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JAIN RAMAYAN
conceal nothing from others. When the intellect and the emotion fuse into one, they cannot remain strangers to each other. The innate thoughts of a man cannot remain ignorant of one another. Bharath had great regard for the Chief Minister but more than that he loved him as his father; therefore, he could not conceal his thoughts from him.
"Dear Chief Minister! Even if I accept your suggestion and refrain from speaking out my mind now, my feelings cannot be concealed from him for ever. Whenever I may tell my brother about my spirit of renunciation, he will surely experience great grief and anguish because he has great affection for me. Affection and attachment always bring anguish. They always steep human beings in grief. It is only the bondage of attachments that compels the soul to remain in the samsar. I have no attachment for any person or object in the samsar. When that is so what is the use of my remaining in the samsar ? All these years I have been the king of Ayodhya and have been remaining in the samsar, only because of my obedience to the commands of Shri Ram. Otherwise, I would have followed the path of Sadhudharma chosen by my father and I would have been carrying out endeavours to attain spiritual perfection.”
The Chief Minister was listening, with a bowed head, to the words of Bharath which revealed his overmastering spirit of renunciation. During the past two days, Bharath had not sat calmly in the company of Shri Ram and Lakshman; and had not carried out with them any discussion or consultation. How could he have such peace of mind ? How could he meet them and have a calm and leisurely conversation ? Large crowds of people kept coming to meet and greet Shri Ram and Lakshman. Shri Ram was engaged always in meeting visitors; in receiving them; in conversing with them and in receiving their compliments and tributes. Lakshman also was not free. The four mothers always surrounded him and he had to narrate to them stories relating to the life he, Shri Ram and Sita had led in forests. Shri Ram never thought that Bharath was thus yearning for a life of spiritual endeavours and that he was determined to become a Sadhu. Amidst all those celebrations and jubila
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