The Discussion Between Jada Bharata and Maharaja Rahugana
Summary
5.10
In this chapter Bharata Maharaja, now Jada Bharata, was successfully accepted by King Rahugana, ruler of the states known as Sindhu and Sauvira.
The King forced Jada Bharata to carry his palanquin and chastised him because he did not carry it properly.
A carrier of King Rahugana’s palanquin was needed, and to fulfill this need the chief carriers found Jada Bharata as the most likely person to do the work.
He was therefore forced to carry the palanquin.
Jada Bharata, however, did not protest this proud order, but humbly accepted the job and carried the palanquin.
While carrying it, however, he was very careful to see that he did not step on an ant, and whenever he saw one, he would stop until the ant had passed.
Because of this, he could not keep pace with the other carriers.
The King within the palanquin became very disturbed and chastised Jada Bharata with filthy language, but Jada Bharata, being completely freed from the bodily conception, did not protest; he proceeded carrying the palanquin.
When he continued as before, the King threatened him with punishment, and being threatened by the King, Jada Bharata began to talk.
He protested against the filthy language used by the King when the King chastised him, and the King, hearing the instructions of Jada Bharata, was awakened to his real knowledge.
When he came to his consciousness, he understood that he had offended a great, learned and saintly person.
At that time he very humbly and respectfully prayed to Jada Bharata.
He now wanted to understand the deep meaning of the philosophical words used by Jada Bharata, and with great sincerity, he begged his pardon.
He admitted that if one offends the lotus feet of a pure devotee, he is certainly punished by the trident of Lord Siva.
5.10.1
sri-suka uvaca
atha sindhu-sauvira-pate rahuganasya vrajata iksumatyas tate tat-kula-patina sibika-vaha-purusanvesana-samaye daivenopasaditah sa dvija-vara upalabdha esa piva yuva samhananango go-kharavad dhuram vodhum alam iti purva-visti-grhitaih saha grhitah prasabham atad-arha uvaha sibikam sa mahanubhavah.
SYNONYMS
sri-sukah uvaca—Sukadeva Gosvami continued to speak; atha—thus; sindhu-sauvira-pateh—of the ruler of the states known as Sindhu and Sauvira; rahu-ganasya—the King known as Rahugana; vrajatah—while going (to the asrama of Kapila); iksu-matyah tate—on the bank of the river known as Iksumati; tat-kula-patina—by the leader of the palanquin carriers; sibika-vaha—to become a carrier of the palanquin; purusa-anvesana-samaye—at the time of searching for a man; daivena—by chance; upasaditah—led near; sah—that; dvija-varah—Jada Bharata, the son of a brahmana; upalabdhah—obtained; esah—this man; piva—very strong and stout; yuva—young; samhanana-angah—having very firm limbs; go-khara-vat—like a cow or an ass; dhuram—a load; vodhum—to carry; alam—able; iti—thus thinking; purva-visti-grhitaih—others who were formerly forced to do the task; saha—with; grhitah—being taken; prasabham—by force; a-tat-arhah—although not fit for carrying the palanquin; uvaha—carried; sibikam—the palanquin; sah—he; maha-anubhavah—a great soul.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami continued: My dear King, after this, King Rahugana, ruler of the states known as Sindhu and Sauvira, was going to Kapilasrama.
When the King’s chief palanquin carriers reached the banks of the River Iksumati, they needed another carrier.
Therefore they began searching for someone, and by chance they came upon Jada Bharata.
They considered the fact that Jada Bharata was very young and strong and had firm limbs.
Like cows and asses, he was quite fit to carry loads.
Thinking in this way, although the great soul Jada Bharata was unfit for such work, they nonetheless unhesitatingly forced him to carry the palanquin.
5.10.2
yada hi dvija-varasyesu-matravalokanugater na samahita purusa-gatis tada visama-gatam sva-sibikam rahugana upadharya purusan adhivahata aha he vodharah sadhv atikramata kim iti visamam uhyate yanam iti.
SYNONYMS
yada—when; hi—certainly; dvija-varasya—of Jada Bharata; isu-matra—the measurement of an arrow (three feet) ahead; avaloka-anugateh—from moving only after glancing; na samahita—not united; purusa-gatih—the movement of the carriers; tada—at that time; visama-gatam—becoming uneven; sva-sibikam—his own palanquin; rahuganah—King Rahugana; upadharya—understanding; purusan—unto the men; adhivahatah—who were carrying the palanquin; aha—said; he—oh; vodharah—carriers of the palanquin; sadhu atikramata—please walk evenly so that there will not be bouncing; kim iti—for what reason; visamam—uneven; uhyate—is being carried; yanam—the palanquin; iti—thus.
TRANSLATION
The palanquin, however, was very erratically carried by Jada Bharata due to his sense of nonviolence.
As he stepped forward, he checked before him every three feet to see whether he was about to step on ants.
Consequently he could not keep pace with the other carriers.
Due to this, the palanquin was shaking, and King Rahugana immediately asked the carriers, Why are you carrying this palanquin unevenly? Better carry it properly
PURPORT
Although Jada Bharata was forced to carry the palanquin, he did not give up his sympathetic feelings toward the poor ants passing on the road.
A devotee of the Lord does not forget his devotional service and other favorable activities, even when he is in a most distressful condition.
Jada Bharata was a qualified brahmana, highly elevated in spiritual knowledge, yet he was forced to carry the palanquin.
He did not mind this, but while walking on the road, he could not forget his duty to avoid killing even an ant.
A Vaisnava is never envious or unnecessarily violent.
There were many ants on the path, but Jada Bharata took care by looking ahead three feet.
When the ants were no longer in his way, he would place his foot on the ground.
A Vaisnava is always very kind at heart to all living entities.
In His sankhya-yoga, Lord Kapiladeva explains: suhrdah sarva-dehinam.
Living entities assume different bodily forms.
Those who are not Vaisnavas consider only human society worthy of their sympathy, but Krsna claims to be the supreme father of all life forms.
Consequently the Vaisnava takes care not to annihilate untimely or unnecessarily any life form.
All living entities have to fulfill a certain duration for being encaged in a particular type of material body.
They have to finish the duration allotted a particular body before being promoted or evolved to another body.
Killing an animal or any other living being simply places an impediment in the way of his completing his term of imprisonment in a certain body.
One should therefore not kill bodies for one’s sense gratification, for this will implicate one in sinful activity.
5.10.3
atha ta isvara-vacah sopalambham upakarnyopaya-turiyac chankita-manasas tam vijnapayam babhuvuh.
SYNONYMS
atha—thus; te—they (the carriers of the palanquin); isvara-vacah—the words of the master, King Rahugana; sa-upalambham—with reproach; upakarnya—hearing; upaya—the means; turiyat—from the fourth one; sankita-manasah—whose minds were afraid; tam—him (the King); vijnapayam babhuvuh—informed.
TRANSLATION
When the palanquin carriers heard the threatening words of Maharaja Rahugana, they became very afraid of his punishment and began to speak to him as follows.
PURPORT
According to political science, a king sometimes tries to pacify his subordinates, sometimes chastises them, sometimes derides them and sometimes rewards them.
In this way the king rules his subordinates.
The bearers of the palanquin could understand that the King was angry and that he would chastise them.
5.10.4
na vayam nara-deva pramatta bhavan-niyamanupathah sadhv eva vahamah ayam adhunaiva niyukto ’pi na drutam vrajati nanena saha vodhum u ha vayam parayama iti.
SYNONYMS
na—not; vayam—we; nara-deva—O lord among human beings (the king is supposed to be the representative of deva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead); pramattah—neglectful in our duties; bhavat-niyama-anupathah—who are always obedient to your order; sadhu—properly; eva—certainly; vahamah—we are carrying; ayam—this man; adhuna—just recently; eva—indeed; niyuktah—being engaged to work with us; api—although; na—not; drutam—very quickly; vrajati—works; na—not; anena—him; saha—with; vodhum—to carry; u ha—oh; vayam—we; parayamah—are able; iti—thus.
TRANSLATION
O lord, please note that we are not at all negligent in discharging our duties.
We have been faithfully carrying this palanquin according to your desire, but this man who has been recently engaged to work with us cannot walk very swiftly.
Therefore we are not able to carry the palanquin with him.
PURPORT
The other palanquin carriers were sudras, whereas Jada Bharata was not only a high-caste brahmana but also a great devotee.
Sudras do not sympathize with other living beings, but a Vaisnava cannot act like a sudra.
Whenever a sudra and a brahmana Vaisnava are combined, there will certainly be imbalance in the execution of duties.
The sudras were walking with the palanquin without at all caring for the ants on the ground, but Jada Bharata could not act like a sudra, and therefore difficulty arose.
5.10.5
samsargiko dosa eva nunam ekasyapi sarvesam samsargikanam bhavitum arhatiti niscitya nisamya krpana-vaco raja rahugana upasita-vrddho ’pi nisargena balat krta isad-utthita-manyur avispasta-brahma-tejasam jata-vedasam iva rajasavrta-matir aha.
SYNONYMS
samsargikah—resulting from intimate association; dosah—a fault; eva—indeed; nunam—certainly; ekasya—of one; api—although; sarvesam—of all other; samsargikanam—persons associated with him; bhavitum—to become; arhati—is able; iti—thus; niscitya—ascertaining; nisamya—by hearing; krpana-vacah—the words of the poor servants, who were very afraid of being punished; raja—the King; rahuganah—Rahugana; upasita-vrddhah—having served and heard from many elderly sages; api—in spite of; nisargena—by his personal nature, which was that of a ksatriya; balat—by force; krtah—done; isat—slightly; utthita—awakened; manyuh—whose anger; avispasta—not being distinctly visible; brahma-tejasam—his (Jada Bharata’s) spiritual effulgence; jata-vedasam—a fire covered by ashes in Vedic ritualistic ceremonies; iva—like; rajasa avrta—covered by the mode of passion; matih—whose mind; aha—said.
TRANSLATION
King Rahugana could understand the speeches given by the carriers, who were afraid of being punished.
He could also understand that simply due to the fault of one person, the palanquin was not being carried properly.
Knowing this perfectly well and hearing their appeal, he became a little angry, although he was very advanced in political science and was very experienced.
His anger arose due to his inborn nature as a king.
Actually King Rahugana’s mind was covered by the mode of passion, and he therefore spoke as follows to Jada Bharata, whose Brahman effulgence was not clearly visible, being covered like a fire covered by ashes.
PURPORT
The distinction between rajo-guna and sattva-guna is explained in this verse.
Although the King was very upright and advanced in political science and governmental management, he was nonetheless in the mode of passion, and therefore, due to a slight agitation, he became angry.
Jada Bharata, despite all kinds of injustice endured because of his deaf and dumb display, remained silent by the strength of his spiritual advancement.
Nonetheless his brahma-tejah, his Brahman effulgence, was indistinctly visible in his person.
5.10.6
aho kastam bhratar vyaktam uru-parisranto dirgham adhvanam eka eva uhivan suciram nati-piva na samhananango jarasa copadruto bhavan sakhe no evapara ete sanghattina iti bahu-vipralabdho ’py avidyaya racita-dravya-guna-karmasaya-sva-carama-kalevare ’vastuni samsthana-visese ’ham mamety anadhyaropita-mithya-pratyayo brahma-bhutas tusnim sibikam purvavad uvaha.
SYNONYMS
aho—alas; kastam—how troublesome it is; bhratah—my dear brother; vyaktam—clearly; uru—very much; parisrantah—fatigued; dirgham—a long; adhvanam—path; ekah—alone; eva—certainly; uhivan—you have carried; su-ciram—for a long time; na—not; ati-piva—very strong and stout; na—nor; samhanana-angah—having a firm, tolerant body; jarasa—by old age; ca—also; upadrutah—disturbed; bhavan—yourself; sakhe—my friend; no eva—not certainly; apare—the other; ete—all these; sanghattinah—co-workers; iti—thus; bahu—very much; vipralabdhah—sarcastically criticized; api—although; avidyaya—by nescience; racita—manufactured; dravya-guna-karma-asaya—in a combination of material elements, material qualities, and the results of past activities and desires; sva-carama-kalevare—in the body, which is moved by the subtle elements (mind, intelligence and ego); avastuni—in such physical things; samsthana-visese—having a particular disposition; aham mama—I and mine; iti—in this way; anadhyaropita—not interposed; mithya—false; pratyayah—belief; brahma-bhutah—who was self-realized, standing on the Brahman platform; tusnim—being silent; sibikam—the palanquin; purva-vat—as before; uvaha—carried.
TRANSLATION
King Rahugana told Jada Bharata: How troublesome this is, my dear brother.
You certainly appear very fatigued because you have carried this palanquin alone without assistance for a long time and for a long distance.
Besides that, due to your old age you have become greatly troubled.
My dear friend, I see that you are not very firm, nor very strong and stout.
Aren’t your fellow carriers cooperating with you?
In this way the King criticized Jada Bharata with sarcastic words, yet despite being criticized in this way, Jada Bharata had no bodily conception of the situation.
He knew that he was not the body, for he had attained his spiritual identity.
He was neither fat, lean nor thin, nor had he anything to do with a lump of matter, a combination of the five gross and three subtle elements.
He had nothing to do with the material body and its two hands and legs.
In other words, he had completely realized his spiritual identity (aham brahmasmi).
He was therefore unaffected by this sarcastic criticism from the King.
Without saying anything, he continued carrying the palanquin as before.
PURPORT
Jada Bharata was completely liberated.
He did not even care when the dacoits attempted to kill his body; he knew that he certainly was not the body.
Even if the body were killed, he would not have cared, for he was thoroughly convinced of the proposition found in Bhagavad-gita (2.20): na hanyate hanyamane sarire.
He knew that he could not be killed even if his body were killed.
Although he did not protest, the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His agent could not tolerate the injustice of the dacoits; therefore he was saved by the mercy of Krsna, and the dacoits were killed.
In this case, while carrying the palanquin, he also knew that he was not the body.
This body was very strong and stout, in sound condition and quite competent to carry the palanquin.
Due to his being freed from the bodily conception, the sarcastic words of the King did not at all affect him.
The body is created according to one’s karma, and material nature supplies the ingredients for the development of a certain type of body.
The soul the body covers is different from the bodily construction; therefore anything favorable or mischievous done to the body does not affect the spirit soul.
The Vedic injunction is asango hy ayam purusah: the spirit soul is always unaffected by material arrangements.
5.10.7
atha punah sva-sibikayam visama-gatayam prakupita uvaca rahuganah kim idam are tvam jivan-mrto mam kadarthi-krtya bhartr-sasanam aticarasi pramattasya ca te karomi cikitsam danda-panir iva janataya yatha prakrtim svam bhajisyasa iti.
SYNONYMS
atha—thereafter; punah—again; sva-sibikayam—in his own palanquin; visama-gatayam—being unevenly carried because of Jada Bharata’s not walking properly; prakupitah—becoming very angry; uvaca—said; rahuganah—King Rahugana; kim idam—what is this nonsense; are—O fool; tvam—you; jivat—living; mrtah—dead; mam—me; kat-arthi-krtya—neglecting; bhartr-sasanam—chastisement by the master; aticarasi—you are overstepping; pramattasya—who are almost crazy; ca—also; te—your; karomi—I shall do; cikitsam—proper treatment; danda-panih iva—like Yamaraja; janatayah—of the people in general; yatha—so that; prakrtim—natural position; svam—your own; bhajisyase—you will take to; iti—thus.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, when the King saw that his palanquin was still being shaken by the carriers, he became very angry and said: You rascal, what are you doing? Are you dead despite the life within your body? Do you not know that I am your master? You are disregarding me and are not carrying out my order.
For this disobedience I shall now punish you just as Yamaraja, the superintendent of death, punishes sinful people.
I shall give you proper treatment so that you will come to your senses and do the correct thing.
5.10.8
evam bahv abaddham api bhasamanam nara-devabhimanam rajasa tamasanuviddhena madena tiraskrtasesa-bhagavat-priya-niketam pandita-maninam sa bhagavan brahmano brahma-bhuta-sarva-bhuta-suhrd-atma yogesvara-caryayam nati-vyutpanna-matim smayamana iva vigata-smaya idam aha.
SYNONYMS
evam—in this way; bahu—much; abaddham—nonsensical; api—although; bhasamanam—talking; nara-deva-abhimanam—King Rahugana, who thought himself the ruler; rajasa—by the material mode of passion; tamasa—as well as by the mode of ignorance; anuviddhena—being increased; madena—by madness; tiraskrta—who rebuked; asesa—innumerable; bhagavat-priya-niketam—devotees of the Lord; pandita-maninam—considering himself a very learned scholar; sah—that; bhagavan—spiritually most powerful (Jada Bharata); brahmanah—a fully qualified brahmana; brahma-bhuta—fully self-realized; sarva-bhuta-suhrt-atma—who was thus the friend of all living entities; yoga-isvara—of the most advanced mystic yogis; caryayam—in the behavior; na ati-vyutpanna-matim—unto King Rahugana, who was not actually experienced; smayamanah—slightly smiling; iva—like; vigata-smayah—who was relieved from all material pride; idam—this; aha—spoke.
TRANSLATION
Thinking himself a king, King Rahugana was in the bodily conception and was influenced by material nature’s modes of passion and ignorance.
Due to madness, he chastised Jada Bharata with uncalled-for and contradictory words.
Jada Bharata was a topmost devotee and the dear abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Although considering himself very learned, the King did not know about the position of an advanced devotee situated in devotional service, nor did he know his characteristics.
Jada Bharata was the residence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; he always carried the form of the Lord within his heart.
He was the dear friend of all living beings, and he did not entertain any bodily conception.
He therefore smiled and spoke the following words.
PURPORT
The distinction between a person in the bodily conception and a person beyond the bodily conception is presented in this verse.
In the bodily conception, King Rahugana considered himself a king and chastised Jada Bharata in so many unwanted ways.
Being self-realized, Jada Bharata, who was fully situated on the transcendental platform, did not at all become angry; instead, he smiled and began to deliver his teachings to King Rahugana.
A highly advanced Vaisnava devotee is a friend to all living entities, and consequently he is a friend to his enemies also.
In fact, he does not consider anyone to be his enemy.
Suhrdah sarva-dehinam.
Sometimes a Vaisnava becomes superficially angry at a nondevotee, but this is good for the nondevotee.
We have several examples of this in Vedic literature.
Once Narada became angry with the two sons of Kuvera, Nalakuvara and Manigriva, and he chastised them by turning them into trees.
The result was that later they were liberated by Lord Sri Krsna.
The devotee is situated on the absolute platform, and when he is angry or pleased, there is no difference, for in either case he bestows his benediction.
5.10.9
brahmana uvaca
tvayoditam vyaktam avipralabdham
bhartuh sa me syad yadi vira bharah
gantur yadi syad adhigamyam adhva
piveti rasau na vidam pravadah
SYNONYMS
brahmanah uvaca—the learned brahmana (Jada Bharata) spoke; tvaya—by you; uditam—explained; vyaktam—very clearly; avipralabdham—without contradictions; bhartuh—of the bearer, the body; sah—that; me—mine; syat—it would have been; yadi—if; vira—O great hero (Maharaja Rahugana); bharah—a load; gantuh—of the mover, also the body; yadi—if; syat—it had been; adhigamyam—the object to be obtained; adhva—the path; piva—very stout and strong; iti—thus; rasau—in the body; na—not; vidam—of the self-realized persons; pravadah—subject matter for discussion.
TRANSLATION
The great brahmana Jada Bharata said: My dear King and hero, whatever you have spoken sarcastically is certainly true.
Actually these are not simply words of chastisement, for the body is the carrier.
The load carried by the body does not belong to me, for I am the spirit soul.
There is no contradiction in your statements because I am different from the body.
I am not the carrier of the palanquin; the body is the carrier.
Certainly, as you have hinted, I have not labored carrying the palanquin, for I am detached from the body.
You have said that I am not stout and strong, and these words are befitting a person who does not know the distinction between the body and the soul.
The body may be fat or thin, but no learned man would say such things of the spirit soul.
As far as the spirit soul is concerned, I am neither fat nor skinny; therefore you are correct when you say that I am not very stout.
Also, if the object of this journey and the path leading there were mine, there would be many troubles for me, but because they relate not to me but to my body, there is no trouble at all.
PURPORT
In Bhagavad-gita it is stated that one who is advanced in spiritual knowledge is not disturbed by the pains and pleasures of the material body.
The material body is completely separate from the spirit soul, and the pains and pleasures of the body are superfluous.
The practice of austerity and penance is meant for understanding the distinction between the body and the soul and how the soul can be unaffected by the pleasures and pains of the body.
Jada Bharata was actually situated on the platform of self-realization.
He was completely aloof from the bodily conception; therefore he immediately took this position and convinced the King that whatever contradictory things the King had said about his body did not actually apply to him as a spirit soul.
5.10.10
sthaulyam karsyam vyadhaya adhayas ca
ksut trd bhayam kalir iccha jara ca
nidra ratir manyur aham madah suco
dehena jatasya hi me na santi
SYNONYMS
sthaulyam—being very stout and strong; karsyam—being skinny and weak; vyadhayah—the pains of the body, such as disease; adhayah—the pains of the mind; ca—and; ksut trt bhayam—hunger, thirst and fear; kalih—quarrels between two persons; iccha—desires; jara—old age; ca—and; nidra—sleep; ratih—attachment for sense gratification; manyuh—anger; aham—false identification (in the bodily concept of life); madah—illusion; sucah—lamentation; dehena—with this body; jatasya—of one who has taken birth; hi—certainly; me—of me; na—not; santi—exist.
TRANSLATION
Fatness, thinness, bodily and mental distress, thirst, hunger, fear, disagreement, desires for material happiness, old age, sleep, attachment for material possessions, anger, lamentation, illusion and identification of the body with the self are all transformations of the material covering of the spirit soul.
A person absorbed in the material bodily conception is affected by these things, but I am free from all bodily conceptions.
Consequently I am neither fat nor skinny nor anything else you have mentioned.
PURPORT
Srila Narottama dasa Thakura has sung: deha-smrti nahi yara, samsara-bandhana kahan tara.
One who is spiritually advanced has no connection with the body or with the bodily actions and reactions.
When one comes to understand that he is not the body and therefore is neither fat nor skinny, one attains the topmost form of spiritual realization.
When one is not spiritually realized, the bodily conception entangles one in the material world.
At the present moment all human society is laboring under the bodily conception; therefore in the sastras people in this age are referred to as dvipada-pasu, two-legged animals.
No one can be happy in a civilization conducted by such animals.
Our Krsna consciousness movement is trying to raise fallen human society to the status of spiritual understanding.
It is not possible for everyone to become immediately self-realized like Jada Bharata.
Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.18): nasta-prayesv abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya.
By spreading the Bhagavata principles, we can raise human society to the platform of perfection.
When one is not affected by the bodily conceptions, one can advance to the Lord’s devotional service nasta-prayesv abhadresu
nityam bhagavata-sevaya
bhagavaty uttamasloke
bhaktir bhavati naisthiki
(SB 1.2.18)
The more we advance our freedom from the bodily conception, the more we are fixed in devotional service, and the more we are happy and peaceful.
In this regard, Srila Madhvacarya says that those who are too materially affected continue the bodily conception.
Such persons are concerned with different bodily symptoms, whereas one freed from bodily conceptions lives without the body even in the material condition.
5.10.11
jivan-mrtatvam niyamena rajan
adyantavad yad vikrtasya drstam
sva-svamya-bhavo dhruva idya yatra
tarhy ucyate ’sau vidhikrtya-yogah
SYNONYMS
jivat-mrtatvam—the quality of being dead while living; niyamena—by the laws of nature; rajan—O King; adi-anta-vat—everything material has a beginning and an end; yat—because; vikrtasya—of things that are transformed, such as the body; drstam—is seen; sva-svamya-bhavah—the condition of servanthood and mastership; dhruvah—unchangeable; idya—O you who are worshiped; yatra—wherein; tarhi—then; ucyate—it is said; asau—that; vidhi-krtya-yogah—fitness of order and duty.
TRANSLATION
My dear King, you have unnecessarily accused me of being dead though alive.
In this regard, I can only say that this is the case everywhere because everything material has its beginning and end.
As far as your thinking that you are the king and master and are thus trying to order me, this is also incorrect because these positions are temporary.
Today you are a king and I am your servant, but tomorrow the position may be changed, and you may be my servant and I your master.
These are temporary circumstances created by providence.
PURPORT
The bodily conception is the basic principle of suffering in material existence.
In Kali-yuga especially, people are so uneducated that they cannot even understand that the body is changing at every moment and that the ultimate change is called death.
In this life one may be a king, and in the next life one may be a dog, according to karma.
The spirit soul is in a deep slumber caused by the force of material nature.
He is put in one type of condition and again changed into another type.
Without self-realization and knowledge, conditional life continues, and one falsely claims himself a king, a servant, a cat or a dog.
These are simply different transformations brought about by the supreme arrangement.
One should not be misled by such temporary bodily conceptions.
Actually no one is master within the material world, for everyone is under the control of material nature, which is under the control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is the ultimate master.
As explained in Caitanya-caritamrta, ekale isvara krsna, ara saba bhrtya: the only master is Krsna, and everyone else is His servant.
Forgetfulness of our relationship with the Supreme Lord brings about our suffering in the material world.
5.10.12
visesa-buddher vivaram manak ca
pasyama yan na vyavaharato ’nyat
ka isvaras tatra kim isitavyam
tathapi rajan karavama kim te
SYNONYMS
visesa-buddheh—of the conception of the distinction between master and servant; vivaram—the scope; manak—a little; ca—also; pasyamah—I see; yat—which; na—not; vyavaharatah—than the temporary usage or convention; anyat—other; kah—who; isvarah—the master; tatra—in this; kim—who; isitavyam—is to be controlled; tathapi—nevertheless; rajan—O King (if you still think that you are master and I am servant); karavama—I may do; kim—what; te—for you.
TRANSLATION
My dear King, if you still think that you are the King and that I am your servant, you should order me, and I should follow your order.
I can then say that this differentiation is temporary, and it expands only from usage or convention.
I do not see any other cause.
In that case, who is the master, and who is the servant? Everyone is being forced by the laws of material nature; therefore no one is master, and no one is servant.
Nonetheless, if you think that you are the master and that I am the servant, I shall accept this.
Please order me.
What can I do for you?
PURPORT
It is said in Srimad-Bhagavatam, aham mameti: (SB 5.5.8) One thinks, I am this body, and in this bodily relationship he is my master, he is my servant, she is my wife, and he is my son All these conceptions are temporary due to the inevitable change of body and the arrangement of material nature.
We are gathered together like straws in the waves of an ocean, straws that are inevitably separated by the laws of the waves.
In this material world, everyone is on the waves of the ocean of nescience.
As described by Bhaktivinoda Thakura:
khaccha habudubu, bhai
karle ta’ ara duhkha nai
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura states that all men and women are like straws on the waves of material nature.
If they come to the understanding that they are the eternal servants of Krsna, they will put an end to this condition.
As stated in Bhagavad-gita (3.37): kama esa krodha esa rajo-guna-samudbhavah.
Due to the mode of passion, we desire many things, and according to our desire or anxiety and according to the order of the Supreme Lord, material nature gives us a certain type of body.
For some time we play as master or servant, as actors play on the stage under someone else’s direction.
While we are in the human form, we should put an end to this nonsensical stage performance.
We should come to our original constitutional position, known as Krsna consciousness.
At the present moment, the real master is material nature.
Daivi hy esa guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya (Bg.7.14).
Under the spell of material nature, we are becoming servants and masters, but if we agree to be controlled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His eternal servants, this temporary condition ceases to exist.
5.10.13
unmatta-matta-jadavat sva-samstham
gatasya me vira cikitsitena
arthah kiyan bhavata siksitena
stabdha-pramattasya ca pistapesah
SYNONYMS
unmatta—madness; matta—a drunkard; jada-vat—like a dunce; sva-samstham—situation in my original constitutional position; gatasya—of one who has obtained; me—of me; vira—O King; cikitsitena—by your chastisement; arthah—the meaning or purpose; kiyan—what; bhavata—by you; siksitena—by being instructed; stabdha—dull; pramattasya—of a crazy man; ca—also; pista-pesah—like grinding flour.
TRANSLATION
My dear King, you have said, You rascal, you dull, crazy fellow! I am going to chastise you, and then you will come to your senses In this regard, let me say that although I live like a dull, deaf and dumb man, I am actually a self-realized person.
What will you gain by punishing me? If your calculation is true and I am a madman, then your punishment will be like beating a dead horse.
There will be no effect.
When a madman is punished, he is not cured of his madness.
PURPORT
Everyone in this material world is working like a madman under certain impressions falsely acquired in the material condition.
For example, a thief who knows that stealing is not good and who knows that it is followed with punishment by a king or by God, who has seen that thieves are arrested and punished by the police, nonetheless steals again and again.
He is obsessed with the idea that by stealing he will be happy.
This is a sign of madness.
Despite repeated punishment, the thief cannot give up his stealing habit; therefore the punishment is useless.
5.10.14
sri-suka uvaca
etavad anuvada-paribhasaya pratyudirya muni-vara upasama-sila uparatanatmya-nimitta upabhogena karmarabdham vyapanayan raja-yanam api tathovaha.
SYNONYMS
sri-sukah uvaca—Sukadeva Gosvami continued to speak; etavat—so much; anuvada-paribhasaya—by explanatory repetition of words spoken previously by the King; pratyudirya—giving replies one after another; muni-varah—great sage Jada Bharata; upasama-silah—who was calm and peaceful in character; uparata—ceased; anatmya—things not related to the soul; nimittah—whose cause (ignorance) for identification with things not related to the soul; upabhogena—by accepting the consequences of his karma; karma-arabdham—the resultant action now attained; vyapanayan—finishing; raja-yanam—the palanquin of the King; api—again; tatha—as before; uvaha—continued to carry.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami said: O Maharaja Pariksit, when King Rahugana chastised the exalted devotee Jada Bharata with harsh words, that peaceful, saintly person tolerated it all and replied properly.
Nescience is due to the bodily conception, and Jada Bharata was not affected by this false conception.
Out of his natural humility, he never considered himself a great devotee, and he agreed to suffer the results of his past karma.
Like an ordinary man, he thought that by carrying the palanquin, he was destroying the reactions of his past misdeeds.
Thinking in this way, he began to carry the palanquin as before.
PURPORT
An exalted devotee of the Lord never thinks that he is a paramahamsa or a liberated person.
He always remains a humble servant of the Lord.
In all reverse conditions, he agrees to suffer the results of his past life.
He never accuses the Lord of putting him into a distressed condition.
These are the signs of an exalted devotee.
Tat te ’nukampam susamiksyamanah.
When suffering reversed conditions, the devotee always considers that the reverse conditions are the Lord’s concessions.
He is never angry with his master; he is always satisfied with the position his master offers.
In any case, he continues performing his duty in devotional service.
Such a person is guaranteed promotion back home, back to Godhead.
Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.8):
tat te ’nukampam susamiksamano
bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam
hrd-vag-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
jiveta yo mukti-pade sa daya-bhak
My dear Lord, one who constantly waits for Your causeless mercy to be bestowed upon him and who goes on suffering the reactions of his past misdeeds, offering You respectful obeisances from the core of his heart is surely eligible for liberation, for it has become his rightful claim
5.10.15
sa capi pandaveya sindhu-sauvira-patis tattva-jijnasayam samyak-sraddhayadhikrtadhikaras tad dhrdaya-granthi-mocanam dvija-vaca asrutya bahu-yoga-grantha-sammatam tvarayavaruhya sirasa pada-mulam upasrtah ksamapayan vigata-nrpa-deva-smaya uvaca.
SYNONYMS
sah—he (Maharaja Rahugana); ca—also; api—indeed; pandaveya—O best of the Pandu dynasty (Maharaja Pariksit); sindhu-sauvira-patih—the King of the states known as Sindhu and Sauvira; tattva-jijnasayam—in the matter of inquiring about the Absolute Truth; samyak-sraddhaya—by faith consisting of complete control of the senses and the mind; adhikrta-adhikarah—who attained the proper qualification; tat—that; hrdaya-granthi—the knot of false conceptions within the heart; mocanam—which eradicates; dvija-vacah—the words of the brahmana (Jada Bharata); asrutya—hearing; bahu-yoga-grantha-sammatam—approved by all yogic processes and their scriptures; tvaraya—very hastily; avaruhya—getting down (from the palanquin); sirasa—by his head; pada-mulam—at the lotus feet; upasrtah—falling down flat to offer obeisances; ksamapayan—obtaining pardon for his offense; vigata-nrpa-deva-smayah—giving up the false pride of being the King and therefore being worshipable; uvaca—said.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami continued: O best of the Pandu dynasty (Maharaja Pariksit), the King of the Sindhu and Sauvira states (Maharaja Rahugana) had great faith in discussions of the Absolute Truth.
Being thus qualified, he heard from Jada Bharata that philosophical presentation which is approved by all scriptures on the mystic yoga process and which slackens the knot in the heart.
His material conception of himself as a king was thus destroyed.
He immediately descended from his palanquin and fell flat on the ground with his head at the lotus feet of Jada Bharata in such a way that he might be excused for his insulting words against the great brahmana.
He then prayed as follows.
PURPORT
In Bhagavad-gita (4.2) Lord Krsna says:
evam parampara-praptam
imam rajarsayo viduh
sa kaleneha mahata
yogo nastah parantapa
This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way.
But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost Through the disciplic succession the royal order was on the same platform as great saintly persons (raja-rsis).
Formerly they could understand the philosophy of life and knew how to train the citizens to come to the same standard.
In other words, they knew how to deliver the citizens from the entanglement of birth and death.
When Maharaja Dasaratha ruled Ayodhya, the great sage Visvamitra once came to him to take away Lord Ramacandra and Laksmana to the forest to kill a demon.
When the saintly person Visvamitra came to the court of Maharaja Dasaratha, the King, in order to receive the saintly person, asked him, aihistam yat tat punar janma jayaya.
He asked the sage whether everything was going on well in his endeavor to conquer the repetition of birth and death.
The whole process of Vedic civilization is based on this point.
We must know how to conquer the repetition of birth and death.
Maharaja Rahugana also knew the purpose of life; therefore when Jada Bharata put the philosophy of life before him, he immediately appreciated it.
This is the foundation of Vedic society.
Learned scholars, brahmanas, saintly persons and sages who were fully aware of the Vedic purpose advised the royal order how to benefit the general masses, and by their cooperation, the general masses were benefited.
Therefore everything was successful.
Maharaja Rahugana attained this perfection of understanding the value of human life; therefore he regretted his insulting words to Jada Bharata, and he immediately descended from his palanquin and fell down at the lotus feet of Jada Bharata in order to be excused and to hear from him further about the values of life known as brahma jijnasa (inquiry into the Absolute Truth).
At the present moment, high government officials are ignorant of the values of life, and when saintly persons endeavor to broadcast the Vedic knowledge, the so-called executives do not offer their respectful obeisances but try to obstruct the spiritual propaganda.
Thus one can say that the former kingly government was like heaven and that the present government is like hell.
5.10.16
kas tvam nigudhas carasi dvijanam
bibharsi sutram katamo ’vadhutah
kasyasi kutratya ihapi kasmat
ksemaya nas ced asi nota suklah
SYNONYMS
kah tvam—who are you; nigudhah—very much covered; carasi—you move within this world; dvijanam—among the brahmanas or saintly persons; bibharsi—you also wear; sutram—the sacred thread belonging to the first-class brahmanas; katamah—which; avadhutah—highly elevated person; kasya asi—whose are you (whose disciple or son are you); kutratyah—from where; iha api—here in this place; kasmat—for what purpose; ksemaya—for the benefit; nah—of us; cet—if; asi—you are; na uta—or not; suklah—the personality of the pure mode of goodness (Kapiladeva).
TRANSLATION
King Rahugana said: O brahmana, you appear to be moving in this world very much covered and unknown to others.
Who are you? Are you a learned brahmana and saintly person? I see that you are wearing a sacred thread.
Are you one of those exalted, liberated saints such as Dattatreya and other highly advanced, learned scholars? May I ask whose disciple you are? Where do you live? Why have you come to this place? Is your mission in coming here to do good for us? Please let me know who you are.
PURPORT
Maharaja Rahugana was very anxious to receive further enlightenment in Vedic knowledge because he could understand that Jada Bharata belonged to a brahmana family either by disciplic succession or by birth in a brahmana dynasty.
As stated in the Vedas: tad vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet (MU1.2.12).
Rahugana was accepting Jada Bharata as a guru, but a guru must prove his position not only by wearing a sacred thread but by advancing knowledge in spiritual life.
It is also significant that Rahugana asked Jada Bharata which family he belonged to.
There are two types of families—one according to dynasty and the other according to disciplic succession.
In either way, one can be enlightened.
The word suklah refers to a person in the mode of goodness.
If one wants to receive spiritual knowledge, he must approach a bona fide brahmana-guru, either in the disciplic succession or in a family of learned brahmanas.
5.10.17
naham visanke sura-raja-vajran
na tryaksa-sulan na yamasya dandat
nagny-arka-somanila-vittapastrac
chanke bhrsam brahma-kulavamanat
SYNONYMS
na—not; aham—I; visanke—am afraid; sura-raja-vajrat—from the thunderbolt of the King of heaven, Indra; na—nor; tryaksa-sulat—from the piercing trident of Lord Siva; na—nor; yamasya—of the superintendent of death, Yamaraja; dandat—from the punishment; na—nor; agni—of fire; arka—of the scorching heat of the sun; soma—of the moon; anila—of the wind; vitta-pa—of the owner of riches, Kuvera, the treasurer of the heavenly planes; astrat—from the weapons; sanke—I am afraid; bhrsam—very much; brahma-kula—the group of the brahmanas; avamanat—from offending.
TRANSLATION
My dear sir, I am not at all afraid of the thunderbolt of King Indra, nor am I afraid of the serpentine, piercing trident of Lord Siva.
I do not care about the punishment of Yamaraja, the superintendent of death, nor am I afraid of fire, scorching sun, moon, wind, nor the weapons of Kuvera.
Yet I am afraid of offending a brahmana.
I am very much afraid of this.
PURPORT
When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was instructing Rupa Gosvami at the Dasasvamedha-ghata in Prayaga, He pointed out very clearly the seriousness of offending a Vaisnava.
He compared the vaisnava-aparadha to hati mata, a mad elephant.
When a mad elephant enters a garden, it spoils all the fruits and flowers.
Similarly, if one offends a Vaisnava, he spoils all his spiritual assets.
Offending a brahmana is very dangerous, and this was known to Maharaja Rahugana.
He therefore frankly admitted his fault.
There are many dangerous things—thunderbolts, fire, Yamaraja’s punishment, the punishment of Lord Siva’s trident, and so forth—but none is considered as serious as offending a brahmana like Jada Bharata.
Therefore Maharaja Rahugana immediately descended from his palanquin and fell flat before the lotus feet of the brahmana Jada Bharata just to be excused.
5.10.18
tad bruhy asango jadavan nigudha-
vijnana-viryo vicarasy aparah
vacamsi yoga-grathitani sadho
na nah ksamante manasapi bhettum
SYNONYMS
tat—therefore; bruhi—please speak; asangah—who have no association with the material world; jada-vat—appearing like a deaf and dumb man; nigudha—completely hidden; vijnana-viryah—who have full knowledge of the spiritual science and are thus very powerful; vicarasi—you are moving; aparah—who possess unlimited spiritual glories; vacamsi—the words uttered by you; yoga-grathitani—bearing the complete meaning of mystic yoga; sadho—O great, saintly person; na—not; nah—of us; ksamante—are able; manasa api—even by the mind; bhettum—to understand by analytical study.
TRANSLATION
My dear sir, it appears that the influence of your great spiritual knowledge is hidden.
Factually you are bereft of all material association and fully absorbed in the thought of the Supreme.
Consequently you are unlimitedly advanced in spiritual knowledge.
Please tell me why you are wandering around like a dullard.
O great, saintly person, you have spoken words approved by the yogic process, but it is not possible for us to understand what you have said.
Therefore kindly explain it.
PURPORT
Saintly people like Jada Bharata do not speak ordinary words.
Whatever they say is approved by great yogis and those advanced in spiritual life.
That is the difference between ordinary people and saintly people.
The listener must also be advanced to understand the words of such exalted, spiritually advanced people as Jada Bharata.Bhagavad-gita was spoken to Arjuna, not to others.
Lord Krsna especially selected Arjuna for instruction in spiritual knowledge because Arjuna happened to be a great devotee and confidential friend.
Similarly, great personalities also speak to the advanced, not to sudras, vaisyas, women or unintelligent men.
Sometimes it is very risky to give great philosophical instructions to ordinary people, but Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, for the benefit of the fallen souls of Kali-yuga, has given us a very nice instrument, the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra.
The general mass of people, although sudras and less, can be purified by chanting this Hare Krsna mantra.
Then they can understand the exalted philosophical statements of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Our Krsna consciousness movement has therefore adopted the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra for the general masses.
When people gradually become purified, they are instructed in the lessons of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Materialistic people like stri, sudra and dvija-bandhu cannot understand words of spiritual advancement, yet one can take to the shelter of a Vaisnava, for he knows the art of enlightening even sudras in the highly elevated subject matter spoken in Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam.
5.10.19
aham ca yogesvaram atma-tattva-
vidam muninam paramam gurum vai
prastum pravrttah kim iharanam tat
saksad dharim jnana-kalavatirnam
SYNONYMS
aham—I; ca—and; yoga-isvaram—the master of all mystic power; atma-tattva-vidam—of the learned scholars who are aware of the spiritual science; muninam—of such saintly persons; paramam—the best; gurum—the preceptor; vai—indeed; prastum—to inquire; pravrttah—engaged; kim—what; iha—in this world; aranam—the most secure shelter; tat—that which; saksat harim—directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead; jnana-kala-avatirnam—who has descended as the incarnation of complete knowledge in His plenary portion known as Kapiladeva.
TRANSLATION
I consider your good self the most exalted master of mystic power.
You know the spiritual science perfectly well.
You are the most exalted of all learned sages, and you have descended for the benefit of all human society.
You have come to give spiritual knowledge, and you are a direct representative of Kapiladeva, the incarnation of God and the plenary portion of knowledge.
I am therefore asking you, O spiritual master, what is the most secure shelter in this world?
PURPORT
As Krsna confirms in Bhagavad-gita:
yoginam api sarvesam
mad-gatenantaratmana
sraddhavan bhajate yo mam
sa me yuktatamo matah
Of all yogis, he who abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all (Bg.6.47) Jada Bharata was a perfect yogi.
He was formerly the emperor Bharata Maharaja, and he was now the most exalted personality among learned sages and the master of all mystic powers.
Although Jada Bharata was an ordinary living entity, he had inherited all the knowledge given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kapiladeva.
He could therefore be taken directly as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
As confirmed by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura in his stanzas to the spiritual master: saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastraih.
An exalted personality like Jada Bharata is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead because he fully represents the Lord by giving knowledge to others.
Jada Bharata is herein accepted as the direct representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead because he was imparting knowledge on behalf of the Supreme Lord.
Therefore Maharaja Rahugana concluded that it was appropriate to ask him about atma-tattva, the spiritual science.
Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet (MU1.2.12).
This Vedic injunction is also confirmed herein.
If anyone is at all interested in knowing the spiritual science (brahma jijnasa), he must approach a guru like Jada Bharata.
5.10.20
sa vai bhaval loka-niriksanartham
avyakta-lingo vicaraty api svit
yogesvaranam gatim andha-buddhih
katham vicaksita grhanubandhah
SYNONYMS
sah—that Supreme Personality of Godhead or His incarnation Kapiladeva; vai—indeed; bhavan—your good self; loka-niriksana-artham—just to study the characteristics of the people of this world; avyakta-lingah—without manifesting your real identity; vicarati—are traveling in this world; api svit—whether; yoga-isvaranam—of all the advanced yogis; gatim—the characteristics or actual behavior; andha-buddhih—who are illusioned and have become blind to spiritual knowledge; katham—how; vicaksita—may know; grha-anubandhah—I who am bound by attachment to family life, or worldly life.
TRANSLATION
Is it not a fact that your good self is the direct representative of Kapiladeva, the incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead? To examine people and see who is actually a human being and who is not, you have presented yourself to be a deaf and dumb person.
Are you not moving this way upon the surface of the world? I am very attached to family life and worldly activities, and I am blind to spiritual knowledge.
Nonetheless, I am now present before you and am seeking enlightenment from you.
How can I advance in spiritual life?
PURPORT
Although Maharaja Rahugana was playing the part of a king, he had been informed by Jada Bharata that be was not a king nor was Jada Bharata deaf and dumb.
Such designations were simply coverings of the spirit soul.
Everyone must come to this knowledge.
As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (2.13): dehino ’smin yatha dehe.
Everyone is encased within the body.
Since the body is never identical with the soul, the bodily activities are simply illusory.
In the association of such a sadhu as Jada Bharata, Maharaja Rahugana came to the awareness that his activities as a royal authority were simply illusory phenomena.
He therefore agreed to receive knowledge from Jada Bharata, and that was the beginning of his perfection.
Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet (MU1.2.12).
A person like Maharaja Rahugana, who was very inquisitive to know the value of life and the spiritual science, must approach a personality like Jada Bharata.
Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam (Bhag.11.3.21).
One must approach a guru like Jada Bharata, a representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to inquire about the goal of human life.
5.10.21
drstah sramah karmata atmano vai
bhartur gantur bhavatas canumanye
yathasatodanayanady-abhavat
samula isto vyavahara-margah
SYNONYMS
drstah—it is experienced by everyone; sramah—fatigue; karmatah—from acting in some way; atmanah—of the soul; vai—indeed; bhartuh—of one who is carrying the palanquin; gantuh—of one who is moving; bhavatah—of yourself; ca—and; anumanye—I guess like that; yatha—as much as; asata—with something that is not an actual fact; uda—of water; anayana-adi—of the bringing and other such tasks; abhavat—from the absence; sa-mulah—based on evidence; istah—respected; vyavahara-margah—phenomenon.
TRANSLATION
You have said, I am not fatigued from labor Although the soul is different from the body, there is fatigue because of bodily labor, and it appears to be the fatigue of the soul.
When you are carrying the palanquin, there is certainly labor for the soul.
This is my conjecture.
You have also said that the external behavior exhibited between the master and the servant is not factual, but although in the phenomenal world it is not factual, the products of the phenomenal world can actually affect things.
That is visible and experienced.
As such, even though material activities are impermanent, they cannot be said to be untrue.
PURPORT
This is a discussion on impersonal Mayavada philosophy and the practical philosophy of Vaisnavas.
The Mayavada philosophy explains this phenomenal world to be false, but Vaisnava philosophers do not agree.
They know that the phenomenal world is a temporary manifestation, but it is not false.
A dream that we see at night is certainly false, but a horrible dream certainly affects the person seeing it.
The soul’s fatigue is not factual, but as long as one is immersed in the illusory bodily conception, one is affected by such false dreams.
When dreaming, it is not possible to avoid the actual facts, and the conditioned soul is forced to suffer due to his dream.
A waterpot is made of earth and is temporary.
Actually there is no waterpot; there is simply earth.
However, as long as the waterpot can contain water, we can use it in that way.
It cannot be said to be absolutely false.
5.10.22
sthaly-agni-tapat payaso ’bhitapas
tat-tapatas tandula-garbha-randhih
dehendriyasvasaya-sannikarsat
tat-samsrtih purusasyanurodhat
SYNONYMS
sthali—on the cooking pot; agni-tapat—because of the heat of fire; payasah—the milk put into the pot; abhitapah—becomes hot; tat-tapatah—because of the milk’s becoming hot; tandula-garbha-randhih—the center of the rice within the milk becomes cooked; deha-indriya-asvasaya—the bodily senses; sannikarsat—from having connections with; tat-samsrtih—the experience of fatigue and other miseries; purusasya—of the soul; anurodhat—from compliance due to being grossly attached to the body, senses and mind.
TRANSLATION
King Rahugana continued: My dear sir, you have said that designations like bodily fatness and thinness are not characteristics of the soul.
That is incorrect because designations like pain and pleasure are certainly felt by the soul.
You may put a pot of milk and rice within fire, and the milk and rice are automatically heated one after the other.
Similarly, due to bodily pains and pleasures, the senses, mind and soul are affected.
The soul cannot be completely detached from this conditioning.
PURPORT
This argument put forward by Maharaja Rahugana is correct from the practical point of view, but it arises from an attachment to the bodily conception.
It can be said that a person sitting in his car is certainly different from his car, but if there is damage to the car, the owner of the car, being overly attached to the car, feels pain.
Actually, the damage done to the car has nothing to do with the car’s proprietor, but because the proprietor has identified himself with the interest of the car, he feels pleasure and pain connected with it.
This conditional state can be avoided if attachment is withdrawn from the car.
Then the proprietor would not feel pleasure or pain if the car is damaged or whatever.
Similarly, the soul has nothing to do with the body and the senses, but due to ignorance, he identifies himself with the body, and he feels pleasure and pain due to bodily pleasure and pain.
5.10.23
sastabhigopta nrpatih prajanam
yah kinkaro vai na pinasti pistam
sva-dharmam aradhanam acyutasya
yad ihamano vijahaty aghaugham
SYNONYMS
sasta—the governor; abhigopta—a well-wisher of the citizens as a father is the well-wisher of his children; nr-patih—the king; prajanam—of the citizens; yah—one who; kinkarah—order carrier; vai—indeed; na—not; pinasti pistam—grinds what is already ground; sva-dharmam—one’s own occupational duty; aradhanam—worshiping; acyutasya—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; yat—which; ihamanah—performing; vijahati—they are released from; agha-ogham—all kinds of sinful activity and faulty action.
TRANSLATION
My dear sir, you have said that the relationship between the king and the subject or between the master and the servant are not eternal, but although such relationships are temporary, when a person takes the position of a king, his duty is to rule the citizens and punish those who are disobedient to the laws.
By punishing them, he teaches the citizens to obey the laws of the state.
Again, you have said that punishing a person who is deaf and dumb is like chewing the chewed or grinding the pulp; that is to say, there is no benefit in it.
However, if one is engaged in his own occupational duty as ordered by the Supreme Lord, his sinful activities are certainly diminished.
Therefore if one is engaged in his occupational duty by force, he benefits because he can vanquish all his sinful activities in that way.
PURPORT
This argument offered by Maharaja Rahugana is certainly very effective.
Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.4), Srila Rupa Gosvami says, tasmat kenapy upayena manah krsne nivesayet: somehow or other, one should engage in Krsna consciousness.
Actually every living being is an eternal servant of Krsna, but due to forgetfulness, a living entity engages himself as an eternal servant of maya.
As long as one is engaged in maya’s service, he cannot be happy.
Our Krsna consciousness movement aims at engaging people in Lord Krsna’s service.
That will help them become freed from all material contamination and sinful activity.
This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (4.10): vita-raga-bhaya-krodhah.
By becoming detached from material activities, we will be freed from fear and anger.
By austerity, one becomes purified and eligible to return home, back to Godhead.
The duty of the king is to rule his citizens in such a way that they can become Krsna conscious.
This would be very beneficial for everyone.
Unfortunately the king or president engages people in sense gratification instead of the Lord’s service, and such activities are certainly not beneficial for anyone.
King Rahugana tried to engage Jada Bharata in carrying the palanquin, which is a form of sense gratification for the King.
However, if one is engaged as a palanquin carrier in the Lord’s service, that is certainly beneficial.
In this godless civilization, if a president engages people somehow or other in devotional service or the awakening of Krsna consciousness, he renders the very best service to the citizens.
5.10.24
tan me bhavan nara-devabhimana-
madena tucchikrta-sattamasya
krsista maitri-drsam arta-bandho
yatha tare sad-avadhyanam amhah
SYNONYMS
tat—therefore; me—unto me; bhavan—your good self; nara-deva-abhimana-madena—by madness due to having the body of a king and thus being proud of it; tucchikrta—who has insulted; sat-tamasya—you who are the best among human beings; krsista—kindly show; maitri-drsam—your causeless mercy upon me like a friend; arta-bandho—O friend of all distressed persons; yatha—so; tare—I can get relief from; sat-avadhyanam—neglecting a great personality like you; amhah—the sin.
TRANSLATION
Whatever you have spoken appears to me to be contradictory.
O best friend of the distressed, I have committed a great offense by insulting you.
I was puffed up with false prestige due to possessing the body of a king.
For this I have certainly become an offender.
Therefore I pray that you kindly glance at me with your causeless mercy.
If you do so, I can be relieved from sinful activities brought about by insulting you.
PURPORT
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said that by offending a Vaisnava, one finishes all his spiritual activities.
Offending a Vaisnava is considered the mad elephant offense.
A mad elephant can destroy an entire garden which has been developed with great labor.
One may attain the topmost platform of devotional service, but somehow or other if he offends a Vaisnava, the whole structure collapses.
Unconsciously, King Rahugana offended Jada Bharata, but due to his good sense, he asked to be excused.
This is the process by which one can be relieved from a vaisnava-aparadha.
Krsna is always very simple and by nature merciful.
When one commits an offense at the feet of a Vaisnava, one must immediately apologize to such a personality so that his spiritual advancement may not be hampered.
5.10.25
na vikriya visva-suhrt-sakhasya
samyena vitabhimates tavapi
mahad-vimanat sva-krtad dhi madrn
nanksyaty adurad api sulapanih
SYNONYMS
na—not; vikriya—material transformation; visva-suhrt—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is a friend to everyone; sakhasya—of you, the friend; samyena—because of your mental equilibrium; vita-abhimateh—who has completely forsaken the bodily concept of life; tava—your; api—indeed; mahat-vimanat—of insulting a great devotee; sva-krtat—from my own activity; hi—certainly; madrk—a person like me; nanksyati—will be destroyed; adurat—very soon; api—certainly; sula-panih—even though as powerful as Lord Siva (Sulapani).
TRANSLATION
O my dear lord, you are the friend of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the friend of all living entities.
You are therefore equal to everyone, and you are free from the bodily conception.
Although I have committed an offense by insulting you, I know that there is no loss or gain for you due to my insult.
You are fixed in your determination, but I have committed an offense.
Because of this, even though I may be as strong as Lord Siva, I shall be vanquished without delay due to my offense at the lotus feet of a Vaisnava.
PURPORT
Maharaja Rahugana was very intelligent and conscious of the inauspicious effects arising from insulting a Vaisnava.
He was therefore very anxious to be excused by Jada Bharata.
Following in the footsteps of Maharaja Rahugana, everyone should be very cautious not to commit an offense at the lotus feet of a Vaisnava.
Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura in the Caitanya-bhagavata (Madhya13) says:
sulapani-sama yadi bhakta-ninda kare
bhagavata pramana——tathapi sighra mare
hena vaisnavere ninde sarvajna ha-i
se janera adhah-pata sarva-sastre ka-i
Even if one is as strong as Lord Siva, who carries a trident in his hand, one will nonetheless fall down from his spiritual position if he tries to insult a Vaisnava.
That is the verdict of all Vedic scriptures He also says this in Caitanya-bhagavata (Madhya22):
vaisnavera ninda karibeka yara gana
tara raksa samarthya nahika kona jana
sulapani-sama yadi vaisnavere ninde
tathapiha nasa yaya——kahe sastra-vrnde
iha na maniya ye sujana ninda kare
janme janme se papistha daiva-dose mare
One who blasphemes a Vaisnava cannot be protected by anyone.
Even if a person is as strong as Lord Siva, if he blasphemes a Vaisnava, he is sure to be destroyed.
This is the verdict of all sastras.
If one does not care for the verdict of the sastras and dares blaspheme a Vaisnava, he suffers life after life because of this