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in
the
Ramayana,
Bharata
is
the
perfect
embodiment of virtue. In the villages of
the North, the people celebrate an annual
festival for the episode of the meeting of
Rama and Bharata at Chitrakuta, which
they consider the most sanctifying part of
the Ramayana epic. There have been
through the ages great and noble souls
whose virtue shines eternally in the midst
of the sordid self-seeking of a sinful
world, as a beacon light to seekers of the
right path, and as a token of the god in
man.
Soon the news of Bharata's arrival
spread throughout the palace. Kausalya,
still laboring under her grief, heard this,
and was glad and told Sumitra, "Come, let
us go and meet Bharata." Hardly had they
taken a couple of steps when they saw
Bharata himself rushing wildly towards
them to plead for mercy.
Kausalya's
first
thought
when
she
heard of Bharata's arrival was that he had
hastened back to assume the fortune
which had come to him. Had not the
elders and ministers, led by Vasishtha,
decided to send for Bharata so that he
might perform his father's obsequies and
be crowned king? Hence, seeing Bharata,
Kausalya, her heart desolate with her loss
of husband and son, said in a low voice:
"Bharata, the kingship is waiting secured
for your sake by Kaikeyi. You need not
fear any let or hindrance from us. Take it,
and may all happiness be yours. Only one
boon I crave of you to let me join your
father on the funeral pyre."
These words were like stinging poison
in Bharata's ears. He fell at her feet and
clung to them, unable to speak.
Kausalya said again: "Oh Bharata, at
least take me where Rama is in the forest."
Unable to bear all these piteous words
of Kausalya and unable to speak, Bharata
fell into a swoon. After a while he sat up
and said: "Mother, why do you thus
torture me who am innocent? You know I
was far away and knew nothing of the
wicked things going on here. Do you not
know the love I bear for Rama? Would I
ever do such a thing to him? May all the
sins of the world descend on me if I had
the least notion of the evil brewing here! I
had nothing to do with it. I have no desire
to reap its fruit."
He raised his hands and recited all the
horrible sins that one could commit and
invoked on himself the punishments due
to them if he had any part in the plot.
In those days as now it was hard for a
son to prove that he knew nothing of a
scheme carried out by his mother for his
benefit. Bharata could only swear his
innocence again and again. He cared
nothing for kingdom or wealth or power
and it was a terrible torment to him that
Kausalya should think him capable of
greed for them at the expense of his
brother. Indeed such a thought was hardly
less cruel and unjust than Rama's exile!
He could never accept the crown which
was his beloved brother's birthright.
His
passionate
sincerity
convinced
Kausalya
of
the
injustice
of
her
suspicions, and her heart went out to him.
Tenderly she raised him from the ground
and took his head on her lap and caressed
him as though he were Rama himself.