Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 5 Chapter 8 Verse 13

Canto 5: The Creative Impetus | Chapter 8: A Description of the Character of Bharata Mahārāja

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 5.8.13

pathiṣu ca mugdha-bhāvena tatra tatra viṣakta-mati-praṇaya-bhara-hṛdayaḥ kārpaṇyāt skandhenodvahati evam utsańga urasi cādhāyopalālayan mudaḿ paramām avāpa

SYNONYMS

pathiṣu — on the forest paths; ca — also; mugdha-bhāvena — by the childish behavior of the deer; tatra tatra — here and there; viṣakta-mati — whose mind was too much attracted; praṇaya — with love; bhara — loaded; hṛdayaḥ — whose heart; kārpaṇyāt — because of affection and love; skandhena — by the shoulder; udvahati — carries; evam — in this way; utsańge — sometimes on the lap; urasi — on the chest while sleeping; ca — also; ādhāya — keeping; upalālayan — fondling; mudam — pleasure; paramām — very great; avāpa — he felt.

TRANSLATION

When entering the forest, the animal would appear very attractive to Mahārāja Bharata due to its childish behavior. Mahārāja Bharata would even take the deer on his shoulders and carry it due to affection. His heart was so filled with great love for the deer that he would sometimes keep it on his lap or, when sleeping, on his chest. In this way he felt great pleasure in fondling the animal.

PURPORT

Mahārāja Bharata left his home, wife, children, kingdom and everything else to advance his spiritual life in the forest, but again he fell victim to material affection due to his attachment to an insignificant pet deer. What, then. was the use of his renouncing his family? One who is serious in advancing his spiritual life should be very cautious not to become attached to anything but Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes, in order to preach. we have to accept many material activities, but we should remember that everything is for Kṛṣṇa. If we remember this, there is no chance of our being victimized by material activities.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness