It is often see that among siblings, each grows into a different personality and a character. If one is calm, the other is outspoken, if one is an introvert, the other is an extrovert, If one is naughty, the other is shy. However, all are bound into one single thread of affection. Shri Ram and his brothers were no exception to this and the single thread which always kept them united was Dharma. While Shri Ram stood as their driving force of life, for Shri Ram if Lakshman and Shatrughan were the representations of service, Bharat was the representation of Dharma.
Bharat was no ordinary prince, but the adorable brother of Shri Ram. Unlike Lakshman who had the privilege of accompanying Shri Ram and be with him all time, Bharat did not accompany his elder brother nor was his shadow, yet what made him unique was the that his heart and mind were always devoted to the feet of Shri Ram and he worshipped his brother as his idol with sincere faith and conviction.
Siblings maybe of an individual nature, but accepting them for what they are is what forms the bond of love between them Shri Ram loved Bharat as what he was, the silent and the calm brother. Although Shatrughan always served Bharat as Lakshman served Shri Ram, Bharat never had a superior authority about it and always devoted himself to Shri Ram as his Dharma. Being the son of Kaikeyi who was the pampered queen did not make him spoilt and he treated his mothers and brothers in the same way as Shri Ram did, thus following the footsteps of Shri Ram in every moment of his life.
Bharat teaches a very important lesson that sometimes it is important for the younger ones to correct the mistakes of the elders and keep the family united. He shuns his mother for sending Shri Ram to exile and being responsible for the death of his father. He doesn’t step back in making Kaikeyi realise her grave mistake of dividing the family for inheritance powers. He makes her realise that family is more important than any riches of the world and refuses her plot of making him the King of Ayodhya, and proves his loyalty as a righteous brother.
Determination to stand for truth makes a man the strongest. When Dharma is put to test as gold melted in fire, it shines even more bright and becomes an ornament to be worn. Bharat’s Dharma becomes his ornament when he refuses to take the kingdom of Ayodhya and offers it back to Shri Ram. When Shri Ram requests him to rule for the fourteen years of his exile, Bharat choses only to be a caretaker and a representative and serve the kingdom on his behalf, rather than taking authority although he was given all the privilege by Shri Ram himself. He prefers to live the same life as a hermit as Shri Ram and sacrifices his royal life for the sake of his brother and Dharma.
With total devotion on the feet of Shri Ram, Bharat proves that although life gives you an advantage over the others to have a comfortable life and fame, one need to judge it on the not taking the unfair advantage, Bharat proves that Dharma is above all powers and politics and even if one stands for it, the whole family gets united on the same.