After completing the final rites of his dead father, Bharat declared before ministers and rishis that he doesn't desire the throne of Ayodhya rather he was determined to bring Shri Ram back.

He ordered an entire contingent including Rishis, ministers and the three mothers as well to get ready to go to forest and request Shri Ram to return.

He wanted to coronate Shri Ram in the forest itself and then come back in a triumphant procession. Everyone was welcome to join in the expedition and many did join. So to protect all these Bharat decided to take an entire army of battalion with him.

But there was a problem, Shri Ram, Devi Sita and Lakshman had travelled from Ayodhya to Chitrakoot partly on chariot and partly by walking through the forest. However the size of contingent that Bharat was planning to take along, walking through the forest wasn't an option.

Still that wasn't going to stop him, Bharat commissioned a levelled road to be built to allow everyone to travel on horses and chariots comfortably. Artisans of all kinds like excavators, mechanics, engineers and architects, road menders, carpenters, tree cutters, well-diggers, tanners, whitewashers and plasterers were set to the task of this road construction.

Their work involved clearing bushes, levelling surfaces, cutting trees that came in the way, planting flowering trees by the pathways, filling holes and pits along the way, digging wells and freshwater ponds for the travellers at regular intervals, bridging streams, breaking rocks and boulders, building platforms by the water bodies for the travellers to rest, pitching tents along the route among other.

The contingent left on an auspicious day to bring Shri Ram back. On the way, Nisadh-raj Guha learnt of Bharat's expedition. At first he assumed that the Kaikeyi-nandan was instigated by his mother and was heading to kill Shri Ram.

Determined to stop Bharat on his tracks, Guha put his forces on alert. But after meeting him, Nisadh-raj's fears were allayed. Guha informed Bharat about the direction where Shri Ram, Devi Sita and Lakshman had went.

Not only that, Guha also arranged for 500 boats to take the entire contingent across Ganga river. And then they met Rishi Bharadwaj who directed them to Chitrakoot.

When the brothers finally met, Shri Ram and Lakshman were overwhelmed seeing the task undertaken by Bharat. But the news of Dashrath's death made them sorrowful.

As prescribed in scriptures, Shri Ram offered Jaldaan to his departed father as a son should. As per the rituals he also made an offering of wild fruit to his father.

Kaushalya was sad seeing her son who had grown up in luxuries and who not so long ago had the best delicacies for consumption and offering was now reduced to make an offering only of a wild fruit.

"Ek Rajkumar ko aisa chadhawa chadhana shobha nahi deta." Kaushalya choked as she spoke.

"Jo manushya grahan karta hai, devta bhi wahi grahan karte hai. Hey Pita-maharaj, iss chadhawe ko aap swikar kare." Shri Ram said without regret.

And after the rituals were performed, offerings were made and everyone was finally seated, Bharat requested Shri Ram to return to Ayodhya. Everyone supported Bharat's request.

Rishi Vasisth and Rishi Jabaali also made a case for the return of Ram. Jabaali made some interesting comments.

"Manushya janm akele leta hai, aur mrityu ko bhi akele praapt karta hai. Iss liye Mata, Pita aur Bhrata ke sabhi sambandh nirarthak hai. Koi kisi ka kuch nahi. Jaise ek yaatri aaj iss gaao mei vishraam karega, aur kal kisi aur gaao mei, manushya ke rishte bhi iss prakar vishraam ke sthaan ke bhaati hai. Iss liye inse itna judaav uchit nahi. Maharaj Dashrath swarg ko sidhaar gaye hai, ab tumhara unse koi sambandh nahi raha, aur naa hi unhe diye vachano ka koi arth. Yeh sabke durbhagya mei hoga ki tum Rajya tyaag van mei raho. Ram, punah laut ke Ayodhya sambhalo." Jabaali said.

It might seem like a fair argument, but it was flawed in logic. Shri Ram wasn't impressed one bit, and didn't back away from showing displeasure at Jabaali's words.

"Yadi yeh maan liya jaaye ki sabhi rishte naate, vyakti ke mrityu ke saath samaapt ho jaate hai toh sabhi rishto ki pavitrata aur samaaj ka santulan bhang ho jayega. Koi bhi vyakti kisi par kaise vishwaas karega yadi vachano ko aise hi tod diya jaaye ? Aapke tark se toh manushya laparvah ho jayenge kyuki unhe lagega ki woh jo kahenge ya karenge woh sab mrityu upraant nirarthak ho jayega. Samajik vyavastha ko banaye rakhne hetu vachano aur samjhauto ka palan awashyak hai, jisme uttardaitwa lena aur vishwaas banaye rakhna anivarya hai." Shri Ram said.

Being a prince and someone who people looked up to, it was even more important for Shri Ram to maintain the sanctity of the word given to his father because citizens tend to follow the precedents laid down by their leaders.

For a system to sustain, there must be certain non-negotiables that every stakeholder in the system must adhere to. And in that way a social system can be maintained, if not anarchy is bound to take place. Shri Ram was displeased because being a Rishi, Jabaali should've been careful with his words.

"Ram, Rishj Jabaali ne jo kaha hai woh usme maante nahi hai. Yeh toh keval unhone tumhe manaane hetu kaha tha." Vasisth intervened.

Still Shri Ram was firm on the decision to continue his vanvas. Besides, there was no huge leadership crisis threatening to push Ayodhya into disorder.

The able ministers and gurus continued to manage the kingdom's affairs as they did in Dashrath's time. Bharat himself was very capable. Therefore, Shri Ram remained firm in his resolve to spend the next fourteen years in exile.

But Bharat was heartbroken and hence Shri Ram made a commitment to him.

"Bharat, niraash na ho. Mai tumhe vachan deta hu ki 14 varsh purn hote hi mai Ayodhya aake yeh rajya swikar kar lunga." Shri Ram said. And in his words Bharat found solace.

"Uchit hai bhaiya, kintu jo Rajya aapka hai uska bhog mai nahi karunga. Iss liye mai aapke anupasthiti mei Ayodhya ko sambhalunga kintu Raj-bhavan mei nahi, aapke bhaati valkal dharan kiye, aashram mei reh ke." Bharat declared.

He then held Shri Ram's Paduka, the footwear, on his head to underscore the pledge.

"Aapki yeh Paduka mera maarg-darshan karengi. Aur ha, 14 varsh ke baad, yadi aap agle din ke suryast tak nahi laute, toh mai apni Chita mei pravesh kar lunga." Bharat asserted.

"Mai laut aayunga mere bhai, vachan deta hu." Shri Ram said.

And then with tears in his eyes, Bharat went back holding the charan paduka on his head.

The entire contingent returned back to Ayodhya. True to his pledge, Bharat gave up the palace, got dressed like a tapasvi in valkal and moved to Nandigram outside Ayodhya to live in an ashram. And from there he looked after the administration of the kingdom as a custodian of Shri Ram.

Seeing such level of brotherhood and dedication, Srinav and Amarsri were overwhelmed in Chaitanya lok.

"Satya mei, Bharat ek Dharmatma hai. Jo apne bhai ke liye sarvasa nyochaavar kar sakta hai." Amarsri said.

"Jab tak parivaar mei aise Bhai ho, jatil se jatil paristhitiyon mei bhi shaanti bani rehti hai." Srinav said.

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A/N

Bharat Bhaiya ko koti koti naman 🙏

*Drum rolls*

AYODHYA KAAND YAHA SAMAAPT HUYA ✨✨✨✨✨✨

BOLO JAI SIYA RAM ✨
JAI HANUMAN ✨