Lord Rama lifted up His beloved brother and hugged him tight
Caressed his head, cheeks and back and made him feel light
Lord Rama wiped of Bharatha’s tears with his loving hand
And kissed him on the forehead taking a fatherly stand
Bharatha composed himself and smiled but with tears
And then he hugged Lord Rama after so many years
He wiped his tears and smiled at Lord Rama for a moment
Then looked down pensively and talked about the exile event
“Is this how, I should see you brother?
Is this why you worshipped my mother?
For day after day falling at her feet
She has repaid well, with this courteous treat!”
Rama was not surprised as He knew Bharatha well
About a person, after spending minutes, Rama could tell
This was His brother who was with Him right from His birth
He knew, His brother’s loyalty to him was firm like the earth
“In what Mother Kaikeyi did, there is nothing wrong
She had earned her boons and she used them strong
I don’t think, she would consider a kingdom to be main
Somebody with some ideas must have washed her brain
Anyway what has happened, for some reason, has happened
By such unexpected changes, we must not be weakened
Let us take courage and do what is right as our father’s sons
It is a must, for in our bodies, The Great Ikshvaku’s blood runs”
To question Lord Rama’s points, Bharatha did hate
But he could not accept the damage wreaked by fate
Especially he could not tolerate His mother’s act
There fore he asked some questions. With humility in fact!
“Brother! Is it not wrong to create dissension amongst brothers?
Is it fair, granting one person’s wish, while a nation’s wish withers?
Instead of going by ‘us’ and ‘ours’, is it fair to go by ‘me’ and ‘mine’?
Is projecting a person who loves to be a slave as a usurper, fine?
Has it not been our family’s standard procedure for ages
That the first born gets crowned with the blessing of the sages?
When You sit on the throne, near You, won’t I get an equal chair?
Instead of thinking about all this, are my mother’s greedy acts fair?
Exiling some one is a punishment only criminals meet
Such harsh punishment on you, how could anyone mete?
In things that have been done and happened, I see no sense
Injustice to you and infamy to me is unforgivable offense!”
Lord Rama looked at his brother with a smile amused
Bharatha was looking at the ground totally bemused
Lord Rama knew well that His brother was completely right
He also knew there are situations one must avoid fight
Shatrughna stood all the while nearby with tears that brim
Lord Rama called Shatrughna by name and fondly hugged him
Lord Rama on Bharatha’s cheeks gently patted
And talked, wanting Bharatha’s moodiness duly abated
“Bharatha! With Sita and Lakshman, won’t you talk?
From what had happened to what should happen won’t you walk?
I hope you both have not fought with our dad
While I left him, he was already bitter and sad”
When Lord Rama said this His eyes were filled
With the sorrow of separation, His heart was drilled
Bharatha knew it was time to break the news
He knew in this he cannot adopt any ruse
“After you left the country, our lonely father
Liked not, to continue with life any further
The wound Kaikeyi caused was very deep
He left his body peacefully while in sleep”
To Lord Rama this was unbearable shock
His mental equipoise was no more a rock
He lost consciousness and fell straight like a cut off tree
He was held before hitting the ground, by His brothers, three
Lakshman splashed water to make Lord Rama awake
Lord Rama became conscious with an unbearable ache
He cried out loud as if to throw away his grief
He felt He was orphaned like a fallen leaf
Lord Rama cried out loud sitting on the ground
The people waiting heard the wailing sound
They realised Bharatha and Rama have met
In the direction of the sound, they hastily set
Lord Rama’s sorrow was inconsolable and endless
To anyone nearby consoling Him, He was mindless
Mother Sita and the three brothers were also crying bitter
Yet, they tried to soothe Lord Rama to make Him feel better
Lord Rama composed Himself and relaxed after long
Though devastated, for other’s sake, He tried to look strong
Yet, He could not control Himself from lamenting loud
By the death of His father, He was completely cowed
“Won’t I ever see my Father’s, loving face again?
Without him to bless, what is there for me to gain?
Won’t he ever call me by my name anymore?
Won’t he ever tell me to do a little chore?
Whenever he sees me his face would blossom
He would hug me like a mother, to his bosom
He would search my limbs by caressing them for wounds if any
As I used to practice warfare, the chances of wounds were many
In listening to my words, he used to take delight
On hearing my viewpoints, his face would alight
He used to sit by my side to see if I eat well
Only on me, his eyes would always dwell
Why did he love me like his life, this useless Son?
Towards an impotent tree, he made water run!
Walking away from him, I had to cause him pain
All the hope he had on me, has now gone in vain
Wicked fate cunningly pushed me to a point
I had to act in a way that I had to disappoint
The one who gave me all his love and blessing
But it gave me no time to do the needed redressing”
While Lord Rama was dolefully lamenting thus
People around gathered and there was a buzz
On seeing Lord Rama cry helplessly they too wept
Feelings of responsibility into Lord Rama’s heart crept
Lord Rama composed Himself and wiped His tears
But He could not wipe off His sorrow that sears
Lord Rama decided to make offerings to His father’s soul
As a son, Lord Rama always with perfection played His role
He went down to the Mandakini River and performed the rite
Bereft of ornaments and in sorrow, He was, to His people, a pitiable sight
He came back to the ashram and sat amidst His country men and kin
On seeing Rama’s love for His father, people were cleansed off their sin
Lord Rama hiding His sorrow smiled at all
At His mothers’ feet including Kaikeyi’s He did fall
Words of consolation and love were exchanged amongst all
Lord Rama was talking with a composure that anymore did not fall
Mother Sita hugged her sisters and her in-laws
She too fell at Kaikeyi’s feet, forgoing her flaws
Kaikeyi was now in shame and total regret
She wished she could go back and reset
She approached Rama with hesitation and shame
And gently uttered, the most sanctifying name
“Rama! Forgive me please! This wicked fool
My eyes were blinded and I fell into the sinful pool
All on a sudden I hated you for no fault
I have wrecked a family after eating its sugar and salt
I have lost my husband who had renounced me
And my beloved son will no more speak to me “
She said thus, with folded palms and tear shedding eyes
In her face, Lord Rama, saw no guise
He caught her hand and hugged her with affection
At Lord Rama’s feet, even for the worst, there is no rejection
Behind her stood Manthara with a face that was torn
All her arrogance and deceit to the dust bin were gone
There were wounds almost on all visible parts
A question of who could have done that, filled Lord Rama’s thoughts
In a moment He turned back to see Shatrughna’s face
Shatrughna put down his face that showed no regret's trace
“Brother! I am very sorry. Forgive me if I was wrong
But the punishment she got, for her crime, is not too long
She is the one, who brain washed Mother Kaikeyi to greed
She is the one, who wrecked our family for material need
The maids and servants of Mother Kaikeyi informed me thus
Unable to control my fury I went on to treat her thus
I accept that on her face I repeatedly punched
And kicked her on her back that is already hunched
I caught her by the hair and on the ground I dragged
Knowing, she not just broke our family but also bragged
If not for brother Bharatha I would have killed
Bharatha said you wouldn’t like it and I became stilled”
Saying thus Shatrughna fell at Lord Rama’s feet
Promising, violence against women, he would never repeat
Lord Rama told Shatrughna to let go of the past
And give Manthara a place in their palace that was vast
Lord Rama also told Bharatha to treat Kaikeyi like before
In Bharatha’s heart, a place for Kaikeyi, Lord Rama did restore
Kausalya was heart broken on seeing Lord Rama’s humble state
For keeping her in comfort and her Son in discomfort, she cursed fate
Looking at the hut and mud utensils used by her Son
Except for shedding tears, she could do none
On seeing Lakshman’s state, Sumithra too felt very sad
But it was self-appeased by the pride she got on seeing her lad
She only told Lakshman to eat well and be strong
So that in serving Lord Rama nothing would go wrong
While Lord Rama, Mother Sita and Lakshman had conversed with all
There were stars on the sky along with the moon, as night did fall
On seeing everyone settle, Bharatha decided to open talk
About making his beloved Brother, the mighty Monarch
“Brother! I have a request to make and you must relent
Please do not refuse to grant my wish and make me repent
Please do accept the Kingdom from me and relieve me from burden
For I am unable to bear on my shoulders, the weight it has laden
Your life in this jungle is totally unfair and serves no purpose
You must be in Ayodhya and ruling, guided by Manu’s corpus
So we, the citizens of Ayodhya including our Guru, Vashishta sage
Came here to crown You and take You back paying regal homage”
Saying this, Bharatha onto Lord Rama’s face eagerly looked
Lord Rama’s mind to His own decision was firmly hooked
“You on the throne and me in the jungle, is what father owes
I have chosen to fulfill one half of the promise, without remorse
You on the other side, in keeping his word, have a role to play
As a good son, you have no choice but to do it without a say
Go back with our people, crown yourself and be a righteous king
Protect them like the hen that protects its chicks under its wing”
Bharatha felt as if he was irrevocably chained
For quite long, without a word, silently he remained
He hated himself for not being able to do his brother’s bidding
From his virtue of obedience, he realised he was skidding
But how could he bask in comfort and luxury?
While his Lord would remain in extreme penury
On the seat that belongs to his brother, how would he sit?
Above all, how would he endure the separation, the slightest bit?
“Brother! You are right! Our father’s word, we must protect
To his honour, as a man of word, there must be no defect
It is also unfair for a younger to rule while an elder is fit
Deliberating on all these, I have an idea, please consider it
One son of our father must do, for fourteen years, the exile term
And another must become king and make the kingdom firm
As Your slave, on Your behalf let me do the exile
And You please rule the Kingdom, checking all revile
If we do thus, Brother! Infamy on both father and me will be abated
The genuinity of all three of us will no more be debated”
Bharatha hoped, to this plan, Lord Rama would accede
Firm in His path, Lord Rama would let nothing impede
“Bharatha! Regarding which son to be crowned, our father was not given a choice
Rama’s exile and Bharatha’s crowning was clearly demanded by Mother Kaikeyi’s voice
So, there is no way I am coming back before fourteen years pass
You, trying to change this, will only result in time loss”
Like a fish that is caught in the net
Was poor Bharatha’s helpless mindset
On one side, he would be separated from his loving brother
On the other side, as a usurper, his guilt would make him wither
And before him stands his Brother, firm like a hill
Fixing His mind on completing the term, with immovable will
After much thought, Bharatha knew he had only one way left
To the holy feet of Lord Rama, that never snubs anyone, he tightly cleft
“If a younger brother, exiling his elder brother, sits on the throne
All the glory, earned by our forefathers, to the dust will be gone
Can you imagine in the line of the Sun
An usurper seizing the throne, with justice none
Brother! In not returning home, firm as a hill, you are
In not accepting the Kingdom, I am as firm as you are
I am sure you know, the justice on my side too
Considering all these, please tell me, what to do
I cling on to your feet in total surrender
A solution to this, please do render
Unlike to your nature, if you snub me
In fast until death, I will have to be
I cling on to these feet that can liberate a sinner
These feet that can make even the weak, a winner
I cling on to these feet that bestows supreme knowledge
These feet that deserves a red carpet and regal homage
I cling on to these feet that has walked on the ground
For keeping a promise of a father, ripe and round
I cling on to these feet that can remove all burden and pain
These feet that let no one’s prayers go in vain”
Seeing and hearing His Brother’s sincere prayer
Lord Rama no longer wished to be a silent player
The problem that existed, He decided to resolve
His brother from infamy, He decided to absolve
Lord Rama touched the back of Bharatha’s head
Lifted Bharatha by his shoulders, and lovingly said
“Bharatha! Dear brother! Give up this sorrow that you deserve not
Nobility and virtue in your actions are fraught
I had no wish or desire to become a King and rule
Yet the first time I accepted it, to be our father’s tool
And now again I accept to become the King and reign
Because I want your greatness on earth to always remain
May your name, in the pages of history, ever be etched
May your story ever be sung and let men deeply be touched
May it be, that Bharatha gifted a Kingdom out of love
And that, poor Rama accepted it with a bow”
Bharatha was both embarrassed and happy beyond a limit
At last, he had got, seemingly the almost impossible permit
He folded his palms and looked up to the sky
And then at Lord Rama’s feet, for long did he lie
Lord Rama started to talk immediately before giving hopes
To Bharatha’s short lived joy they were restraining ropes
“Bharatha! But before that, I must keep up our father’s word
For fourteen years let me live, making friends with the jungle herd
You on the other side go back now, to the city
And rule the country protecting it from other’s pity”
Bharatha looked up at his brother with painful eyes
But he knew his brother’s decision was just and wise
Bharatha for long remained silent in thought
He knew as a prince he had to play his part
He was clear, even for a day, not to relish regal privilege
To him, being a king even for a day was like causing sacrilege
Bharatha then came up with an obligation
He had by then decided to rule the nation
But that was only on Lord Rama’s behalf
He had decided to be an administrative staff
“Brother! My dear Lord and my favourite God!
I am happy, to come back, your heart has thawed
Till you come back I will certainly administer
The country with justice, only as your minister
I came here with hope to take you back
But for that to happen, time is still black
At least let your sandals come with me
And at the foot of the throne, let them be
Till You come back and start Your golden rule
Your sandals on your behalf will continue to rule
I will be the chief minister managing all affairs
And will submit all my reports to your sandal pairs
Let those sandals that are privileged to adorn your feet
Be my crown making my head as their privileged seat
Let the world know that Bharatha to Rama is always a slave
And that for Bharatha, before His brother’s love, nothing else is fave”
Saying thus, before Lord Rama, Bharatha kneeled as if for alms
Lord Rama placed, with tears, his sandals on Bharatha’s open palms
Bharatha smiled like a child at the motherly face of Ram
The crowd around shouted, “Jai Shri Ram! Jai Jai Shri Ram!!”
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