Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 23
Bharata Mahārāja’s Attachment to a Deer and His Fall from Yoga
किं वा अरे आचरितं तपस्तपस्विन्यानया यदियमवनि: सविनयकृष्णसारतनयतनुतरसुभगशिवतमाखरखुरपदपङ्क्तिभिर्द्रविणविधुरातुरस्य कृपणस्य मम द्रविणपदवीं सूचयन्त्यात्मानं च सर्वत: कृतकौतुकं द्विजानां स्वर्गापवर्गकामानां देवयजनं करोति ॥ २३ ॥
kiṁ vā are ācaritaṁ tapas tapasvinyānayā yad iyam avaniḥ savinaya-kṛṣṇa-sāra-tanaya-tanutara-subhaga-śivatamākhara-khura-pada-paṅktibhir draviṇa-vidhurāturasya kṛpaṇasya mama draviṇa-padavīṁ sūcayanty ātmānaṁ ca sarvataḥ kṛta-kautukaṁ dvijānāṁ svargāpavarga-kāmānāṁ deva-yajanaṁ karoti.
Depois de falar assim como um louco, Mahārāja Bharata levantou-se e saiu. Ao ver no chão as pegadas do veado, louvou-as com amor: «Ó Bharata infeliz! Minha austeridade é insignificante; foi esta própria Terra que praticou severa penitência, e por isso ficaram impressas em sua superfície as pegadas, pequenas, belas, muitíssimo auspiciosas e suaves, do filhote de veado kṛṣṇasāra. Esta sequência de marcas indica a mim—pobre e desolado pela perda do veado—por onde ele passou na floresta e como recuperar meu “tesouro” perdido. Por essas pegadas, esta terra também se tornou um lugar apropriado para que os brāhmaṇas que desejam os céus ou a libertação realizem sacrifícios aos devas.»
It is said that when a person becomes overly involved in loving affairs, he forgets himself as well as others, and he forgets how to act and how to speak. It is said that once when a man’s son was blind since birth, the father, out of staunch affection for the child, named him Padmalocana, or “lotus-eyed.” This is the situation arising from blind love. Bharata Mahārāja gradually fell into this condition due to his material love for the deer. It is said in the smṛti-śāstra:
FAQs
This verse shows Bharata’s mind turning toward the deer, admiring it and projecting meaning onto its footprints—illustrating how fascination and attachment can distract even an advanced practitioner from steady devotion.
Overcome by affection and wonder, Bharata imagines the doe must have performed tapas to gain such auspiciousness, revealing how attachment can make one romanticize worldly objects and relationships.
It cautions seekers to notice when admiration turns into dependency; maintaining disciplined remembrance of the Lord and balanced compassion prevents emotional fixation from derailing one’s sādhana.