Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 99: Bharata Meets Rāma
Text 2.99.2
ऋषिं वसिष्ठं संदिश्य मातॄर्मे शीघ्रमानय।
इति त्वरितमग्रे स जगाम गुरुवत्सलः॥
ṛṣiṁ vasiṣṭhaṁ sandiśya mātṝr me śīghram ānaya
iti tvaritam agre sa jagāma guru-vatsalaḥ
ṛṣim = the sage; vasiṣṭham = Vasiṣṭha; sandiśya = requested; mātṝḥ = mothers; me = My; śīghram = quickly; ānaya iti = bring; tvaritam = and swiftly; agre = ahead; saḥ = He; jagāma = went; guru-vatsalaḥ = out of affection for His elders.
Out of affection for His elders, He requested the sage Vasiṣṭha, “Quickly bring My mothers!” and swiftly went ahead.
It can be inferred that Bharata had thought that He would bring [His mothers to Rāma] after ascertaining [the location of] Rāma’s residence and that He had stationed His mothers where the large army was stationed.