Guha Lifts Bharata from the Guilt of Exile
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 201
Doha 201 · Movement 1 of 3
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Bharata remembers how Dasharatha guarded Ram like the tree of his own life and how the mothers watched him day and night as eyelids guard a serpent's jewel. That cherished prince now walks through wilderness, living upon roots, fruits, and flowers.
Grief turns Bharata's voice against Kaikeyi and then against himself. He calls his mother the root of misfortune, himself an ocean of sin, a stain upon his lineage, and the cause of every upheaval. The sacred resting place becomes a tribunal in which he condemns his own life.
Guha answers with affectionate steadiness. Why surrender to useless sorrow? Ram loves Bharata, and Bharata loves Ram. No fault belongs to him. The forest friend who first suspected Bharata now becomes the one who speaks his innocence aloud beside Ram's abandoned bed.
Where Bharata declares himself guilty, Guha places one clear truth between him and despair: Ram loves you, and you love Ram.
Read the passage from the Manas
राम सुना दुखु कान न काऊ। जीवनतरु जिमि जोगवइ राऊ।। पलक नयन फनि मनि जेहि भाँती। जोगवहिं जननि सकल दिन राती।। ते अब फिरत बिपिन पदचारी। कंद मूल फल फूल अहारी।। धिग कैकेई अमंगल मूला। भइसि प्रान प्रियतम प्रतिकूला।। मैं धिग धिग अघ उदधि अभागी। सबु उतपातु भयउ जेहि लागी।। कुल कलंकु करि सृजेउ बिधाताँ। साइँदोह मोहि कीन्ह कुमाताँ।। सुनि सप्रेम समुझाव निषादू। नाथ करिअ कत बादि बिषादू।। राम तुम्हहि प्रिय तुम्ह प्रिय रामहि। यह निरजोसु दोसु बिधि बामहि।।
Rama, whose name never brought dukh to any ear, was protected by the Raau like a jeevan-taru, a tree of life. Just as a mother guards the mani upon a serpent's hood, watching over it with her very eyelids, day and night without rest. That same Rama now wanders through the forest on foot, living on kand, mool, phal, and phool. Dhik, dhik upon Kaikeyi, root of all amangal, who turned against the one dearest to life itself. Dhik upon me, ocean of sin, wretched and abhagi. All this calamity has come about because of me. The Vidhata fashioned me as a kalanku upon my kul, and my wicked mother made me guilty of betraying my lord. Hearing all this, the Nishaad spoke with tender prema: "Naath, why give yourself over to this fruitless vishaad? Rama holds you dear, and you hold Rama dear. You are blameless in this. Lay the fault at the feet of unkind Vidhi."