Beware The Dear Deer

Deer play pivotal and symbolic roles in many stories from the Vedic epics.

By Suvarna Radha Devi Dasi

IN THE RAMAYANA, Maharaja Dasaratha, while hunting in the forest, heard what he thought was gurgle of a deer drinking water. When he shot an arrow in the direction of the sound, he was mortified when he heard a human cry. He had hit a boy named Sravana Kumara, who was filling a pot with river water. Dasaratha was aghast and apologized profusely for his unintentional yet unrighteous act. Before dying, Sravana Kumara forgave Dasaratha and asked him to bring the water to his blind parents. On learning from Dasaratha of their son’s unfortunate death, the grief-stricken parents cursed Dasaratha:

“Just as we will suffer and die due to separation from our beloved son, you too shall have the same fate.”

The couple did in fact die on the spot, and Dasaratha Maharaja performed the cremation rites for Sravana Kumara and his parents.

While Lord Ramacandra was in exile with His consort, Sita Devi, and brother Lakshmana, a beautiful golden deer grazed near their cottage in the forest. Sita was attracted to the deer and asked Ramacandra get it for her as a pet. Unable to resist her plea, Lord Rama agreed to capture the deer. He instructed Lakshmana to look after Sita and ventured into the forest to get it. Very soon, Ramacandra realized that the deer was not real; it was the Rakshasa Marica. When Ramacandra shot Marica with an arrow, his identity was exposed.

While dying, Marica imitated Ramacandra’s voice and shouted, “O Lakshmana! O Sita! Help! Help!”

Lakshmana was skeptical of the voice and chose to stay with Sita. She, however, consumed by worry about Ramacandra’s safety, insisted that Lakshmana rush to His aid. Reluctantly, Lakshmana left Sita alone in the cottage and went looking for Ramacandra.

Ravana, who had hatched a plan with Marica to abduct Sita, found her alone. Unaware of Ravana’s identity, Sita innocently fell into his trap. He quickly pounced on her, abducted her, and flew over the clouds to Lanka.

In another deer-related story, this one from the Mahabharata, King Pandu saw a deer couple in the woods and unleashed swift, sharp arrows, piercing them both. They were not deer, however, but were the sage Kindama and his wife, enjoying as deer. After being pierced by Pandu, Kindama wept bitterly, called out in a man’s voice, and fell to the ground. Before dying, he cursed Pandu to die when overcome with sexual desire.

In another episode in the Mahabharata, when the arani sticks a hermit would use to ignite sacrificial fires got entangled in a deer’s antlers, the Pandavas went in search of the deer. During the hunt, four of them drank from a poisoned lake and died. They were revived only after Yudhishthira was able to answer questions on dharma from a heron, who turned out to be Yamaraja, also known as Dharmaraja, the lord of dharma.

In Srimad-Bhagavatam King Bharata renounced his kingdom and went to the forest for spiritual advancement. One day, he saw a baby deer fall from the womb of its mother into a river. The doe, shivering in fear because of a lion’s roar and weak from the miscarriage, died shortly after. King Bharata felt compassion for the baby deer, brought it to his ashram, and soon became attached to it. As Bharata was dying, his infatuation for the fawn was so intense that in his next birth he was born as a deer. By Krishna’s mercy, however, he was able to remember his previous life, and after his life as a deer, he was born as the devotee Jada Bharata.

Both the Mahabharata and the Bhagavatam tell how Jara, a hunter, shot an arrow into Lord Krishna’s foot, assuming it to be the face of a deer. Krishna used the mistake as a ploy for ending His time on earth.

Why Deer?

We can find much symbolic significance in the choice of a deer in these incidents. For example, a deer symbolizes enjoyment, as when a deer is attracted by the sweet sounds of a hunter’s flute. Srimad-Bhagavatam warns us that the beautiful sounds of children’s voices keep parents bound up in material existence by creating an illusion of happiness and fulfilment through material attachments. Like the deer, human beings enjoy family life unaware of the time factor behind them. Time is like a tiger, ready to eat the deer. The tiger symbolizes the inevitable passage of time and the impermanence of material enjoyment. It serves as a reminder that while we may find temporary happiness in our family and relationships, ultimately they are subject to change and decay. Thus, to transcend the cycle of materialistic pursuits and find lasting fulfillment, it is essential for all of us to cultivate a deep understanding of our true spiritual nature.

The deer therefore teaches us that we should not work for bodily pleasures or get trapped in material enjoyment, which ultimately leads to spiritual downfall. As for sexual enjoyment, it should be accepted only to create children and raise them in Krishna consciousness.

The deer-related incidents of Dasaratha  and Pandu occurred while hunting, an activity traditionally allowed for kshatriyas (kings and warriors) to prepare them for the battlefield. Dasaratha’s story serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the detrimental consequences of improper hunting practices. He had no ill intent, but his tragic mistake led to his downfall and his kingdom’s suffering. This incident warns us that we should abstain from hunting. By adhering to ethical principles and avoiding harmful actions, we can strive toward a more harmonious and spiritually evolved society.

In Lord Ramacandra’s story, we can compare the deer to the illusory energy of the Lord, which capture’s our mind. The incredibly enchanting and captivating beauty of the golden deer allured Sita. Her desire for it led to Her separation from Lord Ramacandra and great hardship for both of them. Similarly, material attractions separate living entities from the Lord and make them miserable.

The deer’s allure was so powerful that even Ramacandra’s consort, Sita, could not resist its charm. This serves as a reminder that the illusory energy can affect anyone, regardless of one’s spiritual strength. It is a cautionary tale about the dangers of being swayed by external appearances and the importance of staying focused on one’s spiritual path.

In the life of King Pandu, a sage took the form of a deer and was enjoying with his wife, but Pandu shot them despite their enjoyment. Upon realizing his mistake, Pandu deeply regretted his action. The sage, before departing, cursed Pandu with a tragic fate that would prevent him from ever experiencing the joys of marital life.

In the Mahabharata episode involving the Pandavas, they became tired and dejected while searching for the deer. Kshatriyas would not typically succumb to these weaknesses. Therefore, we can see the deer that stole the arani sticks as representing the lure of the material energy, whose pursuit degrades us into acts unbefitting our status.

As for Maharaja Bharata, his undue affection for the deer was clearly the cause of his downfall. Fortunately, after one life as a deer, he was steadfast in his determination to perfect his Krishna consciousness and achieved success. His story can inspire us to redouble our spiritual efforts when we fail to pass tests we face in our journey to the Lord.

Regarding the hunter who “killed” Lord Krishna, his mistake highlights the importance of being cautious and mindful of our actions and desires.

In humans, all five senses are dominant, each sense attracted to a “deer” it chooses to seduce for its own enjoyment. The senses compete for gratification, thus leading us to separate from the shelter of a spiritual master and the Lord. It is impossible to satisfy even one sense at a time, and chasing the deer of attractions in the material world leads us into traps that are difficult to escape. To avoid these traps, it is crucial for us to prioritize our spiritual growth and align our senses and actions with Krishna consciousness.

Suvarna Radha Devi Dasi, PhD, and her husband, Brajanatha Dasa, PhD, both disciples of His Holiness Radhanath Swami, live in Longmont, Colorado, with their two daughters. They are active in book distribution and in serving Sri Sri Radha-Govinda at ISKCON Denver.