Hearing their words, Vasishtha said unto the Brahmanas and the adherents
and counsellors (of the king), "Bharata, on whom the king has conferred
the kingdom, along with his brother Satrughna, is living happily in the
house of his maternal uncle. Let envoys by means of fleet couriers
speedily repair thither and bring those heroic brothers. What shall we
decide?" "Let them go"--said all unto Vasishtha. Hearing their words,
Vasishtha spake unto them, saying,-- "Come here, thou Siddhartha, and
Vijaya, and Jayanta, and Acokanandana. Do ye hear. I will tell you what
ye are to do. First going speedily to the royal residence by means of
swift horses, do you, renouncing grief, by my order speak these words of
mine unto Bharata, 'The priest as well as the counsellors have enquired
after your welfare. Do you at once set out. A business is at hand that
brooketh no delay on your part.' But ye must on no account communicate
unto him the exile of Rama, or the demise of the monarch, or the
destruction that hath befallen the Raghu race through this occasion. Do
ye, speedily taking silk apparel and excellent ornaments for king
Bharata, set off." Thereupon, having been furnished with the necessaries
for the journey, they bound for Kekaya went to their respective abodes,
mounted on goodly horses. Then having supplied themselves with the
necessaries of the journey, the envoys in consonance with Vasistha's
injunction, speedily went away. Having proceeded by the west of
Aparatala, they in the middle crossed the Malini, and went towards the
north of Pralamva. Then crossing the Ganga at Hastinapura, and arriving
at Panchala, they proceeded westward through Kurujangala. And beholding
watery expanses filled with blown blossoms, and rivers containing
pellucid waters, the envoys proceeded apace on account of the errand
they had on hand. And they darted past the Saradanda overflowing with
delightful water, beautiful, and haunted by fowls of various kinds. Then
on the western bank of the stream, coming upon a tree called
Satyapayachana presided by a deity, and bowing down unto the tree and
going round it, they entered the city of Kulinga. And having passed
Teyobibhabana and arrived at Abhikala, they crossed the sacred stream
Ikshumati belonging to the Ikshwakus for generations. Beholding here
Brahmanas versed in the Vedas drinking water with their joined hands,
they went through Vahllika towards the mount Sudaman. There seeing the
foot-print of Vishnu, they, desirous of doing the bidding of their
master, proceeded a long way, viewing the Vipaca and the Salmali and
rivers and tanks and pools and ponds and sheets of water and various
kinds of lions and tigers and deer and elephants. And with their
vehicles fatigued, the ambassadors, on account of the great distance of
the way, speedily reached that best of cities, Girivraja. And for
pleasing their master, for the preservation of the people, and enabling
Bharata to assume the reins of government, those envoys, casting aside
negligence, swiftly entered the city in the night.