Why Shri Krishna did not mention Shri Rama’s name as Samrat – emperor in Sabha Parva?

 

 Yudhisthira desires of performing Rajsuya Yagna and asks the advice of Shri Krishna.

Shri Krishna, while explaining the pros and cons in performing Rajsuya Yagna, stated as follows:

ādatte 'rthaparo bālo nānubandham avekṣate
tasmād ariṃ na mṛṣyanti bālam arthaparāyaṇam

hitvā karān yauvanāśvaḥ pālanāc ca bhagīrathaḥ
kārtavīryas tapoyogād balāt tu bharato vibhuḥ
ṛddhyā maruttas tān pañca samrāja iti śuśrumaḥ

Krishna then said,--'One that is immature in understanding seeks the fruition of his desire without an eye to what may happen to him in future. It is seen that no one forgives for that reason a foe that is of immature understanding and inclined to serve his own interests.

It has been heard by us that in the earlier age, (i) having brought every one under their subjection, Yauvanaswin (Son of Yuvanaswin - Māndhāta), (ii) by the abolition of all taxes, Bhagiratha, by his kind treatment to his subjects, (iii) Kārtavīrya, by the energy of his asceticism, (iv) Bharata by his strength and valour, and (v) Marutta by his prosperity, all these five became emperors - Samrats.

Shri Krishna also stated that Yudhisthira has all qualities to become a Samrat (emperor), but he has to eliminate Jarasandha, King of Magadha, as majority of the kings were either defeated by him or had become his followers.

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Coming to question part, we have to remember that Shri Rama, the son of King Dasaratha, was mentioned at many places, including Bhagavad Gita, in Mahabharata.

(1) Shri Rama was mentioned in the Sabha Parva of Mahabharata.

असम्भवो हेममयस्य जन्तो- स्तथापि रामो लुलुभे मृगाय।

प्रायः समासन्नपराभवाणां धियो विपर्यस्ततरा भवन्ति॥

Vaisampayana continued,--"Although (a living) animal made of gold was an impossibility, yet Rama suffered himself to be tempted by a (golden) deer. Indeed, the minds of men over whom calamities hang, became deranged and out of order.

(2) In Bhagavad Gita, Shri Krishna stated Shri Rama as the Greatest in among warriors - रामः शस्त्रभृतामहम् (BG 10.31) .

(3) Ramayana was narrated in the 272-289 Sections of Vana Parva of Mahabharata.

Hence, naturally a question will arise as to why Shri Rama’s name was not included in list of emperors - Samrats.

My understanding is as follows;

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Māndhāta, Bhagiratha, Kārtavīrya, Bharata and Marutta were emperors in the earlier period to Yudhisthira. Later, Yudhisthira has become an emperor, after defeating many kings and performing Rajasuya Yagna.

An Emperor is a sovereign ruler of an empire. As long as they rule, all other kings will remain obedient to him/her. However, their name will be remembered in the generations to come.

There is a subtle difference between Shri Rama and Māndhāta, Bhagiratha, Kārtavīrya, Bharata and Marutta.

Māndhāta, Bhagiratha, Kārtavīrya, Bharata and Marutta had become emperors of the land in their respective times. Their role is limited to their respective times only.

Coming to Shri Rama —-

• Shri Rama eliminated Vali and coronated Sugriva as the king of Vanaras
• Shri Rama and his army fought with around 30 crores of Rakshasas and important leaders existed in Lanka then. Shri Rama eliminated Ravana and coronated Vibhishana as the king of Rakshasas

When Shri Rama was coronated as the King of Kosala Kingdom, Sugriva and Vibhishana attended to the ceremony and remained loyal to him. And, many kings remained friendly to him.

Thus, Shri Rama was an undeclared emperor - Samrat in his times.

Further, due to adherence to Satya or TRUTH and Dharma in his entire life, Shri Rama was elevated to the status of God. And, his name was sufficient to get salvation for many saints in the subsequent generations.

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Hence, according to my understanding, Shri Krishna did not mention the name of Shri Rama as earthly emperor, as it is demeaning of Shri Rama’s stature.