Bharata (Ramayana)

Bharata
Bharata
	Bharata places Rama's paduka (sandals) on the throne.
Texts	Ramayana and its other versions
Personal information
Born	Ayodhya
Parents	Dasharatha (father); Kaikeyi (mother); Kausalya (step-mother); Sumitra (step-mother);
Siblings	Rama (half-brother); Lakshmana (half-brother); Shatrughna (half-brother); Shanta (half-sister);
Spouse	Mandavi
Children	Taksha ; Pushkala;
Dynasty	Raghuvamsha--Suryavamsha

Bharata (Sanskrit: भरत) is a figure in the ancient Hindu epic Ramayana. He is the son of Dasharatha, the king of Kosala, and Kaikeyi, the daughter of King Ashvapati of Kekeya. He is a younger half-brother of Rama. He rules Ayodhya as its regent while Rama is banished from his kingdom, and fights to rescue his wife Sita, kidnapped by Ravana.

He is married to Mandavi, daughter of Kushadhvaja, with whom he has two sons – Taksha and Pushkala.^[1]

In the Ramayana, Bharata is presented as a symbol of dharma. He is regarded as an incarnation of Panchajanya, the divine conch of Lord Vishnu, while Rama is regarded as the incarnation of Vishnu himself.^[2]

Today, Bharata is mostly worshipped in Kerala. One of the few temples in India dedicated to him is the Koodalmanikyam Temple.

^ ^a ^b Ramayana – Conclusion, translated by Romesh C. Dutt (1899)
^ Naidu, S. Shankar Raju; Kampar, Tulasīdāsa (1971). A comparative study of Kamba Ramayanam and Tulasi Ramayan. University of Madras. pp. 44, 148. Retrieved 21 December 2009. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)

[Dutt-1] Ramayana – Conclusion, translated by Romesh C. Dutt (1899)

[Naidu-2] Naidu, S. Shankar Raju; Kampar, Tulasīdāsa (1971). A comparative study of Kamba Ramayanam and Tulasi Ramayan. University of Madras. pp. 44, 148. Retrieved 21 December 2009. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)

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