Sumati, Rāṣṭrabhṛta, Sudarṣana, Avarana and Dhumraketu were the 5 sons of Bharata.

Previously this land was famous as the Ajanābha deśa. After King Bharata, this land was known as Bhārata deśa. Emperor Bharata, a learned scholar, was very affectionate towards his citizens. He ruled righteously just as his father and grandfather had ruled in the past.

Veda, which inherently is formless, attains a form due to Yagna and its related activities. Srihari exists in the form of Yagna. Bharata religiously performed the big and small Vedic Yagnas known as Agnihotra, Darśa, Poorṇamāsa, Chaturmasya, Paśu and Soma and through them worshipped Lord Srihari. Some Yagnas were completely conducted along with all their limbs while some were partial Yagnas.

The four types of priest’s viz., hota, udghāta, adhvaryu and Brahma assisted him during these Yagna rituals. The adhvaryu made the offerings into the homa fire as stipulated in the Vedas and completed the Yagnas successfully. The resultant fruit which arises due to performance of Vedic activities is the merit called apurva. Bharata offered even these resultant fruits to Srihari.

Due to this offering, impurities such as likes and dislikes disappeared from his mind. The mantras caused him to recollect the various attributes of the Devatas. The Lord has created a system by which the mantras grant the knowledge of the Devatas and that the person is in turn blessed by the Devatas. For this reason, Srihari is called the presiding deity of the Yagna. He is Yagneshwara.

Bharata smartly realized that the various Devatas were the limbs of the Supreme Lord. Due to this contemplation his mind was rendered totally pure. Srihari, who is none other than Parabrahma, exists as the space within the hearts of the devotees.

This Lord retains Lakshmi, Kauthuba gem, Srivatsa sign and Vanamala garland on His chest. He holds weapons such as conch, discus, mace and lotus in His hands. This Supreme Lord, with the intent of causing the welfare of his devotees, remains firmly fixed in their hearts.

Bharata’s devotion intensified towards the Lord who was seated in his heart. This devotion grew by leaps and bounds with every passing day. This great devotee ruled for 1 crore years enjoying palatial luxuries.

He then realized that his prārabdha karma (portion of karma due to be experienced in a particular birth) was coming to an end. He rightfully divided the property, which he had received from his father and grandfather, among his 5 sons. Taking up sanyāsa ashrama he became a renunciate.

He reached Pulaha Maharishi’s ashrama. The inmates of Maharishi Pulaha ashram are very dear to Srihari. He has fatherly love towards them. Even to this day He manifests here before the devotees who worship Him.

In this ashram River Gandaki also known as Chakra nadi flows. The sacred stones in this river, known as Saligrama, bear the discus and conch marks. The presence of the Saligramas renders all the hermitages in that vicinity pure.

Bharata, who reached Pulaha Maharishi’s ashram, was freed from all worldly impurities. Peace enveloped him completely. Using flowers and tulasi petals from the ashram, Bharata offered exclusive worship to Lord Srihari. He performed water abhishekam to the Lord. He offered fruits, roots and bulbs from the ashram to the Lord and through this worship derived limitless bliss.

Due to endless worship his love increased infinitely. His heart melted due to this overflowing love and he was totally at peace. Due to bliss that emerged his body horripilated. As a result he was ecstatic and tears of joy poured uncontrollably from his eyes totally blurring his vision. In this way Bharata focused exclusively upon the reddish lotus feet of that Lord who resides in the heart.

Due to this endless meditation the depths of devotion touched the deep lake called his heart and from there it spread everywhere. Bharata, who was focused exclusively upon the Lord who was in his heart, forgot to offer regular worship to Him.

Bharata would be dressed in deerskin. Due to bathing thrice daily his thick long curly wet hair was ashen in colour. Facing the rising Sun, he prayed to the Sun God with the following hymn:

The Self-illuminating Lord also known as Parabrahma is the cause for the entire universe. His energy called Chitshakti, is beyond Nature (Prakriti). Parabrahma, who manifests in the form of Chitshakti, rewards the individual entity based on his actions. He creates this entire universe merely with his power of intention. He enters into the world and remains as a witness for all the individual entities who seek sensory pleasures. He strengthens the senses of the living entities. I surrender to this Chitshakti, the supreme energy of the Lord.

With this the seventh chapter of the fifth canto comes to an end.