<Prev |  Next>

Upanishads conclude that everything except ‘Brahman’ is a mere illusion. For the simple reason that we cannot understand it, we cannot deem the Upanishads to be wrong, because we have many standing examples of Mahans who have attained this highest state of ‘Atmaswaroopa’ (Self). Since these Mahans have attained liberation or ‘BrahmaBhava’ (Self-realization) during their lifetime itself, they are called as ‘JivanMuktãs’. The biography of such great Mahans prove to be good examples and a real source of inspiration to all of us.

Srimad Bhãgavatam - Fifth Canto - Jadabharata Charithra (Part 2)

Sri Krishna says in Gita:

“Yam yam vãpi smarãn bhãvãm tyajat yãnte kalevaram |
Tam tamevati Kounteya sada tad bhãva bhãvitaha ||”

- “The subsequent birth of a man depends on the last thought that he holds on to at the moment of his death.”

Since Jadabharata was thinking about the deer at his last moment, he was born as a deer in his subsequent birth.

The king was an ardent devotee of Lord Krishna. He had renounced everything for the sake of attaining the Lord. Though he had deviated from the path of devotion and had taken birth as a deer, the Lord did not shirk him, as He was touched by the depth of Jadabharata’s devotion. Even as a deer, he did not forget the happenings of his previous birth. He repented his follies from his previous birth. Awaiting death, he left the company of his fellow deers and remained in the sangha of Rishis.

In his next birth, Jadabharata was born as a Brahmin in the family of “Angãrasa Gothra”. In this birth, he was not interested in worldly life and thus refrained from any sort of worldly activity. He was very dispassionate and was ever immersed in the thought of God. He saw himself as verily the Brahman. But the people of the world mistook him to be insane.
“Perceiving everything as Brahman is the Highest State.”
King Bharata attained the same state in this birth. Thus he was unperturbed by worldly comforts and discomforts.

He obeyed everybody’s order and acted accordingly without any attachment to the work given. Neither did he care to answer the questions put forth to him by others nor did he worry about his food and clothing. He ate whatever was given to him by the people.

Since he was born in a Brahmin family, his father desired him to learn all the shastras and the Vedas. But the son, who had attained the highest state, had no proclivity for that. Nobody could understand his state. In due course, his father attained ‘swarga’ (heaven). His brothers deprived him of his share of property and treated him as a slave. He remained detached from worldly life. So everyone called him ‘Jada’ (senseless). Thus he earned the name of ‘Jadabharata’.

An incident to show his greatness took place in his life.

To be continued……….

<Prev |  Next>

Home • e-MM • Contact

Radhe Krishna