SRI RAGHAVENDRA SWAMY’S SRI RAMACHARITRYA MANJARI (ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಘವೆಂದ್ರ ಸ್ವಾಮಿ ವಿರಚಿತ “ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮಚಾರಿತ್ರ್ಯ ಮಂಜರಿ ಅರ್ಥವಿವರಣೆ)

  SRI RAGHAVENDRA SWAMY’S SRI RAMACHARITRYA MANJARI

(ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಘವೆಂದ್ರ ಸ್ವಾಮಿ ವಿರಚಿತ “ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮಚಾರಿತ್ರ್ಯ ಮಂಜರಿ ಅರ್ಥವಿವರಣೆ)

  Bharata goes to forest to bring back Sri Rama

  ರಾಮವನವಾಸಕ್ಲೇಶೇನ ತನ್ನಿವೃತ್ತಯೇ ರಾಮಂ ದ್ರಷ್ಟುಂ ಮಾತ್ರಾದಿಸರ್ವಜನೈಃ ಸಹ ರಾಮಮಾರ್ಗೇಣೈವ ಚಿತ್ರಕೂಟಂ ಪ್ರಾಪ್ಯ...|

  RAmavanavAsaklEshEna tannivruttayE RAmam draShTum mAtrAdisarvajanaihi saha RAmamArgENaiva ChitrakUTam prApya…||

  Meaning: With a view to get rid of the distress caused by the departure of Sri Rama to the forest and to see Sri Rama, Bharata goes to Chitrakuta by following the same route that Sri Rama had gone by. He was accompanied by his mother, other queens and civilians.

  Although sage Vasishtha and many others forced and enticed Bharata to ascend the throne, he did not budge. He categorically said that he would not tolerate the view of his mother Kaikeyi that he should ascend the throne. He was bent on defusing the desire of his mother that her son should be the successor of Dasharatha. Everyone in Ayodhya praised Bharata for his noble thought and decided to accompany him to the forest and to the place Rama might have set up his shelter. When Guha first saw Bharata, the hunter king mistook Bharata that he was trying to make the future way clear by removing Rama. Therefore, Guha prepares to confront Bharata, physically and mentally. But, Guha was moved by the emotions that Bharata displayed. Bharata goes on to say that as desired by his mother, he would stay in the forest for fourteen years instead of Rama. He spends a night with Guha. Next day, sage Bharadwaja felicitates Bharata and his entire cavalcade. Sage Bharadwaja divulges to Bharata that in reality, Rama had to go to forest for accomplishing a divine task and for that, he needed a reason, which had come up through Manthara and Kaikeyi.

  Bharata continues his journey and on the way, he enquired about the residence of Rama. As a large number of people were walking through the dusty terrain in the forest, a cloud of dust emanated from their footfall. Lakshmana climbed a tree to check the origin of the dust that was rising up to the sky. When he saw the chariots and Bharata in the forefront, Lakshmana mistakes that a battle was imminent. He prepares for the war and vows to kill Bharata and his entire army alone. Rama pacified Lakshmana and asked him to wait. Rama tells Lakshma

na: “Bharata is not highheaded. He is very calm and kind. He has come to see you, Seetha and I. Control your mind.”

  “ಸ್ವಾಂಬಾಭಿಃ ಚಿತ್ರಕೂಟಂ ಪ್ರಪನ್ನಂ ಅಮಲಂ ತಂ ನಿಜಂ ಭ್ರಾತರಂ”|

  “SwAmbABhihi ChitrakUTam prapannam amalam tam nijam BhrAtaram”|

  Sri Rama saw his brother Bharata, who had come to Chitrakoota with his mother without any evil thoughts or other drawbacks.      

  In the next episode, the conversation between Bharata and Rama will be narrated. Please read, comment and share. SDN