Shloka 15

Rahūgaṇa Instructed by Jaḍa Bharata — Dehātma-buddhi, Nondual Truth, and the Mercy of Devotees

Devanagari script

सा मां स्मृतिर्मृगदेहेऽपि वीर कृष्णार्चनप्रभवा नो जहाति । अथो अहं जनसङ्गादसङ्गो विशङ्कमानोऽविवृतश्चरामि ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

sā māṁ smṛtir mṛga-dehe ’pi vīra kṛṣṇārcana-prabhavā no jahāti atho ahaṁ jana-saṅgād asaṅgo viśaṅkamāno ’vivṛtaś carāmi

Translation

Wahai Raja yang gagah, kerana khidmat tulusku dahulu kepada Śrī Kṛṣṇa, bahkan dalam tubuh rusa pun aku tidak kehilangan ingatan tentang kehidupan lampau. Menyedari kejatuhan dahulu, aku menjauhkan diri daripada pergaulan orang biasa; takut akan pergaulan material yang buruk, aku mengembara sendirian tanpa disedari.

Synonyms

• sā: that (she/that one)
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā vibhakti (Nom. 1), Ekavacana (sg.); sarvanāma (pronoun)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga/Strīliṅga (common), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Acc. 2), Ekavacana (sg.); sarvanāma

• smṛtiḥ: memory, remembrance
• smṛtiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: smṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā vibhakti (Nom. 1), Ekavacana (sg.)

• mṛga-dehe: in a deer-body
• mṛga-dehe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga + deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (m.), Saptamī vibhakti (Loc. 7), Ekavacana (sg.); ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: mṛgasya dehaḥ → mṛga-dehaḥ; locative: mṛga-dehe

• api: even, also
• api: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; nipāta (particle)

• vīra: O hero
• vīra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (m.), Sambodhana (Voc.), Ekavacana (sg.)

• kṛṣṇa-arcana-prabhavā: arising from worship of Kṛṣṇa
• kṛṣṇa-arcana-prabhavā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛṣṇa + arcana + prabhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā vibhakti (Nom. 1), Ekavacana (sg.); tatpuruṣa: kṛṣṇasya arcanam → kṛṣṇārcanam; tasmāt prabhavā (arising from) → kṛṣṇārcana-prabhavā; agrees with smṛtiḥ

• naḥ: not
• naḥ: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: naḥ (अव्यय/सर्वनाम-रूप)
• Form: Enclitic pronoun-form used as gen./dat. plural ‘of us/to us’; here idiomatic with negation: ‘not’ (Vedic/epic usage)

• jahāti: abandons, leaves
• jahāti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hā (धाातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra (Present), Parasmaipada, Prathama puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana (sg.); √hā ‘to abandon’ with prefix ja- (jahāti)

• atho: and then, moreover
• atho: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha + u (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; sandhi form of atha + u; discourse particle

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā vibhakti (Nom. 1), Ekavacana (sg.); sarvanāma

• jana-saṅgāt: from association with people
• jana-saṅgāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jana + saṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (m.), Pañcamī vibhakti (Abl. 5), Ekavacana (sg.); tatpuruṣa: janānāṁ saṅgaḥ → jana-saṅgaḥ; ablative: jana-saṅgāt

• asaṅgaḥ: detached, unassociated
• asaṅgaḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: asaṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (m.), Prathamā vibhakti (Nom. 1), Ekavacana (sg.); adjective predicative to aham

• viśaṅkamānaḥ: fearing, being apprehensive
• viśaṅkamānaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-śaṅk (धातु) + śatṛ (कृदन्त)
• Form: Vartamāna-kṛdanta (present active participle, śatṛ), Puṁliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Ekavacana (sg.); √śaṅk ‘to fear/doubt’ with vi-

• avivṛtaḥ: not exposed, not manifest
• avivṛtaḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a + vivṛta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Ekavacana (sg.); nañ-pratyaya (negation) + vivṛta ‘open/revealed’; predicative to aham

• carāmi: I wander, I move about
• carāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra (Present), Parasmaipada, Uttama puruṣa (1st), Ekavacana (sg.)

Purport

In Bhagavad-gītā (2.40) it is said: svalpam apy asya dharmasya . It is certainly a great fall to go from human life to animal life, but in the case of Bharata Mahārāja or any devotee, devotional service to the Lord never goes in vain. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (8.6) : yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram. At the time of death, by nature’s law the mind is absorbed in a certain type of thinking. This may lead one to animal life, yet for a devotee there is no loss. Even though Bharata Mahārāja received the body of a deer, he didn’t forget his position. Consequently, in the body of a deer he was very careful to remember the cause of his downfall. As a result, he was given a chance to be born in a family of very pure brāhmaṇas. Thus his service to the Lord never went in vain.

Characters & Entities

• Jada Bharata
• Bharata Maharaja
• Krishna
• Rahugana

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about remembering Krishna even after a fall?

This verse states that remembrance born from genuine worship of Kṛṣṇa can continue even in an animal body, showing that bhakti-samskāra is never lost and can protect spiritual progress across births.

Why did Jada Bharata speak about avoiding association (jana-saṅga) to King Rahugana?

Jada Bharata explains that after experiencing the danger of attachment, he now fears worldly association and remains externally hidden, emphasizing that careless company can reignite bondage even for one with spiritual insight.

How can I apply this teaching of remembrance and detachment in modern life?

Keep steady daily worship and remembrance of Kṛṣṇa (japa, hearing, prayer), and be intentional about your company and influences—reducing association that fuels ego and distraction while seeking uplifting sādhus and scriptures.