Great Story, ends with a great question too !!!

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LESSON OF KING BHARAT

 

Easy narration by Richard Shaw Brown

 

PART I

INTRODUCTION

 

Period: Treta (Silver) Yuga – over one million years BC

 

Bharata, the eldest son of King Rishabdev, was a devout Theist. When

his exalted father retired from material life to seek God alone in the

wilderness, he appointed his foremost son, Bharata, to succeed him as

King.

 

Accepting his father’s order he began to rule the vast Kingdom (modern

India is STILL named Bharata, but during the time of Bharat’s rule his

domain, known as Bharata varsha, included all the land between Persia

and South East Asia). Following his father’s wishes he also married

beautiful Pancajana (lit. five persons), who became his Queen.

 

In the womb of Queen Pancajana King Bharata procreated five wonderful

sons, who were named Sumati, Rashtrabhrita, Sudarshana, Aavarana and

Dhumraketu.

 

Originally this (Asian-known) Earth was called Ajanabha-varsha (in

Vedic history), but since the time of King Bharata it became known as

Bharata-varsha (now shrunk to modern India).

 

King Bharata ruled with great skill, and treated his subjects like a

father treats a child. He was very expert and wise, and he showed his

people by example how to perform their duties according to their inbred

qualities and activities. Protecting and leading the people of his

kingdom King Bharata ruled with strength and compassion.

 

With a mind to propitiate and please God, King Bharata performed the

various Vedic sacrifices and ceremonies.

Believing that all the Vedic Hierarchy and all beings were part of God,

King Bharata always mentally offered the good karma acquired through

his activities back to God, for the pleasure of God, knowing that by

watering the “root” of a tree you thereby nourish the entire tree. In

this way he performed all his duties as an offering to God.

 

Through manifold pious activities carried out during his very long life

King Bharata’s consciousness became pure, and he became free of lust,

anger, infatuation and material attachment. His heart having become

clean his devotion to the Lord of the Universe grew every day.

 

The all-attractive Lord of the Universe, is the highest Being, and He

manifests Himself in three ways, 1) as Paramatma or supersoul within

the heart of every living being, 2) as Brahman or the impersonal

all-pervading totally of life, and also 3) as Bhagavan or the

beautifully dressed and adorned Supreme Being Who always resides with

unlimited devotes in His eternal spiritual paradise.

 

According to his good karma King Bharat enjoyed material pleasures and

ruled for a very long time; but when he felt his time was up, he

decided to retire from family life, and accordingly he divided the

wealth and domain he had inherited amongst his five grown sons.

 

Having duly installed his sons as the new rulers, Bharat resolutely

departed from his opulent palace and loving wife and family and walked,

alone and penniless, to a place in the Himalayas near Haridwar (lit.

Door to God) named Pulahasrama. This spot is sanctified by the divine

Sri Shalagram stones, which are found there.

 

There, in the Krishna-Gandaki River, The Supreme Lord has mercifully

manifest Himself to His devotees in the form of smooth water-worn dark

stones called “Shalagram” which are decorated with the signs of the

chakra or discus and navel of the Supreme Lord.

 

Having accepted the life of a mendicant, former King Bharat passed his

remaining days in the forest-ashram of Pulaha. By collecting fruits,

nuts, berries, flowers, and holy basil leaves he offered these items to

God via his Shalagram Stone Form, and Bharata himself subsided on the

leftovers - feeling more and more contented.

 

Worshipping the Lord of the Universe in this manner his heart and mind

became completely purified and he felt great spiritual satisfaction in

his solitary service to God. He completely lost any desire for mundane

sense pleasures and remained steady in his devotion.

 

Because he was such an exalted devotee, King Bharata, always engaged in

constant remembrance of the Supreme Lord, and his heart melted in

divine love.

 

In fact, he became so absorbed in his devotional meditation that he

gradually lost all interest in rules and regulations, and remained

absorbed in remembrance of God and his spiritual attributes.

 

Because of feeling divine ecstasy his body hairs stood up in goose

bumps, and so many tears of joy flooded his eyes that he was unable to

see clearly. In this manner he meditated on the form and glories of

God until his heart became like a calm lake of divine love; and with

his heart and mind so immersed he even forgot his routine duties.

 

Physically King Bharat was very handsome, with thick curly hair on his

head that was always wet from bathing three times every day. He wore

only a deerskin. King Bharat worshiped God as the light within the Sun

by reciting Vedic Sanskrit verses and prayers. He would also pray in

the following words…

 

“I bow to the Supreme Lord who is the bestower of intelligence. As the

light of the Sun, God Narayana illuminates the entire universe and

blesses all beings.

He has created this universe using his own material and spiritual

energies, and after creation he has entered into the heart of every

individual finite soul as Supersoul. By his varied energies Lord

Narayana is maintaining all living souls."

 

One day after Bharat had finishing his morning cleansing and bathing

duties — He sat on the bank of the Gandaki River and began chanting his

mantras, beginning with OM.

 

While Bharata sat chanting he saw that a pregnant doe had come to the

opposite river bank and was drinking water.

 

Suddenly the load roar of a near by lion terrified the doe who by

nature was always afraid of being killed, and she leapt across the

river. Because the doe was pregnant and jumped out of fear, the baby

deer fell from her womb into the river.

 

Meanwhile the doe reached the opposite river bank and immediately

dropped dead from acute distress and exhaustion.

 

When King Bharata saw the motherless baby deer floating down the river

he felt great compassion. He immediately lifted the baby deer from the

water, and, like a true friend he brought the fawn to his Ashram hut.

 

Seeing the helpless fawn King Bharata felt great compassion toward the

deer, and he began to feed it grass and protect it from the danger of

tigers and other animals. He felt compelled to raise the dear, and

becoming affectionate the King would pet it and even kiss it out of

love.

 

He become so absorbed in raising the fawn that he gradually forgot his

holy duties and even forgot to meditate on and worship the Supreme

Lord. He began to think, “Oh what a pity. By destiny, which is a force

of God’s Time factor, this young and helpless fawn has taken shelter of

me; I am its only family. The deer is completely trusting in me, with

full faith, so it is my duty to protect this creature, even at the cost

of neglecting my own spiritual life. It would be a great fault if for

my own selfish reasons I did not nurture this poor helpless creature

that has taken shelter with me. A good man will never neglect a

helpless being that has sought protection.”

 

“Even though the deer is disturbing my spiritual life, I realize that a

helpless being that has come under my shelter cannot be neglected. That

would be a great fault.

Even if one is a monk in the renounced they should feel compassion for

suffering living beings. A good man will certainly neglect his own

personal interests, however important they may be, to selflessly

protect one who has taken shelter.”

 

Through this association King Bharat developed an endearing attachment

for the young dear, and he would lay with it and play with it and even

eat with it. In this way his purified heart again became bound up in

material affection, this time to the young and charming deer.

 

Whenever Bharat when into the forest to collect eatables and wood he

would always take the young dear with him out of affection for it’s

playful and charming antics, as well as fear for it’s safety from wild

animals. He became so affectionate that he would play with the dear and

sometimes even carry the young fawn on his shoulder. The King felt

great happiness in playing with the fawn.

 

Whenever King Bharata engaged in some ritualistic spiritual practice he

would break at intervals to check on the well being of the deer. Seeing

that his beloved deer was comfortable he would bless it by saying, “My

dear fawn, may you always be well and happy!”

 

Whenever the deer was out of sight King Bharat would worry, and like a

miser who had lost his wealth, he would lament in this manner…

 

“Woe-is-me, my beloved fawn is missing and may have been killed by a

hard-hearted hunter. Alas, the poor deer is helpless and I am so

unfortunate that I cannot protect it. The deer has put full trust in me

although I am selfish and cruel. But this deer has faith in me, just as

a good man forgets the misbehavior of a friend and still maintains his

faith in him. Oh, I wonder, will this helpless creature again return?”

 

“Has it been killed by wild animals? Will it again return and gladden

my heart with its playful ways and eating of soft grasses? I fear that

it has been eaten by a lone tiger or a flock of wild boars, or killed

by wild dogs devoid of mercy.”

 

“In the morning when the sun rises all auspicious things begin. But not

so for me, worried as I am about the welfare of the deer. And now the

sun is setting and still the poor deer has not yet returned.”

 

“Oh, when will I see the princely deer again playing so sweetly? When

will it come back and pacify my anxious heart? I must be devoid of good

karma otherwise the deer would have returned by now.”

 

“When I pretend to meditate the fawn would walk around me out of love

and nudge me with its soft baby horns to get my attention.”

 

“Whenever I try to prepare sacred articles for worship the deer would

pollute them by playfully touch with his mouth. And when I scold the

deer it becomes as still as a saint out of fear.”

 

Raving in this way the King went outside and seeing the footprints of

the deer on the ground, he praised the footprints out of love, saying,

“the footprints of this deer, which are soft, beautiful, most

auspicious, are imprinted on the surface of this fortunate Earth. By

following these soft footprints I can again regain the lost treasure of

my life.

 

King Bharata continued speaking like a madman, and seeing the deer-like

spots on the full moon he thought that his deer must have been given

shelter by the Moon god, who is protecting it from lions.

 

Looking at the Moon, Bharata began ranting like a madman, “In feeling

separation for the deer I am also feeling acute separation for my owns

sons. My heart is burning in agony of separation like being in a

forest-fire, and seeing my dilemma the friendly Moon is sending down

soothing beams just like a friend throws water on a friend suffering

from high fever.

 

King Bharata was overwhelmed by an uncontrollable desire in the form of

the deer. Due to the results of his past karma he neglected his

meditation and fell down from the lofty height of mystic yoga, penance,

worship of God, and material detachment and lost his spiritual life.

 

If not for past karma how else could Bharat have become attracted to a

deer, an animal, after having renounced his beautiful Queen, his loving

children, and kingdom while considering that material attachment

blocked salvation of his soul? He left his beloved family for

liberation and yet became ensnared by attachment to a deer. This can

only be the result of his past karma.

 

King Bharat became so attached to the deer that he gradually gave up

all his spiritual practices and ignored the passage of time. Eventually

Death entered his hut just like a poisonous snake enters through a

mouse hole and stood before him. Seeing death, the King looked over at

the deer lying next to him, like his own son, and it was shedding tears

over his demise.

 

Thus, at the time of death King Bharat’s mind was absorbed in the body

of a deer, and after he left his human body he was reborn as a baby

deer at a nearby location. But because of his previous spiritual

activities even he lost his human body and took on the body of a deer

yet he did not forget his past life. This was due to the karma of his

previous spiritual attainments.

 

Because of his high past karma his intelligence allowed him to

understand that he was in the body of a deer, and he could remember how

it happened. Remembering his fall down he said to himself.

 

“What a huge mistake! Although advanced I have fallen from the

spiritual path. I renounced my loving sons, my affectionate wife and

heavenly kingdom just to make advancement in spiritual life, and I took

shelter in a lonely holy place in the wilderness. I had become

self-controlled and self-realized, and I engaged constantly in

remembering the Supreme Lord of the Universe. I was reaching success

and my heart was becoming like a clean mirror. But somehow I was so

foolish to allow my mind to once again become attached—to an animal, a

deer. Now I have been reborn in this body of a deer and have strayed

far away from my spiritual goal of life.” …

 

Bharat Maharaja was always feeling repentant. Very soon he left his

deer mother and managed to find his way back to the ashram where he had

last died, famous as the place of Shalagram Shila stones. Although

remaining alone he was always aware of the Super Soul within his heart.

He didn’t want to make any new karma and simply waited until his

‘deer-body’ karma was exhausted.

Finally he went into the waters of the river and stood, waist deep, and

fasted until his deer body died.

 

Next he was born the son of a devout Brahmin belonging to the family

line of Angira. His new father was very expert in Vedic sciences and

was a learned and kind man, possessing good qualities like sense

control, non-violence, tolerance, and he was well acquainted with

Scriptures.

 

The Brahmin had nine sons from his first wife, and from his second wife

he begot twins, a boy and a girl. It is stated that the twin boy was

none other than the reincarnation of the great devotee formally known

as King Bharat, and this is his amazing story after quitting his body

of a deer.

 

Due to his exalted consciousness, Bharat, known at this point as

Jada-Bharat, could remember his previous lives. He was afraid of making

the same mistake and so he remained aloof from family attachments and

material activities. He didn’t want to fall into the false bodily

identification again, so he behaved like a fool and dullard. This was

to avoid the company of the people; and so that no one would speak with

him, he appeared just like a madman, unhearing, unseeing, and

uncomprehending.

 

Always remembering God within his heart he simply waited for this

balance of his karma (as a Brahmin son) to expire so he could finally

become free from material bondage.

 

Jada Bharat means the soul of King Bharat, now enveloped in a

“jada-deha” or material body made of earth, water, fire, air, and

ether, known as “Jada” or matter. In other words, he had no identity

other than the material body. And his only desire was to exhaust that

remaining material karma tying him to the jada-deha.

 

Jada Bharat’s father loved him very much and tried in every way to

nurture and teach his son about Brahminical material life. But no

matter how hard he tried still Jada Bharat remained unfazed and always

appeared like a dunce. In fact he was being vigilant not to become

again identified with the material world and it’s perishable ways.

 

The kind Brahmana tried hard to educate his son, Jada Bharat, but he

remained as if uncomprehending, and he would do things in reverse, such

as washing his hands before going to the latrine instead of after.

 

Eventually his father invested him with the Sacred Thread, but although

he wore the thread of a Brahman it was impossible to teach Jada Bharat

anything. In fact, it was Jada Bharat’s intention to act this way in

order to discourage his father from trying to teach him. Jada Bharat

KNEW what was real, and he was very much afraid of again making his

mistake. Still his father was so affectionate that he continued trying

to teach him, but to no avail.

 

This was s source of great frustration to his father who tried his best

to educate his son. He hoped his son’s dullness could be cured and he

wanted him to be a great scholar… but all his attempts were a complete

failure.

After trying for so long he finally died, and Jada Bharat’s mother

placed him and his sister under the care of the first wife while she

herself willingly entered the funeral fire of her dead husband.

 

In this way Jada-Bharat came under the care of his nine foster

brothers, all of whom considered him a liability and a dunce, and they

stopped all attempts at educating him and instead tried to give him

various labor jobs to perform such as mending fences, acting as a scare

crow, etc. But even these duties he was unable to recognize and he

performed things backwards, always making a mess.

 

The step brothers of Jada Bharat, although learned in the Vedas and

karma-kandas, were basically materialistic, engaged in making more and

more karma, and they were not able to see nor understand the hidden

glories of their illustrious brother.

 

Materialistic people mistreated Jada Bharat, but he never protested. He

acted like a madman even though he was a super-human. He did whatever

people ordered of him, and took whatever food was given without

begging. Jada Bharat was determined to refrain from creating more karma

and also exhaust his remaining karma as soon as possible. He didn’t

care about wages for work or if food was good or bad, nor if it was hot

or cold, or neither comfortable nor miserable…He was transcendental to

all opposites.

 

Peopled seeing that although he was born the son of a Brahman he acted

like a fool, called him names and insulted him. But he refused to feel

bad and simply tolerated his life without losing sight of the spiritual

truth.

 

Jada Bharat was very handsome, with long limbs and strong body. But he

never covered not protected his body from rain nor shine. He took life

as it came, disguised as a madman, and being insulted, he simply

wandered around.

 

Jada Bharat’s brothers considered him a fool and engaged him in hard

fieldwork planting grains; but even simple jobs he was unable to

fulfill properly, always acting stupid.

For food he gladly accepted rotten, stale left overs. But he made no

distinction, accepting all as nectar and God’s mercy. He accepted what

ever was given and did as directed without the slightest ill will

towards anyone.

 

Gradually he was driven away by his brothers who grew tired of looking

after him. Following his destiny wherever Jada Bharat simply wandered

around the countryside and through jungles, subsisting on whatever he

came across with no intentions.

 

During the time that Jada Bharat was wondering around aimlessly he was

captured by a band of thieves & murderers who were ordered by their

leader to search out a fresh victim for human sacrifice to the Goddess

Kali, he being desirous of having a son.

 

Jada Bharat was a perfect physical specimen, and being a dullard

appearing no more aware than an animal he was considered ideal. Doing

what ever he was told Jada Bharat was brought to a remote temple of

Goddess Kali to be killed in sacrifice.

 

According to their own fanciful way the robbers cleaned and decorated

the body of Bharat. They covered his limbs in scented oils and fine

garments, which they considered suitable for the ceremony. After

preparation Bharat was agreeably taken before the Goddess. He was made

to sit before the statue of the Goddess while the robbers sounded music

and tossed flowers.

 

The thieves planning to murder Jada Bharat were all real low-lifes,

bound by passion and ignorance. They cared nothing for the Scriptural

injunction against killing a Brahman. Jada Bharat was a saint and a

born Brahman and killing him was forbidden.

 

Then the priest amongst the thieves was ready to offer the blood of

this man-animal to Goddess Kali and taking a consecrated sword he

raised the sharp blade above his head, ready to decapitate the

great-soul known as Jada Bharat…

 

See the great devotee Jada Bharat kneeling before Her about to be

sacrificed the Goddess Kali became infuriated. The Idol of the Goddess

cracked open and the Goddess Kali Herself emerged seething with anger.

Her eyes burned like fire, her teeth were like fangs, and she appeared

in a horrific form, as if to destroy the entire creation. The Goddess

sprang forth from the altar and snatching the sacrificial sword from

the evil priest she immediately slaughtered all the thieves, chopping

of their heads and limbs. With blood spurting from the dismembered

bodies of the dacoits the Goddess drank Her fill, and becoming

intoxicated she began to play with the severed heads like a child plays

with toys. The associates of the Goddess also appeared on the scene and

drank the remaining blood. Then they began singing loudly and dancing

with such force as if to crush the Earth beneath their feet. Such is

the fate of anyone harming a pure devotee.

 

Great souls who are liberated from the material illusion, and who bear

no ill will towards any being, they always seek shelter in the Supreme

Lord, even when about to be murdered. This is normal for the

self-realized souls.

 

Later, at another place, a certain King of Sindhu and Sauvira named

King Rahugana was being carried in a palanquin amidst a large

procession on route to visit a great sage at Kapilashram. The Palanquin

required a replacement carrier, and it just so happened that they came

across Jada Bharat during his aimless wanderings.

 

The King’s servants seeing that Jada Bharat was young and strong

ordered him to carry the burden. Being attuned to allowing his

remaining karma to expire he accepted the duty without protest.

 

When the procession again continued there was shaking of the palanquin

because Jada Bharat would only step forward after checking the ground

in front of him to insure that no ants got crushed; this walking held

up the other bearers and upset the palanquin. Agitated and annoyed the

King admonished his men to carry properly, and again they tried with

out success because Jada Bharat was in a mind of his own.

 

The lead carrier told the King, “Your Majesty, we are trying our best,

but this new bearer is causing the disruption by walking out of step.”

 

King Rahugana was angry and he looked down at Jada Bharat, who was

without blame, and sarcastically insulted him by saying, “Dear bearer,

I am sorry to see that due to old age and weakness you have become

fatigued by carrying this palanquin all alone, without assistance.”

 

The King, being of warrior caste, and with his mind covered in the mode

of passion, spoke these sarcastic words to the great saint Jada Bharat.

But Bharat was none of those things; he was separate from matter, being

fixed up in the absolute consciousness. Bharat was at one with God and

therefore he did not react, instead he simply carried the palanquin out

of step as before. This angered the King who cried out, “Why are you

disobeying my order? Don’t you realize I am master and you are servant?

Are you dead although living? For your disobedience I’ll teach you a

lesson, just like Yamaraj deals with sinners, and bring you to your

senses!”

 

The King threatened Jada Bharat in this way because the King considered

the material body to be the self and he was caught up in the material

illusion of ever-changing matter. It was wrong of the King who had no

idea of the greatness of Jada Bharat.

 

But Bharat was in tune with God, and his own soul. He didn’t relate to

the body of 5 gross elements and mind of 3 subtle elements as his self.

God Himself resided in the heart of Bharat, and Jada Bharat never cared

about insult or praise, considering both to be other than the self. He

could see the folly of the King, and by the will of providence the

great soul smiled at the King and replied…

 

Part II:

The LESSON OF BHARAT

 

“You Majesty, what you have sarcastically said is certainly true

because I am none of the things you mention. The material body is

bearing the load, not I, who am different from the material body and

subtle mind. The material body may be weak or strong, or whatever, but

that never applies to me, whom am spirit soul.”

 

“It is also true that I have not worked hard, and I am not weak or

tired, because all these designations pertain to the material body, and

not the soul. What ever may appear as the material body is never

applicable to the soul within the body.”

 

“This path and the journey you are making is nothing to do with me, the

spirit soul, and that is why I am not feeling any trouble on this

account. Please consider that no wise man would ever confuse the body

with the soul as you are doing.”

 

“All material differences are in a constant state of flux, and the

question of being fat or skinny, or anything else is not the reality of

the self, who is always spiritual by nature.”

 

“Fatness, thinness, bodily and mental illness, thirst, hunger, fear,

disagreement, desires for material happiness, old age, sleep,

attachment for material possessions, anger, lamentation, illusion and

identification of the body with the self are all transformations of the

material covering of the spirit soul. A person living in such a mundane

bodily conception feels affected by these things, but I am not

identified with matter. Therefore everything you have jokingly said it

true about me, the soul, because I am separate from all this

misidentification.”

 

“Oh great hero, you have accused me of being dead though alive. In this

regard, I can only say that this is the case everywhere because

everything material has its beginning and end. And everything material

is dead although permeated by the living spirit.”

 

“You claim that you’re the king and I am the servant, and you are

trying to order me around; but this is nonsense because these material

positions are ever changing, and one day I may be King and you would be

servant. This is according to our ever-changing karma.”

 

“And if I’m crazy like you say then what is the use? If you beat a

madman he’s not cured, like beating a dead horse. In fact, I’m a

self-realized soul, so what’s the use of punishing me?”

 

“Everyone is bound by their karma and following their own modes of

nature so no one is ever fixed as master or servant. But, if you still

think you’re right then tell me what to do?”

 

Having said this, and showing no signs or agitation, Jada Bharat began

to carry the palanquin again, in the same way. He had no false ego. He

was thinking that by carrying the palanquin, he was burning the

remaining results of his past karma.

 

But King Rahugana was simply amazed to hear the words of Bharat. He was

stunned, and he quickly realized that Jada Bharat was a greatly exalted

devotee and saint.

 

His material identity as a king was smashed. He felt terrible for

offending such a saint, and he immediately descended from his palanquin

and fell flat on the ground like a staff, placing his head on the

sacred feet of Jada Bharat.

 

King Rahugana prayed to Bharat, “Oh great saintly person, please excuse

my ignorance. I’m so sorry!!! How could I know? You are wearing the

sacred thread like a Brahmin, but you appear to be covered over, like

ashes cover a fire. Please tell me who you are and how you came to this

realization? Who is your spiritual master? And how have you reached

this place?”

 

“Dear great saint, I’m not scared of the King of heaven, nor even the

superintendent of hell, I am not afraid of anything in this world, save

committing an offense against a saint like you. Please forgive me, and

kindly reveal your true identity.”

 

“We can see that your knowledge, although hidden, is greatly advanced

and approved by Vedic Scriptures. Pray tell us why you’re wandering

around appearing like a dunce. Please explain yourself to us.”

 

“You are surely an incarnation of God, roaming about for the benefit of

humanity. Your knowledge is unlimited, and you’re fully self-realized.

No one can be a better spiritual master than you. As a disciple we beg

you to kindly tell us what is the safest position in life?”

 

 

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