Shri Bharat's devotion in Shri Ram

First of all devotion is a non-measurable quantity. You cannot measure love and devotion. Both Bharat ji and Lakshaman ji loved and respected Bhagwan Shri Ram infinitely. Their love for Bhagwan Shri Ram was immesurable, divine and transcendental. It is not possible for a mere mortal like me to decribe their love for their elder brother. Even if all the oceans becomes the ink and the entire earth the page , still it will be impossible to describe their love and devotion towards Bhagwan Shri Ram. We cannot compare the love and devotion of Lakshman ji and Bharat ji towards Bhagwan Shri Ram because both of their love and devotion towards their elder brother is immesurable.

Bharat ji has a special place for himself in the life of Bhagwan Shri Ram. Even in Valmiki Ramayana, the love between Bhagwan Shri Ram and Bharata ji is described very well. His reaction after knowing his mother Kaikeyi’s deeds : Bharat ji was tormented with grief when he came to know that his mother had sent Bhagwan Sri Ram to exile. I am skipping many parts of his dialogue to shorten the length of my answer.

Hearing that his father was dead and both his brothers were exiled; Bharata was tormented with grief and spoke the following words: Bereft of my father as well as my brother too, who is exactly like my father, what is the use of a kingdom now to me, lamenting as I am with despair?""Making Dasaratha to die and turning Rama to be an ascetic, you brought one calamity after another like sprinkling salt on a wound."Even Rama my elder brother, a pious man who knows how to behave with elders, used to act with the best behavior in your case, exactly as how he was behaving with his own mother."

"In the same manner, Kausalya, my elder mother having far sightedness and established in piety, indeed used to behave with you as your sister.""Why are you not lamenting, after sending Rama, the disciplined Kausalya 's son, clothed in a bark dress, to live in a forest? O, sinful one!""You indeed sent into exile, clad in a bark dress, Rama having a virtuous disposition, a valiant man, a self controlled and illustrious man as he was. What reason do you gather for it?""I think it is not known to you, a greedy woman, about my devotion towards Rama. It is exactly so. You have brought in this great calamity for the sake of a kingdom.""By which source of strength can I be able to protect the kingdom, without those lions among men, Rama and Lakshmana in proximity to me?"

"Dasaratha the monarch, having great strength and a pious mind always indeed used to take refuge in that strong man Rama as the Meru mountain takes refuge in a forest surrounding the mountain.""By what stamina, shall I sustain this burden of kingship any more than a young bullock that is yet to be tamed, would stand the strain on getting a load, lifted up with ease by a giant bullock.""Or even if a strength can be brought into existence in me by following certain suitable methods or by strength of intelligence, I will not allow you, who are greedy in fetching of kingdom for your son, to fulfill your desire." Source : Valmiki Ramayana Ayodhya Kanda Sarga 73.

Analysis : Bharata ji was tormented with grief when he heard that his father Dashratha had died and Bhagwan Sri Ram and Lakshman ji had been exiled by his mother. He told Kaikeyi that she had no idea about his devotion to Bhagwan Sri Ram , he is the source of strength for Bharat ji and since she had exiled him, he has lost all his strength and stamina , required to take care of the kingdom. He even asked his mother that how does she not lament her act because Bhagwan Sri Ram treated her like his own mother and even his mother Kaushalya treated her like a younger sister.

He was ready to even denounce his mother Kaikeyi due to her deeds. "No aversion would be felt by me even to desert you, a woman of evil designs, if Rama did not treat you like a mother at all times.""O, malevolent woman with your good conduct disappeared! How this idea forbidden by our ancestors, has arisen in your mind at all?""The eldest of all in this race should be indeed anointed as a king. The rest of his brothers are to behave reverently towards their elder brother.""O, cruel woman! I feel that you are not catching even a glimpse of the rules relating to kings or not even aware of a permanent procedure prevailing in the administration of kings."

"According to the administration of kings the eldest son always indeed gets inaugurated in kingdom. This procedure is similar to all kings; especially so in the case of Ikshvaku kings.""The pride of reputation of those belonging to Ikshvaku race, who protect righteousness alone and who possessed good family conduct, is turned away by you today.""Even kings belonging to your ancestral race were great people. How has this contemptible stupidity of mind born in you?""O, woman with evil designs! I for one will not fulfill your desire. A criminal act, which will cause even an end to my life, has been undertaken by you." Source : Valmiki Ramayana Ayodhya Kanda Sarga 73.

Analysis : Bharat ji could disown his mother for the sake of his Bhagwan Shri Ram. Bhagwan Shri Ram was more dear to him than his own life. He decided to bring back Bhagwan Shri Ram. Now itself at the cause of your dislike, I for one will bring back from the forest, my brother, who is a faultless man and a beloved man of his people.""Bringing back Rama with a very firm mind, I will become a servant to him, who is radiant with glory."Speaking as aforesaid, the high soled Bharata, pricking her with a multitude of unpleasant words, roared again like a lion stationed in a mountain cave. Source : Valmiki Ramayana Ayodhya Kanda Sarga 73

Analysis : Bharat ji decided to bring back Bhagwan Shri Ram and be his servant ie. the lotus feets of Bhagwan Shri Ram were more dearer to him. Then Bharata ji went to Chitrakuta to meet Bhagwan Shri Ram with his army to bring him back to Ayodhya and coronate him as the king. Lakshman ji doubted the intentions of Bharata ji but not Bhagwan Shri Ram. Look at the words of Bhagwan Shri Ram for Bharata ji : "I think Bharata was back to Ayodhya, with full of affection for his brothers. He is dearer to me than my life- he who is mindful of the duties of his race.

Hearing of my exile and that I was wearing matted locks and the antelope skin, accompanied by Seetha and you, O most valiant of warriors, in his devotion towards me and due to the distress that troubles his mind, Bharata has come to see me. He has not come with any other motive.""Getting angry with Kaikeyi his mother and speaking unkind and harsh words to her, the glorious Bharata after getting permission from our further, came here to bestow kingdom to me.""This is the proper time for Bharata to come here and see us. He does not behave or even think unkindly towards us." Source : Valmiki Ramayana Ayodhya Kanda Sarga 97.

This clearly shows the love and devotion of Bharata ji towards Bhagwan Shri Ram. Then Bharata ji, Jabali , Maharishi Vasista requested to Bhagwan Sri Ram to ascend his throne and become the king of Ayodhya . But Bhagwan Shri Ram politely declined. Bharat ji even failed at the feet of Bhagwan Sri Ram and with tears he asked him to become the king, but Bhagwan Sri Ram knew that he was born to kill Ravana and he also had to honour the words of his father King Dashratha, hence he too with a heavy heart had to decline Bharata. "O, the sagacious Rama! Return to the kingdom and keep it in order. You have the competence to save the world!"That Bharata, who was kind-spoken, thus made a fervent appeal to Rama and fell at his feet. Source : Valmiki Ramayana Ayodhya Kanda Sarga 112.

After that what Bharata ji did was extraordinary. "O, noble brother! Pray mount with your feet on the wooden sandals adorned with gold! Surely, these will bestow, gain and security to all the people!"Rama, the tiger among men, possessing exceptional glory, placing his feet on the sandals and leaving them, gave them to the magnanimous Bharata.O, Rama! If I do not see you the following day when the fourteenth year has fully ended, I shall enter the fire once for all."The valiant Bharata, who knew righteousness worshipped those sandals which were well-decorated made a circumambulation to Rama and kept the sandals on the head of an excellent elephant.His mothers, their voices choked with tears due to sorrow, were unable to bid farewell verbally to Rama. However, Rama himself offered his salutations to all his mothers and entered his hermitage, weeping. Source : Valmiki Ramayana Ayodhya Kanda Sarga 112.

He chose the sandals of Bhagwan Shri Ram over kingship of Ayodhya. For a devotee like Bharata ji, the sandals of Bhagwan Shri Ram was much more precious than the entire wealth of the three worlds. All the seven oceans seem to be a trifle infront of the devotion of Bharata ji towards Bhagwan Shri Ram. I don’t find the devotion and love of Bharata ji to be less talked about in Ramayana.

It has its own significance and place in Ramayana. When I had read about the love and devotion of Bharata ji, tears had rolled down my eyes. Even if its less talked, then does it reduce the immesurable devotion and love of Bharat ji ? The love and devotion of Bharata ji towards Bhagwan Shri Ram is divine, unique, amazing, transcendental and immesurable and has a very significant part of Ramayana. I don’t find it to be less talked about and even if it is , it does’nt affect his love and devotion. Jay Shri Ram