# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 83 — Guha ferries Bharata’s company *Five hundred boats carry people, vehicles and provisions across the Gaṅgā, the army halts as Bharata approaches Bharadvāja* Portion: Guha and the Gaṅgā crossing · Verses: 22 · Ref format: 2.83. ## Sequence - At dawn Bharata asks Śatrughna to summon Guha; neither brother has stopped thinking about Rāma (83.1–3) - Guha arrives, and Bharata asks for help crossing (83.4–7) - Guha assembles five hundred boats (83.8–10) - priests cross according to seniority, and a specially prepared boat carries Bharata, Śatrughna, and the royal women (83.11–14) - the camp is set ablaze, baggage loaded, and boats carry people, horses, vehicles, and supplies across (83.15–17) - the boats return for more loads; elephants swim, while others cross on rafts, with flotation vessels, or by swimming (83.18–20) - once across, the expedition proceeds toward Prayāga → Bharata settles the army and goes with Vasiṣṭha to meet Bharadvāja (83.21–22). ## Verses **2.83.1** vyuṣya rātriṃ tu tatraiva gaṅgākūle sa rāghavaḥ bharataḥ kālyam utthāya śatrughnam idam abravīt Having passed the night right there on the bank of the Ganges, that scion of Raghu, Bharata, rose at dawn and said this to Śatrughna: **2.83.2** śatrughottiṣṭha kiṃ śeṣe niṣādādhipatiṃ guham śīghram ānaya bhadraṃ te tārayiṣyati vāhinīm “Śatrughna, arise! Why do you lie sleeping? Quickly bring Guha, the lord of the Niṣādas — bless you — he will ferry the army across. **2.83.3** jāgarmi nāhaṃ svapimi tathaivāryaṃ vicintayan ity evam abravīd bhrātrā śatrughno 'pi pracoditaḥ “I am awake, I am not sleeping — I too am thinking all the while of the noble one” — thus spoke Śatrughna, likewise urged on by his brother. **2.83.4** iti saṃvadator evam anyonyaṃ narasiṃhayoḥ āgamya prāñjaliḥ kāle guho bharatam abravīt As the two lions among men were thus conversing with each other, Guha came at that moment and, with joined palms, said to Bharata: **2.83.5** kaccit sukhaṃ nadītīre 'vātsīḥ kākutstha śarvarīm kaccic ca saha sainyasya tava sarvam anāmayam “I trust you passed the night in comfort on the river bank, Kākutstha, and that all is well with you together with your army?” **2.83.6** guhasya tat tu vacanaṃ śrutvā snehād udīritam rāmasyānuvaśo vākyaṃ bharato 'pīdam abravīt Hearing that speech of Guha's, uttered out of affection, Bharata, obedient to Rāma, also spoke these words: **2.83.7** sukhā naḥ śarvarī rājan pūjitāś cāpi te vayam gaṅgāṃ tu naubhir bahvībhir dāśāḥ saṃtārayantu naḥ “Our night was pleasant, O king, and we too were honored by you; now let the ferrymen take us across the Ganges in their many boats.” **2.83.8** tato guhaḥ saṃtvaritaḥ śrutvā bharataśāsanam pratipraviśya nagaraṃ taṃ jñātijanam abravīt Then Guha, hearing Bharata's command, made haste, entered his town, and said to his kinsfolk there: **2.83.9** uttiṣṭhata prabudhyadhvaṃ bhadram astu hi vaḥ sadā nāvaḥ samanukarṣadhvaṃ tārayiṣyāma vāhinīm “Arise, awake! May it always be well with you! Draw up the boats — we shall ferry the army across.” **2.83.10** te tathoktāḥ samutthāya tvaritā rājaśāsanāt pañca nāvāṃ śatāny eva samāninyuḥ samantataḥ Thus addressed, they arose and, hurrying at their chief's command, brought together fully five hundred boats from every side. **2.83.11** anyāḥ svastikavijñeyā mahāghaṇḍā dharā varāḥ śobhamānāḥ patākinyo yuktavātāḥ susaṃhatāḥ Others were distinguished by their svastika-emblems, hung with great bells, capacious and excellent, gleaming with their pennants, catching a fair wind, and stoutly built. **2.83.12** tataḥ svastikavijñeyāṃ pāṇḍukambalasaṃvṛtām sanandighoṣāṃ kalyāṇīṃ guho nāvam upāharat Then Guha brought up an auspicious, fine boat, marked with a svastika-emblem, spread with a white woolen blanket, and resounding with joyous din. **2.83.13** tām āruroha bharataḥ śatrughnaś ca mahābalaḥ kausalyā ca sumitrā ca yāś cānyā rājayoṣitaḥ Onto it climbed Bharata and the mighty Śatrughna, and Kausalyā and Sumitrā and the other royal women. **2.83.14** purohitaś ca tat pūrvaṃ gurave brāhmaṇāś ca ye anantaraṃ rājadārās tathaiva śakaṭāpaṇāḥ The family priest went first of all, in order of seniority, together with the brahmins who were there; next the king's wives, and likewise the carts and their wares. **2.83.15** āvāsam ādīpayatāṃ tīrthaṃ cāpy avagāhatām bhāṇḍāni cādadānānāṃ ghoṣas tridivam aspṛśat The clamor of those setting the camp ablaze, of those plunging into the crossing-place, and of those taking up the baggage rose to touch the very heavens. **2.83.16** patākinyas tu tā nāvaḥ svayaṃ dāśair adhiṣṭhitāḥ vahantyo janam ārūḍhaṃ tadā saṃpetur āśugāḥ And those pennant-bearing boats, steered by the ferrymen themselves, bearing the people who had boarded, then sped swiftly across. **2.83.17** nārīṇām abhipūrṇās tu kāś cit kāś cit tu vājinām kaś cit tatra vahanti sma yānayugyaṃ mahādhanam Some boats were filled with women, some with horses, and some there carried the vehicles, the draught-teams, and much wealth. **2.83.18** tāḥ sma gatvā paraṃ tīram avaropya ca taṃ janam nivṛttāḥ kāṇḍacitrāṇi kriyante dāśabandhubhiḥ Having reached the far shore and set down their passengers, the boats returned, and playful, zig-zag manoeuvres were performed with them by the ferrymen's kinsmen. **2.83.19** savaijayantās tu gajā gajārohaiḥ pracoditāḥ tarantaḥ sma prakāśante sadhvajā iva parvatāḥ The elephants, bearing their banners and urged on by their drivers, as they swam across gleamed like mountains crowned with flags. **2.83.20** nāvaś cāruruhus tv anye plavais terus tathāpare anye kumbhaghaṭais terur anye teruś ca bāhubhiḥ Some boarded the boats, others crossed on rafts, some crossed by means of pots and jars, and still others crossed by their own arms. **2.83.21** sā puṇyā dhvajinī gaṅgāṃ dāśaiḥ saṃtāritā svayam maitre muhūrte prayayau prayāgavanam uttamam That holy, bannered host, ferried across the Ganges by the ferrymen themselves, set out at the auspicious Maitra hour for the excellent forest of Prayāga. **2.83.22** āśvāsayitvā ca camūṃ mahātmā niveśayitvā ca yathopajoṣam draṣṭuṃ bharadvājam ṛṣipravaryam ṛtvig vṛtaḥ san bharataḥ pratasthe And the great-souled Bharata, having reassured his army and settled it at its ease, set out, attended by his officiating priest, to see Bharadvāja, the foremost of sages.