Comprehension 10

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:

King Bharata ruled over all the world. He was a thoughtful and religious man, and he

looked upon the whole world as evidence of the supreme spirit of God.

He worshipped God in the form of Vishnu, the Preserver, and was full of devotion, ruling

the earth for one hundred thousand years. He had five sons, amongst whom he divided

all his kingdom, and went at last into the forests near the river Gandak, where he lived   5

alone, praying and meditating.

His worship consisted of offering fresh flowers, tender leaves, and wild fruits and roots.

He controlled all his senses and never grew weary. There was no one to disturb him, no

one to take his mind off the worship of God. He bathed three times a day, and worshipped

Vishnu in the golden sun.                                                                                               10

One day, while Bharata was bathing in the river, he heard a lion roaring, and saw a deer,

which was about to give birth to a fawn, fleeing from the lion and splashing across the

river. As it reached the other side it gave birth to the fawn, and then died. Bharata saw

the helpless little fawn struggling in the water. Being moved with compassion, he took it

in his hands and saved it. Then he took the fawn home and cared for it, and soon began       15

to love it. He became so attached to it that little by little he began neglecting his services

to God; but he was quite unaware that this was happening.

His love for the deer grew, and he used to bring it tender grass to eat, and he would bathe

it, and keep it near him. Sometimes he would hold it in his arms or on his lap. He loved

its company. Often, when performing some ceremony, he would break off in the middle         20

to look for the deer.

But one day the deer disappeared.

Bharata was overcome with grief and a terrible sense of loss. "Did I not take care of you

in every way?" he mused. "Now I do not know if some animal has killed you, or if you

will one day return to gladden my heart. I remember how you used to touch me gently          25

with your horns as I sat in meditation". He had renounced his family and his kingdom in

order to obtain the spiritual freedom of the hermit. Now, because of his attachment to the

deer, all his strivings appeared to have been futile.

Then one day the deer returned.

Bharata was overcome with joy. He treated it as though it were his own son, and devoted      30

the rest of his days to its welfare.

In his last days, on his death-bed, his thoughts were only of the deer; and so, upon his

soul leaving his body, he was re-born as a deer. But the memory of his past life remained

with him. He felt sorry that he had neglected his duties to God, and regretted his former

attachment to the deer. He did not mingle with the rest of the herd, and at last left them

and went away alone to his old place, where he had formerly lived and worshipped;

and there he remained, bathing in the river and grazing on its banks; and so much did

he desire to be freed from the body of a deer that, when he died, he was able to be born

again into a Brahmin family.

(a) For each word given below choose the correct meaning (as used in the passage) from the

options provided.          [3]

(i) weary (line 8)

a. tired

b. sleepy

c. hungry

d. drowsy

(ii) renounced (line 26)

a. give in

b. give up

c. give away

d. give out

(iii) futile (line 28)

a. hopeless

b. painless

c. emotionless

d. pointless

(b) Answer the following questions briefly in your own words:

(i) Who did King Bharata worship and what did his worship consist of? [2]

(ii) What did Bharat hear and see one day while he was bathing in the river? [2]

(iii) What was King Bharata quite unaware of? [1]

(iv) How did Bharata care for the fawn? [2]

(v) What toll did the disappearance of the deer take on King Bharata? [2]

(c) In not more than 50 words, write how King Bharata spent his life when he was reborn as a deer. [8]

……………………………………………………………………………….

Answers

(a) For each word given below, choose the correct meaning (as used in the passage) from the options provided: [3]

(i) weary (line 8)

• a. tired

(ii) renounced (line 26)

• b. give up

(iii) futile (line 28)

• d. pointless/hopeless

(b) Answer the following questions briefly in your own words:

(i) Who did King Bharata worship and what did his worship consist of? [2]

King Bharata worshipped Vishnu, the Preserver. His worship consisted of offering fresh flowers, tender leaves, wild fruits, and roots. He also bathed three times a day and meditated, worshipping Vishnu in the golden sun.

(ii) What did Bharata hear and see one day while he was bathing in the river? [2]

While bathing in the river, Bharata heard a lion roaring and saw a deer, about to give birth, fleeing from the lion. The deer crossed the river, gave birth to a fawn, and then died.

(iii) What was King Bharata quite unaware of? [1]

King Bharata was unaware that his growing attachment to the fawn was causing him to neglect his worship and duties to God.

(iv) How did Bharata care for the fawn? [2]

Bharata cared for the fawn by bringing it tender grass, bathing it, keeping it near him, and showing it affection by holding it in his arms or on his lap. He also loved its company and frequently interrupted his religious ceremonies to look for it.

(v) What toll did the disappearance of the deer take on King Bharata? [2]

The disappearance of the deer caused King Bharata immense grief and a deep sense of loss. He was tormented by thoughts of what might have happened to the deer and regretted that all his spiritual efforts seemed to have been in vain because of his attachment to it.

(c) In not more than 50 words, write how King Bharata spent his life when he was reborn as a deer. [8]

After being reborn as a deer, King Bharata retained memories of his past life. He lived alone, avoiding the herd, and returned to his old place of worship. He bathed in the river, grazed on its banks, and longed to be freed from his deer's body to achieve spiritual liberation.