Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 21
Bharata Mahārāja’s Attachment to a Deer and His Fall from Yoga
क्ष्वेलिकायां मां मृषासमाधिनाऽऽमीलितदृशं प्रेमसंरम्भेण चकितचकित आगत्य पृषदपरुषविषाणाग्रेण लुठति ॥ २१ ॥
kṣvelikāyāṁ māṁ mṛṣā-samādhināmīlita-dṛśaṁ prema-saṁrambheṇa cakita-cakita āgatya pṛṣad-aparuṣa-viṣāṇāgreṇa luṭhati.
ああ、あの小鹿は遊びの最中、私が目を閉じて偽りの三昧を装うのを見ると、愛ゆえの憤りにおびえおびえ近づき、水滴のように柔らかな角の先で恐る恐る私に触れたものだ。
Now King Bharata considers his meditation false. While engaged in meditation, he was actually thinking of his deer, and he would feel great pleasure when the animal pricked him with the points of its horns. Feigning meditation, the King would actually think of the animal, and this was but a sign of his downfall.
FAQs
This verse shows how even a seemingly innocent affection—here, Bharata’s fondness for a fawn—can intrude upon one’s practice, pulling the mind away from genuine samādhi into distraction.
Bharata is only pretending to be in trance with eyes closed, and the fawn, anxiously affectionate, repeatedly approaches and nudges him with its small horns to regain his attention.
Guard your focus in sādhana: affectionate distractions (even lovable ones) can gradually replace disciplined remembrance of the Lord unless boundaries and mindful practice are maintained.