Shloka 6.128.29
अयोध्याप्रत्यागमन-सन्देशः (Hanuman Sent Ahead to Ayodhya)
क्रोशमात्रेत्वयोध्यायाचशीरकृष्णाजिनम्बरम् ।।।।ददर्शभरतंदीनंकृशमाश्रमवासिनम् ।जटिलंमलदिग्धाङ्गंभ्रातृव्यसनकर्शितम् ।। ।फलमूलाशिनंदान्तंतापसंधर्मचारिणम् ।समुन्नतजटाभारंवल्कलाजिनवाससम् ।।।।नियतंभावितात्मानंब्रह्मर्षिसमतेजसम् ।पादुकेतेपुरस्कृत्यप्रशासन्तंवसुन्धराम् ।। ।चातुर्वर्णस्यलोकस्यत्रातारंमहतोभयात् ।उपस्थितममात्यैश्चशुचिभिश्चपुरोहितैः ।।।।बलमुख्यैश्चयुक्तैश्चकाषायाम्बरदारिभिः ।
krośa-mātre tvayodhyāyāś cīra-kṛṣṇājināmbaram |
dadarśa bharataṃ dīnaṃ kṛśam āśrama-vāsinam |
jaṭilaṃ mala-digdhāṅgaṃ bhrātṛ-vyasana-karśitam |
phala-mūlāśinaṃ dāntaṃ tāpasaṃ dharma-cāriṇam |
samunnata-jaṭā-bhāraṃ valkalājina-vāsasam |
niyataṃ bhāvitātmānaṃ brahmarṣi-sama-tejasam |
pāduke te puraskṛtya praśāsantaṃ vasundharām |
cāturvarṇasya lokasya trātāraṃ mahato bhayāt |
upasthitam amātyaiś ca śucibhiś ca purohitaiḥ |
bala-mukhyaiś ca yuktaiś ca kāṣāyāmbara-dāribhiḥ ||6.128.29–33||
At about a krośa from Ayodhyā, he saw Bharata—clad in bark-garments and dark antelope-skin—piteous and emaciated, dwelling in a hermitage; with matted hair, his limbs smeared with grime, worn down by the sorrow of separation from his brother. Living on fruits and roots, self-restrained, an ascetic walking in dharma, he bore his piled-up jatas high and wore bark and skin. Disciplined, his inner self refined by contemplation, radiant like a brahmarṣi, he governed the earth by placing Rāma’s sandals before him. Protector of the fourfold social order from great fear, he was attended by ministers, pure-minded priests, and leading officers and companions wearing ochre robes.
' At a distance of two miles from Ayodhya, Hanuman saw Bharata living in a hermitage wearing black skin of antelope, emaciated, piteous, not clean, without any cleaning of the body, affected by the separation from brother; living on fruits and roots, subdued practicing austerities, following righteous practices; disciplined, soul purified by meditation, like Brahmarshi in brilliance, placing your sandals on ground ruling the earth, all the four divisions free from fear on all sides, protecting the upright, ministers, priests, united with chiefs of army stood there' (reported Hanuman).
Legitimate rule is grounded in fidelity to truth and rightful succession: Bharata governs not for personal power but as a trustee of Rāma’s dharma, symbolized by placing Rāma’s pādukās foremost.
Hanumān reaches the outskirts of Ayodhyā/Nandigrāma and witnesses Bharata’s ascetic life and regency—before initiating contact and delivering Rāma’s message.
Bharata’s satya and tyāga (truthfulness and renunciation): he refuses royal luxury, accepts hardship, and rules only as Rāma’s representative.