Coronation of Lord Rama's Sandals!

Lord Rama’s Sandal’s, on Bharatha’s head were stocked

Into the palace gates of Ayodhya, Bharatha walked

All the way from Chitrakut to Ayodhya, he had tarried

All the way on his head, Lord Rama’s sandals, he had carried

The next morning at an auspicious hour

He placed the sandals before the throne of power

All the honour Lord Rama, as a King, deserved

For fourteen years, for His sandals, were well reserved

Bharatha placed them on a red mat made of silk

He hoisted an umbrella above it, white like milk

He appointed two virgin maids, to fan for them

These maids too were decorated with gold and gem

Everyday The Sandals were to be wiped very neat

Anointed with sandal paste and to be placed on their seat

Musicians were to play music before them, as for a king

About Lord Rama’s glories, singers were appointed to sing

Shatrughna was to personally take care of worshipping the sandals

By showering flowers on them from silver baskets with golden handles

Ministers were to assemble and discuss matters in its presence

Considering the sandals to be Lord Rama’s essence

After making all these arrangements, Bharatha was content

He then stood before his country men and revealed his intent

He was satisfied that his reputation was no more at stake

But his brother’s absence kept him deep in the sorrow lake

“Lord Rama, my brother and that lion among men

Is supposed to sit on the throne making this assembly his den

But only for reasons, God and fate know well

That pearl is not here, making my heart an empty shell

I know all men here have the same feelings for our Ram

For Rama to step, each one of us would stretch our palm

We have tried our best to bring our Lord to the throne

But a different path of duty for us our Lord has shown

Now befalls on our heads, a responsibility, grave

As if in our Lord Rama’s presence we must behave

Keeping Him in our hearts, things He would like, we must infer

And carry out those things the way Lord Rama would prefer

In the village Nandigram, out of city, I will stay

Only with Lord Rama, I will again come this way

Through Shatrughna, from there, I will administer affairs

Making important decisions based on the reports he prepares

I pray to all of you with hope, to behave well

Sentences of punishment, never make me tell

Each one of you is welcome to meet me in person

But for that, I hope, there will be no reason”

Saying thus Bharatha folded his palms before all

He was in turn, greeted with folded palms by all

Bharatha then went to Nandigram, like Rama, by walk

Wearing dress made of deer skin and tree bark

An ashram, like that of Lord Rama’s, for himself he made

To all comforts Lord Rama did not have, farewell he bade

An image of Lord Rama’s sandals, in his hut, Bharatha drew

Worshipping it day after day, Bharatha’s wisdom grew

With the wisdom that was thus gained

Bharatha from Nandigram efficiently reigned

People adored him for being such a noble soul

To keep him happy was their only goal

Shatrughna traveled between Nandigram and Ayodhya, to and fro

In carrying out Bharatha’s orders, he was a servant more than a bro

Shatrughna too like Bharatha renounced all comfort

In keeping Bharatha happy he made a mighty effort

The Kingdom of Kosala was like a Yogi in meditation

Well disciplined and there by powerful by contemplation

On an ultimate reality that he remembers but never sees

In the Kingdom, Lord Rama replaces the ultimate reality with ease

Thus life in Ayodhya came back to normal

People started to do their works that were formal

All the while praising the selflessness of the brothers of Ram

And always, chanting with content, ‘Jai Shri Ram! Jai Jai Shri Ram!!’