राज्यं यदि हि रामस्य भरतस्यापि तत्तथा।
मन्यते हि यथात्मानं तथा भ्रातॄंस्तु राघवः॥
rājyaṁ yadi hi rāmasya bharatasyāpi tat tathā
manyate hi yathātmānaṁ tathā bhrātṝṁs tu rāghavaḥ
rājyam = the kingdom; yadi hi = if; rāmasya = Rāma has; bharatasya api = as Bharata [having the kingdom]; tat tathā = it is the same; manyate = thinks about; hi = because; yathā = just as; ātmānam = just as [He thinks] about Himself; tathā bhrātṝn tu = His brothers; rāghavaḥ = Rāghava.
If Rāma has the kingdom, it is the same as Bharata [having the kingdom] because Rāghava thinks about His brothers just as [He thinks] about Himself.1
1. It is significant that even Queen Kaikeyī thought that Rāghava Rāma gave equal importance to Himself and His brothers, implying that there was not a trace of selfishness in Him. Of course, as we learn from the Rāmāyaṇa text, Rāmacandra actually valued His devotees more than Himself.
1 It is significant that even Queen Kaikeyī thought that Rāghava Rāma gave equal importance to Himself and His brothers, implying that there was not a trace of selfishness in Him. Of course, as we learn from the Rāmāyaṇa text, Rāmacandra actually valued His devotees more than Himself.
Even if Bharata does not get the kingdom after a hundred years [of Rāma ruling it], Kaikeyī considers that Bharata will still experience the pleasure of ruling the kingdom, and states this verse.