Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 2
Rahūgaṇa Meets Jaḍa Bharata: The Shaking Palanquin and the Teaching Beyond Body-Identity
यदा हि द्विजवरस्येषुमात्रावलोकानुगतेर्न समाहिता पुरुषगतिस्तदा विषमगतां स्वशिबिकां रहूगण उपधार्य पुरुषानधिवहत आह हे वोढार: साध्वतिक्रमत किमिति विषममुह्यते यानमिति ॥ २ ॥
yadā hi dvija-varasyeṣu-mātrāvalokānugater na samāhitā puruṣa-gatis tadā viṣama-gatāṁ sva-śibikāṁ rahūgaṇa upadhārya puruṣān adhivahata āha he voḍhāraḥ sādhv atikramata kim iti viṣamam uhyate yānam iti.
Par esprit de non-violence, Jaḍa Bharata avançait lentement, regardant tous les trois pas afin de ne pas écraser des fourmis. Il ne put donc suivre le rythme des autres porteurs, et le palanquin se mit à tanguer. Voyant cela, le roi Rahūgaṇa dit : « Hé, porteurs, marchez convenablement ; pourquoi portez-vous le palanquin de façon inégale ? Portez-le correctement. »
Although Jaḍa 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. Jaḍa Bharata was a qualified brāhmaṇa, 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 Vaiṣṇava is never envious or unnecessarily violent. There were many ants on the path, but Jaḍa 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 Vaiṣṇava is always very kind at heart to all living entities. In His sāṅkhya-yoga, Lord Kapiladeva explains: suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām. Living entities assume different bodily forms. Those who are not Vaiṣṇavas consider only human society worthy of their sympathy, but Kṛṣṇa claims to be the supreme father of all life forms. Consequently the Vaiṣṇava 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.
FAQs
This verse shows Rahūgaṇa misreading Jaḍa Bharata’s slow, careful steps as incompetence; it sets up the teaching that a saint may appear unusual externally, so one should not judge devotion by outward conduct alone.
Because the palanquin began to sway unevenly when Jaḍa Bharata, as a bearer, walked very carefully; Rahūgaṇa assumed the carriers were at fault and ordered them to carry properly.
Avoid quick conclusions about people’s competence or character based on appearances; observe carefully, ask respectfully, and recognize that sincerity and wisdom may not match conventional expectations.