The world has options and choices of both good and bad. It is up to one self as to what choice is made. It is well known that bad choices are easy, but do not sustain and good choices are difficult but remain forever. A perfect guide to understand the differentiation between right and wrong and make the right choice is none other than the great epic of Ramayan. The choices made by Shri Ram and his brothers, in different situations of life depicts their conviction towards the choices they made.
Bharat, Lakshman and Shatrughan are no different from their elder brother in following his footsteps. In fact, Shri Ram himself praises his brothers for going through difficult adversities for his sake. While Shri Ram sticks to making a choice to abide to his father’s word and not rebel against him, Lakshman chose to follow Shri Ram to serve him in the forest. But, the greatest choice was that made by Bharat.
Bound by his boons to Queen Kaikeyi, Maharaj Dasarath offers the kingdom to Bharat as his Dharma. Shri Ram too happily agrees that his younger brother is made king and he departs to the forest leaving the vast kingdom, riches and comforts to his dear brother. But, when Bharat comes to know of all the situations after his return from his maternal uncle’s place, he makes the choice which makes him the ultimate representation of Dharma.
As Bharat was offered the kingdom in full consent of his father and brother, he had none to stop him from accepting the throne along with all the power, luxury, riches and fame, but he did not. His sense of Dharma stopped him from doing so and he did what was right. When he learns that his mother got the kingdom through deceit, he admonished her and shunned her away. He was such a fair and a noble prince that his heart melts out for his brother and he feels remorseful for being the reason behind it. He rebukes his mother’s greed and mentions that he would never call her mother again nor return to her chamber. Bharat makes the correct choice and lets Queen Kaikeyi realise her fault of making a wrong choice by listening to Manthara’s words.
The devotion of Bharat is so great that he rushes to his brother and requests him to return back to Ayodhya and become the rightful king. But when Shri Ram makes him understand the importance of keeping up their father’s word, he agrees with a heavy heart, but with a condition that he would be only the representative of Shri Ram, but not the king. Bharat returned back with the sandals of Shri Ram and made them the royal insignia and spends fourteen years worshipping them and waiting for his brother to return back, but does not chose to live in the palace and becomes a hermit like his brothers.
Bharat teaches a beautiful and important lesson that although something is desirable, it should be viewed in a point of whether it is the correct decision to choose it or not. Bharat chooses a life as a hermit as Shri Ram, but does not chose to be king, as he feels it is underserving and unethical to do so. There are many tempting offers and choices one faces in life, however, to differentiate between right and wrong of the choices and to choose the correct one is the virtue which makes the difference.