जय श्रीराम!
Source: Singapore Museum
अथानाथाः प्रकृतयो मातृबन्धुनिवासिनम् ।
मौलैरानाययामासुर्भरतं स्तम्भिताश्रुभिः ॥१२.१२॥
Notes: The headless kingdom is a matter of great anxiety for all, especially Sage Vasiṣṭha, the Kula-Guru. In fact, in Vālmīki's narration, there is an elaborate description of what happens to a country without a king. So the best men are chosen to rush to Bharata who is residing in Kekaya, Kaikeyī's parental home, and bring him back.
Vasiṣṭha calls five very competent messengers - Siddhārtha, Vijaya, Jayanta, Aśoka, and Nandana. He gives them detailed instructions that they should travel by the swiftest means to reach Bharata. They should completely hide their distress about the recent events in Ayodhyā. They should give the following message to Bharata:पुरोहितस्त्वां कुशलं प्राह सर्वे च मन्त्रिणः ।त्वरमाणश्च निर्याहि कृत्यमात्ययिकं त्वया ॥"Dear prince Bharata, sage Vasiṣṭha, the chief priest of the kingdom, has sent his greetings and blessings to you. The ministers also send their greetings. The sage has instructed that you should return to Ayodhyā at once, and complete some pressing tasks that are pending on your account."
So, Kālidāsa says in this stanza: "Men who had lost their king now had their chiefs bring back to Ayodhyā Bharata, who was residing with his uncle, withholding their tears to avoid his breakdown on the way."
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जय श्रीराम!
