Even before he had landed at the ashram of Maharishi Bharadwaj, Ram asked Hanuman to proceed to Ayodhya and inform Bharat of his arrival along with Sita and Lakshman. Hanuman was first to meet the tribal leader, Guh (also called Nishadraj), at Shringverpur, and convey his greetings to him.
As for Bharat, Ram specifically instructed his envoy to minutely scrutinise hisbody language when he delivered to him the news of his arrival. “Watch the shine of his face, his eyes and the way he talks and try to understand what goes in his mind,” Ram told Hanuman. Returning from the 14-year exile as he was, Ram had a very human approach towards his brother, the prince-regent-
Sarvkamsmridhm hi hasytshvarthsankulam/
Pitripaitamahm rajym kasya navartyen//
(When) a realm of forefathers, rich in all the desirable assets (such as) elephants, cavalry, and chariots, is available, then whose mind does not turn?
Balmiki Ramayan/Yuddh Kand/Canto125(xvi)
Ram made it clear to Hanuman that if Bharat – because of his association with Kaikeyi or his long attachment to the royal grandeur, power and wealth-desired to keep the kingdom for himself, he was free to rule it without any hurdle. In that case,Ram will be happy to go somewhere else to spend his ascetic life.
Carrying Ram’s directions, Hanuman flew to Ram’s intimate friend, Guh, and told him about his triumphant return. From Guh’s territory, he made another leap to Bharat’s ashram at Nandigram, about a kos (2 miles) from Ayodhya.
Bharat was a sight Hanuman would not have been prepared for. Clad in rags and a black-deer skin, he looked frail and melancholic. The mass of coiled hair on his head looked disproportionately heavyon his thin body. The aides around him also wore austere clothes of saffron colour. For all his austerities, Bharat did not seem to stint in his efforts to promote the welfare of his subjects or ensure their security.
When Hanuman told the righteous prince who he was, Bharat was beside himself with joy-
Dinbandhu Raghupati kar kinkar/Sunat Bharat bhenteu uthi sadar//
Milat prem nahin hrideyn smata/Nayan sravat jal pulkit gata//
(Hanuman said,) “I am a slave to the Friend of the Poor, Lord Raghunath.” The moment Bharat heard that, he got up and hugged Hanuman. His heart overflowed with love while meeting (Hanuman). Tears of joy flowed from his eyes and his body was enraptured.
Ramcharitmanas/Uttar Kand/1kh(vi)
Hanumansaid to himdeferentially, “Your brother, Ram, in whose constant thinking youremain in rags and matted hair, has sent me to inform you of his wellness.He has also inquired about your health. After killing Ravan, he has been successful in bringing back Sita.” Hanuman also informed Bharatthat Ram was staying at Maharishi Bharadwaj’s ashram on the banks of the Ganga and would be meeting him at Ayodhya the following day.
Bharat was mighty pleased. For bringing him such glad tidings, he offered Hanumana lakh of cows, a hundred villages and many other precious awards.
Then, Bharat turned his attention to the situation at hand. He ordered Prince Shatrughan to make preparations for according a rousing welcome to Ram. Presently, Ayodhya glittered with the royal pomp and show. Uneven land waslevelled; highways and all the streets were cleaned, sprinkled with cool water and scented with flowers. Music and dancing parties were also arranged.Shatrughan also deployed several people to prevent the highway from being overcrowded.
Bharat’s ashram at Nandigram became the prime destination. Ayodhya’s eight ministers-Dhrishti, Jayant, Vijay, Siddarth, Arthsadhak, Ashok, Mantrapal and Sumantra – riding elephants led a magnificent procession of the well-quipped cavalry and infantrymen of the Kaushal army. Then came Raja Dashrath’s queens, Kaushalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi borne in their palanquins. The capital’s gentry also made a beeline to Nandigram.
Seeing all the personages amassing around him, Prince Bharat had a moment of anxiety. “Vanar warrior!” he exclaimed to Hanuman, “monkeys are by nature unsteady. I can’t see any indication of Brother Ram’s arrival. Are you sure he is coming?”
“Look there in the sky,” responded Hanuman. “Up there is the Pushpak Viman shining like the moon. Carrying Lord Ram, Lakshman and Sita, it will be landing here any moment now!”As the Pushpak Viman landed, the three exiles rejoined the royal family. Ram then sent the vehicle back to its original owner, Kuber, from whom Ravan had appropriated it.
Eventually, Bharat had got his elder brother, his icon, back with him. The uppermost wish that lay in his heart was fulfilled. Fourteen years ago, while obeying Ram’s command to take charge of Ayodhya during his term of exile, he had asked his elder brother to lend to him the wooden clogs that he wore as a newly-turned ascetic. Bharat had kept those wooden clogs on the throne as a constant reminder to him that it was Ram who was the raja and he was running the affairs of the state only in his absence. Now, he brought back those clogs to Ram-
Paduke te tu Ramasya grihitva Bharatah swayam/
Charnabhyam narendrasya yojayamas dharmvit//
Abravichch tda Ramam Bhartah s kritanjalih/
Etat te sakalm rajyam nyasm niryatitim maya//
Adya janm kritarthm me samvrittashch manorathah/
Yat tvam pashyami rajanamyodhyam punragatm//
After that, the righteous Bharat himself took Ram’s wooden clogs, causing the Lord to put them on, and with folded hands, he said to him –
“Lord! I have restituted at your feet this whole realm which had been lying with me as a keepsake. I have fulfilled my destiny today. My heartiest wish has been fulfilled on seeing you, Shri Ram, back in Ayodhya!”
Balmiki Ramayan/Yuddh Kand/127(liv-lvi)
At an elaborate ceremony held in the royal palace of Ayodhya, Guru Vashisht consecratedRam as the king of Kaushala. Raja Ram wore the same bejewelled diadem, aglitter with precious gems, that had been worn by Manu and all his successive rajas at their consecrations.
With Raja Ram gracing the Ayodhya throne,’Ram Rajya’ brought an era of liberty, peace and all-round happiness for his subjects.Ironically, it heralded a bleak future for his own consort, Queen Sita.
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