Bharata’s magnanimity

Even when we are clearly in the wrong, we do not accept blame for our conduct. We tend to blame someone else for our wrongdoing. But Bharata was an exception. Rama was sent to the forest by Dasaratha, upon Kaikeyi’s insistence.

Bharata had no hand in this. In fact, Bharata was not even in Ayodhya, when Rama’s banishment took place. It was only when he arrived in Ayodhya, did he come to know of what had happened. He was furious with Kaikeyi for what she had done. He did not want to rule the Kosala kingdom and went to the forest in search of Rama.

When he met Rama, he said that it was not Dasaratha or Kaikeyi who was to be blamed for what had happened, but he himself was the culprit. So here we have a man, who did no wrong, but blamed himself. Bharata’s magnanimity is a lesson for us all. To take the blame for what others have done is a rare quality, said Kidambi Narayanan, in a discourse.

Bharata wanted Rama to come back to Ayodhya and take charge of the kingdom. So he said to Rama that it was the tradition for the first son to become king, when the father died.

He also said that only a person whom the people liked should be made king, and the people of Kosala were unanimous in desiring Rama as their king. Moreover, Kaikeyi had sinned in getting Rama exiled, and Bharata did not want to accept kingship that came to him as a result of his mother’s sinful act.

Bharata tried every method possible to get Rama to agree to his request. But Rama stuck to His stand, and sent Bharata back to Ayodhya.