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Bharata: The Ascetic King


Bharata is disillusioned yet again. His brother, Rama the ideal man, Maryada Purushottam, is making yet another grotesque demand. Sita Devi has to prove her purity now, years after the Agni Pariksha she arranged for herself long ago in Lanka itself. Now, when she has been living for years far away from Rama with her two sons Luva and Kusha in the paternal care of no less a saint than Valmiki himself! What has happened to Rama?

Bharata sits on the bank of the Sarayu with tears welling up in his eyes. Give me an answer, Sarayu, he said.

Sarayu accepted Bharata’s tears too. She was used to absorbing tears. How many times has Rama come and sat upon this very same bank and wept too? Life is sorrow, Sarayu muttered to Bharata. Even if you are royal descendants of divinity itself.

Rama had brought the children Luva and Kusha to Ayodhya on the day of the Ashvamedha Yagna which he was conducting in order to reaffirm his sovereignty and legitimacy over his kingdom. He didn’t know they were his sons. He heard them singing his story on the street outside the palace.

A golden Sita sat beside Rama: a lifeless statue made of gold. The real Sita was sitting on the bank of the Tamasa River near Valmiki’s hut. Ashvamedha Yagna required the presence of the queen with the king. Sita was Rama’s only wife. He loved her. But he tested her too many times. He abandoned her after all that. And then kept a gold statue by his side. Ritual. Why did Rama reduce love to a ritual? Bharata asked.

Sarayu wept in response. Her tears were Bharata’s tears too. Rama’s tears too. Sita’s too. Life’s tears, Sarayu murmured.

Luva and Kusha started singing the song that Valmiki had taught them. It was the story of Rama and Sita, their love, and the ordeals they went through because of Manthara first and then Ravana. The boys sang mellifluously.

Rama understood that the boys were his own sons. The real Sita was brought immediately to the palace.

Bharata was ecstatic to see his divine sister-in-law looking resplendent in spite of the desolation that gleamed in her eyes. He bent and touched her feet.

And then he was rattled.

Rama wanted Sita to prove her purity yet again.

रामोऽहमस्मि भद्रं ते यथार्थं कथयामि ते

जनवादभयाद् देवि त्वां पुनः पर्यतिष्ठहम्

The fear of public opinion made Rama demand yet another fire-test from Sita.

Bharata asked the earth to split and devour him.

Is this the same Maryada Purushottam whose sandals I placed on the throne, acknowledging my unworthiness to rule as long as he lives? I gave up power, reputation, public approvals and approbations, all of which could have been mine. I gave up Ayodhya itself and lived in Nandigram. And I governed Ayodhya as Rama would govern it. I was a mere shadow of Rama who considered himself unworthy to untie the strap of his sandals. I even distanced myself from my mother because of my admiration for your virtues, dear Rama, my brother, my Lord. And here you are, asking Sita Devi to prove her purity yet again. Why are you doing this, Rama?

Why is he doing this? Bharata asked the Sarayu.

The Sarayu absorbed Bharata’s tears too. But she had no answer to Bharata’s last question: What did all my asceticism amount to in the end?

You will be recognised one day as the ideal king. Did he hear the Sarayu say that? For the ideal king, the citizens are the most important entities. You learnt that from Rama. Give Rama that credit. Yours was the first Rama Rajya in the cosmos, dear Bharata.

You have also learnt that true love is not about possession. You couldn’t be with Rama for long physically. The person you loved so much was always far away from you. In exile first. Now he is leaving you and everyone by walking into the Sarayu.

The grandeur of Ayodhya, the sound of conch shells in battle, the grief of exile, the victories… all fade like a dream at dawn. You hold on to the world, yet it slips through your fingers like the grains of sand on my bank.

Bharata was actually holding some sand in his fist and the grains were slipping out slowly. He kept looking at the Sarayu.

Rama’s Ayodhya is coming to its end, Bharata realised. The earth swallowed Sita Devi. The Sarayu carried Rama across to Vaikuntha. I can see Lakshmana and Shatrughna, and, oh, the entire Ayodhya, walking into the Sarayu. Into the Sarayu. Following their beloved king into eternity, the only real Rama Rajya.

It is possible to create Rama Rajya here on earth, Sarayu whispers. Or, is it an illusion? Bharata is not sure. Live righteously, love selflessly, surrender completely – that’s it. You have Rama Rajya.

I tried my best to create that Rajya here in Ayodhya, Bharata said to himself as he walked into the Sarayu, following everyone else of the kingdom.

That’s enough, Sarayu whispered. You did your best. That’s enough, dear Bharata. 


PS. I’m participating in #BlogchatterA2Z. This series will look at the Ramayana from various angles.

Tomorrow: Chitrakoot: The Antithesis of Ayodhya

Previous Post: Ayodhya: Kingdom of Sorrows

Comments

  1. Most retellings of the epic focus on Rama or Hanuman, but exploring another character’s perspective is refreshingly thought-provoking. What happened after Rama left? With Lakshmana gone before him, how did Bharat uphold the kingdom? Did Ram Rajya truly exist without Rama in the picture?

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    1. No.
      The story will be told in subsequent posts.

      With Rama walked away everyone else. The city of Ayodhya was deserted for years.

      Delete
  2. I am so impressed by your retelling of the Ramayana. You've given the others characters a voice - and an opportunity for us to understand what one persons decision did to the rest. The illustrations are great too. Above all, your writing is so soothing to read.

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  3. You write pros like a poet .Very interesting view points.But I like the pictures even better.Did you source them from AI tools or bought them online ?I would love to know that too.Keep up the great work.

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    1. The illustrations are all AI-generated. I use copilot designer.

      Delete
  4. This is an original version of the Ramayana where Bharata's feelings come up the forefront. I like the way you have brought in the tears of the Sarayu river as well. Kudos!

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    Replies
    1. Every individual will have a slightly different story to tell about the same incident.

      Delete
  5. Hari OM
    In many ways, we can learn how to live well through the example set by Bharata; your musing on his possile questions hold much value. As an aside, Lakshmana, too, had questions. He posed them directly to Rama, and this is explored in the Rama Gita, a small but powerful text. YAM xx

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    1. I'm going to bring in some more questions to Rama from other characters like Mandodari. I haven't read Rama Gita. I wasn't even aware of it.

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  6. I am still doubtful whether Ramayana happens or not. But even as a story it's really great with its description of characters, social conditions and many other aspects.

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    1. It didn't happen the way Valmiki described it. Obviously. There were no rakshasas, let alone those who had airplanes. Vanaras couldn't have built a bridge across an ocean, let alone carry a whole mountain across... I'm trying to make sense of this great epic of a great civilisation in my own literary way.

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  7. We break every image to understand a person. Rama's image too, questioned by many, for understanding.
    //Sarayu wept in response. Her tears were Bharata’s tears too. Rama’s tears too. Sita’s too. Life’s tears, Sarayu murmured. // I am so sad to read this.

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    1. Iconoclasm is good in many ways. It breaks dogma and fosters critical thinking, ushers in innovation and progress, questions dictators...

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  8. And again ,all these epics shows us that a man perfect for the society ,shouldnt always be the perfect one in the family.... Rama and Sita is the most praised couples....and Rama not trusting Sita lead to her end . In love ,loyalty and trust is more important than romance else it will have disastrous endings.
    There are no rules in war and love but trusting your partner and being loyal is indeed part of both, making it successful. When a war is won it's not because of a person's strength but the strength of their trust upon themselves and their soldiers and their loyalty towards their country. And that's also the secret for a successful and happy living.

    Waiting for upcoming one ❤️❤️🙂🙂

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Keep reading, Mary Ann. You're going to learn the subtleties of human relationships and motives. Mahabharata would have been better for the purpose, but I found there are many scholarly studies already available on it. So I took up Ramayana. Moreover, we're going to witness, as claimed by a powerful lobby, Rama Rajya sooner than later. Shouldn't we know what Rama Rajya was?

      Delete
  9. You've brought new depth to the narrative, giving each character a voice and showing the ripple effects of one decision. Your writing flows beautifully, making it a joy to read.

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    1. From the time I stopped teaching as my regular profession, that's a few weeks back, I took up writing with a renewed passion. Thanks for telling me that I'm doing a good job.

      Delete
  10. What a lucid narration , you have Sir ! I feel like watching a new episode of Ramayana with your storytelling skills ! And you have given it so much depth as always ! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

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    1. I'm learning, Chinmayee. That's the simple truth. My quest is genuine.

      Delete
  11. Bharat's point of view is interesting to read. Was Ram really guilty of being scared of the public opinion, or is there a deeper meaning to his actions? Is he trying to set an example for the rulers? So many questions come in mind. Reading your perspective is very refreshing and making Saryu the witness even more poignant.

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    Replies
    1. You raise questions that I raised myself. I'm answering them as best as I can in the posts, not in this maybe but in coming ones, especially Dharma and Destiny.

      Delete
  12. Very interesting , well written. Great to read.

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  13. What a fresh take on the Ramayana. I particularly love how you have personified Sarayu, and it keeps me hooked to the series to know if she will be part of it till the end and if so, how her interactions will differ with each character.
    Why did Rama make love a ritual? Probably because he was here as a human - as flawed as us and trying his best to uphold the dharma while getting succumbed to societal expectations?!
    And as for Bharatha, yes, he did his best, and though it is difficult to live righteously, love selflessly, and surrender completely—that’s it. That's all to life-—the earlier we grasp it, the better we are to navigate through the tough decisions and emotions we go through.

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    1. Sarayu will be there with us till the end of this series - except when we are in totally different places like Ravana's Lanka.

      You got it: Rama was also a frail human being. Valmiki suggests that many times. Being an incarnation of God doesn't mean you are free from human flaws.

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  14. Sir, the way you are shedding light on the other characters of this epic, it's commendable and this is why your retelling feels fresh, thought-provoking and inspiring. So much to learn from Ramayana! The way you have portrayed Sarayu's pain, I will never forget this. - Swarnali Nath

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    Replies
    1. There's a lot to learn and that's why it is considered an epic. I'm a learner too.

      Delete
  15. I liked that one sentence about Rama rajya. Live righteously, love selflessly and surrender completely, that's Ramarajya.

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  16. I loved the personification of Sarayu. She becomes the voice of reason, the voice of our concience.

    ReplyDelete

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