SB 5.8.31

Text

tasminn api kālaṁ pratīkṣamāṇaḥ saṅgāc ca bhṛśam udvigna ātma-sahacaraḥ śuṣka-parṇa-tṛṇa-vīrudhā vartamāno mṛgatva-nimittāvasānam eva gaṇayan mṛga-śarīraṁ tīrthodaka-klinnam ut-sasarja.

Synonyms

tasminapi—in thatāśrama(Pulaha-āśrama);kālam—the end of the duration of life in the deer body;pratīkṣamāṇaḥ—always waiting for;saṅgāt—from association;ca—and;bhṛśam—constantly;udvignaḥ—full of anxiety;ātma-sahacaraḥ—having the Supersoul as the only constant companion (no one should think of being alone);śuṣka-parṇa-tṛṇa-vīrudhā—by eating only the dry leaves and herbs;vartamānaḥ—existing;mṛgatva-nimitta—of the cause of a deer’s body;avasānam—the end;eva—only;gaṇayan—considering;mṛga-śarīram—the body of a deer;tīrtha-udaka-klinnam—bathing in the water of that holy place;utsasarja—gave up.

Translation

Remaining in that āśrama, the great King Bharata Mahārāja was now very careful not to fall victim to bad association. Without disclosing his past to anyone, he remained in that āśrama and ate dry leaves only. He was not exactly alone, for he had the association of the Supersoul. In this way he waited for death in the body of a deer. Bathing in that holy place, he finally gave up that body.

Purport