In the previous episode, we had witnessed an important and a pertinent point when it comes to taking rebirths. We’ve witnessed how Sage Bharata was a victim of one small “Paapa-Karma” of not thinking of Bhagawan while passing away, and that, he had to take a rebirth as a deer, which was in his thoughts during the previous birth. Of couse, for this small mistake of his, Bhagawan did not punish him with a full birth of a deer. It was just for a few years and subsequently he had the opportunity of taking another birth as a human being – As a sage again! This is where we had witnessed how children who experience premature deaths should be hailed as great “Mahatmas”, because they might have done so because of some small “Paapa Karmas” that they might have accummulated towards the end of their previous birth. Thus, rather than feeling sad about it, we should feel proud if we would have had such children in our families.
Moving on now with the story of Sage Bharata – As we’ve witnessed earlier, Sage Bharata was extremely fortunate to take a quick rebirth as a great Sage once again. Now we’re going to witness the advent of “Bharata – 2.0”! 🙂 How is Bharata 2.0 going to be? What is that change we’re going to witness in him this time? This time, he is not going to make that same mistake that he did the last time. He was more resolute this time. Interestingly he had the same name as Bharata again, like the previous birth. But now, this Bharata is going to be transformed into “Jada-Bharata”. How is this transformation going to happen? Let’s look on! As Bharata takes the new birth thus, he was totally aloof right from day one! Nothing in this world seemed to interest him at all. All he was interested in was to do penance without any form of disturbance. He was so aloof this time that even if someone comes near him and talks with him, he wouldn’t open his mouth and reply. Even if someone asks him a question, he wouldn’t reply. Even if someone hits him with a stick or slaps him with the hand, he wouldn’t respond! He was totally into a zone of his, and nothing in this world seem to disturb him now! During the previous birth, we had witnessed how he had got carried away by the deer, but now, nothing is going to carry him away! His resolution knew no bounds!
Being thus in his own territory of thoughts about Bhagawan, this Bharata is going around to many places, not even knowing where is he going and why is he going! Thus, as people started seeing him walking in such an aloof manner, they started calling him a “Jada”! The word “Jada” normally is used to indicate a non-living object, but people are referring him as “Jada”. It is because Bharata was roaming around as if a non-living object was being carried away by the wind. Thus, as years progressed by, he was referred to as “Jada-Bharata”. Even when people were making fun of him by calling him as “Jada-Bharata”, he was totally ignorant of it! He didn’t even realize that people were making fun of him. Such was the level of aloofness that he was into! This is where, we might sometimes think that those people who are like this, might be mad or crazy – But it actually is not. We should remember that those people who are in their own world, are mostly in the world of bliss! Highly realized souls are normally this way – Wandering around without any reaction to anything that is happening around them. Initially we might tend to brand them as crazy, but we should realize the significance behind them. Many people even do some unfortunate things like hurting them with stones, physically and verbally abusing them, etc. We should remember that all these are in no way going to affect them, but one thing is for sure – By hurting or abusing a Bhaagawatha, (in this case, a highly realized spiritual soul), we’re entering into the greatest “danger zone” of Bhagawan! We’ve already witnessed in our previous episodes as to how ruthless Bhagawan is, when it comes to abusing Bhaagawathas or Bhagawan’s ardent devotees. If we end up hurting or branding such people as crazy and mad, and thereby abusing them, we’ve to be prepared to get the highest order of punishment from Bhagawan.
Thus, the transformation happened – From Bharata 1.0 (Sage Bharata) to Bharata 2.0 (Jada-Bharata). Now we’re going to witness a very interesting story after this point, wherein the king of a nearby place is going to come in contact with this Jada-Bharata. We shall wait till the next episode to commence this important discussion. So for today, let us understand and experience this important transformation, and wait for an even more absorbing episode tomorrow! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 