Sloka & Translation

[Bharata expresses his desire to bring back Rama --- enquires the way to Bharadwaja's hermitage.]

ēvamuktastu bharatō niṣādādhipatiṅ guham.

pratyuvāca mahāprājñō vākyaṅ hētvarthasaṅhitam৷৷2.85.1৷৷


ēvam thus, uktaḥ having spoken, mahāprājñaḥ great intellectual, bharataḥ Bharata, niṣādādhipatim the overlord of the nishadas, guham Guha, hētvarthasaṅhitam in well thought out and significant, vākyam words, pratyuvāca replied.

When thus spoken to, Bharata, a great intellectual, replied to Guha with these well thought out and meaningful words.
ūrjitaḥ khalu tē kāmaḥ kṛtō mama gurōssakhē.

yō mē tvamīdṛśīṅ sēnāmēkō.bhyarcitumicchasi৷৷2.85.2৷৷


mama my, gurōḥ elder brother's, sakhē friend, yaḥ tvam you, ēkaḥ alone, īdṛśīm this large, sēnām army, abhyarcitum to extend hospitality, icchasi want, tē your, kṛtaḥ done, kāmaḥ desire, ūrjitaḥ khalu is indeed great.

O dear friend of my elder brother, your desire to extend hospitality to this large army all alone is indeed noble.
ityuktvā tu mahātējā guhaṅ vacanamuttamam.

abravīdbharata śśrīmānaniṣādādhipatiṅ punaḥ৷৷2.85.3৷৷


mahātējāḥ of great radiance, śrīmān the majestic one, bharataḥ Bharata, guham to Guha, uttamam courteous, vacanam word, uktvā tu having said, punaḥ again, niṣādādhipatim addressing king of the nishadas, abravīt said.

Having spoken to Guha courteously, the majestic, radiant Bharata continued:
katarēṇa gamiṣyāmi bharadvājāśramaṅ guha.

gahanō.yaṅ bhṛśaṅ dēśō gaṅgā.nūpō duratyayaḥ৷৷2.85.4৷৷


guha Guha, katarēṇa by which path, bharadvājāśramam to the hermitage of Bharadwaja, gamiṣyāmi can I go, gaṅganūpaḥ marshy banks of Ganga, ayam this, dēśaḥ region, bhṛśam highly, gahanaḥ is
dense, duratyayaḥ very difficult to traverse.

O Guha! this region of Ganga with its dense forest is very difficult to cross. How can I reach the hermitage of Bharadwaja?
tasya tadvacanaṅ śrutvā rājaputrasya dhīmataḥ.

abravītprāñjalirvākyaṅ guhō gahanagōcaraḥ৷৷2.85.5৷৷


dhīmataḥ of the sagacious, tasya rājaputrasya of that king's son, tat vacanam those words, śrutvā having heard, gahanagōcaraḥ one who ranges in the dense forest, guhaḥ Guha, prāñjaliḥ with folded palms (in reverence), vākyam these words, abravīt spoke.

When he heard those words of the sagacious Bharata, Guha the forest ranger answered him reverentially with folded palms.
dāśāstvā.nu.gamiṣyanti dhanvinassusamāhitāḥ.

ahaṅ tvānugamiṣyāmi rājaputra mahāyaśaḥ৷৷2.85.6৷৷


mahāyaśaḥ a man of great renown, rājaputraḥ king's son, dhanvinaḥ armed with bows, dāśāḥ fishermen, susamāhitāḥ well-prepared, tvā you, anugamiṣyanti shall follow, aham I, tvā you, anugamiṣyāmi shall follow.

O prince of great renown! I shall follow you, well-prepared with these fishermen, armed with bows.
kacchinnaduṣṭō vrajasi rāmasyākliṣṭakarmaṇaḥ.

iyaṅ tē mahatī sēnā śaṅkāṅ janayatīva mē৷৷2.85.7৷৷


akliṣṭakarmaṇaḥ of unwearied actions, rāmasya towards Rama, duṣṭaḥ bearing ill-will, na vrajasi kacchit are you not going to that place?, mahatī large, tē your, iyaṅ sēnā this army, mē to me, śaṅkām doubt, janayatīva as though arouses.

Are you not going to that place with the evil intention of causing harm to Rama of unwearied actions? This large army of yours arouses doubts in me.
tamēvamabhibhāṣantamākāśa iva nirmalaḥ.

bharataśślakṣṇayā vācā guhaṅ vacanamabravīt৷৷2.85.8৷৷


ākāśaḥ iva like the sky, nirmalaḥ tranquil, bharataḥ Bharata, ēvam thus, abhibhāṣantam talking, taṅ guham addressing Guha, ślakṣṇayā in gentle, vācā voice, vacanam words, abravīt said.

When he heard Guha thus speaking, Bharata who was as tranquil as the sky, said to him in a gentle voice.
mābhūtsa kālō yatkaṣṭaṅ na māṅ śaṅkitumarhasi.

rāghava ssahi mē bhrātā jyēṣṭhaḥ pitusamō mataḥ৷৷2.85.9৷৷


yat which, kaṣṭam calamity, saḥ kālaḥ that time, mā bhūt shall not come, mām to me, śaṅkitum to suspect, nārhasi you should not, mē my, jyēṣṭhaḥ eldest, bhrātā brother, saḥ rāghavaḥ that Rama, pitṛsamaḥ is equal to my father, mataḥ hi he has been held in high esteem.

That calmitous time will never come (again). You should not suspect me. I look upon Rama, my eldest brother, as my father.
taṅ nivartayituṅ yāmi kākutsthaṅ vanavāsinam.

buddhiranyā na tē kāryā guha satyaṅ bravīmi tē৷৷2.85.10৷৷


vanavāsinam residing in the forest, tam kākutstham to that scion of the Kakutsthas, nivartayitum to bring back, yāmi I am going, guha O Guha, tē to you, anyā other, buddhi: thought, na kāryā not to be entertained, tē to you, satyam truth, bravīmi I am telling.

I am going to bring back that scion of the kakutsthas (Rama) who resides in the forest. O Guha, do not entertain any other thought. I am tellng you the truth.
sa tu saṅhṛṣṭavadana śśrutvā bharatabhāṣitam.

punarēvābravīdvākyaṅ bharataṅ prati harṣitaḥ৷৷2.85.11৷৷


bharatabhāṣitam Bharata's words, śrutvā on hearing, saṅhṛṣṭavadanaḥ one whose is face beaming with joy, saḥ tu that Guha, harṣitaḥ delighted, bharataṅ prati looking at Bharata, punarēva once again, vākyam these words, abravīt said.

When he heard those words of Bharata, Guha was delighted and his face beamed with joy as he said to Bharata:
dhanyastvaṅ na tvayā tulyaṅ paśyāmi jagatītalē.

ayatnādāgataṅ rājyaṅ yastvaṅ tyaktumihēcchasi৷৷2.85.12৷৷


yaḥ tvam such a man as you are, iha now, ayatnāt effortlessly, āgatam arrived, rājyam kingdom, tyaktum to renounce, icchasi wish, tvam you, dhanyaḥ are blessed, tvayā your, tulyam equal, jagatītalē on this earth, na paśyāmi I do not see.

Blessed indeed you are as you desire to renounce the kingdom that has come to you effortlessly. I see none equal to you on this earth.
śāśvatī khalu tē kīrtirlōkānanucariṣyati.

yastvaṅ kṛcchragataṅ rāmaṅ pratyānayitumicchasi৷৷2.85.13৷৷


yaḥ tvam you, kṛcchragatam who is in great difficulty, rāmam Rama, pratyānayitum to bring back, icchasi desire, tē your, śāśvatī everlasting, kīrtiḥ fame, lōkān in this world, anucariṣyati will spread.

You desire to bring back Rama who is in great difficulty. This everlasting fame of yours will spread all over the world.
ēvaṅ sambhāṣamāṇasya guhasya bharataṅ tadā.

babhau naṣṭaprabhassūryō rajanī cābhyavartata৷৷2.85.14৷৷


tadā then, guhasya Guha's, ēvaṅ thus, bharataṅ to Bharata, sambhāṣamāṇasya while conversing, sūryaḥ sun, naṣṭaprabhaḥ diminished light, babhau shone, rajanī ca night, abhyavartata set in.

As Guha was thus conversing with Bharata, the rays of the Sun diminished and the night set in.
sannivēśya sa tāṅ sēnāṅ guhēna paritōṣitaḥ.

śatrughnēna saha śrīmāñchayanaṅ samupāgamat৷৷2.85.15৷৷


śrīmān fortunate Bharata, saḥ he, tāṅ sēnāṅ that army, sannivēśya having encamped, guhēna with Guha, paritōṣitaḥ gratified, śatrughnēna saha along with Satrughna, śayanaṅ sleep, samupāgamat obtained.

Fortunate Bharata gratified by Guha encamped his army and retired to bed along with Satrughna.
rāmacintāmaya śśōkō bharatasya mahātmanaḥ.

upasthitō hyanarhasya dharmaprēkṣasya tādṛśaḥ৷৷2.85.16৷৷


mahātmanaḥ of the magnanimous, dharmaprēkṣasya of a man of righteous outlook, anarhasya of him who does not deserve (grief), bharatasya Bharata's, tādṛśaḥ such, rāmacintāmayaḥ filled with the
thought of Rama, śōkaḥ grief, upasthitaḥ hi had befallen.

But the thought of Rama caused grief to the magnanimous Bharata, a man of righteous outlook who did not deserve such grief.
antardāhēna dahanassantāpayati rāghavam.

vanadāhābhisantaptaṅ gūḍhō.gniriva pādapam৷৷2.85.17৷৷


vanadāhābhisantaptaṅ dried by forest fire, pādapaṅ tree, gūḍhaḥ hidden, agniriva like a fire, rāghavam Bharata, dahanaḥ grief, antardāhēna burning within himself, santāpayati scorching.

Just like a concealed forest-fire scorching the dried up forest, the fire of sorrow kindled in his mind scorched Bharata.
prasṛtassarvagātrēbhyassvēdaṅ śōkāgnisambhavam.

yathā sūryāṅśusantaptō himavān prasṛtōhimam৷৷2.85.18৷৷


sūryāṅśusantaptaḥ heated by the Sun's rays, himavān Himalayas, yathā just as, himaṅ ice, prasṛtaḥ melted, sarvagātrēbhyaḥ from all limbs, śōkāgnisambhavam caused by the fire of grief, svēdam sweat, prasṛtaḥ poured out.

Like the ice melted by the heat of the Sun's rays flows down the Himalayas, sweat poured from all parts of his body caused by the fire of grief.
dhyānanirdharaśailēna viniśśvasitadhātunā.

dainyapādapasaṅghēna śōkāyāsādhiśṛṅgiṇā৷৷2.85.19৷৷

pramōhānantasattvēna santāpauṣadhivēṇunā.

ākrāntō duḥkhaśailēna mahatā kaikayīsutaḥ৷৷2.85.20৷৷


kaikayīsutaḥ Kaikeyi's son, dhyānanirdharaśailēna by the cavityless rocks of that mountain of
contemplation, viniḥśvasitadhātunā by the minerals of heaving sighs, dainyapādapasaṅghēna by the multitude of trees in the form of dejection, śōkāyāsādhiśṛṅgiṇā by the peaks of sorrow fatigue and mental distress, pramōhānantasattvēna by the countless creatures of stupor, santāpauṣadhivēṇunā by the bamboo tree of sorrow, mahatā great, duḥkhaśailēna by the mountains of grief, ākrāntaḥ was invaded.

Bharata, son of Kaikeyi was stricken by a lofty mountain of grief. The cavityless rocks of that mountain were his contemplation, the minerals were his sighs, the multitude of trees were his desolation, peaks were his fatigue and mental distress, the unlimited number of animals were his stupor, the bamboo tree was his sorrow.
viniśśvasanvai bhṛśadurmanāstataḥ pramūḍhasaṅjñaḥ paramāpadaṅ gataḥ.

śamaṅ na lēbhē hṛdayajvarārditō nararṣabhō yūthahatō yatharṣabhaḥ৷৷2.85.21৷৷


tataḥ then, nararṣabhaḥ best among men (Bharata), viniśśvasan heaving sighs, bhṛśadurmanāḥ with greatly distraught mind, pramūḍhasaṅjñaḥ with bewildered senses, paramāpadaṅ a great calamity, gataḥ caught, hṛdayajvarārditaḥ oppressed by the fever raging his heart, yūthahataḥ separated from the herd, ṛṣabhaḥ yathā like a bull, śamaṅ peace of mind, na lēbhē did not get.

Then best of men, Bharata, with highly distraught mind and heaving sighs, with senses bewildered and oppressed by the fever raging in his heart and caught in a great calamity, like a bull separated from the herd enjoyed no peace of mind.
guhēna sārdhaṅ bharatassamāgatō mahānubhāvassajanassamāhitaḥ.

sudurmanāstaṅ bharataṅ tadā punarguha ssamāśvāsayadagrajaṅ prati৷৷2.85.22৷৷


mahānubhāvaḥ magnanimous, sajanaḥ along with his people, bharataḥ Bharata, samāhitaḥ with a composed mind, guhēna sārdhaṅ with Guha, samāgataḥ joined, tadā then, sudurmanāḥ with greatly distraught mind, guhaḥ Guha, taṅ bharatam that Bharata, punaḥ again, agrajaṅ prati about elder brother Rama, āśvāsayat consoled.

Bharata, a man of great magnanimity, joined Guha together with his people with composed mind. Then Guha, greatly distraught, again consoled Bharata regarding his elder brother Rama.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē pañcāśītitamassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the eightyfifth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.