Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18
Bharata’s Attachment and the Palanquin Teaching on ‘I’ and ‘Mine’
जग्राह भरतो गर्भात्पतितं मृगपोतकम् । गर्भप्रच्युतिदुःखेन प्रोत्तुंगाक्रणेन च ॥ १८ ॥
jagrāha bharato garbhātpatitaṃ mṛgapotakam | garbhapracyutiduḥkhena prottuṃgākraṇena ca || 18 ||
Bharata recueillit le faon tombé du sein maternel. Touché par la souffrance de la fausse couche et par les cris puissants et déchirants, il le prit avec compassion.
Narada (narrating to the Sanatkumara brothers)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: karuna (compassion)
Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)
FAQs
It shows how a righteous impulse—compassion for a helpless creature—arises naturally in a dharmic person, yet it also sets the stage for the Moksha-Dharma teaching that even noble emotional involvement can become a subtle cause of bondage if it grows into attachment.
By highlighting Bharata’s tender-hearted response, the text points to the need in Bhakti to transform compassion into God-centered service (seva) without possessiveness—offering care while keeping the mind anchored in Vishnu-smarana rather than in personal attachment.
No specific Vedanga (like Shiksha, Vyakarana, or Jyotisha) is directly taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical discipline (dharma) and mental vigilance—observing how emotions arise and ensuring they do not disturb steady sadhana aimed at moksha.