Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 106: Bharata Persists in His Request
Text 2.106.23
श्रुतेन बालः स्थानेन जन्मना भवतो ह्यहम्।
स कथं पालयिष्यामि भूमिं भवति तिष्ठति॥
śrutena bālaḥ sthānena janmanā bhavato hy aham
sa kathaṁ pālayiṣyāmi bhūmiṁ bhavati tiṣṭhati
śrutena = learning; bālaḥ = I am inferior; sthānena = and position; janmanā = by birth; bhavataḥ hi = to You; aham saḥ = I; katham = how can; pālayiṣyāmi = maintain; bhūmim = the earthy; bhavati tiṣṭhati = while You are there.
I am inferior to You by birth, learning and position. How can I maintain the earth while You are there?
Even if Bharata is capable of ruling the kingdom, it is Rāma who should actually rule it. Bharata states this here.
[Bharata was inferior to Rāma] by position, that is, the position in the sequence of being eligible to receive [the throne].