Bharat Leaves with Ram’s Padukas

After the last rites for the deceased king Dasharath are duly performed by his sons, Bharat implores Shri Ram to accept the kingdom. He argues that Ayodhya cannot be ruled by anyone other than Lord Ram and that he is not competent to take the lord’s place to run the affairs of the kingdom.Sage Vashishta also urges Ram to accept the throne and grant Bharat’s prayers. But Lord Ram politely declines, refusing to disobey his father’s words, even after his death. A stubborn Bharat refuses to leave without Lord Ram.The eminent sages present there are thrilled at the meeting of the two brothers of matchless glory. The princes not only know what is right but also tread the path of virtue. The sages are aware of Lord Ram’s purpose on earth; he has to end Ravan’s atrocities. They counsel Bharat to obey Sri Ram and rule the kingdom. Lord Ram prevails on Bharat to return to Ayodhya and fulfil his duties as king, thereby honouring their father’s words.Bharat returns, but not before insisting that he will rule the kingdom only on Shri Ram’s behalf. He vows to live the life of an ascetic outside the city until his brothers return and pledges to enter fire if Shri Ram fails to come back after the stipulated period of exile. With this condition, he takes the lord’s padukas (sandals) to use as a mark of the lord’s reign. Placing the padukas on his head, Bharat pays his respects to the lord and departs for Ayodhya.The padukas symbolise the glories of Lord Ram and the ideals he lived by which Bharat implicitly upheld until the end of his reign. Indeed, none would have reproached him, if he had granted Bharat’s request and the citizens of Ayodhya would have celebrated his early return with pomp and fanfare. Even then, Lord Ram did not consider dishonouring his father’s words. He stood steadfast like the Himalayas, never wavering in his observance of truth.

Bharat Leaves with Ram’s Padukas

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