After bowing his head at the feet of Rama’s mother and the guru and receiving the commands of his Lord’s sandals, Bharata, the staunch upholder of righteousness, made a hut of leaves at Nandigrama and took up his abode there.

With his hair gathered up into a knot on his head and clad in hermit’s robes, he dug the earth and spread thereon his couch of Kusha grass. In matters of food, dress, utensils, sacred observances and strict vows, he devoutly kept the rigid rules of a religious life.

Bharata discarded in thought and body and speech, as of no more value than a blade of grass, all adornments, rich attire and every luxury and enjoyment. The sovereignty of Ayodhya was the envy even of Indra (the king of heaven), and the very report of the riches possessed by Dasharath put to shame even Kubera (the god of wealth);

- yet in that city dwelt Bharata free from all attachment, like a bee in a garden of champa flowers. (Though the champa bears a very sweet-scented flower, it is said that bees donot visit it.) The blessed souls who are devoted to Rama discard like vomit all Lakshmi’s delights (i.e., the sensual delights of wealth).

For Bharata, a worthy receptacle of Rama’s love, this was no extraordinary achievement. The cuckoo is praised for its constancy and the swan for its discriminating taste. (The cuckoo and the swan, both birds, are praiseworthy for the rare gifts of constancy and discrimination they posses; not so Bharata, who is Rama’s greatest favourite.)

Day by day his body grew thinner, but thought it continued to lose its fat, it never lost its vigour nor his face its lustre. Ever new and firm grew his vow of devotion to Rama, always replenishing the hosts of his righteous deeds and refusing to darken his soul with despair.

As water falls low with the advent of ;the brightness of autumn, but the reeds thrive and the lotuses blossom forth, so in the cloudless sky of Bharata’s heart shone forth the stars of tranquillity and control of the outer senses, self-restraint, religious observances and fasting.