BHARAT MEETS RAM

भरत राम मिलाप~~SHRI RAM AND MARYADAS OF HIS TIME :3

वन मैं वानरों के पुनर्वास हेतु जो कुछ भी करना है, वोह भरत भी पूरी कुशलता से कर लेंगे, श्री राम ने बताया, परन्तु पिता श्री के अंतिम समय के निर्णय मैं संशोधन मर्यादाहीन कार्य होगा~~Whatsoever was to be done in the forest,could be done equally well by Bharat, added Ram, but his father was dead, and no one could be allowed to modify what was decided during his father’s last days

Instead of coronation of Shri Ram as Yuvraj, Shri Ram was awarded vanvaas. Sita chose to go with him and so did Laxman. The three left Ayodhya and after crossing Saryu River, they met Maharishi Bhardwaj in his ashram at Prayag, and then subsequently went towards Chitrakoot.

They were staying near the bank of the river Mandakani, as vanvaasis. On the other hand, developments in Ayodhya were taking place at a faster pace. King Dasrath could not bear the exile of Ram and died. Bharat and Shatrughan, who were far away at their Mama’s place, were called for by Sage Vashisht. When they arrived at Ayodhya they were distressed by the happenings in Ayodhya. However Sage Vashisht consoled everyone and asked Bharat to perform the last rites of his deceased father King Dasrath, which was done with full respect and honor to the departed soul.

The royal court and the royal family told Bharat that he would now have to assume charge of Ayodhya as King, but Bharat refused. He firmly told the court that he believed that the crown belonged to Ram and requested the court that he may be allowed to go and meet Ram in the forest so that he could persuade Ram to accept the throne. Sage Vashisht and the entire court also decided to accompany him, including all the royal ladies.

They reached Chitrakoot. The meeting was best described by Goswami Tulsidas. It was extremely emotional, to say the least.

What more, Ram and Laxman got news of the demise of their father from Bharat. They were still meeting each other and were full of emotions when they got the news that King Janak, with his convoy was also nearby, to meet Shri Ram. Soon thereafter King Janak also arrived.

After paying tributes to the departed soul, they settled down to more serious business. Bharat informed that he was seriously hurt and saddened by the action of her mother leading to the King’s death, and would certainly not accept the throne, and would rather leave Ayodhya and stay with Shri Ram. Whatever happened in Ayodhya was unfortunate and need to be reversed. This could only happen in case Shri Ram went back and occupied the throne. Bharat also informed that the royal court, under his temporary presidium, had already rescinded the banishment.

Shri Ram informed the gathering that whatsoever Kaekai had done was on his insistence. When Laxman and he went with Sage Vishvamitra and entered into a peace treaty (read Ramayan and History) with Ravan, they did so, supposedly on behalf of Ayodhya. Surely the treaty, although pushed and endorsed by King Janak, was between all Kingdoms and Ravan, he was not a representative of Kingdoms, but was representing Ayodhya. Laxman and he was there on behalf of King of Ayodhya, his departed father, King Dasrath. Ayodhya was a very important, peace loving Kingdom and its unique involvement in world peace, after the treaty, was to be taken forward sincerely, and in right earnest. Now that his father King Dasrath was dead, it had assumed much more significance. He also informed that it was important, under the terms of treaty, to stay in the forest for a period of fourteen years. King Janak endorsed what Shri Ram had told the gathering. Bharat felt that there was nothing in the peace treaty which would deny him replacing Shri Ram, or for that matter all three brothers replacing Shri Ram. Further, he said, Ayodhya, after the death of King Dasrath, needed Shri Ram very badly as their King.

It was true that whatsoever was to be done in the forest, as per the treaty, could be done equally well by Bharat, added Ram, but his father was dead, and no one could be allowed to modify what was decided during his father’s last days. This was against the Maryada, and he was sure even Bharat would not want that. Further, he added, if that was the wish of Bharat and the people of Ayodhya, he would accept the throne after spending fourteen years in forest, and killing all wicked Rakshas with the help of Vaanars.

Bharat understood that there was no way it was possible as per existing Maryada, and also values dear to Shri Ram, that Shri Ram would even consider returning back, as his stay in forest was decided and (although unwillingly) endorsed by king Dasrath. Bharat was then told by Shri Ram, that similarly he must go and rule Ayodhya, as king, to satisfy the ‘Vachan’ of their departed father.

Bharat was left with no choice. As a Suryavanshi and dutiful son, he too had a responsibility that after the death of his father, his father’s last vachans were satisfied. With resignation, he accepted to rule Ayodhya, but insisted, that he would do that only after installing the wooden sleepers of Shri Ram on the throne so that the throne would always remain that of Shri Ram. On a specific request of Shri Ram, King Janak then informed everyone there, the remaining details of the treaty between Ram and Ravan. They were told that as per the treaty, Ram would not be entitled to any help from kingdoms or Ayodhya, in case Shri Ram fought a decisive war with Ravan and Rakshas. The only help he was entitled to, in case he decided to fight Ravan and Rakshas, was that of Vaanars. This was an important clause in the peace treaty, added Janak, as Vaanars were not getting the rightful place in the society. They were still treated as animals and kingdoms were still refusing to recognize them as human being.

The meeting of Bharat and Shri Ram is important as it gives an insight as to why an incarnation of Lord Vishnu in the form of Shri Ram took place, and the Adharm which required correction by Shri Ram. Vaanars were treated as animals, although they were human being… rather the purest form of human beings. At least their origin and antecedents were known, as compared to people living in the kingdoms whose antecedents were not even know…read Hindu History.. start of a new Kalp . They should have been welcomed and greeted as ARYANS (the purest form of human beings). Yet they were being treated with contempt by all kingdoms (including Ayodhya), they were not allowed to build their settlements outside forests, and they were hunted and eaten up by Rakshas just like other animals. Rakshas along with Ravan were committing several atrocities on other habitats of forests such as atrocities on rishis.

Shri Ram, in his incarnation of Lord Vishnu corrected all this, and after his decisive victory over Ravan established Ram Rajya. Ram Rajya was the rule of Shri Ram over the entire world, after he became Chakravarti Samraat, in which everyone was happy, prosperous. What was the dharm he established, unfortunately no one tells us. Why? Most of our dharm gurus... or religious shop owners, as of today are really minting money. Are they preaching Dharm, or, running religious shops, is for you to judge. Statistics reveal, spending on religion by Hindus have increased drastically after the advent of multiple TV channels. Yet Hindus are not getting desired result as a society. This requires serious retrospection.