Bharata — Dushyanta putra

(see this Bharata’s story too)

Bharata was the putra of the great Dushyanta and Shakuntala. Kanva maharshi did the jaataka-karmaadi samskaaram of Bharata. Bharata was Shri Hari’s amsha and was a paraakramashaali. Right from his childhood he was a Balashaali. He used to catch ferocious lions and play with them in his childhood! Dushyanta did pattaabhishekam of Bharata and went to the forests for Tapas. After Dushyanta, Bharata did Dharma-paalanam of this entire Bhuumandalam.

Bharata, the mahaa-yashasvi, became Chakravarti of the Sapta-dviipas. Since he is a Daiva-amsha-sambhuuta, his name will always be remembered. On his Dakshina hastam, Bharat had Chakra-chinham and on his legs had Padma-kosha Chinham.

He did 55 Ashvamedha Yaagas in the Karma Bhuumi between Gangaa-Saagara-sangamam and Gangotpatti-sthaanam. Later, with Diirghatapasa as Purohita, on the Yamunaa-tiiram, Bharata did 78 Ashvamedha Yaagas!

A collection 13084 Gomaata (cows) is called as “Dvandvam”. Bharata did “Dvandvam” daanam, along with the calfs, decorated with golden ornaments, to 1000 Viprottamas. During “Mashnaara” Yagnyam, he gave daanam of 1400000 Gajas (elephants), along with suvarnam (gold). Panditas say that, there has been none before and will be none after Bharata who did such adbhuta daanams!

Bharata was a great Dhairya, Paraakrama-shaali. During the course of the Ashvamedha Yaagams, Bharata caught 3300 ashvas and surprised the Kings! Bharata did dushta-samhaaram — he did vadha of Kiraata, Huuna, Yavana, Poundra, Kanku, Khashu, Shaku, Mlechchha and other Sanaata-Dharma-viruddha Raajas. Long ago, the asuras once defeated the Devatas, took away the Devata-striis and hid them in Rasaatalam. Bharata saved all of them and returned them to the Devatas. During his rule, both Svargam and Pruthvi used to give whatever the praja wanted.

Though Bharata had more sampada than Kubera and was unparalled in Paraakramam, knowing that Dhanam, Aishvaryam, Raajya-lakshmi, his priya putras … are all mithya, he never had Vishaya-bhogas and always wanted Shaanti. He did Yuddham of Dharma-sthaapana and not with Keerti-kaanksha or Raajya-kaanksha. Like this, with Vairaagyam, he did paalanam of this Bharata Khandam for 27000 years (see Kaala-maanam)! From him only the Bharata-vamsham originated. Also the Divya Mahaa-bhaarata aamnaayam, which was originally named by Vyaasa as Jayam, got its name as “Bhaaratam” because it describes this Bharata’s Vamsha-charitra. (this is only one of the meanings of Bhaaratam)

Morals in the story:

1. The daana, paropakaara gunams of Bharata must be cultivated by all of us. People say a person who did so many divya-kaaaryas never ever existed or will ever exist (Na bhuuto na bhavishyati).
2. Though Bharata had Paraakramam and Dhairyam, he did not do Yuddhams with Raajya, Dhana Kaanksha. He killed Kings who are against Sanaata-dharmam and did Dharma-sthaapana.
3. The Vairaagya buddhi of Bhaarateeyas is well displayed in this story. They do Karma, but never are interested in the materialistic benifits of it and do it with Paropakaara-bhaavana.

Message:

It is indeed our adrushtam to be born as Bhaarateeyas. Bhaarata-desham is the only Karma-bhuumi. Hence, though Bharata ruled entire Bhuumandalam, he did all the Yaagas, Yagnyams, Vratams in this Karma-bhuumi only. As told in many of the previous stories, there are many Divya-kshetras, Siddha-pradeshas, Siddha-aashramams in this Bhaarata Desham.

Search Terms: Bharatha, Dushyantha, Sakuntala, Shakunthala, Sakunthala, Bhaaratham, Mahabharat