Original · Devanagari
अथ श्रीअयोध्याकाण्डारम्भः ॥ कवित्त— अवध बसत विहरत सीतारामजू को बारह बरष बीते बिपिन अशोक में । नाना के नगर रहे भरत तबहिं भूप देन चाहे जुवराजी रामहि विशोकमें ॥ केकई वचन सुनि लखन सिया लै संग राम वन गवने तजे स्वजन शोकमें । प्रभु चित्रकूट शैल वसे रसरङ्गमणी राम बिन बसे अवधेश इन्द्रलोक में ॥१२॥ भरत भवन आय दुखी पितुकृया करि सबको लेवाय संग चित्रकूट चले हैं । पेखे रसरङ्गमणी शृंगवेरपुर प्रिय नेह सों निषादको मिले लगाय गले हैं ॥ तरि गंगा जमुना बिलोके शैलशृंग हग रोके न रहत अनुराग शोक दले हैं ॥ शील के सुजान रामभगति-निधान भव भए न भरतके समान भाई भले हैं ॥१३॥ प्रभु पदकंज पेखि पुहुमी में परे मानो गतमणि फेर फणि ग्रहण करत हैं । प्रेमानन्द प्रिय उर न समात रोम रोम पुलकात नीर नेनन झरत हैं ॥ विधि शिव अगम सनेह उभे भाइन को भाव रसराम मुख कहि न परत हैं । भेटत सु भुज भरि तन मन भान भूले भरत श्रीराम भए राम भे भरत हैं ॥१४॥ धरम भरत शुभकरम भरत शील सरम भरत अधरम निदरत हैं । भक्ति को भरत अनुरक्ति को भरत सुबिरक्ति को भरत दुख जुक्ति सों हरत हैं ॥ ज्ञान को भरत रामध्यान हू भरत रसरङ्गमणी अभिमान दूरहीं करत हैं । छेम को भरत नामनेम को भरत रामप्रेम को भरत विश्वभरन भरत हैं ॥१५॥ मिले सब जथा जोग सुने प्रभु परलोक पितु गे सशोक भे जलादि दान किए हैं । चलिए अवध कहे कोटि भाँति भरता—
Fresh English translation
Now begins the Ayodhyākāṇḍa. Sītā and Rāma lived and sported in Ayodhyā for twelve years, as though in an Aśoka grove. While Bharata was staying in his maternal grandfather’s city, the king wished to give Rāma the joyful office of heir-apparent. Hearing Kaikeyī’s demand, Rāma took Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā with him and went to the forest, leaving his kinsmen in grief. The Lord dwelt upon Mount Citrakūṭa and, says Rasarangamaṇi, without Rāma Ayodhyā’s king went to Indra’s world. Bharata returned to the palace in sorrow, performed his father’s rites, assembled everyone, and set out for Citrakūṭa. At Śṛṅgaverapura he met his dear Niṣāda with affection and embraced him, says Rasarangamaṇi. Crossing Gaṅgā and Yamunā, he saw the mountain peaks; love could not be restrained by his eyes, and grief was crushed. No noble brother like Bharata—wise in character and a treasury of devotion to Rāma—has ever appeared in this world. Seeing the Lord’s lotus feet, he fell to the earth like a jewel-lost serpent once more taking hold of its gem. The bliss of love could not fit in his loving heart; every hair thrilled and tears streamed from his eyes. The feeling between the two brothers was a love inaccessible even to Brahmā and Śiva; the tongue of rasa cannot express it. Embracing with fair arms, awareness of body and mind vanished: Bharata became Śrī Rāma and Rāma became Bharata. Bharata is dharma, auspicious action, modest conduct; Bharata condemns unrighteousness. Bharata is devotion and attachment, pure detachment, and by his method he removes sorrow. Bharata is knowledge and meditation on Rāma; he drives pride far away, says Rasarangamaṇi. Bharata is welfare, the discipline of the Name, love of Rāma, and the sustainer of the world. All met the Lord according to their proper relation. Hearing that his father had gone to the next world, he grieved and offered water and the other funeral gifts. ‘Come to Ayodhyā,’ Bharata pleaded in ten million ways—