SB 5.9.1, SB 5.9.2, SB 5.9.1-2

TEXTS 1-2
 
TEXT
श्रीशुक उवाच
अथ कस्यचिद्द्विजवरस्याङ्गिरःप्रवरस्य शमदमतपःस्वाध्यायाध्ययनत्यागसन्तोषतितिक्षाप्रश्रयविद्यानसूयात्मज्ञानानन्दयुक्तस्यात्मसदृशश्रुतशीलाचाररूपौदार्यगुणा नव सोदर्या अङ्गजा बभूवुर्मिथुनं च यवीयस्यां भार्यायाम् यस्तु तत्र पुमांस्तं परमभागवतं राजर्षिप्रवरं भरतमुत्सृष्टमृगशरीरं चरमशरीरेण विप्रत्वं गतमाहुः. ॥ २ ॥
sri-suka uvaca
atha kasyacid dvija-varasyaṅgirah-pravarasya sama-dama-tapah-
svadhyayadhyayana-tyaga-santosa-titiksa-prasraya-vidyanasuyatma-
jnanananda-yuktasyatma-sadrsa-sruta-silacara-rupaudarya-guna nava
sodarya aṅgaja babhuvur mithunam ca yaviyasyam bharyayam. yas tu
tatra pumams tam parama-bhagavatam rajarsi-pravaram bharatam
utsrsta-mrga-sariram carama-sarirena vipratvam gatam ahuh.
sri-sukah uvaca-Sukadeva Gosvami continued to speak; atha-thereafter; kasyacit-of some; dvija-varasya-brahmana; aṅgirah-pravarasya-who came in the dynasty of the great saint Aṅgira; sama-control of the mind; dama-control of the senses; tapah-practice of austerities and penances; svadhyaya-recitation of the Vedic literatures; adhyayana-studying; tyaga-renunciation; santosa-satisfaction; titiksa-tolerance; prasraya-very gentle; vidya-knowledge; anasuya-without envy; atma-jnana-ananda-satisfied in self-realization; yuktasya-who was qualified with; atma-sadrsa-and exactly like himself; sruta-in education; sila-in character; acara-in behavior; rupa-in beauty; audarya-in magnanimity; gunah-possessing all these qualities; nava sa-udaryah-nine brothers born of the same womb; aṅga-jah-sons; babhuvuh-were born; mithunam-a twin brother and sister; ca-and; yaviyasyam-in the youngest; bharyayam-wife; yah-who; tu-but; tatra-there; puman-the male child; tam-him; parama-bhagavatam-the most exalted devotee; raja-rsi-of saintly kings; pravaram-most honored; bharatam-Bharata Maharaja; utsrsta-having given up; mrga-sariram-the body of a deer; carama-sarirena-with the last body; vipratvam-being a brahmana; gatam-obtained; ahuh-they said.
TRANSLATION
Srila Sukadeva Gosvami continued: My dear King, after giving up the body of a deer, Bharata Maharaja took birth in a very pure brahmana family. There was a brahmana who belonged to the dynasty of Aṅgira. He was fully qualified with brahminical qualifications. He could control his mind and senses, and he had studied the Vedic literatures and other subsidiary literatures. He was expert in giving charity, and he was always satisfied, tolerant, very gentle, learned and nonenvious. He was self-realized and engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. He remained always in a trance. He had nine equally qualified sons by his first wife, and by his second wife he begot twins-a brother and a sister, of which the male child was said to be the topmost devotee and foremost of saintly kings-Bharata Maharaja. This, then, is the story of the birth he took after giving up the body of a deer.
PURPORT
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.

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