कथं दशरथाज्जातो भवेद्राज्यापहारकः।
राज्यं चाहं च रामस्य धर्मं वक्तुमिहार्हसि॥
kathaṁ daśarathāj jāto bhaved rājyāpahārakaḥ
rājyaṁ cāhaṁ ca rāmasya dharmaṁ vaktum ihārhasi
katham = how can; daśarathāt = of Daśaratha; jātaḥ = one born; bhavet rājya-apahārakaḥ = steal this kingdom; rājyam ca = the kingdom; aham = I; ca = and; rāmasya = belong to Rāma; dharmam = according to dharma; vaktum = speak; iha = about Me; arhasi = You should.
How can one born of Daśaratha steal this kingdom? The kingdom and I belong to Rāma.1 You should speak about Me according to dharma.
1 It is not that the Vaiṣṇavas have misunderstood the Rāmāyaṇa and conceptually interpolated in their own ideas about Bharata. Bharata is a devotee of Rāma in the full sense of the expression. Earlier on also, when Bharata had just met Queen Kaikeyī, He identified Himself as Rāma’s servant (see text 2.72.32). In the above verse of the Rāmāyaṇa, “and I” reveals that He does consider Himself to be like the kingdom—belonging to Rāma.
1 A dependent subservient object (śeṣa-vastu) is that which can be used by its owner as he likes for his purposes. For instance, the owner of a chair uses it as he likes.
2 Remember that “protect” in scriptural parlance refers to “provide what is needed and preserve what has been provided.”
3 The casket protects the jewel from damage and so on.
How can one born of Daśaratha, who died as soon as Rāma had departed, steal a kingdom that had been abandoned [by both of them]?
Bharata considered, “Just by analyzing My nature, [one can understand that] I don’t deserve this kingdom.” Therefore He said, “The kingdom and I belong to Rāma.”
These were Bharata’s thoughts, “How can one subservient dependent object possess another subservient dependent object?1 How can the kingdom possess Me [or I possess the kingdom]? The kingdom is related to Rāma [as His property] and I am also related to Rāma [as His property]. Both the kingdom and I are subservient dependent objects to be used by Rāma [as He wishes for His purposes]. In this world, there are persons who restrain their fathers and other [authorities] and take over the kingdom. Don’t think that I am also like them.”
“You should speak about Me according to dharma” means “You should speak about dharma in consideration of My nature.”
He intended to convey this [to Vasiṣṭha], “You should speak about dharma in terms of the protected and the protector.2 A subservient dependent object cannot protect another subservient dependent object. Had that been the case, why wouldn’t the kingdom protect Me?”
Vasiṣṭha might object, “[Consider the position of a jewel and its casket.] Both of them are subservient dependent objects and yet one of them protects the other.3 So You can protect the kingdom like that.”
[But in this verse] Bharata implies, “No. The owner [of the jewel and the casket] uses the casket to protect the jewel using a key and so on. I have not been used by Rāma [to protect this kingdom]. The owner [of the jewel and the casket] sometimes places it in the casket even though he could wear it. Similarly, the kingdom can well be protected by Him personally, despite our endeavors to please Him to the best of our ability. But when He places the kingdom under Me, like the casket, I can, empowered by Him and as His subservient dependent object, protect [the kingdom] till He arrives [here]. Therefore, we should endeavor in every manner to bring Him back. First of all, the idea that the kingdom belongs to Me because of the boons [sought by Queen Kaikeyī] and so on should be given up in the presence of Rāma.”