Bharata (Ramayana)
Encyclopedia
In the Hindu
epic Ramayana
, Bharata (Sanskrit
: भरत, Indonesian
: Barata, Chinese
: Boloto, Burmese
: Bhadra, Malay
: Baradan, Tamil
: Paratan, Thai
: Phra Phrot) was the second brother of the main protagonist Rama
, and the son of Dasaratha
and Kaikeyi
. Dasaratha
was the Emperor of Ayodhya and belonged to the Suryavansha
or Solar Dynasty. It is said that after Rama, he was the symbol of dharma
and idealism. A few commentators, however, deem Bharata to be even greater than Rama himself in virtue.
He is considered to be born in the aspect of the Sudarshana Chakra
, the most famous of Vishnu
's Panchayudhas.
Bharata was the second of the four sons of Dasaratha. His mother was the daughter of Kekeya Kingdom
. The Ramayana describes the four brothers as loving and devoted to one another. He was also the husband to Mandavi
, daughter of King Janaka
's brother Kushadhvaja and thus a cousin of Sita
, who was wife of Rama
. They had two sons, Taksha and Pushka.
Ayodhya's guru Vasishta stated that no one had learned the lessons of dharma
better than Bharata.
that since Bharata's love for Rama was unparalleled it became his duty to enable Rama to live righteously, Bharata gave up his efforts to take Rama back to Ayodhya before the fourteen year exile elapsed. Though deeply disappointed, Bharata returned to Ayodhya after receiving a promise from Rama that he would return promptly at the end of the fourteen years of exile and ascend the throne. He vowed to Rama that if Rama did not return immediately when the fourteen years elapsed he would give his life up by immolation.
He agreed to govern Ayodhya, not as its ruler, but as Rama's representative. The people supported Bharata, as he became the 'king' of Kosala
and Ayodhya, but Bharata himself placed Rama's sandals at the foot of the royal throne, and neither sat upon the throne nor crowned himself.
Bharata's reign was righteous, and the kingdom was safe and prosperous, but Bharata continuously longed for Rama's return. During this time he did not forgive his mother Kaikeyi
, and diligently served Kousalya, Rama's mother, and Sumitra
, Lakshmana's mother.
The deep love and esteem that Rama had for Bharata is evident from Rama's declaration that his love for Hanuman
was on par with that of his love for Bharata.
and created his kingdom of Takshasila
comprising present day, Punjab region, Pakistan, Afghanistan and parts of Central Asia
. It is evident by the Uzbek capital city's name Tashkent
that it is derived indeed from the word "Taksh-khand" named after Bharat's son Taksh. The present-day Pakistani city of Taxila
is also a mark of his rule. Pushkalavati
, which is present day Peshawar
was named after his second son Pushkal.
, the rakshasa
emperor of Lanka
.
Remembering Bharata's vow, an anxious and worried Rama sent Hanuman
ahead of himself to prevent Bharata from sacrificing his life.
Upon Rama's return to Ayodhya, Bharata led the procession to greet the rightful king and queen, and his brother Lakshmana. Although Rama intended to crown Lakshmana the Yuvaraja, or Crown Prince after his own coronation, Lakshmana pointed out that Bharata's great virtues and years of experience as Ayodhya's administrator qualified him better, and thus he was immediately made Yuvaraja by Rama.
, he transformed into his eternal and original Mahavishnu
form, which Bharata and Shatrughna walked into the river also and united with him.
in the state of Kerala
is the only temple of Bharata in India.
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
epic Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
, Bharata (Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
: भरत, Indonesian
Indonesian language
Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia. Indonesian is a normative form of the Riau Islands dialect of Malay, an Austronesian language which has been used as a lingua franca in the Indonesian archipelago for centuries....
: Barata, Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
: Boloto, Burmese
Burmese language
The Burmese language is the official language of Burma. Although the constitution officially recognizes it as the Myanmar language, most English speakers continue to refer to the language as Burmese. Burmese is the native language of the Bamar and related sub-ethnic groups of the Bamar, as well as...
: Bhadra, Malay
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
: Baradan, Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
: Paratan, Thai
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
: Phra Phrot) was the second brother of the main protagonist Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
, and the son of Dasaratha
Dasaratha
Dasharatha was a king of Ayodhya of the Ikshvaku dynasty whose life story is narrated principally in the Hindu epic Ramayana...
and Kaikeyi
Kaikeyi
Kaikeyi , in the Hindu epic Rāmāyaṇa, was the second of King Daśaratha's three wives and a queen of Ayodhyā. She was the mother of Bharata...
. Dasaratha
Dasaratha
Dasharatha was a king of Ayodhya of the Ikshvaku dynasty whose life story is narrated principally in the Hindu epic Ramayana...
was the Emperor of Ayodhya and belonged to the Suryavansha
Suryavansha
The Sooryavamsham or Suryavansh or Suryavamsa or Sun Dynasty or Solar Dynasty was one of the most prominent dynasties in the mythical history of India, along with the "Chandra-vaṃśa" or Lunar Dynasty.-Introduction:...
or Solar Dynasty. It is said that after Rama, he was the symbol of dharma
Dharma
Dharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
and idealism. A few commentators, however, deem Bharata to be even greater than Rama himself in virtue.
He is considered to be born in the aspect of the Sudarshana Chakra
Sudarshana Chakra
The Sudarshana Chakra is a spinning, disk-like super weapon with 108 serrated edges used by Lord Vishnu. The Sudarshana Chakra is portrayed on the right rear hand of the four hands of Vishnu, who also holds a Shankha in his left rear hand, a Gada in his right fore hand, and a Padma in his left...
, the most famous of Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
's Panchayudhas.
Birth
Kekeya Kingdom
Kekeya is a kingdom grouped among the western kingdoms in the epic Mahabharata. The epic Ramayana also mentions Kekeya as a western kingdom. One of the wives of Dasaratha, the king of Kosala and father of Raghava Rama, was from Kekeya kingdom and was known as Kaikeyi...
. The Ramayana describes the four brothers as loving and devoted to one another. He was also the husband to Mandavi
Mandavi
In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Mandavi was the daughter of Kushadhwaja, a brother of King Janaka of Mithila and hence a cousin of Sita. She was the wife of Bharata, the younger brother of Lord Rama. They had two sons, Taksha and Pushkara. The Pushkara mentioned here is not related to Nala in Nala...
, daughter of King Janaka
Janaka
Janaka or Raja Janaka were the kings of Videha Kingdom. Their capital was Mithila, which is believed to be present day Janakpur, Nepal...
's brother Kushadhvaja and thus a cousin of Sita
SITA
SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...
, who was wife of Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
. They had two sons, Taksha and Pushka.
Exile of Rama
The exile of Rama was granted because of the promise of the king.Bharata's response
Bharata was away from Ayodhya when Rama went into exile. When he learned of the exile, he was mortified. He severely reprimanded his mother, and immediately declared his intention of bringing Rama back from the forests, and if need be, of serving out his exile for him. When the people of Ayodhya and the numerous allies of Rama learned of this, their scorn and hatred towards Bharata (born out the assumption that he had a role in Rama's exile) dissolved, and he was immediately made immortal in fame to the world by his selflessness, honour for his family's fame and tradition, adherence to truth and righteousness and last but not least, love for his elder brother.Ayodhya's guru Vasishta stated that no one had learned the lessons of dharma
Dharma
Dharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
better than Bharata.
'King' of Ayodhya
After delivering the painful news of their father's death to Rama and Lakshmana, Bharata argued with Rama to return to Ayodhya as emperor, but the latter steadfastly refused on the grounds that such a deed would be unrighteous. Upon an explanation from King JanakaJanaka
Janaka or Raja Janaka were the kings of Videha Kingdom. Their capital was Mithila, which is believed to be present day Janakpur, Nepal...
that since Bharata's love for Rama was unparalleled it became his duty to enable Rama to live righteously, Bharata gave up his efforts to take Rama back to Ayodhya before the fourteen year exile elapsed. Though deeply disappointed, Bharata returned to Ayodhya after receiving a promise from Rama that he would return promptly at the end of the fourteen years of exile and ascend the throne. He vowed to Rama that if Rama did not return immediately when the fourteen years elapsed he would give his life up by immolation.
He agreed to govern Ayodhya, not as its ruler, but as Rama's representative. The people supported Bharata, as he became the 'king' of Kosala
Kosala
Kosala was an ancient Indian region, corresponding roughly in area with the region of Awadh in present day Uttar Pradesh. According to the Buddhist text Anguttara Nikaya and the Jaina text, the Bhagavati Sutra, Kosala was one of the Solasa Mahajanapadas in 6th century BCE and its cultural and...
and Ayodhya, but Bharata himself placed Rama's sandals at the foot of the royal throne, and neither sat upon the throne nor crowned himself.
Bharata's reign was righteous, and the kingdom was safe and prosperous, but Bharata continuously longed for Rama's return. During this time he did not forgive his mother Kaikeyi
Kaikeyi
Kaikeyi , in the Hindu epic Rāmāyaṇa, was the second of King Daśaratha's three wives and a queen of Ayodhyā. She was the mother of Bharata...
, and diligently served Kousalya, Rama's mother, and Sumitra
Sumitra
Sumitra in the Indian Ramayana epic, was the third of King Dasaratha's three wives and a queen of Ayodhyā. She was the mother of twins Lakshmana and Shatrughna. She came from the ancient kingdom of Kashi. She was supposed to be the wisest of the wives of Dasaratha. She was the one to first...
, Lakshmana's mother.
The deep love and esteem that Rama had for Bharata is evident from Rama's declaration that his love for Hanuman
Hanuman
Hanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
was on par with that of his love for Bharata.
King of Takshshila
It is also known that Bharat conquered the GandharaGandhara
Gandhāra , is the name of an ancient kingdom , located in northern Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan. Gandhara was located mainly in the vale of Peshawar, the Potohar plateau and on the Kabul River...
and created his kingdom of Takshasila
Takshasila
Takshasila was an ancient city mentioned in the epic Ramayana, now known as Taxila in Pakistan. As per the epic this city was named after Taksha the son of Bharata the brother of Raghava Rama . Bharata defeated the Gandharas and built the city of Takshasila in Gandhara. In Mahabharata, this city is...
comprising present day, Punjab region, Pakistan, Afghanistan and parts of Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
. It is evident by the Uzbek capital city's name Tashkent
Tashkent
Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan and of the Tashkent Province. The officially registered population of the city in 2008 was about 2.2 million. Unofficial sources estimate the actual population may be as much as 4.45 million.-Early Islamic History:...
that it is derived indeed from the word "Taksh-khand" named after Bharat's son Taksh. The present-day Pakistani city of Taxila
Taxila
Taxila is a Tehsil in the Rawalpindi District of Punjab province of Pakistan. It is an important archaeological site.Taxila is situated about northwest of Islamabad Capital Territory and Rawalpindi in Panjab; just off the Grand Trunk Road...
is also a mark of his rule. Pushkalavati
Pushkalavati
Pushkalavati is an ancient site situated in Peshawar valley in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located on the banks of Swat River, near its junction with Kabul River, now it is known as Charsadda...
, which is present day Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
was named after his second son Pushkal.
Return of Rama
When the 14-year period of exile elapsed, Rama had just vanquished RavanaRavana
' is the primary antagonist character of the Hindu legend, the Ramayana; who is the great king of Lanka. In the classic text, he is mainly depicted negatively, kidnapping Rama's wife Sita, to claim vengeance on Rama and his brother Lakshmana for having cut off the nose of his sister...
, the rakshasa
Rakshasa
A Rakshasa or alternatively rakshas, is a race of mythological humanoid beings or unrighteous spirit in Hindu and Buddhist religion...
emperor of Lanka
Lanka
Sri Lanka is the name given in Hindu mythology to the island fortress capital of the legendary king Ravana in the great Hindu epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata...
.
Remembering Bharata's vow, an anxious and worried Rama sent Hanuman
Hanuman
Hanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
ahead of himself to prevent Bharata from sacrificing his life.
Upon Rama's return to Ayodhya, Bharata led the procession to greet the rightful king and queen, and his brother Lakshmana. Although Rama intended to crown Lakshmana the Yuvaraja, or Crown Prince after his own coronation, Lakshmana pointed out that Bharata's great virtues and years of experience as Ayodhya's administrator qualified him better, and thus he was immediately made Yuvaraja by Rama.
Retirement
When Rama decided to retire, Bharata and Shatrughna joined him. When Rama walked into the river SarayuSarayu
The Sarayu is a river that flows through the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. This river is of ancient significance, finding mentions in the Vedas and the Ramayana. The Sarayu forms at the confluence of the Karnali and Mahakali in Bahraich District...
, he transformed into his eternal and original Mahavishnu
Mahavishnu
Image:Hinducosm Map1.svg|thumb|Click an area to go there. This is one of many material universes which expand from Mahavishnu when He breathes.|300px|alt=One Brahmanda, with Garbhodakashayi-Vishnurect 216 61 277 80 Brahma...
form, which Bharata and Shatrughna walked into the river also and united with him.
Temple
The Koodalmanikyam TempleKoodalmanikyam Temple
Koodalmanikyam Temple or Kudal Manikkam Temple is an ancient Hindu temple in Irinjalakuda, a small town in Trissur district, Kerala, India...
in the state of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
is the only temple of Bharata in India.