Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 5: “The Creative Impetus”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Chapter Nine

The Supreme Character of Jada Bharata

SB5.9Summary

In this chapter Bharata Maharaja’s attainment of the body of a brahmana is described. In this body he remained like one dull, deaf and dumb, so much so that when he was brought before the goddess Kali to be killed as a sacrifice, he never protested but remained silent. After having given up the body of a deer, he took birth in the womb of the youngest wife of a brahmana. In this life he could also remember the activities of his past life, and in order to avoid the influence of society, he remained like a deaf and dumb person. He was very careful not to fall down again. He did not mix with anyone who was not a devotee. This process should be adopted by every devotee. As advised by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: asat-sanga-tyaga—ei vaisnava-acara. One should strictly avoid the company of nondevotees, even though they may be family members. When Bharata Maharaja was in the body of a brahmana, the people in the neighborhood thought of him as a crazy, dull fellow, but within he was always chanting and remembering Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although his father wanted to give him an education and purify him as a brahmana by offering him the sacred thread, he remained in such a way that his father and mother could understand that he was crazy and not interested in the reformatory method. Nonetheless, he remained fully Krsna conscious, even without undergoing such official ceremonies. Due to his silence, some people who were no better than animals began to tease him in many ways, but he tolerated this. After the death of his father and mother, his stepmother and stepbrothers began to treat him very poorly. They would give him the most condemned food, but still he did not mind; he remained completely absorbed in Krsna consciousness. He was ordered by his stepbrothers and mother to guard a paddy field one night, and at that time the leader of a dacoit party took him away and tried to kill him by offering him as a sacrifice before Bhadra Kali. When the dacoits brought Bharata Maharaja before the goddess Kali and raised a chopper to kill him, the goddess Kali became immediately alarmed due to the mistreatment of a devotee. She came out of the deity and, taking the chopper in her own hands, killed all the dacoits there. Thus a pure devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead can remain silent despite the mistreatment of nondevotees. Rogues and dacoits who misbehave toward a devotee are punished at last by the arrangement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB5.9.1-2

TEXTS 1–2

sri-suka uvaca

atha kasyacid dvija-varasyangirah-pravarasya sama-dama-tapah-svadhyayadhyayana-tyaga-santosa-titiksa-prasraya-vidyanasuyatma-jnanananda-yuktasyatma-sadrsa-sruta-silacara-rupaudarya-guna nava sodarya angaja babhuvur mithunam ca yaviyasyam bharyayam yas tu tatra pumams tam parama-bhagavatam rajarsi-pravaram bharatam utsrsta-mrga-sariram carama-sarirena vipratvam gatam ahuh.

SYNONYMS

sri-sukah uvaca—Sukadeva Gosvami continued to speak; atha—thereafter; kasyacit—of some; dvija-varasyabrahmana; angirah-pravarasya—who came in the dynasty of the great saint Angira; sama—control of the mind; dama—control of the senses; tapah—practice of austerities and penances; svadhyaya—recitation of the Vedic literatures; adhyayana—studying; tyaga—renunciation; santosa—satisfaction; titiksa—tolerance; prasraya—very gentle; vidya—knowledge; anasuya—without envy; atma-jnana-ananda—satisfied in self-realization; yuktasya—who was qualified with; atma-sadrsa—and exactly like himself; sruta—in education; sila—in character; acara—in behavior; rupa—in beauty; audarya—in magnanimity; gunah—possessing all these qualities; nava sa-udaryah—nine brothers born of the same womb; anga-jah—sons; babhuvuh—were born; mithunam—a twin brother and sister; ca—and; yaviyasyam—in the youngest; bharyayam—wife; yah—who; tu—but; tatra—there; puman—the male child; tam—him; parama-bhagavatam—the most exalted devotee; raja-rsi—of saintly kings; pravaram—most honored; bharatam—Bharata Maharaja; utsrsta—having given up; mrga-sariram—the body of a deer; carama-sarirena—with the last body; vipratvam—being a brahmana; gatam—obtained; ahuh—they said.

TRANSLATION

Srila Sukadeva Gosvami continued: My dear King, after giving up the body of a deer, Bharata Maharaja took birth in a very pure brahmana family. There was a brahmana who belonged to the dynasty of Angira. He was fully qualified with brahminical qualifications. He could control his mind and senses, and he had studied the Vedic literatures and other subsidiary literatures. He was expert in giving charity, and he was always satisfied, tolerant, very gentle, learned and nonenvious. He was self-realized and engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. He remained always in a trance. He had nine equally qualified sons by his first wife, and by his second wife he begot twins—a brother and a sister, of which the male child was said to be the topmost devotee and foremost of saintly kings—Bharata Maharaja. This, then, is the story of the birth he took after giving up the body of a deer.

PURPORT

Bharata Maharaja was a great devotee, but he did not attain success in one life. In Bhagavad-gita it is said that a devotee who does not fulfill his devotional duties in one life is given the chance to be born in a fully qualified brahmana family or a rich ksatriya or vaisya family. Sucinam srimatam gehe (Bg. 6.41). Bharata Maharaja was the firstborn son of Maharaja Rsabha in a rich ksatriya family, but due to his willful negligence of his spiritual duties and his excessive attachment to an insignificant deer, he was obliged to take birth as the son of a deer. However, due to his strong position as a devotee, he was gifted with the remembrance of his past life. Being repentant, he remained in a solitary forest and always thought of Krsna. Then he was given the chance to take birth in a very good brahmana family.

SB5.9.3

TEXT 3

tatrapi svajana-sangac ca bhrsam udvijamano bhagavatah karma-bandha-vidhvamsana-sravana-smarana-guna-vivarana-caranaravinda-yugalam manasa vidadhad atmanah pratighatam asankamano bhagavad-anugrahenanusmrta-sva-purva-janmavalir atmanam unmatta-jadandha-badhira-svarupena darsayam asa lokasya.

SYNONYMS

tatra api—in that brahmana birth also; sva-jana-sangat—from association with relatives and friends; ca—and; bhrsam—greatly; udvijamanah—being always afraid that he would fall down again; bhagavatah—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; karma-bandha—the bondage of the reactions of fruitive activities; vidhvamsana—which vanquishes; sravana—hearing; smarana—remembering; guna-vivarana—hearing descriptions of the qualities of the Lord; carana-aravinda—lotus feet; yugalam—the two; manasa—with the mind; vidadhat—always thinking of; atmanah—of his soul; pratighatam—obstruction on the path of devotional service; asankamanah—always fearing; bhagavat-anugrahena—by the special mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; anusmrta—remembered; sva-purva—his own previous; janma-avalih—string of births; atmanam—himself; unmatta—mad; jada—dull; andha—blind; badhira—and deaf; svarupena—with these features; darsayam asa—he exhibited; lokasya—to people in general.

TRANSLATION

Due to his being especially gifted with the Lord’s mercy, Bharata Maharaja could remember the incidents of his past life. Although he received the body of a brahmana, he was still very much afraid of his relatives and friends who were not devotees. He was always very cautious of such association because he feared that he would again fall down. Consequently he manifested himself before the public eye as a madman—dull, blind and deaf—so that others would not try to talk to him. In this way he saved himself from bad association. Within he was always thinking of the lotus feet of the Lord and chanting the Lord’s glories, which save one from the bondage of fruitive action. In this way he saved himself from the onslaught of nondevotee associates.

PURPORT

Every living entity is bound by different activities due to association with the modes of nature. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, karanam guna-sango ’sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu: “This is due to his association with that material nature. Thus he meets with good and evil among various species.” (Bg. 13.22)

We get different types of bodies among 8,400,000 species according to our karma. Karmana daiva-netrena: we work under the influence of material nature contaminated by the three modes, and thus we get a certain type of body according to superior order. This is called karma-bandha. To get out of this karma-bandha, one must engage himself in devotional service. Then one will not be affected by the modes of material nature.

mam ca yo ’vyabhicarena
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate

“One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.” (Bg. 14.26) To remain immune from the material qualities, one must engage himself in devotional service—sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23]. That is the perfection of life. When Maharaja Bharata took birth as a brahmana, he was not very interested in the duties of a brahmana, but within he remained a pure Vaisnava, always thinking of the lotus feet of the Lord. As advised in Bhagavad-gita: man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. This is the only process by which one can be saved from the danger of repeated birth and death.

SB5.9.4

TEXT 4

tasyapi ha va atmajasya viprah putra-snehanubaddha-mana asamavartanat samskaran yathopadesam vidadhana upanitasya ca punah saucacamanadin karma-niyaman anabhipretan api samasiksayad anusistena hi bhavyam pituh putreneti.

SYNONYMS

tasya—of him; api ha va—certainly; atma-jasya—of his son; viprah—the brahmana father of Jada Bharata (mad, crazy Bharata); putra-sneha-anubaddha-manah—who was obliged by affection for his son; a-sama-avartanat—until the end of the brahmacarya-asrama; samskaran—the purificatory processes; yatha-upadesam—as prescribed in the sastras; vidadhanah—performing; upanitasya—of one who has a sacred thread; ca—also; punah—again; sauca-acamana-adin—practice of cleanliness, washing of the mouth, legs and hands, etc.; karma-niyaman—the regulative principles of fruitive activities; anabhipretan api—although not wanted by Jada Bharata; samasiksayat—taught; anusistena—taught to follow the regulative principles; hi—indeed; bhavyam—should be; pituh—from the father; putrena—the son; iti—thus.

TRANSLATION

The brahmana father’s mind was always filled with affection for his son, Jada Bharata [Bharata Maharaja]. Therefore he was always attached to Jada Bharata. Because Jada Bharata was unfit to enter the grhastha-asrama, he simply executed the purificatory process up to the end of the brahmacarya-asrama. Although Jada Bharata was unwilling to accept his father’s instructions, the brahmana nonetheless instructed him in how to keep clean and how to wash, thinking that the son should be taught by the father.

PURPORT

Jada Bharata was Bharata Maharaja in the body of a brahmana, and he outwardly conducted himself as if he were dull, deaf, dumb and blind. Actually he was quite alert within. He knew perfectly well of the results of fruitive activity and the results of devotional service. In the body of a brahmana, Maharaja Bharata was completely absorbed in devotional service within; therefore it was not at all necessary for him to execute the regulative principles of fruitive activity. As confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam: svanusthitasya dharmasya samsiddhir hari-tosanam (Bhag. 1.2.13). One has to satisfy Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the perfection of the regulative principles of fruitive activity. Besides that, it is stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam:

dharmah svanusthitah pumsam
visvaksena-kathasu yah
notpadayed yadi ratim
srama eva hi kevalam

“Duties [dharma] executed by men, regardless of occupation, are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Supreme Lord.” (Bhag. 1.2.8) These karma-kanda activities are required as long as one has not developed Krsna consciousness. If one is developed in Krsna consciousness, there is no need to execute the prior regulative principles of karma-kanda. Srila Madhavendra Puri said, “O regulative principles of karma-kanda, please excuse me. I cannot follow all these regulative principles, for I am fully engaged in devotional service.” He expressed the desire to sit somewhere beneath a tree and continue chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Consequently he did not execute all the regulative principles. Similarly, Haridasa Thakura was born in a Mohammedan family. From the very beginning of his life he was never trained in the karma-kanda system, but because he was always chanting the holy name of the Lord, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted him as namacarya, the authority in chanting the holy name. As Jada Bharata, Bharata Maharaja was always engaged in devotional service within his mind. Since he had executed the regulative principles continuously for three lives, he was not interested in continuing to execute them, although his brahmana father wanted him to do so.

SB5.9.5

TEXT 5

sa capi tad u ha pitr-sannidhav evasadhricinam iva sma karoti chandamsy adhyapayisyan saha vyahrtibhih sapranava-siras tripadim savitrim graisma-vasantikan masan adhiyanam apy asamaveta-rupam grahayam asa.

SYNONYMS

sah—he (Jada Bharata); ca—also; api—indeed; tat u ha—that which was instructed by his father; pitr-sannidhau—in the presence of his father; eva—even; asadhricinam iva—not correct, as if he could not understand anything; sma karoti—used to perform; chandamsi adhyapayisyan—desiring to teach him Vedic mantras during the months beginning with Sravana or during the period of Caturmasya; saha—along with; vyahrtibhih—the utterance of the names of the heavenly planets (bhuh, bhuvah, svah); sa-pranava-sirah—headed by omkara; tri-padim—three-footed; savitrim—the Gayatri mantra; graisma-vasantikan—for four months, beginning with Caitra, on the fifteenth of May; masan—the months; adhiyanam api—although fully studying; asamaveta-rupam—in an incomplete form; grahayam asa—he made him learn.

TRANSLATION

Jada Bharata behaved before his father like a fool, despite his father’s adequately instructing him in Vedic knowledge. He behaved in that way so that his father would know that he was unfit for instruction and would abandon the attempt to instruct him further. He would behave in a completely opposite way. Although instructed to wash his hands after evacuating, he would wash them before. Nonetheless, his father wanted to give him Vedic instructions during the spring and summer. He tried to teach him the Gayatri mantra along with omkara and vyahrti, but after four months, his father still was not successful in instructing him.

SB5.9.6

TEXT 6

evam sva-tanuja atmany anuragavesita-cittah saucadhyayana-vrata-niyama-gurv-anala-susrusanady-aupakurvanaka-karmany anabhiyuktany api samanusistena bhavyam ity asad-agrahah putram anusasya svayam tavad anadhigata-manorathah kalenapramattena svayam grha eva pramatta upasamhrtah.

SYNONYMS

evam—thus; sva—own; tanu-je—in his son, Jada Bharata; atmani—whom he considered to be himself; anuraga-avesita-cittah—the brahmana who was absorbed in love for his son; sauca—cleanliness; adhyayana—study of Vedic literature; vrata—accepting all the vows; niyama—regulative principles; guru—of the spiritual master; anala—of the fire; susrusana-adi—the service, etc.; aupakurvanaka—of the brahmacarya-asrama; karmani—all the activities; anabhiyuktani api—although not liked by his son; samanusistena—fully instructed; bhavyam—should be; iti—thus; asat-agrahah—having unsuitable obstinacy; putram—his son; anusasya—instructing; svayam—himself; tavat—in that way; anadhigata-manorathah—not having fulfilled his desires; kalena—by the influence of time; apramattena—which is not forgetful; svayam—he himself; grhe—to his home; eva—certainly; pramattah—being madly attached; upasamhrtah—died.

TRANSLATION

The brahmana father of Jada Bharata considered his son his heart and soul, and therefore he was very much attached to him. He thought it wise to educate his son properly, and being absorbed in this unsuccessful endeavor, he tried to teach his son the rules and regulations of brahmacarya—including the execution of the Vedic vows, cleanliness, study of the Vedas, the regulative methods, service to the spiritual master and the method of offering a fire sacrifice. He tried his best to teach his son in this way, but all his endeavors failed. In his heart he hoped that his son would be a learned scholar, but all his attempts were unsuccessful. Like everyone, this brahmana was attached to his home, and he had forgotten that someday he would die. Death, however, was not forgetful. At the proper time, death appeared and took him away.

PURPORT

Those too attached to family life, who forget that death comes in the future to take them away, become attached and unable to finish their duty as human beings. The duty of human life is to solve all the problems of life, but instead people remain attached to family affairs and duties. Although they forget death, death will not forget them. Suddenly they will be kicked off the platform of a peaceful family life. One may forget that he has to die, but death never forgets. Death comes always at the right time. The brahmana father of Jada Bharata wanted to teach his son the process of brahmacarya, but he was unsuccessful due to his son’s unwillingness to undergo the process of Vedic advancement. Jada Bharata was simply concerned with returning home, back to Godhead, by executing devotional service through sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23]. He did not care for the Vedic instructions of his father. When one is fully interested in the service of the Lord, he does not need to follow all the regulative principles enunciated in the Vedas. Of course, for an ordinary man, the Vedic principles are imperative. No one can avoid them. But when one has attained the perfection of devotional service, it is not very important to follow the Vedic principles. Lord Krsna advised Arjuna to ascend to the platform of nistraigunya, the transcendental position above the Vedic principles.

traigunya-visaya veda
nistraigunyo bhavarjuna
nirdvandvo nitya-sattva-stho
niryoga-ksema atmavan

“The Vedas mainly deal with the subject of the three modes of material nature. Rise above these modes, O Arjuna. Be transcendental to all of them. Be free from all dualities and from all anxieties for gain and safety, and be established in the Self.” (Bg. 2.45)

SB5.9.7

TEXT 7

atha yaviyasi dvija-sati sva-garbha-jatam mithunam sapatnya upanyasya svayam anusamsthaya patilokam agat.

SYNONYMS

atha—thereafter; yaviyasi—the youngest; dvija-sati—wife of the brahmana; sva-garbha-jatam—born of her womb; mithunam—the twins; sapatnyai—unto the co-wife; upanyasya—entrusting; svayam—personally; anusamsthaya—by following her husband; pati-lokam—the planet named Patiloka; agat—went to.

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, the brahmana’s younger wife, after entrusting her twin children—the boy and girl—to the elder wife, departed for Patiloka, voluntarily dying with her husband.

SB5.9.8

TEXT 8

pitary uparate bhratara enam atat-prabhava-vidas trayyam vidyayam eva paryavasita-matayo na para-vidyayam jada-matir iti bhratur anusasana-nirbandhan nyavrtsanta.

SYNONYMS

pitari uparate—after the death of the father; bhratarah—the stepbrothers; enam—unto this Bharata (Jada Bharata); a-tat-prabhava-vidah—without understanding his exalted position; trayyam—of the three Vedas; vidyayam—in the matter of material ritualistic knowledge; eva—indeed; paryavasita—settled; matayah—whose minds; na—not; para-vidyayam—in the transcendental knowledge of spiritual life (devotional service); jada-matih—most dull intelligence; iti—thus; bhratuh—their brother (Jada Bharata); anusasana-nirbandhat—from the endeavor to teach; nyavrtsanta—stopped.

TRANSLATION

After the father died, the nine stepbrothers of Jada Bharata, who considered Jada Bharata dull and brainless, abandoned the father’s attempt to give Jada Bharata a complete education. The stepbrothers of Jada Bharata were learned in the three Vedas—the Rg Veda, Sama Veda and Yajur Veda—which very much encourage fruitive activity. The nine brothers were not at all spiritually enlightened in devotional service to the Lord. Consequently they could not understand the highly exalted position of Jada Bharata.

SB5.9.9-10

TEXTS 9–10

sa ca prakrtair dvipada-pasubhir unmatta-jada-badhira-mukety abhibhasyamano yada tad-anurupani prabhasate karmani ca karyamanah parecchaya karoti vistito vetanato va yacnaya yadrcchaya vopasaditam alpam bahu mrstam kadannam vabhyavaharati param nendriya-priti-nimittam. nitya-nivrtta-nimitta-sva-siddha-visuddhanubhavananda-svatma-labhadhigamah sukha-duhkhayor dvandva-nimittayor asambhavita-dehabhimanah. sitosna-vata-varsesu vrsa ivanavrtangah pinah samhananangah sthandila-samvesananunmardanamajjana-rajasa mahamanir ivanabhivyakta-brahma-varcasah kupatavrta-katir upavitenoru-masina dvijatir iti brahma-bandhur iti samjnayataj-jnajanavamato vicacara.

SYNONYMS

sah ca—he also; prakrtaih—by common persons who have no access to spiritual knowledge; dvi-pada-pasubhih—who are nothing but animals with two legs; unmatta—mad; jada—dull; badhira—deaf; muka—dumb; iti—thus; abhibhasyamanah—being addressed; yada—when; tat-anurupani—words suitable to reply to theirs; prabhasate—he used to speak; karmani—activities; ca—also; karyamanah—being caused to execute; para-icchaya—by the order of others; karoti—he used to act; vistitah—by force; vetanatah—or by some wages; va—either; yacnaya—by begging; yadrcchaya—by its own accord; va—or; upasaditam—gotten; alpam—a very small quantity; bahu—a large quantity; mrstam—very palatable; kat-annam—stale, tasteless foods; va—or; abhyavaharati—he used to eat; param—only; na—not; indriya-priti-nimittam—for the satisfaction of the senses; nitya—eternally; nivrtta—stopped; nimitta—fruitive activity; sva-siddha—by self-accomplished; visuddha—transcendental; anubhava-ananda—blissful perception; sva-atma-labha-adhigamah—who has achieved knowledge of the self; sukha-duhkhayoh—in happiness and distress; dvandva-nimittayoh—in the causes of duality; asambhavita-deha-abhimanah—not identified with the body; sita—in the winter; usna—in the summer; vata—in the wind; varsesu—in the rainfall; vrsah—a bull; iva—like; anavrta-angah—uncovered body; pinah—very strong; samhanana-angah—whose limbs were firm; sthandila-samvesana—from lying down on the ground; anunmardana—without any massage; amajjana—without bathing; rajasa—by dirt; maha-manih—highly valuable gem; iva—like; anabhivyakta—unmanifested; brahma-varcasah—spiritual splendor; ku-pata-avrta—covered by a dirty cloth; katih—whose loins; upavitena—with a sacred thread; uru-masina—which was highly blackish due to dirt; dvi-jatih—born in a brahmana family; iti—thus (saying out of contempt); brahma-bandhuh—a friend of a brahmana; iti—thus; samjnaya—by such names; a-tat-jna-jana—by persons not knowing his real position; avamatah—being disrespected; vicacara—he wandered.

TRANSLATION

Degraded men are actually no better than animals. The only difference is that animals have four legs and such men have only two. These two-legged, animalistic men used to call Jada Bharata mad, dull, deaf and dumb. They mistreated him, and Jada Bharata behaved for them like a madman who was deaf, blind or dull. He did not protest or try to convince them that he was not so. If others wanted him to do something, he acted according to their desires. Whatever food he could acquire by begging or by wages, and whatever came of its own accord—be it a small quantity, palatable, stale or tasteless—he would accept and eat. He never ate anything for sense gratification because he was already liberated from the bodily conception, which induces one to accept palatable or unpalatable food. He was full in the transcendental consciousness of devotional service, and therefore he was unaffected by the dualities arising from the bodily conception. Actually his body was as strong as a bull’s, and his limbs were very muscular. He didn’t care for winter or summer, wind or rain, and he never covered his body at any time. He lay on the ground, and never smeared oil on his body or took a bath. Because his body was dirty, his spiritual effulgence and knowledge were covered, just as the splendor of a valuable gem is covered by dirt. He only wore a dirty loincloth and his sacred thread, which was blackish. Understanding that he was born in a brahmana family, people would call him a brahma-bandhu and other names. Being thus insulted and neglected by materialistic people, he wandered here and there.

PURPORT

Srila Narottama dasa Thakura has sung: deha-smrti nahi yara, samsara-bandhana kahan tara. One who has no desire to maintain the body or who is not anxious to keep the body in order and who is satisfied in any condition must be either mad or liberated. Actually Bharata Maharaja in his birth as Jada Bharata was completely liberated from material dualities. He was a paramahamsa and therefore did not care for bodily comfort.

Next verse (SB5.9.11)