||Sri Ram Jeyram Jay Jay Ram ||

 

Chapter – 42– Ayodhya Kandam

 Bharatha's meeting with Rama

Bharatha saw the hill Chitrakoot where his beloved brother settled in the forest and felt the Mountain stood like a Tapasvi who undergoes strict austerities and penances, his eyes welled up in tears watching the hill. Immediately Nishadharaja rushed towards the mountain, climbed to the hilltop and in a loud voice he informed Bharatha “Oh! Prabho, look at those auspicious trees of Peepal, Jambu, Mango, Thamala etc. There is a huge Vatavruksha in the middle of those auspicious trees, it is full of red fruits, and fresh leaves, and spreading perfect shade is stunningly beautiful to watch. Those trees are on the riverbank of Payasvini, where Raghuvara’s hermitage is situated. In front of that beautiful hermitage, you could see shrubs of Tulsi, and various auspicious plants in the little garden of Devi Sita.  She has constructed a dais with her own hands, under the huge Vataruksha situated in front of the hermitage, where they sit and listen to the stories from Purana and scriptures, and discuss the lectures of Sages and Rishis in the woods on a regular basis.”

 

Bharatha shed tears of joy, looked around the trees, Bharatha and Guha prostrated before the trees and moved forward, Devi Sharada find a lack of words describes the devotion of them. They looked for the footprints of Rama closely and felt happy like they have achieved the precious Parasmani. They adorned the dust from the footprints of Rama, on their chest, eyes, and forehead, and felt happy as if they have met Rama personally. The birds and animals in the woods showered love and compassion watching the state of Bharatha who was drenched in intense devotion at the lotus feet of Rama. Guha forgot the ways to approach the hermitage of Rama, drenched in extreme happiness and love for the brothers. The deities guided them to the hermitage and showered flower upon them. The ascetics and Siddhas praised the love of Bharatha to Rama, and highly praised them. The Supreme Lord, who is the ocean of mercy, churned the unfathomable milky ocean of nectar of love like Bharatha for the deities, ascetics, Rishis, and Sages.  Lakshmana could not see Bharatha, Shatrughna, and Guha in the wilderness of the forest, but Bharatha could see the auspicious and beautiful hermitage of Rama. The moment they reached the vicinity of the hermitage, Bharatha forgot his pain and afflictions; it was like a Yogi attained the Paramarththa. Bharatha saw Lakshmana stood in front of Rama and affectionately answering his queries. He was attired in saffron robes and has matted hair locks; he was wielded in bow and arrow. Rama was seated on the raised platform under the Vatavruksha along with the Rishis and Sages, his dark cloud complexioned body was attired in saffron robes and has matted hair locks, and Devi Sita was seated next to him shone like Kamadeva and Devi Rathi in the saffron robes. Rama was wielded in bow and arrow, has a pleasant smile on his face that would take away all the troubles of the saints assembled. Rama and Sita were seated in the middle of the ascetics, Lakshman and Sages.  The pair Rama and Devi Sita have the appearance of Sachidhananda and Bhakti in the assembly of wisdom.

 

Bharatha could not control his happiness watching Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana, he forgot all the troubles and pain of separation, fallen like a block of wood at the feet of Rama and cried out loudly “Oh! Swami, Oh! Natha, kindly protect me.” Lakshmana understood the rush of the love of Bharatha, he has that love for brother on one side and the duty and responsibility to his master Rama and Devi Sita. He did not welcome or unwelcome Bharatha, he stood firm without any movement, the state of mind of Lakshmana is describable only for intelligent poets. Lakshmana who was duty-bound touched the feet of Rama and said “ Raghunatha, Bharatha prostrating before you.” Srirama could not control the rush of emotions, abruptly raised form the seat leaving his upper clothing, and the bow and arrows, he affectionately carried Bharatha from the ground and embraced him tightly. The people who assembled were transported to a state of supreme ecstasy, watching the love of Rama and Bharatha. How did I describe that most beautiful moment? The deities alarmed watching the love of the two brothers; Sage Bhrihaspathi pacified them not to get worried about the meeting of Bharatha and Rama. The deities showered flowers upon Rama and Bharatha and praised their overwhelming love for each other. Rama embraced Shathrughna and met Guha, Bharatha embraced Lakshmana, in this way, and the four of them remained in the embrace of each other, the union of those four brothers spread intense happiness in the atmosphere.

 

Bharatha and Shathrughna prostrated before the Sages and Rishis assembled and received their blessings, they prostrated before Devi Sita, and dust from her feet adorned on their forehead, they repeatedly prostrated before that Jagathjanani, Jaganmatha, Paramba, Bhagavathi Devi Sita. She blessed them heartily, she was in a state of ecstasy, Bharatha and Shathrughna understood Jagathjanani is most promising, it removed their trepidations instantly, none of them spoke about the past unpleasant events took place in Ayodhya.