Shloka 43
The Forest of Material Existence (Saṁsāra-vana) and the Delivering Path of Bharata’s Teachings
यो दुस्त्यजान्दारसुतान् सुहृद्राज्यं हृदिस्पृश: । जहौ युवैव मलवदुत्तमश्लोकलालस: ॥ ४३ ॥
yo dustyajān dāra-sutān suhṛd rājyaṁ hṛdi-spṛśaḥ jahau yuvaiva malavad uttamaśloka-lālasaḥ
In der Blüte seiner Jugend gab der große Mahārāja Bharata, voller Sehnsucht nach dem Dienst an Uttamaśloka, Frau, Kinder, Freunde und ein gewaltiges Reich auf—so schwer aufzugeben—wie man Unrat nach der Entleerung wegwirft.
The name of God is Kṛṣṇa, because He is so attractive that the pure devotee can give up everything within this material world on His behalf. Mahārāja Bharata was an ideal king, instructor and emperor of the world. He possessed all the opulences of the material world, but Kṛṣṇa is so attractive that He attracted Mahārāja Bharata from all his material possessions. Yet somehow or other, the King became affectionate to a little deer and, falling from his position, had to accept the body of a deer in his next life. Due to Kṛṣṇa’s great mercy upon him, he could not forget his position, and he could understand how he had fallen. Therefore in the next life, as Jaḍa Bharata, Mahārāja Bharata was careful not to spoil his energy, and therefore he presented himself as a deaf and dumb person. In this way he could concentrate on his devotional service. We have to learn from the great King Bharata how to become cautious in cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A little inattention will retard our devotional service for the time being. Yet any service rendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is never lost: svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt ( Bg. 2.40 ). A little devotional service rendered sincerely is a permanent asset. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.5.17) :
FAQs
This verse says that even deeply heart-binding attachments—spouse, children, friends, and kingdom—can be abandoned like impurity when one develops intense longing for Uttamaśloka, the Supreme Lord.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī speaks this verse while instructing King Parīkṣit, highlighting the power of devotion to uproot even the strongest worldly attachments.
Cultivate steady attraction to the Lord (through nāma-japa, hearing Bhāgavatam, and satsanga) so that unhealthy attachment loosens naturally, and duties are performed without possessiveness.