Bharata's Few Words Hold an Unfathomable Meaning
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 294
Doha 294 · Movement 1 of 2
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Janaka and the assembly praise the nature revealed in Bharata's speech. His words are accessible and unfathomable, soft and firm at once. Few syllables carry a meaning no listener can exhaust.
The speech resembles a face in a mirror or moonlight held upon water: plainly visible, yet impossible to seize in the hand. Janaka, Bharata, the sages, and the full society return to Vasishtha, while news of the movement passes through the people like a change in the air.
The gods watch Vasishtha, Janaka, and Bharata's complete Rama devotion with growing alarm. Everywhere they look they see love for Rama. Their private celestial interest has no foothold in this transparent assembly, and the powers of heaven begin to feel defeated by the purity of human surrender.
Bharata speaks only a few words, yet their reflection spreads through the assembly until even heaven cannot grasp or control their depth.
Read the passage from the Manas
भरत बचन सुनि देखि सुभाऊ। सहित समाज सराहत राऊ।। सुगम अगम मृदु मंजु कठोरे। अरथु अमित अति आखर थोरे।। ज्यौ मुख मुकुर मुकुरु निज पानी। गहि न जाइ अस अदभुत बानी।। भूप भरत मुनि सहित समाजू। गे जहँ बिबुध कुमुद द्विजराजू।। सुनि सुधि सोच बिकल सब लोगा। मनहुँ मीनगन नव जल जोगा।। देवँ प्रथम कुलगुर गति देखी। निरखि बिदेह सनेह बिसेषी।। राम भगतिमय भरतु निहारे। सुर स्वारथी हहरि हियँ हारे।। सब कोउ राम पेममय पेखा। भउ अलेख सोच बस लेखा।।
Hearing Bharata's words and beholding his noble swabhaav, the king and the whole assembly praised him. His speech was at once simple and profound, gentle and firm, carrying boundless meaning in very few words. Like a face reflected in a mirror, or the moon upon still water, his wondrous vaani could not be grasped. The king, Bharata, and the munis with the full assembly then went to where Vasishtha, the best among brahmins, resided. Hearing the news, all the people grew heavy with sorrow, like fish longing for fresh water. The devas first beheld the state of the kula-guru, then gazed upon Videha with particular affection. Seeing Bharata brimming with Rama-bhakti, even the selfish devas trembled and felt defeat in their hearts. All beheld Rama as the very form of prem. Yet their fear was beyond reckoning, and sorrow held their hearts captive.