The Sacrifice by the four brothers in Ramayan Ramayan imparts the noblest virtue of all – Sacrifice. The four brother’s life in Ramayan is the reflection of this virtue representing how a family bonding should be, a virtue much needed in today’s times.
Shri Ram
On the provoking of Manthara, Queen Kaikeyi asks Maharaj Dasarath to send Shri Ram to the forest and crown her son Bharat as the king of Ayodhya. Hearing to this, though Shri Ram had all the power to protest, fight for his right and become king, he chooses to keep up the word of his father, thus leaving all his comforts and happiness for his younger brother. He proves that the obedience to parents and love towards the younger ones are much needed to strengthen family bonds and as how one needs to sacrifice everything for their happiness.
Lakshman
Although it was Shri Ram who was exiled, Lakshman chooses to follow the footsteps of his brother and accompanies him to the forest to serve him and take complete care of his elder brother. He sacrifices his sleep, food and total rest to take care of Bhagwan Ram and Mata Sita. Lakshman loves his brother so dearly, that he never thinks of his own comfort in spite of many hardships in the forest. Equal to his, is also his consort Urmila’s sacrifice. She stays back in the palace on Lakshman’s orders and suffers the pangs of separation from her husband for fourteen years. The life of these two stands out as an example of sacrifice for the elders and kith of the family, forgoing their own personal happiness.
Bharat
The loving brother of Shri Ram who is devastated by his mother’s deed and rushes to his brother to seek forgiveness for a mistake he did not commit. Shri Ram appeals to him to become king and fulfil his father s’ word, but Bharat does not agree. He renounces all the comforts of Ayodhya, stays at Nandigram and performs his duty as a representative of Shri Ram. Even though, Shri Ram himself wanted Bharat to be king, Bharat rejects not only the throne, but also the comforts of a palace and spends his time only in thoughts of Shri Ram. He sets an example to the younger ones in the family to look upon the elder’s happiness, before their own.
Shatrughan
The adorable small brother of the three, but the sacrifice he does, is not small. With Shri Ram and Lakshman gone to the forest, and Bharat too, renouncing the palace, it becomes the duty of Shatrughan to take care of the palace administration. Just as how Lakshman dedicates himself to Shri Ram, Shatrughan serves Bharat. Though the youngest of all, he takes the huge task of the comforting his mothers who are all alone in the palace of Ayodhya, if not for him. Although he was equally worried of the happenings, yet he put aside his worry and he was always concerned about Bharat and saw to that the latter was never burdened by any other thought, as already Bharat was sad due to the separation from Shri Ram. The adorable brother of the three, he was equal to them in terms of nobility and sacrifice.
The qualities of the four brothers shone like the four Vedas, and none ever hesitated to forgo their total life for the happiness of the other, a virtue which stands as an outstanding example of sacrifice. It was only pure love among them which stands the best inspiration for family bonding till date.