Chapter CLXXVIII: Section CIII

Hearing those piteous words uttered by Bharata in connection with the demise of their father, Raghava was deprived of his senses. And on that thunder-bolt of a speech being uttered by Bharata, like unto a (real) thunderbolt hurled in battle by the enemy of the Danavas (Indra), that subduer of foes, Rama, stretching his arms, fell down to the earth, like a blossoming tree that hath been hewn by an axe. Seeing that lord of the world and mighty bowman, Rama, fallen, like a sleeping elephant fatigued with turning up earth with its tusks, his brothers exercised with sorrow, broke out into lamentations, and along with Videha's daughter began to sprinkle water (on his face). Then regaining his consciousness, Kakutstha shedding tears from his eyes, distressfully addressed himself to speech. And hearing that lord of earth, his sire, had gone to heaven, that righteous one said unto Bharata words fraught with virtue and interest, "What shall I do with Ayodhya, my sire having gone the way ordained by the gods? And who will govern her, now that she hath been deprived of that foremost of monarchs? Of fruitless birth that I am, what can I do for that magnanimous one? And of him that renounced his life from grief on my account. I have not even performed the last rites. Ah! Bharata, thou, O sinless one, art blessed, since by thee as well as by Satrughna have been performed all the funeral rites of the king. To Ayodhya, bereft of the monarch, having none to preside over her destinies, and many rulers, will I not return even when the term of my abode in the woods has been passed. My father having gone to the other world, who, O subduer of enemies, will again counsel me when, my stay in the forest being over, I shall have returned unto Ayodhya? And from whom shall I hear those words grateful unto the ear, which my father gratifying me used to speak unto me when I happend to do something well?" Having thus addressed Bharata, Raghava burning in grief, spoke unto his wife, with her countenance resembling the full moon, saying, "O Sita, thy father-in-law is dead and, O Lakshmana, thou art fatherless. Bharata has communicated unto me the sad intelligence that our father hath ascended heaven." When Kakutstha had said this, tears began to shower forth from the eyes of the renowned princes. Then all those brothers pacifying as best they could Rama stricken with sorrow, said unto him, "Do thou perform the watery rites of that lord of the earth, our sire." Having heard that her father-in-law, the king, had gone to the celestial regions. Sita with her eyes filled with tears, could not see her beloved. Thereupon, pacifying the weeping daughter of Janaka, Rama moved with grief, spoke unto the distressed Lakshmana, saying, "Do thou bring Ingudi fruits as well as a piece of new bark. I will go to perform the watery rites of our high-souled sire. Let Sita go first. Do thou follow her. I shall go last. Even this is the course of those in mourning." Then that magnanimous one, having a knowledge of the soul, mild, graceful, capable of controlling his senses, steady in his regard for Rama, and ever following him--Sumantra--in company with those sons of the king, having cheered up Raghava, brought him to the auspicious river, Mandakini. Then those illustrious ones, having in distress arrived at the river Mandakini, having convenient descents, charming, ever furnished with blossoming woods, and of rapid currents; and approached its descents, goodly and void of mud, offered water unto the monarch, uttering, "May this be so!" And the protector of the earth (Rama), holding water with his joined hands, facing the south, said weeping, "O foremost of monarchs, may this clear water knowing no deterioration, reach thee, who hast gone to the world of the ancestral manes!" Then drawing nigh unto the marge of the Mandakini, the energetic Raghava along with his brothers, offered the _Pinda_ unto his father. And placing the Ingudi _Pinda_ mixed with juyube on a bed of _darbha_ Rama crying in distress, said, "O mighty monarch, do thou well pleased feed on this, which we also live upon. That which is the fare of an individual, is also the fare of his divinities." Then that foremost of men ascending the bank of the stream by the self-same way, got up on the charming side of the hill. And having arrived at the gate of the cottage of leaves, that lord of the earth held both Bharata and Lakshmana with his hands. And there the hill reverberated at the sounds raised by the brothers wailing along with Vaidehi, like unto lions roaring. And perceiving the loud uproar of those mighty ones engaged in offering water unto their sire, indulging in lamentations, the army of Bharata became agitated. And they said, "For certain Bharata hath met with Rama; and this mighty noise proceeds from them, as they are bitterly mourning their deceased sire." Thereat leaving aside their vehicles, they with one mind, rushed towards the spot wherefrom proceeded the uproar. And of those that were tender, some went on horses, and some on elephants, and some on ornamented chariots, while others went on foot. And eager to behold Rama staying away for a short time, though seeming to do so for a long period, all the men at once went to the hermitage. And desirous of witnessing the meeting of the brothers (with Rama), they with all despatch proceeded by means of various vehicles consisting of beasts and cars. And the ground trodden by the wheels of innumerable cars, emitted loud sounds, like those emitted by the sky on clouds gathering. And frightened by the uproar, elephants accompanied by female ones, perfuming all sides (by the fragrance of temporal juice), went to another forest. And boars, and deer, and lions, and buffalos, and _Srimaras_, and tigers, and _Gokarnas_, _Gayals_ and _Prishatas_ were striken with panic. And wild with alarm, Chakravakas and swans, and _Natyuhas_, and _Plavas_, and _Karandavas_, and male coels, and _Kraunchas_, fled away in all directions. And the welkin was enveloped by birds frightened by the noise, as the earth was covered by men, and both the sky and the land then gave out great effulgence. As the people suddenly saw that foremost of men, the sinless and illustrious Rama seated on the ground, accusing Kaikeyi as well as the vile Manthara, the people approached Rama, with their countenances discovering tears. Seeing those men oppressed with grief with their eyes filled with tears, that one cognizant of virtue like fathers and mothers, embraced those that deserved it And he embraced some persons; and some offered him salutations. And the king's son, as each deserved, properly received them along with their friends and equals in age. And the sounds, produced by those high souled persons lamenting, resounding the earth and the sky, and the mountain-caverns, and all the cardinal points, were heard like peals of _Mridangas_.