Valmiki Ramayana 2.71.3-4: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 71, Shlokas 3-4
भरतस्य अयोध्याप्रत्यागमनम् · Bharata’s Return Journey and the Distant Sight of Ayodhya
ऐलाधाने नदीं तीर्त्वा प्राप्य चापरपर्पटान् ।
शिलामकुर्वतीं तीर्त्वा आग्नेयं शल्यकर्षणम् ॥३॥
सत्यसन्धश्शुचिश्श्रीमान्प्रेक्षमाण श्शिलावहाम् ।
अत्ययात्स महाशैलान्वनं चैत्ररथं प्रति ॥४॥
ailādhāne nadīṃ tīrtvā prāpya cāparaparpaṭān |
śilām akurvatīṃ tīrtvā āgneyaṃ śalyakarṣaṇam ||3||
satyasandhaḥ śuciḥ śrīmān prekṣamāṇaḥ śilāvahām |
atyayāt sa mahāśailān vanaṃ caitrarathaṃ prati ||4||
إنَّ بهاراتا—الوفيَّ بعهدِه، الطاهرَ القلبِ، المشرقَ الشأن—عبرَ النهرَ عند أيلادهانا وبلغَ الناحيةَ المسماةَ أبارابربطا. ثم اجتازَ الجبلَ الذي تنبعُ منه نهرُ شيلابها، ومضى نحو الشمالِ الشرقيِّ إلى شاليَكرشنه، وهو يتأمّلُ مجرى شيلابها؛ وبعد أن تجاوزَ الجبالَ العظامَ، قصدَ الغابةَ المعروفةَ باسم تشيترَرثا.
Bharata, ever true to his word, handsome and pure-hearted, reached Aparaparpata region and crossed river Satadru at Eladhana, the mountain in which river Silavaha originates. Then he traversed Salyakarsna regions in the northeast, observing the course of the Silavaha and went beyond the great mountains in the direction of the forest called Chaitraratha.
FAQs
Bharata is characterized as satyasandha—one who stands by truth and vow—suggesting that righteous conduct begins with fidelity to one’s word even amid political uncertainty.
Bharata is traveling rapidly back toward Ayodhyā, crossing named regions and rivers, moving closer to the unfolding crisis in the royal household.
Satya (truthfulness/keeping one’s pledge) and śauca (inner purity) are foregrounded through Bharata’s epithets.
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