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Today, Rama and Bharata stood on the opposite sides but on pedestal of love. Bharata's was extreme love but not devoid of reason. He thinks this promise that does not do 'hita' to people at large is no good. And can be left.
I felt Rama's argument that this is for universal welfare was out of place!! Only because, I didn't hear that argument from him before.
Rama did it only for the promise of his father. Just checked Valmiki Ramayan too. Never once he mentions about humanity's welfare. He only speaks about his father's promise that needs to be kept at all costs.
If Rama was to say these words of his destiny, that is the easy way out. As an avatar of Vishnu, he always knew his destiny. Did he even once behave like that? Never. Rama always went around as a normal human being who knew his dharma and its rightful place. The one thing he knew was he had to follow it. As a prince, he felt that he has a responsibility to lead from the front so that he sets a good example for the commoners. Saying that it is for 'Vishwa Kalyan' would also mean he is not doing it just for Satya and vachan-palan. The way the argument was articulated today by Rama was that - "ok Satya and vachan-palan are hurting everyone but this is not just for Ayodhya's welfare but lok kalyan'. Since lok kalyan is more important, I have to do this. That would mean Satya and keeping his father's words are less important. He would never mean that(By Valmiki Ramayan).
This would have been more relatable if it was Sri Krishna donning his viswaroopam. Rama never did that. He never acted as if he is above everyone.
Since he is fixed on his father's promise, in Valmiki Ramayan, Vashishta says that he is like a father to Rama by virtue of being a Guru and Rama should obey his command and return to Ayodhya. Even then Rama says that he cannot go back on his father's order. That was what Rama stood for. To lead from the front on Satya and Dharma.
Truth is in convictions. And when a person compromises on truth, he loses integrity. Even today the value hasn't changed. Truth leads to commitment. The concept of surety in loans, signing contracts, promisory notes, making promises in general all ride on truth and commitment. In fact Rama says everything in this world is established in truth. If a king's son known for his sadachar and sheela goes back, what of others?
Play of destiny is in a different plane. Sita does say to Rama in Valmiki Ramayan that she was told by yogini that she has to do vanavas(they didnt show her saying that to Rama in SKR). This is when she is trying to convince him to take her with him. Hence Sita knew her destiny in some way. But Rama never behaved that way.
Current actions shape future destiny. Also past actions shape current. What we experience in present is a mix of fruits of past karmas and our current resolve. Rama knew all this. He just went with the flow knowing what he knew best. His Dharma.
There is also another strong reason that gives confidence to Rama. That Bharata himself is an embodiment of dharma. Ayodhya is safe in his hands. Guided by able Vashishta , Sumantra and supported by Shatrughna, Rama has confidence that Bharata can sail through this and people of Ayodhya will be fine. In this time of crisis, they need a role model. Bharata and Shatrughna are no less. They are warriors and also righteous. Rama says all this in Valmiki Ramayan.
What Rama said to Jabali was actually more profound.
What Bharata did was his dharma. To ask Rama to return. The way he went about it was sheer love. Bharata with his ananya prem won over everyone including Rama. But he could not go past Rama's satya-nishta and commitment towards the promise made to his father and kaikeyi. In all this Dasharatha is the fortunate one. A son who doesn't let his father's promise go false and keeps his own promise to kaikeyi.
In fact, Bharata is part of this too. Dasharatha's first boon was to make him king. He too has a responsibility to make that true. Rama reminds him of that too, that he should make his father's 1st boon come true.
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