Hare Krsna-right now I am reading during morning prasadam the SB 5th Canto and have come to this story of Bharata Maharaja and his little deer friend. This is very instructive for us all for many different reasons.
SB 5.8.8-Gradually Mahārāja Bharata became very affectionate toward the deer. He began to raise it and maintain it by giving it grass. He was always careful to protect it from the attacks of tigers and other animals. When it itched, he petted it, and in this way he always tried to keep it in a comfortable condition. He sometimes kissed it out of love. Being attached to raising the deer, Mahārāja Bharata forgot the rules and regulations for the advancement of spiritual life, and he gradually forgot to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. After a few days, he forgot everything about his spiritual advancement.
SB 5.8.9 purport.. 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.
Note–We should also note that many devotees raise cats and dogs and think they can elevate their pet to spiritual consciousness, which Prabhupada tells us here is “impossible”. They think their dog is chanting Hare Krsna when it– woof woofs or similar other such nonsense things. What they dont realize is they are taking a huge risk of becoming a dog or cat in their next life by misplacing affection -not for God -Krsna but for an animal.
SB 5.8.10 purport…Material conditions are already established by the superior administration according to one’s karma. They cannot be changed. The only benefit we can render to suffering beings is to try to raise them to spiritual consciousness. Material comforts cannot be increased or decreased. It is therefore said in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.5.18), tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukham: “As far as material happiness is concerned, that comes without effort, just as tribulations come without effort.” Material happiness and pain can be attained without endeavor. One should not bother for material activities. If one is at all sympathetic or able to do good to others, he should endeavor to raise people to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In this way everyone advances spiritually by the grace of the Lord. For our instruction, Bharata Mahārāja acted in such a way. We should be very careful not to be misled by so-called welfare activities conducted in bodily, terms. One should not give up his interest in attaining the favor of Lord Viṣṇu at any cost. Generally people do not know this, or they forget it. Consequently they sacrifice their original interest, the attainment of Viṣṇu’s favor, and engage in philanthropic activities for bodily comfort.
Note-When one changes to spiritual consciousness, then the material atmosphere will change. Otherwise, one is stuck with his or her previous consciousness for that body. Srila Prabhupada is also severely warning us to be wary of doing philanthropic activities in the name of Vishnu Seva while forgetting our original intent-to please Lord Vishnu thru His bona fide representative, the spiritual master. If one serves Krsna prasadam but includes eggs in that meal, how is that pleasing to Lord Vishnu?
SB 5.8.12 purport-.How Mahārāja Bharata increased his affection for the deer is described herein. Even such an exalted personality as Bharata Mahārāja, who had attained loving affection for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, fell down from his position due to his affection for some animal. Consequently, as will be seen. he had to accept the body of a deer in his next life. Since this was the case with Bharata Mahārāja, what can we say of those who are not advanced in spiritual life but who become attached to cats and dogs? Due to their affection for their cats and dogs, they have to take the same bodily forms in the next life unless they clearly increase their affection and love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Unless we increase our faith in the Supreme Lord, we shall be attracted to many other things. That is the cause of our material bondage.
Note—Here another clear warning by Srila Prabhupada for devotees who keep cats or dogs and think nothing of its effects. He makes the significant point that if even Bharata Maharaja, who was emperor of this planet and had developed feelings of ecstasy for God, Krsna,then what to speak of present day people who are no where near his level of achievement, and they want to keep cats or dogs and think—nothing will happen to me !!
SB 5.8.13 purport-Mahārāja Bharata left his home, wife, children, kingdom and everything else to advance his spiritual life in the forest, but again he fell victim to material affection due to his attachment to an insignificant pet deer. What, then. was the use of his renouncing his family? One who is serious in advancing his spiritual life should be very cautious not to become attached to anything but Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes, in order to preach. we have to accept many material activities, but we should remember that everything is for Kṛṣṇa. If we remember this, there is no chance of our being victimized by material activities.
Note–devotees do not have to accept cats or dogs in their homes -just to preach. This is all nonsense and just sentimental mundane attachment which will cause our falldown into a lower species in the next life, just as it did to this great exhalted soul Maharaja Bharata.
SB 5.8.14 purport–Because his attraction for the deer was so intense, Bharata Mahārāja could not concentrate upon worshiping the Lord or performing his ritualistic ceremonies. Even though he was engaged in worshiping the Deity, his mind was restless due to his inordinate affection. While trying to meditate, he would simply think of the deer, wondering where it had gone. In other words, if one’s mind is distracted from worship, a mere show of worship will not be of any benefit. The fact that Bharata Mahārāja had to get up at intervals to look for the deer was simply a sign that he had fallen down from the spiritual platform.
Note–There is also another similar instance in the case of Bilvamangal Thakur who would cross a raging stream in a storm just to see his prostitute friend Cintamani. He also had attained a very advanced state of consciousness, Bhava, I think it was, but because he was still attached to this woman for sense gratification, he had to go thru great hardship to change his thinking around. In the next purport Srila Prabhupada tells us…
SB 5.8.15 purport-If a poor man loses some money or gold, he at once becomes very agitated. Similarly, the mind of Mahārāja Bharata would become agitated when he did not see the deer. This is an example of how our attachment can be transferred. If our attachment is transferred to the Lord’s service, we progress. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī prayed to the Lord that he would be as naturally attracted to the Lord’s service as young men and young women are naturally attracted to each other. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu exhibited such attachment to the Lord when He jumped into the ocean or cried at night in separation. However, if our attachment is diverted to material things instead of to the Lord, we will fall down from the spiritual platform.
SB 5.8.17 purport-Mahārāja Bharata thought that the animal was disappointed in his protection and had left him for the protection of a demigod. Regardless, he ardently desired to see the animal again within his āśrama eating the soft grass and not fearing tigers and other animals. Mahārāja Bharata could think only of the deer and how the animal could be protected from all kinds of inauspicious things. From the materialistic point of view such kind thoughts may be very laudable, but from the spiritual point of view the King was actually falling from his exalted spiritual position and unnecessarily becoming attached to an animal. Thus degrading himself, he would have to accept an animal body
Note-When people engage in social or philantropic work ,the common man thinks-oh he is such a great person, doing all this work for those who are suffering. But if in that process one becomes attached to something mundane, material(profit ,adoration, and distinction) and which is not connected to the Lords service, then that so called altruistic service will lead to his degradation, just like Bharata Maharaj.
In our case here, it is all over an animal that one should not become attached to because this misplaced attachment will cause us to lose our spiritual consciousness.Once we become an animal, its a long haul up to the human form of life once again.
Feb 29 1969 lecture LA–…There is an instance of Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura. Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura was in his previous life, elevated to almost prema-bhakti, highest platform of devotional service. But there is always chance of falldown. So somehow or other he fell down. And next life he was born in a very rich family as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe [Bg. 6.41]. So he was born in a rich brāhmaṇa family, but he became, naturally as rich boys become attached to woman-hunter. So it is said that his spiritual master instructed him through his prostitute. At the right moment, his spiritual master said through that prostitute, “Oh, you are so much attached with this flesh and bone. If you had been attached so much with Kṛṣṇa, how good you could have achieved.“ Immediately he took to that position. So that responsibility is for the spiritual master. But we should not take advantage of that. That is not very good. We should try: yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. We should not try to put our spiritual master in a position that he has to reclaim me from prostitute’s house. But he has to do it. Because he accepts his disciple, he has got the responsibility like that. Yes?
Some other warnings by Srila Prabhupada
POP 8 Failure and success in yoga-
When we accept any process of self-realization, we are actually declaring war against māyā, illusion, and māyā is certain to place many difficulties before us. Therefore, there is a chance of failure, but one has to become very steady. Whenever a person tries to escape the clutches of the illusory energy, she tries to defeat the practitioner by various allurements. A conditioned soul is already allured by the modes of material energy, and there is every chance of being allured again, even while performing transcendental disciplines. This is called yogāc calita-mānasaḥ: deviation from the transcendental path.
Feb 25 1977
Prabhupāda: No, no. They may chant, but they must understand that the chanting process, that will be more effective. That they must know. Chanting is open. Anyone can chant, but they must know it, that “If I chant in the proper process, then it will be effective.”
Rāmeśvara: We want then to chant more.
Prabhupāda: Yes. But we must… They must know the science also.
Rāmeśvara: Just like this Alice Coltrane. She has done her small part. She made this record album with Govinda Jaya Jaya and Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: That is… That will be a good thing. But when he (she) does it properly it will be more effective, because there is… If one does not chant in the process, then gradually it degrades. The offense will increase. There is chance.
April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand
So mantra is not ordinary sound vibration. So we have to keep
the mantra in potency, potent, by offenseless chanting, by remaining
pure. If you pollute the mantra, then it will lose its effect.”
SB 4.22.31-When one deviates from his original consciousness, he loses the capacity to remember his previous position or recognize his present one. When remembrance is lost, all knowledge acquired is based on a false foundation. When this occurs, learned scholars consider that the soul is lost.
SB 3.26.26 purport– In the material world we are producing so many things, and this is called advancement of civilization, but factually the advancement of civilization is a manifestation of the false ego. By false ego all material things are produced as objects of enjoyment. One has to cease increasing artificial necessities in the form of material objects. One great ācārya, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, has lamented that when one deviates from pure consciousness of Vāsudeva, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he becomes entangled in material activities. The exact words he uses are, sat-saṅga chāḍi’ kainu asate vilāsa/ te-kāraṇe lāgila ye karma-bandha-phāṅsa: “I have given up the pure status of consciousness because I wanted to enjoy in the temporary, material manifestation; therefore I have been entangled in the network of actions and reactions.”
Hare Krsna
damaghosa das
What do we want–This? Or This????
Krsna or God, will not interfere with our freedom to choose