Bharata Names Ram's Service as His Only Welfare
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 178
Doha 178 · Movement 1 of 2
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Bharata's good lay in serving the Lord of Sita, and his mother's crooked action removed that life from reach. After searching his heart, he sees no other remedy except going to Ram.
What value has a grieving court or kingdom without sight of Sita, Lakshmana, and Ram's feet? Ornaments burden without clothing, contemplation of Brahman is empty without dispassion, pleasures fail a diseased body, and repetition and yoga are fruitless without devotion to Hari.
As a beautiful body is useless without life, everything Bharata possesses is useless without Raghurai. He asks permission for one resolve only: let him go to Ram. Those who seek his good through kingship speak from attachment, because love cannot heal him by enthroning the separation itself.
For Bharata, Ayodhya without Ram is a jeweled body without life, and the only path toward welfare leads into the forest.
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हित हमार सियपति सेवकाई। सो हरि लीन्ह मातु कुटिलाई।। मैं अनुमानि दीख मन माहीं। आन उपायँ मोर हित नाहीं।। सोक समाजु राजु केहि लेखें। लखन राम सिय बिनु पद देखें।। बादि बसन बिनु भूषन भारू। बादि बिरति बिनु ब्रह्म बिचारू।। सरुज सरीर बादि बहु भोगा। बिनु हरिभगति जायँ जप जोगा।। जायँ जीव बिनु देह सुहाई। बादि मोर सबु बिनु रघुराई।। जाउँ राम पहिं आयसु देहू। एकहिं आँक मोर हित एहू।। मोहि नृप करि भल आपन चहहू। सोउ सनेह जड़ता बस कहहू।।
My true welfare lay in serving Siyapati, but Hari has taken that away through mother's crookedness. I have pondered and seen clearly in my heart: there is no other path to my welfare. What value is a sorrowful assembly or kingdom without beholding the feet of Lakshman, Rama and Sita? Useless is the weight of ornaments without garments to bear them. Useless is Brahma-vichara without vairagya. A diseased body makes many pleasures useless. Without Hari-bhakti, japa and yoga come to nothing. Just as a beautiful body is useless without the life within, so everything of mine is useless without Raghurai. Grant me permission to go to Rama. This alone, this single resolve, is my true welfare. You wish to make me king for my own good, but even that affection you speak out of moha, out of foolish attachment.