# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 77 — Bharata’s march to the Gaṅgā *The Queens, army, priests, craftspeople and townspeople accompany him, the company camps before the river crossing* Portion: The expedition to bring Rāma back · Verses: 23 · Ref format: 2.77. ## Sequence - Bharata leaves at dawn with ministers, priests, and a large military escort, described as nine thousand elephants, sixty thousand chariots, and a hundred thousand horsemen (77.1–5) - Kausalyā, Sumitrā, and Kaikeyī travel with them, hoping to bring Rāma back (77.6–9) - townspeople, merchants, craftspeople, physicians, performers, herdsmen, and many others join the expedition (77.10–15) - brāhmaṇas follow in carts, and the company proceeds toward the river (77.16–18) - on reaching the Gaṅgā, Bharata orders them to camp and rest before crossing the next day → he also wishes to offer water there for his father (77.19–21) - the ministers arrange the camps, and Bharata spends the night thinking about Rāma's return (77.22–23). ## Verses **2.77.1** tataḥ samutthitaḥ kālyam āsthāya syandanottamam prayayau bharataḥ śīghraṃ rāmadarśanakāṅkṣayā Then, having risen at dawn and mounted an excellent chariot, Bharata set out swiftly, longing to see Rāma. **2.77.2** agrataḥ prayayus tasya sarve mantripurodhasaḥ adhiruhya hayair yuktān rathān sūryarathopamān In front of him went all the ministers and priests, mounted upon chariots yoked with horses and resembling the chariot of the sun. **2.77.3** navanāgasahasrāṇi kalpitāni yathāvidhi anvayur bharataṃ yāntam ikṣvāku kulanandanam Nine thousand elephants, duly caparisoned, followed Bharata, delight of the Ikṣvāku line, as he went. **2.77.4** ṣaṣṭhī rathasahasrāṇi dhanvino vividhāyudhāḥ anvayur bharataṃ yāntaṃ rājaputraṃ yaśasvinam Sixty thousand chariots, with archers bearing weapons of various kinds, followed the illustrious prince Bharata as he went. **2.77.5** śataṃ sahasrāṇy aśvānāṃ samārūḍhāni rāghavam anvayur bharataṃ yāntaṃ rājaputraṃ yaśasvinam A hundred thousand horses, all mounted by their riders, followed Rāghava — the illustrious prince Bharata — as he went. **2.77.6** kaikeyī ca sumitrā ca kausalyā ca yaśasvinī rāmānayanasaṃhṛṣṭā yayur yānena bhāsvatā Kaikeyī, Sumitrā, and the illustrious Kausalyā, delighted at the prospect of bringing Rāma back, rode in a resplendent carriage. **2.77.7** prayātāś cāryasaṃghātā rāmaṃ draṣṭuṃ salakṣmaṇam tasyaiva ca kathāś citrāḥ kurvāṇā hṛṣṭamānasāḥ And throngs of noble people set out to see Rāma together with Lakṣmaṇa, telling wondrous tales about him, their minds delighted: **2.77.8** meghaśyāmaṃ mahābāhuṃ sthirasattvaṃ dṛḍhavratam kadā drakṣyāmahe rāmaṃ jagataḥ śokanāśanam 'When shall we behold Rāma — dark as a raincloud, mighty-armed, of firm resolve and steadfast vows, destroyer of the world's grief?' **2.77.9** dṛṣṭa eva hi naḥ śokam apaneṣyati rāghavaḥ tamaḥ sarvasya lokasya samudyann iva bhāskaraḥ 'The moment he is seen, Rāghava will dispel our grief, as the rising sun dispels the darkness of the whole world.' **2.77.10** ity evaṃ kathayantas te saṃprahṛṣṭāḥ kathāḥ śubhāḥ pariṣvajānāś cānyonyaṃ yayur nāgarikās tadā Telling such auspicious tales, greatly delighted, and embracing one another, the townsfolk then went along. **2.77.11** ye ca tatrāpare sarve saṃmatā ye ca naigamāḥ rāmaṃ prati yayur hṛṣṭāḥ sarvāḥ prakṛtayas tadā And all the other respected persons there, and the merchants — all the subjects — then went joyfully toward Rāma. **2.77.12** maṇi kārāś ca ye ke cit kumbhakārāś ca śobhanāḥ sūtrakarmakṛtaś caiva ye ca śastropajīvinaḥ Whatever jewelers there were, and the skilled potters, and the workers in thread, and those who live by weapons — **2.77.13** māyūrakāḥ krākacikā rocakā vedhakās tathā dantakārāḥ sudhākārās tathā gandhopajīvinaḥ peacock-feather workers, sawyers, burnishers, and borers, ivory-carvers, plasterers, and those who live by perfumery, **2.77.14** suvarṇakārāḥ prakhyātās tathā kambaladhāvakāḥ snāpakācchādakā vaidyā dhūpakāḥ śauṇḍikās tathā renowned goldsmiths, washers of woolen blankets, bath-attendants and clothiers, physicians, incense-makers, and vintners, **2.77.15** rajakās tunnavāyāś ca grāmaghoṣamahattarāḥ śailūṣāś ca saha strībhir yānti kaivartakās tathā washermen and tailors, the elders of villages and herdsmen's settlements, and actors with their women, and fishermen — all went along. **2.77.16** samāhitā vedavido brāhmaṇā vṛttasaṃmatāḥ gorathair bharataṃ yāntam anujagmuḥ sahasraśaḥ Composed brahmins, knowers of the Veda, esteemed for their conduct, followed Bharata by the thousands in ox-carts as he went. **2.77.17** suveṣāḥ śuddhavasanās tāmramṛṣṭānulepanāḥ sarve te vividhair yānaiḥ śanair bharatam anvayuḥ Well-attired, in clean garments, anointed with burnished reddish unguents, all of them followed Bharata slowly in various vehicles. **2.77.18** prahṛṣṭamuditā senā sānvayāt kaikayīsutam vyavatiṣṭhata sā senā bharatasyānuyāyinī The army, thrilled and rejoicing, followed the son of Kaikeyī; and that army, marching in Bharata's train, arrayed itself. **2.77.19** nirīkṣyānugatāṃ senāṃ tāṃ ca gaṅgāṃ śivodakām bharataḥ sacivān sarvān abravīd vākyakovidaḥ Beholding the army that followed and the Gaṅgā with her auspicious waters, Bharata, skilled in speech, said to all his counsellors: **2.77.20** niveśayata me sainyam abhiprāyeṇa sarvaśaḥ viśrāntaḥ pratariṣyāmaḥ śva idānīṃ mahānadīm 'Encamp my whole army as is fitting; having rested, we shall cross the great river tomorrow. **2.77.21** dātuṃ ca tāvad icchāmi svar gatasya mahīpateḥ aurdhvadeha nimittārtham avatīryodakaṃ nadīm And meanwhile I wish, for the sake of the funeral rite of the king who has gone to heaven, to go down into the river and offer the water-libation.' **2.77.22** tasyaivaṃ bruvato 'mātyās tathety uktvā samāhitāḥ nyaveśayaṃs tāṃś chandena svena svena pṛthakpṛthak As he spoke thus, the attentive ministers, saying 'So be it,' encamped the troops each apart, according to their own dispositions. **2.77.23** niveśya gaṅgām anu tāṃ mahānadīṃ camūṃ vidhānaiḥ paribarha śobhinīm uvāsa rāmasya tadā mahātmano vicintayāno bharato nivartanam Having encamped along that great river Gaṅgā the army — drawn up in due order and resplendent with its trappings — Bharata then dwelt there, pondering the return of the great-souled Rāma.