An Auspicious Sneeze Silences the War Drum
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 192
Doha 192 · Movement 1 of 2
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The warriors boast that Ram's glory and Guha's strength would carry them even without soldiers or horses. They would never retreat alive. Guha studies the brave company, judges it worthy, and commands the war drum to sound.
At that very moment a sneeze comes from the left. Readers of omens hear promise rather than bloodshed. An elder weighs the sign and declares that Bharata comes to persuade Ram, not to wage war. The sudden sound opens a narrow space in which certainty can be questioned.
Guha receives the correction. He calls the old man's counsel good and admits that fools act in haste only to repent. To fight before understanding Bharata's nature and virtue would turn loyalty into grave harm. The drum waits, and discernment takes the place prepared for violence.
A single auspicious sound reaches Guha before the war drum and gives wisdom time to restrain devotion armed by fear.
Read the passage from the Manas
राम प्रताप नाथ बल तोरे। करहिं कटकु बिनु भट बिनु घोरे।। जीवत पाउ न पाछें धरहीं। रुंड मुंडमय मेदिनि करहीं।। दीख निषादनाथ भल टोलू। कहेउ बजाउ जुझाऊ ढोलू।। एतना कहत छींक भइ बाँए। कहेउ सगुनिअन्ह खेत सुहाए।। बूढ़ु एकु कह सगुन बिचारी। भरतहि मिलिअ न होइहि रारी।। रामहि भरतु मनावन जाहीं। सगुन कहइ अस बिग्रहु नाहीं।। सुनि गुह कहइ नीक कह बूढ़ा। सहसा करि पछिताहिं बिमूढ़ा।। भरत सुभाउ सीलु बिनु बूझें। बड़ि हित हानि जानि बिनु जूझें।।
"By Rama's glory and your strength, O lord, they would wage war without soldiers, without horses. Alive, they would never turn their backs; they would cover the earth with severed heads and torsos." The Nishada chief surveyed his brave company and called out, "Beat the war drums!" Even as he spoke, a sneeze sounded on the left. The omen-readers declared, "The signs are auspicious." One old man, weighing the omen carefully, said, "If we meet Bharata, there will be no quarrel. Bharata goes only to persuade Rama to return. The omens say so plainly: there shall be no conflict." Hearing this, Guha said, "The elder speaks wisely. Fools act in haste and repent at leisure. Without first understanding Bharata's nature and virtue, to fight blindly would be the gravest of losses."