# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 73 — Bharata’s plan to restore Rāma *He refuses the prepared abhiṣeka, orders its materials taken to the forest and commissions a road for the expedition* Portion: The expedition to bring Rāma back · Verses: 17 · Ref format: 2.73. ## Sequence - On the fourteenth morning, the officials ask Bharata to accept the prepared abhiṣeka and protect the leaderless Kingdom (73.1–5) - he respectfully walks around the ceremonial vessels but refuses: in their family the eldest should rule (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 (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 (73.12–13) - the people and ministers welcome his decision, and the work begins (73.14–17). ## Verses **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: **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. **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. **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. **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. **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: **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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: **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. **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. **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.