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Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 73: Bharata’s plan to restore Rāma
Summary. He refuses the prepared abhiṣeka, orders its materials taken to the forest and commissions a road for the expedition
Sequence
- On the fourteenth morning, the officials ask Bharata to accept the prepared abhiṣeka and protect the leaderless Kingdom (2.73.1–5)
- he respectfully walks around the ceremonial vessels but refuses: in their family the eldest should rule (2.73.6–8)
- he orders an army readied and the abhiṣeka materials brought along so that Rāma can be crowned in the forest and escorted home (2.73.9–11)
- he offers to spend the fourteen years in exile himself → he directs workers to prepare the route, with scouts and guards along it (2.73.12–13)
- the people and ministers welcome his decision, and the work begins. (2.73.14–17)
Verses 2.73.1–17
2.73.1
tataḥ prabhātasamaye divase 'tha caturdaśe
sametya rājakartāro bharataṃ vākyam abruvan
Then at daybreak, on the fourteenth day, the king-makers assembled and spoke these words to Bharata:
Words: tataḥ — then; prabhātasamaye — at daybreak; divase 'tha — and on the day; caturdaśe — fourteenth; sametya — having assembled; rājakartāro — the king-makers; bharataṃ — to Bharata; vākyam — words; abruvan — spoke
2.73.2
gato daśarathaḥ svargaṃ yo no gurutaro guruḥ
rāmaṃ pravrājya vai jyeṣṭhaṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ ca mahābalam
Daśaratha, who was the most venerable elder to us, has gone to heaven, having exiled his eldest son Rāma and the mighty Lakṣmaṇa.
Words: gato — has gone; daśarathaḥ — Daśaratha; svargaṃ — to heaven; yo — who; no — to us; gurutaro — the most venerable; guruḥ — elder, revered one; rāmaṃ — Rāma; pravrājya — having exiled, sent forth; vai — indeed; jyeṣṭhaṃ — eldest; lakṣmaṇaṃ ca — and Lakṣmaṇa; mahābalam — the mighty
2.73.3
tvam adya bhava no rājā rājaputra mahāyaśaḥ
saṃgatyā nāparādhnoti rājyam etad anāyakam
Become our king this day, O illustrious prince; by your timely accession this leaderless kingdom will not fall into ruin.
Words: tvam — you; adya — today; bhava — become; no — our; rājā — king; rājaputra — O prince; mahāyaśaḥ — O illustrious one; saṃgatyā — by (this) timely union; nāparādhnoti — incurs no harm, does not go to ruin; rājyam — the kingdom; etad — this; anāyakam — leaderless
2.73.4
ābhiṣecanikaṃ sarvam idam ādāya rāghava
pratīkṣate tvāṃ svajanaḥ śreṇayaś ca nṛpātmaja
Taking up all these consecration materials, O Rāghava, your own people and the guilds await you, O prince.
Words: ābhiṣecanikaṃ — the consecration materials; sarvam — all; idam — this; ādāya — having taken up; rāghava — O Rāghava; pratīkṣate — awaits; tvāṃ — you; svajanaḥ — your own people; śreṇayaś ca — and the guilds; nṛpātmaja — O prince
2.73.5
rājyaṃ gṛhāṇa bharata pitṛpaitāmahaṃ mahat
abhiṣecaya cātmānaṃ pāhi cāsmān nararṣabha
Take up the great kingdom of your fathers and forefathers, Bharata; consecrate yourself and protect us, O bull among men.
Words: rājyaṃ — the kingdom; gṛhāṇa — take up, accept; bharata — O Bharata; pitṛpaitāmahaṃ — of fathers and forefathers; mahat — great; abhiṣecaya — consecrate; cātmānaṃ — and yourself; pāhi — protect; cāsmān — and us; nararṣabha — O bull among men
2.73.6
ābhiṣecanikaṃ bhāṇḍaṃ kṛtvā sarvaṃ pradakṣiṇam
bharatas taṃ janaṃ sarvaṃ pratyuvāca dhṛtavrataḥ
Having made reverent circumambulation of all the consecration vessels, Bharata, firm in his vow, replied to all those people:
Words: ābhiṣecanikaṃ — consecration; bhāṇḍaṃ — the vessels, paraphernalia; kṛtvā — having made; sarvaṃ — all; pradakṣiṇam — reverent circumambulation (rightward); bharatas — Bharata; taṃ janaṃ — to those people; sarvaṃ — all; pratyuvāca — replied; dhṛtavrataḥ — firm in his vow
2.73.7
jyeṣṭhasya rājatā nityam ucitā hi kulasya naḥ
naivaṃ bhavanto māṃ vaktum arhanti kuśalā janāḥ
Kingship is always the right of the eldest in our family; so you good people ought not to speak to me thus.
Words: jyeṣṭhasya — of the eldest; rājatā — kingship; nityam — always; ucitā — fitting, proper; hi — for, indeed; kulasya naḥ — of our family; naivaṃ — not thus; bhavanto — you (honorific pl.); māṃ — to me; vaktum — to speak; arhanti — ought; kuśalā — good, wise; janāḥ — people
2.73.8
rāmaḥ pūrvo hi no bhrātā bhaviṣyati mahīpatiḥ
ahaṃ tv araṇye vatsyāmi varṣāṇi nava pañca ca
For Rāma, our elder brother, shall be lord of the earth; and I will dwell in the forest for fourteen years.
Words: rāmaḥ — Rāma; pūrvo — elder, senior; hi — for; no — our; bhrātā — brother; bhaviṣyati — shall be; mahīpatiḥ — lord of the earth; ahaṃ tv — but I; araṇye — in the forest; vatsyāmi — I will dwell; varṣāṇi — years; nava — nine; pañca ca — and five (i.e. fourteen)
2.73.9
yujyatāṃ mahatī senā caturaṅgamahābalā
ānayiṣyāmy ahaṃ jyeṣṭhaṃ bhrātaraṃ rāghavaṃ vanāt
Let a great army be equipped, mighty with its four divisions; I will bring back my eldest brother Rāghava from the forest.
Words: yujyatāṃ — let (it) be equipped, yoked; mahatī — great; senā — army; caturaṅgamahābalā — mighty with four divisions; ānayiṣyāmy — I will bring back; ahaṃ — I; jyeṣṭhaṃ — eldest; bhrātaraṃ — brother; rāghavaṃ — Rāghava; vanāt — from the forest
2.73.10
ābhiṣecanikaṃ caiva sarvam etad upaskṛtam
puraskṛtya gamiṣyāmi rāmahetor vanaṃ prati
And placing at the fore all these consecration materials made ready, I will go toward the forest for Rāma's sake.
Words: ābhiṣecanikaṃ caiva — and the consecration materials; sarvam — all; etad — this; upaskṛtam — made ready, prepared; puraskṛtya — having placed in front; gamiṣyāmi — I will go; rāmahetor — for Rāma's sake; vanaṃ prati — toward the forest
2.73.11
tatraiva taṃ naravyāghram abhiṣicya puraskṛtam
āneṣyāmi tu vai rāmaṃ havyavāham ivādhvarāt
There indeed I will consecrate that tiger among men, and, honouring him, bring Rāma back, like the sacrificial fire from the sacrifice.
Words: tatraiva — there indeed; taṃ — that; naravyāghram — tiger among men; abhiṣicya — having consecrated; puraskṛtam — honoured, placed foremost; āneṣyāmi — I will bring; tu vai — indeed; rāmaṃ — Rāma; havyavāham — the fire (bearer of oblations); ivādhvarāt — as from the sacrifice
2.73.12
na sakāmā kariṣyāmi svam imāṃ mātṛgandhinīm
vane vatsyāmy ahaṃ durge rāmo rājā bhaviṣyati
I will not fulfill the desire of this one who is my mother in name only; I will dwell in the harsh forest, and Rāma shall be king.
Words: na — not; sakāmā — her desire fulfilled; kariṣyāmi — I will make; svam — my own; imāṃ — this; mātṛgandhinīm — mother in name only (having but the semblance of a mother); vane — in the forest; vatsyāmy — I will dwell; ahaṃ — I; durge — harsh, impassable; rāmo — Rāma; rājā — king; bhaviṣyati — shall be
2.73.13
kriyatāṃ śilpibhiḥ panthāḥ samāni viṣamāṇi ca
rakṣiṇaś cānusaṃyāntu pathi durgavicārakāḥ
Let the road be made by the artisans, both the level stretches and the rough; and let guards, scouts of difficult terrain, go along the way.
Words: kriyatāṃ — let (it) be made; śilpibhiḥ — by the artisans, craftsmen; panthāḥ — the road; samāni — level stretches; viṣamāṇi ca — and the rough (places); rakṣiṇaś — guards; cānusaṃyāntu — and let them go along; pathi — on the path; durgavicārakāḥ — scouts of difficult terrain
2.73.14
evaṃ saṃbhāṣamāṇaṃ taṃ rāmahetor nṛpātmajam
pratyuvāca janaḥ sarvaḥ śrīmadvākyam anuttamam
To the prince as he spoke thus for Rāma's sake, all the people replied with these splendid, matchless words:
Words: evaṃ — thus; saṃbhāṣamāṇaṃ — as he was speaking; taṃ — him; rāmahetor — for Rāma's sake; nṛpātmajam — the prince; pratyuvāca — replied; janaḥ sarvaḥ — all the people; śrīmadvākyam — splendid words; anuttamam — matchless, unsurpassed
2.73.15
evaṃ te bhāṣamāṇasya padmā śrīr upatiṣṭhatām
yas tvaṃ jyeṣṭhe nṛpasute pṛthivīṃ dātum icchasi
As you speak thus — you who wish to give the earth to the eldest prince — may the lotus-throned goddess Śrī attend upon you.
Words: evaṃ — thus; te — of you; bhāṣamāṇasya — as you speak; padmā — lotus-seated; śrīr — Śrī, Fortune; upatiṣṭhatām — may (she) attend, wait upon; yas tvaṃ — you who; jyeṣṭhe nṛpasute — to the eldest prince; pṛthivīṃ — the earth; dātum — to give; icchasi — you wish
2.73.16
anuttamaṃ tad vacanaṃ nṛpātmaja prabhāṣitaṃ saṃśravaṇe niśamya ca
praharṣajās taṃ prati bāṣpabindavo nipetur āryānananetrasaṃbhavāḥ
Hearing within earshot that matchless speech uttered by the prince, tears born of great joy, springing from the eyes in the noble ones' faces, fell down toward him.
Words: anuttamaṃ — matchless; tad — that; vacanaṃ — speech; nṛpātmaja — of the prince; prabhāṣitaṃ — spoken; saṃśravaṇe — within hearing; niśamya — having heard; ca — and; praharṣajās — born of great joy; taṃ prati — toward him; bāṣpabindavo — drops of tears; nipetur — fell down; āryānananetrasaṃbhavāḥ — springing from the eyes in the noble ones' faces
2.73.17
ūcus te vacanam idaṃ niśamya hṛṣṭāḥ sāmātyāḥ sapariṣado viyātaśokāḥ
panthānaṃ naravarabhaktimāñ janaś ca vyādiṣṭas tava vacanāc ca śilpivargaḥ
Delighted, their grief gone, together with the ministers and the assembly, they spoke this word when they heard it; and the people devoted to the best of men, and the body of artisans, were, at your command, assigned to the road.
Words: ūcus — spoke; te — they; vacanam idaṃ — this word; niśamya — having heard; hṛṣṭāḥ — delighted; sāmātyāḥ — together with the ministers; sapariṣado — with the assembly; viyātaśokāḥ — their grief departed; panthānaṃ — the road; naravarabhaktimāñ — devoted to the best of men; janaś ca — and the people; vyādiṣṭas — were directed, assigned; tava — your; vacanāc ca — and by (your) word; śilpivargaḥ — the body of artisans
← 2.72 Bharata stops Mantharā’s punishment · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.74 Construction of Bharata’s route →
Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.
Plain text: /text/2/73.md · JSON: /data/2/73.json