Bharata Gives Every Virtue Back to Rama
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 299
Doha 299 · Movement 1 of 2
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Bharata proclaims that Rama's noble ways, gracious speech, and greatness are known throughout the world and sung by scripture. Even the cruel, crooked, reckless, and stained are embraced when they turn once toward his refuge and bow.
Rama does not preserve their faults within his heart. He hears of a small virtue and lets the society of saints praise it. What other master adorns the servant so generously that the whole assembly begins to honor the one who came ashamed?
Bharata raises his arms and vows that no other Lord is like this. An animal's dance belongs to the trainer, and a parrot's skilled recitation belongs to the teacher. In the same way, every goodness seen in Bharata belongs to Rama, whose grace trained faltering movement into service and placed noble speech upon an unworthy tongue.
Bharata returns every praised quality to Rama, as the dance belongs to the trainer and the parrot's verse to the patient teacher.
Read the passage from the Manas
राउरि रीति सुबानि बड़ाई। जगत बिदित निगमागम गाई।। कूर कुटिल खल कुमति कलंकी। नीच निसील निरीस निसंकी।। तेउ सुनि सरन सामुहें आए। सकृत प्रनामु किहें अपनाए।। देखि दोष कबहुँ न उर आने। सुनि गुन साधु समाज बखाने।। को साहिब सेवकहि नेवाजी। आपु समाज साज सब साजी।। निज करतूति न समुझिअ सपनें। सेवक सकुच सोचु उर अपनें।। सो गोसाइँ नहि दूसर कोपी। भुजा उठाइ कहउँ पन रोपी।। पसु नाचत सुक पाठ प्रबीना। गुन गति नट पाठक आधीना।।
Your noble ways (reeti), Your gracious speech (subaani), and Your greatness (badaaee) are known across the world and celebrated in the Vedas and scriptures (Nigam-aagam). Even those who are cruel, crooked, wicked, evil-minded, and stained with sin. Even the lowly, the shameless, the destitute, and the reckless. When they hear of You and come before You seeking refuge (sharan), with a single prostration (sakrit pranaam) You embrace them as Your own. You never hold their faults in Your heart. And hearing of their virtues, the assembly of saints (saadhu samaaj) sings their praise. What other master (Sahib) honors his servant so generously, adorning the servant and the entire gathering along with Himself? The servant cannot fathom his own doings even in a dream. Yet in his heart he feels only shame and concern for his shortcomings. Such a Lord (Gosain) has no equal. I raise both arms and plant this solemn vow. Animals dance, and parrots recite with great skill. But all their talent and movement depend entirely on their trainer (nat, paathak). So too, whatever good appears in us is Yours alone.