# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 99 — Rāma explains Daśaratha’s obligations *The marriage pledge and wartime boons bind the succession, Bharata & Śatrughna must govern while Rāma & Lakṣmaṇa remain in the forest* Portion: The dispute over Kingship and duty · Verses: 19 · Ref format: 2.99. ## Sequence - Rāma acknowledges that Bharata's appeal is worthy of their family (99.1–2) - he recalls Daśaratha's promise of the Kingdom as a bride-price to Kaikeyī's father at her marriage, followed by the boons granted to Kaikeyī after the war between Devas and asuras → he treats Kaikeyī's later demands as claims their father was bound to fulfill (99.3–6) - his own part is the fourteen-year exile; Bharata's is to accept abhiṣeka (99.7–9) - he urges Bharata to free their father from his debt, citing Gaya's explanation that a son is called putra because he saves his father from the hell called Put → he recalls the wish for many righteous sons so that at least one may perform the ancestral rites at Gayā (99.10–14) - he tells Bharata to return with Śatrughna and govern the people, while he continues with Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa into Daṇḍaka (99.15–17) - Bharata will have the royal parasol, Rāma the shade of forest trees → with one brother helping each of them, all four can preserve Daśaratha's word (99.18–19). ## Verses **2.99.1** punar evaṃ bruvāṇaṃ tu bharataṃ lakṣmaṇāgrajaḥ pratyuvaca tataḥ śrīmāñ jñātimadhye 'tisatkṛtaḥ Then the glorious elder brother of Lakṣmaṇa (Rāma), highly honoured in the midst of his kinsmen, replied to Bharata, who was speaking thus once more: **2.99.2** upapannam idaṃ vākyaṃ yat tvam evam abhāṣathāḥ jātaḥ putro daśarathāt kaikeyyāṃ rājasattamāt Fitting is this speech that you have spoken thus, born as you are the son of Daśaratha, best of kings, in the womb of Kaikeyī. **2.99.3** purā bhrātaḥ pitā naḥ sa mātaraṃ te samudvahan mātāmahe samāśrauṣīd rājyaśulkam anuttamam Long ago, O brother, when our father took your mother in marriage, he promised to her father (your maternal grandfather) the kingdom as an unsurpassed bride-price. **2.99.4** devāsure ca saṃgrāme jananyai tava pārthivaḥ saṃprahṛṣṭo dadau rājā varam ārādhitaḥ prabhuḥ And in the war between gods and asuras, the king, the lord, well pleased and gratified, granted a boon to your mother. **2.99.5** tataḥ sā saṃpratiśrāvya tava mātā yaśasvinī ayācata naraśreṣṭhaṃ dvau varau varavarṇinī Then your illustrious mother, of lovely complexion, having secured his pledge, asked the best of men for two boons. **2.99.6** tava rājyaṃ naravyāghra mama pravrājanaṃ tathā tac ca rājā tathā tasyai niyuktaḥ pradadau varam The kingdom for you, O tiger among men, and my banishment — and the king, bound by his word, granted her that boon accordingly. **2.99.7** tena pitrāham apy atra niyuktaḥ puruṣarṣabha caturdaśa vane vāsaṃ varṣāṇi varadānikam By that father I too, O bull among men, was accordingly directed to a dwelling in the forest for fourteen years, as the fulfilment of the boon. **2.99.8** so 'haṃ vanam idaṃ prāpto nirjanaṃ lakṣmaṇānvitaḥ śītayā cāpratidvandvaḥ satyavāde sthitaḥ pituḥ So I, peerless, have come to this desolate forest, accompanied by Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā, standing firm in my father's truthfulness. **2.99.9** bhavān api tathety eva pitaraṃ satyavādinam kartum arhati rājendraṃ kṣipram evābhiṣecanāt You too, by your 'so be it,' ought to make our father, the lord of kings, a keeper of his word, by promptly accepting the consecration. **2.99.10** ṛṇān mocaya rājānaṃ matkṛte bharata prabhum pitaraṃ trāhi dharmajña mātaraṃ cābhinandaya For my sake, Bharata, free the king, the lord, from his debt; save our father, O knower of dharma, and gladden your mother. **2.99.11** śrūyate hi purā tāta śrutir gītā yaśasvinī gayena yajamānena gayeṣv eva pitṝn prati For it is heard, dear one, that long ago a glorious sacred verse was sung by Gaya while performing sacrifice at Gayā, concerning the ancestors: **2.99.12** puṃ nāmnā narakād yasmāt pitaraṃ trāyate sutaḥ tasmāt putra iti proktaḥ pitṝn yat pāti vā sutaḥ “Because a son saves his father from the hell named 'Put,' he is therefore called 'putra' (son) — or so called because a son protects his ancestors.” **2.99.13** eṣṭavyā bahavaḥ putrā guṇavanto bahuśrutāḥ teṣāṃ vai samavetānām api kaś cid gayāṃ vrajet Many sons should be desired, virtuous and deeply learned; for out of them, assembled together, at least one might go to Gayā (to perform the rites). **2.99.14** evaṃ rājarṣayaḥ sarve pratītā rājanandana tasmāt trāhi naraśreṣṭha pitaraṃ narakāt prabho Thus all the royal seers are firmly convinced, O delight of kings; therefore, O best of men, save our father from hell, O lord. **2.99.15** ayodhyāṃ gaccha bharata prakṛtīr anurañjaya śatrughna sahito vīra saha sarvair dvijātibhiḥ Go to Ayodhyā, Bharata, and win the affection of the subjects, accompanied by Śatrughna, O hero, together with all the twice-born. **2.99.16** pravekṣye daṇḍakāraṇyam aham apy avilambayan ābhyāṃ tu sahito rājan vaidehyā lakṣmaṇena ca I too, without delay, shall enter the Daṇḍaka forest, accompanied by these two, O king — by Vaidehī and by Lakṣmaṇa. **2.99.17** tvaṃ rājā bhava bharata svayaṃ narāṇāṃ vanyānām aham api rājarāṇ mṛgāṇām gaccha tvaṃ puravaram adya saṃprahṛṣṭaḥ saṃhṛṣṭas tv aham api daṇḍakān pravekṣye You, Bharata, be king of men yourself; and I too shall be king of the wild beasts. Go today, well pleased, to the best of cities; and I too, delighted, shall enter the Daṇḍakas. **2.99.18** chāyāṃ te dinakarabhāḥ prabādhamānaṃ varṣatraṃ bharata karotu mūrdhni śītām eteṣām aham api kānanadrumāṇāṃ chāyāṃ tām atiśayinīṃ sukhaṃ śrayiṣye Let the parasol, warding off the sun's rays, cast cool shade upon your head, Bharata; while I too shall happily resort to that surpassing shade of these forest trees. **2.99.19** śatrughnaḥ kuśalamatis tu te sahāyaḥ saumitrir mama viditaḥ pradhānamitram catvāras tanayavarā vayaṃ narendraṃ satyasthaṃ bharata carāma mā viṣādam Skilful-minded Śatrughna is your helper, and Saumitri (Lakṣmaṇa) is known as my chief friend; we four, the finest of sons, shall keep the king true to his word — grieve not, Bharata.