FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.12.15

सा मां स्मृतिर्मृगदेहेऽपि वीर कृष्णार्चनप्रभवा नो जहाति । अथो अहं जनसङ्गादसङ्गो विशङ्कमानोऽविवृतश्चरामि ॥ १५ ॥
sā māṁ smṛtir mṛga-dehe ’pi vīra
[saa maam smritir mriga-dehe ’pi veera]
kṛṣṇārcana-prabhavā no jahāti
[krishnaarchana-prabhavaa no jahaati]
atho ahaṁ jana-saṅgād asaṅgo
[atho aham jana-sangaad asango]
viśaṅkamāno ’vivṛtaś carāmi
[vishankamaano ’vivritash charaami]
Word-for-word
sā — that mām — me smṛtiḥ — remembrance of the activities of my previous life mṛga-dehe — in the body of a deer api — although vīra — O great hero kṛṣṇa-arcana-prabhavā — which appeared because of the influence of sincere service to Kṛṣṇa no jahāti — did not leave atho — therefore aham — I jana-saṅgāt — from the association of ordinary men asaṅgaḥ — completely detached viśaṅkamānaḥ — being afraid avivṛtaḥ — unobserved by others carāmi — I go here and there.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sā māṁ smṛtir mṛga-dehe ’pi vīra
sā
that
mām
me
smṛtiḥ
remembrance of the activities of my previous life
mṛga-dehe
in the body of a deer
kṛṣṇārcana-prabhavā no jahāti
api
although
atho ahaṁ jana-saṅgād asaṅgo
viśaṅkamāno ’vivṛtaś carāmi
vīra
O great hero
kṛṣṇa-arcana-prabhavā
which appeared because of the influence of sincere service to Kṛṣṇa
no jahāti
did not leave
atho
therefore
aham
I
jana-saṅgāt
from the association of ordinary men
asaṅgaḥ
completely detached
viśaṅkamānaḥ
being afraid
avivṛtaḥ
unobserved by others
carāmi
I go here and there.
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.
Purport

In Bhagavad-gītā (2.40) it is said: svalpam apy asya dharmasya . It is certainly a great fall to go from human life to animal life, but in the case of Bharata Mahārāja or any devotee, devotional service to the Lord never goes in vain. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (8.6) : yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram. At the time of death, by nature’s law the mind is absorbed in a certain type of thinking. This may lead one to animal life, yet for a devotee there is no loss. 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. As a result, he was given a chance to be born in a family of very pure brāhmaṇas. Thus his service to the Lord never went in vain.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O King Rahūgana! In the body of a deer, my memory, by the power of my previous worship of Kṛṣṇa, did not leave me. Fearing material association, I wander about alone incognito. His worship of Kṛṣṇa, though failing in the last life, saves him. Fearing material association, I wander about unknown (avivṛtaḥ)
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
After his fall, Jaḍa Bharata stays alone, avoiding the bad association that originally undid him. Some seasons of spiritual life require deliberate solitude. Wisdom knows when to withdraw from company that is not safe.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose company are you continuing to keep that has reliably destabilized you before?
  • Where would chosen, prayerful solitude serve you better than another round of risky association?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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