Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 6
Rahūgaṇa Meets Jaḍa Bharata: The Shaking Palanquin and the Teaching Beyond Body-Identity
अहो कष्टं भ्रातर्व्यक्तमुरुपरिश्रान्तो दीर्घमध्वानमेक एव ऊहिवान् सुचिरं नातिपीवा न संहननाङ्गो जरसा चोपद्रुतो भवान् सखे नो एवापर एते सङ्घट्टिन इति बहुविप्रलब्धोऽप्यविद्यया रचितद्रव्यगुणकर्माशयस्वचरमकलेवरेऽवस्तुनि संस्थानविशेषेऽहं ममेत्यनध्यारोपितमिथ्याप्रत्ययो ब्रह्मभूतस्तूष्णीं शिबिकां पूर्ववदुवाह ॥ ६ ॥
aho kaṣṭaṁ bhrātar vyaktam uru-pariśrānto dīrgham adhvānam eka eva ūhivān suciraṁ nāti-pīvā na saṁhananāṅgo jarasā copadruto bhavān sakhe no evāpara ete saṅghaṭṭina iti bahu-vipralabdho ’py avidyayā racita-dravya-guṇa-karmāśaya-sva-carama-kalevare ’vastuni saṁsthāna-viśeṣe ’haṁ mamety anadhyāropita-mithyā-pratyayo brahma-bhūtas tūṣṇīṁ śibikāṁ pūrvavad uvāha.
Sinabi ni Haring Rahūgaṇa kay Jaḍa Bharata: “Naku, kapatid, napakahirap nito! Kitang-kita na pagod na pagod ka, sapagkat matagal at malayo mong binuhat ang palankin nang mag-isa. Hindi ka rin mataba, ni matatag ang pangangatawan; at pinahihirapan ka pa ng katandaan, kaibigan. Hindi ba tumutulong sa iyo ang iba pang tagapasan?” Ngunit si Jaḍa Bharata—bagama’t madalas na nauunawaan nang mali—ay nanatiling tahimik, walang maling akalang ‘ako’ at ‘akin’, batid na ang katawan ay huling balabal na hinubog ng bagay, guna, at karma; nakatindig sa kamalayang Brahman, dinala niya ang palankin gaya ng dati.
In this way the King criticized Jaḍa Bharata with sarcastic words, yet despite being criticized in this way, Jaḍa 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 [ahaṁ brahmāsmi]. He was therefore unaffected by this sarcastic criticism from the King. Without saying anything, he continued carrying the palanquin as before.
FAQs
This verse states that due to ignorance one superimposes “I” and “mine” upon the material body—made of matter, qualities, and actions—though the body is not the true Self.
Rahūgaṇa believed Bharata was a weak, aged palanquin-bearer and complained that he alone was carrying the load, not realizing Bharata was a self-realized saint beyond bodily identification.
See the body and roles as temporary instruments, reduce ego-driven reactions (“I am insulted,” “this is mine”), and cultivate steady awareness of the Self through devotion and self-knowledge.