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Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 14

Rahūgaṇa Meets Jaḍa Bharata: The Shaking Palanquin and the Teaching Beyond Body-Identity

श्रीशुक उवाच एतावदनुवादपरिभाषया प्रत्युदीर्य मुनिवर उपशमशील उपरतानात्म्यनिमित्त उपभोगेन कर्मारब्धं व्यपनयन् राजयानमपि तथोवाह ॥ १४ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca etāvad anuvāda-paribhāṣayā pratyudīrya muni-vara upaśama-śīla uparatānātmya-nimitta upabhogena karmārabdhaṁ vyapanayan rāja-yānam api tathovāha.

舒迦提婆·高斯瓦弥说:噢,帕利克希特大王,当辛杜与苏毗罗之王罗呼伽那以粗厉之言责骂那位崇高的奉主者——贾达·婆罗多——时,那位安忍寂静的圣者尽皆容受,并作了恰当的回答。无明源于把身体当作自我之妄见,而贾达·婆罗多不为此所染。出于天性谦卑,他从不自认大奉献者,也甘愿承受往昔业报。像寻常人一般,他以为抬舆能消除旧罪的反应,于是又如先前那样继续抬着王舆前行。

śrī-śukaḥŚrī Śuka
śrī-śukaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootśrī (प्रातिपदिक) + śuka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; कर्मधारयः—‘श्रीमान् शुकः’
uvācasaid
uvāca:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvac (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada
etāvatthis much; to this extent
etāvat:
Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootetāvat (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; adverbial accusative ‘to this extent’
anuvāda-paribhāṣayāby (way of) repetition and indirect speech
anuvāda-paribhāṣayā:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootanuvāda (प्रातिपदिक) + paribhāṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; द्वन्द्वः—‘anuvādaś ca paribhāṣā ca’ (as a manner of speech)
pratyudīryahaving replied
pratyudīrya:
Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootprati-ud-īr (धातु)
FormAbsolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), ‘having replied/uttered in return’
muni-varaḥthe best of sages
muni-varaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmuni (प्रातिपदिक) + vara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; षष्ठी/उपपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘munīnām varaḥ’
upaśama-śīlaḥof tranquil nature
upaśama-śīlaḥ:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootupaśama (प्रातिपदिक) + śīla (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative, Singular; तत्पुरुषः—‘upaśamaḥ śīlam yasya’ (quality)
uparata-anātmya-nimittaḥwithdrawn from the causes of false ego
uparata-anātmya-nimittaḥ:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootuparata (प्रातिपदिक) + anātmya (प्रातिपदिक) + nimitta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘anātmya-nimittāt uparataḥ’ = ‘ceased from causes of non-self (false identification)’
upabhogenaby experiencing/enjoying (it)
upabhogena:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootupabhoga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular
karma-ārabdham(that which was) initiated by past action
karma-ārabdham:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootkarma (प्रातिपदिक) + ārabdha (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुषः—‘karmaṇā ārabdham’ = ‘begun by karma’
vyapanayanremoving; dispelling
vyapanayan:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootapa-ni (धातु)
FormPresent active participle (शतृ-कृदन्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘removing/dispelling’
rāja-yānamthe king’s palanquin/vehicle
rāja-yānam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootrāja (प्रातिपदिक) + yāna (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुषः—‘rājñaḥ yānam’
apialso; even
api:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; particle (समुच्चय/अपि)
tathāthus; in that manner
tathā:
Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottathā (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; adverb (प्रकारवाचक)
uvāhacarried; bore
uvāha:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvah (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular; parasmaipada

An exalted devotee of the Lord never thinks that he is a paramahaṁsa 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 ’nukampāṁ susamīkṣyamāṇaḥ. 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. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.8) :

Ś
Śukadeva
J
Jaḍa Bharata

FAQs

This verse indicates that a liberated, peaceful sage allows already-begun karma to exhaust by undergoing its destined results without bodily identification, thereby clearing its effects.

Because he was tranquil and detached from ego and bodily identity; he simply performed what came by destiny, letting previously-begun karma be worked out without agitation.

Do your duty without ego, accept unavoidable outcomes as temporary results of past actions, and keep inner steadiness through remembrance of the Lord and detachment from bodily identity.