Guha Meets Ram and Bharata Receives Lakshmana's Bow
Ayodhya Kanda, Doha 241
Doha 241 · Movement 2 of 2
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The central embrace opens into a widening circle of reunion. Guha, who guarded the Ganga and guided Bharata through every trace of exile, comes before Ram.
The forest friend meets Shatrughna with love and then receives Ram's embrace. Nearby, Lakshmana bows toward Bharata, the brother he had moments earlier imagined upon a battlefield.
Bharata lifts and holds Lakshmana with overflowing affection. Suspicion dissolves without argument in bodily recognition. The doha places reconciliation in touch rather than explanation: the boatman reaches the Lord he served, and the two brothers meet across the fear that had never altered their deeper love.
Guha enters Ram's arms while Bharata gathers the bowing Lakshmana into the affection no imagined battle could destroy.
Read the passage from the Manas
मिलि सपेम रिपुसूदनहि केवटु भेंटेउ राम। भूरि भायँ भेंटे भरत लछिमन करत प्रनाम।।241।।
Meeting Ripusoodana (the Slayer of foes) with love, the boatman embraced Rama. With overflowing affection Bharata embraced Lakshmana, who was bowing in reverence.