Bharata and the therapist
Therapist: Hello, Bharata, My name is Krishna. Welcome home to my new office here in India. My assistants have repeatedly told me that you must speak to me, urgently. So, Mr. Bharata, how can this therapy session be of help?
Bharata: I have been through a scandal, Krishna. I have been working so hard to earn the respect of my peers and to protect my own family's legacy. I just don't know what to do at this point. I have never dealt with such shame.
Therapist: Well, Mr. Bharata, let us take this step by step. Explaining your situation to me can help me help you. So, Bharata, what is going on between your family that has left you utterly so disturbed?
Bharata: It all started when I left Ayodhya to the kingdom of the Kaikeyas to visit Rajah Ashwapati, my beloved grandfather. My father was in a fragile stage before I left. I wanted to make the trip quick, so I could return promptly and help with duties. An entire seven nights passed until I returned back home. As soon as I stepped a foot into our home, I knew something felt different...
Therapist: What happened next, Mr. Bharata?
Bharata: My mother, Kaikeyi, had a messenger inform me that my father, Dasharatha, passed away. I fell down immediately to the floor to release the unstoppable grief caused by his death. My mother told me not to grieve over his death. I stopped and thought to myself. Discussing in my mind how to hold all the pain in, I realized my mother was acting suspicious. I looked around me and read the context. Shatrughna and Manthara were also suspiciously nervous. I also noticed my elder brother, Rama, was missing.
Therapist: Slow down for one second, Bharata. Who are Shatrughna and Manthara?
Bharata: Shatrughna is our youngest brother who almost lost control after this situation, but I'll get more into that later. Manthara is the one to blame for this disgraceful event. She is the one who convinced my mother, Kaikeyi, to request the two wishes. If it weren't for her, Rama would be king and everything would be settled and organized.
Therapist: Okay, I understand now. But why was everyone so nervous? Was there something else other than the death of your father? What do you mean when you say ,"Rama would be king."
Bharata: My mother, Kaikeyi, had two wishes that Dasharatha, my father, owed her. He knew that he must grant her the two wishes for anything and at any moment. The first wish was to have Rama exiled from the kingdom for fourteen years. The second wish was to make me the king on the throne. This is the reason why Rama wasn't around when I returned home. My own mother sent my brother away. I asked my mother what the significance of ruling a kingdom was if my brother and father won't be here to rule with me. It means nothing to me without them. So, that is why I decided to look for Rama instead because the seat on the throne belongs to him. Before I left to begin my search, I found a pair of Rama's sandals that he left. I sat and had a moment of silence to recuperate. Then, I took Rama's sandals and placed them in front of the seat on the throne.
Therapist: Earlier, you stated that your youngest brother almost lost control. What happened there?
Bharata: Well, when the news made its way out regarding the exile of Rama, Shatrughna dragged Manthara. He wanted to kill her, but I did not let him. I knew that killing Manthara would not be what Rama would want. Rather, I restrained him so the situation wouldn't escalate. If it weren't for my proper morals and my royal ego, the story would've ended differently.
Therapist: I see why this has brought you so much pain, young man. I think you have made the right decision. One should earn the respect to sit on the throne of a kingdom. What your mother, Kaikeyi, did is unforgivable. I hope to see that Rama forgives her and you guys are able to move past this.
Bharata: Thank you, Krishna. I feel like speaking to you about what happened has helped me clear my mind. I shall now return to the kingdom and plan for my father's funeral and my adventure to find Rama.
Author's Note: The original story behind this therapy session is Bharata Returns from the public domain edition of Ramayana. The plot was almost maintained the same, but it was told through between a conversation of Bharata and a therapist. The ending of the plot was also slightly changed. In the end of the original source story, Bharata's mother explains to him that the throne belongs to him. He falls down crying at her feet pleading that he will never sit on the throne. I've read a different story about this scandal. Instead of him weeping at her feet, he places Rama's sandals on the throne. I like this ending a lot more just because of the respect he shows Rama. Feet are a significant part of Indian culture, so I decided to make sure it was included. In most stories, Bharata finds Rama after he was exiled and attempts to persuade him to return home. Rama decided to decline his offer, so Bharata takes his sandals back home and places them on the throne to show respect for Rama. I changed this part of the story and made Bharata find the sandals before he even leaves to find Rama. Also, I decided to choose a therapy session to retell this story to show the impact the situation has perpetrated. Not only did Bharata and Rama lose their father, but now they have been separated and almost put against each other. I considered the grief Bharata must have experienced when he arrived home and his brother Rama had been exiled. So, I chose to help him out and sit him in front of a therapist, Krishna. Furthermore, the image I chose correlates perfectly with end of this story. At the end of this story, Bharata is set to find Rama to ask for his return.
Bharata on his mission of finding Rama from the image library for MLLL-4993.