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Victim of situation

CHENNAI: The Ramayana is a kaleidoscopic presentation of the ethics of living where the Supreme Being Himself teaches by example the manner of upholding moral values at all costs and in all circumstances. Rather than offering a list of moral values, every possible moral value pertaining to human life is illustrated in the ups and downs that take place in the epic.

Sri Nagai Mukundan pointed out in a discourse that when Bharata experienced untold anguish caused by a compounding of griefs — the loss of father, absence of brother and the knowledge that all this had happened on his behalf while he was in no way responsible for it — he broke forth in anger at Kaikeyi and was even ready to kill her, but checked himself after the initial outburst because he knew Lord Rama, the embodiment of Dharma, would disapprove of it.

Bharata, who understood every subtle thought wave of Lord Rama that adhered to the Dharmic standards at all times, realised that killing her was not right. More than tarnishing his name it would earn disrepute for Lord Rama.

Moreover Lord Rama would be angry if He came to know that he had spoken ill of his own mother.

Thinking that she had done her son a great service, Kaikeyi had obtained the kingdom for Bharata risking much — her own reputation and the ire of the entire humanity. This is typical of the mother's love that sometimes fails to take into consideration not only what is really advantageous or beneficial to the child, but also ignores the child's genuine desires.

When Bharata went to pay obeisance to Kousalya, he faced her harsh words filled with irony. Though deeply hurt by Kousalya's words, he remained helpless and grief stricken and wished not to be misunderstood by her.

He held her in high esteem, and knowing her to be a cultured lady, he understood that what she had spoken was induced by her limitless grief and not out of lack of love to him. To prove his innocence, Bharata made a list of vows to her, saying that in case he had any inkling of desire for the kingdom, may all the punishments for the worst kinds of crimes befall him.

Bharata refused to ascend the throne and decided to go to the forest in search of Lord Rama and bring him back to Ayodhya.

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