Guha was beyond himself, boiling with rage
On seeing Bharatha’s advancing entourage
Bharatha’s army slowly gathered on Tamasa’s banks
Guha could see men in the army of all cadre and ranks
Guha summoned his men and told them to be ready
For a war might be fought and end up very bloody
“I see the army of Kosala headed by Bharatha assembled
The heart of a mother in a son is always resembled
Bharatha may plan to kill Rama, I fearfully suspect
A son of Kaikeyi, for elders, may have no respect
To do away with Rama, he may feel secure
So that after fourteen years, Rama in his path must not obscure
Anyway my heart also tells me not to suspect
As a brother of Rama cannot be a venomous insect
When Bharatha used to come with Rama for hunting
I’ve seen him treat Rama with devotion, unrelenting
Yet towards Bharatha I am cynical because
Kaikeyi’s love for Rama has already gone for a toss
Unbelievable and so dangerous is power greed
It can sow in any loving heart a poison seed
Let me go to Bharatha with good will first
I will understand his intentions and do what is best
If I realise, like Kaikeyi, he has changed from the past
We will defend Rama by fighting Bharatha till our last
On a boat only me will go to Bharatha’s side
Ready and watching let our army be in hide
After talking, if I duly fall at his feet
The will be no war and the army can retreat
Without falling at his feet if I return to the boat
Understand, for war I have decided to vote
Ofcourse after I come, we can talk more before action
Anyway please be keen and watch me, without distraction
As a king, in the empire of Kosala, Guha went
With good will towards Bharatha as he really meant
He noticed Bharatha was not wearing the regal crown
On his face there was sadness and a gentle frown
Bharatha was looking at Guha with eager and innocent eyes
Guha started to realise Bharatha’s heart was free from vice
Like the sun that reveals itself from behind clouds after a while
On seeing Guha, from behind Bharatha’s sad face emanated a smile
Bharatha rushed to the banks and waited with eagerness for Guha’s approach
Guha on seeing Bharatha’s eagerness started to regret his cynical reproach
Guha could see Bharatha bore no signs of royalty
But he looked more handsome decorated by the jewel of loyalty
From the banks Bharatha towards Guha excitedly waved
By that arm bereft of jewels and weapons, Guha became enslaved
Guha from his boat showed his respect with palms that were folded
For even suspecting Bharatha’s intentions, himself, he scolded
Guha rushed to Bharatha once the boat hit the floor
And accosted Bharatha whose heart was very sore
“Bharatha! Brother of Rama! And my dear friend!
Instead of staying put, to receive me, why do you descend?”
Bharatha caught Guha’s shoulders with friendliness
And questioned Guha eagerly, revealing his heart’s cleanliness
“Dear friend! Sumanthra said you may know Rama’s place
I like to meet my Lord, could you please help me trace?
I have come to surrender my Kingdom, to that noble one
The Kingdom which, by my mother, was deceitfully won
For the wrong that was done I have come to make amend
To help me in this process, on you and your men I depend
Like a devotee who surrenders to a Guru, to reach the Lord
I surrender to you to take me to my Brother, Lord and God
Like the devotee is ignorant of the intricacies of the path
I too am devoid of any knowledge about the jungle path”
Seeing the Prince of a great empire so humbly plead
Guha decided with all heart and joy that he must heed
Not just to signal but also out of respect Guha did fall
At the feet of Bharatha, who by character stood very tall
Guha took them to his capital and gave a tasty dinner
In delighting their heart with hospitality he was a winner
The horses and elephants too were well fed
They were bathed and rested near the river bed
Bharatha asked Guha all about Rama, to continuously repeat
Guha repeated the same stories without his enthusiasm deplete
Talking about all that The Noble three did, all night went
Bharatha asked Guha in detail about every event
“What did my Brother Rama choose to eat?
And when He ate it, which was His seat?
Where did my brother sleep during the night?
How did Mother Sita cope in the jungle without fright?”
Guha explained in detail all that Rama and Sita did
He respected the love with which Bharatha bid
Every son of Dasaratha, in Guha’ heart scored one above the other
Guha realised beyond doubt, Dasaratha was truly the luckiest father
Guha took Bharatha to the place were Rama and Sita slept
Bharatha knelt at the place, were Rama’s feet was kept
Bharatha shook his head in disbelief looking at the land
His Brother sleeping on the ground, he could not stand
Bharatha sat down there silently for long
His heart continued to sing the sorrow song
Bharatha could not tolerate, Rama coming down the comfort ladder
Thinking of where Rama might be sleeping then, he became sadder
Shatrughna, Guha and Sumanthra tried to cheer
People’s enthusiasm was already on top gear
They too sat around Bharatha and asked him to lighten
As they would soon meet Rama and things would brighten
Bharatha felt a little lighter by the coaxing of them
A pensive and hopeful smile lit up that gem
It looked as though his mood, in the sky, was reflected
As the Sun arose and all darkness was slowly deflected
Bharatha and Shatrughna worshipped the sun with water
Then they decided to start before the day gets hotter
People were all ready in a moment and gathered, prompt
At the banks of the Ganges awaiting Bharatha’s prompt
Bharatha discussed with Guha and gathered that
They must go to Sage Bharathavaja’s hut
For that they all had to cross the Ganges first
Guha asked his men to ready, boats that were best
On the banks of the Ganges, all types of boats were docked
Animals were helped to board them and were safely locked
People were asked to board on to a large ferry
A group boarded on to it with fun and merry
Another group, shouting and singing, boarded on to a schooner
Happy at the prospect of seeing Lord Rama, sooner
Even dogs that accompanied men on hunts
Wagging their tails, hopped on to little punts
The Royal Family boarded a well decorated junk
Even Manthara was on it, not wanting to bunk
Once they were all ready and settle
Boats on the waters started to bustle
With the junk at its head and the ferry at the back
And the schooner following the ferry with tack
It looked like a large eagle on water that glides
With wings of punts, flanking the ferry’s sides
The crowd got off the boats once they reached the banks
They now hopped on to animals according to their ranks
They traveled through the jungle creating rattle
The inmates of the jungle feared imminent battle
The travel through rocks and hills did not make them tire
But on the prospect of seeing Rama, their spirits were on fire
At the confluence of the two great rivers, they reached fast
They knew they were at Sage Bharathavaja’s ashram at last
Bharatha asked them to wait, while he would
Go by walk and meet the sage, as a prince should
Vashishta, Bharatha and Shatrughna went ahead
While the rest of them rested near the river bed
Sage Bharathvaja with due respect welcomed the three
He also summoned the crowd, and asked them to feel free
Bharathavaja heard from Vashishta all about Bharatha’s intention
And praised Bharatha for making a strong contention
“Even if this earth for a million years whirled
Your story will be said and heard in this world
You have made a point for all brothers, present and future
That pushing aside greed, selfless love, they must nurture
I am proud to have got a chance to meet you my son
Though very young, my respect you have won
Rama came like a sun and warmed my thought
Now you come like the moon and please my heart
Rama sacrifices a kingdom to help his father keep a promise
Lakshmana walks behind leaving the beautiful wife of his
Now you come all the way considering a kingdom to be nothing
The greatness of your virtues, words fails me while mouthing
How great must have been Dasaratha to be your dad?!
To see you all grow, the opportunity he had
To live in your times indeed I am fortunate
You four are nothing but Goodness incarnate”
Saying thus Sage Bharathvaja silently remained
His emotional effluence within him he contained
Then he looked at Bharatha and spoke as if in request
He wanted Bharatha and the crowd to be his guest
Bharathvaja smiled on seeing Bharatha hesitate
Closed his eyes for a moment and he did meditate
As if speaking to someone, he said he wanted to provide feast
Numerous Apsaras started to come dancing from the east
Apsaras so beautiful, none could take their eyes off
Had come down to earth to be Bharathavaja’s staff
They worked with speed and grace in fulfilling his wishes
Before a wink, they created numerous drinks and dishes
They played music and performed many dances
They charmed the crowd with wonderful glances
Men and women were treated with respect and love
Before each one of them the Apsaras did bow
In a minute they created palaces for the guests to stay
It took long for the people to keep their wonder at bay
The palace floors were covered with carpets of red hued silk
And from the walls hung festoons of pearls, white like milk
Every family was provided with rooms for each
And an Apsara stood at each door at their reach
The rooms had beds that were decked on ornate cots
Near them were kept numerous drinks in golden pots
Baths were arranged with waters both hot and cold
The steps to it were made of silver and gold
The people did not have to ask for what they wanted
Even as they thought of something, before them it landed
At first the people with reluctance saw Bharatha’s face
Bharatha smiled and asked them to enjoy the Sage’s grace
He too accepted the food and drinks to make them feel free
Seeing that, the people started to dance and sing in uproarious glee
They shouted that they got all that because, Rama they sought
Hitting each other with fruits and flowers happily they fought
Bharatha was the reason they enjoyed all this, they said
Before Bharatha they went, and they bowed their head
Celebrating thus the night was going too fast
They got completely exhausted and slept at last
The next morning they woke up to see everything gone
They were all lying now, instead of beds, on grass lawn
Anyway they had experienced something out of the world
Those memories onto their hearts, they decided to hold
They saw Bharathvaja and Bharatha too in the same state
Now their only worry was to start before it is too late
Bharatha thanked Bharathvaja for the exotic treat
The people too echoed him in a rhythmic beat
Bharatha with the sage, discussed about the route
Horses and elephants carrying the people started to scoot
They soon went past Sage Valmiki’s hermitage
After Bharatha met with the sage and paid homage
They then hit the foot of the Chitrakut Mountain
The joy in Bharatha’s heart was an irrepressible fountain
Bharatha asked all of them to stop and remain there
He wanted to know where The Divine Three were
He took along Shatrughna and Guha and eagerly started
While the entourage with the animals obediently halted
Bharatha, Shatrughna and Guha and a few other men
Separated into groups to search and started from the glen
They walked up the hill eager and fast looking every where
They were sure that Lord Rama must be some where there
They climbed tall trees and surveyed the place
They traversed the hill in a hurried pace
They had to climb on boulders and rocks
They saw animals freeze or run hit by shocks
Then at one point amidst a pine patch
They could see a roof that was thatch
That hut to be Lord Rama’s ashram, they easily guessed
Unable to control their eagerness they hurriedly rushed
As they ran amidst the pine trees with a final search
Amidst the trees in the open they saw the ashram perch
The ashram had a garden with a fence made of wood
Amidst the garden, like a lion, Lakshman stood
Shouting out to Lakshman, Bharatha ran to the ashram gate
Following him closely was Shatrughna at a very fast rate
Bharatha could now finally see Lord Rama and Mother Sita also stand
Like God's vision to his devotee, that vision for Bharatha was very grand
The sight to Bharatha was both pleasing and trying
He saw Lord Rama with eyes that were crying
Lord Rama who always dressed the softest silk
Was now dressed in deer skin like a jungle ilk
He saw on the arms, which adorned gold
Chains of Basil beads tightly hold
His ears that adorned fish-shaped golden earrings
Looked as though they were now only for hearings
Lord Rama’s neck that bore a sapphire pendant
Was now like a temple without an attendant
But that smile, full of energy and love, like a child
Remained the same, as it was before being exiled
Bharatha on seeing that smile melted more
Rushing towards Rama he knelt on the floor
Calling out like a child, he hugged his Brother’s knees to his chest
Like a devotee who at last succeeded in his God searching quest
With or without a kingdom his Brother was his King
Whose, hands’ blessings were precious, even without a ring
Even if his Brother’s feet, without sandals, were dirty
Bharatha would kiss them adoring their beauty
With so much love and respect for his brother
Bharatha cried out his heart for his sorrows to wither
Keeping his fore head at the feet of noble Ram
He repetitively said, “Jai Shri Ram! Jai Jai Shri Ram!!”
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