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Continued from yesterday's instalment
 Lakshmana saw from a distance the dust that was raised by the movement of almost the entire population of Ayodhya. He saw Bharata at the head of the procession. He immediately jumped to the conclusion that Bharata was coming with hostile designs against Rama. He rushed to the cottage, put his armour on, took his bow and quiver and got himself ready to taken on Bharata and his 'army'.
He made terrible oaths, as did Guha. At least Guha was wise enough to see the appearance of Bharata and read his intentions from the anguish that was showing
on his face. For Lakshmana nothing was a proof for good intentions. If it was someone
connected with Kaikeyi, it should represent evil tidings. In his profound love for Rama he considered that he could not afford a moment's delay. He should be ready for any
contingency - even if it were the shadow of a non-existing but seeming contingency. He was up in arms against Bharata.
He ran to Rama and told him, 'irumayum izandha ap bharatan endhu thol parumayum' (you are going to see) that Bharata who has become an outcaste of this world as well as that of the world yonder and his strength. 'annavan padaitha senayin perumayum' the vastness of his army 'nin oru pinbu vandha en orumayum' and the matchless prowess of (me) your younger brother. I am going to ruin the entire army. I am going to make the heavens bend with the burden of quick-rushing immigrants from this army, who would reach veera-swarga. Bharata is now the Sovereign of the Earth by the command of the tyrant king, who was thereto induced by his favourite queen. 'indru en evalaal aru naragu aalvadhu kaandi' You will see him ruling the hell at my behest.
 We have had occasion to mention earlier that Lakshmana fiercely guarded Rama. As Sri VVS Aiyar would put it, "Now this intense love for Rama makes Lakshmana regard as his own mortal enemies all who have injured Rama. He never stops to inquire whether they have actually injured him. It is sufficient if he believes that they have injured, or even suspects them to have injured Rama. This passion of hatred clouds his mind in all that concerns Kaikeyi and those connected with her."
In the words of Right Hon'ble Srinivasa Sastriyar, 'Lakshmana, so single-minded was he in guarding the interests of his brother, so like a faithful dog, he can only suspect everybody. What made him suspect is not his interest, is not any small idea, but he desire to protect what he conceived were the imperilled interests of Sri Rama. When we think of the high motive actuating him, we see how though it was suspicion, it was not an unworthy suspicion. It was not a suspicion, which we should put in the category of wickedness or shameful misbehaviour.'
But Rama knew his Bharata. He was convinced that Bharata could not have such evil designs. He did not have an iota of doubt about the purity of Bharata's intentions. At last there was someone who understood Bharata, to whom Bharata had not to prove himself. But was that in any way helpful to the purpose that Bharata had in mind?
More follows…
Hari Krishnan
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