एवमुक्तस्तु भरतो निषादाधिपतिं गुहम्। प्रत्युवाच महाप्राज्ञो वाक्यं हेत्वर्थसंहितम्॥
Thus addressed, the exceedingly wise Bharata answered the lord of the Nişādas, in words fraught with sense and reason.
ऊर्जितः खलु ते कामः कृतो मम गुरो सखे। यो मे त्वमीदृशीं सेनामभ्यर्चयितुमिच्छसि॥
Your great desire, O friend of my superior, is surely as good as attained; since you of mighty energy have set your heart on entertaining my army.
इत्युक्त्वा स महातेजा गुहं वचनमुत्तमम्। अब्रवीद् भरतः श्रीमान् पन्थानं दर्शयन् पुनः॥
Having said these fair words to Guha, the graceful and highly energetic Bharata again addressed the lord of Nişādas.
कतरेण गमिष्यामि भरद्वाजाश्रमं पथा। गहनोऽयं भृशं देशो गङ्गानूपो दुरत्ययः॥
By what way shall I go to Bharadvāja's hermitage? These lands watered by the Gangā are dense and hard to track.
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा राजपुत्रस्य धीमतः। अब्रवीत् प्राञ्जलिर्भूत्वा गुहो गहनगोचरः॥
Hearing these words of the intelligent son of the king, Guha well acquainted with the forest, said with joined hands.
दाशास्त्वनुगमिष्यन्ति देशज्ञाः सुसमाहिताः। अहं चानुगमिष्यामि राजपुत्र महाबल॥
My servant well acquainted with the place shall attentively follow you; and, O prince possessed of mighty strength, I myself will also walk in your wake.
कच्चिन्न दुष्टो व्रजसि रामस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः। इयं ते महती सेना शङ्कां जनयतीव मे॥
But do you go after Rāma of energetic acts with some evil intention? This vast force of yours raise my apprehension/
तमेवमभिभाषन्तमाकाश इव निर्मलः। भरतः श्लक्ष्णया वाचा गुहं वचनमब्रवीत्॥
When Guha had asked this, Bharata with a presence unclouded like the sky, spoke to Guha these sweet words.
मा भूत् स कालो यत् कष्टं न मां शङ्कितुमर्हसि। राघवः स हि मे भ्राता ज्येष्ठः पितृसमो मतः॥
May a time never come when I shall do wrong to Rāghava! It behoves you not to fear me. Rāghava is my eldest brother dear to me even as my sire himself.
तं निवर्तयितुं यामि काकुत्स्थं वनवासिनम्। बुद्धिरन्या न मे कार्या गुह सत्यं ब्रवीमि ते॥
I go to make Kākutstha dwelling in the woods, turn back. Other intention cherish I none. O Guha, this I tell you truly.
स तु संहृष्टवदनः श्रुत्वा भरतभाषितम्। पुनरेवाब्रवीद् वाक्यं भरतं प्रति हर्षितः॥
Having heard Bharata's speech, Guha with a countenance lighted up with delight, again cheerfully addressed Bharata, saying.
धन्यस्त्वं न त्वया तुल्यं पश्यामि जगतीतले। अयत्नादागतं राज्यं यस्त्वं त्यक्तुमिहेच्छसि॥
Blessed are you! Your like find I none on earth, inasmuch as you wish to resign a kingdom that comes to you without search.
शाश्वती खलु ते कीर्तिर्लोकाननु चरिष्यति। यस्त्वं कृच्छ्रगतं रामं प्रत्यानयितुमिच्छसि॥
Your eternal fame will certainly range this world, since you wish to bring back Rāma passing through misfortune.
एवं सम्भाषमाणस्य गुहस्य भरतं तदा। बभौ नष्टप्रभः सूर्यो रजनी चाभ्यवर्तत ॥
As Guha was speaking thus to Bharata, the sun became shorn of his splendour and night fell.
संनिवेश्य स तां सेनां गुहेन परितोषितः। शत्रुघ्नेन समं क्षीमाञ्छयनं पुनरागमत्॥
Thereupon having disposed his troops, the auspicious Bharata gratified by Guha, went to bed along with Śatrughna.
रामचिन्तामयः शोको भरतस्य महात्मनः। उपस्थितो ह्यनर्हस्य धर्मप्रेक्षस्य तादृशः॥
Then arose thoughts of Rāma in the mind of the magnanimous Bharata ever having his gaze fixed on virtue and undeserving (of hardship).
अन्तर्दाहेन दहनः संतापयति राघवम्। वनदाहाग्निसंतप्त गूढोऽग्निरिव पादपम्॥
Then even as a tree already heated by a forestfire burns with a fire hidden in its cavity that descendant of Raghu began to burn with the fire of grief inflamed in his heart.
प्रसृतः सर्वगात्रेभ्यः स्वेदं शोकाग्निसम्भवम्। यथा सूर्यांशुसंतप्तो हिमवान् प्रसृतो हिमम्॥
Perspiration produced by the fire of sorrow issued out of all his limbs, as the Himavat heated by the solar warmth generates water.
ध्याननिर्दरशैलेन विनिःश्वासितधातुना। दैन्यपादपसंघेन शोकायासाधिशृङ्गिणा॥ प्रमोहानन्तसत्त्वेन संतापौषधिवेणुना। आक्रान्तो दुःखशैलेन महता कैकयीसुतः॥
And Kaikeyi's son was overpowered and drowned by the mountain of grief, having thoughts (of Rāma) for its entire crags, sighs for its mineral substance, disgust with the avocations of life, for its trees, mental feebleness through grief for its summits, stupor for the animals inhabiting it, and burning for its annual shrubs and bamboos.
विनिःश्वसन् वै भृशदुर्मनास्ततः प्रमूढसंज्ञः परमापदं गतः। शमं न लेभे हृदयज्वरार्दितो नरर्षभो यूथहतो यथर्षभः॥
And sighing heavily with a heart oppressed with sorrow, well nigh deprived of consciousness, and involved in high peril, that best of men, oppressed by the fever of his heart, like to a mighty leader of a herd, separated from it, did not attain peace of mind.
गुहेन सार्धं भरतः समागतो महानुभावः सजनः समाहितः। गुंहः समाश्वासयदग्रज प्रति॥
Meeting with Guha, the magnanimous Bharata accompanied by his people, engrossed with the thoughts of Rāma, became oppressed with grief. (Seeing this), Guha by and by encouraged Bharata concerning his elder brother.