Ayodhya Kaanda
90 - Bharata's meeting and dialogue with the Nisada chief; the love of Bharata and the citizens of Ayodhya for Sri Rama
Chaupais
Description
Beholding a lovely litter of Kusa grass he paced round it clockwise and made obeisance. He also placed the dust of Sri Rama's footprints on his eyes with an excess of love which could not be described in words. He saw there a few gold spangles, which he placed on his head and treated them on a par with Sita. With tears in his eyes and a heart full of remorse he spoke to his friend in sweet accents: "These spangles have lost their charm and appear lustreless due to their separation from Sita, even as the people of Ayodhya, both men and women, are spent through sorrow. To whom shall I liken her father, Janaka, who in this world is a master of asceticism and enjoyment both? And she had for her father-in-law King Dasaratha, the sun of the solar race, who was the envy even of the lord of paradise (Indra). And her beloved lord is no other than Lord Sri Rama, from whose glory all great ones derive their greatness!