Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 5
Rahūgaṇa Meets Jaḍa Bharata: The Shaking Palanquin and the Teaching Beyond Body-Identity
सांसर्गिको दोष एव नूनमेकस्यापि सर्वेषां सांसर्गिकाणां भवितुमर्हतीति निश्चित्य निशम्य कृपणवचो राजा रहूगण उपासितवृद्धोऽपि निसर्गेण बलात्कृत ईषदुत्थितमन्युरविस्पष्टब्रह्मतेजसं जातवेदसमिव रजसाऽऽवृतमतिराह ॥ ५ ॥
sāṁsargiko doṣa eva nūnam ekasyāpi sarveṣāṁ sāṁsargikāṇāṁ bhavitum arhatīti niścitya niśamya kṛpaṇa-vaco rājā rahūgaṇa upāsita-vṛddho ’pi nisargeṇa balāt kṛta īṣad-utthita-manyur avispaṣṭa-brahma-tejasaṁ jāta-vedasam iva rajasāvṛta-matir āha.
En entendant les paroles des porteurs, tremblants de peur du châtiment, le roi Rahūgaṇa comprit que, par la faute d’un seul, le palanquin était porté de façon inégale. Bien qu’il le sût parfaitement et eût entendu leur requête, lui pourtant versé et expérimenté en politique, il s’irrita quelque peu par nature royale. L’esprit voilé par la passion (rajas), il parla ainsi à Jaḍa Bharata, dont l’éclat brahmanique demeurait indistinct, tel un feu couvert de cendre.
The distinction between rajo-guṇa and sattva-guṇa 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. Jaḍa 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-tejaḥ, his Brahman effulgence, was indistinctly visible in his person.
FAQs
This verse shows that a defect born of association can spread—Rahūgaṇa assumes one person’s fault can infect the whole group, illustrating how saṅga shapes perception and behavior.
Hearing the attendants’ pitiable explanation and thinking the carriers were collectively at fault, Rahūgaṇa’s natural pride was provoked; rajas covered his understanding and he spoke in anger.
Be cautious about judging a whole group from one perceived fault, and notice how passion and irritation “cover” clarity—pause before speaking when anger starts to rise.