as animal

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 increase 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 devotional 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 past karma. It may appear to be due to past karma, but it is offered to rectify the devotee and bring him to pure devotional service.    (More...)

Due to his stringent execution of devotional service, Maharaja Bharata could remember the activities of his past life and how he was raised to the spiritual platform. Due to his foolishness, he became attached to an insignificant deer and thus fell down and had to accept the body of a deer. This is significant for every devotee. If we misuse our position and think that we are fully engaged in devotional service and can do whatever we like, we have to suffer like Bharata Maharaja and be condemned to accept the type of body that impairs our devotional service. Only the human form is able to execute devotional service, but if we voluntarily give this up for sense gratification, we certainly have to be punished. This punishment is not exactly like that endured by an ordinary materialistic person. By the grace of the Supreme Lord, a devotee is punished in such a way that his eagerness to attain the lotus feet of Lord Vasudeva is increased. By his intense desire, he returns home in the next lifetime. Devotional service is very completely described here: tad-anusravana-manana-sahkirtanaradhananusmaranabhiyogena. The constant hearing and chanting of the glories of the Lord is recommended in Bhagavad-gita: satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drḍha-vrataḥ. Those who have taken to Krsna consciousness should be very careful that not a single moment is wasted and that not a single moment is spent without chanting and remembering the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His activities. By His own actions and by the actions of His devotees, Krsna teaches us how to become cautious in devotional service. Through the medium of Bharata Maharaja, Krsna teaches us that we must be careful in the discharge of devotional service. If we want to keep our minds completely fixed without deviation, we must engage them in devotional service full time. As far as the members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness are concerned, they have sacrificed everything to push on this Krsna consciousness movement. Yet they must take a lesson from the life of Bharata Maharaja to be very cautious and to see that not a single moment is wasted in frivolous talk, sleep or voracious eating. Eating is not prohibited, but if we eat voraciously we shall certainly sleep more than required. Sense gratification ensues, and we may be degraded to a lower life form. In that way our spiritual progress may be checked at least for the time being. The best course is to take the advice of Srila Rūpa Gosvami: avyartha-kalatvam. We should see that every moment of our lives is utilized for the rendering of devotional service and nothing else. This is the secure position for one wanting to return home, back to Godhead.    (More...)

Bharata Maharaja was a great devotee, but he did not attain success in one life. In Bhagavad-gita it is said that a devotee who does not fulfill his devotional duties in one life is given the chance to be born in a fully qualified brahmana family or a rich ksatriya or vaisya family. Sucinam srimatam gehe (Bg. 6.41). Bharata Maharaja was the firstborn son of Maharaja Rsabha in a rich ksatriya family, but due to his willful negligence of his spiritual duties and his excessive attachment to an insignificant deer, he was obliged to take birth as the son of a deer. However, due to his strong position as a devotee, he was gifted with the remembrance of his past life. Being repentant, he remained in a solitary forest and always thought of Krsna. Then he was given the chance to take birth in a very good brahmana family.    (More...)