Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 9.10.34
गोमूत्रयावकं श्रुत्वा भ्रातरं वल्कलाम्बरम् ।
महाकारुणिकोऽतप्यज्जटिलं स्थण्डिलेशयम् ॥ ३४ ॥
go-mūtra-yāvakaṁ śrutvā
[go-mootra-yaavakam shrutvaa]
bhrātaraṁ valkalāmbaram
[bhraataram valkalaambaram]
mahā-kāruṇiko ’tapyaj
[mahaa-kaaruniko ’tapyaj]
jaṭilaṁ sthaṇḍile-śayam
[jatilam sthandile-shayam]
Word-for-word
go-mūtra-yāvakam
—
eating barley boiled in the urine of a cow
śrutvā
—
hearing
bhrātaram
—
His brother Bharata
valkala-ambaram
—
covered with the bark of trees
mahā-kāruṇikaḥ
—
the supremely merciful Lord Rāmacandra
atapyat
—
lamented very much
jaṭilam
—
wearing matted locks of hair
sthaṇḍile-śayam
—
lying down on a grass mattress, or kuśāsana..
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
go-mūtra-yāvakaṁ śrutvā
go-mūtra-yāvakam
eating barley boiled in the urine of a cow
śrutvā
hearing
bhrātaraṁ valkalāmbaram
bhrātaram
His brother Bharata
valkala-ambaram
covered with the bark of trees
mahā-kāruṇiko ’tapyaj
mahā-kāruṇikaḥ
the supremely merciful Lord Rāmacandra
jaṭilaṁ sthaṇḍile-śayam
atapyat
lamented very much
jaṭilam
wearing matted locks of hair
sthaṇḍile-śayam
lying down on a grass mattress, or kuśāsana..
Upon reaching Ayodhyā, Lord Rāmacandra heard that in His absence His brother Bharata was eating barley cooked in the urine of a cow, covering His body with the bark of trees, wearing matted locks of hair, and lying on a mattress of kuśa. The most merciful Lord very much lamented this.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Rāmacandra heard that, in his absence, his brother Bharata was eating barley cooked in the urine of a cow, covering his body with the bark of trees, wearing matted locks of hair, and lying on a mattress of kuśa. The most merciful Lord lamented this.
Go-mūtra-yāvakam means “barley cooked in cow urine.”
Personal Guidance
Bharata, in Rāma's absence, has been eating barley boiled in cow's urine, wearing bark, on a kuśa mat. Substitute leadership done penitentially — recognizing one is only the placeholder for the Lord — keeps the throne ready and humble.
Reflection Questions
- What position do I currently hold that is really being kept for the Lord?
- Am I holding it in a Bharata-like spirit or as if it were my own?
My note
Source: vedabase.io