FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.8.9

अहो बतायं हरिणकुणक: कृपण ईश्वररथचरणपरिभ्रमणरयेण स्वगणसुहृद् बन्धुभ्य: परिवर्जित: शरणं च मोपसादितो मामेव मातापितरौ भ्रातृज्ञातीन् यौथिकांश्चैवोपेयाय नान्यं कञ्चन वेद मय्यतिविस्रब्धश्चात एव मया मत्परायणस्य पोषणपालनप्रीणनलालनमनसूयुनानुष्ठेयं शरण्योपेक्षादोषविदुषा ॥ ९ ॥
aho batāyaṁ hariṇa-kuṇakaḥ kṛpaṇa īśvara-ratha-caraṇa-paribhramaṇa-rayeṇa sva-gaṇa-suhṛd-bandhubhyaḥ parivarjitaḥ śaraṇaṁ ca mopasādito mām eva mātā-pitarau bhrātṛ-jñātīn yauthikāṁś caivopeyāya nānyaṁ kañcana veda mayy ati-visrabdhaś cāta eva mayā mat-parāyaṇasya poṣaṇa-pālana-prīṇana-lālanam anasūyunānuṣṭheyaṁ śaraṇyopekṣā-doṣa-viduṣā.
[aho bataayam harina-kunakah kripana eeshvara-ratha-charana-paribhramana-rayena sva-gana-suhrid-bandhubhyah parivarjitah sharanam cha mopasaadito maam eva maataa-pitarau bhraatri-jnaateen yauthikaamsh chaivopeyaaya naanyam kanchana veda mayy ati-visrabdhash chaata eva mayaa mat-paraayanasya poshana-paalana-preenana-laalanam anasooyunaanushtheyam sharanyopekshaa-dosha-vidushaa.]
aho bata — alas ayam — this hariṇa-kuṇakaḥ — the deer calf kṛpaṇaḥ — helpless īśvara-ratha-caraṇa-paribhramaṇa-rayeṇa — by the force of the rotation of the time agent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which is compared to the wheel of His chariot sva-gaṇa — own kinsmen suhṛt — and friends bandhubhyaḥ — relatives parivarjitaḥ — deprived of śaraṇam — as shelter ca — and mā — me upasāditaḥ — having obtained mām — me eva — alone mātā-pitarau — father and mother bhrātṛ-jñātīn — brothers and kinsmen yauthikān — belonging to the herd ca — also eva — certainly upeyāya — having gotten na — not anyam — anyone else kañcana — some person veda — it knows mayi — in me ati — very great visrabdhaḥ — having faith ca — and ataḥ eva — therefore mayā — by me mat-parāyaṇasya — of one who is so dependent upon me poṣaṇa-pālana-prīṇana-lālanam — raising, maintaining, petting and protecting anasūyunā — who am without any grudge anuṣṭheyam — to be executed śaraṇya — the one who has taken shelter upekṣā — of neglecting doṣa-viduṣā — who knows the fault.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
aho batāyaṁ hariṇa-kuṇakaḥ kṛpaṇa īśvara-ratha-caraṇa-paribhramaṇa-rayeṇa sva-gaṇa-suhṛd-bandhubhyaḥ parivarjitaḥ śaraṇaṁ ca mopasādito mām eva mātā-pitarau bhrātṛ-jñātīn yauthikāṁś caivopeyāya nānyaṁ kañcana veda mayy ati-visrabdhaś cāta eva mayā mat-parāyaṇasya poṣaṇa-pālana-prīṇana-lālanam anasūyunānuṣṭheyaṁ śaraṇyopekṣā-doṣa-viduṣā.
aho bata
alas
ayam
this
hariṇa-kuṇakaḥ
the deer calf
kṛpaṇaḥ
helpless
īśvara-ratha-caraṇa-paribhramaṇa-rayeṇa
by the force of the rotation of the time agent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which is compared to the wheel of His chariot
sva-gaṇa
own kinsmen
suhṛt
and friends
bandhubhyaḥ
relatives
parivarjitaḥ
deprived of
śaraṇam
as shelter
ca
and
mā
me
upasāditaḥ
having obtained
mām
me
eva
alone
mātā-pitarau
father and mother
bhrātṛ-jñātīn
brothers and kinsmen
yauthikān
belonging to the herd
ca
also
eva
certainly
upeyāya
having gotten
na
not
anyam
anyone else
kañcana
some person
veda
it knows
mayi
in me
ati
very great
visrabdhaḥ
having faith
ca
and
ataḥ eva
therefore
mayā
by me
mat-parāyaṇasya
of one who is so dependent upon me
poṣaṇa-pālana-prīṇana-lālanam
raising, maintaining, petting and protecting
anasūyunā
who am without any grudge
anuṣṭheyam
to be executed
śaraṇya
the one who has taken shelter
upekṣā
of neglecting
doṣa-viduṣā
who knows the fault.
The great King Mahārāja Bharata began to think: Alas, this helpless young deer, by the force of time, an agent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has now lost its relatives and friends and has taken shelter of me. It does not know anyone but me, as I have become its father, mother, brother and relatives. This deer is thinking in this way, and it has full faith in me. It does not know anyone but me; therefore I should not be envious and think that for the deer my own welfare will be destroyed. I should certainly raise, protect, gratify and fondle it. When it has taken shelter with me, how can I neglect it? Even though the deer is disturbing my spiritual life, I realize that a helpless person who has taken shelter cannot be neglected. That would be a great fault.

When a person is advanced in spiritual consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he naturally becomes very sympathetic toward all living entities suffering in the material world. Naturally such an advanced person thinks of the suffering of the people in general. However, if one does not know of the material sufferings of fallen souls and becomes sympathetic because of bodily comforts, as in the case of Bharata Mahārāja, such sympathy or compassion is the cause of one’s downfall. If one is actually sympathetic to fallen, suffering humanity, he should try to elevate people from material consciousness to spiritual consciousness. As far as the deer was concerned, Bharata Mahārāja became very sympathetic, but he forgot that it was impossible for him to elevate a deer to spiritual consciousness, because, after all, a deer is but an animal. It was very dangerous for Bharata Mahārāja to sacrifice all his regulative principles simply to take care of an animal. The principles enunciated in Bhagavad-gītā should be followed. Yaṁ hi na vyathayanty ete puruṣaṁ puruṣarṣabha. As far as the material body is concerned, we cannot do anything for anyone. However, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, we may raise a person to spiritual consciousness if we ourselves follow the rules and regulations. If we give up our own spiritual activities and simply become concerned with the bodily comforts of others, we will fall into a dangerous position.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Alas, this helpless young deer, by the force of the turning of the Lord’s wheel of time, has now lost its relatives and friends and has taken shelter of me. It does not know anyone but me, as I have become its father, mother, brother and relatives. It has faith in me. Therefore I, without envy, knowing the fault of neglecting one who approaches in surrender, should raise, protect, gratify and fondle this deer who has surrendered to me. From this verse till verse 11, his attachment is shown. The deer has been separated from its kind by the force of the rotation the Lord’s wheel of time. Mā means me. Being without envy, I see no fault in giving up my own interest for that of the deer, whereas neglecting one who has come for shelter is a great fault.
Material sympathy — even for a helpless creature — can quietly displace remembrance of the Lord. The 'father, mother, brother' role we take on for another being can become a deeper bond than we suspect, and then a chain.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose dependency on you has become a hidden form of your dependency on them?
  • What relationship of caretaking might be subtly diverting you from your devotional core?
📝 My note

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