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Rama, travelling in the aerial
car towards Ayodhya, lands at the hermitage of Bharadwaja the sage. When Rama
enquires of Bhardwaja about the welfare of
Ayodhya-City, Bharata and his mothers. Bharadwaja informs Rama about their
welfare. Further, the sage informs that by virtue of his asceticism, he could
know everything about the exploits of Rama from the day he left Ayodhya, till
he destroyed Ravana. Then, Rama seeks a boon from Bharadwaja, asking him to
make the trees on the route to Ayodhya, to bear fruit in the off-season for
which the sage grants the boon. Thereupon, the troops of monkeys feasted on
those fruits at will. |
After completion of fourteen years
of his exile and on the fifth day of the bright half of the lunar month of Ashvayuja (roughly corresponding to the month of
September), Rama, who was disciplined even now, reaching the hermitage of the
sage Bharadwaja, offered his salutation to the sage.
Having offered
his obeisance to Bharadwaja, who was rich in asceticism, Rama enquired (of
him): "Have you heard, O venerable one, of Ayodhya City having an
abundance of food and free from disease? Is that Bharata attentive in his rule?
I hope my mothers are still alive."
Hearing the words
of Rama, Bharadwaja the great sage, quite rejoiced as he was, smilingly replied
to Rama (as follows): "Bharata, with his mud-smeared
limbs 9throwing the burden and blame ie. mud and with matted locks, as also placing your
wooden-sandals before him, is looking forward for your arrival. All are safe at
your home and in the city. O Rama, the victorious in battles! Formerly, on seeing you
penetrating deeply into the great forest on foot, with the sole intention of
practicing virtue, clad in pieces of bark, going away from sovereignty,
deprived of all enjoyments, like an immortal fallen from heaven, having
renounced all your possession, with
your spouse (Seetha) as the third (of your party besides Lakshmana and yourself),
resolved in carrying out the behest of your father and intent on implementing
the pledge given (by your father) to Kaikeyi and living on wild roots and
fruits, pity arose in me earlier."
"But now, a
great delight occurred to me, on seeing you, having fulfilled your purpose,
that you have conquered your enemies and are accompanied by your host of
friends and relatives. That joy and sorrow
experienced by you in abundance while residing in Janasthana-forest in
completely known to me, O Rama!"
"While you
were busy in protecting all the ascetics who prayed you for safeguarding the
interests of Brahmanas, this irreproachable wife of yours was taken away by
Ravana."
"O Rama, devoted to virtue! Even the appearance
of Mareecha, the abduction of Seetha by Ravana, the sight of Kabandha, your
arrival at the Pampa lake, your alliance with Sugreeva, how Vali was killed by
you, the search-operation for Seetha, the exploit of Hanuma, the tracing of
Seetha, how the bridge, Nalasetu was constructed
(over the sea), how the City of Lanka was set fire by the rejoiced
monkey-chiefs, how that Ravana who was the thorn in the side of gods and how
was arrogant of his might, was killed in battle, with his sons kinsfolk and his
ministers as the gods happened, how a boon was conferred by them on you- all
this is known to me by virtue of my asceticism. My disciples, who were
accustomed to report to me the news, used to go to Ayodhya-City from
here."
"The friends, the riches and the grains are highly honoured in this world. Mother and mother-land are far
superior to even the heaven."
This sloka
is seen in the edition published by Hindi Prachara
Press, Madras in 1930 by T.R. Krishna chary, Editor and T. R. Vemkoba chary the publisher.
Bowing to the aforesaid statement
of the sage with his head bent low, highly pleased as he was and saying,
"By all means" the glorious prince (Rama) asked of him the following
boon: "O venerable sir! Let all the trees on the way,
even as I fly to Ayodhya, bear fruit even in the off-season and flow with
honey. Let abundant fruits of various kinds, emitting the fragrance of nectar,
appear on them."
Once the
consent of the sage was given in the words "be it
so", the trees there grew to be closely like the heavenly trees. Then, for an extent of three yojanas (twenty four miles) on all sides, in the direction
of their travel, the trees that no longer bore fruit, were laden with fruit and
those which had ceased to blossom looked charming with blossom. The withered
trees were fully clothed with foliage and further began to flow with honey.
Highly rejoiced
who had conquered the heaven, those monkey-chiefs thereupon consumed at will,
thousands of many of those wonderful fruits.
Thus, this is the 124th chapter in
Yuddha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© October 2009, K. M. K. Murthy