Bharatha’s Oath
By then Sumanthara and other Ministers came there. Bharatah regained consciousness shortly thereafter seeing the Ministers surrounding him ,wanting to tell the truth, and also Kayikeyei’s thoughts whose hopes were dashed and was looking pale Bharatha looking at her “ Friends ! I have not aspired for this Kingdom even for few seconds; for that I have not schemed with her . I was staying in my Grand father’s house in a far away place; neither did I know at all that the Emperor wanted to coronate me nor Rama was sent to Forest and Sita and Lakshamana went with him.” Spoke , these words fell on Kaushalya’s ears who said ‘ Curel Kayikeyei’s son Bharatha seems to have come. I do not think he is involved in this unjustfulact; hence I would like to see him’ to Sumithra. Then Kaushalya who lost her health in the last few days , with ashen face and staggeringly she slowly started going to where Bharatha was. At the same time Bharatha & Shatrugna came to her chambers to do namsakrams(pay respects) to her. On th way they met her, seeing her plight and her dishelved dress and the agony on her face they hugged her and wept like children. He also regained her consciousness after a while, despite being adorned with magnanimity, patience ; she being a woman and aslo due to Puthra shokam(Grief of separation from son); “ You wanted to have this Kingdom and have been aspiring for a very long time.The mighty cruel wicked Mother of yours also wanted to earn this for you, did unspeakable injustice, now you have no competition, no obstacles either. This kingdom which has been earned with so much hardships, you can hereafter enjoy to your heart’s content. Let it be there. By sending my son with Deer Skin, Dersses made of wooden barks/leaves what great benefit has she attained? Since this Kingdom was in her command she could have fulfilled her wish without sending my son to forest. It is only proper that I may also be sent to Forest to my handsome son; now that the King is also not there to stop it. Rama is also not there. In the Sin committed, you also have a connection. In the Agnihothra which King does the 1st wife also has a share. Hence with that Agni myself and Sumithra will go to where Rama is. Or take me to Greatest amongst men Rama wherever he is. This vast and the wealth and Granary Elephants, Horses, Cow and Cattle and other materials your mother has earned for you “ with these hurting words abused Bharatha.
Bharatha felt extremely hurt by the words of Kaushalya as they conveyed him to be an alien to her and as an Enemy, this was like piercing with a Pin into his wounds and was aghast with anguish. Heart brokenBharatha fell at her feet and cried for along time maoning and lamenting. Then he with folded hands addressed Kaushalaya who was lamenting like a mad woman “ Mother here is no fault from my side. I did not know any of these things . Knowing the devotion and attachment I have for Rama, still your speaking like this, is it justified?
If I had aspired for this Kingdom and had betrayed Rama by sending him to Forest then the following Sins may come to me;
1. The knowledge I have acquired so far of Vedas ,
2. Knowledge and wisdom gained through Teacher let them go waste.
3. Person who sides with Sinners,
4. The person who urinates or has motion in Sun’s presence,
5. The person who kicks a sleeping Cow,
6. The person who gets work done viciously by his servants and does not pay him,
7. The person who does Droham (betrayal, treachery),
8.Those Kings who have 1//6th Tax from his citizens and does not take care of them,
9. In the Ygaashaala assuring the preists/Thapasvis ofDakshina(fees) and later he does not give and threatens them,
10. During fierce battle the soldier who runs away fearing the enemy all these people what fate waits them ,
11. If I was instrumental or involved in the teachery of sending Rama to forest then what ever I have been taught by my Guru for Salvation in the outer world, those knowledge /doctrines may I forget them.
12.Rama who is bestowed with all inner and outer beauty , witnessing his coronation in Ayodhya, that may be denied to me.
13.The person who does not offer the following Rice mixed with Til powder and Payasam (sweet milk rice porridge), Meat & Wine to Celestials and forefathers before he eats , what destination he reaches,
14.The person who does not get up and receives the elders and fails to pay respects and civilities (is considered an insult) .
15.Person who himself insults the Teacher
16.One who betrays friend
17.One who reveals the secrets confided
18.One who does not reciprocate the help received
19.Thankless or Ungrateful person
20.One who commits suicide
21.One who is shunned by the Pious
22.Shamelessperson
23.A person who eats good food in presence of his Children,relations, servants, when they are nearby without offering to them all these people will attain the destination, may I also reach same.
24.Wife who is Anukool –In consancance with time/occasion- befitting congenial, 25. Agnihothra and other Rituals may be denied to me
26.May I suffer the agony of being childless
27.The sins accrued by killing Queens, children, Elderly
28.Leaving in lurch servants/assistants; 29. One who sells Red cotton, Honey, Meat, Iron
30.One who employs people before starting of a fierce battle
31. chasing a person who is running away and killing him that sin may come to me
32.May I attain the position of begging alms house after house and using my hand as vessles and wander around the world as a mad man with a single dress
33.May I be drunk, with women and gambling den and be a slave for Lust, Anger, Pride, Jealousy
34.Let my Manam{ Chitha(Memory)+ Inner Conscience Mind +Intellect (Bhuddhi) + Ego} not dwell on Dharma (Righteous conduct,Just, Duty, Pious, humble,Charitable, respectful, humble ,Ethical,being Noble, all this done beyond expectation and without anticipation) but let it seek only Adharma the opposite of Dharma.
35.May I give to those misers who do not give to others
36.May my enormous wealth accumulated be stolen by thiefs
37.By sleeping in both Dawn and Dusk and setting fire to a house
38.By coveting Guru’s wife the sin accrued may reach me
39. Worshipping celestials with Sarupurhodaasam,doingThapanam on the days(Thithi) of the departed,Eclipces, Seasonal changes(MasaTharpanam), Sraardha to Pitrus(Fore fathers), when alive serving parents in all ways these Good Fortunes may be denied to me
40.May I not attain the world which Pious attain
41.May I be denied the Fortune of being appreciated by Pious
42. May I be denied the opportunity to observe the deeds of the Pious
43. The service to Mother which is allowed even to the wicked let me be denied
44.May I have the craving to go on the wrong path
45. May I get many children and suffer poverty, and always infected by Disease and fever;unsteady in Manam{ Chitha(Memory)+Inner Conscience Mind +Intellect(Bhuddhi) +Ego}.
46. Those Pious persons due to their Poverty come to me and Praise me in many ways and hoping that with what I give them they can erase their poverty and looking at my face all the while and spoiling their desires that Sins accrued may come to me.
47. Speaking Harsh words
48.Being impure
49. Always afraid of the King or Boss
50.Always focused on wrong path, 51.Carrying tales about others
52.With fraud I should fill my stomach may this appaling status be attained by me if I have scheemed against Rama for sending him to Forest or I had ever desired for the Kingdom.
53.When wife after bath after (mensuration period) approaches one to beget a child, if the person shuns her that sin may come to me
54.The fool who go after other’s wives when he has married a Wife in presence of Agni(Fire) that sin may come to me 55.He who does not give food to his wife and children and if they die that sin may come to me
56.One who adulterated the Drinks
57.One who poisons
58. One who spoils the Puja for Brahmins
59. One who milks the cow having young Calf
60. When water is available at home and when someone comes home asking for water assuring him ‘ wait, I will give’ and then deprive him by not giving him water to drink
61.When 2 persons are arguing then when one of them has slight doubt ,using that weakness in helping the other secretly to win the argument, that sin which take him the Gory Hell may also come to me” thus Bharatha made these fierce Pledge and placate Kaushlaya and pacify her , who had lost her husband and her son who was sent to the Forest;thus proving his innocence. Unable to bear the grief he fell on the ground.
Kaushlaya“ Child ! with these Monstrous Examples why are you tieing yourself and undergo troubles/torments ? By seeing this my grief is only growing more and more. Like Lakshmana you are also devoted to Rama and I am aware,you do not deviate from our ancestors path of Dahrma.You are a person who does not falter on his pledge. So you will get the destinations which Pious people attain after Life. “thus she pacified Bharatha , made him sit on her Lap and kissed his forehead and hugged him and cried unable bear the agony every one was undergoing. Bharatha’s mind wandered all around and unsteady in his thought and intellect scattered fell unconcious often breathing heavily and spent that night like a Yugam(Millions of years).(Slokas 65).
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