जय श्रीराम!
तमशक्यमपाक्रष्टुं निदेशात् स्वर्गिणः पितुः ।
ययाचे पादुके पश्चात् कर्तुं राज्याधिदेवते ॥१२.१७॥
Notes: Bharata was unsuccessful in weakening Śrīrāma's firm resolve to follow the order of his deceased father, Emperor Daśaratha. Even the sages and ministers appealed in many ways. Śrīrāma's thinking was straightforward. The order had been given knowing fully well that Daśaratha's end was near. The condition of fourteen years' exile was not placed with the thought of its being nullified by Daśaratha's death. That would have been anarchic.
Kālidāsa says, "As Śrīrāma could not be pulled away from his resolve to follow the order of his deceased father, Bharata begged him for his sandals that would be installed on the throne."
Finally, Bharata settles for taking a pair of sandals sanctified by Śrīrāma to be placed on the throne as the supreme ruler of Ayodhyā kingdom. This act alone is enough to establish beyond doubt in our minds the quality of righteousness that prevailed among the royals and the people of Ayodhyā. This is the spirit behind all image worship too. The power and influence of anything - an object or an idea- depends on the firm faith and resolve it is invested with. That is the entire concept of Sanātana Dharma. The aphorism is, यद्भावस्तद्भवति - "As is the thought in the wise, so becomes the reality."
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जय श्रीराम!
