Bharata Falls at the Feet of the Mother He Wronged Unknowingly
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 164
Doha 164 · Movement 1 of 2
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Kausalya sees Bharata, rises, and rushes toward him, only to fall unconscious before reaching him. He forgets his own collapse, falls at her feet, and begs to be shown his father, Sita, Ram, and Lakshmana.
His grief turns against his birth. Why was Kaikeyi born, and why did she bear the son whose name became the instrument of ruin? Bharata calls himself a stain upon the lineage and the most unfortunate being in all three worlds.
Dasharatha is dead, Raghubir in the forest, and Bharata believes himself the cause of every calamity. He compares his presence to fire racing through a bamboo grove, producing unbearable heat and destruction wherever it passes. At Kausalya's feet, existence itself feels like an offense.
Bharata bows beneath Kausalya and sees his own birth as the bamboo spark from which the whole royal forest burned.
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भरतहि देखि मातु उठि धाई। मुरुछित अवनि परी झइँ आई।। देखत भरतु बिकल भए भारी। परे चरन तन दसा बिसारी।। मातु तात कहँ देहि देखाई। कहँ सिय रामु लखनु दोउ भाई।। कैकइ कत जनमी जग माझा। जौं जनमि त भइ काहे न बाँझा।। कुल कलंकु जेहिं जनमेउ मोही। अपजस भाजन प्रियजन द्रोही।। को तिभुवन मोहि सरिस अभागी। गति असि तोरि मातु जेहि लागी।। पितु सुरपुर बन रघुबर केतू। मैं केवल सब अनरथ हेतु।। धिग मोहि भयउँ बेनु बन आगी। दुसह दाह दुख दूषन भागी।।
Seeing Bharat, his mother rose and rushed toward him, but upon reaching him she fell unconscious to the ground. Seeing her state, Bharat became deeply distraught and fell at her feet, forgetting his own condition entirely. 'Mother, where is father? Show me! Where are Sita, Rama, and both brothers Lakshmana?' 'Why was Kaikeyi ever born into this world? And if she had to be born, why was she not barren?' 'She who gave birth to me is the stain of our lineage, a vessel of disgrace, an enemy of those she should have loved.' 'Who in all the three worlds is as wretched as I, whose own mother has brought about such a fate?' 'Father has departed to heaven, Raghubir has gone to the forest, and I alone remain the cause of every calamity.' 'Shame upon me! I have become like fire in a bamboo grove, bringing unbearable burning, suffering, and ruin wherever I stand.'