# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 62 — Summoning Bharata *Five messengers ride to Kekaya with gifts and an urgent summons, forbidden to reveal Daśaratha’s death or Rāma’s exile* Portion: Bharata is summoned home · Verses: 15 · Ref format: 2.62. ## Sequence - Vasiṣṭha proposes sending fast riders to bring Bharata and Śatrughna back from their maternal relatives (62.1–3) - he appoints Siddhārtha, Vijaya, Jayanta, Aśoka, and Nandana and tells them to report that the priest and ministers require Bharata urgently (62.4–7) - he specifically tells them not to disclose Rāma's exile or Daśaratha's death and sends gifts with them (62.8–9) - they cross the Gaṅgā at Hastināpura and travel west through Pāñcāla and Kurujāṅgala (62.10–11) - passing further rivers, settlements, and landmarks, they press on to Girivraja → they reach the city at night with their horses exhausted (62.12–15). ## Verses **2.62.1** teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā vasiṣṭhaḥ pratyuvāca ha mitrāmātyagaṇān sarvān brāhmaṇāṃs tān idaṃ vacaḥ Having heard that speech of theirs, Vasiṣṭha replied to all that gathering of friends and ministers, and to those brahmins, this word: **2.62.2** yad asau mātulakule pure rājagṛhe sukhī bharato vasati bhrātrā śatrughnena samanvitaḥ “Since that Bharata is dwelling happily in his maternal uncle's house, in the city of Rājagṛha, in the company of his brother Śatrughna, **2.62.3** tac chīghraṃ javanā dūtā gacchantu tvaritair hayaiḥ ānetuṃ bhrātarau vīrau kiṃ samīkṣāmahe vayam therefore let swift messengers go quickly with speedy horses to bring back the two heroic brothers — why should we tarry?” **2.62.4** gacchantv iti tataḥ sarve vasiṣṭhaṃ vākyam abruvan teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā vasiṣṭho vākyam abravīt “Let them go,” they all then said to Vasiṣṭha; and hearing that speech of theirs, Vasiṣṭha spoke: **2.62.5** ehi siddhārtha vijaya jayantāśokanandana śrūyatām itikartavyaṃ sarvān eva bravīmi vaḥ “Come, Siddhārtha, Vijaya, Jayanta, Aśoka, Nandana — let what must be done be heard; I tell it to you all. **2.62.6** puraṃ rājagṛhaṃ gatvā śīghraṃ śīghrajavair hayaiḥ tyaktaśokair idaṃ vācyaḥ śāsanād bharato mama Going quickly to the city of Rājagṛha with swift-speeding horses, you, putting sorrow aside, are to say this to Bharata by my command: **2.62.7** purohitas tvāṃ kuśalaṃ prāha sarve ca mantriṇaḥ tvaramāṇaś ca niryāhi kṛtyam ātyayikaṃ tvayā ‘The chaplain and all the ministers ask after your welfare; set out in haste, for there is an urgent matter to be attended to by you.’ **2.62.8** mā cāsmai proṣitaṃ rāmaṃ mā cāsmai pitaraṃ mṛtam bhavantaḥ śaṃsiṣur gatvā rāghavāṇām imaṃ kṣayam And when you have gone, do not, sirs, tell him that Rāma is in exile, nor that his father is dead, nor of this ruin of the Rāghavas. **2.62.9** kauśeyāni ca vastrāṇi bhūṣaṇāni varāṇi ca kṣipram ādāya rājñaś ca bharatasya ca gacchata vasiṣṭhenābhyanujñātā dūtāḥ saṃtvaritā yayuḥ ‘And taking quickly silken garments and choice ornaments for the king and for Bharata, go.’ Thus permitted by Vasiṣṭha, the messengers set out in great haste. **2.62.10** te hastina pure gaṅgāṃ tīrtvā pratyaṅmukhā yayuḥ pāñcāladeśam āsādya madhyena kurujāṅgalam Crossing the Ganges at Hastināpura, they went facing westward, and reaching the Pāñcāla country passed through the midst of Kurujāṅgala. **2.62.11** te prasannodakāṃ divyāṃ nānāvihagasevitām upātijagmur vegena śaradaṇḍāṃ janākulām With speed they crossed the lovely Śaradaṇḍā of clear water, frequented by many birds and thronged with people. **2.62.12** nikūlavṛkṣam āsādya divyaṃ satyopayācanam abhigamyābhivādyaṃ taṃ kuliṅgāṃ prāviśan purīm Reaching the divine bank-tree that grants true wishes, and having approached and saluted it, they entered the city of Kuliṅgā. **2.62.13** abhikālaṃ tataḥ prāpya tejo'bhibhavanāc cyutāḥ yayur madhyena bāhlīkān sudāmānaṃ ca parvatam viṣṇoḥ padaṃ prekṣamāṇā vipāśāṃ cāpi śālmalīm Then reaching Abhikāla and passing beyond the oppression of the heat, they went through the midst of the Bāhlīkas and Mount Sudāman, gazing on Viṣṇu's Step, and on the Vipāśā and the Śālmalī rivers as well. **2.62.14** te śrāntavāhanā dūtā vikṛṣṭena satā pathā giri vrajaṃ pura varaṃ śīghram āsedur añjasā Their mounts wearied, the messengers, by a long and extended road, quickly and straightway reached Girivraja, the finest of cities. **2.62.15** bhartuḥ priyārthaṃ kularakṣaṇārthaṃ bhartuś ca vaṃśasya parigrahārtham aheḍamānās tvarayā sma dūtā rātryāṃ tu te tat puram eva yātāḥ For their master's pleasure, for the protection of the royal house, and for the upholding of their master's lineage, the tireless messengers in their haste reached that very city by night.