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Obstacle to liberation religion

CHENNAI: Attachment is the root of transmigration and hence even a spiritually evolved person has to constantly guard himself from succumbing to it. It is essential to understand the difference between love and attachment. Love is sublime which in the case of a spiritual seeker gets expressed as compassion towards all beings. Love will not bind a person while attachment is the consequence of ignorance because it restricts love to one’s dear and near ones, and hence is an impediment to liberation.

In his discourse, Sri B.Sundar Kumar said the life of Bharata — the renowned emperor, who was the eldest son of Rishabhadeva, a manifestation of the Lord — was a pointer to the snare of attachment. Bharata was fortunate to receive the highest wisdom from Rishabhadeva and was entrusted with the kingdom by Him. He ruled it dutifully, married and had five noble sons.

The Bhagavata Purana states that he performed many sacrifices and worshipped God even while discharging his duties as an emperor. After ruling for several years he divided his hereditary fortune among his sons and retired to the bank of the river Gandaki, also known as the Salagramakshetra (in Nepal), to meditate on the Lord. He was often immersed in bliss.

Such a sage who had renounced power and pelf, one day chanced to see a pregnant deer drinking water in the river. Hearing the roar of a lion it became agitated and leapt across when its foetus dislodged and fell into the stream.

Afflicted by the exhaustion the deer died. Moved with compassion by the sight of the helpless young one being swept by the current, Bharata rescued it and started caring for it in his hermitage. He who had devoted all his time to spiritual pursuit now spent his time nourishing it and protecting it from wild animals, so much so, he neglected his daily worship.

Thus did the royal sage who spurned everything without a second thought became attached to the young deer as he deceived himself into thinking that it was his duty to protect it. Even in his last moments he remembered only the deer and hence he was reborn as a deer to overcome the attachment that caused another birth.

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