AT CHITRAKOOT

Rama,Lakshhmana and Sita crossed the River Ganga with the help of Guha, the chief of the tribe Nishadas.

They walked through the forest after spending a night there, and at sunset they reached Prayaga, the place where Ganga and Yamuna meet. They met Sage Bharadwaja who advised them to stay in Chariot, a beautiful and peaceful place.

They walked to the banks of River Yamuna and crossed it on a flat bamboo raft.

When they reached the beautiful Chariot. Lakshmana made a hut on the banks of river Mandakini.

Dwelling in a forest was full of hardships for them, as they had always lived in palaces. They wore ordinary, coarse clothes and ate fruits and roots in the forest. They had no comforts, but they were happy that they could honor the promise their father had given to Kekai.

One day Rama heard the noise of an army nearby. Lakshmana climbed up a tree and saw the flag of Ayadhya at the head of an army.

Lakshmana said, "It seems Bharata has come to kill us."

Rama said, "No, Lakshmana! Bharat loves us. He could never harm us."

While Bharata had been searching for Rama, Lakshmana and sita , he met Guha who told him where he had left them. Then Bharata met Sage Bhardwaja who told him that his brothers were living in Chitrakoot.

In this way, Bharata found where Rama, sita and LOakshmana where. On meeting Rama, Bharat touched his feet with respect and Rana embraced him lovingly.

When Rama asked about their father's well-being, Bharata said, "Alas! He is no more."

Rama, Lakshmana and Sita were stunned to hear this. Tears of grief flowed down their eyes as they thought of their father. Bharata said to Rama, "Please come with me and takeover the kingdom of Ayodhya. Ayodhya, bereft of that excellent king, needs you in this hour of crisis. The guilt of being the reason of your misfortune weighs too heavily on my heart. Please come back!"

After Bharata's earnest appeal to return, Rama said, "No, I cannot come back with you. I have to honor my father's promise. Bharata, you must go back and look after the Kingdom. You have the ability to rule the Kingdom. Go back and take care of our mothers and citizens."

Bharata said, "Dear brother, I am going back just because you want me to. But you are the true King of Ayodhya, and I will rule only on your behalf. Give me your wooden slippers so that I can place them in the throne."

On Vashishta's advice, Rama gave his wooden slippers to Bharata. Bharata lovingly took them and l\kept them on the back of a decorated elephant. Then he sat behind Rama's footwear, holding an umbrella over them.

The army along with Bharata returned to Ayodhya. Placing Rama's wooden slippers on the royal throne, Bharata sat on the steps below the throne and looked after the kingdom. He never called himself the King. Such was Bharata's love and respect for his elder brother.

Bharata shifted to a small village called Nandi gram. From Nandi gram, Bharata and his ministers administered, Bharata and his ministers administered the kingdom.

Taking on the garb of an ascetic, Bharata lived in Nandi gram as Rama lived in the forest. Bharata ate fruits and slept on the hard ground.

Bharata felt that since his elder brother was leaving a hermit's life in the forest, he had no right to live to live in a palace and enjoy all the comforts.