A Description of the Character of Bharata Mahārāja
VERSE 5.8.1
śrī-śuka uvāca
ekadā tu mahā-nadyāṁ kṛtābhiṣeka-naiyamikāvaśyako brahmākṣaram abhigṛṇāno muhūrta-trayam udakānta upaviveśa.
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; ekadā — once upon a time; tu — but; mahā-nadyām — in the great river known as Gaṇḍakī; kṛta-abhiṣeka-naiyamika-avaśyakaḥ — having taken a bath after finishing the daily external duties such as passing stool and urine and brushing the teeth; brahma-akṣaram — the praṇava-mantra (om); abhigṛṇānaḥ — chanting; muhūrta-trayam — for three minutes; udaka-ante — on the bank of the river; upaviveśa — he sat down.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King, one day, after finishing his morning duties — evacuating, urinating and bathing — Mahārāja Bharata sat down on the bank of the river Gaṇḍakī for a few minutes and began chanting his mantra, beginning with oṁkāra.
VERSE 5.8.2
tatra tadā rājan hariṇī pipāsayā jalāśayābhyāśam ekaivopajagāma.
SYNONYMS
tatra — on the bank of the river; tadā — at the time; rājan — O King; hariṇī — a doe; pipāsayā — because of thirst; jalāśaya-abhyāśam — near the river; eka — one; eva — certainly; upajagāma — arrived.
TRANSLATION
O King, while Bharata Mahārāja was sitting on the bank of that river, a doe, being very thirsty, came there to drink.
VERSE 5.8.3
tayā pepīyamāna udake tāvad evāvidūreṇa nadato mṛga-pater unnādo loka-bhayaṅkara udapatat.
SYNONYMS
tayā — by the doe; pepīyamāne — being drunk with great satisfaction; udake — the water; tāvat eva — exactly at that time; avidūreṇa — very near; nadataḥ — roaring; mṛga-pateḥ — of one lion; unnādaḥ — the tumultuous sound; loka-bhayam-kara — very fearful to all living entities; udapatat — arose.
TRANSLATION
While the doe was drinking with great satisfaction, a lion, which was very close, roared very loudly. This was frightful to every living entity, and it was heard by the doe.
VERSE 5.8.4
tam upaśrutya sā mṛga-vadhūḥ prakṛti-viklavā cakita-nirīkṣaṇā sutarām api hari-bhayābhiniveśa-vyagra-hṛdayā pāriplava-dṛṣṭir agata-tṛṣā bhayāt sahasaivoccakrāma.
SYNONYMS
tam upaśrutya — hearing that tumultuous sound; sā — that; mṛga-vadhūḥ — wife of a deer; prakṛti-viklavā — by nature always afraid of being killed by others; cakita-nirīkṣaṇā — having wandering eyes; sutarām api — almost immediately; hari — of the lion; bhaya — of fear; abhiniveśa — by the entrance; vyagra-hṛdayā — whose mind was agitated; pāriplava-dṛṣṭiḥ — whose eyes were moving to and fro; agata-tṛṣā — without fully satisfying the thirst; bhayāt — out of fear; sahasā — suddenly; eva — certainly; uccakrāma — crossed the river.
TRANSLATION
By nature the doe was always afraid of being killed by others, and it was always looking about suspiciously. When it heard the lion’s tumultuous roar, it became very agitated. Looking here and there with disturbed eyes, the doe, although it had not fully satisfied itself by drinking water, suddenly leaped across the river.
VERSE 5.8.5
tasyā utpatantyā antarvatnyā uru-bhayāvagalito yoni-nirgato garbhaḥ srotasi nipapāta.
SYNONYMS
tasyāḥ — of it; utpatantyāḥ — forcefully jumping up; antarvatnyāḥ — having a full womb; uru-bhaya — due to great fear; avagalitaḥ — having slipped out; yoni-nirgataḥ — coming out of the womb; garbhaḥ — the offspring; srotasi — in the flowing water; nipapāta — fell down.
TRANSLATION
The doe was pregnant, and when it jumped out of fear, the baby deer fell from its womb into the flowing waters of the river.
VERSE 5.8.6
tat-prasavotsarpaṇa-bhaya-khedāturā sva-gaṇena viyujyamānā kasyāñcid daryāṁ kṛṣṇa-sārasatī nipapātātha ca mamāra.
SYNONYMS
tat-prasava — from untimely discharge of that (baby deer); utsarpaṇa — from jumping across the river; bhaya — and from fear; kheda — by exhaustion; āturā — afflicted; sva-gaṇena — from the flock of deer; viyujyamānā — being separated; kasyāñcit — in some; daryām — cave of a mountain; kṛṣṇa-sārasatī — the black doe; nipapāta — fell down; atha — therefore; ca — and; mamāra — died.
TRANSLATION
Being separated from its flock and distressed by its miscarriage, the black doe, having crossed the river, was very much distressed. Indeed, it fell down in a cave and died immediately.
VERSE 5.8.7
taṁ tv eṇa-kuṇakaṁ kṛpaṇaṁ srotasānūhyamānam abhivīkṣyāpaviddhaṁ bandhur ivānukampayā rājarṣir bharata ādāya mṛta-mātaram ity āśrama-padam anayat.
SYNONYMS
tam — that; tu — but; eṇa-kuṇakam — the deer calf; kṛpaṇam — helpless; srotasā — by the waves; anūhyamānam — floating; abhivīkṣya — seeing; apaviddham — removed from its own kind; bandhuḥ iva — just like a friend; anukampayā — with compassion; rāja-ṛṣiḥ bharataḥ — the great, saintly King Bharata; ādāya — taking; mṛta-mātaram — who lost its mother; iti — thus thinking; āśrama-padam — to the āśrama; anayat — brought.
TRANSLATION
The great King Bharata, while sitting on the bank of the river, saw the small deer, bereft of its mother, floating down the river. Seeing this, he felt great compassion. Like a sincere friend, he lifted the infant deer from the waves, and, knowing it to be motherless, brought it to his āśrama.
VERSE 5.8.8
tasya ha vā eṇa-kuṇaka uccair etasmin kṛta-nijābhimānasyāhar-ahas tat-poṣaṇa-pālana-lālana-prīṇanānudhyānenātma-niyamāḥ saha-yamāḥ puruṣa-paricaryādaya ekaikaśaḥ katipayenāhar-gaṇena viyujyamānāḥ kila sarva evodavasan.
SYNONYMS
tasya — of that King; ha vā — indeed; eṇa-kuṇake — in the deer calf; uccaiḥ — greatly; etasmin — in this; kṛta-nija-abhimānasya — who accepted the calf as his own son; ahaḥ-ahaḥ — every day; tat-poṣaṇa — maintaining that calf; pālana — protecting from dangers; lālana — raising it or showing love to it by kissing and so on; prīṇana — petting it in love; anudhyānena — by such attachment; ātma-niyamāḥ — his personal activities for taking care of his body; saha-yamāḥ — with his spiritual duties, such as nonviolence, tolerance and simplicity; puruṣa-paricaryā-ādayaḥ — worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead and performing other duties; eka-ekaśaḥ — every day; katipayena — with only a few; ahaḥ-gaṇena — days of time; viyujyamānāḥ — being given up; kila — indeed; sarve — all; eva — certainly; udavasan — became destroyed.
TRANSLATION
Gradually Mahārāja Bharata became very affectionate toward the deer. He began to raise it and maintain it by giving it grass. He was always careful to protect it from the attacks of tigers and other animals. When it itched, he petted it, and in this way he always tried to keep it in a comfortable condition. He sometimes kissed it out of love. Being attached to raising the deer, Mahārāja Bharata forgot the rules and regulations for the advancement of spiritual life, and he gradually forgot to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. After a few days, he forgot everything about his spiritual advancement.
VERSE 5.8.9
aho batāyaṁ hariṇa-kuṇakaḥ kṛpaṇa īśvara-ratha-caraṇa-paribhramaṇa-rayeṇa sva-gaṇa-suhṛd-bandhubhyaḥ parivarjitaḥ śaraṇaṁ ca mopasādito mām eva mātā-pitarau bhrātṛ-jñātīn yauthikāṁś caivopeyāya nānyaṁ kañcana veda mayy ati-visrabdhaś cāta eva mayā mat-parāyaṇasya poṣaṇa-pālana-prīṇana-lālanam anasūyunānuṣṭheyaṁ śaraṇyopekṣā-doṣa-viduṣā.
SYNONYMS
aho bata — alas; ayam — this; hariṇa-kuṇakaḥ — the deer calf; kṛpaṇaḥ — helpless; īśvara-ratha-caraṇa-paribhramaṇa-rayeṇa — by the force of the rotation of the time agent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which is compared to the wheel of His chariot; sva-gaṇa — own kinsmen; suhṛt — and friends; bandhubhyaḥ — relatives; parivarjitaḥ — deprived of; śaraṇam — as shelter; ca — and; mā — me; upasāditaḥ — having obtained; mām — me; eva — alone; mātā-pitarau — father and mother; bhrātṛ-jñātīn — brothers and kinsmen; yauthikān — belonging to the herd; ca — also; eva — certainly; upeyāya — having gotten; na — not; anyam — anyone else; kañcana — some person; veda — it knows; mayi — in me; ati — very great; visrabdhaḥ — having faith; ca — and; ataḥ eva — therefore; mayā — by me; mat-parāyaṇasya — of one who is so dependent upon me; poṣaṇa-pālana-prīṇana-lālanam — raising, maintaining, petting and protecting; anasūyunā — who am without any grudge; anuṣṭheyam — to be executed; śaraṇya — the one who has taken shelter; upekṣā — of neglecting; doṣa-viduṣā — who knows the fault.
TRANSLATION
The great King Mahārāja Bharata began to think: Alas, this helpless young deer, by the force of time, an agent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has now lost its relatives and friends and has taken shelter of me. It does not know anyone but me, as I have become its father, mother, brother and relatives. This deer is thinking in this way, and it has full faith in me. It does not know anyone but me; therefore I should not be envious and think that for the deer my own welfare will be destroyed. I should certainly raise, protect, gratify and fondle it. When it has taken shelter with me, how can I neglect it? Even though the deer is disturbing my spiritual life, I realize that a helpless person who has taken shelter cannot be neglected. That would be a great fault.
VERSE 5.8.10
nūnaṁ hy āryāḥ sādhava upaśama-śīlāḥ kṛpaṇa-suhṛda evaṁ-vidhārthe svārthān api gurutarān upekṣante.
SYNONYMS
nūnam — indeed; hi — certainly; āryāḥ — those who are advanced in civilization; sādhavaḥ — saintly persons; upaśama-śīlāḥ — even though completely in the renounced order of life; kṛpaṇa-suhṛdaḥ — the friends of the helpless; evaṁ-vidha-arthe — to execute such principles; sva-arthān api — even their own personal interests; guru-tarān — very important; upekṣante — neglect.
TRANSLATION
Even though one is in the renounced order, one who is advanced certainly feels compassion for suffering living entities. One should certainly neglect his own personal interests, although they may be very important, to protect one who has surrendered.
VERSE 5.8.11
iti kṛtānuṣaṅga āsana-śayanāṭana-snānāśanādiṣu saha mṛga-jahunā snehānubaddha-hṛdaya āsīt.
SYNONYMS
iti — thus; kṛta-anuṣaṅgaḥ — having developed attachment; āsana — sitting; śayana — lying down; aṭana — walking; snāna — bathing; āśana-ādiṣu — while eating and so on; saha mṛga-jahunā — with the deer calf; sneha-anubaddha — captivated by affection; hṛdayaḥ — his heart; āsīt — became.
TRANSLATION
Due to attachment for the deer, Mahārāja Bharata lay down with it, walked about with it, bathed with it and even ate with it. Thus his heart became bound to the deer in affection.
VERSE 5.8.12
kuśa-kusuma-samit-palāśa-phala-mūlodakāny āhariṣyamāṇo vṛkasālā-vṛkādibhyo bhayam āśaṁsamāno yadā saha hariṇa-kuṇakena vanaṁ samāviśati.
SYNONYMS
kuśa — a kind of grass required for ritualistic ceremonies; kusuma — flowers; samit — firewood; palāśa — leaves; phala-mūla — fruits and roots; udakāni — and water; āhariṣyamāṇaḥ — desiring to collect; vṛkasālā-vṛka — from wolves and dogs; ādibhyaḥ — and other animals, such as tigers; bhayam — fear; āśaṁsamānaḥ — doubting; yadā — when; saha — with; hariṇa-kuṇakena — the deer calf; vanam — the forest; samāviśati — enters.
TRANSLATION
When Mahārāja Bharata wanted to enter the forest to collect kuśa grass, flowers, wood, leaves, fruits, roots and water, he would fear that dogs, jackals, tigers and other ferocious animals might kill the deer. He would therefore always take the deer with him when entering the forest.
VERSE 5.8.13
pathiṣu ca mugdha-bhāvena tatra tatra viṣakta-mati-praṇaya-bhara-hṛdayaḥ kārpaṇyāt skandhenodvahati evam utsaṅga urasi cādhāyopalālayan mudaṁ paramām avāpa.
SYNONYMS
pathiṣu — on the forest paths; ca — also; mugdha-bhāvena — by the childish behavior of the deer; tatra tatra — here and there; viṣakta-mati — whose mind was too much attracted; praṇaya — with love; bhara — loaded; hṛdayaḥ — whose heart; kārpaṇyāt — because of affection and love; skandhena — by the shoulder; udvahati — carries; evam — in this way; utsaṅge — sometimes on the lap; urasi — on the chest while sleeping; ca — also; ādhāya — keeping; upalālayan — fondling; mudam — pleasure; paramām — very great; avāpa — he felt.
TRANSLATION
When entering the forest, the animal would appear very attractive to Mahārāja Bharata due to its childish behavior. Mahārāja Bharata would even take the deer on his shoulders and carry it due to affection. His heart was so filled with great love for the deer that he would sometimes keep it on his lap or, when sleeping, on his chest. In this way he felt great pleasure in fondling the animal.
VERSE 5.8.14
kriyāyāṁ nirvartyamānāyām antarāle ’py utthāyotthāya yadainam abhicakṣīta tarhi vāva sa varṣa-patiḥ prakṛti-sthena manasā tasmā āśiṣa āśāste svasti stād vatsa te sarvata iti.
SYNONYMS
kriyāyām — the activities of worshiping the Lord or performing ritualistic ceremonies; nirvartyamānāyām — even without finishing; antarāle — at intervals in the middle; api — although; utthāya utthāya — repeatedly getting up; yadā — when; enam — the deer calf; abhicakṣīta — would see; tarhi vāva — at that time; saḥ — he; varṣa-patiḥ — Mahārāja Bharata; prakṛti-sthena — happy; manasā — within his mind; tasmai — unto it; āśiṣaḥ āśāste — bestows benedictions; svasti — all auspiciousness; stāt — let there be; vatsa — O my dear calf; te — unto you; sarvataḥ — in all respects; iti — thus.
TRANSLATION
When Mahārāja Bharata was actually worshiping the Lord or was engaged in some ritualistic ceremony, although his activities were unfinished, he would still, at intervals, get up and see where the deer was. In this way he would look for it, and when he could see that the deer was comfortably situated, his mind and heart would be very satisfied, and he would bestow his blessings upon the deer, saying, “My dear calf, may you be happy in all respects.”
VERSE 5.8.15
anyadā bhṛśam udvigna-manā naṣṭa-draviṇa iva kṛpaṇaḥ sakaruṇam ati-tarṣeṇa hariṇa-kuṇaka-viraha-vihvala-hṛdaya-santāpas tam evānuśocan kila kaśmalaṁ mahad abhirambhita iti hovāca.
SYNONYMS
anyadā — sometimes (not seeing the calf); bhṛśam — very much; udvigna-manāḥ — his mind full of anxiety; naṣṭa-draviṇaḥ — who has lost his riches; iva — like; kṛpaṇaḥ — a miserly man; sa-karuṇam — piteously; ati-tarṣeṇa — with great anxiety; hariṇa-kuṇaka — from the calf of the deer; viraha — by separation; vihvala — agitated; hṛdaya — in mind or heart; santāpaḥ — whose affliction; tam — that calf; eva — only; anuśocan — continuously thinking of; kila — certainly; kaśmalam — illusion; mahat — very great; abhirambhitaḥ — obtained; iti — thus; ha — certainly; uvāca — said.
TRANSLATION
If Bharata Mahārāja sometimes could not see the deer, his mind would be very agitated. He would become like a miser, who, having obtained some riches, had lost them and had then become very unhappy. When the deer was gone, he would be filled with anxiety and would lament due to separation. Thus he would become illusioned and speak as follows.
VERSE 5.8.16
api bata sa vai kṛpaṇa eṇa-bālako mṛta-hariṇī-suto ’ho mamānāryasya śaṭha-kirāta-mater akṛta-sukṛtasya kṛta-visrambha ātma-pratyayena tad avigaṇayan sujana ivāgamiṣyati.
SYNONYMS
api — indeed; bata — alas; saḥ — that calf; vai — certainly; kṛpaṇaḥ — aggrieved; eṇa-bālakaḥ — the deer child; mṛta-hariṇī-sutaḥ — the calf of the dead doe; aho — oh; mama — of me; anāryasya — the most ill-behaved; śaṭha — of a cheater; kirāta — or of an uncivilized aborigine; mateḥ — whose mind is that; akṛta-sukṛtasya — who has no pious activities; kṛta-visrambhaḥ — putting all faith; ātma-pratyayena — by assuming me to be like himself; tat avigaṇayan — without thinking of all these things; su-janaḥ iva — like a perfect gentle person; agamiṣyati — will he again return.
TRANSLATION
Bharata Mahārāja would think: Alas, the deer is now helpless. I am now very unfortunate, and my mind is like a cunning hunter, for it is always filled with cheating propensities and cruelty. The deer has put its faith in me, just as a good man who has a natural interest in good behavior forgets the misbehavior of a cunning friend and puts his faith in him. Although I have proved faithless, will this deer return and place its faith in me?
VERSE 5.8.17
api kṣemeṇāsminn āśramopavane śaṣpāṇi carantaṁ deva-guptaṁ drakṣyāmi.
SYNONYMS
api — it may be; kṣemeṇa — with fearlessness because of the absence of tigers and other animals; asmin — in this; āśrama-upavane — garden of the hermitage; śaṣpāṇi carantam — walking and eating the soft grasses; deva-guptam — being protected by the demigods; drakṣyāmi — shall I see.
TRANSLATION
Alas, is it possible that I shall again see this animal protected by the Lord and fearless of tigers and other animals? Shall I again see him wandering in the garden eating soft grass?
VERSE 5.8.18
api ca na vṛkaḥ sālā-vṛko ’nyatamo vā naika-cara eka-caro vā bhak-ṣayati.
SYNONYMS
api ca — or; na — not; vṛkaḥ — a wolf; sālā-vṛkaḥ — a dog; anyatamaḥ — any one of many; vā — or; na-eka-caraḥ — the hogs that flock together; eka-caraḥ — the tiger that wanders alone; vā — or; bhakṣayati — is eating (the poor creature).
TRANSLATION
I do not know, but the deer might have been eaten by a wolf or a dog or by the boars that flock together or the tiger who travels alone.
VERSE 5.8.19
nimlocati ha bhagavān sakala-jagat-kṣemodayas trayy-ātmādyāpi mama na mṛga-vadhū-nyāsa āgacchati.
SYNONYMS
nimlocati — sets; ha — alas; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead, represented as the sun; sakala-jagat — of all the universe; kṣema-udayaḥ — who increases the auspiciousness; trayī-ātmā — who consists of the three Vedas; adya api — until now; mama — my; na — not; mṛga-vadhū-nyāsaḥ — this baby deer entrusted to me by its mother; āgacchati — has come back.
TRANSLATION
Alas, when the sun rises, all auspicious things begin. Unfortunately, they have not begun for me. The sun-god is the Vedas personified, but I am bereft of all Vedic principles. That sun-god is now setting, yet the poor animal who trusted in me since its mother died has not returned.
VERSE 5.8.20
api svid akṛta-sukṛtam āgatya māṁ sukhayiṣyati hariṇa-rāja-kumāro vividha-rucira-darśanīya-nija-mṛga-dāraka-vinodair asantoṣaṁ svānām apanudan.
SYNONYMS
api svit — whether it will; akṛta-sukṛtam — who has never executed any pious activities; āgatya — coming back; mām — to me; sukhayiṣyati — give pleasure; hariṇa-rāja-kumāraḥ — the deer, who was just like a prince because of my taking care of it exactly like a son; vividha — various; rucira — very pleasing; darśanīya — to be seen; nija — own; mṛga-dāraka — befitting the calf of the deer; vinodaiḥ — by pleasing activities; asantoṣam — the unhappiness; svānām — of his own kind; apanudan — driving away.
TRANSLATION
That deer is exactly like a prince. When will it return? When will it again display its personal activities, which are so pleasing? When will it again pacify a wounded heart like mine? I certainly must have no pious assets, otherwise the deer would have returned by now.
VERSE 5.8.21
kṣvelikāyāṁ māṁ mṛṣā-samādhināmīlita-dṛśaṁ prema-saṁrambheṇa cakita-cakita āgatya pṛṣad-aparuṣa-viṣāṇāgreṇa luṭhati.
SYNONYMS
kṣvelikāyām — while playing; mām — unto me; mṛṣā — feigning; samādhinā — by a meditational trance; āmīlita-dṛśam — with closed eyes; prema-saṁrambheṇa — because of anger due to love; cakita-cakitaḥ — with fear; āgatya — coming; pṛṣat — like drops of water; aparuṣa — very soft; viṣāṇa — of the horns; agreṇa — by the point; luṭhati — touches my body.
TRANSLATION
Alas, the small deer, while playing with me and seeing me feigning meditation with closed eyes, would circumambulate me due to anger arising from love, and it would fearfully touch me with the points of its soft horns, which felt like drops of water.
VERSE 5.8.22
āsādita-haviṣi barhiṣi dūṣite mayopālabdho bhīta-bhītaḥ sapady uparata-rāsa ṛṣi-kumāravad avahita-karaṇa-kalāpa āste.
SYNONYMS
āsādita — placed; haviṣi — all the ingredients to be offered in the sacrifice; barhiṣi — on the kuśa grass; dūṣite — when polluted; mayā upālabdhaḥ — being scolded by me; bhīta-bhītaḥ — in great fear; sapadi — immediately; uparata-rāsaḥ — stopped its playing; ṛṣi-kumāravat — exactly like the son or disciple of a saintly person; avahita — completely restrained; karaṇa-kalāpaḥ — all the senses; āste — sits.
TRANSLATION
When I placed all the sacrificial ingredients on the kuśa grass, the deer, when playing, would touch the grass with its teeth and thus pollute it. When I chastised the deer by pushing it away, it would immediately become fearful and sit down motionless, exactly like the son of a saintly person. Thus it would stop its play.
VERSE 5.8.23
kiṁ vā are ācaritaṁ tapas tapasvinyānayā yad iyam avaniḥ savinaya-kṛṣṇa-sāra-tanaya-tanutara-subhaga-śivatamākhara-khura-pada-paṅktibhir draviṇa-vidhurāturasya kṛpaṇasya mama draviṇa-padavīṁ sūcayanty ātmānaṁ ca sarvataḥ kṛta-kautukaṁ dvijānāṁ svargāpavarga-kāmānāṁ deva-yajanaṁ karoti.
SYNONYMS
kim vā — what; are — oh; ācaritam — practiced; tapaḥ — penance; tapasvinyā — by the most fortunate; anayā — this planet earth; yat — since; iyam — this; avaniḥ — earth; sa-vinaya — very mild and well-behaved; kṛṣṇa-sāra-tanaya — of the calf of the black deer; tanutara — small; subhaga — beautiful; śiva-tama — most auspicious; akhara — soft; khura — of the hooves; pada-paṅktibhiḥ — by the series of the marks; draviṇa-vidhura-āturasya — who is very aggrieved because of loss of wealth; kṛpaṇasya — a most unhappy creature; mama — for me; draviṇa-padavīm — the way to achieve that wealth; sūcayanti — indicating; ātmānam — her own personal body; ca — and; sarvataḥ — on all sides; kṛta-kautukam — ornamented; dvijānām — of the brāhmaṇas; svarga-apavarga-kāmānām — who are desirous of achieving heavenly planets or liberation; deva-yajanam — a place of sacrifice to the demigods; karoti — it makes.
TRANSLATION
After speaking like a madman in this way, Mahārāja Bharata got up and went outside. Seeing the footprints of the deer on the ground, he praised the footprints out of love, saying: O unfortunate Bharata, your austerities and penances are very insignificant compared to the penance and austerity undergone by this earth planet. Due to the earth’s severe penances, the footprints of this deer, which are small, beautiful, most auspicious and soft, are imprinted on the surface of this fortunate planet. This series of footprints show a person like me, who am bereaved due to loss of the deer, how the animal has passed through the forest and how I can regain my lost wealth. By these footprints, this land has become a proper place for brāhmaṇas who desire heavenly planets or liberation to execute sacrifices to the demigods.
VERSE 5.8.24
api svid asau bhagavān uḍu-patir enaṁ mṛga-pati-bhayān mṛta-mātaraṁ mṛga-bālakaṁ svāśrama-paribhraṣṭam anukampayā kṛpaṇa-jana-vatsalaḥ paripāti.
SYNONYMS
api svit — can it be; asau — that; bhagavān — most powerful; uḍu-patiḥ — the moon; enam — this; mṛga-pati-bhayāt — because of fear of the lion; mṛta-mātaram — who lost its mother; mṛga-bālakam — the son of a deer; sva-āśrama-paribhraṣṭam — who strayed from its āśrama; anukampayā — out of compassion; kṛpaṇa-jana-vatsalaḥ — (the moon) who is very kind to the unhappy men; paripāti — now is protecting it.
TRANSLATION
Mahārāja Bharata continued to speak like a madman. Seeing above his head the dark marks on the rising moon, which resembled a deer, he said: Can it be that the moon, who is so kind to an unhappy man, might also be kind upon my deer, knowing that it has strayed from home and has become motherless? This moon has given the deer shelter near itself just to protect it from the fearful attacks of a lion.
VERSE 5.8.25
kiṁ vātmaja-viśleṣa-jvara-dava-dahana-śikhābhir upatapyamāna-hṛdaya-sthala-nalinīkaṁ mām upasṛta-mṛgī-tanayaṁ śiśira-śāntānurāga-guṇita-nija-vadana-salilāmṛtamaya-gabhastibhiḥ svadhayatīti ca.
SYNONYMS
kim vā — or it may be; ātma-ja — from the son; viśleṣa — because of separation; jvara — the heat; dava-dahana — of the forest fire; śikhābhiḥ — by the flames; upatapyamāna — being burned; hṛdaya — the heart; sthala-nalinīkam — compared to a red lotus flower; mām — unto me; upasṛta-mṛgī-tanayam — to whom the son of the deer was so submissive; śiśira-śānta — which is so peaceful and cool; anurāga — out of love; guṇita — flowing; nija-vadana-salila — the water from its mouth; amṛta-maya — as good as nectar; gabhastibhiḥ — by the rays of the moon; svadhayati — is giving me pleasure; iti — thus; ca — and.
TRANSLATION
After perceiving the moonshine, Mahārāja Bharata continued speaking like a crazy person. He said: The deer’s son was so submissive and dear to me that due to its separation I am feeling separation from my own son. Due to the burning fever of this separation, I am suffering as if inflamed by a forest fire. My heart, which is like the lily of the land, is now burning. Seeing me so distressed, the moon is certainly splashing its shining nectar upon me — just as a friend throws water on another friend who has a high fever. In this way, the moon is bringing me happiness.
VERSE 5.8.26
evam aghaṭamāna-manorathākula-hṛdayo mṛga-dārakābhāsena svārabdha-karmaṇā yogārambhaṇato vibhraṁśitaḥ sa yoga-tāpaso bhagavad-ārādhana-lakṣaṇāc ca katham itarathā jāty-antara eṇa-kuṇaka āsaṅgaḥ sākṣān niḥśreyasa-pratipakṣatayā prāk-parityakta-dustyaja-hṛdayābhijātasya tasyaivam antarāya-vihata-yogārambhaṇasya rājarṣer bharatasya tāvan mṛgārbhaka-poṣaṇa-pālana-prīṇana-lālanānuṣaṅgeṇāvigaṇayata ātmānam ahir ivākhu-bilaṁ duratikramaḥ kālaḥ karāla-rabhasa āpadyata.
SYNONYMS
evam — in that way; aghaṭamāna — impossible to be achieved; manaḥ-ratha — by desires, which are like mental chariots; ākula — aggrieved; hṛdayaḥ — whose heart; mṛga-dāraka-ābhāsena — resembling the son of a deer; sva-ārabdha-karmaṇā — by the bad results of his unseen fruitive actions; yoga-ārambhaṇataḥ — from the activities of yoga performances; vibhraṁśitaḥ — fallen down; saḥ — he (Mahārāja Bharata); yoga-tāpasaḥ — executing the activities of mystic yoga and austerities; bhagavat-ārādhana-lakṣaṇāt — from the activities of devotional service rendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ca — and; katham — how; itarathā — else; jāti-antare — belonging to a different species of life; eṇa-kuṇake — to the body of a deer calf; āsaṅgaḥ — so much affectionate attachment; sākṣāt — directly; niḥśreyasa — to achieve the ultimate goal of life; pratipakṣatayā — with the quality of being an obstacle; prāk — who previously; parityakta — given up; dustyaja — although very difficult to give up; hṛdaya-abhijātasya — his sons, born of his own heart; tasya — of him; evam — thus; antarāya — by that obstacle; vihata — obstructed; yoga-ārambhaṇasya — whose path of executing the mystic yoga practices; rāja-ṛṣeḥ — of the great saintly King; bharatasya — of Mahārāja Bharata; tāvat — in that way; mṛga-arbhaka — the son of a deer; poṣaṇa — in maintaining; pālana — in protecting; prīṇana — in making happy; lālana — in fondling; anuṣaṅgeṇa — by constant absorption; avigaṇayataḥ — neglecting; ātmānam — his own soul; ahiḥ iva — like a serpent; ākhu-bilam — the hole of a mouse; duratikramaḥ — unsurpassable; kālaḥ — ultimate death; karāla — terrible; rabhasaḥ — having speed; āpadyata — arrived.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King, in this way Bharata Mahārāja was overwhelmed by an uncontrollable desire which was manifest in the form of the deer. Due to the fruitive results of his past deeds, he fell down from mystic yoga, austerity and worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If it were not due to his past fruitive activity, how could he have been attracted to the deer after giving up the association of his own son and family, considering them stumbling blocks on the path of spiritual life? How could he show such uncontrollable affection for a deer? This was definitely due to his past karma. The King was so engrossed in petting and maintaining the deer that he fell down from his spiritual activities. In due course of time, insurmountable death, which is compared to a venomous snake that enters the hole created by a mouse, situated itself before him.
VERSE 5.8.27
tadānīm api pārśva-vartinam ātmajam ivānuśocantam abhivīkṣamāṇo mṛga evābhiniveśita-manā visṛjya lokam imaṁ saha mṛgeṇa kalevaraṁ mṛtam anu na mṛta-janmānusmṛtir itaravan mṛga-śarīram avāpa.
SYNONYMS
tadānīm — at that time; api — indeed; pārśva-vartinam — by the side of his deathbed; ātma-jam — his own son; iva — like; anuśocantam — lamenting; abhivīkṣamāṇaḥ — seeing; mṛge — in the deer; eva — certainly; abhiniveśita-manāḥ — his mind was absorbed; visṛjya — giving up; lokam — world; imam — this; saha — with; mṛgeṇa — the deer; kalevaram — his body; mṛtam — died; anu — thereafter; na — not; mṛta — destroyed; janma-anusmṛtiḥ — remembrance of the incident before his death; itara-vat — like others; mṛga-śarīram — the body of a deer; avāpa — got.
TRANSLATION
At the time of death, the King saw that the deer was sitting by his side, exactly like his own son, and was lamenting his death. Actually the mind of the King was absorbed in the body of the deer, and consequently — like those bereft of Kṛṣṇa consciousness — he left the world, the deer, and his material body and acquired the body of a deer. However, there was one advantage. Although he lost his human body and received the body of a deer, he did not forget the incidents of his past life.
VERSE 5.8.28
tatrāpi ha vā ātmano mṛgatva-kāraṇaṁ bhagavad-ārādhana-samīhānubhāvenānusmṛtya bhṛśam anutapyamāna āha.
SYNONYMS
tatra api — in that birth; ha vā — indeed; ātmanaḥ — of himself; mṛgatva-kāraṇam — the cause of accepting the body of a deer; bhagavat-ārādhana-samīhā — of past activities in devotional service; anubhāvena — by consequence; anusmṛtya — remembering; bhṛśam — always; anutapya-mānaḥ — repenting; āha — said.
TRANSLATION
Although in the body of a deer, Bharata Mahārāja, due to his rigid devotional service in his past life, could understand the cause of his birth in that body. Considering his past and present life, he constantly repented his activities, speaking in the following way.
VERSE 5.8.29
aho kaṣṭaṁ bhraṣṭo ’ham ātmavatām anupathād yad-vimukta-samasta-saṅgasya vivikta-puṇyāraṇya-śaraṇasyātmavata ātmani sarveṣām ātmanāṁ bhagavati vāsudeve tad-anuśravaṇa-manana-saṅkīrtanārādhanānusmaraṇābhiyogenāśūnya-sakala-yāmena kālena samāveśitaṁ samāhitaṁ kārtsnyena manas tat tu punar mamābudhasyārān mṛga-sutam anu parisusrāva.
SYNONYMS
aho kaṣṭam — alas, what a miserable condition of life; bhraṣṭaḥ — fallen; aham — I (am); ātma-vatām — of great devotees who have achieved perfection; anupathāt — from the way of life; yat — from which; vimukta-samasta-saṅgasya — although having given up the association of my real sons and home; vivikta — solitary; puṇya-araṇya — of a sacred forest; śaraṇasya — who had taken shelter; ātma-vataḥ — of one who had become perfectly situated on the transcendental platform; ātmani — in the Supersoul; sarveṣām — of all; ātmanām — living entities; bhagavati — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vāsudeve — Lord Vāsudeva; tat — of Him; anuśravaṇa — constantly hearing; manana — thinking; saṅkīrtana — chanting; ārādhana — worshiping; anusmaraṇa — constantly remembering; abhiyogena — by absorption in; aśūnya — filled; sakala-yāmena — in which all the hours; kālena — by time; samāveśitam — fully established; samāhitam — fixed; kārtsnyena — totally; manaḥ — the mind in such a situation; tat — that mind; tu — but; punaḥ — again; mama — of me; abudhasya — a great fool; ārāt — from a great distance; mṛga-sutam — the son of a deer; anu — being affected by; parisusrāva — fell down.
TRANSLATION
In the body of a deer, Bharata Mahārāja began to lament: What misfortune! I have fallen from the path of the self-realized. I gave up my real sons, wife and home to advance in spiritual life, and I took shelter in a solitary holy place in the forest. I became self-controlled and self-realized, and I engaged constantly in devotional service — hearing, thinking, chanting, worshiping and remembering the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva. I was successful in my attempt, so much so that my mind was always absorbed in devotional service. However, due to my personal foolishness, my mind again became attached — this time to a deer. Now I have obtained the body of a deer and have fallen far from my devotional practices.
VERSE 5.8.30
ity evaṁ nigūḍha-nirvedo visṛjya mṛgīṁ mātaraṁ punar bhagavat-kṣetram upaśama-śīla-muni-gaṇa-dayitaṁ śālagrāmaṁ pulastya-pulahāśramaṁ kālañjarāt pratyājagāma.
SYNONYMS
iti — thus; evam — in this way; nigūḍha — hidden; nirvedaḥ — completely unattached to material activities; visṛjya — giving up; mṛgīm — the deer; mātaram — its mother; punaḥ — again; bhagavat-kṣetram — the place where the Supreme Lord is worshiped; upaśama-śīla — completely detached from all material attachments; muni-gaṇa-dayitam — which is dear to the great saintly residents; śālagrāmam — the village known as Śālagrāma; pulastya-pulaha-āśramam — to the āśrama conducted by such great sages as Pulastya and Pulaha; kālañjarāt — from the Kālañjara Mountain, where he had taken his birth in the womb of a deer; pratyājagāma — he came back.
TRANSLATION
Although Bharata Mahārāja received the body of a deer, by constant repentance he became completely detached from all material things. He did not disclose these things to anyone, but he left his mother deer in a place known as Kālañjara Mountain, where he was born. He again went to the forest of Śālagrāma and to the āśrama of Pulastya and Pulaha.
VERSE 5.8.31
tasminn api kālaṁ pratīkṣamāṇaḥ saṅgāc ca bhṛśam udvigna ātma-sahacaraḥ śuṣka-parṇa-tṛṇa-vīrudhā vartamāno mṛgatva-nimittāvasānam eva gaṇayan mṛga-śarīraṁ tīrthodaka-klinnam ut-sasarja.
SYNONYMS
tasmin api — in that āśrama (Pulaha-āśrama); kālam — the end of the duration of life in the deer body; pratīkṣamāṇaḥ — always waiting for; saṅgāt — from association; ca — and; bhṛśam — constantly; udvignaḥ — full of anxiety; ātma-sahacaraḥ — having the Supersoul as the only constant companion (no one should think of being alone); śuṣka-parṇa-tṛṇa-vīrudhā — by eating only the dry leaves and herbs; vartamānaḥ — existing; mṛgatva-nimitta — of the cause of a deer’s body; avasānam — the end; eva — only; gaṇayan — considering; mṛga-śarīram — the body of a deer; tīrtha-udaka-klinnam — bathing in the water of that holy place; utsasarja — gave up.
TRANSLATION
Remaining in that āśrama, the great King Bharata Mahārāja was now very careful not to fall victim to bad association. Without disclosing his past to anyone, he remained in that āśrama and ate dry leaves only. He was not exactly alone, for he had the association of the Supersoul. In this way he waited for death in the body of a deer. Bathing in that holy place, he finally gave up that body.