Bharata Finds Ram's Footprints in the Dust
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 238
Doha 238 · Movement 1 of 2
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Guha's words send tears overflowing as Bharata and Shatrughna bow toward the trees and move forward. Their love is so deep that Saraswati herself would hesitate to describe it.
Then Ram's footprints appear upon the ground. The brothers rejoice like paupers finding the philosopher's stone. They lift the dust to head, heart, and eyes, receiving a happiness equal to Ram's bodily embrace.
Bharata's state enters bird, deer, and even seemingly inert life. Guha becomes so overwhelmed that he loses the path, while gods call the direction and shower flowers. Siddhas and seekers praise the spontaneous affection before them. Bharata's love makes the still seem moving and arrests the moving in wonder.
Before the embrace comes, Ram's footprint dust reaches Bharata's head, heart, and eyes and gives the joy of meeting itself.
Read the passage from the Manas
सखा बचन सुनि बिटप निहारी। उमगे भरत बिलोचन बारी।। करत प्रनाम चले दोउ भाई। कहत प्रीति सारद सकुचाई।। हरषहिं निरखि राम पद अंका। मानहुँ पारसु पायउ रंका।। रज सिर धरि हियँ नयनन्हि लावहिं। रघुबर मिलन सरिस सुख पावहिं।। देखि भरत गति अकथ अतीवा। प्रेम मगन मृग खग जड़ जीवा।। सखहि सनेह बिबस मग भूला। कहि सुपंथ सुर बरषहिं फूला।। निरखि सिद्ध साधक अनुरागे। सहज सनेहु सराहन लागे।। होत न भूतल भाउ भरत को। अचर सचर चर अचर करत को।।
Hearing his friend's words and gazing upon that tree, tears overflowed from Bharat's eyes. Both brothers bowed in reverence and walked forward. Their love was so deep that even Sarada herself felt too shy to speak of it. They rejoiced at the sight of Rama's footprints on the ground, like a pauper who has found the paras-mani, the philosopher's stone. They placed that sacred dust upon their heads, pressed it to their hearts and eyes. The bliss they felt was equal to meeting Raghubir in the flesh. Seeing Bharat's state, which was beyond all telling, even the birds, deer, and dull creatures of the forest became drenched in love. His dear friend, overcome by affection, lost his way on the path. The gods called out the right direction and showered flowers from above. Watching this, the siddhas and seekers were stirred with devotion. They began to praise this love that flowed so naturally, without effort. Bharat's love was not of this earth. It turned the still into the moving and the moving into the still.