Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 1: Contents of the Rāmāyaṇa Summarized
Text 1.1.32
मृते तु तस्मिन्भरतो वसिष्ठप्रमुखैर्द्विजैः।
नियुज्यमानो राज्याय नैच्छद्राज्यं महाबलः॥
mṛte tu tasmin bharato vasiṣṭha-pramukhair dvijaiḥ
niyujyamāno rājyāya naicchad rājyaṁ mahā-balaḥ
mṛte tu = after had died; tasmin = Daśaratha; bharataḥ = Bharata; vasiṣṭha-pramukhaiḥ = headed by Vasiṣṭha; dvijaiḥ = by the brāhmaṇas; niyujyamānaḥ = while being; rājyāya = coronated as the king; na = not; aicchat = did desire rājyam = to become the king; mahā-balaḥ= the greatly powerful.
After Daśaratha had died, while being coronated as the king by the brāhmaṇas headed by Vasiṣṭha, the greatly powerful Bharata did not desire to become the king.
Since attainment of the heavens is temporary and hence useless [for anyone seeking a permanent benefit], Nārada Muni says “After Daśaratha had died.” Bharata was greatly powerful—He was capable of maintaining His father’s kingdom. In fact, knowing that He is capable of maintaining a kingdom, Vasiṣṭha had given Him the name Bharata [when He was born].
It can be concluded that even though Bharata was greatly powerful with the ability to rule over the kingdom, because such an activity contradicts His very nature, He did not accept it. Therefore, it will be noted:
vilalāpa sabhā-madhye jagarhe ca purohitam
kathaṁ daśarathāj jāto bhaved rājyāpahārakaḥ
rājyaṁ cāhaṁ ca rāmasya dharmaṁ vaktum ihārhasi
“Bharata lamented in the assembly and criticized His priest, ‘Having taken birth from Daśaratha, how can I steal his kingdom? Both the kingdom and I belong to Rāma. You should speak dharma.’” (Rāmāyaṇa 2.82.10 and 12)