Kaikeyi Welcomes Bharata into a Burned City
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 159
Doha 159 · Movement 1 of 2
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Markets and streets look as though fire has spread through Ayodhya in every direction. Yet Kaikeyi hears that her son has arrived and runs joyfully with a prepared lamp, meeting him at the door and leading him inside.
Bharata sees the royal family blighted by sorrow like a lotus garden struck by frost. His mother's delight stands within that ruin like a huntress rejoicing after setting the forest ablaze.
Kaikeyi asks first about her parents' household. Bharata reports their welfare, then searches the palace with increasingly urgent questions. Where is Dasharatha? Where are the mothers, Sita, Ram, and Lakshmana? The welcome flame burns before him, but every beloved figure it should illuminate is missing.
Kaikeyi raises the welcoming lamp while Bharata looks past its flame into a palace emptied of every face he seeks.
Read the passage from the Manas
हाट बाट नहिं जाइ निहारी। जनु पुर दहँ दिसि लागि दवारी।। आवत सुत सुनि कैकयनंदिनि। हरषी रबिकुल जलरुह चंदिनि।। सजि आरती मुदित उठि धाई। द्वारेहिं भेंटि भवन लेइ आई।। भरत दुखित परिवारु निहारा। मानहुँ तुहिन बनज बनु मारा।। कैकेई हरषित एहि भाँति। मनहुँ मुदित दव लाइ किराती।। सुतहि ससोच देखि मनु मारें। पूँछति नैहर कुसल हमारें।। सकल कुसल कहि भरत सुनाई। पूँछी निज कुल कुसल भलाई।। कहु कहँ तात कहाँ सब माता। कहँ सिय राम लखन प्रिय भ्राता।।
The markets and streets were unbearable to look upon, as if a wildfire had spread through the city in all directions. Hearing of her son's arrival, Kaikeyi rejoiced. She was the moonlight to the lotus-clan of the Sun dynasty. Overjoyed, she rose and prepared the welcoming aarti, greeting him at the door and leading him inside the palace. Bharata saw his family stricken with grief, like a garden of lotuses destroyed by frost. Kaikeyi was rejoicing in just this way, like a tribal huntress delighted after setting a forest ablaze. Seeing her son troubled and downcast, she asked about the welfare of her own parents' home. Bharata told her all was well there, then asked after the welfare of his own family. "Tell me, where is Father? Where are all the mothers? Where are dear Sita, Rama, and Lakshmana, my beloved brothers?"