Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 24

Bharata Mahārāja’s Attachment to a Deer and His Fall from Yoga

Devanagari script

अपिस्विदसौ भगवानुडुपतिरेनं मृगपतिभयान्मृतमातरं मृगबालकं स्वाश्रमपरिभ्रष्टमनुकम्पया कृपणजनवत्सल: परिपाति ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

api svid asau bhagavān uḍu-patir enaṁ mṛga-pati-bhayān mṛta-mātaraṁ mṛga-bālakaṁ svāśrama-paribhraṣṭam anukampayā kṛpaṇa-jana-vatsalaḥ paripāti.

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.

Synonyms

• अपि: perhaps
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावनार्थक/प्रश्नार्थक निपात (particle: perhaps/also)

• स्वित्: indeed?
• स्वित्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वित् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-निपात (interrogative particle)

• असौ: that (person)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता/subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उडु-पतिः: the moon
• उडु-पतिः: Karta (कर्ता/subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उडु (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘lord of stars’ (moon)

• एनम्: this (one)
• एनम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; pronoun

• मृग-पति-भयात्: from fear of the lion
• मृग-पति-भयात्: Apadana (अपादान/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक) + भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/ablative), एकवचन; ‘from fear of the lord of beasts’

• मृत-मातरम्: with (its) mother dead
• मृत-मातरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त from √मृ) + मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies ‘मृगबालकम्’ (whose mother is dead)

• मृग-बालकम्: a fawn
• मृग-बालकम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + बालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्व-आश्रम-परिभ्रष्टम्: fallen away from its own hermitage
• स्व-आश्रम-परिभ्रष्टम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक) + परि√भ्रंश् (धातु)→ भ्रष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies ‘मृगबालकम्’

• अनुकम्पया: out of compassion
• अनुकम्पया: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुकम्पा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• कृपण-जन-वत्सलः: affectionate to the poor
• कृपण-जन-वत्सलः: Karta (कर्ता/subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृपण (प्रातिपदिक) + जन (प्रातिपदिक) + वत्सल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; qualifies ‘असौ’

• परिपाति: protects
• परिपाति: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि√पा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Uḍupati (Candra, the moon-god)
• Bharata Mahārāja (implied context)
• mṛga-bālaka (the fawn)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about God protecting helpless creatures?

This verse highlights that the Lord (here referenced via the moon-god’s protective influence) is “kṛpaṇa-jana-vatsala,” affectionate to the helpless, and arranges protection for vulnerable beings like the motherless fawn.

Why is the moon-god (Uḍupati) mentioned in the Bharata Mahārāja deer story?

The verse poetically suggests providential care: the presiding deity of the night may be guiding and safeguarding the frightened fawn, indicating divine arrangement behind seemingly ordinary events.

Practical application of this verse in modern life?

Cultivate compassion for the vulnerable while recognizing divine providence—seeing care and responsibility as part of dharma, without letting attachment eclipse one’s spiritual focus.