Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 34
Ṛṣabhadeva Instructs His Sons: Tapasya, Mahātmā-Sevā, and Cutting the Heart-Knot
एवं गोमृगकाकचर्यया व्रजंस्तिष्ठन्नासीन: शयान: काकमृगगोचरित: पिबति खादत्यवमेहति स्म ॥ ३४ ॥
evaṁ go-mṛga-kāka-caryayā vrajaṁs tiṣṭhann āsīnaḥ śayānaḥ kāka-mṛga-go-caritaḥ pibati khādaty avamehati sma.
Ainsi, le Seigneur Ṛṣabhadeva adopta la conduite des vaches, des cerfs et des corbeaux. Tantôt il marchait, tantôt il restait debout au même endroit, tantôt il s’asseyait, tantôt il se couchait, exactement comme eux. De cette manière il mangeait, buvait, déféquait et urinait, et par ce comportement il trompait les gens.
Being the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Ṛṣabhadeva possessed a transcendental, spiritual body. Since the general public could not appreciate His behavior and mystic yoga practice, they began to disturb Him. To cheat them, He behaved like crows, cows and deer.
FAQs
To avoid social entanglement and remain fully detached, Jaḍa Bharata deliberately acted like cows, deer, and crows, keeping his mind fixed in renunciation and spiritual absorption.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī is narrating to King Parīkṣit, describing Jaḍa Bharata’s outward behavior as part of his life of detachment.
The verse teaches humility and freedom from obsession with reputation—cultivate inner devotion and simplicity, and avoid needless social distractions that pull the mind away from spiritual practice.