Emperor Bharat was the eldest son of Lord Rishabhdev. With just a divine resolve, Lord Rishabhdev endowed Bharat with the strength to protect the Earth and appointed him as king. Bharat married Panchjani, the daughter of Vishwarup, and they had five sons, each as virtuous and capable as their father. The land once known as Ajanābh-varṣh came to be known as Bharatvarsh in his honor. It was during Maharaj Bharat’s reign that this country earned the name Bharatvarsh or India.
By nature, King Bharat was deeply devoted to the Lord, wise in ethical knowledge, and skillful in governance like his forefathers. He cared for his subjects with great affection and performed many sacrificial rituals. During these rituals, he would become so absorbed in devotion that it seemed as if the Lord was present before him. His devotion grew stronger with each passing day.
He ruled righteously for ten million years while maintaining excellent health. Eventually, detachment toward royal life arose in his heart, and he yearned to engage solely in the remembrance of God. He distributed his kingdom and wealth appropriately among his sons, left the royal palace, and with firm resolve, went to a place called Pulaha Ashram to immerse himself in devotional practice.
Progress Toward Renunciation
Near the Pulaha Ashram flowed the sacred Gandaki River, in which the divine Shaligram forms of the Lord manifest naturally. This river is considered extremely holy. In this serene setting, surrounded by the hermitages of many sages, Maharaj Bharat began living in solitude. He worshipped the Lord using wild leaves, flowers, tulsi leaves, water, roots, and forest fruits.
He found such immense bliss in devotional practices that he completely forgot he had ever been a king. The sole yearning in his heart was to serve the Lord. His body would tremble with divine emotion, tears would flow from his eyes, and his heart would melt with love. He would often be overcome with ecstasy — his voice would choke, his eyes would overflow with tears, and his whole being would be immersed in the contemplation of the Lord’s lotus feet.
He bathed three times a day — at dawn, noon, and dusk. He would stand in the river chanting the Lord’s names, which greatly intensified his spiritual practice.
The Fawn That Became an Obstacle in Bharat’s Devotion
One day, Bharat was bathing in the river and stood in the water for a few hours, engaged in chanting. At that moment, a pregnant deer, tormented by thirst, came to the river to drink water. Just then, the terrifying roar of a lion echoed through the forest. Terrified, the deer leapt away in panic, and due to the shock, her unborn baby fell into the river’s current. The mother deer herself died shortly thereafter.
Bharat witnessed the whole scene. Filled with compassion, he immediately stopped his chanting, lifted the fawn from the river, and brought it to his hermitage. The fawn was small and delicate, and seeing it stirred deep affection and tenderness in him.
Gradually, his mind began to dwell more and more on the fawn. He would cradle it in his lap, press it to his chest, kiss it, and lovingly care for it. He would bring green grass for the little deer, feed it, and stay close to it at all times. Slowly, his remembrance of God and his spiritual disciplines began to fade. Bharat started thinking, “This creature is completely dependent on me. I am its mother, father, friend, and companion. It loves me dearly.” Now, he would carry the deer on his shoulders, feed it grass, and care for it with love. Even while bathing, he would hold the fawn in his arms and take it into the water with him.
Bharat’s Fall from Spiritual Practice Due to Attachment
Whenever the fawn wandered away from him, Bharat would become extremely anxious. He would weep and pray to God, saying, “O Lord! Please protect my dear fawn. May no wolf or wild animal harm him.” His mind, once immersed in God, was now completely absorbed in the fawn.
It was astonishing—he who had renounced his kingdom, family, children, and all worldly pleasures for the sake of devotion, had now turned away from that very devotion. His mind became restless and entangled in attachment. Due to the deer, his divine worship, yogic discipline, and spiritual practices were all rendered fruitless. His thoughts and memories were entirely occupied with the fawn. A single baby deer caused the downfall of his great yogic steadfastness.
Bharat, who had once abandoned attachment to wife, son, and all worldly ties for the realization of God, became deeply attached to a mere deer. The royal sage Bharat, overcome by the obstacle in the form of the deer, fell from his divine path. When death approached, the fawn was by his side. Bharat’s eyes remained fixed on it, and his heart clung to it. He worried, “Who will care for him after I’m gone? Who will love and protect him?” And in this state of thought, he died.
According to the law of karma, as the final thought at death, so the next birth—Bharat’s end resembled that of an ordinary man. And because of the emotion and attachment he held at the moment of death, he was reborn as a deer.
Even in a Deer’s Body, Bharat Remembered God
Devotion to God never goes in vain. Even in the body of a deer, Bharat retained the memory of his past life. He deeply repented, thinking, “I am King Bharat, once absorbed in divine worship, and now I have become a deer due to my attachment to a mere fawn!” In that remorse, he firmly resolved: “From now on, I will not become attached to anything.”
Even while living in the body of a deer, he resided near the banks of the Gandaki River, engaged in devotional remembrance of God. He would eat dry grass to avoid forming any new attachments. In time, he gave up that deer body. Due to the merit and spiritual strength he had accumulated, Bharat was reborn in his next life as a human, in the form known as Jad Bharat (meaning Silent or Detached Bharat).
Bharat’s Rebirth as Jad Bharat
Bharat was reborn into the household of a highly ascetic sage. He came to be known as Jad Bharat. Born into a noble family endowed with all the virtues of a true Brahmin, he was the same King Bharat who, in his previous life, had taken the form of a deer. In this life, he was born as a spiritually awakened soul.
He required no formal education, for his devotional practice had already reached completion during his time in the deer body. Generally, spiritual practice is not possible in an animal form; however, because Bharat devoted his royal life to worship and service to others, the merit of that devotion carried over. As a result, even in the body of a deer, his remembrance of God and awareness of his past remained intact.
Consequently, in this birth too, he retained full memory: “I was King Bharat. I made a mistake and became a deer. Now I have been born into the household of a Brahmarshi.”
Jad Bharat’s Mad-like Conduct to Preserve His Renunciation
Due to the memory of his past life, Jad Bharat deliberately adopted the behavior of a madman to protect himself from any worldly obstacles or attachments. From early childhood, his entire life was immersed in devotion to the Lord. With his lips sealed, his gestures erratic like those of the insane, he continuously remembered the feet of the Supreme Lord. He behaved in such a way that no one would become attached to him or show affection.
His father, however, loved him deeply, having realized that this was no ordinary child, but a spiritually enlightened soul. Despite this, others saw him as mentally unstable. His father tried repeatedly to teach him religious vows and disciplines, but Bharat intentionally behaved contrary to every instruction. Why? So that neither his father would develop attachment to him, nor he to his father.
Attempts were made to teach him the Gayatri Mantra, but even after four months, he did not memorize a single verse. Through spring, summer, and monsoon, efforts continued—but Bharat remained absorbed in his seemingly mad-like actions. His father was deeply saddened, believing his son to be insane, yet at the same time sensed that this boy would one day sanctify their entire lineage.
After his father’s death, Bharat became completely free. No one else showed him love—only his father had done so. Soon, his mother too passed away. His brothers considered him a fool and a madman, unaware that he was actually a realized soul. Because of this ignorance, they insulted him, fed him stale food, and treated him like an animal.
Jad Bharat’s Humiliation
People would assign him menial tasks, insult him, beat him, even spit on him—but Bharat remained unaffected by honor or dishonor, for all sense of body-identification had been completely destroyed in him. He was established in the highest state of Self-realization. Bharat deliberately acted in such a way that people would consider him foolish or insane.
Some would make him work as a laborer—cutting fodder, throwing out cow dung—and at the end, give him burnt or stale leftovers to eat. He never bathed, changed clothes, or even washed his hands and face. He wandered about bare-bodied in all seasons. Though his body was strong, he had no attachment to taste, comfort, or respect. Abiding in the pinnacle of spiritual knowledge, he lived with just two garments—an old sacred thread and a cloth tied around his waist. To onlookers, he appeared to be nothing more than a madman. People made him work, abused him, but Bharat calmly accepted everything without resistance.
When his brothers noticed that people gave him food in exchange for labor, they summoned him and said, “Come, work in the field.” They instructed him to level the land, but Bharat began digging in such a way that, where the land was supposed to be even, he made deep pits like wells, and dug in areas that didn’t need digging at all. He did this deliberately, so no one would suspect he was intelligent. Everyone remained convinced he was mad. Instead of shaping the garden beds properly, he turned them into a series of trenches.
His brothers scolded him, pushed him around, and gave him no proper food—only dry husks, rotten lentils, and the coarse remains of broken rice, the kind usually thrown to animals. Sometimes, they even fed him the burnt scraps stuck to the bottom of cooking pots. Bharat accepted all of it as though it were nectar, considering it the fruit of his past karma.
Eventually, his brothers, frustrated by his behavior, drove him away from the field and kicked him out. Another brother then put him to guard the fields. But what guarding could he do? The field would be in one direction, and Bharat would sit cross-legged far away, completely detached. He had no interest in the field at all. Whatever task he was assigned would result in the opposite of what was expected, further convincing everyone that he was truly insane.
Jad Bharat Captured by Dacoits for Human Sacrifice
Meanwhile, the chief of a group of dacoits had made a vow to Goddess Kali: “If I am blessed with a son, I will offer a human sacrifice.” As fate would have it, he was indeed blessed with a son. To fulfill his vow, he ordered his men to capture a man to offer in sacrifice.
They caught a man and let him roam freely in the market, thinking, “Let him eat to his heart’s content before the sacrifice.” The man had no idea he was chosen for sacrifice. He happily ate whatever he liked. A shopkeeper leaned over and whispered, “Enjoy all you want… soon your head will be cut off!”
Startled, the man asked, “Why?” The shopkeeper replied, “You’re the sacrificial victim—your head will be offered to the goddess!” On hearing this, the man dropped his plate and ran for his life. When the guards saw him escape, they panicked. “If the chief finds out, he’ll sacrifice us instead!” they thought. So, they urgently began searching for another man to offer. As they scoured the area at night, they spotted a man lying in a field—he looked utterly mad. That man was none other than Jad Bharat.
The dacoits observed, “Ah! This one is strong and well-built—perfect for the goddess and sure to please the chief too.” Without resistance, they seized him and brought him to Kali’s temple. There, the full sacrificial ritual was prepared. Bharat was bathed, adorned with flowers, clothed in new garments, smeared with sandalwood paste, and garlanded. Then he was served a grand meal. Bharat, with utter peace and detachment, ate everything without question. Drums and instruments began to sound. The final aarti was performed. The sacrificial sword was brought out. He was told, “Bow your head.” Bharat calmly and silently lowered his head, offering no resistance.
Just as the chief lifted the sword to strike, the idol of Goddess kali began to tremble. A blazing divine energy erupted from the deity. The idol burst open, and the goddess herself appeared, roaring in fury. She snatched the sword and—with her wrath unleashed—beheaded the very ones who had worshipped her. Bharat, in perfect serenity, simply stood up and walked away, unbothered and immersed in divine joy.
Jad Bharat’s Encounter with King Rahugan
Bharat, adorned with a tilak, dressed in fresh clothes, was walking joyfully in divine bliss. At the same time, a king named Rahugan was traveling in a royal palanquin, on his way to meet Lord Kapildev for a spiritual discourse. This Rahugan was none other than the soul of the same deer whom Bharat had once nurtured with great affection in his previous life. At that time, Bharat had lovingly said to the deer, “I will ensure your well-being wherever you go.”
As King Rahugan’s palanquin reached the bank of a river, one of the palanquin bearers fell ill with fever and became unsteady, causing the palanquin to shake. The head bearer ordered, “Find a replacement quickly!” Since it was the king’s order, everyone scrambled to find a new carrier.
At that very moment, they spotted a radiant young man walking nearby—well-built, strong like a bull, dressed in fresh clothes with a shining tilak on his forehead. They thought, “He’s perfect—strong, young, and sturdy. He’ll make an excellent bearer.” Without knowing who he truly was, they forcibly assigned Bharat the task of carrying the palanquin. Until this moment, Bharat had never given anyone any teaching or spoken much to others. Now, silently, he was placed among the palanquin bearers, blending into their midst without resistance.
Jad Bharat’s Strange Behavior and the King’s Anger
However, Bharat was not suited for this task. He silently kept his gaze fixed on the ground, being careful not to step on any living creature. The other palanquin bearers were trained and synchronized, but Bharat, though immensely strong, would abruptly halt to avoid harming even the smallest ant, causing the entire palanquin to jolt and the others to stumble.
King Rahugan became irritated. “What is this negligence?” he demanded. “The palanquin is wobbling!” The bearers nervously replied, “Please punish us if you must, but we are innocent. The new bearer is to blame. He doesn’t walk in rhythm with the rest of us.” The king, now convinced this newcomer was disrupting his journey, became angry and mocked Bharat sarcastically: “Oh dear man, you look so frail and thin! Are you exhausted already? It seems your fellow bearers haven’t supported you. Or perhaps you’re carrying the whole palanquin alone?”
He kept taunting him, but Bharat remained silent. In his vision, the body and the palanquin were equal—both made of the five elements, both mere manifestations of ignorance. The one speaking harshly was also caught in ignorance, so Bharat chose not to respond.
Yet the palanquin still didn’t move steadily. At one point, Bharat noticed a line of ants crawling in perfect formation. To avoid crushing them, he suddenly leapt to the side, so suddenly that the other bearers couldn’t keep up. This time, King Rahugan lost his temper. “Are you even alive? How dare you insult me? I will have God of death punish you!” At that moment, Jad Bharat looked at him for the first time and, with a gentle smile, said: “Ah, King, your treatment is finally beginning. I carried you before, and I carry you now again. It’s taken three lifetimes, but now the cure will be complete.”
Jad Bharat’s Teachings on the Soul and the Body
King Rahugan was very proud of his scholarship. But upon encountering Jad Bharat, he realized this was no ordinary man—this was a great soul endowed with self-realization and knowledge. For the first time, the silent Jad Bharat spoke:
“If there is such a thing as a ‘burden,’ then there must also be a bearer. If there is a path, there must be one who walks on it. Fat or thin—these are attributes of the body, not of the soul. The wise do not speak the way you have spoken. Hunger, thirst, fear, illness, anger, delusion, desire, sleep—these all belong to one who identifies with the body, not to the Self. When you say, ‘I will punish you,’ that applies only to the body, not to the soul.
The relationship between king and subject exists only for the sake of worldly conduct, not in the ultimate reality. In the soul, there is neither king nor subject. If you are truly the master and I the servant, then tell me—what service shall I render you? But even this is only a bodily illusion.” Hearing this, the ego within King Rahugan was shattered. He leapt down from the palanquin, fell flat in prostration, placed his head at Jad Bharat’s feet, and with folded hands pleaded:
“Great soul, forgive me. I did not recognize you. I do not fear the thunderbolt of Indra, nor the trident of Lord Shiva, nor the punishment of Yamaraj, nor the weapons of Agni, the Sun, the Moon, or Kubera. But I am deeply afraid of insulting the great sages.
The depth in your voice and the gravity of your gaze—I failed to recognize it before. I was on my way to a spiritual discourse with Lord Kapildev, an incarnation of Lord Hari. But now I wonder—was it He who has come to instruct me in this form? Who are you, O hidden sage, who roams in the guise of a humble ascetic?”
King Rahugan’s Questions
King Rahugan, humbled and curious, said: “O Lord, some of your words have left me in doubt, so I ask: You said that whether the body is honored or insulted, or whether it suffers pain, none of it affects the soul. But, my Lord, when I fight in battle, my body tires and I say, ‘I am tired.’ When I carry a load, I feel, ‘I am exhausted.’ Doesn’t this prove that the soul feels the body’s pain? And another thing—you said, ‘The pot, the water, and the act of drawing water—are all illusions.’ But I don’t understand. Is the water false? Or the pot? Or the action?
Jad Bharat said, the palanquin and its movement are all illusions. When a pot is placed on a stove, with water and rice inside, the fire heats the pot, the water boils, and the rice gets cooked. Similarly, when the body suffers, the inner mind is afflicted, and through it, pain reaches the soul.
Rahugan said, My Lord, if I have ever disrespected or offended you, I beg your forgiveness. Please bless me so that I never commit an offense against a saint. I am terribly afraid of offending a holy soul. Even the greatest person can be destroyed if they insult one who is self-realized.”
Then Jad Bharat replied: “O King! You speak like a scholar, yet you are ignorant. You do not know the Self; you are merely indulging in logic and argument. Speaking in the language of scholars does not make you learned. O King! Your mind is your greatest enemy. It is this mind that is veiling the light of self-realization. So serve the feet of a true Guru, and with the weapon of knowledge, destroy this mind.”
The Enchanting and Terrifying Nature of the World
“O King! This world is like a dense forest. Once a soul enters it, escaping becomes extremely difficult. This forest is, on one hand, incredibly enchanting, and on the other, deeply terrifying. That is why attaining liberation from it is not easy. Until one receives the grace of a true Guru, the soul remains trapped in this ocean of worldly existence.
O Rahugan! On this worldly path, the soul suffers countless afflictions, obstacles, and pains. Yet even then, he does not remember God. His mind remains entangled in pleasures, in providing for his family, and in the pursuit of wealth. Even if someone in his family dies, after completing the rites, he quickly develops attachment to new relationships. At times he grieves, at times he rejoices. Thus, his life remains entangled in grief, joy, pleasure, and family ties.
Even if by rare good fortune he gains the company of saints, he still finds faults in them and does not heed their words. This soul continues moving toward the world. O King, he has not yet returned to the point from where his journey began. His journey started from God and moved toward sensual enjoyment, yet he has not turned back toward God. Only those return to God who have renounced all worldly desires. Even if one performs grand sacrifices or gives up his life on the battlefield, he cannot attain the Supreme without renouncing desire.
Therefore, those who wish to cross the ocean of worldly existence must burn both their sins and merits in the fire of detachment and remain absorbed in the constant remembrance of God. If a soul wandering the path of the world somehow finds a saintly association and becomes absorbed in holy chanting, then he returns to the place from where he came — the Supreme Abode. That alone is our true home.”
Liberation of King Rahugan
By the teachings of Maharaj Jad Bharat, the knot of ignorance in King Rahugan’s heart was cut, and he attained the Supreme Abode. Wise men say that just as a mere fly cannot be compared to Garuda, no king can be compared to the greatness of Jad Bharat. In his youth, he renounced wife, children, and worldly attachments to devote himself to the worship of the Lord, and by his third birth, he had become a realized soul who had attained God.
Whoever listens with devotion to the sacred life story of Maharaj Bharat or Jad Bharat will be freed from untimely death. They will escape the grasp of time (death), their fame will spread, and if they take refuge in the Lord while engaging in devotional chanting, they may attain liberation or divine love. Whoever reads, listens to, or narrates this story with reverence will also have all their other desires fulfilled.
Guidance By: Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj
