Dialogue between Indra and his preceptor (the sage Bṛhaspati)
Dohas
rāmu saomkōcī prēma basa bharata sapēma payōdhi.
banī bāta bēgarana cahati karia jatanu chalu sōdhi..217.. [2-217]
“Śrī Rāma is scrupulous by nature and is won by love, while Bharata is an ocean of affection. What has already been accomplished thus threatens to be undone; therefore, finding out some stratagem let us use it as a remedial measure.”
Chaupais
bacana sunata suraguru musakānē. sahasanayana binu lōcana jānē..
māyāpati sēvaka sana māyā. karai ta ulaṭi parai surarāyā.. [2-217-1]
taba kichu kīnha rāma rukha jānī. aba kucāli kari hōihi hānī..
sunu surēsa raghunātha subhāū. nija aparādha risāhiṃ na kāū.. [2-217-2]
jō aparādhu bhagata kara karaī. rāma rōṣa pāvaka sō jaraī..
lōkahu bēda bidita itihāsā. yaha mahimā jānahiṃ durabāsā.. [2-217-3]
bharata sarisa kō rāma sanēhī. jagu japa rāma rāmu japa jēhī.. [2-217-4]
Hearing his words the preceptor of the gods smiled and realized that, though endowed with a thousand eyes, Indra was really blind, (lacked discernment). He said, “If anyone practises deception on a devotee of Śrī Rāma (the Lord of Māyā), it recoils on the artificer himself. O king of gods! Last time we did something knowing that it had Śrī Rāma’s tacit approval; but by resorting to some underhand means this time we are sure to meet with disaster. Listen, O lord of gods; it is Śrī Rāma’s nature not to be angry at any offence against Himself. But he who sins against His devotees is surely consumed in the fire of His wrath. The story is well known both in the world as well as in the Vedas: the sage Dūrvāsa* know this glorious trait of Śrī Rāma’s character. Has anyone loved Rāma even as Bharata, whose name is ever on the lips of Rāma, while Rāma’s name is repeated by the whole world?
- * We read in the Purāṇas how the sage Durvāsā, who is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Śiva and was noted for his irascible nature, once called on King Ambarīṣa, a great devotee of Bhagavān Viṣṇu. It happened to be a Dvādaśī (the twelfth day of a lunar fortnight). The king naturally invited the sage to dine at his palace and the latter accepted his invitation and went to the river bank to take his bath. The king had fasted on the previous day and according to the scriptural injunctions it was necessary that he should break his fast while it was Dvādaśī. The sage, however, did not return in time and the pious king would never break his fast until the sage had taken his meals. He was, therefore in a fix and consulted Brāhmaṇas on the point. The Brāhmaṇas advised the king to observe the formality of breaking his fast by sipping a spoonful of water in which the feet of the Lord’s image had been immersed. By doing so he would not be guilty of dining before the invitee and would also be saved from the offence of not breaking his fast during the Dvādaśī. No sooner had the king sipped the holy water than the sage returned from the river bank and flew into a rage when he learnt that the king had broken his fast and did not await his return. He pulled out a hair from his head and produced therefrom a demoness known by the name of Kṛtyā, which ran to devour the king. Ambarīṣa, who had dedicated himself to the feet of the Lord, and absolutely depended on Him, remained standing where he was and neither shrank out of fear nor made any attempt to save himself.
The Lord, however, would not allow his devotee to die without any fault of his and despatched His own discus, Sudarśana, to save his life. The discus ran after the demoness and having disposed of her pursued the sage himself, who ran for his life and wandered throughout the universe for full one year, but none afforded him shelter. Even Bhagavān Viṣṇu pleaded His helplessness and asked him to approach the king himself and ask for his forgiveness. The king, who was too good to harbour any ill-will against the sage and out of sympathy for him had remained without any food ever since he left, was moved to pity at his predicament and prayed to the Lord’s weapon, Sudarśana, to spare the Brāhmaṇa. Sudarśana granted the king’s prayer and left. The sage, who now realized the king’s greatness, fell at his feet and craved for his forgiveness for what he had done. The king in his turn felt sorry for the hardships which the sage had to suffer on his account and bade him good-bye after entertaining him to a sumptuous dinner and showing him every respect.
Dohas
manahu na ānia amarapati raghubara bhagata akāju.
ajasu lōka paralōka dukha dina dina sōka samāju..218.. [2-218]
Never harbour in your mind, O Lord of the immortals, even the thought of frustrating the purpose of a devotee of Śrī Rāma (the Chief of Raghu’s line); for the same will bring you infamy in this world, sorrow in the next and a series of woes in your day-to-day life.
Chaupais
sunu surēsa upadēsu hamārā. rāmahi sēvaku parama piārā..
mānata sukhu sēvaka sēvakāī. sēvaka baira bairu adhikāī.. [2-218-1]
jadyapi sama nahiṃ rāga na rōṣū. gahahiṃ na pāpa pūnu guna dōṣū..
karama pradhāna bisva kari rākhā. jō jasa karai sō tasa phalu cākhā.. [2-218-2]
tadapi karahiṃ sama biṣama bihārā. bhagata abhagata hṛdaya anusārā..
aguna alēpa amāna ēkarasa. rāmu saguna bhaē bhagata pēma basa.. [2-218-3]
rāma sadā sēvaka ruci rākhī. bēda purāna sādhu sura sākhī..
asa jiyaom jāni tajahu kuṭilāī. karahu bharata pada prīti suhāī.. [2-218-4]
“Hear our advice, O king of gods! A devotee is supremely dear to Śrī Rāma; He is gratified through service rendered to His devotees, and bears great enmity to those who are hostile to them. Even though the Lord is alike to all without either love or anger and receives neither sin nor virtue, neither merit nor demerit, and even though He has made Fate the ruling factor in this world, so that one reaps what one sows, yet according as one possesses the heart of a devotee or an unbeliever He appears to be impartial or hostile in His dealings. Though devoid of attributes, unattached, free from pride and ever unchanged, Śrī Rāma has assumed a form with attributes yielding to the love of His devotees. Śrī Rāma has ever respected the wishes of His devotees: the Vedas and Purāṇas as well as saints and gods can bear testimony to this. Bearing this in mind give up perversity and cherish ideal love for Bharata’s feet.”
Dohas
rāma bhagata parahita nirata para dukha dukhī dayāla.
bhagata sirōmani bharata tēṃ jani ḍarapahu surapāla..219.. [2-219]
Śrī Rāma’s devotees are actively engaged doing good to others, share the sorrows of others and are compassionate by nature. And Bharata is the very crest-jewel of devotees; therefore, be not afraid of him, O ruler of gods.”
Chaupais
satyasaṃdha prabhu sura hitakārī. bharata rāma āyasa anusārī..
svāratha bibasa bikala tumha hōhū. bharata dōsu nahiṃ rāura mōhū.. [2-219-1]
suni surabara suragura bara bānī. bhā pramōdu mana miṭī galānī..
baraṣi prasūna haraṣi surarāū. lagē sarāhana bharata subhāū.. [2-219-2]
ēhi bidhi bharata calē maga jāhīṃ. dasā dēkhi muni siddha sihāhīṃ..
jabahiṃ rāmu kahi lēhiṃ usāsā. umagata pēmu manahaom cahu pāsā.. [2-219-3]
dravahiṃ bacana suni kulisa paṣānā. purajana pēmu na jāi bakhānā..
bīca bāsa kari jamunahiṃ āē. nirakhi nīru lōcana jala chāē.. [2-219-4]
“The Lord is true to His word and a friend of the gods, while Bharata obeys Śrī Rāma’s orders. You are feeling uneasy only because you are dominated by self-interest. Bharata is not to blame at all; it is your ignorance (which is responsible for your uneasiness).” The chief of gods, Indra, was overjoyed at heart to hear these valuable words of the heavenly preceptor and his depression of spirit was gone. The lord of celestials, therefore, rained down flowers and gladly began to extol Bharata’s noble disposition. In this way Bharata went on his way, while sages and Siddhas were filled with envy at the sight of his condition. Whenever he heaved a long sigh with the word ‘Rāma’ on his lips, it seemed as if love overflowed on all sides. Even adamant and stones melted at his words; the love of the citizens was beyond description. Halting at one place on this side the party arrived on the bank of the Yamunā and Bharata’s eyes were filled with tears as he gazed on its dark water (which reminded him of Śrī Rāma’s swarthy form).