Bharata Mahārāja’s Attachment to a Deer and His Fall from Yoga
तत्प्रसवोत्सर्पणभयखेदातुरा स्वगणेन वियुज्यमाना कस्याञ्चिद्दर्यां कृष्णसारसती निपपाताथ च ममार ॥ ६ ॥
tat-prasavotsarpaṇa-bhaya-khedāturā sva-gaṇena viyujyamānā kasyāñcid daryāṁ kṛṣṇa-sārasatī nipapātātha ca mamāra.
那黑鹿因流产之惧与痛苦而衰弱,又与鹿群失散;渡过河后更是悲惫不堪。她倒在一处洞穴中,当即死去。
This verse shows how a helpless creature’s crisis (the doe separated from her herd and dying) becomes the basis for Bharata Mahārāja’s later attachment—illustrating that even well-intended affection can divert the mind from single-pointed devotion if not guarded.
Śukadeva describes the doe’s fear, separation, fall, and death to establish the circumstance that led Bharata to care for the orphaned fawn—setting up the narrative lesson about vigilance in bhakti and the subtle power of attachment.
Be compassionate, but keep spiritual priorities steady: serve dependents responsibly while maintaining sādhana, remembering that unchecked emotional absorption can quietly displace remembrance of the Lord.