A family understands and stands for each other in any kind of a situation, good or bad together. While the elders pave the way to Dharma, the youngsters follow their footsteps and this is how the bond continues eternally. However, life is not the same always and the path gets deviated bound by destiny and the challenges of life. However, what makes a family special is when one deviates from the path, there is another from the family to correct and get back to the right path. Here, the age or the seniority in the family doesn’t matter, but what matters is choosing right over wrong, just as Bharat chose in the Ramayan.
Bharat was always the silent devotee of Shri Ram who kept his heart and mind set on the lotus feet of his elder brother Shri Ram. For Bharat, Shri Ram was the centre of his life, though it was never seen outwardly until one day where destiny separated the brothers through the boons of Queen Kaikeyi. The boons demanded Bharat to be the king and Shri Ram to be sent to exile. While Shri Ram leaves without any grudges, and Queen Kaikeyi thinks that all way is clear for her son to be the heir of Ayodhya, she is on for a shock. When Bharat comes to know about what happened in his absence, one sees a silent Bharat who loudly teaches his mother itself a lesson of Dharma.
As Bharat was offered the kingdom in full consent of his father and brother, he had none to stop him
from enjoying all the power, luxury, riches and fame, but to the surprise of Queen Kaikeyi, Bharat
rejects all of it. He shuns his mother and her evil plan to earn the kingdom for him through deceit
and greed. He leaves his mother’s chamber never to return making her realises how bad her blind
thinking led to. It is only after the resentment of Bharat, does Queen Kaikeyi realise that greed
makes one lonely and remorseful in life.
Bharat faces the blasphemy of the people although innocent. Yet, he remains calm and works to set
things right in the kingdom. He rushes to Shri Ram at Chitrakut and humbly puts himself and the
entire kingdom of Ayodhya at Shri Ram’s feet. But, Shri Ram refuses to return back to Ayodhya
without fulfilling his father’s promise, leaving Bharat in a fix. But, when a person is righteous from
heart, Dharma itself shows the way, and Bharat imposes self-exile upon himself and agrees to rule
the kingdom only as the representative of Shri Ram. These selfless acts made all the people of
Ayodhya surrender to Bharat’s pure sacrifice and truly understand him.
As a son, Bharat had the courage to forsake his mother and stand for his brother. Bharat suffered
due to his mother’s greed, faced the blasphemy of people for no fault of his, got separated from his
brother for fourteen long years. Yet Bharat knew that even though the whole world was against him
Shri Ram would believe on his devotion, and this pure faith made him dear to all, defining Bharat the
representation of Dharma. When such a person leads the way, then the ones who get deviated too
get back to the correct path, just as Kaikeyi realises that no matter Dharma can be subdued, but can
never be defeated.