Text 26] The Character of Bharata Maharaja 295
manifest in the form of the deer. Due to the fruitive results of his
past deeds, he fell down from mystic yoga, austerity and worship
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If it were not due to his
past fruitive activity, how could he have been attracted to the deer
after giving up the association of his own son and family, con-
sidering them stumbling blocks on the path of spiritual life? How
could he show such uncontrollable affection for a deer? This was
definitely due to his past karma. The King was so engrossed in
petting and maintaining the deer that he fell down from his
spiritual activities. In due course of time, insurmountable death,
which is compared to a venomous snake that enters the hole cre-
ated by a mouse, situated itself before him.
PURPORT

As will be seen in later verses, Bharata Maharaja, at the time of death.
would be forced to accept the body of a deer due to his attraction for the
deer. In this regard, a question may be raised. How can a devotee be
affected by his past misconduct and vicious activities? In Brahma-
samhita (5.54) it is said, karmani nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam:
‘For those engaged in devotional service, bhakti-bhajana, the results of
past deeds are indemnified.”” According to this, Bharata Maharaja could
not be punished for his past misdeeds. The conclusion must be that
Maharaja Bharata purposefully became over-addicted to the deer and
neglected his spiritual advancement. To immediately rectify his mistake.
for a short time he was awarded the body of a deer. This was just to in-
crease his desire for mature devotional service. Although Bharata
Maharaja was awarded the body of an animal, he did not forget what had
previously happened due to his purposeful mistake. He was very anxious
to get out of his deer body, and this indicates that his affection for devo-
tional service was intensified. so much so that he was quickly to attain
perfection in a brahmana body in the next life. It is with this conviction
that we declare in our Back to Godhead magazine that devotees like the
gosvamis living in Vrndavana who purposely commit some sinful activity
are born in the bodies of dogs, monkeys and tortoises in that holy land.
Thus they take on these lower life forms for a short while. and after they
give up those animal bodies. they are again promoted to the spiritual
world. Such punishment is only for a short period. and it is not due to
