Bharata's Army

Rāma's exile had come about because Bharata's mother, Queen Kaikeyī, had asked King Daśaratha to send Rāma into the forest and to make her own son Bharata king. Daśaratha died grieving for Rāma. When Bharata came after Rāma to bring him back, he halted his whole army a krośa from Bharadvāja's hermitage and went on foot with his ministers, his weapons laid aside, behind the family priest Vasiṣṭha. Bharadvāja rose from his seat to welcome Vasiṣṭha, and asked after their kingdom, but knowing that Daśaratha was dead, he did not ask after the king.

Then, for love of Rāma, he asked Bharata: Why have you come to the forest when you should be ruling? Rāma was sent away to the forest for fourteen years. I hope you do not mean harm to your blameless brother, so that you can enjoy the kingdom without a rival.

Bharata's eyes filled with tears. I am lost, he said, if even a holy man like you thinks that of me. What my mother asked for my sake I never wanted. I have come to bow at Rāma's feet and bring him back to Ayodhyā. Tell me where he is.

Bharadvāja said, This becomes you, tiger among men. I knew what was in your heart. I only asked so that your resolve might be firmer and your fame shine brighter. Rāma is living on the great mountain Citrakūṭa. Go there tomorrow. Stay here today.

Then he told Bharata he wished to feast his army. Bharata said he had left the army behind so that the horses and elephants would not harm the hermitage, its trees and waters and huts. But Bharadvāja told him to bring them, and went into the fire house, sipped water, and called on Viśvakarman and Tvaṣṭṛ, the craftsmen of the gods, on the guardians of the worlds and the gods with Indra, on the rivers, on the gandharvas, the singers of heaven, and on the apsarases, on the heavenly forest of the northern Kurus, whose trees bear garments and ornaments, and on the god Soma to provide every kind of food, to make ready a welcome for the army.

He sat facing east with joined hands, and they came. A cool wind blew from the Malaya mountains, flowers fell, drums of the gods sounded, and apsarases danced while gandharvas sang. The ground grew level for five yojanas on every side and covered with grass like blue gems, with fruit trees and a divine forest and a river, and with mansions and stables and gateways, and seats and beds, and food of every kind. With the sage's leave Bharata entered a house full of jewels. There was a royal throne with the umbrella and the yak-tail fan, and Bharata bowed to it as Rāma's seat, took up the fan, and sat down in the minister's seat.

All night the soldiers ate and drank and bathed in the rivers, and were given fresh garments, and their horses and elephants were fed. We will not go back to Ayodhyā, they cried, and we will not go on to the Daṇḍaka forest. This is heaven. And they shouted, May all go well with Bharata, and happiness to Rāma. In the morning the rivers and the gandharvas and all the women took their leave of Bharadvāja and went away as they had come.

Bharata came to the sage with joined hands and thanked him, and asked the way to Rāma. Bharadvāja told him: two and a half yojanas away in the empty forest is Citrakūṭa, with the river Mandākinī on its northern side, and Rāma's leaf hut beyond. The queens came and touched his feet, and he asked Bharata which of them was which. When Bharata spoke bitterly of his mother Kaikeyī, the sage said to him: You must not blame Kaikeyī, Bharata. This exile of Rāma will turn to good for the gods and the sages. Only good will come of it.

Bharata went on to Citrakūṭa, but Rāma would not break his father's command and come home. He gave Bharata his sandals as a pledge, and Bharata went back and ruled the kingdom in Rāma's name, waiting for his return.