66697602-The-Ramayana-R-K-Narayan

during his campaign, and when they crossed the northern
portals of Lanka he pointed out to her the spot far below
where Ravana had finally fallen. They flew over mountains
and forests; every inch of ground had a meaning for Rama.
He made a brief descent at Kiskinda, where Sita had
expressed a desire to gather a company of women to escort
her when she re-entered Ayodhya. His next halt was at the
ashram of Sage Bharadwaj, who had been hospitable to him
once. At this point, Rama dispatched Hanuman to go
forward in advance to Nandigram and inform Bharatha of his
coming.
At Nandigram, Bharatha had been counting the hours and
realized that the fourteenth year was nearly over. There was
no sign of Rama yet; nor any news. It seemed as though all
his austerities and penances of all these years were
fruitless. He looked forlorn. He had kept Rama’s sandals
enthroned on a pedestal and was reigning as a regent. He
summoned his brother Sathrugna and said, “My time is up. I
cannot imagine where Rama is gone or what fate has
overtaken him. I gave my word to wait for fourteen years and
in a few moments I will have passed it. I have no right to live
beyond that. Now I pass on my responsibilities to you. You
will go back to Ayodhya and continue to rule as a regent.” He
made preparations to immolate himself in fire.
Sathrugna argued and tried to dissuade Bharatha in
various ways, but Bharatha was adamant. Luckily, just at this