King Bharatha was the son of great Rishabha Deva. After his father became a monk, he took over the duties of ruling the kingdom. He was very much devoted to God and performed many sacrifices. After many hundred years, he handed over his kingdom to his sons and went to Pulahas hermitage and meditated on God on the banks of Gandhaki.

Once, when he was meditating, he saw a deer drinking water. Suddenly there was loud roar of a lion heard from a distance. The deer jumped in fear. Since it was pregnant, its child came out and fell into the river water. The mother deer fell on the banks, dead.

Bharatha rescued the baby deer from the water and took it to his hermitage. He protected it from the wild animals, gave it milk and looked after it day and night.

King Bharatha came to Pulahas ashram, after leaving the bonds, to meditate on God. Now his whole concentration was on the welfare of the young one of the deer. Even if it was not seen for a moment, his heart started beating and his mind became sad. Even when he was about to die, he was thinking about the deer. He was worried about the fate of the deer after his death.

Hence, when he died, he was born as a deer in his next birth. Yet he remembered his previous birth. He realized, how because of the love for the deer, forgot to meditate on God. Hence he moved away from the flock of deer and Pulahas ashrama. Eating grass, herbs etc., he was listening to the sermons of the various sages. When that life span of the deer ended, he was again born as a man.

There was a learned Brahmin, who had nine sons cum disciples. From another wife, he had twins, a daughter and a son. That son was Bharatha.

In this life also, Bharatha lived without any attachment, since he remembered the lives of his earlier births of the king and the deer. He wanted to put an end to this life and death cycle and attain salvation. He did not speak to anybody, never asked for anything. Whenever and whatever was offered was given as food, he consumed. During the remaining period, he roamed here and there. He was ridiculed as mad, but he did not bother.

His father was fond of him. He performed Bharathas upanayanam and tried to teach him. But Bharatha was living like an inanimate being (Jada). He was not at all conscious of pleasure and sorrow.

After their parents death, his brothers neglected him as mad and ill-treated him. The job of guarding the farm was given to him. Bharatha performed all jobs allotted to him silently. Sometimes he was not even paid for his jobs. He did not bother.

His clothes were dirty. Only his sacred thread was an identification for his being a Brahmin. His actions, looks and stature showed him otherwise.

In the meanwhile, in order to get progeny, a person arranged a Puja to Bhadrakali. As part of the Puja, he arranged to perform the Bali (Sacrifice) of a human being. However, suddenly the man who was to be sacrificed, escaped. The servants searched for him here and there. They saw Bharatha guarding the farm. Seeing him alone, they surrounded him and forcibly carried him to the Kali Temple. They bathed him and dressed him. They applied Tilak and sandalwood paste and garlanded him. They placed him on the altar, before Bhadrakali. Bharatha did not at all resist and was ready for any eventuality.

After the Poojas were over, the Pujari raised the sword to kill Bharatha. But all of a sudden, Kali emerged from the statue in a fierce form and killed all of them except Bharatha. Then she vanished.

Bharatha did not return to his house and wandered aimlessly. If someone gave food, he partook it, but never went in search of food.

He reached the banks of river Ikshumukhi. The king of Sindhu Sauveera Desha, Rahooguna had also camped there. He had come to listen to the sermons of Rushi Kapila. After camping there for the night, next morning, resumed his journey. But out of the four palanquin bearers, one of them was missing. The leader of the servants went in search of an alternate bearer. He saw the sturdy and dark Bharatha. He brought him and ordered him to carry the palanquin.

Unless all the four palanquin bearers walk in tandem with the same rhythmic movement, the palanquin will not be steady. But Bharatha was not conscious of the worldly affairs and hence he could not move in unison with the others. The palanquin was shaking heavily, causing discomfort to the king. The king scolded the bearers. The other three bearers told the king that it was not their mistake, but that of the new bearer. They also scolded Bharatha, but to no effect.

The king removed the curtain and told Bharatha O brother, your body will pain, hence lift slowly. Your sturdy body may become weak, hence walk like a flower. This he said in a ridiculing tone.

Bharatha did not take cognizance of the kings words and he moved with the same gait.

The kings anger knew no bounds. He peeped out of the palanquin and shouted, O fool, are you a corpse? Dont you have any feelings? Even after my yelling, you are moving as you like. Dont you know about the severity of the royal punishment?

Bharatha came out and stood before the king. There was no sign of anger on his face. He smiled as he spoke. O king, all the words you spoke are true. This body of mine is impermanent. Hence it can be called a corpse. All those who have attachments to this body are equivalent to corpses. But Atman does not have any such notion of being a corpse. Your words about a royal punishment reflects your ego, arising out of the thought that you are the king and I a am a slave. Some day or the other, you too are going to persih. I will also perish. Nobody on earth is going to remain for ever. In such a situation, why differentiate between you and me? As I am convinced that whatever happens to the body, does not affect the Atman, your punishment will have no effect on me. You cannot create in me the fear you expect to find me. Saying so Bharatha once again lifted the palanquin and started moving.

The words of Bharatha went deep into the kings mind. He understood the truth in his statements. He also came to know that great saint has been made to lift the palanquin. His body shivered. He stopped the vehicle, got down and prostrated before Bharatha.

O sage, please pardon me. I have committed this crime, due to my ego and ignorance. Are you Kapila Rushi? How did this happen? Please the remove the dirt that has entered into my mind and bless me.

Bharatha said O king, dont worry about any crime, which you think you have committed against me. Only as long Jeeva bonds itself with the body, does the Jeeva get affected by the pleasure and pain inflicted on the body. Only because of the attachment with the body, Jeeva is unable to escape from the ocean in the form of samsara. In order to get away from the bond, one must have unwavering devotion towards God. O King, only because you feel that you are the king of Sindhu Desha, you started thinking that you are the ruler and I, a palanquin bearer. Once you get away from the thought of being a king, you will realize that you and me are one and the same. There is no difference between the Jeevan in me and you. The difference is only in the body. That thought also arises, only when ego enters the mind.

Then Bharatha told the king about his two previous births and about his bond with the deer causing his downfall. He advised the king to concentrate on Lord Narayana and cross the forest called samsara, where Jeeva roams here and there without knowing the way to come out.

The king once again prostrated before Bharatha and thanked him again and again. Then both went their respective paths.