Rama Lifts Guilt from Bharata before the Three Worlds
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 263
Doha 263 · Movement 1 of 2
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Bharata's noble speech, steeped in anguish, love, humility, and righteous understanding, passes through the assembly like winter over a lotus lake. Faces fall still. Hearts close beneath the frost of sorrow. The wise Vasishtha recalls ancient teachings and stories to steady the brother who has condemned himself from every side.
Then Rama speaks. His presence is cool and luminous, like the moon opening night lilies in the lineage of the sun. He tells Bharata to abandon the grief within his heart and to understand that the course of embodied beings rests under the sovereignty of Ishvara.
Across past, present, and future, across all three worlds, Rama sees no virtuous fame greater than Bharata's. To harbor crookedness toward him would destroy both worldly and heavenly good. Those who blame their mother, Rama says, reveal only that they have not lived near guru and saint. Before everyone who heard Bharata accuse himself, Rama restores him to the stainless truth of his own life.
Where Bharata sees only guilt, Rama reveals a glory unsurpassed in the three times and the three worlds.
Read the passage from the Manas
सुनि अति बिकल भरत बर बानी। आरति प्रीति बिनय नय सानी।। सोक मगन सब सभाँ खभारू। मनहुँ कमल बन परेउ तुसारू।। कहि अनेक बिधि कथा पुरानी। भरत प्रबोधु कीन्ह मुनि ग्यानी।। बोले उचित बचन रघुनंदू। दिनकर कुल कैरव बन चंदू।। तात जाँय जियँ करहु गलानी। ईस अधीन जीव गति जानी।। तीनि काल तिभुअन मत मोरें। पुन्यसिलोक तात तर तोरे।। उर आनत तुम्ह पर कुटिलाई। जाइ लोकु परलोकु नसाई।। दोसु देहिं जननिहि जड़ तेई। जिन्ह गुर साधु सभा नहिं सेई।।
Hearing Bharat's deeply anguished and noble words, soaked in devotion, love, humility, and righteousness, the whole assembly was shaken. The entire court sank into grief and bewilderment, as though a frost had fallen upon a garden of lotuses. The wise sage Vasishtha consoled Bharat by recounting many ancient stories and teachings. Then Raghunandan spoke fitting words. He who is the moon to the night-lily garden of the Sun dynasty. Dear brother, do not torment yourself with guilt. Know that every being's destiny rests in the hands of Ishvar. Across all three times and all three worlds, in my reckoning, your virtuous glory surpasses all others, dear brother. Should anyone hold crookedness toward you in their heart, both this world and the world beyond would be laid to ruin. Only those dull-witted ones blame our mother who have never kept the company of gurus and saints.