Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King, in this way Bharata Mahārāja was overwhelmed by an uncontrollable desire which was manifest in the form of the deer. Due to the fruitive results of his past deeds, he fell down from mystic yoga, austerity and worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If it were not due to his past fruitive activity, how could he have been attracted to the deer after giving up the association of his own son and family, considering them stumbling blocks on the path of spiritual life? How could he show such uncontrollable affection for a deer? This was definitely due to his past karma. The King was so engrossed in petting and maintaining the deer that he fell down from his spiritual activities. In due course of time, insurmountable death, which is compared to a venomous snake that enters the hole created by a mouse, situated itself before him.
Srimad Bhagavata Purana
श्रीमद्भागवतमहापुराणम्
मूल श्लोकः
एवमघटमानमनोरथाकुलहृदयो मृगदारकाभासेन स्वारब्धकर्मणा योगारम्भणतो विभ्रंशितः स योगतापसो भगवदाराधनलक्षणाच्च कथमितरथा जात्यन्तर एणकुणक आसङ्गः साक्षान्निःश्रेयस- प्रतिपक्षतया प्राक्परित्यक्तदुस्त्यजहृदयाभिजातस्य तस्यैवमन्तरायविहतयोगारम्भणस्य राजर्षेर्भरतस्य तावन्मृगार्भकपोषणपालनप्रीणनलालनानुषङ्गेणा- विगणयत आत्मानमहिरिवाखुबिलं दुरतिक्रमः कालः करालरभस आपद्यत
evamaghaṭamānamanorathākulahṛdayo mṛgadārakābhāsena svārabdhakarmaṇā yogārambhaṇato vibhraṃśitaḥ sa yogatāpaso bhagavadārādhanalakṣaṇācca kathamitarathā jātyantara eṇakuṇaka āsaṅgaḥ sākṣānniḥśreyasa- pratipakṣatayā prākparityaktadustyajahṛdayābhijātasya tasyaivamantarāyavihatayogārambhaṇasya rājarṣerbharatasya tāvanmṛgārbhakapoṣaṇapālanaprīṇanalālanānuṣaṅgeṇā- vigaṇayata ātmānamahirivākhubilaṃ duratikramaḥ kālaḥ karālarabhasa āpadyata
SB 5.8.26