Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 97, Shloka 9
भरतागमनशङ्कानिवारणम् / Dispelling Suspicion about Bharata’s Arrival
Chitrakuta Encampment
मन्येऽहमागतोऽयोध्यां भरतो भ्रातृवत्सलः।मम प्राणात्प्रियतरः कुलधर्ममनुस्मरन्।।।।श्रुत्वा प्रव्राजितं मां हि जटावल्कलधारिणम्।जानक्यासहितं वीर त्वया च पुरुषर्षभ।।।।स्नेहेनाऽक्रान्तहृदय श्शोकेनाकुलितेन्द्रियः।द्रष्टुमभ्यागतो ह्येष भरतो नान्यथाऽगतः।।।।
manye 'ham āgato 'yodhyāṃ bharato bhrātṛvatsalaḥ |
mama prāṇāt priyataro kuladharmam anusmaran ||
śrutvā pravrājitaṃ māṃ hi jaṭāvalkaladhāriṇam |
jānakyāsahitaṃ vīra tvayā ca puruṣarṣabha ||
snehena ākrāntahṛdayaḥ śokenākulitaindriyaḥ |
draṣṭum abhyāgato hy eṣa bharato nānyathāgataḥ ||
O valiant one, best of men, I think Bharata—devoted to his brothers and dearer to me than life—has come from Ayodhyā, remembering the dharma of our lineage. Hearing that I have been exiled, wearing matted hair and bark garments, together with Jānakī and with you, O bull among men, his heart overwhelmed by affection and his senses shaken by grief, he has come to see me. He has not come for any other purpose.
O gentle Lakshmana, lordship of this earth with the sea as its garment is not difficult to obtain (for me). But I do not desire even Indrahood by unrighteous means.
FAQs
Kuladharma and brotherly duty motivate righteous action: Bharata’s journey is framed as devotion and grief-driven concern, not political ambition.
Rāma interprets Bharata’s approach as an affectionate visit after learning of Rāma’s exile with Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa.
Bharata’s fraternal loyalty and dharmic disposition—he acts from love and adherence to lineage duty.