Śrīmad Vālmīki Rāmāyana (English Translation)

Jābāli explains the reasons for his advocating the theory of Nāstikas to Śrī Rāma, who exposes the hollowness of the ethics propounded by the sage, dubbing it as the very antithesis of Dharma.

Bharata having been silenced by Śrī Rāma, an eminent sage, Jābāli by name, tries to persuade Śrī Rāma to accept the throne by advocating the theory of the Nāstikas (non-believers) with intent to arouse in him the lust of sovereignty.

Śrī Rāma tries to impress upon Bharata, who believed that Daśaratha was prompted by lustful attachment to his mother in making over the kingdom to him, that Daśaratha was compelled to do so because, in the first place, he had promised to Kaikeyī’s father while marrying her that the latter's son alone would succeed to the throne after Daśaratha’s death, and secondly he was keen to repay the debt he...

Imploring Śrī Rāma with cogent reasons to accept the throne of Ayodhyā, Bharata takes a vow not to return to Ayodhyā but to continue in the forest in case Śrī Rāma does not grant his prayer. Mother Kausalyā and others too join Bharata and urge Śrī Rāma to grant his request when they find Śrī Rāma adamant in the matter and insistent on implementing the words of their deceased father.

Bharata implores Śrī Rāma to oblige him by accepting the throne of Ayodhyā being offered by him to Śrī Rāma with the concurrence of Kaikeyī, even though bestowed on him by their deceased father. Consoling Bharata, who held himself responsible for Śrī Rāma’s exile to the forest and was languishing with sorrow on that score, Śrī Rāma, however, tries to pacify him in various ways and urges him to sho...

Accompanied by Kausalyā and others, Sage Vasistha proceeds to the hermitage of Śrī Rāma. Showing to her co-wives the lumps of the pulp of the Ingudī fruit offered to the spirit of his deceased father by Śrī Rāma on blades of Kuśa grass placed with their ends pointing to the south along the bank of the Mandākinī on the way, Kausalyā grieves for her deceased husband. Reaching the hermitage, Kausalyā...

Fallen into a swoon to hear of his fatherís ascent to heaven and brought back to consciousness by Bharata and others, who sprinkle water on him and employ other such devices, Śrī Rāma laments in various ways. Comforted by Bharata and having in his turn consoled Sītā and repairing to the bank of the Gangā, nay, offering water and balls of cooked food to the spirit of his departed father, he returns...

Bharata tells Śrī Rāma that, having been deprived of the privilege of serving his elder brother, he will have nothing to do with sovereignty and requests him to offer water to the spirit of his deceased father, who died with the thought of Śrī Rāma alone foremost in his mind, and further implores him to get himself consecrated for the sovereignty of Ayodhyā, the obsequies of their imperial father...

Questioned as to what made him give up the sovereignty of Ayodhyā and enter the forest in the garb of an ascetic, Bharata reproaches his mother and implores his elder brother to accept the kingship and return to Ayodhyā. Śrī Rāma, however, pleads that the command of their father is supreme and must be implicitly obeyed by both of them, the first part of it enjoining the exile of the elder brother...

Placing Bharata on his lap, Śrī Rāma the pretext of inquiring after the gives him instruction in judicature under welfare of his father and others.

Requesting Vasistha to fetch his mothers and pressing forward, Bharata reaches the hut, made of leafy twigs, in which the three exiles were living. While attempting to hail Śrī Rāma, Sītā and Laksmana on seeing them, he stumbles down even on an even ground, his eyes getting bedimmed with tears at the sight of their ascetic garb. Śrī Rāma hastens to lift him up and clasps him to his bosom. Sumantra...

Telling off Guha and Śatrughna with their followers to find out the hermitage of Śrī Rāma, Bharata himself, who was keen to see Śrī Rāma, goes out in search of his hermitage with the ministers, walking all the way and envying the good fortune of Sītā and Laksmana, who were living with Śrī Rāma; and reaching the foot of a sāla tree and concluding the place from the presence of smoke nearby to be a...

Pointing out to Laksmana who was waxing indignant at Bharata, the impropriety of killing the latter, Śrī Rāma pacifies him by assuring him of the pious intentions of Bharata. Ashamed of himself to hear the opinion of his brother about Bharata, and climbing down the tree, Laksmana hides his shame by changing the topic. Commanded by Bharata, who was anxious to avoid causing disturbance to the hermit...

While recreating himself in the company of Sītā on the lovely hills of Citrakuta, Śrī Rāma beholds all of a sudden a large cloud of dust screening the sun and hears a loud noise and despatches Laksmana to ascertain the cause. Laksmana thereupon climbs up the top of a lofty tree and catching sight of an army with the chariot of its leader distinguished by an ensign bearing the device of a Kovidāra...

In order to humour Sītā, Śrī Rāma gives a description of the river Mandākinī to her.

Diverting his own mind and seeking to please Sītā, Śrī Rāma gives a graphic description of Citrakuta, stressing the special features.

Setting his foot on the soil of Citrakutawith his army and camp-followers, and identifying the place with the help of the features pointed out by Bharadwāja, Bharata commands the army men to look out for the hermitage of Śrī Rāma. Pursuing their search they perceive smoke at some distance and concluding the site to be the hermitage of Śrī Rāma, Bharata enjoins his army to halt and makes up his min...

Questioned with folded hands about the road to Citrakuta, Bharadwāja shows the way to Bharata and then inquires of him about the names of his three mothers, who stood bowing down to the sage. Having told him the names of all the three of his mothers with the history of each, and commanding the army to get ready for the journey ahead, Bharata proceeds to Citrakuta with his retinue.

The hospitality shown by Sage Bharadwāja, who had acquired rare mystic powers by virtue of his austerities, to Bharata, his army and entourage, the kind of which could not be shown even by a ruler of the entire globe.

Leaving his party a couple of miles away on this side of the hermitage, Bharata enters it with Vasistha and Śatrughna. After exchange of compliments between Sages Vasistha and Bharadwāja, Bharata bows down at the feet of the latter, who inquires of his health and seeks to know his mind about Śrī Rāma. Bharata thereupon remorsefully apprises him of his intention to bring Rāma back from the forest a...

Having encamped his followers including the army, that were ferried across the Gangā by the fishermen enjoined by Guha, Bharata sets out with Sage Vasistha and others to the hermitage of Sage Bharadwāja with intent to see the latter.

Showing to Kausalyā and others the bed of Kuśa grass on which Śrī Rāma and Sītā spent their night, and contrasting it with the royal splendour and luxury in which he lived in Ayodhyā, Bharata laments for him and, holding himself responsible for this turn of events and complimenting Laksmana and Sītā for throwing their lot with Śrī Rāma and sharing his privations, makes up his mind henceforth to dw...

Overwhelmed with grief to hear from the mouth of Guha how his two brothers got their hair entangled into a mass, Bharata falls unconscious on the ground. On regaining consciousness, he despatches Guha to reassure mother Kausalyā, who is filled with apprehension about the safety of Śrī Rāma and his party on hearing of Bharata’s swoon, and apprise her of its real cause and also of Śrī Rāma’s welfare...

Guha reports to Bharata how Śrī Rāma and his party broke their journey at Śrngaverapura and reproduces before him the dialogue that took place between Laksmaƒa and himself at night and further tells him how the two brothers entangled their locks into a thick mass, crossed the holy river with Sītā and left for the hermitage of Sage Bharadwāja.

Highly praising Guha, Bharata, while departing, inquires of him the way to the hermitage of Bharadwāja. Promising to follow the prince as a guide with his servants and placing his misgivings before him, Guha seeks to know his intentions about Śrī Rāma and consoles the prince, who was constantly bewailing till dusk.