still alive.” Bharatha and Shathrughna became inconsolable, listening to Devi Kausalya, the palace of Ayodhya has become the abode of sorrow.

Bharatha and Shathrughna could not control their grief, Devi Kausalya embraced them and pacified, she advised Bharatha with various inspiring words. Bharatha narrated legends from scriptures and Veda to his mothers and comforted them, spoke sincere and true words to them “Oh! Mother, 1)  all those grave sins like Bhrama Hathya, Gohathya, killing parents, or killing of an entire village of twice-born, or killing of woman or fetus, killing of the companion or poisoning a King, let all those sins by deeds, actions and speech afflict me, If I was a part of the wicked plans of Devi Kaikeyi.  2) Oh! Mother, if I have been part of these treacherous deeds, let me get punished the same as the people who do not worship Lord Shiva and Lord Hari and conduct the worship of the Bhoothaganas. 3) Oh! Mother, If I was a part of this wicked deed, let me get punished like the people who sell and exploit Veda, people who manipulate righteousness, people who back stab, gossip about others sin, people who are deceitful, angry, wicked and cunning, people who disrespect Veda, people who are enemy of Universe, Lobhi, lustful, greedy, take pleasure in illegal means of wealth and enjoy illicitly relationships. 4) Oh! Mother, If  I was known the wicked deed of Kaikeyi, let LordParaeshwara keep me out the association of saints and holy men, let me keep me in the company of people who have no faith in Paramarththa, or ascetics, unfortunate humans who do not sing in praise of Lord Hari, people who do not enjoy the praise of Lord Hari and Lord Shiva, people who live a life away from the Vedic rite and follow all those immoral way of living, and be with the Panganda who fool the public in various ways.”

Devi Kausalya listening to the innocent speech of Bharatha, spoke to him affectionately “Oh! Dear child, you are most beloved of Rama, with your words, actions, and thought. Oh! Vathsa, Rama is dear than your life to you, and for him, you are beloved than his Prana. You cannot be an opponent to Rama, even if the Chandrika spit poison, ice showers fire, aquatic animals may abandon water, wisdom may not remove desire, you cannot be enemy to Rama. Whoever speaks ill about you and propagate that all those wicked deeds happened with the knowledge of you, would never attain the abode of the Lord, cannot be peaceful even in their dreams.” Devi Kausalya embraced Bharatha, with tears overflown down the cheeks. They kept talking to each other the whole night. Maharishi Vamadeva, and Vashishta called out for all the ministers and prominent members in the city. Sage Vashishta advised Bharatha and spoke the most appropriate words “Oh! Vathsa, be courageous, and perform all that required at this moment.” Bharatha began to prepare for the last rite of the King at the instruction of Sage Vashishta.

The corpse of the King was given a bath with various fragrances and kept it in a well-decorated vehicle. Bharatha prostrated at the feet of his mothers and begged them not to move to the funeral pyre, they all had the desire and hope to meet Rama after Vanavasa, so they have refused to embrace the funeral pyre. The attendants brought bundles of sandalwood, Agaru, and woods of rich fragrances, the funeral pyre was prepared on the riverbank of Sarayu, was like the ladder that touches the abode of Lord Indra. They performed the final rites and offered water and sesame seeds to the deceased soul. Bharatha sincerely followed all those Vedic rites prescribed in the scriptures; he sincerely followed all the instructions of Sage Vashishta. Once, the mourning period was over, Bharatha offered an abundance of contributions and performed various righteous deeds.   He offered cows, horses, elephants, and chariots as charities, he offered thrones, magnificent ornaments, finest clothes, grains, lands, wealth, houses, etc. to the Bhramins and attained an abundance of blessings.