Guhaka and Bharata

Travelling, Bharata reached the land of Guhaka. Guhaka recognized this as the army of Ayodhya. He asked his army to be prepared. He said he thought Bharata was coming to fight Rama and take full control of Ayodhya.
When Guhaka saw Bharata, he asked his troupe to stop. It did not seem that Bharata had come with any negative intentions. He asked his people to fetch milk, butter, yogurt and coconut such that he could welcome Bharata.
If Bharata wanted Rama to be the king of Ayodhya, Bharata would be welcomed heartily, else he would be killed and his body would float in the river close by.

While Guhaka was wondering what to do, Sumantra came there. He asked Guhaka to point to the direction that Rama was travelling in. Bharata had come to take Rama back.

Hearing this, Guahaka bowed down at Bharata's feet and said Rama, Lakshmana and Sita were far from there. He asked Bharata to rest for sometime.

Bharata said he was restless and would have no rest till he saw Rama. Guahaka said he did not know what was the path that Rama had taken, but one of his messengers would be able to help.

Fetching the messenger, Guhaka said he would also join Bharata is search of Rama. He said he was not sure of Bharata's intention. If Bharata had come to fetch Rama, why had he come with army and why he dressed in royal robes?

Bharata said Looking try to understand my mental condition. For me, Rama's feet are what I desire. I have come in royal robes to give it over to Rama, and hand over the army to him.

Guhaka was impressed and all should have a brother like you.

Bharata said because of his mother, he was being blamed. He wanted to know Rama would be found.

Guhaka said Rama had stayed in his land for two days and then had gone somewhere, where he could be away Ayodhya. They had crossed the river Ganga and had gone to the other side. 

Rama reaches Chitrakoot

Sumantra asked Rama what was the next task for him. Rama asked him to go back. He said for three days he had travelled in a chariot as per his father's wishes and now he wished to lead a life of a hermit. Rama asked him to take care of the king till Bharata came back. He also told him to tell Kaushalya and the king that he was fine in the forest and that they should not worry for him.
Rama also told him to go to Kaikeyi and tell her that he had no ill will towards her.
With tears in his eyes, Sumantra left.
Rama then said to Sita and Lakshmana that Ayodhya was not far from the place they were in, and Bharata would come to take them back from there.
They met Guhaka and from there decided to cross the river Ganga and reach the muntain called Chitrakoot.
Guhaka arranged for boats for them to cross the river.
Crossing the river, they met the rishi Bharadwaj. They introduced themselves to the sage.
The sage recognized Rama as an incarnation of Vishnu. When Rama asked for a place where he could stay, the sage pointed out to a nice part of the forest full of trees and birds.
They walked to the forest, Rama in front with bows and arrows in his hand, Sita in the middle and Lakshmana in the end guarding with bows and arrows.

In the skies there was a crow called Jayanta who was attracted by Sita's beauty. He came flying down from the skies, and with his claws he scratched Sita's breasts. After doing so, the crow flew off.
Sita started crying in pain. Rama invoked an arrow and released that, after the crow,

Wherever the crow flew, the arrow followed it. The crow flew towards the mount Kailasha, the arrow followed it there. It then went towards the heaven, but even there the arrow followed it.

When the crow entered the court of Indra, the arrow changed its form into a brahmin and told Indra it wanted the crow. Indra brought the crow there, and the arrow plucked an eye of the bird and went back to Rama.

Rama reaches the lank of Guhaka

Soon the chariot reached the banks of the river Tamasa. All got down and the horses were led into the water to freshen up. They decided to rest on the banks of the river as the sun was setting. Rama had a bath in the waters of the river.
Lakshmana made a bed with leaves and Rama and Sita sat on that. Lakshmana then fetched some water and Rama and Sita drank that. While Rama and Sita slept, Lakshmana stood guard the whole night.
The next day, early morning, after finishing their morning abulation, they resumed their journey.
Wherever they went, people would come and greet them and talk ill about Dashratha who banished a son like Rama. Wherever Rama heard ill will being said about his father, he swiftly left that place.
They crossed the river Gomati and reached the land of Kosala. Showing that land to Sita, Rama said this was where his mother was born and lived. Rama asked Sumantra to take the chariot to the banks of river Ganga.
All went there and rested on the banks of the river and then went to the land which was ruled by Guhaka. Rama told Lakshmana, here lived the king of Chandala, Guhaka, who was friend of his. They decided to spend a night with Guhaka.

Friendship with Guhaka and meeting Bharadwaj

On an auspicious day of full moon, Dashratha decided to have a bath in the Ganges along with his sons. Dashratha gave away wealth to the poor.
The chariots sped like comets, accompanied by horsemen and priests. The sound of the movement covered the skies.

On their way, they came across the sage Narada. Narada asked where they were going, to which Dashratha said they were going to have a bath in Ganga.

Narada said You do not know about Rama. Having a look at his face is more then having a dip in the river. Rama is none other than Narayan from whose feet Ganga has originated. You look as Rama as your mortal son and have forgotten about his divinity.

Hearing this Dashratha decided to return back home. Rama then said there would be many who will try deviate one's path. If one has taken a decision, that needs to be adhered to.

Hearing this, Dashratha resumed his journey towards Ganga.

On the way they came across the Chandala Guhaka. Dashratha was passing through the Chandala territory which Guhaka did not like. He stopped them from proceeding further. A fight broke out. Guhaka said You are disturbing me and your army is destroying my land and fields. If you need to go to the river Ganges, choose an alternate path. If you so desire to proceed from this path only, show me your son Rama.

Guhaka started calling out to Rama, and scared for Rama's safety, Dashratha hid Rama in the chariot. Dashratha picked up his bow and he was about to shoot an arrow when he thought he would invoke a bad name if he killed a Chandala. If he let go, the Chandala would pick up a fight.

They started exchanging words and then arrows. Dashratha remembered a weapon called Pashupat. The weapon tied the Chandala with ropes. Dashratha then had the Chandala placed in his chariot.

Guhaka was thinking of Rama. He had obstructed the path only to have a glimpse of Rama, but so far he had not seen him. He thought of a way out. As his hands were tied, he started shooting arrows, holding the bow with one foot, and using the other foot to shoot.

Bharata saw this and reported to Rama about this. Rama curious wanted to see this and went to Guhaka and asked why he was doing thus.

Guhaka said Let me tell you about myself. When Dashratha did not have any sons, he had accidentally killed the son of a blind sage. As this was a death of a sage, the king had gone to his Guru, Vashistha for help and for a way to atone from the sin.
Vashistha was not there then, but I was, as the sage's son called Vamadeva. I had told the king to take your name three times. Hearing this my father had cursed me to become a Chandala. I had then asked what I had to do, to get relief from the curse. My father then said, I would be relieved the moment I saw Rama.
Rama embraced Guhaka.
Rama went to his father and asked for Guhaka to be released, to which Dashratha agreed readily.
Rama then asked Lakshmana to get some logs and start a fire.
When the fire was lit, Rama and Guhaka pledged friendship around the fire.

Guhaka left and Dashratha along with sons proceed towards Ganga.

After bathing, Dashratha distributed alms to the poor and to the brahmins.

When the sun set, Dashratha went to the hermitage of sage Bhardwaj nearby.

The sage was sitting in his hut when Dashrath entered along with four sons. The king with folded hands, presented his sons to the sage, and asked him to bless them.

The sage said Dashratha, you are lucky to have the one who is the father of all worlds as your son.
The sage had a vision of Vishnu standing instead of Rama, in his form of four hands. On his body, the sage saw, the other Gods sitting.

The sage took the king and the princes and asked them to rest for the night. All slept there.
When half of the night was over, the sage woke up. Indra had given a bow for Rama. The sage kept the bow and quiver near Rama's head. He had a dream where in he had been instructed to give the bow and the quiver to Rama.

In the morning Rama saw the bow and the quiver. The sage told Rama that Indra had left the bow for him. The quiver would always be full for arrows, and that was also for Rama.

Rama pleased showed them to Dashratha.

Taking leave of the sage, Dashratha left for Ayodhya.