स वर्षपतिः प्रकृतिस्थेन मनसा तस्मा आशिष आशास्ते स्वस्ति स्ताद्वत्स ते
सर्वत इति ॥१४॥
kriyÄyÄá¹ nirvartyamÄnÄyÄm antarÄle 'py utthÄyotthÄya yadainam abhicakṣīta tarhi vÄva sa vará¹£a-patiḥ praká¹›ti-sthena manasÄ tasmÄ ÄÅ›iá¹£a ÄÅ›Äste svasti stÄd vatsa te sarvata iti
kriyÄyÄm - the activities of worshiping the Lord or performing ritualistic ceremonies; nirvartyamÄnÄyÄm - even without finishing; antarÄle - at intervals in the middle; api - although; utthÄya utthÄya - repeatedly getting up; yadÄ - when; enam - the deer calf; abhicakṣīta - would see; tarhi vÄva - at that time; saḥ - he; vará¹£a-patiḥ - MahÄrÄja Bharata; praká¹›ti-sthena - happy; manasÄ - within his mind; tasmai - unto it; ÄÅ›iá¹£aḥ ÄÅ›Äste - bestows benedictions; svasti - all auspiciousness; stÄt - let there be; vatsa - O my dear calf; te - unto you; sarvataḥ - in all respects; iti - thus.
When MahÄrÄja Bharata was actually worshiping the Lord or was engaged in some ritualistic ceremony, although his activities were unfinished, he would still, at intervals, get up and see where the deer was. In this way he would look for it, and when he could see that the deer was comfortably situated, his mind and heart would be very satisfied, and he would bestow his blessings upon the deer, saying, “My dear calf, may you be happy in all respects.â€
Because his attraction for the deer was so intense, Bharata MahÄrÄja 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 MahÄrÄja had to get up at intervals to look for the deer was simply a sign that he had fallen down from the spiritual platform.
