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

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.

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.

Once, a chieftain of a gang of dacoits wanted to offer a man in sacrifice to Goddess Bhadrakãli. The man they had captured for that purpose escaped providentially. The servants of the chieftain who were in pursuit of that man, accidentally saw Jadabharatha. At that time, Jadabharatha was busy guarding the fields.

Seeing his blemishless physique, they considered him ideal for sacrifice. So they bound Sage Jadabharatha and took him to the chieftain. The dacoits then gave him a good wash in preparation for the sacrifice. They attired him in new clothes and adorned him with garlands and jewels. He was given food and was then taken to the Goddess to be offered as a sacrifice.

The deity was worshipped. The priest of the dacoits prepared himself to behead Jadabharatha. Even though Jadabharatha knew that he would be beheaded soon, he remained very calm and composed. This was because he had identified himself with the Infinite Atman and knew that he was not the body. At this juncture, Goddess Kãli appeared there. With great fury, she beheaded all the dacoits present there and along with her attendants, drank their blood. Though Jadabharatha had been saved by the Goddess, he remained as inert as he was whilst he was being prepared for the sacrifice. He was not interested on taking care of the physical body which is not one’s Real Self.

In Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says “Antavandha emey deha nithyasyoktha sharirinah”(Ch.II, Sloka 18) which means “The bodies possessed by the soul is subject to destruction”. He also declares “Avinashiti thadviddhi ena sarvamidam thattam” (Ch II, sloka 17) which means "Everything is pervaded by Brahman which is eternal and imperishable."

It can thus be seen that Sage Jadabharatha was in the highest state as he had realized his Self and merged with the Infinite. He was totally devoid of the false knowledge of identifying the Self with the body.

To be continued……….

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