Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 7
Bharata Mahārāja’s Attachment to a Deer and His Fall from Yoga
तं त्वेणकुणकं कृपणं स्रोतसानूह्यमानमभिवीक्ष्यापविद्धं बन्धुरिवानुकम्पया राजर्षिर्भरत आदाय मृतमातरमित्याश्रमपदमनयत् ॥ ७ ॥
taṁ tv eṇa-kuṇakaṁ kṛpaṇaṁ srotasānūhyamānam abhivīkṣyāpaviddhaṁ bandhur ivānukampayā rājarṣir bharata ādāya mṛta-mātaram ity āśrama-padam anayat.
川辺に座していた大王聖者バラタは、母を失い、流れに押し流される哀れな小鹿を見た。これを見て深い憐れみが湧き、真の友のように波間から抱き上げ、孤児であると知って自らのアーシュラマへ連れ帰った。
The laws of nature work in subtle ways unknown to us. Mahārāja Bharata was a great king very advanced in devotional service. He had almost reached the point of loving service to the Supreme Lord, but even from that platform he could fall down onto the material platform. In Bhagavad-gītā we are therefore warned:
FAQs
This verse shows Bharata Mahārāja’s tender compassion—he rescues a helpless fawn swept by the river, treating it like a relative and bringing it to his āśrama.
He saw it was abandoned and being carried by the current, and he assumed its mother had died; out of compassion he lifted it and brought it to his āśrama.
Help the helpless with kindness, but remain vigilant that compassion does not turn into binding attachment that distracts from one’s spiritual purpose.