# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 79 — Guha accepts Bharata’s purpose *Bharata denies seeking Rāma’s death and asks the way to Bharadvāja, Guha offers guides and praises his refusal of the Kingdom* Portion: Guha and the Gaṅgā crossing · Verses: 21 · Ref format: 2.79. ## Sequence - Bharata thanks Guha for offering to feed such a large company (79.1–3) - he asks the way to Bharadvāja's hermitage → Guha offers guides and his own assistance (79.4–6) - he then asks directly whether the army is intended against Rāma (79.7) - Bharata denies it: Rāma is his elder and like a father, and he has come only to bring him home (79.8–10) - relieved, Guha praises his willingness to surrender an unasked-for Kingdom (79.11–13) - after settling the camp, Bharata retires with Śatrughna (79.14–15) - thoughts of Rāma's hardship overwhelm him again, and Guha returns to comfort him (79.16–21). ## Verses **2.79.1** evam uktas tu bharato niṣādādhipatiṃ guham pratyuvāca mahāprājño vākyaṃ hetvarthasaṃhitam Thus addressed, the greatly wise Bharata replied to Guha, the lord of the Niṣādas, with words full of reason and meaning: **2.79.2** ūrjitaḥ khalu te kāmaḥ kṛto mama guroḥ sakhe yo me tvam īdṛśīṃ senām eko 'bhyarcitum icchasi A great favour, indeed, have you done me, O friend of my father, in that you alone wish to entertain such an army of mine. **2.79.3** ity uktvā tu mahātejā guhaṃ vacanam uttamam abravīd bharataḥ śrīmān niṣādādhipatiṃ punaḥ Having spoken thus, the illustrious Bharata of great splendour again addressed excellent words to Guha, the lord of the Niṣādas: **2.79.4** katareṇa gamiṣyāmi bharadvājāśramaṃ guha gahano 'yaṃ bhṛśaṃ deśo gaṅgānūpo duratyayaḥ By which road shall I go to Bharadvāja's hermitage, O Guha? This region is exceedingly dense, and the Gaṅgā's marshy bank hard to cross. **2.79.5** tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā rājaputrasya dhīmataḥ abravīt prāñjalir vākyaṃ guho gahanagocaraḥ Hearing that speech of the wise prince, Guha, a ranger of the wilds, spoke with joined palms: **2.79.6** dāśās tv anugamiṣyanti dhanvinaḥ susamāhitāḥ ahaṃ cānugamiṣyāmi rājaputra mahāyaśaḥ The fishermen, archers well-arrayed, will accompany you, and I too will follow, O illustrious prince. **2.79.7** kaccin na duṣṭo vrajasi rāmasyākliṣṭakarmaṇaḥ iyaṃ te mahatī senā śaṅkāṃ janayatīva me Surely you do not march with ill intent against Rāma of untiring deeds? This great army of yours rouses, as it were, a misgiving in me. **2.79.8** tam evam abhibhāṣantam ākāśa iva nirmalaḥ bharataḥ ślakṣṇayā vācā guhaṃ vacanam abravīt To him who spoke thus, Bharata, pure as the cloudless sky, replied to Guha in a gentle voice: **2.79.9** mā bhūt sa kālo yat kaṣṭaṃ na māṃ śaṅkitum arhasi rāghavaḥ sa hi me bhrātā jyeṣṭhaḥ pitṛsamo mama May that dreadful time never come; you ought not to suspect me. For that Rāghava is my elder brother, like a father to me. **2.79.10** taṃ nivartayituṃ yāmi kākutsthaṃ vanavāsinam buddhir anyā na te kāryā guha satyaṃ bravīmi te I go to bring back Kākutstha, who dwells in the forest; you must form no other notion, Guha — I tell you the truth. **2.79.11** sa tu saṃhṛṣṭavadanaḥ śrutvā bharatabhāṣitam punar evābravīd vākyaṃ bharataṃ prati harṣitaḥ He, his face lit with delight on hearing Bharata's words, again, joyfully, addressed Bharata: **2.79.12** dhanyas tvaṃ na tvayā tulyaṃ paśyāmi jagatītale ayatnād āgataṃ rājyaṃ yas tvaṃ tyaktum ihecchasi Blessed are you; I see none equal to you on the face of the earth — you who wish to renounce a kingdom that has come to you without effort. **2.79.13** śāśvatī khalu te kīrtir lokān anucariṣyati yas tvaṃ kṛcchragataṃ rāmaṃ pratyānayitum icchasi Everlasting, surely, will be your fame, ranging through the worlds — you who wish to bring back Rāma, fallen into hardship. **2.79.14** evaṃ saṃbhāṣamāṇasya guhasya bharataṃ tadā babhau naṣṭaprabhaḥ sūryo rajanī cābhyavartata As Guha was conversing thus with Bharata, the sun grew dim and set, and night came on. **2.79.15** saṃniveśya sa tāṃ senāṃ guhena paritoṣitaḥ śatrughnena saha śrīmāñ śayanaṃ punar āgamat Having settled that army to rest, and gratified by Guha, the illustrious Bharata, together with Śatrughna, went again to his couch. **2.79.16** rāmacintāmayaḥ śoko bharatasya mahātmanaḥ upasthito hy anarhasya dharmaprekṣasya tādṛśaḥ Such a grief, made of anxious thought for Rāma, befell the great-souled Bharata, who looked ever to dharma and did not deserve it. **2.79.17** antardāhena dahanaḥ saṃtāpayati rāghavam vanadāhābhisaṃtaptaṃ gūḍho 'gnir iva pādapam That burning grief, with its inner fire, tormented Bharata, as a hidden fire torments a tree already scorched by a forest-blaze. **2.79.18** prasrutaḥ sarvagātrebhyaḥ svedaḥ śokāgnisaṃbhavaḥ yathā sūryāṃśusaṃtapto himavān prasruto himam Sweat, born of the fire of grief, streamed from all his limbs, as Himavat, heated by the sun's rays, streams down its melting snow. **2.79.19** dhyānanirdaraśailena viniḥśvasitadhātunā dainyapādapasaṃghena śokāyāsādhiśṛṅgiṇā By a mountain whose caverns were his brooding, whose ores were his deep sighs, whose clustering trees were his despondency, and whose lofty peaks were his grief and weariness — **2.79.20** pramohānantasattvena saṃtāpauṣadhiveṇunā ākrānto duḥkhaśailena mahatā kaikayīsutaḥ its numberless beasts his spells of delusion, its herbs and bamboos his torments: by this great mountain of sorrow was the son of Kaikeyī overwhelmed. **2.79.21** guhena sārdhaṃ bharataḥ samāgato mahānubhāvaḥ sajanaḥ samāhitaḥ sudurmanās taṃ bharataṃ tadā punar guhaḥ samāśvāsayad agrajaṃ prati The noble-minded Bharata, composed and attended by his people, had met with Guha; yet, seeing him utterly disconsolate, Guha then once more consoled that Bharata concerning his elder brother.