# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 64 — Bharata leaves Kekaya *The messengers conceal the crisis, his grandfather and uncle provide gifts and an escort, Bharata departs with Śatrughna* Portion: Bharata is summoned home · Verses: 24 · Ref format: 2.64. ## Sequence - The messengers deliver the urgent summons while Bharata is speaking of his dream (64.1–3) - gifts are presented and accepted (64.4–5) - Bharata asks after his father, brothers, and each of his mothers (64.6–9) - the messengers tell him that those he asks about are well, withholding the death and exile as instructed → he takes leave of his grandfather, explaining that he must go at once (64.10–13) - his grandfather blesses him and sends greetings to the family and priests (64.14–16) - his grandfather equips him with wealth, elephants, horses, blankets, and attendants → his maternal uncle adds elephants, mules, and large, fierce dogs raised in the palace (64.17–21) - Bharata and Śatrughna depart with chariots, servants, and an escort (64.22–24). ## Verses **2.64.1** bharate bruvati svapnaṃ dūtās te klāntavāhanāḥ praviśyāsahyaparikhaṃ ramyaṃ rājagṛhaṃ puram While Bharata was recounting his dream, those messengers, their mounts worn out, entered the lovely city of Rājagṛha with its unassailable moat. **2.64.2** samāgamya tu rājñā ca rājaputreṇa cārcitāḥ rājñaḥ pādau gṛhītvā tu tam ūcur bharataṃ vacaḥ Having met with and been honoured by the king and the prince, and clasping the king's feet, they spoke these words to Bharata. **2.64.3** purohitas tvā kuśalaṃ prāha sarve ca mantriṇaḥ tvaramāṇaś ca niryāhi kṛtyam ātyayikaṃ tvayā “The house-priest asks after your welfare, and so do all the ministers; set out with haste, for there is an urgent task for you to do. **2.64.4** atra viṃśatikoṭyas tu nṛpater mātulasya te daśakoṭyas tu saṃpūrṇās tathaiva ca nṛpātmaja Here, O prince, are twenty crores from the king your maternal uncle, and a full ten crores as well. **2.64.5** pratigṛhya ca tat sarvaṃ svanuraktaḥ suhṛjjane dūtān uvāca bharataḥ kāmaiḥ saṃpratipūjya tān Accepting all that, Bharata, well-devoted to his circle of friends, honoured the messengers with what they wished and spoke to them. **2.64.6** kaccit sukuśalī rājā pitā daśaratho mama kaccic cārāgatā rāme lakṣmaṇe vā mahātmani “Is my father King Daśaratha quite well? And is all going well with regard to Rāma or the great-souled Lakṣmaṇa? **2.64.7** āryā ca dharmaniratā dharmajñā dharmadarśinī arogā cāpi kausalyā mātā rāmasya dhīmataḥ And is the noble Kausalyā, devoted to dharma, a knower of dharma, a seer of dharma, the mother of wise Rāma, free from illness too? **2.64.8** kaccit sumitrā dharmajñā jananī lakṣmaṇasya yā śatrughnasya ca vīrasya sārogā cāpi madhyamā Is the middle mother Sumitrā, knower of dharma, who is the mother of Lakṣmaṇa and of heroic Śatrughna, also free from illness? **2.64.9** ātmakāmā sadā caṇḍī krodhanā prājñamāninī arogā cāpi kaikeyī mātā me kim uvāca ha And is Kaikeyī — ever self-seeking, fierce, prone to anger, and fancying herself wise — free from illness; and what did my mother say?” **2.64.10** evam uktās tu te dūtā bharatena mahātmanā ūcuḥ saṃpraśritaṃ vākyam idaṃ taṃ bharataṃ tadā kuśalās te naravyāghra yeṣāṃ kuśalam icchasi Thus addressed by great-souled Bharata, those messengers then spoke this very deferential word to Bharata: “They whose welfare you desire, O tiger among men, are well.” **2.64.11** bharataś cāpi tān dūtān evam ukto 'bhyabhāṣata āpṛcche 'haṃ mahārājaṃ dūtāḥ saṃtvarayanti mām And Bharata, thus addressed, said to those messengers: “I shall take leave of the great king, for the messengers are urging me on.” **2.64.12** evam uktvā tu tān dūtān bharataḥ pārthivātmajaḥ dūtaiḥ saṃcodito vākyaṃ mātāmaham uvāca ha Having so spoken to the messengers, Bharata the prince, urged on by them, addressed these words to his maternal grandfather. **2.64.13** rājan pitur gamiṣyāmi sakāśaṃ dūtacoditaḥ punar apy aham eṣyāmi yadā me tvaṃ smariṣyasi “O king, urged by the messengers I shall go to my father's presence; I shall come again whenever you remember me.” **2.64.14** bharatenaivam uktas tu nṛpo mātāmahas tadā tam uvāca śubhaṃ vākyaṃ śirasy āghrāya rāghavam Thus addressed by Bharata, the king his maternal grandfather then, kissing the Rāghava on the head, spoke to him this gracious word: **2.64.15** gaccha tātānujāne tvāṃ kaikeyī suprajās tvayā mātaraṃ kuśalaṃ brūyāḥ pitaraṃ ca paraṃtapa “Go, my child, I give you leave; Kaikeyī is blessed with a fine son in you; convey my good wishes to your mother and your father, O scorcher of foes, **2.64.16** purohitaṃ ca kuśalaṃ ye cānye dvijasattamāḥ tau ca tāta maheṣvāsau bhrātaru rāmalakṣmaṇau and good wishes to the house-priest and the other most excellent brahmins, and to those two, my child, the great archers, your brothers Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa.” **2.64.17** tasmai hastyuttamāṃś citrān kambalān ajināni ca abhisatkṛtya kaikeyo bharatāya dhanaṃ dadau Honouring him, the Kekaya king gave to Bharata as wealth excellent elephants, variegated woollen blankets, and deerskins. **2.64.18** rukma niṣkasahasre dve ṣoḍaśāśvaśatāni ca satkṛtya kaikeyī putraṃ kekayo dhanam ādiśat Two thousand gold niṣkas and sixteen hundred horses — having honoured Kaikeyī's son, the Kekaya king bestowed this wealth. **2.64.19** tathāmātyān abhipretān viśvāsyāṃś ca guṇānvitān dadāv aśvapatiḥ śīghraṃ bharatāyānuyāyinaḥ Likewise Aśvapati quickly gave to Bharata, to be his attendants, agreeable and trustworthy ministers endowed with virtues. **2.64.20** airāvatān aindraśirān nāgān vai priyadarśanān kharāñ śīghrān susaṃyuktān mātulo 'smai dhanaṃ dadau The maternal uncle gave him as wealth elephants of Airāvata's line, crested like Indra's, of pleasing aspect, and swift, well-harnessed mules. **2.64.21** antaḥpure 'tisaṃvṛddhān vyāghravīryabalānvitān daṃṣṭrāyudhān mahākāyāñ śunaś copāyanaṃ dadau And he gave as a present dogs reared within the inner apartments, endowed with the strength and valour of tigers, armed with fangs and of huge body. **2.64.22** sa mātāmaham āpṛcchya mātulaṃ ca yudhājitam ratham āruhya bharataḥ śatrughnasahito yayau Taking leave of his maternal grandfather and of his uncle Yudhājit, Bharata mounted his chariot and set out, accompanied by Śatrughna. **2.64.23** rathān maṇḍalacakrāṃś ca yojayitvā paraḥśatam uṣṭrago'śvakharair bhṛtyā bharataṃ yāntam anvayuḥ Having harnessed more than a hundred chariots with circular wheels, the servants with camels, oxen, horses, and mules followed Bharata as he went. **2.64.24** balena gupto bharato mahātmā sahāryakasyātmasamair amātyaiḥ ādāya śatrughnam apetaśatrur gṛhād yayau siddha ivendralokāt Guarded by an army, and by his grandfather's ministers who were his own equals, the great-souled Bharata, free of foes, taking Śatrughna, set out from the house like a Siddha from Indra's world.