Janaka and Sunayana Reflect on Bharata’s Greatness
Janaka and Sunayana reflect on Bharata’s renunciation, humility, and incomparable devotion to his brother. Their words reveal the spiritual greatness of Bharata’s character.
Ayodhya Kand · Episode 44 / 49
Episode Text
सुनि भूपाल भरत ब्यवहारू। सोन सुगंध सुधा ससि सारू॥ मूदे सजल नयन पुलके तन। सुजसु सराहन लगे मुदित मन॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
suni bhūpāla bharata byavahārū। sona sugandha sudhā sasi sārū॥ mūde sajala nayana pulake tana। sujasu sarāhana lāge mudita mana॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Hearing of Bharata's conduct, which was like fragrance in gold and like the essence of moon-like nectar, the king closed his eyes filled with tears of love, as if absorbed in meditation on Bharata's devotion. His body thrilled, and his joyful mind began to praise Bharata's splendid fame.
सावधान सुनु सुमुखि सुलोचनि। भरत कथा भव बंध बिमोचनि॥ धरम राजनय ब्रह्मबिचारू। इहाँ जथामति मोर प्रचारू॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sāvadhāna sunu sumukhi sulochani। bharata kathā bhava baṃdha bimochani॥ dharama rājanaya brahmabichārū। ihāṃ jathāmati mora pracārū॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
He said, 'Listen attentively, O fair-faced one, O beautiful-eyed lady. The story of Bharata is one that frees the world from bondage. In the matters of dharma, statecraft, and spiritual inquiry, I have some understanding according to my own capacity here.'
सो मति मोरि भरत महिमाही। कहै काह छलि छुअति न छाँही॥ बिधि गनपति अहिपति सिव सारद। कबि कोबिद बुध बुद्धि बिसारद॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sō mati mori bharata mahimāhī। kahai kāha chali chuati na chāṃhī॥ bidhi ganapati ahipati siva sārada। kabi kobida budha buddhi bisārada॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
How could my mind, even though versed in dharma, politics, and spiritual wisdom, describe Bharata's greatness? By any deceit it cannot even touch its shadow. Brahmā, Ganesh, Shesha, Shiva, Saraswati, poets, scholars, sages, and the wise...
भरत चरित कीरति करतूती। धरम सील गुन बिमल बिभूती॥ समुझत सुनत सुखद सब काहू। सुचि सुरसरि रुचि निदर सुधाहू॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bharata charita kīrati karatūtī। dharama sīla guna bimala bibhūtī॥ samujhata sunata sukhada saba kāhū। suchi surasari ruci nidhara sudhāhū॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Bharata's life, fame, conduct, dharma, character, virtues, and pure splendor bring delight to all who understand or hear of them, and in purity they outshine even the Ganga, while in sweetness they surpass nectar itself.
निरवधि गुन निरुपम पुरुषु भरतु भरत सम जानि। कहिअसुमेरु कि सेर सम कबिकुल मति सकुचानि॥ २८८ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
niravadhi guna nirupama puruṣu bharatu bharata sama jāni। kahia sumeru ki sera sama kabikula mati sakucāni॥ 288 ॥
Meaning:
Bharata is a man of limitless virtues and without equal. Know that Bharata is like none but Bharata himself. Can Mount Sumeru be said to be equal to a seer? Therefore the minds of the poetic world shrink back from finding any comparison for him.
अगम सबहि बरनत बरबरनी। जिमि जलहीन मीन गमु धरनी॥ भरत अमित महिमा सुनु रानी। जानहिं रामु न सकहिं बखानी॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
agama sabahi baranata barabaranī। jimi jalahīna mīna gamu dharanī॥ bharata amita mahimā sunu rānī। jānahiṃ rāmu na sakahiṃ bakhānī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
O noble lady, for everyone it is as impossible to describe Bharata's glory as it is for a fish to move on dry land. Listen, O queen: only Rama knows Bharata's immeasurable greatness, yet even He cannot fully describe it.
बरनि सप्रेम भरत अनुभाऊ। तिय जिय की रुचि लखि कह राऊ॥ बहुरहिं लखनु भरतु बन जाहीं। सब कर भल सब के मन माहीं॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
barani saprema bharata anubhāū। tiya jiya kī ruci lakhi kaha rāū॥ bahurahiṃ lakhanu bharatu bana jāhīṃ। saba kara bhala saba ke mana māhīṃ॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
After describing Bharata's influence with affection, and discerning his wife's wish, the king said, 'Let Lakshmana return and Bharata go to the forest; this is for everyone's good, and it is what everyone feels in their hearts.'
देबि परंतु भरत रघुबर की। प्रीति प्रतीति जाइ नहिं तरकी॥ भरतु अवधि सनेह ममता की। जद्यपि रामु सीम समता की॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
debi parantu bharata raghubara kī। prīti pratīti jāi nahiṃ tarakī॥ bharatu avadhi saneha mamatā kī। jadyapi rāmu sīma samatā kī॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
But, O देवी, the love and mutual trust of Bharata and Rama cannot be measured by the limits of reason and thought. Though Rama is the boundary of perfect equanimity, Bharata is the boundary of love and tender attachment.
परमारथ स्वारथ सुख सारे। भरत न सपनेहुँ मनहुँ निहारे॥ साधन सिद्धि राम पग नेहू। मोहि लखि परत भरत मत एहू॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
paramāratha svāratha sukha sāre। bharata na sapanēhuṃ manahuṃ nihārē॥ sādhana siddhi rāma paga nehū। mohi lakhi parata bharata mata ehū॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
[Leaving aside all else in favor of single-minded love for Rama,] Bharata has never even in dream turned his mind toward worldly gain, private interest, or pleasures. Love for Rama's feet is his means, and that itself is his attainment. To me, this alone seems to be Bharata's principle.
भोरेहुँ भरत न पेलिहहिं मनसहुँ राम रजाइ। करिअ न सोचु सनेह बस कहेउ भूप बिलखाइ॥ २८९ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bhorehuṃ bharata na pelihahiṃ manasahuṃ rāma rajāi। kariā na soca saneha basa kaheu bhūpa bilakhāi॥ 289 ॥
Meaning:
The king, moved to tears, said, 'Bharata would never, even by mistake, disobey Rama's command, not even in his heart. So, under the sway of affection, there is no need to worry.'
राम भरत गुन गनत सप्रीती। निसि दंपतिहि पलक सम बीती॥ राज समाज प्रात जुग जागे। न्हाइ न्हाइ सुर पूजन लागे॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
rāma bharata guna ganata saprītī। nisi daṃpatihi pakhala sama bītī॥ rāja samāja prāta juga jāgē। nhāi nhāi sura pūjana lāgē॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
As the husband and wife lovingly spoke of the virtues of Rama and Bharata, the night passed in a flash. At dawn the royal assembly awoke, and after bathing they began worship of the gods.
गे नहाइ गुर पहिं रघुराई। बंदि चरन बोले रुख पाई॥ नाथ भरतु पुरजन महतारी। सोक बिकल बनबास दुखारी॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ge nahāi gura pahiṃ raghurāī। baṃdi charana bole rukha pāī॥ nātha bharatu purajana mahatārī। soka bikala banabāsa dukhārī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
After bathing, Shri Raghunath went to Guru Vashishtha, bowed at his feet, and, seeing his mood, said: 'O lord, Bharata, the people of Ayodhya, and the mothers are all troubled by grief and distressed by your exile.'
सहित समाज राउ मिथिलेसू। बहुत दिवस भए सहत कलेसू॥ उचित होइ सोइ कीजिअ नाथा। हित सबही कर रौरें हाथा॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sahita samāja rāū mithilesū। bahuta divasa bhae sahata kalesū॥ uchita hoi soi kījia nāthā। hita sabahī kara raureṃ hāthā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
It has been many days since the lord of Mithila, King Janaka, too, has endured suffering along with his household. Therefore, O Lord, do what is उचित. The welfare of all rests in your hands.
अस कहि अति सकुचे रघुराऊ। मुनि पुलके लखि सीलु सुभाऊ॥ तुम्ह बिनु राम सकल सुख साजा। नरक सरिस दुहु राज समाजा॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
asa kahi ati sakuche raghurāū। muni pulake lakhi sīlu subhāū॥ tumha binu rāma sakala sukha sājā। naraka sarisa duhu rāja samājā॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Saying this, Shri Raghunath felt greatly embarrassed. Seeing his modest and gentle nature, sage Vashishtha was filled with delight. He said openly: 'O Rama, without you all the comforts of home are like hell to both royal households.'
प्रान प्रान के जीव के जिव सुख के सुख राम। तुम्ह तजि तात सोहात गृह जिन्हहि तिन्हहि बिधि बाम॥ २९० ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
prāna prāna ke jīva ke jiva sukha ke sukha rāma। tumha taji tāta sohāta gṛha jinhahi tinhahi bidhi bāma॥ 290 ॥
Meaning:
O Rama, you are the life of life, the soul of the soul, and the joy of joy. O dear son, those for whom home remains pleasant even without you are, by fate, set against the right course.
सो सुखु करमु धरमु जरि जाऊ। जहँ न राम पद पंकज भाऊ॥ जोगु कुजोगु ग्यानु अग्यानू। जहँ नहिं राम पेम परधानू॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
so sukhu karamu dharamu jari jāū। jahaṃ na rāma pada paṃkaja bhāū॥ jogu kujogu gyānu agyānū। jahaṃ nahiṃ rāma pema pradhānū॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Where there is no love for Rama's lotus feet, may happiness, action, and righteousness all be burnt away. Where devotion to Rama is not foremost, yoga becomes bad yoga, and knowledge becomes ignorance.
तुम्ह बिनु दुखी सुखी तुम्ह तेहीं। तुम्ह जानहु जिय जो जेहि केहीं॥ राउर आयसु सिर सबही कें। बिदित कृपालहि गति सब नीकें॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tumha binu dukhī sukhī tumha tehīṃ। tumha jānahu jiya jo jehi kehīṃ॥ rāura āyasu sira sabahī keṃ। bidita kṛpālahi gati saba nīkeṃ॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Without you, all are sorrowful; those who are happy are happy only through you. You know whatever is in each heart. Your command rests upon the heads of all. The compassionate One knows everyone's condition well.
आपु आश्रमहि धारिअ पाऊ। भयउ सनेह सिथिल मुनिराऊ॥ करि प्रनामु तब रामु सिधाए। रिषि धरि धीर जनक पहिं आए॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
āpu āśramahi dhāria pāū। bhayau saneha sithila munirāū॥ kari pranāmu taba rāmu sidhāe। riṣi dhari dhīra janaka pahiṃ āe॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Therefore, please stay at the hermitage.' Hearing this, the sage-king became softened by affection. Then Rama bowed and departed, and the sage, gathering his composure, went to Janaka.