Valmiki Ramayana 2.98.18: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 98, Shloka 18
चित्रकूटप्रवेशः · Bharata Enters the Forest Toward Chitrakuta
Setting: Citrakūṭa mountain region; vicinity of Rama’s āśramaPlaces named: CitrakūṭaArrival phase; army halted while leader advances
स चित्रकूटे तु गिरौ निशम्यव रामाश्रमं पुण्यजनोपपन्नम् ।
गुहेन सार्धं त्वरितो जगाम पुनर्निवेश्यैव चमूं महात्मा ॥१८॥
sa citrakūṭe tu girau niśamya vai rāmāśramaṃ puṇyajanopapannam |
guhena sārdhaṃ tvarito jagāma punar niveśyaiva camūṃ mahātmā ||18||
ครั้นทรงทราบถึงอาศรมของพระรามบนเขาจิตรคูฏ—อันเป็นที่มาของหมู่ชนผู้บริสุทธิ์—พระภรตผู้มีใจยิ่งใหญ่ทรงให้กองทัพตั้งค่ายอีกครั้ง (ไว้ห่าง) แล้วรีบเสด็จไปพร้อมกับคุหะ
Sandhi Notes
- punarnivēśyaiva → punar niveśya eva
- puṇyajanōpapannam → puṇyajana-upapannam
Having heard of Rama's hermitage on the Chitrakuta mountain inhabited by pious men, magnanimous Bharata, commanded his army to stay at a distance, and quickly proceeded with Guha.ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē aṣṭanavatitamassargaḥ৷৷Thus ends the ninetyeighth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.
The teaching
Power is dharmic when restrained before sanctity; the leader advances with humility, not with intimidation.
Duties in tension
- Kṣatriya display of power with army
- Reverence and non-intrusion into a sacred āśrama space
- Ethical theme
- Rājadharma (restraint, propriety)
- How it resolves
- Restraint/withdrawal of force; personal approach with minimal entourage
For your practice
Model for approaching sacred places/teachers: reduce noise, approach with humility and urgency for dharma.
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism), with Shanta (peace)
- Mood
- Purposeful, reverent, swift
Themes
- Dharma
- Maryada
- Itihasa
- Ethics
Withdrawing the ‘outer forces’ (army) and moving inward toward the āśrama parallels turning senses inward toward the Self.
Āśrama as locus of tapas and brahmavidyā; approach to the ‘pious’ evokes the Upaniṣadic movement toward a teacher/seat of knowledge.
- Bharata and Rama
- Brother seeking brother; mission of reconciliation (reverent urgency)
- Bharata and Guha
- Alliance with Niṣāda chief; guide and companion (trusting cooperation)
- Bharata and Army
- Commander ordering encampment/restraint (commanding restraint)
Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa Ayodhyākāṇḍa: Bharata’s journey to Citrakūṭa and meeting with Guha (surrounding sargas); Rāmacaritamānasa Ayodhyākāṇḍa: Bharata halting forces and proceeding with humility
Āśrama culture of Vedic forest-dwelling sages
Earlier: Guha’s hospitality to Rama; now Guha guides Bharata, mirroring service to dharma
Anuṣṭup (śloka)
Narrative
Druta opening on ‘चित्रकूटे’ then softened cadence at ‘पुण्यजनोपपन्नम्’
FAQs
Dharma is expressed as restraint and reverence: Bharata keeps the army at a distance to avoid disturbing the sanctity of the hermitage and approaches appropriately.
Near Chitrakūṭa, Bharata is informed of the hermitage’s location; he parks the troops and proceeds swiftly with Guha to meet Rama.
Bharata’s humility, sensitivity to sacred space, and single-minded pursuit of rightful action are emphasized.
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