Sloka & Translation

[Bharata's joy on locating the hermitage of Sri Rama.]

निवेश्य सेनां तु विभुः पद्भ्यां पादवतां वरः।

अभिगन्तुं स काकुत्थ्समियेष गुरुवर्तकम्।।2.98.1।।


विभुः the lord, पादवताम् among the bipeds, वरः best, सः that Bharata, सेनाम् army, निवेश्य after encamping, गुरुवर्तकम् devoted the preceptor (father), काकुत्थ्सम् Rama, पद्भ्याम् on foot, अभिगन्तुम् to approach, इयेष wished.

On encamping the army, lord Bharata, the best among men, wished to approach on
foot Rama who was devoted to his father.
निविष्टमात्रे सैन्ये तु यथोद्देशं विनीतवत्।

भरतो भ्रातरं वाक्यं शत्रुघ्नमिदमब्रवीत्।।2.98.2।।


सैन्ये army, यथोद्देशम् in assigned places, निविष्टमात्रे after encamping, भरतः Bharata, भ्रातरम् brother, शत्रुघ्नम् to Satrughna, इदम् these words, अब्रवीत् said.

After the army encamped in the assigned places, Bharata said to his brother Satrughna thus:
क्षिप्रं वनमिदं सौम्य नरसङ्घै स्समन्ततः।

लुब्धैश्च सहितैरेभि स्त्वमन्वेषितुमर्हसि।।2.98.3।।


सौम्य O dear Satrughna, नरसङ्घै: with groups of people, सहितैः accompanied by, लुब्धैश्च in the company of hunters as well, त्वम् you, क्षिप्रम् quickly, इदं वनम् this forest, समन्ततः all over, अन्वेषितुम् to explore, अर्हसि should.

O dear Satrughna, you should explore this forest quickly along with groups of our
people and hunters as well.
गुहो ज्ञातिसहस्रेण शरचापासिधारिणा।

समन्वेषतु काकुत्स्थमस्मिन् परिवृतस्स्वयम्।।2.98.4।।


गुहः Guha, शरचापासिधारिणा armed with bows, arrows and swords, ज्ञातिसहस्रेण with a thousand kinsmen, परिवृतः surrounded by, स्वयम् himself, अस्मिन् in this forest, काकुत्स्थम् Rama, समन्वेषतु explore.

Let Guha, surrounded by a thousand kinsmen and armed with bows, arrows and swords look for Rama.
अमात्यै स्सह पौरैश्च गुरुभिश्च द्विजातिभिः।

वनं सर्वं चरिष्यामि पद्भ्यां परिवृत स्स्वयम्।।2.98.5।।


स्वयम् I myself, अमात्यैः सह with counsellors, पौरैश्च with citizens, गुरुभिश्च with preceptors, द्विजातिभिः with brahmins, परिवृतः surrounded by, सर्वम् entire, वनम् forest, पद्भ्याम् on foot, चरिष्यामि I shall move about.

'I myself shall go on foot surrounded by ministers, citizens, preceptors and brahmins and search the entire forest.
यावन्न रामं द्रक्ष्यामि लक्ष्मणं वा महाबलम्।

वैदेहीं च महाभागां न मे शान्तिर्भविष्यति।।2.98.6।।


रामम् Rama, महाबलम् powerful, लक्ष्मणं वा Lakshmana, महाभागां illustrious, वैदेहीं च Sita, यावत् till such time, न द्रक्ष्यामि I do not see, मे to me, शान्ति peace, न भविष्यति shall not come.

'I shall not rest in peace until I see Rama, powerful Lakshmana and illustrious princess of Videha (Sita).
यावन्न चन्द्रसङ्काशं द्रक्ष्यामि शुभमाननम्।

भ्रातुः पद्मपलाशाक्षं न मे शान्तिर्भविष्यति।।2.98.7।।


चन्द्रसङ्काशम् radiant as the Moon, पद्मपलाशाक्षम् eyes resembling lotuspetals, भ्रातुः brother Rama, शुभम् auspicious, आननम् face, यावत् till such time, न द्रक्ष्यामि I do not see, मे to me, शान्तिः peace, न भविष्यति shall not come.

I shall not attain peace until I see my brother, Rama whose auspicious countenance looks radiant as the Moon and whose eyes as lotuspetals.
यावन्न चरणौ भ्रातुः पार्थिवव्यञ्जनान्वितौ।

शिरसा धारयिष्यामि न मे शान्तिर्भविष्यति।।2.98.8।।


भ्रातुः brother's, पार्थिवव्यञ्जनान्वितौ bearing the signs of royalty, चरणौ feet, यावत् till such time, शिरसा with the head, न धारयिष्यामि I will not carry, मे to me, शान्ति: peace, न भविष्यति shall not come.

Peace shall not come to me until I hold on my head the feet of my brother, the insignia of royalty.
यावन्न राज्ये राज्यार्हः पितृपैतामहे स्थितः।

अभिषेकजलक्लिन्नो न मे शान्तिर्भविष्यति।।2.98.9।।


राज्यार्हः one who is worthy of this kingdom, अभिषेकजलक्लिन्नः wet with the holy waters of consecration, पितृपैतामहे pertaining to our father and forefathers, राज्ये in the kingdom, यावत् till such time, न स्थितः is not established, मे my, शान्तिः peace, न भविष्यति shall not attain.

I shall not attain peace until Rama, who is worthy of this kingdom, is sprinkled with the holy water of coronation and assumes the ancestral kingdom.
सिद्धार्थः खलु सौमित्रिर्यश्चन्द्रविमलोपमम्।

मुखं पश्यति रामस्य राजीवाक्षं महाद्युति।।2.98.10।।


यः who, चन्द्रविमलोपमम् like the spotless Moon, राजीवाक्षम् whose eyes resemble red lotuses, महाद्युति of great effulgence, रामस्य Rama's, मुखम् countenance, पश्यति beholds, सौमित्रिः Lakshmana, सिद्दार्थः खलु blessed indeed.

Lakshmana, one who beholds the highly effulgent countenance of Rama, resembling the spotless Moon and whose eyes resemble red lotuses, is blessed indeed
कृतकृत्या महाभागा वैदेही जनकात्मजा।

भर्तारं सागरान्तायाः पृथिव्या यानुगच्छति।।2.98.11।।


या that Sita, सागरान्तायाः bounded by the ocean, पृथिव्याः of the earth, भर्तारम् Rama as lord, अनुगच्छति who is following, महाभागा illustrious lady, जनकात्मजा daughter of Janaka, वैदेही princess of Videha (Sita), कृतकृत्या has accomplished her purpose.

Sita, the illustrious daughter of Janaka and princess of Videha, has accomplished her purpose by following Rama, the lord of this earth bounded by the ocean.
सुभगश्चित्रकूटोऽसौ गिरिराजोपमो गिरिः।

यस्मिन्वसति काकुत्स्थः कुबेर इव नन्दने।।2.98.12।।


काकुत्स्थ: Rama, यस्मिन् on which, कुबेरः Kubera, the lord of wealth, नन्दने इव like in the Nandana garden, वसति staying, असौ such, गिरिराजोपमः comparable to the king of the mountains, Himavan, चित्रकूटः गिरिः Chitrakuta mountain, सुभगः is fortunate.

Like Kubera in the Nandana garden, Rama lives here on mount Chitrakuta which is indeed blessed like the Himalaya, king of the mountains.
कृतकार्यमिदं दुर्गं वनं व्यालनिषेवितम्।

यदध्यास्ते महातेजा राम श्शस्त्रभृतां वरः।।2.98.13।।


शस्त्रभृताम् among those who wield weapons, वरः the foremost, महातेजाः most radiant, रामः Rama, यत् that, अध्यास्ते is dwelling, व्यालनिषेवितम् inhabited by wild animals, दुर्गम् inaccessible, इदं वनम् this forest, कृतकार्यम् accomplished its task.

Fortunate is this inaccessible forest which is inhabited by wild animals to have become the dwelling place of the most radiant Rama, the foremost among the wielders of weapons.
एवमुक्त्वा महातेजा भरतः पुरषर्षभः।

पद्भ्यामेव महाबाहुः प्रविवेश महाद्वनम्।।2.98.14।।


महातेजा: a man of great radiance, पुरुषर्षभः best of men, महाबाहुः mightyarmed, भरतः
Bharata, एवम् in this way, उक्त्वा having said, महत् great, वनम् forest, पद्भ्यामेव on foot alone, प्रविवेश entered.

Having said thus, the best of men, mightyarmed and highly energetic Bharata entered the great forest on foot.
स तानि द्रुमजालानि जातानि गिरिसानुषु।

पुष्पिताग्राणि मध्येन जगाम वदतां वरः।।2.98.15।।


वदताम् among the eloquent, वर: best, सः that, गिरिसानुषु on mountain slopes, जातानि growing, पुष्पिताग्राणि tops of trees in bloom, तानि those, द्रुमजालानि मध्येन through the midst of multitude of trees, जगाम went.

Bharata, the best among the eloquent, made his way amidst multitude of trees grown on mountain slopes with their tops in full bloom.
स गिरेश्चित्रकूटस्य सालमासाद्य पुष्पितम्।

रामाश्रमगतस्याग्नेर्ददर्श ध्वजमुच्छ्रितम्।।2.98.16।।


सः that, चित्रकूटस्य गिरेः atop Chitrakuta mountain, पुष्पितम् flowering, सालम् sala trees, असाद्य having reached, रामाश्रमगतस्य in Rama's hermitage, अग्नेः of the burning fire, उच्छ्रितं lofty, ध्वजम् banner of smoke, ददर्श beheld.

Having reached a flowering sala tree atop Chitrakuta mountain, he beheld a lofty banner of smoke rising from the fire burning in Rama's hermitage.
तं दृष्ट्वा भरत श्रीमान्मुमोद सह बान्धवः।

अत्र राम इति ज्ञात्वा गतः पारमिवाम्भसः।।2.98.17।।


श्रीमान् the majestic, सह बान्धवः with relatives, भरतः Bharata, तम् that smoke, दृष्ट्वा having seen, रामः Rama, अत्र इति here he is, ज्ञात्वा having known, अम्भसः of waters, पारम् the other bank, गतः इव having reached, मुमोद rejoiced.

On seeing the smoke, majestic Bharata in the company of relatives concluded that Rama was staying there and rejoiced like a man who had reached the other bank of the river.
स चित्रकूटे तु गिरौ निशम्यव रामाश्रमं पुण्यजनोपपन्नम्।

गुहेन सार्धं त्वरितो जगाम पुनर्निवेश्यैव चमूं महात्मा।।2.98.18।।


महात्मा the magnanimous one, सः that Bharata, चित्रकूटे गिरौ on Chitrakuta mountain, पुण्यजनोपपन्नम् inhabited by pious men, रामाश्रमम् Rama's hermitage, निशम्य having heard about, चमूम् the army, निवेश्यैव having camped at a distance, पुनः again, गुहेन सार्धम् with Guha, त्वरितः quickly, जगाम went.

Having heard of Rama's hermitage on the Chitrakuta mountain inhabited by pious men, magnanimous Bharata, commanded his army to stay at a distance, and quickly proceeded with Guha.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे अष्टनवतितमस्सर्गः।।
Thus ends the ninetyeighth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.