||Sri Ram Jeyram Jay Jay Ram ||

Chapter – 41– Ayodhya Kandam

Bharatha's journey to the hermitage of Rama in Chitrakoot

The deities highly praised Rama’s love and compassion towards Bharatha, and eulogized “Rama is an ocean of mercy, and incomparable, If Bharatha was not born who will protect the righteousness on the Earth? Oh! Raghunatha, you are the knower of all, you are thoroughly aware of the virtues of Bharatha, even the poets cannot sing in praise of the love between these brothers.” Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana felt immensely happy listening to the deities.

Bharatha took a dip in the river Mandakini and obtained the permission of preceptors, twice-born, sages and Rishis, and mothers to the hermitage of Rama. Thus Bharatha, Shathrughna, ministers, and Guha left to the place where the hermitage of Rama was situated.  All his way, Bharatha felt so embarrassed remembering his mother’s deeds, and sincerely prayed to Lord “Rama, Lakshmana and Sita should not leave the hermitage after hearing my arrival in Chitrakoot, Rama should not mistake me as I was a part of the wicked deed of my mother, I am definite that Rama will not abandon me, he will forgive my mistakes and sins. If he abandons me or accepts me, one thing is sure; his lotus feet are my safest asylum.  Rama is magnanimous, I have all the impurities, and definitely, he will forgive me.” Bharatha continued the journey through the woods, he was feeling weak due to anxiousness and embarrassment, his mother’s sin put pressure on his shoulders, did not let him walk forward, his intense devotion to Raghunatha, and courage made to walk further, the remembrance of Raghunatha increased the speed of his walk, he felt easy like the fly moving along with the flowing water. Nishadharaja closely watched the movements of Bharatha, felt happy to watch his intense love and respect for Rama; he forgot his exhaustion, and walked along with Bharatha. They have witnessed various auspicious omens; Nishadharaja spoke “Oh! Sakha, we will get rid of our grief very soon, but our happiness will be short-lived.” Bharatha understood the truth of Nishadharaja’s speech.   They entered into the dense wood and mountain hills, it was like serving a hungry with meals to Bharatha, instantly he got rid of the Thapathray/Adhibhauthika, Adhidheivika, and Adhyathmika, he felt relieved from the evil effects caused by the changes in the planetary positions, it was like the world recovered from an epidemic, it was like the people who lived well-protected under the regime of a righteous ruler.

As soon as Rama settled in the wood, the beauty and the richness of the woodlands multiplied, the stunning wood resembled the Kingdom, wisdom as the King and Vairagya as the minister, Yama, and Niyama as chief warriors ruled that Kingdom.   The Mount Chitrakoot resembled the palace, serenity, intellect, virtues become the queens in the palace, and in this way, the entire woodlands took shelter under the lotus feet of Rama and lived a blissful life. It conquered the lust and desires, and the King ruled wisely, therefore there was absolute bliss, happiness and welfare prevailed in the wood. There were several ascetics, Sages and Rishis lived in the woods, their hermitage resembled the village in the Kingdom.   The different species of birds and animals were the Praja of the woods.  The various animals, rabbits, deer, lion, tiger, elephants, buck, goat, bear, boar, ox, etc. enthusiastically wandered all over the woods in complete harmony, resembled Chathurangasena of the King. The streams and watercourses running down from the hills with melodious sounds, the untamed elephants produced the sounds of trumpets resembled Dhundhubi. The chirping sound of Cuckoo, Chathaka, Chakora, Parrots, was like pleasant music to ears enhances the happiness of the listeners. The honey bees were buzzing all around the fresh alluring flowers; the peacocks were performing marvelous dances, like the prosperity and festivities in the Kingdom. The trees and creepers were filled with rich fragrant flowers and fruits, the complete atmosphere in the woods have become highly auspicious and blissful.