FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.29.53

क्षुद्रं चरं सुमनसां शरणे मिथित्वा रक्तं षडङ्‌घ्रिगणसामसु लुब्धकर्णम् । अग्रे वृकानसुतृपोऽविगणय्य यान्तं पृष्ठे मृगं मृगय लुब्धकबाणभिन्नम् ॥ ५३ ॥
kṣudraṁ caraṁ sumanasāṁ śaraṇe mithitvā
[kshudram charam sumanasaam sharane mithitvaa]
raktaṁ ṣaḍaṅghri-gaṇa-sāmasu lubdha-karṇam
[raktam shadanghri-gana-saamasu lubdha-karnam]
agre vṛkān asu-tṛpo ’vigaṇayya yāntaṁ
[agre vrikaan asu-tripo ’viganayya yaantam]
pṛṣṭhe mṛgaṁ mṛgaya lubdhaka-bāṇa-bhinnam
[prishthe mrigam mrigaya lubdhaka-baana-bhinnam]
kṣudram — on grass caram — grazing sumanasām — of a beautiful flower garden śaraṇe — under the protection mithitvā — being united with a woman raktam — attached ṣaṭ-aṅghri — of bumblebees gaṇa — of groups sāmasu — to the singing lubdha-karṇam — whose ear is attracted agre — in front vṛkān — tigers asu-tṛpaḥ — who live at the cost of another’s life avigaṇayya — neglecting yāntam — moving pṛṣṭhe — behind mṛgam — the deer mṛgaya — search out lubdhaka — of a hunter bāṇa — by the arrows bhinnam — liable to be pierced.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kṣudraṁ caraṁ sumanasāṁ śaraṇe mithitvā
kṣudram
on grass
caram
grazing
sumanasām
of a beautiful flower garden
śaraṇe
under the protection
mithitvā
being united with a woman
raktaṁ ṣaḍaṅghri-gaṇa-sāmasu lubdha-karṇam
raktam
attached
ṣaṭ-aṅghri
of bumblebees
gaṇa
of groups
sāmasu
to the singing
lubdha-karṇam
whose ear is attracted
agre vṛkān asu-tṛpo ’vigaṇayya yāntaṁ
agre
in front
vṛkān
tigers
asu-tṛpaḥ
who live at the cost of another’s life
avigaṇayya
neglecting
yāntam
moving
pṛṣṭhe mṛgaṁ mṛgaya lubdhaka-bāṇa-bhinnam
pṛṣṭhe
behind
mṛgam
the deer
mṛgaya
search out
lubdhaka
of a hunter
bāṇa
by the arrows
bhinnam
liable to be pierced.
My dear King, please search out that deer who is engaged in eating grass in a very nice flower garden along with his wife. That deer is very much attached to his business, and he is enjoying the sweet singing of the bumblebees in his garden. Just try to understand his position. He is unaware that before him is a tiger, which is accustomed to living at the cost of another’s flesh. Behind the deer is a hunter, who is threatening to pierce him with sharp arrows. Thus the deer’s death is imminent.

Here is an allegory in which the King is advised to find a deer that is always in a dangerous position. Although threatened from all sides, the deer simply eats grass in a nice flower garden, unaware of the danger all around him. All living entities, especially human beings, think themselves very happy in the midst of families. As if living in a flower garden and hearing the sweet humming of bumblebees, everyone is centered around his wife, who is the beauty of family life. The bumblebees’ humming may be compared to the talk of children. The human being, just like the deer, enjoys his family without knowing that before him is the factor of time, which is represented by the tiger. The fruitive activities of a living entity simply create another dangerous position and oblige him to accept different types of bodies. For a deer to run after a mirage of water in the desert is not unusual. The deer is also very fond of sex. The conclusion is that one who lives like a deer will be killed in due course of time. Vedic literatures therefore advise that we should understand our constitutional position and take to devotional service before death comes. According to the Bhāgavatam (11.9.29) :

labdhvā sudurlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte mānuṣyam arthadam anityam apīha dhīraḥ tūrṇaṁ yateta na pated anumṛtyu yāvan niḥśreyasāya viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt

After many births we have attained this human form; therefore before death comes, we should engage ourselves in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. That is the fulfillment of human life.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Search out the deer, who is grazing on grass, enjoying with his mate in garden of flowers, his ears attracted to the songs of swarms of bees, moving about without considering the hungry tigers in front of him, with a hunter behind him ready to shoot him with his arrows. Examine this deer which will soon die, without knowing the calamity awaiting him. He is grazing (caram) on insignificant grass. Not making a proper compound (kṣudra-caram) is poetic license. He is attached to being together with his wife in a garden (śaraṇe) of flowers. He listens to the songs (sāmasu) of a swarm of bees. In front are hiding wolves. He moves about, not considering them, because he does not know. He is almost pierced by the arrows of a hunter hiding behind him. Find that deer and lead him quickly from the flower garden to another place, otherwise the wolves and hunter will kill him.
Search out the deer eating grass with his wife in a flower garden, attached, enjoying bee-song — under threat. Householder addiction to sense pleasure is the deer's posture; threats approach unseen.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose 'deer in the garden' situation am I in right now?
  • Where do I refuse to look at the threats because the flowers smell so good?
📝 My note

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