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Canto 5 · The Creative Impetus · 26 chapters

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
  3. 3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
  4. 4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
  5. 5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
  6. 6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.
Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›
Canto 5 · Chapter 12: Conversation Between Mahārāja Rahūgaṇa and Jaḍa Bharata
5.12.145.12.16

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 5.12.15

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The self-realized brāhmaṇa Jaḍa Bharatasince 5.12.5-6inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitJaḍa Bharata → King Rahūgaṇa

सा मां स्मृतिर्मृगदेहेऽपि वीर

कृष्णार्चनप्रभवा नो जहाति ।

अथो अहं जनसङ्गादसङ्गो

विशङ्कमानोऽविवृतश्चरामि ॥ १५ ॥

sā māṁ smṛtir mṛga-dehe ’pi vīra

kṛṣṇārcana-prabhavā no jahāti

atho ahaṁ jana-saṅgād asaṅgo

viśaṅkamāno ’vivṛtaś carāmi

Translation

My dear heroic King, due to my past sincere service to the Lord, I could remember everything of my past life even while in the body of a deer. Because I am aware of the falldown in my past life, I always keep myself separate from the association of ordinary men. Being afraid of their bad, materialistic association, I wander alone unnoticed by others.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Sincere Devotional Service Never Goes in Vain

  1. 1

    Devotional service to the Lord never goes in vain. Through his past sincere service, Bharata Mahārāja remembered his previous life even in a deer’s body.

  2. 2

    The mind’s absorption at death can lead one to an animal birth. Yet Bharata Mahārāja retained remembrance of his spiritual position and the cause of his downfall.

  3. 3

    He carefully avoided bad, materialistic association. His service was not lost, and he received another birth in a family of very pure brāhmaṇas.

Key points from the purport
  • Even though Bharata Mahārāja received the body of a deer, he didn’t forget his position.
  • Consequently, in the body of a deer he was very careful to remember the cause of his downfall.
  • Thus his service to the Lord never went in vain.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 2

The purport of SB 5.12.15 quotesBG 2.40

In Bhagavad-gītā (2.40) it is said: svalpam apy asya dharmasya.

The purport of SB 5.12.15 quotesBG 8.6

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (8.6): yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram.

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

How it feels

Misjudgment → Humility and insight. Spiritual insight hides behind social appearances.

Chapters 10–14 of Canto 5: Jaḍa Bharata instructs Rahūgaṇa. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 12: Conversation Between Mahārāja Rahūgaṇa and Jaḍa Bharata

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Jaḍa Bharata also told about his own previous birth and informed the King that by the grace of the Lord he still remembered all the incidents of his past life. Due to the activities of his past life, Jaḍa Bharata was being very cautious and was therefore assuming the characteristics of a deaf and dumb man to avoid mingling with the material world.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 5.12
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. sāthat
  2. māmme
  3. smṛtiḥremembrance of the activities of my previous life
  4. mṛga-dehein the body of a deer
  5. apialthough
  6. vīraO great hero
  7. kṛṣṇa-arcana-prabhavāwhich appeared because of the influence of sincere service to Kṛṣṇa
  8. no jahātidid not leave
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Mukti · Liberation

    What is real freedom for the soul? · Subject 9 of 10

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 5.12

    In this verse: “afraid”, “death”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 5.12

    In this verse: “materialistic”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 5.12

    In this verse: “king”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does knowing that sincere service is never lost encourage me to continue carefully?

Practice

Avoid one instance of materialistic association today that you know weakens your devotional service.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todaySincere Devotional Service Never Goes in VainThis verse's lesson: one practice and one question for today

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.

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