Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 128, Shloka 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||
May isang krośa na lamang mula sa Ayodhyā, nakita niya si Bharata—nakasuot ng balat-kahoy at maitim na balat ng usa—kaawa-awa at payat, naninirahan sa isang āśrama. May buhol-buhol na buhok, ang katawan ay nadungisan, at pinanghihina ng dalamhati sa pagkawalay sa kapatid. Namumuhay siya sa prutas at ugat, mapagpigil sa sarili, isang tapasvī na lumalakad sa dharma; mataas ang bunton ng kanyang jata, at suot ang balat-kahoy at balat. Disiplinado at pinadalisay ng pagninilay, nagniningning na tila brahmarṣi, pinamamahalaan niya ang lupa sa paglalagay sa unahan ng mga sandalyas ni Rāma. Siya ang tagapagtanggol ng apat na varṇa laban sa malaking pangamba, na napaliligiran ng mga ministro, ng malilinis na pari, at ng mga pinunong kawal at kasama na may suot na kasāya.
' 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).
FAQs
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.