Bharata Spends the Night Searching for a Lawful Way
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 253
Doha 253 · Movement 1 of 2
Keep this contemplation
Preserve, print, or share
Bharata sees Kaikeyi as the instrument through which time's dark design ripened, yet his question is practical and urgent: how can Ram's consecration now occur? No remedy appears.
Perhaps the sages will speak after honoring the guru. Perhaps a mother's plea will move Raghunath. Perhaps Kausalya might insist. Bharata dismisses each hope, knowing the weakness of his own standing and the strength of Ram's commitment.
To force the matter would be grave wrongdoing, for the servant's duty toward guru rises higher than Kailash. No strategy settles before dawn. Bharata bathes, bows to Ram, sits, and summons the sages. A sleepless private struggle enters the discipline of public counsel.
After every imagined remedy fails against duty, Bharata carries the unanswered night into an assembly of sages at dawn.
Read the passage from the Manas
कीन्ही मातु मिस काल कुचाली। ईति भीति जस पाकत साली।। केहि बिधि होइ राम अभिषेकू। मोहि अवकलत उपाउ न एकू।। अवसि फिरहिं गुर आयसु मानी। मुनि पुनि कहब राम रुचि जानी।। मातु कहेहुँ बहुरहिं रघुराऊ। राम जननि हठ करबि कि काऊ।। मोहि अनुचर कर केतिक बाता। तेहि महँ कुसमउ बाम बिधाता।। जौं हठ करउँ त निपट कुकरमू। हरगिरि तें गुरु सेवक धरमू।। एकउ जुगुति न मन ठहरानी। सोचत भरतहि रैनि बिहानी।। प्रात नहाइ प्रभुहि सिर नाई। बैठत पठए रिषयँ बोलाई।।
Mother became the instrument of kaal's kuchaalee, its wicked cunning, like rice that ripens only when both sunshine and storm have done their work. How can Rama's abhishek now come to pass? Not a single upaay, not one remedy, reveals itself to me. The rishis will surely return, honoring their guru's aagyaa. The muni will speak again, knowing Rama's own ruchi, His heart's true wish. Should mother implore Him, will Raghunaath return? Would Rama's janani ever press her hath, her stubbornness, so far? What weight does the plea of a mere anuchar carry in this matter? And in this very hour, vidhata turns against us, fate itself is adverse. If I force my will, it would be utter kukarm, a grievous wrong. The dharma between sevak and guru stands taller than Harigiri, taller than Kailash itself. Not a single juguti settled in his mind. Lost in thought, Bharat's raini passed into dawn. At daybreak, having bathed and bowed his head before Prabhu, he sat and sent word for the rishis to be called.