Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 7
Rahūgaṇa Meets Jaḍa Bharata: The Shaking Palanquin and the Teaching Beyond Body-Identity
अथ पुन: स्वशिबिकायां विषमगतायां प्रकुपित उवाच रहूगण: किमिदमरे त्वं जीवन्मृतो मां कदर्थीकृत्य भर्तृशासनमतिचरसि प्रमत्तस्य च ते करोमि चिकित्सां दण्डपाणिरिव जनताया यथा प्रकृतिं स्वां भजिष्यस इति ॥ ७ ॥
atha punaḥ sva-śibikāyāṁ viṣama-gatāyāṁ prakupita uvāca rahūgaṇaḥ kim idam are tvaṁ jīvan-mṛto māṁ kadarthī-kṛtya bhartṛ-śāsanam aticarasi pramattasya ca te karomi cikitsāṁ daṇḍa-pāṇir iva janatāyā yathā prakṛtiṁ svāṁ bhajiṣyasa iti.
罗睺伽那王见轿子仍然颠簸摇晃，便大怒说道：“你这无赖，在做什么？身有生气却如同死人吗？不知我是你的主人吗？你竟违背我的命令；因此我将如阎摩王惩罚罪人一般惩治你，使你醒悟，按本分行事。”
FAQs
This verse shows Rahūgaṇa’s pride: he mistakes a saint for a negligent servant and threatens punishment, illustrating how ego can distort judgment and lead to misuse of royal authority.
Because the palanquin moved unevenly, Rahūgaṇa assumed the carrier was careless and disobedient; unaware of Jaḍa Bharata’s saintliness, he reacted with anger and threatened discipline.
Before blaming or punishing others, verify the facts and check one’s ego; leadership requires restraint, humility, and respect—especially toward those who may be wiser than they appear.