||Sri Ram Jeyram Jay Jay Ram ||

Chapter – 32– Ayodhya Kandam

Bharatha's journey to the forest

The ministers, preceptors and the prominent people of Ayodhya highly appreciated Bharatha for his pure love for Rama, his nectar-like words impressed everyone, listening to the marvelous speech of Bharatha worked like an herb, capable to remove the toxic poison, and it was like sacred Manthra/Beejakshara for the people of Ayodhya who were already besieged with the pain of separation from Rama.  All the people assembled in the hall were become too emotional, watching the pure love and affection of Bharatha to his elder brother; they repeatedly praised Bharatha and spoke “Oh! Bharatha, you are the essence of love for Rama, Oh! Dear Bharatha, it is not surprising to watch you like this, because you are dear than life for Rama. Whoever mistake you or abandon you for the wickedness of your mother, they will live with their ancestors in the hell for crores of  Kalpa. The gem of a serpent won’t get blemished for the sin committed by the serpent; instead, it would cure all the miseries, poison, poverty, and the sufferings. Oh! Bharatha, you have brought a brilliant idea before the assembly, we all will go to the forest where Rama lives, you have given an idea which would help us to get relieved from the ocean of grief.”

Everyone in the assembly felt extremely happy like the Chathaka bird and peacock, and decided to leave on the next morning, they collectively replied “Bharatha is extremely fortune’, the members of the assembly bow down before the preceptor, and bade farewell to Bharatha. Thus they have begun the preparation to leave to the forest, their love and respect for Bharatha multiplied, all the villagers made arrangements for their journey, and the people who were appointed to look after the homes and palace felt disappointed, none has the opinion to stay back in the village, everyone wants to attain the fruitfulness of their life to meet Rama. They do not want to stay back and take care of their wealth, properties or possessions, families, friends, parents, or children.  They are collectively replied “We do not bother about our wealth or family; it has no use without the grace of Rama.”

All the homes in the city of Ayodhya had their own vehicle ready to leave to the forest; they were impatiently waiting for the dawn. Bharatha returned to his fortress and immersed in thoughts “The kingdom, cities, wealth, horses, elephants, palace, etc. are belongs to Raghupathi, I cannot leave them like that, I should keep them protected, otherwise, it would be an irresponsible act against Rama, that would be equal to grave sin, I should be a sincere servant to Rama and always look for the welfare of him.” Bharatha immediately called out for his sincere servants who do not change their minds not even in their dreams. They were righteous and honest, Bharatha taught them Dharma and given thorough instruction to keep the Kingdom safe in his absence advised taking care of the treasures of the palace, in this way he made arrangements for the safety of the wealth, kingdom, and possessions of Rama.  Bharatha returned to his mother’s fortress, found them in grief, further he went to make arrangements for the palanquin for the members of the family to travel to the forest. The people of the city of Ayodhya were like Chakravaha, waited for the crack of light, they did not sleep the whole night.

Bharatha called for highly intelligent ministers and informed: “Kindly make all the arrangements for the coronation ceremony, Sage Vashishta would perform the rite in the wood and get you ready for the journey.” The ministers arranged several thousand chariots, palanquins, horses, elephants, etc. Sage Vashishta with his chaste wife Devi Arundhathi, with all those Mangaladhravya for the coronation ceremony, seated in the first palanquin, the ascetics, illustrious Rishis, Sages, and several twice-born settled in the different palanquin, Queens took a seat in the magnificent palanquin, the people of Ayodhya got into their own vehicles and set to Chitrakoot. The kingdom and the treasures were left under the safe custodian of the righteous attendants, Bharatha and Lakshmana contemplating upon the lotus feet of Rama and Devi Sita got in the procession. The huge procession of the people of Ayodhya traveled through the dense forest has the resemblance that the male and female elephants chasing to quench their thirst. Bharatha and Shathrughna remembered Rama and Sita’s life in the forest without even sandals to protect their feet; they immediately got out of the chariot and walked through the rough pathways, watching their love and respect for Rama, the people abandoned their vehicles and followed Bharatha and Shathrughna. Devi Kausalya’s palanquin moved closer to Bharatha, and Devi called out Bharatha affectionately “Oh! Dear child, kindly get into the chariot, you are dear as my life, and otherwise, all those people following you were find it difficult to move forward. If you walk, all of them would follow you, they are already emaciated with the grief, and therefore they are not fit to walk on the rough pathways to the forest.” Bharatha sincerely prostrated at the feet of mother Kausalya and got into the chariot.