Srimad Bhagavatam – day 274
Fifth Canto Chapter Nine
In this chapter, Mother Goddess Bhadrakali rescuing Jadabharata is narrated.
There was a great Brahmin belonging to the Angirasa gothra (clan) who was a master in his branch of the Vedas. He had perfect sense-control, mind control, was situated in penance, engaged in charitable activities, was content, patient, humble and possessed self-knowledge. He was totally involved in worshipping the Lord. This supreme person would never find faults in others.
Through his first wife he had 9 noble sons who were equal to him in knowledge, character, disciplines, appearance and broad-mindedness. Through his other wife he had twins- a boy and a girl.
After his birth as a deer, the great saintly king Bharata was born as the boy in the pair of twins born to this Brahmin. Mahatmas predicted that this would be Bharata’s last birth.
Even as a small child, Bharata was wary of developing friendship and attachment towards his relatives. He would meditate exclusively upon the lotus feet of the Lord. Due to spiritual practices known as contemplating about the Lord, recollecting His divine glories and narrating them to others the aspirant is freed from worldly bondages!
Due to God’s grace Bharata remembered all his past births. For this reason he was always apprehensive about creating obstacles in his spiritual journey. His behavior caused people to consider him mad, deaf, dumb, blind and foolish.
His father was full of affection towards him. Even though this boy was inert and rigid (jada), he sent him to a Guru so that he could be educated. The Guru imparted to him knowledge and disciplines. Until the boy returned home after completing his education, his Guru ensured that he duly completed his daily obligatory Vedic duties without fail.
Bharata had his thread ceremony. All the Vedic disciplines were taught to him properly. The father dutifully imparted all the teaching to his son as it was his duty to educate his son. Bharata however abided by his Vedic duties only when his father was observing him. Most of the time, he was negligent.
Once during monsoons, his father wanted to teach him the Vedas. He at first taught him the Gayatri mantra. Thereafter during the following spring and summer he ensured that the boy repeatedly recites the Vedas.
Omkara is the mother of all mantras. Even though Bharata was unsuccessful in mastering the Gayatri mantra, the father considered him equal in all aspects. His son was his life. He was determined to educate Bharata at all costs. Even though Bharata was least interested, the father ensured that he chants the Vedas, performs all Vedic rituals, conducts all duties pertaining to the Brahmachari (celibate) stage of life, the fire-worship and other Vedic duties as stipulated. Despite all attempts the father failed miserably.
Death has no forgetfulness. Nor is it lazy. While his father was thus immersed in these house-holder’s tasks, it approached him and took him away.
At the death of her husband, the younger wife entrusted her twins to the care of the elder wife and gave up her life. She reached the same plane as her husband.
Bharata’s brothers were unaware of his greatness and supremacy. Their mind was entirely focused upon performing frutitive Vedic rituals. Engrossed in these frutitive rituals they had absolutely no inclination towards acquiring Self-knowledge. In their opinion Bharata was an ignorant fool. They were least interested in his welfare.
Those brothers, who were like two-legged animals, addressed Bharata as fool or mad. They considered him to be deaf and dumb. Bharata too behaved like a mad, deaf person. These brothers forcefully extracted work out of him. Bharata unhesitatingly completed all tasks per their demand. Some would offer him food in exchange for work. Some paid him. Bharata filled his stomach through completing these small jobs for his brothers. At times he would beg for food. He ate everything that was offered irrespective of whether the food was tasteless, spoilt or bitter. He ate only to sustain his life-force and not for enjoyment.
He was soaked in the ultimate Self’s bliss. Self-bliss cannot be generated due to external condition. This bliss is non-dual. It can be experienced in the form of Self-knowledge. Bharata who had experienced this Self-knowledge was unaffected by dualities such as joys and sorrows, heat and cold etc. Irrespective of winter, summer, rainy season he roamed about naked like a bull.
These traits are similar to those of Avadhootas They appear mad. Once, a Paramahamsa went to an assembly of mad persons. All the mad people screamed, “See a madman is seated amidst us” and fearing him they ran away. In other words, he appeared mad to the already mad people.
It is wrong to assume that we are the body. Realizing that we are not the body is real knowledge. Bharata did not have body-identification. As such even in harsh winters or peak monsoons or intense summers like a bull he roamed without any clothing.
Jadabharata appeared very sturdy and healthy even though he did not eat much. He would sleep on the bare floor. He never washed his hair. Many times he would not bathe. He remained like a gem hidden in the mud. His unhygienic and unclean appearance prevented the Self-effulgence in him from becoming visible. That was his beauty.