Chapter CXLIII: Section LXVIII

Hearing their words, Vasishtha said unto the Brahmanas and the adherents and counsellors (of the king), "Bharata, on whom the king has conferred the kingdom, along with his brother Satrughna, is living happily in the house of his maternal uncle. Let envoys by means of fleet couriers speedily repair thither and bring those heroic brothers. What shall we decide?" "Let them go"--said all unto Vasishtha. Hearing their words, Vasishtha spake unto them, saying,-- "Come here, thou Siddhartha, and Vijaya, and Jayanta, and Acokanandana. Do ye hear. I will tell you what ye are to do. First going speedily to the royal residence by means of swift horses, do you, renouncing grief, by my order speak these words of mine unto Bharata, 'The priest as well as the counsellors have enquired after your welfare. Do you at once set out. A business is at hand that brooketh no delay on your part.' But ye must on no account communicate unto him the exile of Rama, or the demise of the monarch, or the destruction that hath befallen the Raghu race through this occasion. Do ye, speedily taking silk apparel and excellent ornaments for king Bharata, set off." Thereupon, having been furnished with the necessaries for the journey, they bound for Kekaya went to their respective abodes, mounted on goodly horses. Then having supplied themselves with the necessaries of the journey, the envoys in consonance with Vasistha's injunction, speedily went away. Having proceeded by the west of Aparatala, they in the middle crossed the Malini, and went towards the north of Pralamva. Then crossing the Ganga at Hastinapura, and arriving at Panchala, they proceeded westward through Kurujangala. And beholding watery expanses filled with blown blossoms, and rivers containing pellucid waters, the envoys proceeded apace on account of the errand they had on hand. And they darted past the Saradanda overflowing with delightful water, beautiful, and haunted by fowls of various kinds. Then on the western bank of the stream, coming upon a tree called Satyapayachana presided by a deity, and bowing down unto the tree and going round it, they entered the city of Kulinga. And having passed Teyobibhabana and arrived at Abhikala, they crossed the sacred stream Ikshumati belonging to the Ikshwakus for generations. Beholding here Brahmanas versed in the Vedas drinking water with their joined hands, they went through Vahllika towards the mount Sudaman. There seeing the foot-print of Vishnu, they, desirous of doing the bidding of their master, proceeded a long way, viewing the Vipaca and the Salmali and rivers and tanks and pools and ponds and sheets of water and various kinds of lions and tigers and deer and elephants. And with their vehicles fatigued, the ambassadors, on account of the great distance of the way, speedily reached that best of cities, Girivraja. And for pleasing their master, for the preservation of the people, and enabling Bharata to assume the reins of government, those envoys, casting aside negligence, swiftly entered the city in the night.