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.
Pagkasalita na parang baliw, tumindig si Mahārāja Bharata at lumabas. Nang makita niya sa lupa ang mga bakas ng paa ng usa, pinuri niya iyon sa pag-ibig: “O Bharata na kapus-palad, napakaliit ng aking pag-aayuno at pagtitika; ang mismong daigdig na ito ang nagtiis ng dakilang tapasya, kaya naitatatak dito ang maliliit, magaganda, lubhang mapalad at malalambot na bakas ng kuko ng batang kṛṣṇasāra. Ang hanay ng mga bakas na ito ang nagtuturo sa akin—na dukha dahil sa pagkawala ng usa—kung saan ito dumaan sa gubat at paano ko mababawi ang nawalang ‘yaman’. Dahil sa mga bakas na ito, ang lupang ito’y naging angkop na lugar para sa mga brāhmaṇa na nagnanais ng langit o kalayaan upang magsagawa ng paghahandog na yajña sa mga deva.”
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.