Jaḍa Bharata - The Avadhūta's Instructions on the Forest of Material Life

This article presents a thematic survey of Jaḍa Bharata's philosophical instructions and allegories. It organizes the profound teachings found in the Vaniquotes category Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Verses Spoken by Jada Bharata.

Jaḍa Bharata was the third incarnation of the great Emperor Bharata, after whom the planet earth is named Bhārata-varṣa. In his previous life, he fell from his exalted spiritual position due to affection for a deer. Determined not to repeat the mistake, in his next birth he acted like a dullard (jaḍa), deaf and dumb, to avoid social interaction. However, when King Rahūgaṇa forced him to carry his palanquin and then chastised him for walking unevenly, Jaḍa Bharata spoke up. His teachings to the King are among the most advanced instructions on the nature of the self, the mind, and the illusory nature of material existence found in Vedic literature.

Illusion of Master and Servant (Body vs. Soul)

When King Rahūgaṇa sarcastically chastises Jaḍa Bharata for being "tired" and "not stout," Jaḍa Bharata responds by deconstructing the King's bodily identification. He explains that the concepts of "master," "servant," "fat," and "thin" apply only to the body, which is made of earth, and not to the eternal spirit soul.

Palanquin Carrier (Rebuking the King)

Jaḍa Bharata points out the King's ignorance in thinking he is the master. He argues that since the body is just a transformation of matter, the King's authority is temporary and illusory, valid only by social convention.

  • "The great brāhmaṇa Jaḍa Bharata said: My dear King and hero, whatever you have spoken sarcastically is certainly true. Actually these are not simply words of chastisement, for the body is the carrier."
  • "My dear King, you have unnecessarily accused me of being dead though alive. In this regard, I can only say that this is the case everywhere because everything material has its beginning and end."
  • "I am not the carrier of the palanquin; the body is the carrier. Certainly, as you have hinted, I have not labored carrying the palanquin, for I am detached from the body."
  • "The load carried by the body does not belong to me, for I am the spirit soul. There is no contradiction in your statements because I am different from the body."
  • "If you think that you are the master and that I am the servant, I shall accept this. Please order me. What can I do for you?"
  • "As far as your thinking that you are the king and master and are thus trying to order me, this is also incorrect because these positions are temporary."

Material Transformations

Jaḍa Bharata explains that all bodies are simply clumps of earth. He mocks the King's pride, stating that in the ultimate sense, there is no difference between the palanquin, the carrier, and the passenger, as they are all merely earth returning to earth.

  • "The body may be fat or thin, but no learned man would say such things of the spirit soul. As far as the spirit soul is concerned, I am neither fat nor skinny; therefore you are correct when you say that I am not very stout."
  • "A person absorbed in the material bodily conception is affected by these things, but I am free from all bodily conceptions. Consequently I am neither fat nor skinny nor anything else you have mentioned."
  • "We're all simply different transformations of the earth. Different bodies and capacities are simply transformations of the earth that exist in name only, for everything grows out of the earth and when everything is annihilated it again mingles with the earth."
  • "The self-realized brāhmaṇa Jaḍa Bharata said: Among the various material combinations and permutations, there are various forms and earthly transformations. For some reason, these move on the surface of the earth and are called palanquin carriers."
  • "In that case, who is the master, and who is the servant? Everyone is being forced by the laws of material nature; therefore no one is master, and no one is servant."

Nature of the Mind

Jaḍa Bharata provides a comprehensive analysis of the mind as the primary cause of material existence. He explains that the mind, driven by the three modes of nature, creates the false ego and drags the soul through various species of life, acting as the greatest enemy of the living entity.

The Mind as the Cause of Bondage

Jaḍa Bharata asserts that the mind is responsible for the soul's entrapment in the cycle of birth and death. He describes how the uncontrolled mind creates a false sense of intimacy with the material world.

  • "Learned scholars say that bodily appearance, bondage and liberation are caused by the mind."
  • "The mind, is the cause of all tribulations in the material world. As long as this fact is unknown to the conditioned living entity, he has to accept the miserable condition of the material body and wander within this universe in different positions."
  • "Mind creates bondage and a false sense of intimacy within this material world because it is affected by disease, lamentation, illusion, attachment, greed and enmity."
  • "The materialistic mind covering the living entity's soul carries it to different species of life. This is called continued material existence. Due to the mind, the living entity suffers or enjoys material distress and happiness."
  • "When the mind is absorbed in material sense gratification, it causes suffering, and when detached from material sense gratification, it brings about the original brightness of Kṛṣṇa consciousness."

11 Functions and False Ego

Jaḍa Bharata breaks down the components of the subtle body. He explains how the mind interacts with the senses and the elements to create the complex machinery of the material body.

  • "There are five working senses and five knowledge-acquiring senses. There is also the false ego. In this way, there are eleven items for the mind's functions."
  • "The mind is conducted by the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance. There are eleven senses and five material elements, and out of these sixteen items, the mind is the chief."
  • "Sound, touch, form, taste and smell are the objects of the five knowledge-acquiring senses. Speech, touch, movement, evacuation and sexual intercourse are the objects of the working senses."
  • "Besides this, there is another conception by which one thinks, 'This is my body, this is my society, this is my family, this is my nation,' and so forth. This eleventh function, that of the mind, is called the false ego."
  • "Being thus illusioned, the mind further creates pious and impious activities and their karma, and thus the soul becomes conditioned."

Conquering the Mind

Jaḍa Bharata instructs the King on how to subdue the mind. He compares the uncontrolled mind to a powerful enemy that grows stronger if neglected and advises using the weapon of service to the Guru and Kṛṣṇa.

  • "This uncontrolled mind is the greatest enemy of the living entity. If one neglects it or gives it a chance, it will grow more and more powerful and will become victorious. Although it is not factual, it is very strong."
  • "Mind covers the constitutional position of the soul. O King, please try to conquer this mind by the weapon of service to the lotus feet of the spiritual master and of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Do this with great care."
  • "As long as the mind of the living entity is contaminated by the three modes of material nature (goodness, passion and ignorance), his mind is exactly like an independent, uncontrolled elephant."
  • "My dear King, as long as conditioned soul does not conquer his six enemies and come to the platform of self-realization by awakening his spiritual knowledge, he has to wander among different places and different species of life in this material world."

Forest of Material Enjoyment (The Allegory)

Jaḍa Bharata narrates a famous allegory comparing the material world to a terrifying forest (bhavāṭavī). He describes the conditioned soul as a merchant who enters this forest seeking wealth, only to be plundered by his own senses and family members.

Plunderers and the Path

Jaḍa Bharata explains that the six senses act as plunderers who steal the living entity's spiritual knowledge. He describes the path of material life as filled with obstacles and dangers.

  • "O King Rahūgaṇa, in this forest of material existence there are six very powerful plunderers. When the conditioned soul enters the forest to acquire some material gain, the six plunderers misguide him."
  • "My dear King, the merchant on the forest path of the material world, his intelligence victimized by home, wealth, relatives and so forth, runs from one place to another in search of success."
  • "Jada Bharata, who had fully realized Brahman, continued: My dear King Rahūgaṇa, the living entity wanders on the path of the material world, which is very difficult for him to traverse, and he accepts repeated birth and death."
  • "Under the spell of the Lord's material energy, he continues to loiter in the forest of material existence. He does not discover his real interest even at the point of death."

Family Life as a Trap

Jaḍa Bharata uses harsh metaphors to describe family attachment. He compares wife and children to tigers and jackals that plunder the hard-earned wealth of the merchant, leaving him miserable.

  • "Like tigers, jackals and other ferocious animals in a forest that are ready to take away a lamb from the custody of its protector, the wife and children enter the heart of the merchant and plunder him in so many ways."
  • "Sometimes the living entity in the forest of material existence takes shelter of creepers and desires to hear the chirping of the birds in those creepers. Being afraid of roaring lions in the forest, he makes friends with cranes, herons and vultures."
  • "When the living entity becomes exactly like a monkey jumping from one branch to another, he remains in the tree of household life without any profit but sex."
  • "Sometimes his (the merchant's who is on the forest path of the material world) eyes are covered by the dust of a whirlwind - that is to say, in his lust he is captivated by the beauty of his wife, especially during her menstrual period."
  • "Sometimes a person who is very attached to his family becomes overwhelmed with hunger, and due to his miserable condition he becomes furious with his family members."

Suffering and Illusion

Jaḍa Bharata depicts the relentless suffering of the materialist. He describes how the living entity chases after mirages of happiness, is bitten by the snakes of envious people, and suffers from the dualities of nature.

  • "He approaches such a tree due to his strong appetite, and thus he suffers. He would like to acquire water, but he is simply illusioned by a mirage, and he runs after it."
  • "In this forest there are dense bowers composed of thickets of bushes, grass and creepers. In these bowers the conditioned soul is always disturbed by cruelly biting mosquitoes (envious people)."
  • "Sometimes the living entity is busy counteracting the natural disturbances of freezing cold, scorching heat, strong wind, excessive rainfall and so forth. When he is unable to do so, he becomes very unhappy."
  • "Sometimes he sees an imaginary palace in the forest, and sometimes he is bewildered by seeing a fleeting fiend or ghost, which appears like a meteor in the sky."
  • "Sometimes the merchant in the forest wants to climb the hills and mountains, but due to insufficient footwear, his feet are pricked by small stone fragments and by thorns on the mountain. Being pricked by them, he becomes very aggrieved."

Absolute Truth and Devotion

Jaḍa Bharata concludes his instructions by revealing the nature of the Absolute Truth. He emphasizes that one cannot attain spiritual perfection through independent effort, but only through the association of pure devotees who discuss the pastimes of the Lord.

Non-Dual Knowledge (Advaya-jñāna)

Jaḍa Bharata defines the Ultimate Truth as non-dual consciousness, which is free from material qualities. He explains the progression of realization from Brahman to Paramātmā to Bhagavan.

  • "What, then, is the ultimate truth? The answer is that nondual knowledge is the ultimate truth. It is devoid of the contamination of material qualities. It gives us liberation. It is the one without a second, all-pervading and beyond imagination."
  • "The first realization of that knowledge is Brahman. Then Paramātmā is realized by the yogīs who try to see Him without grievance. This is the second stage of realization. Finally, full realization of the same supreme knowledge is realized in the Supreme Personality."
  • "There are two kinds of kṣetrajña - the living entity, as explained above, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is explained as follows. He is the all-pervading cause of creation. He is full in Himself and is not dependent on others."
  • "He is called Nārāyaṇa, and He is the shelter of living entities after the annihilation of this material world. He is full of all opulences, and He is the resting place of everything material. He is therefore known as Vāsudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

The Dust of the Devotees

Jaḍa Bharata famously declares that spiritual realization is impossible without the mercy of a devotee. He states that one must smear the dust of the lotus feet of great souls on one's body to understand the Truth.

  • "My dear King Rahūgaṇa, unless one has the opportunity to smear his entire body with the dust of the lotus feet of great devotees, one cannot realize the Absolute Truth."
  • "One cannot realize the Absolute Truth simply by observing celibacy (brahmacarya), strictly following the rules and regulations of householder life, leaving home as a vānaprastha, accepting sannyāsa."
  • "Simply by associating with exalted devotees, anyone can attain perfection of knowledge and with the sword of knowledge can cut to pieces the illusory associations within this material world."
  • "There are many other processes to understand the Absolute Truth, but the Absolute Truth is only revealed to one who has attained the mercy of a great devotee."
  • "Through the association of devotees, one can engage in the service of the Lord by hearing and chanting (śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam). Thus one can revive his dormant Kṛṣṇa consciounsess and, sticking to the cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciounsess, return home, back to Godhead, even in this life."

Past Life and Renunciation

To validate his teachings, Jaḍa Bharata reveals his own history. He explains how he fell from the exalted position of Bharata Mahārāja due to attachment to a deer and how he now maintains a detached, hidden existence to ensure his final liberation.

The Story of Bharata Mahārāja

Jaḍa Bharata recounts his previous life as a great emperor who became attached to a small deer. He explains that this attachment forced him to take birth as a deer, but due to his past service, he remembered his spiritual identity.

  • "In a previous birth I was known as Mahārāja Bharata. I attained perfection by becoming completely detached from material activities through direct experience, and through indirect experience I received understanding from the Vedas."
  • "I was engaged in the service of the Lord, but due to my misfortune, I became very affectionate to a small deer, so much so that I neglected my spiritual duties. Due to my deep affection for the deer, in my next life I had to accept the body of a deer."
  • "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."

The Avadhūta Lifestyle

Jaḍa Bharata explains his current behavior. He acts like a madman to avoid the company of materialistic people, wandering alone and unnoticed to protect his devotional service.

  • "I always keep myself separate from the association of ordinary men because I am aware of the falldown in my past life. Being afraid of their bad, materialistic association, I wander alone unnoticed by others."
  • "My dear King, you have said, 'You rascal, you dull, crazy fellow! I am going to chastise you, and then you will come to your senses.' In this regard, let me say that although I live like a dull, deaf and dumb man, I am actually a self-realized person."
  • "If your calculation is true and I am a madman, then your punishment will be like beating a dead horse. There will be no effect. When a madman is punished, he is not cured of his madness."
  • "I am not the carrier of the palanquin; the body is the carrier. Certainly, as you have hinted, I have not labored carrying the palanquin, for I am detached from the body."

Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani

This article is a thematic compilation of the teachings presented in the Vaniquotes category Bhagavatam Verses Spoken by Jada Bharata. We invite you to visit the link to read the complete collection of verses presented in alphabetical order.

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