Bharata Remembers the Tender Ones Enduring the Forest
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 200
Doha 200 · Movement 1 of 2
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Bharata's remembrance turns first toward Lakshmana, the beautiful younger brother worthy of the gentlest care. Beloved by the city and his parents, dearer than life to Sita and Ram, he possesses a form and nature so delicate that even the wind seemed never to touch him harshly.
Now Lakshmana, Sita, and Ram endure every forest adversity. Bharata condemns his own chest as harder than millions of thunderbolts because it has not shattered beneath the knowledge.
Then Ram's qualities rise without limit. His birth illumined the world. Form, character, joy, and virtue find their ocean in him. Citizens, family, guru, father, mother, even former enemies are won by his speech, courtesy, humility, and way of meeting. Countless Saraswatis and Sheshas could not complete the reckoning Bharata's heart begins.
At the grass bed, Bharata sees the forest holding three tender lives whose virtues no multitude of divine tongues could finish praising.
Read the passage from the Manas
लालन जोगु लखन लघु लोने। भे न भाइ अस अहहिं न होने।। पुरजन प्रिय पितु मातु दुलारे। सिय रघुबरहि प्रानपिआरे।। मृदु मूरति सुकुमार सुभाऊ। तात बाउ तन लाग न काऊ।। ते बन सहहिं बिपति सब भाँती। निदरे कोटि कुलिस एहिं छाती।। राम जनमि जगु कीन्ह उजागर। रूप सील सुख सब गुन सागर।। पुरजन परिजन गुर पितु माता। राम सुभाउ सबहि सुखदाता।। बैरिउ राम बड़ाई करहीं। बोलनि मिलनि बिनय मन हरहीं।। सारद कोटि कोटि सत सेषा। करि न सकहिं प्रभु गुन गन लेखा।।
Young Lakhan is worthy of tender laalan, of loving care. Never has there been such a brother, nor shall there ever be. Beloved of all the purajan, cherished by his pita and mata, dearer than life itself to Siya and Raghubar. So gentle his form, so sukumaar his nature. O Taat, not even a breeze has ever touched his tender body. Yet now they endure every kind of vipati in the van. This heart of mine must be harder than a million thunderbolts. By taking birth, Rama illumined the entire jagat. He is a limitless ocean of roop, sheel, sukh, and every noble guna. To the purajan, the parijan, the guru, pita, and mata, Rama's loving subhaav brings sukh to all. Even His enemies sing Rama's praises. His gentle speech, His gracious meeting, His vinaya steal every heart. A million Saraswatis and a hundred million Sheshas could not reckon the full count of Prabhu's glorious gunas.