Chapter CLXXIX: Section CIV

Desirous of seeing Rama, Vasishtha, taking before him the wives of Dacaratha, proceeded towards the hermitage. And as the wives of the king were going slowly by the Mandakini, they discovered the landing-place which was used by Rama and Lakshmana. Thereupon Kaucalya, with her eyes filled with tears and her countenance rendered pale, observed unto the forlorn Sumitra as well as the other wives of the king, "Sacred like unto a first wife, in this forest this is the landing-place of those unfortunate ones of untiring energy, who had been deprived of the kingdom. From here, O Sumitra, doth thy son, Saumitri, ever vigilant, personally procure water for my son. Although thy son performeth a servile office, yet he is not to blame: (the performance of) that alone which serves no purpose of his brother possessed of many perfections, could bring blame upon him. To day let thy son, who doth not deserve such toilsome work, cease to perform that office which is fraught with hardships fit only for the base." That lady of expansive eyes happened to see on the earth the _Ingudi pinda_, which had been placed by Rama for his sire on the _darbha_ with their tops pointing southwards. Seeing this, which had been placed on the ground by Rama disconsolate for his sire, the noble Kaucalya addressed all the wives of Dacaratha, saying, "Do ye behold this that hath been duly offered to the high-souled descendant of Raghu--lord of the Ikshvaku race--by Raghava. I do not deem this as fit fare for that magnanimous monarch resembling a celestial, who had enjoyed every luxury (in life). Having enjoyed this earth bounded by the four seas, how can that lord of the world, resembling on earth the mighty Indra, feed on this _Ingudi pinda_? Nothing appeareth to me more deplorable in this world than this that the auspicious Rama hath offered an _Ingudi_ cake unto his father. Seeing the _Ingudi pinda_ offered by Rama unto his father, why doth not my heart break into a thousand shivers? Now the tradition in vogue among men, appearth to be true, viz., that "the fare that is partaken by a person, is also partaken by his deity." Then those that were co-wives with her, consoled the distressed Kaucalya; and, (entering the asylum), beheld Rama like an immortal dropped from the celestial regions. Seeing Rama, who had been deprived of every comfort, his mothers, overwhehhed with grief and distress, began to shed tears, lamenting. Raising his mothers, that foremost of men, Rama, true to his promise, took hold of those lotus feet of theirs. And those ones furnished with expansive eyes, (on their turn) by means of their fair hands of delicious feel furnished with soft fingers and palms, fell to rubbing the dust off Rama's back. After Rama had done, Sumitra's son also, seeing all his mothers, with sorrow gently paid his reverence unto them with affection. Thereat, as they had treated Rama, all the ladies treated that one sprung from Dacaratha, Lakshmana, graced with auspicious marks. Sita also with her eyes filled with tears, having taken hold of the feet of her mothers-in- law, stood before them in distressful guise. Embracing that woeful one in banishment, even as a mother doth her daughter, Kaucalya, smitten with grief, said, "The daughter of Videha's King, and the daughter-in-law of Dacaratha, and the wife of Rama himself--why doth such a lady undergo misery in the lone forest? O Vaidehi, beholding thy face like unto a lotus heated under the sun, or a lily that hath been crushed, or like unto gold covered with dust, or the moon enveloped by clouds, grief begot of this vortex of disaster that is in my mind, fiercely burneth me, as fire consumeth a structure." As his wretched mother was thus speaking, Bharata's elder brother, Raghava, approaching, took the feet of Vasishtha. Having taken hold of the feet of the priest resembling a flame, and of accumulated energy,--like unto that lord of the immortals, Indra, taking the feet of Vrihaspati, Raghava sat down with him. Then behind them (Rama and Vasishtha), along with his own counsellors, and principal citizens, and generals, and persons of eminent piety,--sat the virtuous Bharata in the presence of his elder brother. Seeing Raghava in the guise of an ascetic, flaming in grace, the exceedingly powerful Bharata with joined palms sat down in company with his brother, like the great Indra of controlled faculties in presence of Prajapati. "What will Bharata, having bowed unto Raghava and paid him homage, will say to him?" --this intense curiosity arose in (the minds of) all the noble persons present there. And Raghava having truth and forbearance, and Laksmana endowed with magnanimity, and Bharata possessed of righteousness, surrounded by their friends, appeared (there) like unto the three fires surrounded by Sadasyas.