In plain words
“If one searches, a wife like Sītā may be found in the world. But a brother like Lakṣmaṇa I shall not find again,” He lamented. So, just as lovingly as Lakṣmaṇa followed that Rāma, Rāma too loved Lakṣmaṇa, as dear to Him as His own life. The principle of brotherly Prema and their closeness to one another set before the world, in full measure, their following of one another as its ideal; this is the central episode.
Then, while Bharata and Śatrughna were in their grandfather's town, the moment they heard the news of their father's death they set out and came to Ayodhyā. As soon as they reached Ayodhyā, they learned from the revered Vasiṣṭha that Rāmacandra had been sent to the forest for fourteen years. Bharata, Śatrughna and the rest performed their father's last rites and set out with their retinue for the forest. In the forest Bharata pleaded with Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa in many ways and begged them ever so earnestly to come back to Ayodhyā. But Rāma went on teaching, ‘To carry out the father's word is the chief rule for you and for Me.’ “The right to rule the kingdom of Ayodhyā belongs to You alone. But this wicked one has none at all,” Bharata pleaded, clasping His feet. “Brother! I shall rule the kingdom Father gave Me. You must rule the kingdom Father handed to you.” Rāma showed that this was the duty of both. He gave the kingdom of Ayodhyā to Bharata, and to Bharata alone. But to Rāma he handed no kingdom at all. Bharata sank into bewilderment. “He has handed Me the kingdom of the forest. In this forest the ṛṣis and ascetics are suffering in many ways and being tormented by demonic deeds; so he has handed Me the kingdom of putting an end to these demonic deeds and caring for the ṛṣis,” said Rāma. Here, while Bharata kept begging Rāma in many ways, the revered Vasiṣṭha came in and said, “Bharata! Do you not know that it is not good to pain your brother's heart? You only love Him as ‘a brother, a brother’; you do not see how much Rāma's heart is pained by your longing.” So no one can change His mind. Śrī Rāmacandra's word is a single word. “If that is so, for these fourteen years Śatrughna and I can stay in the forest. Surely You may go to Ayodhyā with Lakṣmaṇa and with Sītādevī! Mahārāja Daśaratha gave this vow to us. In it I have as much right as You have. So I shall rule this forest; You go to Ayodhyā,” Bharata pleaded as well, more earnestly still. That is, we must recognise well the truth of how evenly the brothers' principle of Prema stood in all these four. Brothers today say, by some pretext or other, “It is enough if we get the kingdom,” and stretch their necks and clamour even for power they have no right to. But though Rāmacandra handed him that kingdom, Bharata never strove in the least to take it up. Brothers who are narrow of mind and selfish have grown many today. Their hearts cannot become broad in the least. We read the Rāmāyaṇa all the time.