# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 91 — Rāma restrains Lakṣmaṇa *He rejects suspicion of Bharata and shames his brother’s anger, Bharata spreads the camp around the mountain to avoid crowding the hermitage* Portion: Bharata approaches Citrakūṭa · Verses: 17 · Ref format: 2.91. ## Sequence - Rāma tells Lakṣmaṇa that weapons are unnecessary: Bharata would not wish them harm (91.1–3) - he asks what Bharata has ever done to justify this suspicion and says that insulting Bharata is an injury to himself (91.4–6) - if Lakṣmaṇa's concern is the Kingdom, Rāma says, Bharata would give it to him at his request (91.7–8) - Lakṣmaṇa becomes ashamed (91.9–11) - Rāma notices familiar royal horses and Daśaratha's elephant among the approaching company (91.12–13) - Lakṣmaṇa climbs down and stands beside him → meanwhile Bharata distributes his camp around the mountain to avoid crowding the hermitage (91.14–17). ## Verses **2.91.1** susaṃrabdhaṃ tu saumitriṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ krodhamūrchitam rāmas tu parisāntvyātha vacanaṃ cedam abravīt But Rāma, soothing the greatly agitated Saumitri, Lakṣmaṇa, who was beside himself with anger, spoke these words: **2.91.2** kim atra dhanuṣā kāryam asinā vā sacarmaṇā maheṣvāse mahāprājñe bharate svayam āgate “What need is there here of a bow, or of a sword with its shield, when the great archer, the deeply wise Bharata, has come in person? **2.91.3** prāptakālaṃ yad eṣo 'smān bharato draṣṭum icchati asmāsu manasāpy eṣa nāhitaṃ kiṃ cid ācaret That Bharata wishes to see us is timely; not even in thought would he do us any harm. **2.91.4** vipriyaṃ kṛtapūrvaṃ te bharatena kadā na kim īdṛśaṃ vā bhayaṃ te 'dya bharataṃ yo 'tra śaṅkase When has Bharata ever before done anything displeasing to you? Or what such fear of Bharata is yours today, that you here suspect him? **2.91.5** na hi te niṣṭhuraṃ vācyo bharato nāpriyaṃ vacaḥ ahaṃ hy apriyam uktaḥ syāṃ bharatasyāpriye kṛte You must speak nothing harsh to Bharata, no unkind word; for if a wrong were done to Bharata, it is I who would be wronged. **2.91.6** kathaṃ nu putrāḥ pitaraṃ hanyuḥ kasyāṃ cid āpadi bhrātā vā bhrātaraṃ hanyāt saumitre prāṇam ātmanaḥ How indeed could sons slay their father in any calamity, or a brother slay a brother, Saumitri, who is his own very life? **2.91.7** yadi rājyasya hetos tvam imāṃ vācaṃ prabhāṣase vakṣyāmi bharataṃ dṛṣṭvā rājyam asmai pradīyatām If for the sake of the kingdom you speak these words, then, on seeing Bharata, I shall say: ‘Let the kingdom be given to him.’ **2.91.8** ucyamāno hi bharato mayā lakṣmaṇa tattvataḥ rājyam asmai prayaccheti bāḍham ity eva vakṣyati For when Bharata is told by me truly, Lakṣmaṇa, ‘Give over the kingdom to him,’ he will answer only, ‘So be it.’ **2.91.9** tathokto dharmaśīlena bhrātrā tasya hite rataḥ lakṣmaṇaḥ praviveśeva svāni gātrāṇi lajjayā So addressed by his brother of righteous nature, Lakṣmaṇa, devoted to Rāma's welfare, seemed to shrink into his own limbs from shame. **2.91.10** vrīḍitaṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā rāghavaḥ pratyuvāca ha eṣa manye mahābāhur ihāsmān draṣṭum āgataḥ Seeing Lakṣmaṇa abashed, Rāghava replied: “I think this mighty-armed one has come here to see us. **2.91.11** vanavāsam anudhyāya gṛhāya pratineṣyati imāṃ vāpy eśa vaidehīm atyantasukhasevinīm Reflecting on the hardship of the forest life, he will lead us back home — or at least this Vaidehī, who is used to constant comfort. **2.91.12** etau tau saṃprakāśete gotravantau manoramau vāyuvegasamau vīra javanau turagottamau There, O hero, gleam those two splendid horses of noble stock, delightful, swift, matching the speed of the wind — the best of steeds. **2.91.13** sa eṣa sumahākāyaḥ kampate vāhinīmukhe nāgaḥ śatruṃjayo nāma vṛddhas tātasya dhīmataḥ There, at the head of the army, sways that huge-bodied elephant named Śatruṃjaya, the aged mount of my wise father. **2.91.14** avatīrya tu sālāgrāt tasmāt sa samitiṃjayaḥ lakṣmaṇaḥ prāñjalir bhūtvā tasthau rāmasya pārśvataḥ Descending from the top of that sāla tree, Lakṣmaṇa, victorious in battle, joined his palms and took his stand at Rāma's side. **2.91.15** bharatenātha saṃdiṣṭā saṃmardo na bhaved iti samantāt tasya śailasya senāvāsam akalpayat Then, at Bharata's order that there should be no crowding, the army was directed, and its encampment was arranged all around that mountain. **2.91.16** adhyardham ikṣvākucamūr yojanaṃ parvatasya sā pārśve nyaviśad āvṛtya gajavājirathākulā That army of the Ikṣvākus, teeming with elephants, horses, and chariots, spreading over a yojana and a half, encamped upon the mountain's flank, enveloping it. **2.91.17** sā citrakūṭe bharatena senā dharmaṃ puraskṛtya vidhūya darpam prasādanārthaṃ raghunandanasya virocate nītimatā praṇītā That army, led onto Citrakūṭa by Bharata — who, putting dharma foremost and casting off all pride, sought to conciliate the delight of the Raghus — shone resplendent, marshalled by that master of statecraft.